Author: admin

Man charged after alleged road rage, firearm and tasers seized – Lake Macquarie

A man has been charged following an alleged armed road rage in the state’s north yesterday.

About 5.40pm yesterday (Tuesday 4 August 2026), police were called to a shopping centre carpark on Stockland Drive, Glendale, following reports of a road rage incident.

Officers attached to Lake Macquarie Police District attended and were told two women – aged 22 and 47 – were involved in an alleged road rage incident with another unknown driver, before a firearm was pointed at them and the driver leaving the scene.

Following inquiries, police attended a home on Anzac Parade, Teralba, and stopped a vehicle believed to be linked to the alleged incident.

A vehicle search was conducted, with police allegedly locating and seizing a gel blaster, two tasers, a baton, three slingshots and a knife.

A 26-year-old man was arrested and taken to Toronto Police Station where he was charged with possess unregistered firearm-pistol, five counts of possess or use a prohibited weapon without permit, stalk/intimidate intend fear physical etc harm (personal) and armed with intent commit indictable offence.

He was refused bail to appear before Bail Division Court 2 today (Wednesday 5 August 2026).

Victorian firm secures $160 million helmet contract

The Albanese Government is investing in the supply and refurbishment of combat helmets for the Australian Defence Force (ADF) through Victorian company, Aquaterro.

This investment of up to $160 million across seven years will support Australian industry and jobs, and ensure ADF personnel have access to reliable, locally supported and up-to-date protective equipment.

Aquaterro has supported the ADF for ten years, supplying over 75,000 ballistic helmets and conducting refurbishment maintenance services on over 30,000 helmets.

The contract includes the provision of 100% Designed and Made in Australia camouflage helmet covers.

Defence and Aquaterro have also signed a $1.16 million support services contract, increasing technical support for small arms capability used by our soldiers, sailors and aviators.

This contract provides Defence with access to Aquaterro and SIG Sauer technical expertise, strengthening Australia’s local defence industrial base while supporting relationships with international suppliers.

Aquaterro employs more than 70 staff at its facility in Pakenham, located in Melbourne’s south-eastern suburbs.

Minister for Defence Industry, Pat Conroy:

“This investment is about keeping Australian soldiers, sailors and aviators safe and supporting local defence industry and jobs.

“Aquaterro’s work will play an important role in strengthening Australia’s sovereign domestic supply chains and supporting the sustainment of critical ADF capability.

“This is another example of how the Albanese Government is ensuring the capability and protective equipment used by the ADF are supported by local, accessible and responsive technical expertise.

“Importantly, it supports Australian jobs and strengthens our skilled technical workforce.”

Launch of the 2026 Defence Innovation, Science and Technology Strategy

The Albanese Government has today launched the 2026 Defence Innovation, Science and Technology (IS&T) Strategy – a 10-year blueprint to accelerate the delivery of innovative solutions and new technologies for Defence and strengthen Australia’s sovereign industrial base. 

In a rapidly evolving strategic environment, the pace of technological change is accelerating and emerging technologies are reshaping the character of warfare. To maintain Australia’s strategic advantage, Defence must be equipped to innovate, adapt and deliver capability at speed.

The 2026 IS&T Strategy focuses on six key capability priorities: 

  1. long-range fires and hypersonic weapons; 
  2. high-energy lasers; 
  3. autonomous systems; 
  4. quantum technology; 
  5. artificial intelligence; and 
  6. undersea warfare. 

These priority areas will be critical to the delivery of capabilities and autonomous platforms for our Defence Force, such as the Ghost Bat uncrewed aircraft and the Ghost Shark autonomous undersea vehicle. They will also support the development of quantum technologies which provide secure navigation and timing in GPS-denied environments, and advanced systems to counter drones and protect Defence personnel and infrastructure – drawing on lessons learned from the war in Ukraine and conflict in the Middle East. 

This is a national endeavour, drawing on and contributing to capabilities across government, industry, research institutions and universities. The 2026 IS&T Strategy strengthens these partnerships to accelerate innovation, build sovereign capability and contribute to the peace and security of our region. 

Defence also continues to work with trusted international partners to expand collaboration across areas of innovation, science and technology. 

The 2026 IS&T Strategy is being launched in conjunction with the 2026 ADSTAR Summit which begins in Adelaide today. 

Deputy Prime Minister, Richard Marles:

“The Defence Innovation, Science and Technology Strategy sets clear direction for Defence, industry, academics and researchers to work together on the technologies that will define the future of modern warfare. 

