A montage of some of the illegal tobacco haul uncovered in Sydney and Melbourne. Pictures: ABF More than $75 million worth of illegal cigarettes and tobacco have been seized from 10 shipping containers in Sydney and Melbourne over five days. An Australian Border Force (ABF) statement said that the illegal shipments hauls were discovered from…
Voter enrolment for the next federal election is expected to be the highest ever, says the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC). The AEC says 97.9% of all eligible Australians are enrolled as of June 30, 2024, compared to 96.2% (June 30, 2021) for the previous election. An estimated 92.9% of Indigenous Australians are enrolled compared to 79.3 for…
Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (seated) talks to Sergiy Kyslytsya, Ukraine’s Permanent Representative to the UN. Photo: United Nations Ukraine and Russia must do more to protect their nuclear power sites, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres says. He made the comment to a United Nations Security Council meeting on the Ukraine in New York. “In recent weeks,…
A viewing platform on the new elevated rail line. Picture: METRONET The completion of the concrete structure for an elevated rail line on Perth’s Armadale line has given Western Australian government officials cause for joy. The work is part of a Victoria Park-Canning Level Crossing Removal project on Perth’s Armadale Line which will ease road…
WESTERN NSW flights will continue to be subsidised by the State Government until November 2025 at least. A government statement says that $2m in subsidies will apply to flights from Dubbo to Bourke, Walgett and Lightning Ridge (operated by Air Link) and from Sydney to Cobar (FlyPelican). An audit is also under way of remote…
Russia, China and Iran are using artificial intelligence to boost attempts to influence November’s US presidential election. That is the view of the US Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) in an assessment that has just been released. “Generative AI is helping to improve and accelerate aspects of foreign influence operations but thus far…
Samoan police officers training with their AFP counterparts in Canberra. Picture: supplied/AFP SAMOAN police officers have been training with the Australian Federal Police in Canberra as the island nation gears up to host the 24th CHOGM meeting late next month. According to the AFP, a Samoa Police Tactical Operations Section (TOS) team worked closely with…
Freight rail is expected to use the new corridor as well. Picture: ANDREW KACIMAIWAI The Australian and Queensland governments are now studying protective measures for the Salisbury-Beaudesert rail corridor. A Salisbury to Beaudesert Passenger Rail study is recommending a heavy rail-line as the best way to address forecast passenger demand in the corridor. Beaudesert is…
Visitors want more than a Sydney Harbour selfie, says NSW Tourism Minister John Graham. Pictures: ANDREW KACIMAIWAI NSW Tourism is being encouraged to look to the light, and beyond Sydney Harbour, to boost visitor spending. A government-commissioned review of the NSW Visitor Economy Strategy wants the government to adopt an “experience-led strategy” that focuses more…
Lebanon-based Hezbollah has declared an open-ended battle with Israel after the militant group buried a top military commander. The Iran-backed military group’s deputy leader, Naim Qassem, reportedly made the comment during a funeral for a top commander killed in an Israeli strike in Beirut after days of surprise attacks that wounded thousands of people in…