Alleged sex offender Joshua Dale Brown faces 83 new charges, Victoria police say
Victoria police have laid an additional 83 charges against a former worker at multiple childcare centres in Melbourne, saying they have now identified four additional alleged victims.
Officials said Joshua Dale Brown, 27, has now been charged with the dozens of new offences related to his work at three childcare centres; the Nino Early Learning Adventures in Point Cook; Only About Children in Williamstown; and Aussie Kindies Early Learning Centre in Keilor.
In total, Brown has been charged with 156 offences. He remains in custody
There are now 23 childcare centres where it is known Brown worked. That number has not changed since July.
The families of the four new alleged victims have been notified and are being provided with “all available” support.
Police said in a statement:
Importantly, Victoria police has been in close liaison with the Department of Health and the chief health officer has advised no children will require further testing.
Joshua Dale Brown. Photograph: FacebookShare
Updated at 19.51 EST
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NSW Health urges vigilance against mosquito bites after early virus detections
NSW Health is urging people to take steps to protect themselves from mosquitos this season after earlier than expected detection of two viruses borne by the insects.
Officials said Japanese encephalitis was found last week in the Horsham rural city council region in Victoria and a positive sample of Kunjin virus was detected in western NSW at Cowra. Both viruses can cause brain swelling.
Dr Stephen Conaty, NSW Health’s director of health protection, said he was concerned by the early detections:
Mosquito numbers will likely increase with warmer weather, and we remind everyone in NSW to protect themselves against mosquito bites, which can cause diseases such as Japanese encephalitis and Murray Valley encephalitis, and infection with Kunjin virus, Ross River virus and Barmah Forest virus
There are 60 LGAs in NSW that are considered higher risk for Japanese encephalitis, and residents who live or work routinely in those areas are eligible for a free vaccination.
Steps to avoid mosquito bites include using repellent on exposed skin, wearing light, loose-fitting attire and avoiding the outdoors during peak mosquito times at dawn and dusk.
Photograph: Dave Hunt/AAPShare
Updated at 19.41 EST
Jordyn Beazley
Two NSW police employees charged for separate assault offences against women
Two members of the NSW police force were charged yesterday for separate incidents, with one facing domestic violence charges against a 21-year-old woman, and another for allegedly having sex with a 15-year-old girl.
Yesterday, a 22-year-old unsworn NSW police employee was charged after reports in October that a 15-year-old girl had allegedly been sexually assaulted in the Coffs Harbour area during November 2024.
The unsworn employee was charged with three counts of having sexual intercourse with a child under 16 years, three counts of aggravated sex assault against a victim under 16 years, intentionally sexually touching a child under 16 years, and using a carriage service to solicit child abuse material.
The man has been suspended from the force without pay. He was initially refused bail, but on Wednesday was granted conditional bail to appear before Coffs Harbour local court in January.
Another police officer was charged for a separate incident yesterday after he allegedly assaulted a 21-year-old woman known to him at a home in Mortlake while he was off-duty.
Police said in a statement:
The woman was taken to Concord hospital for treatment of facial and leg injuries.
About 1pm on Wednesday 3 December 2025 police arrested and charged a 28-year-old man – a probationary constable attached to a central metropolitan region command.
The officer was charged with stalk/intimidate intend fear physical harm (domestic), assault occasioning actual bodily harm (DV), take/detain person with intent to obtain advantage cause actual bodily harm (DV), break and enter intend to commit serious indictable offence, possess prohibited drug, and possess ammunition without holding licence/permit/authority.
He was refused bail and appeared before Burwood local court today.
Police said the officer’s employment status is under review.
Updated at 19.22 EST
Benita Kolovos
Union responds to Victoria public sector job cuts
The Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) has claimed victory following the release of the independent review into the Victorian public sector by the government this morning.
Despite telling reporters in February there was scope to cut 2,000-3,000 jobs – or 5-6% of the VPS – the government has only committed to 1,000.
Mitch Vandewerdt-Holman. Photograph: Sam McColl
CPSU Victorian branch assistant secretary Mitch Vandewerdt-Holman says the union was able to “defend” against further cuts. He says:
The report now confirms that 619 of the 1055 jobs to go have already been implemented, and we’ve been fighting every single one of those cuts. We will continue to fight to save as many jobs as possible.
Vandewerdt-Holman says he was “quite pleased” executive roles made up a third of the job losses:
Speaking as a former public servant to myself, I can say that I had observed and had colleagues report to me the sheer level of frustration that it took to get signoff – and that is a direct result of the proliferation in the senior executive service, which has increased by 200% since 2014.
