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nine more flood buyback homes for auction

The NSW Government is releasing more flood-affected homes for sale across the Northern Rivers after a very strong community response to the first two home relocation auctions.

There will be a rolling release of homes available for auction and relocation, with 45 flood-affected properties in the Northern Rivers sold already.

This next release by the NSW Reconstruction Authority will include nine buyback homes from Burringbar and South Murwillumbah going to auction on 12 August 2025.

All homes earmarked for relocation have been purchased by the RA through the buyback stream of the $880 million Resilient Homes Program, jointly funded by the NSW and Commonwealth Governments.

As Australia’s largest climate adaptation initiative, the program is helping create safer communities by removing flood-prone homes from the floodplain.

Most of the buyers have been locals, paying between $347 and $101,000 for the houses so far.

There is no reserve price on these houses, meaning bidding can start and end at $1, making it one of the most accessible housing opportunities in Australia. Successful bidders will have 12 months to relocate the houses to flood-free land.

The RA remains firmly committed to reusing and relocating as many flood-affected homes as possible.

More details on the homes available can be found at www.fnmurwillumbah.com.au/pages/real-estate/relocatable-homes

Minister for Recovery Janelle Saffin said:

“By auctioning these houses, we are helping save historic homes impacted by the floods and making a small but meaningful contribution to the housing challenges we face in the Northern Rivers.”

“This innovative program is a creative way of keeping these houses in the community.”

NSW and Victoria trial cross-border emergency communications

Frontlines responders working between New South Wales and Victoria will soon be able to access improved radio communications to help better protect local communities.

Emergency services agencies are working to improve communications when responding to natural disasters across borders, with a new radio communications trial announced at the National Emergency Ministers Meeting in Darwin.

The trial is testing first responders’ ability to seamlessly switch between state radio networks, allowing teams to coordinate responses during emergencies, even when crossing borders.

This will enable them to operate on the same radio network and prevent them having to carry two radios to improve emergency response efforts.

Under the trial emergency service crews’ radios will automatically connect to the local network, enabling first responders to stay in touch without changing devices or settings.

This is important during large-scale emergencies like bushfires, floods, or storms, where teams from multiple agencies and states often work together.

The trial builds on the success of Australia’s first interstate radio roaming services, launched by NSW and Queensland in 2023.

This service was critical during the response to Tropical Cyclone Alfred earlier this year when Queensland’s radio infrastructure was inaccessible, and emergency teams were able to switch seamlessly to the NSW network and continue operations without disruption.

The trial is expected to begin later in the year and will be led by the NSW Telco Authority and Emergency Management Victoria.

In NSW, the Public Safety Network is used by emergency services and government agencies to coordinate responses and is the state’s most important communications network after Triple Zero.

Minister for Emergency Services Jihad Dib said:

“State borders shouldn’t be a barrier to public safety. This collaboration reflects a shared commitment to ensuring first responders have the tools to keep communities safe and connected.

“As technology improves, we need to look at new ways to harness it to improve our emergency response. This is yet another example of how we’re improving communications to assist in a crisis.

“Through enabling seamless roaming and stronger network interoperability we’re ensuring emergency responders can communicate clearly and stay connected when it matters most.”

Victoria’s Minister for Emergency Services and Natural Disaster Recovery Vicki Ward said:

“Our emergency service teams do an incredible job, and it’s important they have the technology required to respond to emergencies regardless of where they occur.

“We’re working alongside state government colleagues across borders, removing communication barriers and saving valuable time during emergencies.”

Another Minns housing failure: NSW is 23,500 homes behind housing accord

Acting NSW Opposition Leader Damien Tudehope said only a Liberals and Nationals Government will ease the burden of Labor’s higher taxes and charges on new housing that have led to NSW performing worse than every other mainland state.

“The numbers today only reinforce this devastating reality for prospective home buyers who will be left dreaming of getting on the property ladder. In the last 9 months, 23,500 hopeful NSW residents have had their dreams of home ownership smashed by the inability of Chris Minns and Labor to make it more viable to build new homes.”

“Chris Minns and Labor must finally face up to reality: NSW can’t tax our way to more housing. Affordability starts with supply, and supply starts with a government that gets out of the way—not one that stacks on more costs,” Mr Tudehope said.

“In the Budget Reply, the Coalition announced we would make home construction more viable by pausing Labor’s $12,000 tax on every new for the life of the National Housing Accord and afterwards defer collection of the Housing and Productivity Contribution from the construction certificate stage to the occupation certificate stage to improve cash flow.

