Safety investigators say an air traffic controller with a high predicted fatigue level was on duty when a Virgin Australia jet cut in front of a Qantas plane at Sydney Airport in August. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau released two preliminary reports on close-call incidents at the airport. The reports made no findings or recommendations. In the first incident, the Virgin crew read back only part of an instruction, and the Qantas crew had to brake to avoid a collision.
National insurer AAMI says 73 per cent of Australian drivers believe they are safer than other motorists. Yet 52 per cent admit to driving tired, 49 per cent to speeding, and 36 per cent to mentally drifting off behind the wheel. AAMI has identified five driver profiles, including The Zoner-Out and The In-a-Hurry Driver, to help motorists spot risky habits. AAMI Motor Claims Manager Leah James says everyday habits, such as switching to autopilot on familiar roads, can contribute to crashes. The findings are linked to long highway trips, including the Sturt, Cobb and Mid-Western Highways.
Heart and lung surgeries at Townsville Hospital were paused for 10 days in September because of staff shortages, and five urgent patients were flown to Brisbane. The Townsville Hospital and Health Services says it is engaging with the Queensland Nurses and Midwives' Union over complaints that nurses were being called in inappropriately on-call, leading to fatigue. Union secretary Sarah Beaman said members reported unmanageable workloads and burnout. The hospital says robust processes are in place to manage fatigue.
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Many parents struggle with parenting at times, and not enjoying it is more common than many people admit. Research suggests roughly 5 to 14 per cent of parents regret having children, while up to 29 per cent sometimes regret parenthood. A 2025 survey of 10,000 Australian parents found almost half said tiredness stopped them being the parent they wanted to be. Experts say not enjoying a stage of parenting does not mean a parent loves their child less. Persistent exhaustion, emotional distance or low mood may signal burnout, depression or anxiety, and a GP or health professional can help.
A four-year-old girl, Olive Hay, is living with a rare and debilitating syndrome that leaves her physically exhausted, with her family describing the daily struggle as being like running a marathon. The headline frames her condition as a cruel and relentless battle. The source material provided for this story is largely navigation and section-index content from a news website, with little detail about Olive's diagnosis, treatment or how her family is coping, so the specific clinical circumstances cannot be confirmed from the information available.
Daylight saving gives Cabonne farmers extra evening hours for property tasks, but longer days can lead to fatigue. SafeWork New South Wales recorded 12 agriculture fatalities in 2025, and agriculture remains one of the state's most hazardous industries. Farmers are urged to service machinery, keep guards in place and make sure operators are trained. Quad bike riders should wear helmets and avoid carrying passengers, while livestock handlers should keep bystanders clear. Lone workers should tell someone where they are going and when they will return.
About 140 public servants in South Australia are working more than a full-time workload across several government agencies, according to an audit. The Audit Office of South Australia warns that agencies may not know the total hours staff are working, raising the risk of fatigue. Agencies currently rely on staff to declare other work, and there is no direct process to catch undisclosed roles. The audit recommends a single identifier for all government roles held by one employee. The Department for Education was excluded from the analysis, so more cases may exist.
Upgrades to the $12 million Tycannah rest areas on the Newell Highway, about 17 kilometres south of Moree, are now complete. The northbound and southbound sites can now hold up to 30 heavy vehicles. The project adds flushable toilets, new amenities, dedicated caravan parking and better separation between heavy and light vehicles. Federal and NSW governments jointly funded the work. Officials say the facilities will help truck drivers manage fatigue on a key freight route. Similar upgrades at Ravensworth Rest Areas at Maude are finished, and Kyeamba Gap East is nearing completion.