“Technology is reshaping warfare at a pace we have never seen before. The lessons from conflicts around the world are clear: nations that can innovate faster and adopt new technologies more effectively will have a decision advantage. 

“The 2024 Defence Innovation, Science and Technology Strategy made strong progress and the 2026 Strategy builds on this and aligns efforts with the 2026 National Defence Strategy and Defence Industry Development Strategy.” 

Chief of the Defence Force, Admiral Mark Hammond:

“The new Defence Innovation, Science and Technology Strategy offers a blueprint for providing the capability our warfighters need.

“The Strategy will enable us to transition new technologies to our people sooner through a balanced approach to risk, deeper partnerships with industry, academia and international allies, and a culture of rapid experimentation that allows us to fail fast, learn faster and adapt quickly.

“Today is an invaluable opportunity for all of us to come together at ADSTAR, to discuss how we can take collective action to accelerate and enhance Australia’s asymmetric advantage to preserve peace, prosperity and security for all Australians.”

Chief Defence Scientist, Professor Tanya Monro:  

“The Defence Innovation, Science and Technology Strategy clearly outlines Defence innovation, science and technology priorities, helping our partners focus their expertise and investment on the areas that will have the greatest impact on Australia’s national security and defence capability.

“This represents a significant step towards deeper co-design and co-development with industry and academia, ensuring research programs are shaped from the outset by shared priorities and real capability challenges, while strengthening research security across the innovation ecosystem. 

“This Strategy will help align research effort, investment and innovation with Defence’s highest-priority needs and strengthen Australia’s strategic advantage.”

Greens welcome long-awaited action on mental health emergencies, but more needed

After sustained pressure from the Greens, working alongside the families of those harmed by police during mental health emergencies, people with lived experience, and experts, the Minns Labor government has finally announced a welcome change to the way that Triple Zero calls for mental health are responded to, two years after committing to reform in this space.

A health-led response to mental health emergencies, with police activated as a secondary response only when required to support the safety of health workers, was a key recommendation of the Greens-led inquiry into community mental health care, which handed down its report in June 2024.

Dr Amanda Cohn, Greens spokesperson for Health including Mental Health, said today’s announcement is welcome and significant, but is not yet sufficiently resourced.

“When someone calls Triple Zero for their mental health or for a loved one, they need mental health care, not law enforcement. Too many people have been harmed by police as the default response in NSW while alternative response models have been operating in other states.”

Eight Mental Health Acute Assessment Teams (an expansion of the successful trial in Western Sydney), available 12 hours per day, leaves police as default responders for the vast majority of calls across NSW for care and support.

“People across the state are still at risk of harm from police-led responses. Now that this significant reform has commenced, the Greens are calling on the Minns Labor government to finish the job and ensure that people calling Triple Zero for mental health can get the care they need, regardless of the time of day or where they live.”

Selected Parliamentary activity by Dr Cohn calling for reform:

Labor and Nationals team up to keep coal projects away from independent review

The Minns Labor Government has ensured coal projects will continue to be approved in-house instead of by the Independent Planning Commission (IPC) after voting against Greens amendments to the “Net Zero Future Committee Report: Emissions from the fossil fuel sector” to recommend coal projects must be independently assessed.

Greens MP and spokesperson for Climate Change and Planning Sue Higginson says:

“I moved this very simple amendment to this report to make good Labor’s own pre-election commitment to have coal projects independently assessed – I was shocked that they’ve teamed up with the Nationals and voted against their own position,”

“Coal exported from NSW is causing significant harm here and around the world. People are losing their lives, homes and landscapes because of the impacts of climate change. It’s astounding that Labor and the Nationals voted to let these deadly projects keep being approved without independent oversight,”

“Since the Minns Labor Government legislated our emissions reductions obligations in NSW, six mines totalling six million tonnes of collective greenhouse gas emissions have been approved without being referred to the Independent Planning Commission. This is despite Labor promising that new coal projects would be assessed independently,”

“This Committee was specifically established to have oversight of the Minns Labor Government’s legally enshrined obligations to reach net zero emissions, but they’ve stacked it with their own numbers and now the Nationals are helping keep coal approvals rolling along out of public view,”

“There should not be any new, expanded, or extended coal in NSW, and this report contains the evidence that approving any is actually against the law,”

“The Minns Labor Government cannot claim to be taking action on climate or staying true to the commitments they have made to the people of NSW when they have stopped this report from recommending all coal projects at the very least be independently assessed. It’s literally two-faced duplicity, with dire consequences” Ms Higginson said.