“More people are being left to compete over fewer new homes under Labor. The recent NSW Budget admits that under Chris Minns and Labor, NSW has seen more net household formations than net housing completions. No wonder the housing crisis is getting worse.

“Labor has made the housing crisis worse by failing to deliver the homes to cater for our growing population, by making new homes more expensive with higher taxes and construction less viable and by failing to provide the essential infrastructure the sector needs to actually get on with the job of delivering more homes,” Mr Tudehope said.

Appeal to locate man missing from Newcastle

Police are appealing for public assistance to locate a man missing from Elermore Vale.

David Brown, aged 49, was last seen at Charlestown Square, Shopping Centre around 3:15am on Friday (18 July 2025).

When he was unable to be located or contacted, officers attached to Newcastle Police District were notified and commenced inquiries into his whereabouts.

Police and family hold serious concerns for his welfare.

David is described as being of Caucasian appearance, about 183cm tall, of medium build, with receding brown hair, a red/white beard and brown eyes.

He may be travelling in a silver Honda Civic – NSW registration BVN18X.

He is known to frequent the Newcastle and New Lambton areas.

It is believed he may have been in the vicinity of Lookout Road, New Lambton about 8.15am yesterday (Friday 18 July 2025).

Anyone with information into her whereabouts is urged to contact Newcastle Police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Appeal to locate teen missing from Hamilton

Police are appealing for public assistance to locate a teenage girl missing from Newcastle..

Ruby-Lee Camilleri, aged 13, was last seen on Fowler Street, Hamilton South, about 9.30pm yesterday (Tuesday 16 July 2025).

When she was unable to be located or contacted, officers attached to Newcastle Police District were notified and commenced inquiries into her whereabouts.

Police hold concerns for her welfare due to her age.

Ruby-Lee is described as being of Caucasian appearance, 155cm tall, with a thin build, short brown hair and blue eyes.

She was last seen wearing a grey hoodie and black shorts.

She is known to use the Newcastle, Hamilton South and Waratah West areas.

Anyone with information into her whereabouts is urged to contact Newcastle Police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Recognising Operational Service in the Indo-Pacific

The ship’s company of HMAS Stuart has today been recognised, with approximately 150 personnel among the first in the nation to receive the Australian Operational Service Medal (AOSM) – Indo-Pacific, during a ceremony at Henderson Shipyard in Western Australia.

This is the Australian Defence Force’s newest medal, acknowledging the role Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel have, and continue, to play in operations throughout our Indo-Pacific region.

The recognition highlights the vital contribution of ADF personnel to Australia’s national interest and their ongoing role in supporting peace, stability and security across the Indo-Pacific region.

The AOSM, instituted by the Governor-General in January this year, can be awarded to ADF personnel of all ranks who have completed 30 days of operational service on certain ADF operations.

Approximately 15,000 current and former-serving ADF personnel will be recognised for their contributions and service.

Minister for Defence Personnel, the Hon Matt Keogh MP:

“It was a great honour to attend the presentation of the first Australian Operational Service Medals – Indo Pacific to ADF personnel for their dedication in operations in this most vital of regions for Australia’s national security.

“This medal recognises the contribution of over 15,000 ADF personnel for their service in the Indo-Pacific region since 2005. Behind each medal is a story of service – years of deployments and moments spent away from home.

“The Australian Government is committed to recognising the service of ADF personnel, and Defence’s continued engagement in the pursuit of a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific region.”

DBCA MUST EXCLUDE TINGLE FOREST FROM PRESCRIBED BURNING PROGRAMS

The Greens (WA) are calling for the WA Labor government to amend prescribed burning programs to exclude tingle forests, after a prescribed burn earlier this year felled almost 100 of the rare trees found nowhere else on earth.

The Greens (WA) Forests and Woodlands spokesperson Jess Beckerling MLC said the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions prescribed burning program was having a catastrophic impact on the fragile tingle forest ecosystems of the Southwest.

“Hundreds of tingle trees were burned in the Giants Forest near Walpole last year and now – after months of asking by conservation groups, the media and the Greens – it has finally been confirmed that 95 irreplaceable red tingle trees were felled during that burn.

“This is absolutely devastating; it is time for DBCA to acknowledge that prescribed burning in mature tingle forest is doing far more harm than good and to commit to a major overhaul of burning practices to protect biodiversity and improve fire mitigation outcomes.”

“The Noongar people who protected these forests for tens of thousands of years never burnt tingle forests like this because they are not adapted to be resilient to fire.

