Suspected copper thieves cut cable causing Telstra outage in Mount Isa
In a statement, Telstra regional manager Rachel Cliffe said some mobile and enterprise services in Mount Isa had been disconnected.
The number of people affected is unknown.
"The impact of copper theft on customers can be significant, and despite our best efforts to repair and restore services quickly, businesses, individuals and critical community services can be disconnected for hours or days," Ms Cliffe said.
"Repairs from copper theft also require us to divert work crews to restore services, delaying us from resolving other customer service issues."
Telstra technicians are working to restore the outage.
Ms Cliffe urged anyone who has seen suspicious activity near a Mount Isa Telstra facility to report it to police.
"Telstra has committed to a dedicated copper theft prevention team which works closely with all police agencies across Australia to catch and prosecute offenders," she said.
Police have been contacted for comment.
Copper theft can result in criminal charges such as burglary and stealing, with penalties for offenders including fines and imprisonment.
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ABC News
20 minutes ago
- ABC News
Former AEIOU childcare worker Ronelle Peralta sentenced for assault of autistic child at south-east Queensland centre
A childcare worker has been handed a suspended prison sentence for assaulting a non-verbal, autistic child at a south-east Queensland centre. Ronelle Peralta, 31, was initially facing one count of assault occasioning bodily harm, but prosecutors last week downgraded the charge to common assault – to which he pleaded guilty. The incident, which left the girl's parents distressed, happened earlier this year at an AEIOU centre. The not-for-profit organisation provides an early intervention service for children with autism. Peralta no longer works for AEIOU, the company confirmed in a statement this week. On Friday, Richlands Magistrates Court heard Peralta, who was a room leader at the centre at the time, had picked up a child who he said was having an "emotional outburst". After a few minutes, he carried that child over to where the girl was playing alone. Police Prosecutor Sergeant Min Hu said Peralta was standing near the young girl when he gripped onto the leg of the child he was holding and swung it into the girl's head and her back "approximately five times". "The victim turned her head in response to the assault, however, continued playing". The court heard Peralta was immediately stood down after other staff members reviewed the CCTV footage, and an internal investigation was launched. The centre told the child's parents, who reported the matter to police. Peralta admitted to police he had picked up the child, and swung their foot, but said he did not intend to harm the girl, Sergeant Hu said. "He stated he did it because he was attempting to redirect the child's behaviour by distracting him with stimulation to his legs," he said. "The defendant was unable to provide a clear explanation as to how the tactic would have been effective." Peralta's lawyer Aurora Porras argued her client, who was born in the Philippines, had no intention of harming the other child. Magistrate Michael Quinn, who watched the CCTV footage of the assault, said he was satisfied Peralta took hold of the child's leg and used it to hit the girl. "It was not of a significant force, but was forceful enough for the child to feel it," he said. He said it was a "serious example" of this type of offence . "You abused your position, you used the [child's] leg — for some unknown reason — to hit that other child who was also very vulnerable and in need of great protection," he said. Magistrate Quinn rubbished Peralta's explanation for the incident. 'I'm told it was some sort of strategy you used yourself, it is not condoned, it is not taught I'm told, but it is something you use back in the Philippines apparently," he said. 'In my view, you saying that this was a method to calm down the child is an absolute nonsense and is merely you trying to justify the totally unjustifiable action that you took on that particular day. 'I cannot, and I doubt if any member of the community would, imagine any set of circumstances where a person such as you, in a position of authority and trust, would do that to the most vulnerable people in our community." Magistrate Quinn said he was satisfied that "violence was used" and, therefore, jail was not a last resort for Peralta. "Following these proceedings, I would also assume you would have no chance of receiving any sort of blue card or clearance to work in any way or any fashion in relation to schools or dealing with children," he said. Peralta was sentenced to two months in prison, suspended for 15 months. In sentencing him, Magistrate Quinn took into account his timely plea of guilty, his lack of criminal history, his cooperation with police, and "that he has lost his job as a consequence of the charge". The girl's father told the ABC he felt like he "died inside" when he got the phone call earlier this year to say an educator had "used legs to kick" his daughter. "All I remember is us rushing to the daycare after that," he said. "When we walked through the doors of the daycare, he was walking out. He said his daughter was "okay at the time," but she had an "extremely high" pain threshold. The father said authorities didn't give him the heads up that the sentence was happening, so he missed out on the opportunity to attend court. "It's disconcerting," he said. He said the penalty was "better than I expected, but not as good as what I wished the system would do". He was hopeful Peralta wouldn't be issued a blue card again. In a statement to the ABC, AEIOU Foundation CEO Alan Smith said the company takes the "safety and wellbeing" of children in its care extremely seriously. He said the AEIOU Foundation had cooperated 'fully and transparently' with all authorities and Peralta was no longer employed by them. 'AEIOU Foundation cannot comment on confidential employment processes undertaken, or outcomes, but confirms that immediate action was taken in relation to this matter including internal processes and notification to external authorities in line with our legal and ethical obligations,' he said. He said the case had been referred to the state's Department of Education. Asked about the case, a spokesman for the department said there was an "open investigation" and the regulator was aware of the matter. It was unable to comment further, saying only: "the safety and protection of all children in Queensland early childhood education and care services is always our number one priority". The department said an extra $12.7 million in the 2025-26 budget would go towards bolstering the regulatory authority "to ensure more officers on the ground, visiting services and monitoring safety". A Department of Justice spokesman said the department was unable to comment on an individual's blue card status.
