Every nurse, midwife, paramedic, doctor and healthcare worker across Victoria should feel safe going to work. 

That’s why the state government is backing new ways to drive down rates of occupational violence in our hospitals.

Northern Health is leading an Australian-first review into reducing occupational violence and aggression (OVA) in a health setting.

The review is being delivered in partnership with the world-leading Monash University Accident Research Centre.

It is the first time a health service has opened its systems to a comprehensive, independent review of this scale.

It is also an acknowledgement of the increasing occurrence of OVA towards health workers at Northern Health.

In 2024/25 alone, the health service reported 4,275 incidents – the highest number across the state.

The review will focus on the underlying causes of violence and how to prevent incidents before they occur.

It will consult staff to understand when and where incidents occur and assess other relevant factors such as workplace design, hospital security and training.

Once complete, the findings will be used by Northern Health to develop a three-year plan.

This plan will provide real solutions to prevent incidents, improve staff safety and deliver safer care for patients.

Occupational violence and aggression are a complex and growing challenge for Victoria’s health services.

This includes a review of Victoria’s Framework for Preventing and Managing Occupational Violence and Aggression.

It focuses on delivering a consistent statewide approach to OVA to drive down incidents.

This includes assessing a range of supports and procedures including strengthening security and alarm systems, staff training, and post-incident support.

New median price data from the Real Estate Institute of Victoria (REIV) for the June quarter 2026 (Q2 2026) shows that while Melbourne’s housing market softened over the quarter, strong annual growth across outer Melbourne and regional Victoria reinforces the underlying strength of the Victorian market.

Against a backdrop of macro-economic uncertainty and policy changes, REIV’s median prices recorded a quarterly decline in metro Melbourne. During Q2, median house prices fell 3.1 per cent to $952,500 and unit prices declined 2.1 per cent to $643,500, following five consecutive quarters of growth. Middle Melbourne suburbs largely drove this decline, with houses falling 4.5 per cent. Unit prices across middle and outer Melbourne both fell 2.3 per cent.

While quarterly conditions softened, annual figures highlighted the long-term resilience of Victoria’s property market, with strong growth recorded across outer Melbourne and regional Victoria.

Outer Melbourne recorded the state’s strongest annual house price growth, with fourteen suburbs featuring in the top 20 growth suburbs. The City of Melton led the rankings with Kurunjang reporting annual growth of 14.9 per cent, while the municipality accounted for five of the top 20 suburbs for house price growth.

Similarly, while Bayside’s Hampton recorded the strongest annual unit price growth at 23.8 per cent, eight of the top 20 suburbs for unit growth were located in Melbourne’s outer ring, reinforcing the strength of the city’s growth corridors.

Regional Victoria’s annual growth outperformed metropolitan Melbourne, with median house and unit prices rising 8.3 per cent to $650,000 and 9.0 per cent to $458,000 respectively. Growth was led by major regional centres, with Mount Helen in Ballarat recording a 27.2 per cent annual increase in house prices, while North Bendigo topped the state for annual unit price growth with a 39.2 per cent increase.

REIV CEO Toby Balazs said the quarterly figures highlighted the impact of major policy changes and the importance for governments to have a deep understanding of the roll-on impact.

“The quarterly data reflects the uncertainty currently affecting Victoria’s property market, driven by higher interest rates, changing government policy, cost of living pressures and global economic instability.

“By contrast, the annual figures show that despite the volatile conditions we’re currently seeing, the property market remains resilient – particularly in outer Melbourne and regional Victoria.

Mr Balazs said the results reinforced the need to ensure stamp duty incentives for first home buyers keep pace with market conditions.

“Eighteen suburbs in the City of Melton and nine in the City of Hume recorded strong annual growth while remaining below the $750,000 stamp duty exemption threshold, demonstrating the high demand at that price point.

“However, as higher demand concentrates at this level prices for entry level houses are likely to continue rising.