“On top of that, over the last 25 years the red tingle forests have lost about 200mm of average rainfall as a result of our warming and drying climate, putting even further pressure on this fragile ecosystem.

“We must exclude fire from tingle forests.”

If Minister Bowen is serious about climate change, he must release missing climate risk report

The Greens are demanding the government immediately release the final report of the National Climate Risk Assessment in the wake of yesterday’s Pabai v Commonwealth decision, where the Federal Court acknowledged the devastating climate impacts facing Torres Strait Islander communities — but disappointingly found the government had no legal duty of care.

The second phase of the National Climate Risk Assessment was due to be completed in 2024 to inform Australia’s upcoming National Adaptation Plan, yet the government has failed to release the final report or explain the delay, with its own website stating updates should have been given throughout 2024.

This follows the government;s refusal to release a separate 2023 report by the Office of National Intelligence on climate change and national security, claiming it is classified.

Australian Greens Assistant Spokesperson for Climate Change and Energy, Senator Steph Hodgins-May

“This vital report identifies the most pressing climate risks facing our country, and it’s nowhere to be seen.

“While the waves are literally lapping at the doors of our Torres Strait Island family, the government is withholding crucial information needed to respond to the urgent threats to their livelihoods, homes and culture..

“The government has both the power and the responsibility to protect climate vulnerable communities, but how can they do that if the climate risk report is being kept from the very people it should be protecting?

“Australians, especially Torres Straight Islander and Aboriginal communities, deserve the truth. They deserve to know what the climate risks are, and what their government is doing about them.

“With Parliament returning next week, our message to the government is simple: show us this report, and work with us on real, urgent climate action for current and future generations.”

Greens call on ACT Government to outline pathway to first safe injecting site in territory

Opening the ACT’s first safe injecting room should be a priority during this term of government, says Leader of the ACT Greens, Shane Rattenbury.

Leader of the ACT Greens, Shane Rattenbury:

“In cities like Sydney and Melbourne, safe injecting rooms have been operating for years. But despite Canberra at times recording the highest rate of drug-induced deaths per capita in the country, we still don’t have one.

“A commitment to investigate a safe injecting room was hard-won by the Greens in the last Parliamentary Agreement—but Labor dragged their feet for most of the term–having done no work on this while holding the portfolio.

“It wasn’t until three years in, after a cabinet reshuffle handed the drug harm reduction portfolio to Greens Minister Emma Davidson, that this critical work finally began–with a review into how, not if, but how this work would happen.

“The fact is, this reform is thirty years overdue. Every delay, every review, means more preventable overdose deaths—and that is simply unacceptable.

“If we’re serious about saving lives, we need to treat drug use as a health issue, not a criminal one. That means backing evidence-based, community-led harm reduction services—not leaving people to use alone on the streets.

“Right now we need outcomes— the Greens are flexible on location for this site, but we’re absolutely clear on the need for action. No matter whether it’s co-located with the fixed-site pill testing clinic in Civic or some other location that suits users, what matters is getting it done–and getting it done soon.

“The Greens are really clear: today we’re calling on the government to set-up a safe injecting room in this city before the end of the year. This morning I have written to the Health Minister outlining this ask, and offering the Greens’ support for a collaborative, cross-party approach to making this a reality

Greens say housing approval numbers underscore need for government developer

This morning’s reporting that housing approvals have reached an all-time low underscores the urgent need for a government-owned housing developer, says ACT Greens Leader Shane Rattenbury.

A draft report from Pegasus Economics has identified workforce shortages as the greatest barrier to meeting the government’s target of building 30,000 homes over the next decade—none of which are currently price-capped or guaranteed to be affordable.

Quotes attributable to Leader of the ACT Greens, Shane Rattenbury:

“If the government is serious about building affordable housing in Canberra—and I stress affordable—then it should be leading the charge by hiring and retaining its own workforce to build it.

“Relying solely on the same private market that caused the housing crisis to fix the housing crisis is a recipe for disaster. This is the same sector that drove prices up in the first place–and now we’re kidding ourselves that they’ll fix it.

“The government’s goal to build 30,000 new homes is certainly commendable, but without a plan to retain a workforce and ensure those homes are actually affordable to someone on minimum wage, it’s really a drop in the ocean.

“During the election, the Greens commissioned independent modelling that showed how a government developer can help us avoid tradie shortages while providing housing at prices everyday people can actually afford—by offering steady, secure work through a consistent pipeline of public builds.