For media contact: Sue Higginson on 0428 227 363

Pre-election commitment by Labor for independent oversight of coal projects on page 31 of the transcript: Minister for Resources Courtney Houssos: I’d just make a couple of points in relation to coalmining and expansions. We were really clear before the election that we support the independent planning assessment process of resources projects, and that is the important overarching principle.

Greens stand in solidarity with Camp Sovereignty and First Nations community

The Victorian Greens are deeply disturbed by reports of an assault at Camp Sovereignty on Sunday night and extend our solidarity to Ash Ni Mara, everyone present at the camp, and the First Nations community.

It comes at a painful time for the community, just days after guilty pleas were entered in relation to last year’s violent attack on Camp Sovereignty and as the community approaches the one year anniversary.

Leader of the Victorian Greens, Ellen Sandell:

“We’ve seen vile and racist attacks on Camp Sovereignty, which are deeply disturbing. It’s heartbreaking that First Nations people are being forced to relive this trauma so close to the anniversary of the violent neo-Nazi attack on Camp Sovereignty last year.

“Camp Sovereignty is a sacred place of truth-telling, resistance and the survival of the oldest continuing culture on Earth. It is a place that brings people together, and one that so many in our community feel deeply proud of and grateful to be welcomed to share in.

“Attacks like this do not happen in a vacuum. We are seeing racism and far-right extremism become increasingly emboldened, fuelled by those who seek to divide our communities.

“Now more than ever do we need to come together and unite against fear, hate and division. To stand in solidarity with First Nations communities, to protect and strengthen Treaty, truth-telling and justice.”

Labor doubles down on AI data centres and neglecting the environment

Labor’s reshuffle tells us a few things – Environment? Don’t care. Cyclists? Don’t care. AI data centres? More please! 

The Victorian Greens say that Labor’s priorities have been made crystal clear: rolling out the red carpet for big tech corporations top the list, while the environment is not even on the page. 

Victoria now has the fifth Environment Minister in five years. A revolving door that shows how little priority Labor gives to protecting our natural environment. 

‘Active’ has been dropped from the Public Transport Minister’s title – which the Greens say sends a clear signal that helping more Victorians to safely walk or cycle and lowering vehicle emissions, is not a priority. 

And the cherry on top is that Victoria now has a Minister for AI as Labor doubles down on special treatment for big tech corporations and even more AI data centres that spell disaster for Victoria’s environment. 

The Victorian Greens say that if anyone is going to believe that Labor’s AI data centre plan and the environment are compatible, they should think again. 

Not only is Labor already neglecting nature as it is, they’re now walking away from active transport and doubling down on AI data centres that will make things far worse. 

Deputy Leader of the Victorian Greens, Dr Sarah Mansfield: 

“Labor’s been rolling out the red carpet for these AI data centres that guzzle water and energy and spell total disaster for the environment – and now they’ve even got a new Minister dedicated to bringing in even more of them. 

“If anyone in Labor actually cared about the environment, they wouldn’t be throwing the portfolio around like a hot potato every ten seconds while fast-tracking data centres that risk wreaking havoc on our environment and keeping Victoria hooked on coal and gas longer.

“If Labor genuinely cared about responsible investment, they would be supporting industries that create jobs to protect our climate, water and environment. But instead, they’re prioritising big tech corporations and fast-tracking data centres that send us backwards on all of the above.” 

Albanese must stop high-fiving wealth wipe out of young Australians

“The Albanese government needs to stop high-fiving falling house prices, because they’re sending first home buyers and Australian families into negative equity”, said Shadow Treasurer, Tim Wilson.

Mr Wilson’s comments come as new PropTrack analysis confirms $230 billion has been wiped from Australia’s property market in just four months, with property values falling from $12.77 trillion to $12.54 trillion since Labor’s tax changes, global turmoil and interest rate rises began to bite.

“It’s clear that the Albanese government doesn’t understand that they’re deliberately crashing Australians’ wealth”, Mr Wilson said.

“Yesterday, Albanese government Minister Matt Thistlethwaite couldn’t even tell the difference between negative equity and defaulting on a mortgage on national television, and this is the government deciding the fate of Australians’ biggest asset”.

“First the Albanese government came for the savings of retirees, then they came for the equity of small business owners, then the wealth of families, and now they’re coming for the hopes of first home buyers”.

