An effort to prevent more sewage related debris balls from washing up on beaches, the state environment regulator has ordered Sydney Water to remove a significant accumulation of fats, oils and grease from a portion of its Malabar wastewater system.

The Malabar Deep Ocean Outfall bulkhead area has been identified as a likely source of the debris balls that have been appearing intermittently since October 2024.

NSW Environment Protection Authority said it has issued Sydney Water a Pollution Reduction Program requiring significant works at this location.

Through late 2024 and early 2025, closures were implemented along portions of the Sydney coastline and beyond due to the foul smelling lumps.

It is thought that the fatberg is located close to the ocean outfall in a difficult to reach tunnel segment.

Although it may be as big as four Sydney buses, Sydney Water has previously stated that it cannot safely reach the main blockage and is unsure of its precise size.

Instead of closing the outfall, the corporation uses remote equipment to inspect and try to remove the area, which is normally underwater and only accessible at low tide.

Sydney Water has warned that beach closures for months may result from the need to divert flows in order to switch off the deep ocean outfall for maintenance.

Nevertheless, in an effort to lower the possibility of additional releases, the company has already eliminated a significant amount of content from areas that are accessible in recent years.

More NSW News: Man and teen charged over shooting of former NRL player Matt Utai

Sydney Water must continue its fat removal efforts and conduct at least 18 inspections over a three year period starting in April 2026 as part of the EPA’s order.

In order to relieve pressure on the aging network, the NSW Government is implementing a $3 billion, ten year upgrade of the entire Malabar system, which includes significant work at the Glenfield and Liverpool facilities.

Darren Cleary, managing director of Sydney Water, stated that while the utility is trying to reduce the risk, it cannot guarantee that debris balls won’t reappear.

A man and a 15 year old boy have been charged in relation to the shooting of former NRL winger Matt Utai outside his Greenacre home in Sydney’s south west.

Police claim Utai was shot several times as he was leaving for work earlier this week.

NSW Police said emergency services were called to Macquarie Street around 6 AM on Tuesday after reports a man had been shot outside a house by people in an SUV, which then drove off.

The 44 year old was treated at the scene for several gunshot wounds before being transported to a hospital in a serious condition.

Shortly after, police were called to Samuel Street in Wiley Park where an SUV was discovered on fire and later seized.

Strike Force Halesowen, headed by the State Crime Command Raptor Squad is investigating the shooting in conjunction with a number of other incidents against the same family.

These include shots fired at a residence in St. Clair about 12:45 AM on Wednesday and a fire at a residence in Guildford West hours later.

A 25 year old man was arrested in Marsden Park and a 15 year old boy in Emerton on Friday night.

NSW Police said both men were charged with shooting with intent to murder and taking part in a criminal group, with the older man also charged with possessing a prohibited drug.

Both were refused bail and are expected to appear in court on Saturday. There are also claims of underworld tensions being linked to the violence.

Also Read: Measles alert for Sydney airport after exposure linked to multiple flights

Police believe that a dispute between a group known as the Coconut Cartel and the crime family may have led to the attack, being considered by investigators.

Detective Acting Superintendent Brad Abdy, of the Raptor Squad said there was also suspected international involvement in the recruitment of young offenders.

He said, “It’s quite disgusting that criminals who are overseas are now recruiting young people in Australia.”

After infectious cases passed through the domestic and international terminals this week, NSW Health has issued a measles alert for Sydney Airport and two flights.

Passengers on Garuda Indonesia flight GA712, which arrived in Sydney at approximately 11 A.M. on Tuesday, from Jakarta may have been exposed.

The alert also applies to those who were in the baggage claim area and international arrivals terminal between 11 A.M. and 1.30 P.M., as well as the arrivals taxi stand between 1 P.M. and 1.45 P.M.

Jetstar flight JQ505 from Sydney to Melbourne, which was scheduled to depart at 8 A.M. on Wednesday, February 18 as well as departures from Sydney domestic airport Terminal 2 on the same day, were listed as having a separate exposure.

Several medical facilities and a pharmacy visited while an infected person was contagious are also on NSW Health’s exposure list.

These include Northern Beaches Hospital and the Brookvale Medicare Urgent Care Clinic and Advanced Health Pharmacy on Restwell Street in Bankstown.

People who were present at the specified times should still keep an eye out for symptoms, authorities emphasized even though the locations do not present a continuous risk.

“Symptoms to watch out for include fever, runny nose, sore eyes and a cough,” stated Dr. Vicky Sheppeard.

More NSW News: NSW moves to set minimum age for ebike riders in safety crackdown

A few days later, she said a rash may appear. To help stop the spread, she advised anyone who feels ill to call before going to the doctor or emergency room.