SBS Australia
38 minutes ago
- SBS Australia
'You could be a victim so easily': The dating apps being targeted by criminals
When Jamaica Hanley first used a LGBTIQ+ dating app, Grindr, several years ago - it served as a safe space that helped her feel a sense of belonging with the trans community. "I was majorly impacted by Grindr to discover my identity growing up," Jamaica, 24, told The Feed. "So many people in the community have met each other through apps like Grindr and been able to use it to explore themselves and affirm their own identities and their sexualities." But now, LGBTIQ+ dating apps are being used by criminals to target the queer community. NSW Police told The Feed it recorded 44 incidents linked to LGBTIQ+ dating apps from June last year, with crimes including aggravated robbery, assault, and extortion. It's similar in other states and territories. Last year, a man in Canberra was assaulted by two men who used Grindr to plan to meet up. Many of these crimes include perpetrators under 18 targeting gay people, including several incidents in Perth last September, where five teenage boys aged between 15 and 17 used Grindr to arrange to meet and assault men. The teenagers were jailed in June. And in Victoria, police have arrested more than 30 people since October last year, all linked to attacks on men using LGTBIQ+ dating apps. "Police allege several groups of offenders — primarily young males aged between 13 and 20 — have been posing as legitimate users of the platforms to lure men into meeting them," a spokesperson for Victoria Police told The Feed. "The victims are then allegedly assaulted, robbed, threatened and subjected to homophobic comments." They say other attackers' motivations include generalised prejudice and financial gain, especially against men who may not have their sexuality identified to family or friends. From a safe space to a criminal hotspot Jamaica said LGBTIQ+ dating apps are swarmed with fake accounts. On Grindr, which is based in the US, users can be messaged by anyone without "matching", and accounts can be easily created using fake names or ages. "It's extremely easy for people to get on there with ulterior motives. They don't verify age, identity — anything," Jamaica said. The Feed contacted Grindr multiple times for comment. Grindr allows users to message any account, without needing to "match" prior. Source: Supplied Grindr may step in and suspend an account until it verify users' ID if they suspect they're underage. "We always take reports [of underage users] seriously, as issues with fake accounts are a major complaint from our users," Grindr says on its website. Jamaica said when she opens the app, she is greeted by a barrage of messages from users offering illicit drugs and the occasional outright threat. "You can message anybody without matching with them first, so there's no buffer. I get messages from blank profiles hundreds of times a day, offering me money, offering me drugs." She's also found herself in several dangerous situations. On one occasion, Jamaica agreed to meet a man from Grindr at his house in the middle of the night. "He picked me up, and when I got there, there were two other men in the room and they were all smoking ice," she said. "I had no phone charge … no way of getting out. I was drunk. I tell as many people as I can [because] so many bad things could've happened to me. I could've been raped, murdered, kidnapped. I'm very lucky." Police say dating apps such as Grindr are being used by criminals to target the LGBTIQ+ community. Source: Getty / Robert Way She said her experiences have made her "paranoid and suspicious" on the app and has had to devise her own method of verifying users. "It makes me scared to be on dating apps and to meet people because you could be targeted … you could be a victim so easily". While Stuart showered, he was being robbed For Stuart (not his real name), the danger wasn't a violent ambush. It was quieter. He told The Feed he agreed to meet a man he'd spoken to from Grindr at a hotel, and immediately realised he was being catfished: the man didn't match his photos. "The question people have asked is, 'why did you go up with him?' … I thought 'whatever', even though I had red flags, I had alarm bells going off in my mind," Stuart said. What followed was a rushed hookup and an insistence that Stuart showered. And when Stuart got out, he realised his watch wasn't where he left it. "I said [to the man], 'where's my watch?' … He immediately bolts into the bathroom and brings me my watch." "And then I left. I felt very uncomfortable. I was so glad when the hotel door closed, I just wanted to get back," Stuart said. Despite his watch being returned, two days later, Stuart's bank called. "Almost $2,000 had been taken," Stuart said. Stuart believes the man had taken photos of his credit cards while he showered. And when he went to police, he said he discovered about 20 other men had been victims. "He'd been defrauding people [for years] … using Grindr for at least five or six years," Stuart said. NSW Local Court media told The Feed that a man