Mar wanted to be a professional basketballer. Desperate for money, he turned to selling drugs – 9 November 2025
The article centres on Mar Riek, who at age 13, facing financial strain at home and a strong interest in basketball, turned to selling drugs after joining a gang in Melbourne’s outer south-east. The story notes that youth crime in Victoria is at a 15-year high, even though the number of young offenders remains stable. Children (under 18) make up 12.8% of offenders processed by the police, yet commit 60% of robberies, nearly half of aggravated burglaries and a quarter of car thefts.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11-09/youth-gangs-crime-victoria-melbourne-violence/105982944
Deloitte caught in false claim it owned up to AI in tainted report – 11 November 2025
Deloitte says the core findings and recommendations of the AI tainted report remain unchanged despite the errors. Academics and lawmakers raised concerns about the over-reliance on generative AI in producing formal consultancy work. It draws attention to issues of transparency, quality assurance, and governance when generative AI is used in professional settings.
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GWW Customers Get $130M Redress for Billing Errors | Mirage News – 11 November 2025
Greater Western Water, a Victorian water utility, acknowledged major failures in its new billing system that led to billing disruptions and breaches of the water-industry customer-service standard. The Essential Services Commission (ESC) accepted a court-enforceable undertaking from GWW, requiring a $130 million remediation package for residential and small business customers — the largest such undertaking the ESC has ever accepted.
John Holland ends secret CFMEU side deals – 12 November 2025
John Holland Group (John Holland), a major construction company in Australia, has ended certain side-deals with the Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) following concerns raised by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC). The ACCC’s concern was that these arrangements restricted competition by preventing other labour-hire businesses from competing for work.
https://www.miragenews.com/gww-customers-get-130m-redress-for-billing-1567703/
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Chinese ‘cryptoqueen’ fraud jailed in UK over $9b Bitcoin laundering scheme – 12 November 2025
Zhiman Qian has been jailed for 11 years over a $9 billion Bitcoin laundering scheme. British authorities say Qian was the mastermind behind a Ponzi scheme into which around 128,000 victims in China invested billions of dollars. An associate of hers, Seng Hok Ling, also pleaded guilty in September to transferring criminal property, namely cryptocurrency.
Mining giant BHP copos 100,000 hit for forcing workers to turn up on Christmas Day – 12 November 2025
Mining giant BHP has copped a hefty slap on the wrist for forcing workers at a Queensland mine to work over the Christmas holiday period. The company has been handed nearly $100,000 worth of penalties for its conduct, which has been described as a landmark ruling and a warning to employers about how they approach public holidays.
Genea patients want IVF giant held to account as cybersecurity expert raises ongoing concerns – 12 November 2025
Patients of IVF giant Genea have criticised the firm’s response to a February data breach, which exposed sensitive medical information. No formal investigation has been launched into Genea, but a cybersecurity expert is calling for a review of a separate application that could have ongoing vulnerabilities. Australia’s national cyber security coordinator has conceded that reported incidents are likely just the tip of the iceberg.
Union boss says bribes a ‘moment of weakness’, pleads for no jail time – 13 November 2025
Darren Greenfield and his son Michael Greenfield -both former senior officials of the CFMEU (NSW) – have pleaded guilty to corruption and bribery charges. Their lawyer argued these amounts were “small” relative to the broader construction industry, and claimed no union member was directly affected by the payments. The prosecution argued the men held senior positions of trust, the payments had the potential to distort the construction market, and that the behaviour was motivated by greed rather than need. Sentencing is pending.
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ASIC launches legal blitz against Interprac, SQM, MWL Financial in First Guardian, Shield Superannuation fallout – 13 November 2025
The Australian Securities & Investments Commission (ASIC) has initiated civil penalty proceedings in the Federal Court against three financial services entities: InterPrac Financial Planning (a licensee), SQM Research (an investment-research house), and MWL Financial Services (an advice firm). These legal actions stem from the collapses of two superannuation investment schemes: Shield Master Fund and First Guardian Master Fund, into which thousands of Australians invested retirement savings that are now at risk.
Sydney ‘fortune-teller’ allegedly ran $70m fraud by telling clients she saw a billionaire in their future – 13 November 2025
Two women in Sydney, a 53 year old Anya Phan (a self proclaimed feng shui master/fortune teller) and her 25 year old daughter Thi Ta, were arrested and charged over allegations of orchestrating a major fraud and money laundering syndicate. The scheme is alleged to have targeted vulnerable members of Sydney’s Vietnamese community by promising clients that a “billionaire” was going to enter their future, persuading them to take out loans which the older woman then profited from. It’s estimated that the fraud operation involved nearly A$70 million in total alleged losses