“To keep the market accessible, it is increasingly important for the Government to review the first home buyer stamp duty exemption, so the threshold better reflects current property prices,” he said.

Minister for Multicultural and Multifaith Victoria Ingrid Stitt today announced $4.9 million for close to 200 multicultural organisations across Victoria through the 2025–26 Multicultural Capacity Building Program (MCBP).

The grant program offers multicultural organisations the opportunity to strengthen their foundations and increase their impact within their communities.

The successful organisations support more than 46 different ethnicities and 15 faith groups, with more than $1.6 million of funding allocated to organisations from new and emerging and regional communities.

Successful recipients include the Australian Iranian Society of Victoria who will receive funding to establish a sustainable operational base and expand education and community engagement initiatives.

South Sudanese Australian Academic Society Inc will expand the Just Drop-In program to continue delivering education and wellbeing support programs, and the Gurduaras Council of Victoria will enhance organisational capacity and expand culturally safe support services for Sikh Victorians.

The MCBP delivers on a key recommendation from the Victorian Multicultural Review by supporting grassroots multicultural organisations with more funding to improve outcomes for multicultural and multifaith communities.

The review, published in September 2025, called for greater support for grassroots organisations to help them become stronger and more sustainable.

To learn more about the Multicultural Capacity Building Program, visit: https://www.vic.gov.au/multicultural-capacity-building-program.

Delivered by Music Victoria on behalf of the Victorian Government through Creative Victoria, Music Works invests in the artists, businesses and projects that make Victoria’s music community one of the strongest in the country.
If you are a Victorian artist, music worker, organisation or business, you can apply to one of two funding streams for activity between 1 November 2026 – 31 October 2027.

Activation Grants
Fixed grants of $5,000 to support artists, music businesses and music professionals to take the next step.

Project Grants
From $10,000–$40,000 for projects that create opportunities, grow careers and strengthen Victoria’s contemporary music industry.

Key dates
Applications are open now.

Information Session: 1:00pm-2:30pm, Tuesday 14 July 2026. Register here.

Applications close: 2:00pm, Wednesday 5 August 2026

Ready to apply?

Read the guidelines, the FAQs and submit your application via the Music Victoria website.

The brain’s waste clearance system is impaired in people living with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) which can lead to various symptoms including brain fog, Griffith University researchers have discovered.

The research demonstrates, for the first time, the impact ME/CFS has on glymphatic function which is responsible for clearing the brain of metabolic waste products and is mostly active during sleep and disengaged while a person is awake.

Lead author Dr Kiran Thapaliya from Griffith’s National Centre for Neuroimmunology and Emerging Diseases (NCNED) said when the brain’s waste clearance system did not work properly, harmful waste could build up causing neuroinflammation.

“This study is the first to demonstrate impaired glymphatic function in ME/CFS using MRI, providing a mechanistic explanation for the inflammatory changes reported by other Australian and international teams,” he said.

“This suggests that dysfunction in the brain’s natural cleaning system may be a key driver of this condition.”

Professor Sonya Marshall-Gradisnik, NCNED Director, said not only did reduced glymphatic function cause brain fog, but also caused sleep disturbance.

“The study found worse sleep is associated with poor brain waste clearance, reinforcing the notion that sleep plays a critical role in maintaining brain health,” she said.

“We hope the results can pave the way for better diagnosis through the use of non-invasive procedures, and importantly, future treatment for patients.”

The paper ‘Disrupted glymphatic function and its relationship with sleep and cognitive impairment in ME/CFS assessed via DTI-ALPS’ has been published in Frontiers in Neuroscience.