Noting that people born in 1966 or later typically require two doses of a measles containing vaccine to be deemed immune, NSW Health is advising people to confirm they are fully vaccinated.

“If administered early enough, the measles vaccine can prevent the disease even after exposure,” stated Dr. Sheppeard.

A minimum age for riders of ebikes will be introduced in New South Wales, with the Minns government commissioning an expert review to advise on an age range between 12 and 16 years.

This follows growing concerns about children using heavier and faster electric bikes on shared paths and roads.

Currently, there is no minimum age to ride a personal ebike in NSW, and riders of all ages can carry a passenger if the bike is designed for this purpose.

The review will be conducted by Transport for NSW, with input from road safety and child development specialists, as well as the NSW Office for Youth and Young People, parents and young riders.

The government hopes that the advice will be provided to the transport and roads ministers by June, before a final decision is made on the age limit and whether children can carry passengers.

In a media release, Transport Minister John Graham said, “We want children to be outdoors and active, but keeping them safe is our top priority.”

The proposed age requirement is part of a wider crackdown on ebike regulations.

As part of the new regulations, NSW Police will have increased powers to confiscate and crush illegal ebikes, while portable testing stations will be trialed to test for compliance on the roadside.

NSW will also revert to the European standard EN15194, which restricts ebikes to 250 watts of continuous rated power and mandates that motor assistance must switch off at 25 km/h.

More NSW News: Hacker posts YouX customer data online as breach fallout spreads

A transition period will apply, during which only ebikes that comply with the standard will be legal from 1 March 2029.

Bicycle NSW predicted that an age limit could have unforeseen effects on young people who ride compliant ebikes to school.

The NSW Liberals have also criticized the plan, saying that the government has failed to explain how the age limit will be enforced.

A cyberattack on Sydney based finance technology company YouX, a hacker has made public what they say is financial and personal data connected to hundreds of thousands of Australians.

Lenders and finance brokers use YouX’s platform to create and handle loan applications

The business reported this week that it discovered “unauthorized access” to its systems, stated that it was conducting an investigation with outside experts.

According to the attacker, records pertaining to 629,597 loan applications, 444,538 personal details and 229,236 driver’s licenses are among the information that was leaked.

More than 607,000 residential addresses are also included. Additionally, the hacker claimed to have data linked to dozens of lenders and 797 broker organizations.

This claimed to have updated the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner and promised to notify the appropriate authorities and get in touch with those who would be impacted.

Businesses that use the platform have also responded to the incident.

MotorCycle Holdings Limited informed the market that it had learned of illegal access to youX’s system that helps some clients set up financing by using the platform as a third party tool.

It stated that, as a precaution it was getting in touch with pertinent clients, the use of the youX platform has been suspended, it added.

It claimed not to have discovered any unauthorized access to its own internal systems.

When a breach is likely to cause significant harm, organizations covered by the Privacy Act are required by Australia’s notifiable data breach regulations to notify the regulator and the affected individuals.

Emergency crews have rescued one driver from floodwater in south-east Queensland as heavy rain continues to hit the border region. Forecasters warned the system is still moving north and inland.

Bureau of Meteorology data shows parts of far north NSW got the heaviest rain in the 24 hours to 9am on Friday, 13 February. This included 241mm at Doon Doon and 182mm at Mullumbimby.

In the Northern Rivers, the bureau said many areas have recorded 100mm to 150mm since Thursday morning. Some places have had more than 200mm, according to flood watch information issued by the bureau.

On the Gold Coast, the downpour has caused creeks to rise quickly and has led to local flash flooding. ABC News reported one driver was pulled from a vehicle after it stalled in floodwater as conditions worsened across parts of the city and hinterland.

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In its latest severe weather update, the bureau warned six-hour rainfall totals of 50mm to 100mm were likely across the warning area. It said some places could get heavier falls up to about 150mm if the rain keeps hitting the same areas.

The bureau said wet weather was expected to continue through the weekend. It said the heaviest rain was more likely to move into the Wide Bay Burnett and parts of central and inland Queensland.

The bureau also warned of both flash flooding and river flooding. It said travel delays and service disruptions were possible as catchments respond.

In NSW, the NSW State Emergency Service told communities north of Coffs Harbour to keep an eye on conditions. It warned thunderstorms could bring short bursts of heavy rain that can cover roads quickly.

Chief Superintendent Rhys Gloury, NSW SES North Eastern Zone Commander, said in a media release: “We could see water cover roads quite quickly and would like to remind the community to steer clear of floodwaters.”

With rivers already rising, the bureau warned more moderate to locally heavy rain could push river levels higher and cause minor flooding in the Northern Rivers through the weekend.

