Australian Herald

25/05/2025

Leela found joy in dancing. Megan loved the freedom of ice skating. Ronya was always singing along to pop songs. Cherie's favourite activity was horse riding. Eve spent her afternoons shooting hoops on the basketball court. And Darren was just a baby.

These Aussie kids never met. They came from different places, families and lives. But Megan, Ronya, Cherie, Leela, Eve and Darren are forever linked by one heartbreaking truth — they all vanished as children and are still missing today.

This International Missing Children's Day (IMCD), a global event held every 25 May, the AFP-led National Missing Persons Coordination Centre (NMPCC) has renewed its public appeal for information relating to six long-term missing Australian children.

Megan Louise Mulquiney (ACT), Ronya Livoni(NT), Darren Jason Shannon (SA), Cherie Westell (VIC), Leela McDougall, pictured, (WA) and Eve Askew (TAS) were all children when they disappeared between 1973 and 2007, with Darren the youngest at just 11 months old.

Their families have now courageously shared treasured memories and personal details of their children with the NMPCC, in the hope someone, somewhere, holds the key to bringing them home. These stories feature on the NMPCC website, in the section headed ‘International Missing Children's Day 2025'.

AFP Commander Joanne Cameron said the AFP was honoured to share personal details and stories for each child, such as their favourite colour and hobby, as well as cherished memories from their families.

"This International Missing Children's Day, we have featured six missing persons on our website in hope someone, somewhere, knows something and reports it," Commander Cameron said.

"When a loved one is missing, families often experience what we call ambiguous loss — a form of grief that never quite settles. It can be a relentless cycle of hope and heartbreak, making it incredibly difficult for families to move forward without any real answers about their loved ones.

"The AFP will continue to work tirelessly to keep the stories and memories of those missing, alive. We hope people will see their faces and profiles online and report any information that could help police locate them and bring them home."

Each year, about 50,000 missing person reports are received by police across Australia; half of these reports involve young people aged between 13 and 17.

With the majority safely located in a short time — many within just 24 hours – about 95 per cent of people reported missing in Australia are found within a week.

But cases that stretch beyond three months are classified as long-term missing.

There are about 2700 long-term missing persons in Australia, and in 2024, 132 new cases were added to the long-term missing persons list.

The reasons someone goes missing are complex and varied — from mental illness and misadventure to miscommunication, domestic violence and, in some tragic cases, criminal acts.

While children and teenagers make up a large number of short-term missing reports, adults are more likely to remain missing long-term. Common traits or causes are difficult to pinpoint, which makes public awareness and community involvement critical in supporting police investigations.

Commander Cameron said the AFP encouraged members of the public to view the photos and profiles of the six missing individuals online and report any piece of information they had to authorities.

"Every piece of information, even small, can be incredibly valuable when it comes to locating a missing person," Commander Cameron said.

"Remember behind every missing person is a family member, friend, and community, all waiting for answers. If you know something, please report it."

If you have information about a missing person in Australia, report it to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or www.crimestoppers.com.au. All reports are confidential, and you can remain anonymous.

This year for IMCD, the AFP-led NMPCC is highlighting stories of missing children and the families who continue to search for them. These stories are being shared across the NMPCC's Facebook,Instagram, and website.

IMCD is a day to commemorate children who have found their way home, remember those who have tragically become victims of crime, and continue the search for those still missing.

The day is symbolised by the forget-me-not flower, a poignant reminder of the enduring hope that their stories are not forgotten.

The NMPCC coordinates a national response to missing persons in Australia and complements the work of state and territory police services.

24/05/2025

The AFP-led Criminal Assets Confiscation Taskforce (CACT) has restrained more than $20 million in assets from a NSW pharmacist.

The pharmacist is making false claims under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme between 2014 and 2023.
He is currently bailed and is next scheduled to appear before court on 6 June, 2025.

SYDNEY, Australia - A pharmacist has been charged after allegedly defrauding the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) of more than $10 million, leading authorities to seize over $20 million in assets, including a luxury mansion, two Ferraris, two Lamborghinis, a McLaren, and seven BMWs

The Australian Federal Police (AFP) launched an investigation in February 2023 following a tip-off from the Department of Health and Aged Care.