He says there’s “definitely more room” to cut further executive roles.
Updated at 19.10 EST
Benita Kolovos
Victoria opposition responds to Silver review
Victoria’s opposition leader, Jess Wilson, has described the review into the public sector as a “$4bn admission of failure”. She says:
Labor’s mismanagement and top-heavy bureaucracy is driving Victoria deeper into debt and starving critical funds from the frontline community safety, health and housing services Victorians deserve.
This report issues a stark warning over the dire impact Victoria’s soon to be $1m an hour interest bill is having on our capacity to deliver frontline services now and into the future.
These supposed savings are a drop in the ocean. Since this report was handed to Labor in June, Victoria’s net debt has grown by almost twice the claimed savings Labor’s cuts will deliver.
Victoria’s opposition leader, Jess Wilson. Photograph: Ye Myo Khant/SOPA Images/ShutterstockShare
Updated at 18.46 EST
Josh Taylor
Digital Freedom Project abandons injunction sought on social media ban
There will be a directions hearing in the high court at 4.30pm this afternoon for the challenge of the under 16s social media ban, but the leader of the Digital Freedom Project – which is bringing the challenge – says an injunction to stop the ban going into effect won’t be sought.
The head of the group, Libertarian MP in NSW, John Ruddick, posted on X on Wednesday afternoon that the group would not be “having half a fight” on an injunction at the hearing, and instead will be seeking the earliest possible date for a full hearing.
He said:
We are putting all of our efforts into the full hearing and convincing the justices of the high court that this law is unconstitutional.
Updated at 18.40 EST
Electricity prices projected to fall 5% over next five years
Donna Lu
Household electricity prices are projected to fall by about 5% over the next five years as renewable energy pushes down costs, according to the Australian Energy Market Commission.
But in a report on residential electricity price trends, the commission has also warned that prices could rise by 13% between 2030 and 2035 unless new renewables, battery and transmission projects are fast-tracked.
The AEMC chair, Anna Collyer, said that keeping prices affordable through to the 2030s would require increasing momentum in deploying renewables and batteries.
Our analysis clearly shows renewable energy and batteries drives prices down …
The risk of prices rising after 2030 only emerges if we slow down renewable deployment just as coal plants retire. This is a timing challenge, not a technology cost issue. With the right pace of investment, we can manage the energy transition while keeping prices stable.
Solar panels on the roof of a residential property in Sydney. Photograph: Hollie Adams/ReutersShare
Updated at 19.09 EST
Patrick Commins
Treasury secretary says ‘clear signals’ crucial for clean energy investors
The Treasury secretary, Jenny Wilkinson, says “a clear articulation of government policy” is crucial for investors to confidently make the green investments the country needs to reach its emissions reduction goals.
The Coalition recently dumped its commitment to net zero, and said that it would reorient government incentives towards fossil fuel energy sources, including extending the life of coal-fired power plants.
The Treasury secretary, Jenny Wilkinson. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP
Wilkinson, speaking at Senate estimates, said there had been “a significant transformation” in the energy system over the past 15 years.
There’s no question that there’s further investment that has to take place. It’s the combination of moving to net zero, but it’s also in the management of the retirement of existing generators which are coming to the end of their life.
From a Treasury perspective … what’s important is that clear [signals] are provided to the private sector to enable them to make those decisions, and that investments that are made are consistent with what the long run objective or the long run needs of the economy are.
So that’s where a clear articulation of government policy in relation to its objectives, around net zero, but also around other factors is really important for the private sector to have the confidence to make those sorts of investments.
Updated at 18.35 EST
Brittany Higgins says she feels like she can ‘breathe again’ after Bruce Lehrmann’s court loss
Brittany Higgins says she feels “like I can breathe again” after Bruce Lehrmann lost his appeal against a defamation judgment on Wednesday, which found on the balance of probabilities he had raped her.
Higgins wrote on Instagram that she was thankful to the court, her defence team and to Channel 10 for being “such ardent supporters of survivors of sexual assault”.
While on the face of it this was a defamation case against a media outlet, in reality this was once again a rape trial. I cannot begin to tell you how retraumatising it is to have your rapist weaponise the legal system against you for daring to speak out.
Higgins went on to say she still believes in the “importance of speaking out about gendered violence”, urging everyone to “keep talking”.