Officials urged residents to keep up with official warnings and avoid driving through flooded roads.

After completing state funded training, general practitioners in NSW will soon be qualified to diagnose attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

The goal of the change is to lower waiting times and families out of pocket expenses.

Beginning in March 2026, qualified general practitioners will be able to diagnose ADHD under changes announced by the NSW Government and NSW Health.

Almost 600 general practitioners have expressed interest in the second phase. Priority placement will be given to physicians in rural, remote and regional areas.

Spots for training will be limited for physicians who finish the program, the state promises to cover the cost of the course and provide a compensation package. Additionally, it will maintain a waiting list for upcoming rounds.

High costs and lengthy wait times, according to officials can cause delays in children’s assistance.

They claim that adults seeking a diagnosis may experience additional stress, particularly if they live outside of major centers.

The way stable patients receive their medications has already been altered by stage one of the reforms.

More than 800 general practitioners have received training to write repeat prescriptions for patients who already have a diagnosis as of 2025.

As a result, fewer regular specialist appointments are now required to renew prescriptions. According to NSW Health, over 18,000 prescriptions have been filled and over 5,000 patients have utilized the arrangement thus far.

The next step has been approved by the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners.

Also Read: Nine charged after Sydney CBD protest turns violent

According to this, qualified general practitioners can treat patients holistically while still referring them to specialists when necessary.

It stated that an overburdened specialist system could be relieved of some of the strain if more general practitioners performed this task.

Queensland has changed its system meaning specialist GPs can initiate, modify and continue medication used in the management of ADHD in adults.

Following a demonstration against Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s visit, there were altercations on Monday night in the streets surrounding Town Hall in Sydney.

Protest leaders were criticized by senior police for their “outrageous” actions, MPs and civil liberties organizations charged officers with using oppressive methods.

After demonstrators attempted to move from the Town Hall area towards parliament, NSW Police reported that officers used capsicum spray and made 27 arrests.

According to the police, they disregarded the CBD’s regulations when Herzog was there and police said 10 officers were assaulted.

There were several spray affected individuals treated by paramedics and no major injuries were reported.

The altercation followed a ruling earlier in the day by the Supreme Court of New South Wales.

Police were seen relocating men who were kneeling to pray close to Town Hall in a video posted online, the video received harsh criticism.

The Australian National Imams Council expressed its “outrage” and “urgent and serious concerns” to the relevant ministers and the police commissioner.

“It was outrageous the behavior we saw across Sydney streets tonight,” NSW Assistant Police Commissioner Peter McKenna told Nine News, arguing that officers actions were appropriate.

The NSW Council for Civil Liberties demanded that the violence against protesters be looked into.

During the push and shoot, a state Labor MP and a Greens MP reported seeing or experiencing aggressive police behavior.

Other cities, including Melbourne also hosted protests following the Bondi attack on December 14, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and the governor general invited Herzog to Australia, where he embarked on a four day program.

New South Wales police will soon be able to seize and destroy illegal ebikes under a fresh state government push to curb high speed riding and what ministers describe as a growing pattern of anti social behaviour on roads and shared paths.

The Minns government says the changes will target modified and overpowered ebikes that fall outside the legal definition of a bicycle.

Under current NSW rules, the eBike motor must not provide assistance once the bike reaches 25 km/h and the rider must pedal for the motor to provide assistance.

Transport Minister John Graham said the new approach would let police take non compliant ebikes off the street and ensure they do not return to use even in cases where an owner bought a bike believing it was legal.

The proposal would extend existing vehicle seizure powers which have typically applied to cars and motorbikes to cover illegal ebikes.

Police are expected to use portable roadside testing devices described as dyno units to measure whether an ebike meets the requirements. Bikes that fail the test could be confiscated and destroyed.

The announcement follows renewed public scrutiny after a widely shared video showed a large group of riders crossing the Sydney Harbour Bridge at speed earlier this week, weaving through traffic and performing stunts.

The incident prompted calls for tougher enforcement against devices that look and behave more like electric motorbikes than bicycles.

Road safety groups have backed stronger action, arguing the rapid growth of high powered ebikes has been matched by an increase in serious crashes and injuries.

The NRMA has pointed to rising harm on NSW roads including hundreds of injuries and multiple deaths linked to ebikes in 2025.

Opposition transport spokeswoman Natalie Ward has criticized the pace of the reform, saying the law will not come into force before August and that enforcement should also focus on rider behaviour.

Cycling advocates have urged governments to combine enforcement with clear public education, warning that confusion remains widespread over what is legal at the point of sale.

The government says it aims to keep ebikes legal as a viable transportation option while drawing a hard line on devices that go beyond the rules.