Sydney pharmacist charged with fraud | Ben Huynh's $8m super car collection

The 58-year-old man, Ben Huynh of Dural in northern Sydney is accused of making false PBS claims between 2014 and 2023.

As part of the probe, police raided Huynh's home in the Sydney suburb of Dural and a pharmacy in Cabramatta East, also in suburban Sydney. He has since been charged with two counts of dealing in proceeds of crime worth $1 million or more and two counts of dishonesty causing a loss to the Commonwealth. If convicted, Huynh faces up to 25 years in prison for the most serious offences.

The AFP-led Criminal Assets Confiscation Taskforce (CACT) later identified multiple high-value assets believed to be purchased with illicit funds. On 22 May 2025, the NSW Supreme Court approved the freezing of the man's assets.

Among the seized items are:

*A luxury mansion in Dural

*A commercial property in East Cabramatta

*12 high-end vehicles, including two Ferraris, two Lamborghinis, a McLaren, and seven BMWs

*Multiple bank accounts

AFP CACT Commander Jason Kennedy said the crackdown sends a clear message that crime does not pay.

"By stripping offenders of their ill-gotten wealth, we remove the very incentive that drives such crimes," Commander Kennedy said Saturday. "Many criminals fear losing their assets as much as—if not more than—a prison sentence."

The restrained assets will be managed by the Australian Financial Security Authority (AFSA). If the case succeeds, they will be sold, with proceeds going into a fund that supports law enforcement, crime prevention, and drug rehabilitation programs.

The accused pharmacist remains on bail and is due to face court again on 6 June 2025.

03/05/2025

The Australian Labor Party has been swept to victory for a second term after defeating the Coalition in an extraordinary result where even the opposition leader lost his seat.

Anthony Albanese becomes the first prime minister in more than two decades to win back-to-back elections.

Given a good chance of defeating Labor, the Coalition of the Australian Liberal Party and the National Party entered the campaign at the top of their game. However the resultant campaign has fallen well short of the mark with Labor picking up more seats than in the prior election.

The sway of Rupert Murdoch's New Corp's dominant newspapers and Sky television network failed to make its mark for the first time in many elections, a sign that traditional media no longer has the influence it once had.

News Corp heavily backed Opposition Leader Peter Dutton until the dying days pf the campaign when it became all too obvious the chances of the Coalition regaining power were slipping away.

While Albanese notched up a milestone, so too did Dutton, becoming the first opposition leader to lose his seat in an election. When John Howard lost Bennelong in 2007 he was prime minister. Coincidently Bennelong which had been regained by the Liberals was lost again on Saturday as the national count reached its climax just two-and-a-half hours after polls closed in the eastern states, and just 30 minutes after voting in Western Australia ended.

"I love this country and have fought hard for it, we have been defined by our opponents in this election which is not a true story of who we are," Dutton said in a gracious concession speech at the W Hotel in Brisbane Saturday night. "But we will rebuild from here and we will do that because we know our values, we know our beliefs, and we will always stick to them.

"I want to say thank you to the Australian people for the faith that they have placed in me, and thank them for the great honour of having been the member for Dickson and the leader of the opposition," Dutton said.

09/06/2024

The Australian Federal Police has issued a warning to online users to take measures to protect their personal data following a recent surge in cybercriminals deploying RATS.

08/06/2024

The men were apprehended when they arrived separately in vehicles at a Port Melbourne location.

Two men from the Australian state of Victoria have been charged with trafficking a significant quantity of illicit drugs.

08/06/2024

A 25-year old man was killed Tuesday when his car crashed into a billboard and tree in the Northern Rivers region of new South Wales.

13/04/2024

The mass stabbing, just after 3:30pm Saturday afternoon, has shocked Australia which has seen not seen such an attack since 1996 when a lone gunman shot dead 35 people at Port Arthur in Tasmania.

Six people were stabbed to death, and 8 were wounded,at one of the busiest shopping malls in Australia's largest city on Saturday afternoon .

13/04/2024

Australia in top ten happy countries in the world.

Pakistan has once again stolen the focus from India in the new United Nations-backed Happiness Report, maintaining its 108th position while India fell to ...

13/04/2024

She replaces Noeleen Heyzer, a former UN undersecretary-general for Singapore, who left after 20 months at the end of her contract in June 2023. Australian Herald

On April 5, Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, appointed former Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop as his special envoy to Myanmar