“Their own 5 per cent deposit scheme has loaded first home buyers up with government-guaranteed debt right as they’ve crashed confidence in the property market, and now those same Australians are being walked into negative equity by the government’s own design”.

“This isn’t a fundamental problem with real estate, it’s a sentiment of fear created by an Albanese government that thinks smashing the value of Australians’ homes is somehow a win”.

“Taxpayers are now on the hook for $11 billion in liability because Labor’s scheme has more than quintupled since they came to office, while almost 60 per cent of new entrants are borrowing more than 94 per cent of the purchase price”.

“The Albanese government should stop treating a housing wealth wipe-out as some kind of victory lap and start taking responsibility for a crisis of confidence they created”.

Visitors vote with their feet as Newcastle Museum notches up 15 years at Honeysuckle

New figures have revealed Newcastle Museum has one of the youngest demographics of any museum in Australia, with around 20% of its visitors aged under 25.

The youth market has surged significantly since the Museum opened its doors at Honeysuckle 15 years ago today, with just 6% of visitors falling into the 16-24 age bracket at that time.

Newcastle Museum at Honeysuckle

The giant red hooks have welcomed millions of visitors into the doors of the Newcastle Museum during the past 15 years.

City of Newcastle Museum Archive Libraries and Learning Director Julie Baird, who is also President of the Australian Museum & Galleries Association, said it was important to appeal across all generations.

“Newcastle Museum is committed to telling the stories of ordinary and extraordinary Novocastrians through our collections, exhibitions and audience engagement – this is who we are, where we’ve come from and where we’re going,” Ms Baird said.

“Our programming doesn’t just tap into the nostalgia of older generations but holds a mirror up to society across a spectrum of topics and ideas.

“We want to see people of all ages coming through our doors and have been strategic about what we offer to encourage growth in multiple age groups, from teen-led takeovers of the Museum after hours to exhibitions and programs for broad tastes and age ranges.

“Family groups with young children also continue to be a mainstay of our visitor profile, ensuring intergenerational experiences are an important part of what we offer here at the Museum.

“We are proud to be celebrating 15 years at this site, creating an inclusive and accessible space that educates, entertains and benefits the community in so many ways.”

Almost 2.3 million people have visited Newcastle Museum since the former Railway Workshops at Honeysuckle were transformed into a state-of-the-art cultural facility in 2011.

Last year saw Newcastle Museum record its second highest audience numbers since the move, with just over 188,000 visitors. The Museum is on track for more of the same this year with over 97,000 people coming through its doors by the end of July.

Ms Baird said upgrading and expanding the Museum at Honeysuckle saw it become a cornerstone of the wider Civic cultural precinct and a key tourist attraction for Newcastle.

“Newcastle Museum is a vehicle for celebrating our city and sharing its stories, not just with the local community but with tens of thousands of visitors to our region ever year,” Ms Baird said. 

“It has evolved over the years to play an increasingly significant role in the city’s tourism offering, with around 65% of our audience now coming from outside the Hunter Region compared to just 27% 15 years ago.

“We rely heavily on our annual visitor evaluation survey to guide what decisions we make and what we do. 

“This year Newcastle Museum achieved a satisfaction rate of 96%, with one of the highest visitation rates per capita in Australia.

“These are the numbers that matter because people vote with their feet. We look forward to welcoming them into this space for decades to come.” 

The Link Building at Newcastle Museum

A glass Link Building was constructed to form a connection between the three existing Heritage-listed railway workshops as part of the relocation of Newcastle Museum to its Honeysuckle home.

Newcastle Museum Fast Facts

  • Newcastle Museum was established in 1988 in the restored former Castlemaine Brewery in Newcastle West as a major Bicentennial project.
  • It temporarily closed in 2008 to allow for its shift to the former Honeysuckle Railway Workshops, which were the original preferred site for the Museum.
  • The relocation involved the major refurbishment of the three existing Heritage-listed railway buildings. The Locomotive Boiler Shop is now home to Supernova, the New Erecting Shop is home to Fire and Earth, and the Blacksmith’s and Wheel Shop house enclosed exhibition spaces and the theatrette. A new Link Building, constructed to form a connection between these spaces, contains the main public foyer, transport exhibition and orientation spaces.
  • The Museum re-opened on 4 August 2011. In the first six months it welcomed 100,000 visitors through the doors to explore the innovative and interactive new displays including the drama of the BHP show, which interprets the excitement, colour and noise of the steel making process and remains the Museum’s most popular permanent exhibit today.
  • In the past 15 years, Newcastle Museum has welcomed 2,298,252 visitors, accepted over 3,000 object donations, won 24 state and national awards including an international Best in Heritage award from the International Congress of Museums and an AMAGA award for the best exhibition in Australia, and displayed 98 exhibitions across a diverse range of topic areas.
  • The Museum welcomed its two millionth visitor to the Honeysuckle site in 2025.

