Court throws out $2.3m lawsuit against premier – 10 March 2026
A Supreme Court judge has dismissed a former South Australian MP’s $2.3 million lawsuit against Premier Peter Malinauskas and the South Australian government, ruling there was no valid basis for her claim of malicious prosecution. The lawsuit stemmed from 2020 blackmail charges against Annabel Digance and her husband, which were dropped years later. She alleged the premier had abused his office by instigating a wrongful prosecution.
https://www.indailysa.com.au/news/just-in/2026/03/10/court-throws-out-2-3m-lawsuit-against-premier
Former Macquarie executive says her fraud concerns were ignored – 10 March 2026
A former senior executive at a major division of Macquarie Group has claimed that her internal fraud concerns were repeatedly dismissed by company leadership, and that she was later removed from a board role after raising these issues. The situation has prompted scrutiny of corporate governance and whistleblower protections within the company, raising broader questions about how large financial institutions handle internal risk and fraud reporting.
Australian Federal Police officer pleads guilty to making false sworn legal statements before trial – 11 March 2026
A senior Australian Federal Police (AFP) officer, Detective Leading Senior Constable Trent Madders, has pleaded guilty to a charge of knowingly making false sworn legal statements from 5–6 August 2020, just days before he was due to stand trial on more serious charges. He has been suspended from duty with the AFP since being charged and was expected to go to trial next week, but prosecutors and defence counsel agreed to vacate the trial in light of the guilty plea. Madders—who previously worked on high profile investigations including the Brittany Higgins matter and was part of a group of officers that brought a defamation case against the ACT’s former director of public prosecutions—will return to court in August for sentencing.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-03-11/act-trent-madders-guilty-false-legal-statements/106441072
Finance warned KPMG over cheating disclosure – 11 March 2026
Australia’s Department of Finance has reprimanded KPMG for failing to properly disclose information about past cheating scandals involving the firm, pointing to concerns about transparency and governance in professional services.
NSW employers could soon be fined for workplace bullying or other psychosocial harms under new SafeWork reforms – 11 March 2026
Employers in New South Wales could soon face on-the-spot fines for workplace bullying and other psychosocial hazards under new SafeWork NSW reforms. The NSW Government will invest $127.7 million over four years to strengthen workplace mental-health enforcement and expand the number of workplace safety inspectors.
Chinese national arrested over attempt to smuggle 2,000 queen ants from Kenya – 12 March 2026
A Chinese national was arrested in Kenya after attempting to smuggle more than 2,000 live queen ants out of the country through Nairobi’s main airport. The insects were hidden in test tubes and tissue paper rolls inside his luggage and were believed to be destined for the exotic pet market in Asia and Europe.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cz7gd57z33zo
Cambodia says it will shut down online scam centres by the end of April – 12 March 2026
Cambodian authorities say they have shut down 80 per cent of locations believed to be carrying out online scams. The industry is linked to human trafficking, as foreigners run romance and cryptocurrency scams in slavery-like conditions. While Cambodia says it aims to shut down all centres by April, an analyst expressed scepticism given the involvement of “key perpetrators among the Cambodian ruling elite”.
Queensland man charged after allegedly attempting to smuggle two NSW fugitives to Indonesia – 12 March 2026
A Queensland aviation company owner has been charged after allegedly organising a covert “black flight” to smuggle two wanted men from Australia to Indonesia. The fugitives were reportedly wanted in NSW for serious offences including kidnapping and large-scale drug crime. The Queensland man has been charged with two counts of people smuggling, each carrying a potential maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment.
Illegal tobacco retailer’s $1.5 million fine reduced to $250,000 after legal appeal – 13 March 2026
A court has significantly reduced a major fine against Tobacco Shed Pty Ltd after the company successfully appealed a penalty for selling illegal tobacco and vaping products. Despite the reduction to 250,000, the penalty remains among the higher fines imposed in Australia for illicit tobacco and vape sales, reflecting the seriousness of the offending.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-03-13/tobacco-shed-fine-reduced-after-appeal/106449084
Pensioner who stole $240,000 meant for dead mother avoids jail – 13 March 2026
An 82 year old South Australian woman, Nancy Clare McFarlane, avoided immediate jail time after admitting she fraudulently continued to claim over $240,000 in government payments after her 93 year old mother died in 2017. McFarlane repeatedly failed to notify authorities of her mother’s death and continued receiving carer’s and pension payments from Services Australia between 2017 and 2022.