The Council of Small Business Organisations Australia (COSBOA) is warning proposed trust tax changes could saddle hundreds of thousands of small businesses with significant restructuring costs, additional red tape and uncertainty, while also increasing their tax bills.
While much of the public debate has focused on tax outcomes, COSBOA says far less attention has been given to the practical consequences facing the estimated 350,000 small businesses operating through trust structures.
COSBOA CEO Skye Cappuccio said many business owners were only beginning to understand the complexity, cost and disruption that could be involved if restructuring became necessary.
“Many small businesses are only now realising these proposals could leave them facing a difficult choice: pay significantly more tax each year or undertake an expensive and complex business restructure,” Ms Cappuccio said.
“For genuine small businesses, this is no longer simply a tax discussion. It is also about advisory costs, red tape, productivity and confidence. Every hour spent navigating additional compliance is time that cannot be spent serving customers, employing people or growing a business.”
COSBOA said concern was also growing among Australia’s restructuring and turnaround professionals, who warn the proposed changes could trigger a significant increase in business restructures across the small business sector.
Eddie Griffith, Chair of the Affiliation for Business Resilience & Turnaround (ABRT), said the proposal risked placing additional pressure on both small businesses and the advisers supporting them.
“The proposed changes to discretionary trust taxation are likely to trigger a surge in business restructures, placing significant pressure on an already stretched small business advisory sector.
“Restructuring costs are highly variable and difficult to predict. Based on experience, they can range from $15,000 to $50,000 depending on business size, complexity and industry. This creates a significant and unquantifiable risk for many small businesses.”
Depending on the circumstances, restructuring can involve changing the legal structure of a business, obtaining accounting and legal advice, refinancing existing loans, securing lender approvals, novating contracts, updating employment arrangements, revising insurance policies and addressing potential stamp duty implications.
Ms Cappuccio said the businesses affected were not large corporations or passive investment vehicles, but genuine small businesses using trust structures for legitimate commercial reasons.
“Around 350,000 small businesses operate through trusts, and most have annual turnover below $2 million a year,” Ms Cappuccio said.
“These businesses include trades, retailers, hospitality venues, professional services firms and family-run enterprises that have spent years investing in their businesses, employing people and contributing to their local communities.
“Many are already dealing with rising costs and economic uncertainty. Additional compliance burdens and restructuring costs would place further pressure on businesses that are simply trying to grow, invest and plan for the future.”
Through its Fair Go for Small Business campaign, COSBOA continues to hear from small businesses concerned about the practical impact of the proposed tax changes.
One example involves a husband-and-wife team focused on growing their business.
The couple currently receive trust distributions totalling around $113,000 between them. They don’t receive any other income. Under the proposed changes, their combined annual tax bill would increase from approximately $16,895 to around $36,160 – an additional $19,265 every year, more than doubling their current tax liability.
They say the additional tax would significantly reduce funds available to reinvest in growing the business while placing greater pressure on household finances.
Ms Cappuccio said the broader economic consequences should also be considered.
“If Australia wants stronger productivity, greater business investment and more jobs, we need to carefully consider whether forcing small businesses to choose between an additional tax burden or a costly restructure helping or hindering those objectives.”
Ms Cappuccio urged policymakers to fully consider the practical consequences for small businesses before proceeding.
“Small business owners are simply asking for a fair go,” she said.
“If there are specific integrity concerns within the trust system, Government should address those concerns directly, rather than creating significant costs, complexity and uncertainty for hundreds of thousands of genuine small businesses that are already doing the right thing.”
COSBOA is calling on Government to:
• Consult further with the small business sector before legislation is introduced.
• Ensure any reforms do not create unnecessary compliance burdens or force costly restructures.
• Target any integrity concerns directly, rather than applying a blunt measure to genuine small businesses.
COSBOA acknowledges the Government has indicated further consultation on trust taxation will occur in the coming weeks and looks forward to engaging constructively in that process.
The experiences of hundreds of thousands of small businesses operating through discretionary trusts should not be dismissed. COSBOA has provided detailed policy analysis, modelling and real-life case studies demonstrating the likely impact of the proposed changes and will continue to work with Government to ensure these concerns are properly considered before legislation is introduced.