Minns Government to introduce new laws to better protect our state’s fisheries, seafood and marine habitat

The Minns Labor Government is acting to crackdown on illegal catches of the state’s precious seafoods such as abalone, lobster and mud crab by bolstering the compliance powers for NSW’s Fisheries Officers.

The Minns Government’s reforms will strengthen the ability of Fisheries Officers to respond to illegal fishing, disrupt black market seafood supply chains, and tackle aquatic habitat offences that threaten the long-term sustainability of NSW’s fisheries.

The Fisheries Management Amendment (Enforcement) Bill 2026 is being introduced to Parliament this week and represent the most significant modernisation of powers in some time.

The Minns Government’s reforms are critical for ensuring Fisheries Officers have the tools they need to do their jobs more effectively and safely.

The community expects that NSW has the regulatory powers required to protect our natural aquatic resources and remain fit for purpose to deter or investigate criminal activities.

After the Bill passes the new provisions will allow Fisheries Officers to:

  • Act against people knowingly buying fish from illegal sellers, this will have a direct impact on dampening black-market sales
  • Identify and question boat owners when their boat has been suspected to have been involved in illegal activities such a vessel observed by a fisheries drone undertaking illegal fishing
  • Make it harder for illegal fishers to evade fisheries officers and empower Fisheries Officers to demand the identity of suspected offenders
  • Proactively check that seafood being transported and sold by mobile seafood vendors has been sourced legally.

Along with the boosting of compliance powers the Minns Government is ensuring there are boots on the ground to protect our fisheries.

Eight Supervising and District Fisheries Officers are being recruited and a recruitment drive for a new cohort of up to 11 First Year Fisheries Officers to be stationed right across the state is underway.

The Government’s Bill will deliver the following outcomes:

  • Enhance powers to address the risks posed by black market fish sales to the sustainability of fisheries resources and enhance traceability through the seafood supply chain
  • Increased penalties of up to $44,000 to deter would-be offenders from stealing aquaculture stock for black market sale or damaging aquaculture infrastructure
  • Improved enforcement powers and tools so Fisheries Officers can operate safely and effectively, in line with community expectations of modern natural resource regulators.

The NSW Minister for Agriculture Tara Moriarty commissioned a review of the Part 9 of the Fisheries Management Act, that covers compliance and investigation powers, in response to the recommendations of an independent review of fisheries compliance powers.

The independent review was initiated in response to concerns from Fisheries Officers about their powers in relation to safety.

These new powers will enable the state to better protect the aquaculture sector which has recorded a farm gate value of $107 million, contributed almost a quarter of a billion dollars to the state economy, and supports around 2,200 jobs along our coastline.

In a separate regulation change, the Government will soon introduce of a ‘fit and proper person’ test for commercial fishing licences in line with community standards, including the completion of a National Police Check.

The fit and proper person test will allow the refusal, suspension or cancellation of a licence where an applicant or licensee has been convicted of serious indictable offences, including assaulting or intimidating a public officer, serious violence offences, fraud, offences involving criminal groups, or serious offences related to fishing activities.

Minister for Agriculture and Regional NSW, Tara Moriarty said:

“With these reforms to compliance powers we are protecting the livelihood of hard working and honest commercial fishers and ensuring the sustainability of our resources for future generations.

“The Minns Government is putting in place a stronger and better way of protecting our valuable fisheries resources such as abalone, lobster and mud crabs.

“Fisheries Officers undertake important work protecting our state’s aquatic environments and fisheries resources on the water, at the beach, at wharves and on the road, and they need modernised powers to better do their job.

“Like all workers in NSW, we are committed to ensuring that Fisheries Officers are able to feel safe and appropriately empowered to do their job and public service everyday across the state.”

“The introduction of the new ‘fit and proper person’ standard for commercial fishing licenses aims to protect the working environment of Fisheries Officers and for ensuring our natural resources are better protected from fraud or criminal interests.”