New data reveals the Australian postcodes that produced the most lottery winners over the past financial year, with Victorians claiming 138 Division One wins out of 492 nationally. While Victoria had the most winners, New South Wales players took home the largest total prize money at $452 million. The postcodes for Cairns-Irville in far north Queensland and Melbourne CBD each sold four Division One winning entries, the highest in the country.

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Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels have threatened to block the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, days after Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz. The blocking of both straits could choke off almost 30% of global oil and gas shipments, forcing Saudi Arabia to use longer, more expensive shipping routes around Africa that add four weeks to delivery times. Australia, which imports 90% of its oil needs from Asian refineries, faces higher costs as the world's biggest diesel importer competing for limited supplies.

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President Trump has threatened to bomb civilian infrastructure in Tehran, including bridges and power plants, if Iran continues attacking ships in the Strait of Hormuz. The warning follows the deaths of four US service members, with three killed in an Iranian attack on their base in Jordan and one in northern Iraq. The Pentagon reports 18 American soldiers have been killed and over 100 wounded during the five-month conflict, while Iran's foreign minister has vowed retaliation.

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A Melbourne woman, Michelle Buckley, was incorrectly declared dead by a hospital after another patient's discharge summary contained her name and date of birth. Her family mourned for approximately two weeks before the error was discovered, causing significant distress to relatives including an elderly aunt. Michelle has launched legal action through Slater and Gordon to investigate how the mix-up occurred and ensure it doesn't happen to others.

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Victorian teachers are conducting their second strike of the year, walking off the job after rejecting the state government's offer of a 28.3% pay increase for all staff. The Australian Education Union Victoria argues that the dispute centres on workload conditions, school funding shortfalls, and teachers working an average of 12 hours unpaid overtime weekly, with only 3 in 10 members planning to stay in the public sector until retirement. Union representatives criticise Victoria as the lowest-funded state for public education despite being called the 'education state'.

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New South Wales Transport Department is considering an automated enforcement system where artificial intelligence would issue traffic fines for mobile phone use and seatbelt violations without human oversight. Currently, AI scans for infringements but all detections are manually verified by humans before fines are issued. The proposed system would use AI-assisted decisioning and adjudication, raising concerns about accuracy and the appeals process.

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New figures from Mozo reveal the average Australian has more than $40,000 in savings accounts, with the nation holding approximately $1.5 trillion in deposits. The household savings ratio has grown to 6.2%, though balances vary significantly by generation, from baby boomers averaging $68,000 to those in their 20s holding between $8,000 and $10,000. Despite cost of living pressures, 46% of Australians report that maintaining savings remains a priority for financial confidence and peace of mind.

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Australian actress Charlotte McGuinness plans to appeal a judge's ruling in her defamation case against Rebel Wilson. The judge dismissed the case and found both parties to be unreliable witnesses during proceedings related to Instagram posts. McGuinness has been ordered to pay Wilson's legal costs.

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Mapleton is a small town on Queensland's Sunshine Coast, home to the historic Mapleton Public House, a paddock-to-plate pub built in 1909 that sources produce from a regenerative farm just three kilometres away. The town is surrounded by Mapleton National Park and waterfalls, offering bushwalking and scenic views towards Maroochydore. The region is hosting a food festival expecting 10,000 visitors over 10 days, showcasing local produce and food experiences.

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New artificial intelligence technology is being trialled on a New South Wales highway in August to detect animals on roads using thermal imaging cameras and warn drivers through smart road signs in real time. The system, called PAWS (Protective Animal Wildlife System), has been developed in collaboration with Symbio Wildlife Park near Wollongong and Transport for New South Wales. The technology uses heat signatures and trained image recognition to identify animals like kangaroos before they cause collisions on what is reported to be Australia's worst stretch of highway for wildlife strikes.

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