ABC Illawarra

16/10/2025

Calling all discerning bug-ologists! 🔍

Yes, we know that isn’t a word – the correct term is 'entomologist'!

The ABC’s quest to find out which native insect is Australia’s most popular in 2025 is underway.

Vote now: abc.net.au/insectoftheyear

Whether you love beetles or the giant mantis it's time to cast your vote for Australia's top insect.

16/10/2025

A group of students, staff, and community organisations rallied at the University of Wollongong this morning, opposing proposed changes to the campus’s only dedicated sexual assault support service.

UOW is proposing to merge the Safe and Respectful Communities service into a broader student services body.

The Wollongong Undergraduate Students' Association and the Illawarra Women's Health Centre said it's the only service dedicated to supporting survivors of sexual assault on campus, and there hasn't been enough consultation by the university about the impact the changes will have.

Association President, Hanzel-Jude Pador said they have complained to the student ombudsman and have drafted a submission to the NSW senate inquiry.

The National Tertiary Education Union also criticised the plan, warning it could lead to job losses or insecurity for existing staff.

There is a plan to get people to apply for their own jobs, and no guarantee they’ll get them,” said NTEU UOW Branch Organiser Martin Cubby.

“It’s ridiculous to put staff in that position when the work is still clearly needed.”

The university said in a statement no final decision has been made and there are no plans to remove or reduce these essential services, to change their location on campus, or to reduce staff numbers.

16/10/2025

A competitor of the World Triathlon Championship Finals in Wollongong has been taken to hospital in a critical condition.

Paramedics say the man in his 70s was reported in distress and pulled from the water near the harbour during the swim leg of a race just before 11 o'clock this morning.

"It was in an area that was quite concealed," said NSW Ambulance Inspector Matthew Sterling.

The man suffered cardiac arrest and was revived on the beach by ambulance officers.

Inspector Sterling said it was a swift multi-agency effort.

"Leading up to the event, there were a lot of simulated exercises conducted by the race organisers that involved NSW Ambulance, Police so we were able to test emergency response capacity for this event," he said.

"So we underwent several table top scenarios in preparations for todays event."

16/10/2025

Hundreds of supporters have gathered at Wollongong Harbour to watch the first rounds of competitors of the World Triathlon Championship Finals.

The competition's first race gun sounded at 7.45am, starting with the women's and men's under 23 events.

Spectators - some dressed in their country's national colours - cheered from the shoreline.

Over the next four days, around 5-thousand triathletes from 73 countries will compete in what organisers say is the biggest annual multi-sport event in the world.

For more on, visit https://bit.ly/4ndqSKx

15/10/2025

Nearly 5,000 athletes from across the globe are in Wollongong for the World Triathlon Championship Finals.

It is the first time Australia has hosted the major sporting event since 2018.

Get the latest from ABC SPORT straight to your inbox: https://ab.co/ABCSportNewsletter

Nearly 5,000 athletes from around the globe will converge on Wollongong over the next four days to compete in the World Triathlon Championship Finals.

15/10/2025

The 2025 World Triathlon championship finals are underway at Wollongong Harbour.

There are multiple aged events happening this morning with under 23 finals this afternoon.

97.3FM ABC Illawarra has all the action covered.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10-16/world-triathlon-championship-in-wollongong/105877162

15/10/2025

Big crowds in Wollongong tonight for the opening ceremony and parade of nations of the 2025 World Triathlon Championship Finals.

Athletes and fans came together at Flagstaff Hill and surrounding areas ahead of the four day competition.

Photos ABC Illawarra Mikayla McGuirk-Scolaro

15/10/2025

A total of six children and an adult have been charged with murder after 25-year-old Jack Westren was allegedly stabbed to death at Shellharbour.

Personalise your news & stay in the know with the ABC NEWS app https://ab.co/abcnewsapp

A total of six children and an adult have been charged with murder after 25-year-old Jack Westren was allegedly stabbed to death at Shellharbour.

15/10/2025

WORLD TRIATHLON CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL ROAD CLOSURES

There will be a range of changed traffic conditions from tomorrow through to Sunday to accommodate the World Triathlon Championship Finals.

Transport for NSW's Craig Moran said this includes about 10 kilometres of road closures and clearways from Corrimal to North Wollongong.

"As people are running and cycling along the course, we've got to make sure its clear of cars," he said.

Some of the road closures are Campbell Street, Wilson Street, Smith Street, Hector Street, Georges Place, Harbour Street, Crown Street, Burelli Street, Marine Drive, Endeavour Drive, Cliff Road, Bourke Street, Corrimal Street, Kembla Street, George Hanley Drive, Squires Way, Carters Lane, Elliotts Road and Pioneer Road.

Mr Moran said road closures will be smaller than those for the 2022 UCI cycling event.

"We've limited that as much as possible to reduce the impact on residents and the community," he said.

Motorists are being advised to allow extra travel time or use public transport.

14/10/2025

An Illawarra sports academy has held its annual open testing day for athletes aged 12-17.

The day involved high performance testing in areas such as speed, strength and endurance.

Participants are shown how their data compares to similar-aged elite athletes to help them decide if a professional career is achievable.

Personalise your news and stay in the know with the ABC NEWS app: https://ab.co/abcnewsapp

Young athletes wanting to be the next Emma McKeon or Jessica Hull have been put through high-performance testing to see if they have what it takes to be a professional.

14/10/2025

The NSW coroner has described the spate of Indigenous deaths in custody as "profoundly distressing" as the state records the most ever in a single year.

Teresa O'Sullivan made the rare public comments in an open letter on Wednesday to raise what she called the "entrenched over-representation" of Indigenous prisoners.

She said 12 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples had died in NSW custody this year so far.

Personalise your news and stay in the know with the ABC NEWS app: https://ab.co/abcnewsapp

State Coroner Teresa O'Sullivan has made rare public comments to raise what she calls the "entrenched over-representation" of Indigenous prisoners.

14/10/2025

The NSW Taxi Council and passengers living with disability are calling for taxi legislation to cover incidents where drivers refuse to accept the Taxi Transport Subsidy Scheme (TTSS) as payment.

The TTSS pays for 50 per cent of the fare up to the value of $60.

Personalise your news and stay in the know with the ABC NEWS app: https://ab.co/abcnewsapp

Taxi passengers living with a disability say they are unable to use subsidised transport because of a loophole in regulations.