Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny has referred the controversial proposal to turn Clarkefield into a 2500-home township to an independent advisory committee. The committee will examine the amendment, permit application and public submissions before making recommendations. Minister Kilkenny had been expected to decide in August. Macedon Ranges council and developer APD have both welcomed the referral. Mayor Cassy Borthwick said the decision is not final but recognises community questions. APD director Brad Paddon said the company believes outstanding issues can be resolved.
Police have shot a 21-year-old man in the stomach in Glen Alpine, in Sydney's south-west, after an alleged domestic violence incident. Officers attended a home around midday on Thursday after reports of threats, and police allege the man pointed a pistol at them. A woman at the house was taken to hospital in shock, while the man, who is in serious condition, was treated at the scene before being transported to hospital. A critical incident has been declared, a crime scene established, and an independent review by the Professional Standards Command, overseen by the LECC, will follow.
Macedon Ranges Shire Council has welcomed the Victorian Government's decision to refer the proposed Clarkefield development to an independent advisory committee. Council had asked for a transparent process in which evidence could be independently tested and all views considered. Mayor Cassy Borthwick called the referral an important step, though not a final decision. She thanked residents who took part in information sessions and raised questions. Council says it will continue to take part constructively in the process.
AU Now app
Your suburb’s news, alerts and Shorts — in one app
Alerts, Shorts and your saved stories — free on Google Play.
An independent review has found extensive failings in the Northern Territory's child protection department following the death of five-year-old Kumanjayi Little Baby. Jefferson Lewis, 47, has been charged with her murder and is awaiting trial. The review found officers repeatedly failed to properly assess safety threats to the girl and her family. The government has accepted all 45 recommendations, and NT Children and Families Minister Robyn Cahill called the mistakes unforgivable. Indigenous advocates say poverty, housing and health issues in remote communities must also be addressed.
An independent review into the Northern Territory's Department of Children and Families will be tabled in parliament tomorrow. Minister Robyn Cahill says the review, led by Karen Webb and Greg Shanahan, identifies systemic issues and contains more than 40 recommendations. The review follows the alleged murder of five-year-old Kumanjayi Little Baby, whose body was found on the outskirts of the Old Timers town camp in Alice Springs in April. Jefferson Lewis has been charged with the murder and is yet to enter a plea.
The family of Helen Sargent, a 64-year-old woman who died after being left unattended on a bed in a Royal Adelaide Hospital corridor in October 2025, has welcomed an independent review into her death. Three earlier clinical reviews found her death was not due to her treatment in a corridor, but her family and the state opposition had sought a deeper inquiry. SA Health Minister Blair Boyer said the review would be independent of SA Health and the hospital, and he wants it to begin within six months. Opposition leader Ashton Hurn said the government should have acted sooner.
Greens senator Jordon Steele-John has taken leave from the party room after complaints triggered an independent review. The Nine newspapers reported that seven party members demanded an investigation into allegations he made inappropriate comments to women between 2017 and 2025. Steele-John rejected the claims and said they were made without specifics. He said he had referred them to the Western Australian Greens for a fair, independent process. The new Greens leader, David Shoebridge, accepted the leave request and said the matter must be resolved through a fair review.
St Kilda AFLW coach Nick Dal Santo will step down after his side's eight losses this season. His final game in charge is against Collingwood on Saturday. The Saints sit at the bottom of the AFLW ladder with four rounds left in the regular season. Last weekend, they lost by 30 points to the Western Bulldogs in Ballarat, scoring only one point in the final term. St Kilda has appointed Brad Lloyd from Apogee Sports to lead an independent review of its football program.
