This blog is now closedHiker who left muesli bars in Kosciuszko hut praises Hadi Nazari’s survival skillsGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastMore than 1% of Northern Territory population imprisoned as record jail numbers predicted to climbPolice watch houses in the Northern Territory are being repurposed as long-term prison cells as record imprisonment numbers push the system to breaking point. Continue reading…This blog is now closedHiker who left muesli bars in Kosciuszko hut praises Hadi Nazari’s survival skillsGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastMore than 1% of Northern Territory population imprisoned as record jail numbers predicted to climbPolice watch houses in the Northern Territory are being repurposed as long-term prison cells as record imprisonment numbers push the system to breaking point. Continue reading…
Nazari was lost in the Snowy Mountains for nearly two weeks while hundreds of emergency service personnel and volunteers searched for him.
The 23-year-old medical student released a statement via NSW police:
I would like to thank all of the emergency services personnel for their tireless work searching for 13 days in tough conditions, to locate me.
I would also like to thank members of the public, family and friends for their well wishes and prayers.
As I continue to recover, I ask the media for privacy at this time.
The NSW southern local health district has also provided an update:
Mr Hadi Nazari is being treated for dehydration at Cooma Hospital. He is in good spirits and recovering well and is expected to be discharged within the next few days.
A man has been charged after allegedly counterfeit cash was seized on the South Coast of New South Wales.
The alleged counterfeit $50 and $100 dollar notes were allegedly handed to businesses at Merimbula, Pambula and Eden in early January.
Following inquiries, about 12pm yesterday the 27-year-old man was arrested in Merimbula on the South Coast. He was searched, and police located and seized a number of small re-sealable bags allegedly containing drugs.
Officers searched the car and allegedly seized drugs and a knuckle duster.
He was subsequently charged with two counts of possess false document to obtain financial advantage etc, possess or use a prohibited weapon without permit and possess prohibited drug.
The man was granted conditional bail to appear before court on Tuesday, 11 February.
‘Enjoy the muesli bars’: how one hiker’s Christmas nightmare turned into a new year miracle
It’s not often you get good news these days, but Victorian man’s Hadi Nazari’s rescue after a fortnight in the Kosciuszko national park has been the happy ending the nation has been hoping for.
Little did he know it, but Sydney hiker Sherman’s decision to leave two Uncle Toby muesli bars inside a hut in dense bush on the side of a steep range in the park just after Christmas could have played a great part in his survival.
Read the story from Rafqa Touma here:
Water rescues in Victoria have shot up in the new year, sparking a fresh warning for those misbehaving, AAP reports.
The Water Police Squad has been called to more than 100 incidents in the first week of 2025, up from 17 during the same period in 2024 and 36 in 2023.
Many of the call-outs have related to dangerous use of jet skis, including speeding, travelling too close to other swimmers and colliding with other vessels, police said.
A rescue on Saturday afternoon involved a jet ski and boat colliding on Safety Beach on the Mornington Peninsula. A 14-year-old boy who was a passenger on the jet ski had to be flown to hospital after suffering serious upper body injuries.
That same afternoon in Rye, a jet ski carrying three teenage males nosedived into a wave, throwing all three overboard. The teens were not hurt but officers had to tow the jet ski because its hull had broken apart.
Water Police Squad Inspector James Dalton said there had already been “multiple serious collisions on the water”.
People need to remember that a split-second decision can have lifelong consequences.
The warning comes after Life Saving Victoria made 145 rescues on Saturday, Victoria State Control Centre spokeswoman Reegan Key said.
Melbourne woman expected to be charged for alleged ‘politically motivated’ graffiti
A 42-year-old woman has been arrested after a string of alleged “politically motivated” vandalism in south-east Melbourne last week, Victoria police have confirmed.
Six businesses in the Carnegie region were graffitied about 9.30pm on 2 January, police say. On Thursday, the woman was arrested and interviewed.
She has since been released and is expected to be charged on summons with criminal damage and graffiti-related incidents, police say:
Police have arrested a woman after a series of politically-motivated vandalism incidents in the Carnegie area last week.