was convicted in his absence earlier this year over the incident for dishonestly obtaining financial advantage by deception and possessing identity information to commit an indictable offence. Why many victims stay silent Despite the growing list of victims, many incidents are never reported. Both NSW and Victoria Police said that crimes like these are "largely underreported" because of stigma, fear of outing, and distrust in police. "Many individuals decline to make statements or pursue charges because their families may be unaware of their sexual orientation," NSW Police told The Feed in a statement. "There is also a reluctance for victims to go to police because the sensitive nature of the crime." Police in NSW and Victoria told The Feed in the last year, there's been an increase in crimes against LGBTIQ+ people through the apps designed for them. Source: Getty When Stuart started discussing the experience in the community, he realised he wasn't alone. "So many people messaged me saying it happened to them too — but they didn't want to go to police … many feel too embarrassed … or may be in what on the surface are monogamous relationship … others may be in the closet," Stuart said. "I understand distrust of the police. I understand being in the closet feeling ashamed. And I did - I felt ashamed. I felt embarrassed. But I'm somebody who will speak out when I think something is wrong." Are dating apps doing enough? Jamaica believes the app companies themselves need to step up. "I definitely think verification of identity would be extremely beneficial," Jamaica said. Grindr offers resources such as a scam awareness guide to help users have a safer experience on the app and identify and avoid scams. "It's crazy that in the 21st century there's a level of this even happening at all." The Feed has approached Grindr for comment. The bigger picture Fortunately, Stuart got his money back, but the incident has left lasting consequences. "Since that meeting, I've barely met anybody, and I would be very concerned about meeting anybody … I'm very sceptical." Police are working with groups such as the LGBTIQ+ health organisation ACON to share safety messages on dating apps in locations of "concern", ACON told The Feed in a statement. "ACON and NSW Police are also working to raise awareness and suggest ways people can protect their own safety such as meeting in public, verifying identities, and sharing your location with trusted friends when meeting up with people from dating apps."
SBS Australia
39 minutes ago
- SBS Australia
How many Australians are fighting with Israel's military in Gaza? This group is monitoring
An Australian legal group says it is preparing a formal criminal complaint to the federal police seeking investigations into Australians serving with the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) for any potential offences committed. The Australian Centre for International Justice (ACIJ) reached out to the government in early June, requesting it issue warnings to the Australian public about the risks for Australians fighting for the IDF. It said such warnings should ensure citizens were aware "that engaging in hostilities with the Israeli military in the unlawfully occupied Palestinian Territory, may expose them to criminal investigation and prosecution under Australian law", or elsewhere "where there is evidence that they have participated in the commission of international crimes". Lara Khider, acting executive director of ACIJ, told SBS News: "We are currently monitoring at least 20 individuals who are serving or have served in the Israeli military, and are preparing criminal complaints to the AFP [Australian Federal Police] seeking investigations into potential offences against the Commonwealth." A Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesperson confirmed to SBS News the department "does not track the movements of Australians overseas". "The Australian government encourages all Australians who seek to serve with the armed forces of a foreign country to carefully consider their legal obligations and ensure their conduct does not constitute a criminal offence," the spokesperson said. Is fighting for another army legal? Under Australian foreign incursion laws, it's not illegal to serve with a foreign government army — but recruiting someone to do so is. Australian authorities do not actively monitor Australians who may be serving in foreign armed forces, but the Australian Border Force may provide travellers leaving the country with information about their obligations under Australian law. Credit: AP The foreign incursion laws state it's an offence to enter a foreign country with an intention to engage in a hostile activity, unless serving in, or with, the armed forces of the government of a foreign country. It's illegal to recruit people to join an organisation engaged in hostile activities, or to serve in, or with, a foreign military. But the federal attorney-general can allow recruitment of people to serve with an armed force of a foreign country if "it is in the interests of the defence or international