CANBERRA, ACT, Aug. 21 -- Geoscience Australia issued the following news release: Aftershocks are possible A magnitude 5.6 earthquake hit south eastern Queensland at 9.49 AM on Saturday 16 August, near the town of Kilkivan and around 40 kilometres west of Gympie. The earthquake was widely felt across the east coast of Australia, with over 24,000 felt reports registered. Seismologist Dr Michelle Salmon said that the earthquake was felt as far south as Wollongong and as far north as Cairns. W...
CANBERRA, ACT, Aug. 20 -- The Treasurer of Australia issued the following transcript: Jim Chalmers: Welcome everyone to day 2 of the Economic Reform Roundtable. I wanted to begin really with my thanks for the way that people engaged yesterday in a really constructive way. Not always reflected in the coverage of yesterday, but don't be deterred by that. Yesterday I think we saw some really welcome signs of developing consensus around a number of really important areas. Whether it be capital fl...
Belconnen, ACT, Aug. 20 -- ACT Policing issued the following media release: ACT Policing is seeking witnesses to a suspicious fire that occurred at a building in Ainslie early yesterday morning. About 4:30am on Tuesday (19 August 2025), police attended a building fire atWakefield Gardens in Ainslie. ACT Fire & Rescue were already in attendance and extinguished the fire. Following an examination of the scene, police suspect that the fire was deliberately lit at around 1:30am that morning. To...
CANBERRA, ACT, Aug. 20 -- The Prime Minister of Australia issued the following media release: Game-changing testing for brevetoxins in shellfish will soon be able to be carried out at a new national testing facility in suburban Adelaide, fast tracking results for small businesses impacted by South Australia's algal bloom. As part of the $28 million algal bloom support package jointly funded with the Albanese Government, the Malinauskas Government has engaged local company Agilex Biolabs to dev...
CANBERRA, ACT, Aug. 19 -- The Treasurer of Australia issued the following transcript: Jim Chalmers: I want to add my thanks to the Prime Minister's. You're all contributing your experience and your expertise in the service of the national economic interest, and we are very grateful to you for that. I also want to thank the PM - for his introduction and for his support for this effort since he first announced this Roundtable10weeks ago today. If there's a defining characteristic of the governme...
CANBERRA, ACT, Aug. 19 -- The Prime Minister of Australia issued the following media release: ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Well, I begin by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which we're meeting and pay my respect to Elders past, present, and emerging. And I thank all of you for not just participating today, but for the work - I actually watched you yesterday, Danielle, the questions, welcome to our world. And the fact that many of you have participated either in the forum...
CANBERRA, ACT, Aug. 19 -- Australian Federal Police issued the following media release: A Sudan-born man is set to appear before the Melbourne Magistrates' Court today (19 August, 2025), charged with allegedly failing to comply with his visa-mandated conditions. The AFP arrested and charged the man, 32, today after locating him in Melbourne. It will be alleged he breached the conditions of his Commonwealth visa between 5 August, 2025, and 16 August, 2025. The man has been charged with: * T...
CANBERRA, ACT, Aug. 19 -- Australian Federal Police issued the following media release: An AFP employee is expected to face the ACT Magistrate's Court today (19 August, 2025) charged with breach of bail. The member was arrested following their alleged breach of bail conditions last night (18 August, 2025). They are currently before the court for alleged family violence offences. The member has been suspended. The AFP is committed to transparency. No further comment will be made. Disclaime...
CANBERRA, ACT, Aug. 19 -- Australian Federal Police issued the following media release: This is a joint media release between the Australian Federal Police and Australian Border Force Editor's note: Images available via Hightail An Iranian national is faced Downing Centre Local Court yesterday (18 August, 2025) charged over his alleged role in a failed plot to import 390kg of methamphetamine into Australia. The man, 61, was remanded in custody and will next appear in court on 15 October, 202...
CANBERRA, ACT, Aug. 18 -- The Prime Minister of Australia issued the following media release: This week in Canberra we are bringing together leaders from the business community, the union movement and civil society to work on making the Australian economy stronger, fairer, more productive and more resilient into the future. These discussions will be informed by nearly 900 submissions from experts, industry leaders and individuals and over 40 forums that Ministers have held right around the cou...