Victoria Police takes all crime seriously, including that which is motivated by prejudice, racism or discrimination.
Australian fire authorities ready to assist US firefighters if requested
Australian firefighters are waiting for a call from their struggling US counterparts, as wildfires rip through Los Angeles and leave tens of thousands forced to evacuate, AAP reports.
As strong winds hamper efforts to control the inferno, US firefighters battling multiple massive blazes are stretched, and at least five people have died.
Australian fire authorities – including the national council for fire and emergency services (Afac) – confirmed on Thursday no official request for help has been made by the US so far.
By 1pm Thursday, fire crews from nearby US states including Oregon, Washington, Utah and New Mexico were heading to Los Angeles to join the efforts.
Victoria CFA’s chief officer, Jason Heffernan, said his force had the people of Los Angeles in their hearts and wasn’t aware of any requests for assistance yet:
Victoria all too well knows the devastation of out-of-control bushfires. We send our condolences to the family of those who have perished, and sympathy for those who have lost it all as a result of the ongoing fire crisis.
A Fire and Rescue NSW spokesperson said the organisation was watching the situation “with interest”, and would weigh up a request if it comes through.
The US National Interagency Fire Center said several hundred of their personnel were sent to Australia to help deal with the black summer bushfires.
Inquiry launched into potential health issues from waste odours reported by Ipswich residents
The Queensland government has launched a public health inquiry into “odour-related health concerns” of Ipswich residents.
The inquiry, to be chaired by the state’s former chief health officer Dr John Gerrard will investigate possible health impacts from major odour issues emanating from nearby waste and composting facilities in the south-west Brisbane region.
It follows the state’s department of environment’s prosecution against operators.
The six-month inquiry will include public consultation with residents on the impact the odour issues are having on their lives.
The Ipswich mayor, Teresa Harding, said for years, residents had experienced “very real and persistent health issues” which they strongly believed were caused by waste odours. They included rashes, migraines, respiratory issues, chest pains, sore throats and eyes and nausea.
Thanks for following the blog with me today, Caitlin Cassidy will be taking over to bring you the latest this afternoon.
What you need to know about the UK’s new travel permit for Australians
Australians heading to the UK for a holiday or work trip now have to jump a new administrative hurdle.
A US-style digital permit system, the electronic travel authorisation – ETA – came into effect on 8 January for Australians (and more than 50 other nationalities). It requires travellers to fill out some details before they enter England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, and you need to get it sorted well before you travel.
Confused? Here’s what you should know:
Picture released of Nazari’s rescue
NSW police have posted a photo of Hadi Nazari with emergency services personnel, after he was found in the Snowy Mountains.
Nazari was lost in the Snowy Mountains for nearly two weeks while hundreds of emergency service personnel and volunteers searched for him.
The 23-year-old medical student released a statement via NSW police:
I would like to thank all of the emergency services personnel for their tireless work searching for 13 days in tough conditions, to locate me.
I would also like to thank members of the public, family and friends for their well wishes and prayers.
As I continue to recover, I ask the media for privacy at this time.
The NSW southern local health district has also provided an update:
Mr Hadi Nazari is being treated for dehydration at Cooma Hospital. He is in good spirits and recovering well and is expected to be discharged within the next few days.
Bank of mum and dad risks running dry
Many Australians are turning to the bank of mum and dad to get a foothold on the property ladder, though as many as one in 20 parents could be risking a financially stable retirement, AAP reports.
About 6% of parents have gone into debt to help their children or grandchildren, with about 2% tapping into the equity of their homes via a reverse mortgage.
Parents could be compromising their financial stability by taking on debt or exhausting their savings, financial comparison company Compare Club’s head of research Kate Browne said:
We’re seeing cases where the bank of mum and dad is effectively operating as an unregulated lending institution, but without the safety nets.
Those who had taken out a reverse mortgage were 64% more likely to be stressed about their mortgage than the average Australian, according to the comparison company’s survey of 1,000 people.
Intergenerational wealth transfers have become a prominent feature of a pricey property market first-time buyers are struggling to crack into, especially at a time of high living costs.