relations of Australia". "It is well known that Australians are currently serving in the Israeli military, and there have even been reported instances of recruitment occurring on Australian soil," Khider said. The exact number of Australians who've served or are serving has not been confirmed by Australian authorities. A freedom of information request in 2024 revealed ABF had intervened with three of four Australian citizens suspected of departing for Israel for military service since 7 October 2023. The Australian Border Force (ABF) previously confirmed that when it becomes aware that a person is departing Australia with the intention of travelling to a potential conflict zone, it "provides the traveller with information on their obligations under Australian law". The AFP said it cautioned all Australians who seek to engage in hostilities overseas to carefully consider their legal obligations and ensure their conduct does not constitute a criminal offence. "Any Australian suspected of committing a criminal offence while in a conflict zone may be investigated by the AFP, and, where appropriate, may face prosecution," a spokesperson told SBS News. The Australian Centre for International Justice is monitoring at least 20 Australians who have served or are serving in the Israel Defense Forces. Source: EPA / Abir Sultan The ACIJ pointed to the 2024 ruling from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) that ordered Israel to prevent acts of genocide in its war on Gaza . In the ruling, the ICJ called on Israel to "take all measures within its power to prevent and punish the direct and public incitement to commit genocide", and ordered Israel to "prevent the commission of acts" that fall under under the Genocide Convention — which include "deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part"; and "killing members of the group". The ACIJ said Australia, as a state party to the Genocide Convention, has legal obligations to take all possible measures to prevent genocide. Australia is also party to a number of international human rights treaties and recognises the ICJ and its jurisdiction on international law matters. IDF spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said last year the IDF is "a professional military committed to international law". Government warns Australians at the border SBS News obtained a copy of a letter from Attorney-General Michelle Rowland addressed to the ACIJ about the issue, in a reply dated 28 July. In the letter, Rowland said while it was not appropriate for the government to provide specific legal advice, "the government has been clear that all parties to the conflict must comply with international and relevant domestic legal obligations". Rowland said the government "continues to discourage" Australians from engaging in conflict overseas, and advocates for the protection of civilians, the upholding of international law and the unhindered flow of aid to the region. "The government continues to caution all Australians who seek to serve with the armed forces of a foreign country to carefully consider their legal obligations and ensure their conduct does not constitute a criminal offence," Rowland said in the letter. "Where appropriate, the AFP may work with foreign law enforcement agencies and international bodies as part of any potential investigation." However, ACIJ said it had been raising its concerns on the issue with the Australian government since December 2023 and said the government's reply was "manifestly inadequate". "The limited cautions issued to date do not sufficiently reflect the seriousness of the atrocities occurring against the Palestinians in Gaza," Khider said. "Issuing vague or weak cautions does not discharge Australia's obligations under international law. "The government must act with urgency and clarity to ensure that its international legal responsibilities are met, and that Australians are not complicit in atrocity crimes." An Australian war crimes investigation unit Greens senator David Shoebridge said his office had inquired nine months ago into why the Australian government was not tracking people fighting in the Israeli and Russian militaries, and had yet to receive a reply. "The Australian government's current policy is 'head in the sand'," Shoebridge said. "If you don't look for war crimes, you won't find them. "The conflict in these areas has only intensified, and concerns about people being implicated in war crimes have only heightened." "We know that thousands of people have been travelling to Israel over recent months, many to fight in the IDF, which is a concern when the government does not track or monitor who is fighting in this appalling war," Shoebridge said. The number of Australians serving or having served with the IDF has not been confirmed, but News Corp in 2023 reported there could be up to 1,000 who have served or were active reservists at the time. The Greens want a War Crimes Investigation Unit set up in Australia. "Other countries have these bodies, and they are effective. The lack of one in Australia makes everyone less safe."
