What the US-China TikTok deal means for Australia

Across the country, things are happening at a local level that have an impact nationally. Here’s the stories you might not hear about in the traditional media.

Kempsey Shire Council has endorsed a plan to crack down on illegal camping in beachside towns, but it comes with a big price tag and no guaranteed income.

As the Mid North Coaster’s Ellie Chamberlain reports, the $700,000+ project includes an audit of parking restrictions, an education campaign, and a one-year trial of pay-by-phone parking combined with privately outsourced enforcement.

Council CEO Andrew Meddle said ongoing costs are likely, while potential revenue from fines and parking charges is uncertain.

The plan passed 6-3 despite concerns from councillors about cost-effectiveness, financial sustainability, and the council’s current operating deficit.

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Less than one in ten Hooded Plover chicks survive to adulthood — and low volunteer numbers along Victoria’s Great Ocean Road are making that worse.

As Zara Cuthbertson from the West Vic Brolga reports, the Great Ocean Road Coast and Parks Authority and BirdLife Australia are calling on locals and visitors to become “Hoodie Heroes,” helping monitor nests, protect chicks, and educate beachgoers.

“These little birds are tough, determined, and clinging to survival on some of our busiest beaches,” says conservation coordinator Scott Hives. Just a couple of hours a week can make a huge difference.

Also, give Zara’s video a watch; she shows how small these things really are!

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In 1919, the body of 20-year-old Alexander Eastman was discovered on the roof of a night steam train from Melbourne to Korumburra — and no one knows exactly how he got there.

The Gippsland Monitor’s Jacob Wallace reports that Eastman had boarded the train with his aunt and a rifle, disappeared mid-journey, and was later found face down on a carriage roof in bitterly cold conditions. A missing gold ring and some money added to the mystery.

Theories ranged from foul play to a fatal misadventure over railway bridges, but the coroner ultimately concluded it was “by his own act,” leaving detectives baffled by what newspapers called “one of the most remarkable sets of mysterious circumstances.”

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Gambling harm is rising – and it’s affecting millions.

New research shows more Australians are struggling with financial stress, relationship problems, and even suicidal thoughts linked to gambling.

From young adults at high risk to widespread state-by-state participation, experts say current measures aren’t enough – and call for a stronger, more robust approach to tackle the problem.

Read more below.