Victoria will be home to a new TAFE teacher academy dedicated to upskilling and attracting teachers to strengthen the state’s TAFE workforce – and with it tackling one of the biggest barriers to growing the skilled workforce our economy needs.

This new TAFE teacher academy is dedicated to attracting, training and supporting more TAFE teachers.

The Vocational Education and Training (VET) Educator Academy will be a one stop shop.

It will benefit more than 4,000 Victorian TAFE educators, school-based VET educators and future practitioners with professional learning, career development and pathways into the profession.

This initiative is part of a $10 million joint funding package between the federal and state governments to strengthen the VET workforce under the National Skills Agreement.

The Academy, led by Chisholm Institute from its Frankston campus, will boost Victoria’s TAFE network and lift the profile of VET teaching as a rewarding career that helps train Victorians for the jobs local communities need.

The VET Educator Academy will promote professional development opportunities so educators can access the latest skills and knowledge to deliver world-class training.

It will also strengthen support for the ongoing professional development and retention of teachers, trainers and assessors.

Under the national Free TAFE program, VET Workforce has been included as an in-demand area.

In Victoria, the state government has prioritised VET education as a career by making the Certificate IV in Training and Assessment a Free TAFE course.

More than 13,000 people have studied this qualification under Victoria’s Free TAFE program since 2019.

Free TAFE originated in Victoria, and has benefited more than 245,400 students across the state in the past seven years, saving them more than $816 million in tuition fees – an average of $3,330 per student.

Since 2023, the federal government has partnered with states and territories to deliver Free TAFE nationally, and in 2025 legislated to lock in ongoing access, ensuring more Australians can benefit from a TAFE qualification.

Victorian Opera proudly presents the Melbourne debut of Reg Livermore’s Ned Kelly: The Musical, playing 24–25 July at Union Theatre, The University of Melbourne.

The acclaimed new production premiered in late March with an exclusive run at Her Majesty’s Theatre Ballarat, marking the musical’s long-awaited return to the stage nearly fifty years after its original premiere.

The production is directed by Victorian Opera’s Artistic Director Stuart Maunder AM (Follies, The Pirates of Penzance), with Simon Holt (Cats, Sweeney Todd) returning to conduct. Both Maunder and Holt worked closely with Reg Livermore to further refine the musical, with Holt contributing additional music and new orchestrations for this revised version of the score.

On the production, Stuart Maunder notes: “Victorian Opera is thrilled to have given new life into Reg Livermore’s iconic musical some five decades after its premiere. We are proud to have brought this work back to the stage with care and finesse, allowing this legendary part of our national identity to speak and indeed sing in our own voice.”

Fresh from appearing in Waitress, rising star Ethan Jones returns to the role of Ned Kelly following his striking portrayal earlier this year. He is joined again by celebrated stage veterans Maria Mercedes (Candide) as Ma Kelly and Robert Grubb (Sunset Boulevard) as Superintendent Hare.

As members of the Kelly Gang, Liam Head (Wicked) joins the cast as Joe Byrne, alongside Darcy Wain and Luke London, recently in Victorian Opera’s The Pirates of Penzance, as Steve Hart and Dan Kelly. Chelsea Dawson (Six) performs as Ned’s sister Kate. Rohan Campbell (The Lord of the Rings – A Musical Tale) stars as Aaron Sherritt, the friend‑turned‑informant whose betrayal shaped the Kelly story. Sally Bourne (Sister Act) appears as publican Mrs Jones, and Darcy Carroll (The Pirates of Penzance) joins the cast as Judge Redmond Barry, who famously sentenced Kelly to death.

Victorian Opera’s current and former Opera Prize winners feature as supporting cast, including Douglas Kelly as Sergeant Fitzpatrick and Edwin Living, Rachael Joyce as Ellen Sherritt, Bailey Montgomerie as Constable McIntyre, and Alessia Pintabona in the ensemble. The ensemble also includes Teddy Burgess, Declan Farr, Kristina McNamara, Joshua Morton-Galea and Connor Sweeney.

