Australian men charged with allegedly trafficking firearms after international kidnapping investigation – 13 September 2025
Two Australian men have been charged with allegedly trafficking firearms to a paramilitary group in Indonesia. The armed rebels kidnapped New Zealand pilot Phillip Mehrtens in 2023, which sparked a two-year international investigation. A Queensland man and a New South Wales man are due to appear in Brisbane Magistrates Court on October 17 charged with multiple offences.
Dezi Freeman search at Porepunkah now Australia’s largest tactical police deployment – 14 September 2025
Hundreds of officers from Victoria, interstate, the Australian Federal Police and the army continue to search dense, rugged bushland in Victoria’s north-east for the fugitive, who has now been on the run for 20 days. This is a really highly technical search that requires absolutely specialist capabilities to undertake because of the dangers that are involved.
Townsville Mayor Troy Thompson found to have breached code of conduct – 15 September 2025
Townsville Mayor Troy Thompson has been found to have breached the council’s code of conduct. The city council accepted a finding that an email circulated by Cr Thompson was unfair and unreasonable. Cr Thompson has rejected all claims against him.
ANZ faces $240 million penalty for misconduct – 15 September 2025
The ANZ Bank has been slammed by the financial regulator for betraying the trust of Australians and ripping off the federal government. The Australian Securities and Investments Commission, ASIC, is asking a court to hit the bank with a $240 million penalty. ASIC says the bank’s widespread misconduct involved shonky bond trading for the government as well as failures to pay correct interest rates, refund fees charged to dead people and help struggling customers.
https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/pm/anz-faces-240-million-penalty-for-misconduct-/105776424
‘Whole attack surface has changed’: Fake financials are a thing – 16 September 2025
Everyone seems to have a scam story about how a person or AI agent pretending to be from Amazon or Australia Post tried to scam them or their parents, even Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke, who says he nearly fell for one. But what caught our ears at the Financial Review Cyber Summit is how this has crossed into the intersection of corporate Australia and markets, where information (or misinformation) is a tradeable commodity that can send shares up or down almost instantly.
How Did Whistleblower Evidence Topple Super Retail Group CEO? – 17 September 2025
New evidence from Federal Court proceedings has led to the sacking of Super Retail CEO Anthony Heraghty, ending a saga of alleged misconduct at the Brisbane-based retailer. The controversy began in November 2023 when an anonymous tip to the company’s whistleblower platform, Whispli, alleged a secret relationship between Heraghty and former head of human resources Jane Kelly. Internal complaints also highlighted misuse of company resources and travel, as well as alleged inappropriate conduct, though Super Retail has denied these claims.
GIM Trading director Darren Geddes blocked from leaving Australia in court order – 17 September 2025
The corporate watchdog has taken action against an Australian company accused of defrauding investors of their life-savings. This week, the ABC revealed Global Investment Marketing, known as GIM Trading, had raised millions of dollars from customers who believed they were buying corporate or government bonds. However, customers suspect the bonds were never purchased and their money is now missing, feared stolen. The former public face of the company, Stephen Cubis, told the ABC he believed GIM Trading had operated a fraudulent scheme.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-09-17/asic-court-order-gim-trading-bond-fraud-allegations/105782628
Prominent crime figures sentenced following illicit tobacco investigation – 17 September 2025
Two men, with links to serious organised crime entities and outlaw motorcycle gangs, have been sentenced for importing and distributing more than 10.6 million illicit cigarettes with an estimated duty evasion of over AUD $13 million. Both men pled guilty to all charges after being arrested in late 2023 following a joint operation in NSW.
The rotten advice at the core of super’s $1.2b fail – 17 September 2025
There is one great thing to come out of a superannuation scandal that could cost investors $1.2 billion. It has revealed the tricks that some financial advisers and their associated lead generators used to entice people to invest in First Guardian, Shield Master Trust and Australian Fiduciaries.
The statements of advice given to clients by financial advisers at Venture Egg and MWL Financial, both now under investigation by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, had a number of red flags.
Kmart broke privacy laws by using facial recognition technology, commissioner finds – 18 September 2025
Retail giant Kmart broke privacy laws by using facial recognition technology (FRT) on its customers, the privacy commissioner has found. Over the two years until July 2022, Kmart captured the facial data of “tens or hundreds of thousands” of customers at store entrances and return counters, in an attempt to tackle refund fraud. But after a three-year investigation, privacy commissioner Carly Kind found Kmart’s use of FRT was disproportionate, and the company did not gain consent to use it on shoppers.
Chinese cars pose cyber security risk – 18 September 2025
Cyber security expert Alistair McGibbon has warned Australian public officials against using Chinese-made vehicles, claiming they could function as mobile surveillance devices with potential for remote control. He argues these cars pose national security risks as manufacturers maintain constant connectivity and could theoretically disable safety features or access onboard data. More than 140,000 Chinese-made vehicles have been sold in Australia this year, while the US has announced plans to ban certain Chinese and Russian car hardware and software from 2027.
NT sports star and school staffer committed to stand trial on student sex charges – 18 September 2025
A decorated athlete will have charges of having sex with a student at a school where he worked dealt with in the Northern Territory Supreme Court later this year.
The man aged in his 30s is accused of “grooming” the girl via text, with prosecutors describing his conduct as “brazen” and “calculating”. The man is yet to enter a plea and will remain on bail until his case returns to court in October.