Updated at 18.36 EST
Benita Kolovos
Continuing on from last post …
Symes says an independent review by Helen Silver recommended the merger of 78 entities – which would have saved the government $427m – but the government will only merge 29 at this stage.
Symes said:
That is not necessarily indicating that we won’t go further in the future. It’s a recognition that some of her recommendations will take some time. For example, her recommendation to combine a lot of the workplace regulators is something that has merit, but right now, I’ve got a piece of legislation in the parliament that affects the labour hire authority. Now is not the time to merge in other entities into that organisation.
Symes also admits to an error in her media release, saying these mergers will save $27m not $427m.
She won’t provide a breakdown of how the government estimates it will save a total of $4bn. She says this estimate has been calculated by the Treasury.
Of Silver’s recommendations, the government has accepted 27 in full, three in part and 15 in principle. Seven have been rejected by the government.
Updated at 17.39 EST
About 332 of the cuts are coming from executive levels of public service.
The Victoria treasurer, Jaclyn Symes, said the state had a “situation where we have too many executives, too many in the top … and not enough entry-level positions and graduate positions”.
Those lower-level positions, she said, “are really necessary for career progression, adopting innovation, ensuring we are well placed to adopt AI and the like. So this is about a transformation of how the public sector will look in the future.”
Updated at 17.25 EST
Allan says Victoria will always support a strong public service
The Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, is speaking in Melbourne after the announcement of job losses in the public service.
She said:
Victorian families are watching every dollar in their household budgets and they expect their government to do the same and that’s exactly what we are doing. To do that, we need to examine how the government can continue to deliver those frontline services, but look at areas where we can reduce waste inefficiency and keep the public service focused on delivering those services for the future.
Allan maintained the decision was about ensuring the public service was robust in the future.
We’ll always support a strong public service because they are working to deliver those frontline services that Victorian people, working people and families, rely on.
Updated at 17.23 EST
Victoria government to cut 1,000 public service jobsBenita Kolovos
The Victorian government will slash 1,000 public service jobs – including more than 300 executive positions – and merge several entities, as part of its response to an independent review into the sector it claims will save $4bn.
But the treasurer, Jaclyn Symes, hasn’t accepted all the recommendations of the review into the Victorian public service (VPS), led by Helen Silver and released on Thursday, which would have led to 2,068 job losses.
The government has accepted Silver’s recommendation to cut 332 executive roles across the VPS, saving $359m over four years. It has also accepted a recommendation to cap the number of VPS5 and VPS6 positions at 15%, saving $125m over four years, but this is not expected to lead to an immediate reduction in headcount.
Victorian premier Jacinta Allan. Photograph: Joel Carrett/AAP
The government estimates it will also save $50m by cutting CBD office costs and $113m on spending less on consultants and labour hire.
But the biggest savings come from overhauling the number of government agencies, boards and advisory committees.
Silver recommended 78 entities be either scrapped or consolidated and 90% of the state’s 90 advisory committees wound up – though the government has only supported the recommendation in part, committing to merging 29 entities.
Legislation will be introduced to parliament today to facilitate these changes.
Symes and the premier, Jacinta Allan, will be holding a press conference at 9am to provide more information on the changes.
Opposition agrees energy subsidies can’t last for ever
James Paterson, the shadow minister for finance, said he agreed the energy rebates couldn’t go on in perpetuity, saying they masked the true cost of the energy system. The Coalition has spent months hammering the Albanese government over energy prices, which has become a key feature of Sussan Ley’s opposition.
Paterson told RN Breakfast earlier:
Our priority would be fixing the energy system so that these kind of subsidies weren’t necessary … We want to have an energy system which is competitive and affordable, and we wouldn’t want to have in perpetuity, as I think the treasurer doesn’t want, subsidies which mask the costs of the energy system. So that would be our focus and our priority.
I think in the long term, everybody agrees with a budget heading to a $42bn deficit this financial year, it’s just not sustainable in perpetuity to pay these bills.
James Paterson. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAPShare
Updated at 16.45 EST
Treasurer says Australians can’t rely on energy rebates to ‘go on for ever’
Chalmers was also asked about the future of energy rebates, saying he would make a decision on the matter in the final days before he locks down the mid-year budget update.
I’ve made it very clear … when I’ve been asked that people shouldn’t expect that those energy rebates will be a permanent feature of the budget. They are an important way that we’re helping people with the cost of living, but not the only way that we’re doing that. …
We haven’t finalised the mid-year budget update, but people shouldn’t expect those rebates to go on for ever.
Photograph: Dave Hunt/AAPShare
Updated at 16.39 EST