The legend himself, Reg Livermore AO (Wicked, My Fair Lady, The Producers), stars in a cameo role as Mr Tarleton, the Bank Manager.

Ned Kelly’s name is etched into Australian folklore. The infamous bushranger, his gang, and the iconic suit of armour continue to spark national debate: was he a champion of the underdog or a cold-blooded criminal?

Experience the triumphant return of Reg Livermore’s Ned Kelly: The Musical.

The North Central Catchment Management Authority (CMA) and DJAARA (Dja Dja Wurrung Aboriginal Corporation) have joined forces in an historic move to protect the stressed Coliban River, known by Dja Dja Wuurrung People as Dindilong Yaluk.

The two organisations have submitted a successful Seasonal Watering Proposal to the Victorian Environmental Water Holder to jointly manage environmental flows down the waterway for the 2026-27 year.

It’s the first time such an agreement has been reached in the catchment, and it brings together Dja Dja Wurrung Peoples’ deep knowledge of caring for Djandak (Dja Dja Wurrung Country) and Gatjin (water) for thousands of years and the North Central CMA’s contemporary expertise in managing environmental water in the Coliban system.

The partnership creates a joint vision for the Coliban River that articulates cultural objectives alongside ecological objectives, shares decision making, and ensures co-design and co-delivery of community engagement and proposes a cultural and ecological monitoring program.

North Central CMA Chief Executive Officer Brad Drust said the partnership strengthens how the Coliban River is cared for.

“Integrating cultural knowledge and river ecology benefits everyone, as well as the river and the plants and animals that rely on it to survive,” he said.

“This partnership is a positive example of how joint planning can deliver outcomes that are robust, thoughtful, and responsive to both environmental and cultural objectives, as well as community expectations.

“The lower Coliban River is one of the most stressed waterways in our region and is being starved of the water it needs.

“With potential dry conditions on the way, the sharing and bringing together of knowledge will add even more expertise into the battle to keep the waterway alive.”

Acting Dja Dja Wurrung Group Chief Executive Officer Harley Douglas said the joint management of environmental flows on the Coliban River was a significant milestone.

“Djaara (Dja Dja Wurrung People) know the river as Dindilong Yaluk. It’s a place our Ancestors lived, so it has great cultural significance for us. And we know many people feel a connection with the Coliban – including those who live and farm in the catchment.,” he said.

“Djaara have a cultural responsibility to care for Dja Dja Wurrung Country, including its waterways. But we can’t do that if others make management decisions without us. That’s why this joint Seasonal Watering Proposal is significant: it provides a mechanism for Dja Dja Wurrung People to contribute to decisions – to speak for Dindilong Yaluk.

“Decisions about environmental water that are informed by both traditional and Western scientific knowledge systems will lead to better outcomes for Dindilong Yaluk.

“A healthier river will be better able to support the plants, animals and people who depend on it for life, livelihood, health and wellbeing – whether that’s physical, mental and cultural.”

The VEWH Seasonal Watering Plan 2026-27 is available for download from www.vewh.vic.gov.au, with regular watering updates posted on the North Central CMA website www.nccma.vic.gov.au.

The state government’s newly expanded $112 million Angliss Hospital opens next Wednesday, 15 July.

It will bring care closer to home and make life easier for families in Melbourne’s outer eastern suburbs.

The Premier and Minister for Health today toured the redeveloped hospital as staff prepare to welcome patients.

The new four-storey building includes:

• Four operating theatres to support more overnight and same-day surgeries
• A new 32-bed inpatient unit
• Spaces for outpatient services
• Capacity to treat an additional 1,300 patients each year.

As the local population grows to more than 900,000 by 2036, it will help to meet current and future demand.

This includes taking pressure off emergency departments and inpatient wards across Eastern Health services.

It will also create 49 new full-time equivalent jobs for the hospital’s dedicated health workforce.

This year’s Victorian Budget 2026/27 invested $44.8 million to open the expanded hospital in Ferntree Gully.

The completion of the new Angliss Hospital means the government has now built 12 new public hospitals.

The Housing Industry Association (HIA) has expressed deep concern over the planned closure of the CSIRO’s North Ryde Fire Technology Laboratory, warning that the loss of one of Australia’s most important building-product testing facilities will have significant implications for housing innovation, product development, and the delivery of new homes.

The facility is used extensively for fire-resistance testing of construction materials and systems, is scheduled to close when its lease expires in December 2026.

The North Ryde laboratory has been a critical part of Australia’s building and construction ecosystem, providing independent fire testing that supports product certification, National Construction Code compliance, research and development, and the commercialisation of innovative building products. Its closure would remove up to half of Australia’s large scale fire-testing capacity at a time when demand for testing and certification is increasing.

HIA Chief Executive Industry and Policy, Simon Croft, said the decision comes at the worst possible time for a nation seeking to improve housing affordability, boost productivity and accelerate the delivery of new homes.

“The closure of CSIRO’s North Ryde Fire Technology Laboratory is more than the loss of a testing facility, it is the loss of nationally significant innovation infrastructure,” Mr Croft said.

“Independent testing capability is fundamental to developing new building products, supporting housing delivery and accelerating modern construction methods. At a time when Australia faces a housing shortage and is seeking to boost productivity, we should be strengthening these capabilities, not reducing them.”

Mr Croft said Australia’s ability to adopt innovative building products and construction systems relies on access to timely, affordable and independent testing services.

“Every new building product, construction system, prefabricated solution, engineered timber product or bushfire-resistant housing component must pass rigorous testing before it can be widely adopted by the industry. Without that capability, innovation slows, costs increase and housing delivery becomes harder.

“Industry stakeholders have warned that reduced testing capacity could result in longer approval timeframes, increased certification costs and further pressure on housing supply.

“Australia cannot afford to lose decades of specialist expertise and nationally significant testing capability without a clear replacement strategy.

“If Australia is serious about building more homes, embracing innovation and improving productivity in construction, we need world-class testing and certification infrastructure. The North Ryde facility has played a vital role in providing exactly that.

“Governments, industry and CSIRO must work together to ensure independent fire-testing capability remains available in Australia and that there is no gap in the infrastructure needed to support housing innovation and research and development.

“HIA is calling for an urgent national response to preserve Australia’s building testing capability and ensure researchers, manufacturers and builders continue to have access to the facilities required to bring innovative housing solutions to market.”

For fifty years First Nations people have gathered, celebrated and stood proud.

This NAIDOC Week – all of Victoria joins them.

Minister for First Peoples Ros Spence will attend the NAIDOC State Reception at Arts Centre Melbourne on Wednesday 8 July.

The event honours the NAIDOC Award winners as part of a landmark year of celebration across the state.

NAIDOC Week 2026 marks a landmark milestone – fifty years of one of Australia’s most powerful celebrations of First Nations history, culture and achievement.

This year’s theme, ’50 Years of Deadly,’ honours five decades of advocacy, resilience and unbreakable community spirit.

This year is unlike any other.

In November 2025, Victoria signed a Statewide Treaty with First Peoples – a historic first that ensures First Nations people have a real say over the decisions that shape their lives.

Celebrating NAIDOC Week in the wake of Treaty makes 2026 a momentous occasion.

Treaty is about building a better and fairer Victoria for everyone.

NAIDOC Week is a reminder of why that work matters and runs from Sunday 5 July to Sunday 12 July.

The NAIDOC Committee’s Flag Raising Ceremony at Federation Square on Monday 6 July will kick off a week of celebration across the state.

The NAIDOC State Reception on Wednesday 8 July will celebrate First Nations achievement across seven categories: Youth, Ms NAIDOC, Mr NAIDOC, Female Elder of the Year, Male Elder of the Year, Sportsperson and Pride.

The week culminates in the Victorian NAIDOC Ball on Saturday 11 July at Centrepiece – a joyful celebration of community, culture and fifty years of deadly achievement.

For more information visit vic.gov.au/naidoc-week

The state government has welcomed four new members to the Board of Respect Victoria.

Minister Melissa Horne announced the new and four returning members to Victoria’s dedicated agency for the prevention of family violence and violence against women.

The experienced board plays a significant role in the important work to build a Victoria free from violence.

Ms Claudia Fatone will serve as the Board’s new Chair for the next three years – it follows four years as a Board Member.

Ms Fatone is the CEO of Women’s Legal Service Victoria and is an experienced leader across the prevention of family violence, legal assistance, higher education, sport and community sectors.

Following an open and competitive recruitment process, the Board will also include:

• Returning members – Nesreen Bottriell, Jan Noblett and Hang Vo
• New members – Sandie de Wolf AM, Bridie O’Donnell, Sharon Paten OAM and Michael Smith.

The new appointments fill vacancies created by the departure of three outgoing Board members, Chair Professor Kate Fitz-Gibbon, Maxine McKew AM and Professor Steven Roberts.

The Board members start their new terms on Tuesday, 7 July.

Respect Victoria continues to deliver statewide leadership in prevention through innovative projects like Respect Ballarat and behaviour change campaigns such as What Kind of Man Do You Want to Be?

The brain’s waste clearance system is impaired in people living with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) which can lead to various symptoms including brain fog, Griffith University researchers have discovered.

The research demonstrates, for the first time, the impact ME/CFS has on glymphatic function which is responsible for clearing the brain of metabolic waste products and is mostly active during sleep and disengaged while a person is awake.

Lead author Dr Kiran Thapaliya from Griffith’s National Centre for Neuroimmunology and Emerging Diseases (NCNED) said when the brain’s waste clearance system did not work properly, harmful waste could build up causing neuroinflammation.

“This study is the first to demonstrate impaired glymphatic function in ME/CFS using MRI, providing a mechanistic explanation for the inflammatory changes reported by other Australian and international teams,” he said.

“This suggests that dysfunction in the brain’s natural cleaning system may be a key driver of this condition.”

Professor Sonya Marshall-Gradisnik, NCNED Director, said not only did reduced glymphatic function cause brain fog, but also caused sleep disturbance.

“The study found worse sleep is associated with poor brain waste clearance, reinforcing the notion that sleep plays a critical role in maintaining brain health,” she said.

“We hope the results can pave the way for better diagnosis through the use of non-invasive procedures, and importantly, future treatment for patients.”

The paper ‘Disrupted glymphatic function and its relationship with sleep and cognitive impairment in ME/CFS assessed via DTI-ALPS’ has been published in Frontiers in Neuroscience.

Victoria is Australia’s school camps capital.
Member for Macedon, Mary-Anne Thomas, has announced that families with children at public schools in Macedon have now saved $1,677,952 thanks to the state government’s Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund.
School camps are a highlight of the school year – they build resilience, independence and lifelong friendships.
New industry data from the Australian Camps Association’s first national camp census confirms more Victorian students went on school camp in 2024 than students from any other state or territory.
Close to 1 million Victorian students went on camp, more than Queensland and New South Wales combined.
The Victorian Budget 2025/26 invested $152.3 million to increase the Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund, giving eligible students $400 a year to get the most out of school.
This means families at Gisborne Secondary College are among the many saving across Victoria, with $421,073 now delivered in cost-of-living support.
And the Kyneton High School community has also now saved $285,881 along with Daylesford Secondary College families who have saved $274,292.
Families with a valid means-tested concession card, temporary foster parents and families with special considerations can apply for the fund.