Taxi company's fear as fuel prices, Uber and 'rogue cowboys' smash industry

Taxi company's fear as fuel prices, Uber and 'rogue cowboys' smash industry

9News

Regional taxi drivers and operators are still dealing with the devastating ripple effect of skyrocketing fuel prices despite promised relief from the government.

Some owners fear they will shut down if spiralling costs at the pump don't ease soon.

Crown Cabs director Jacqui Shephard said her fleet of 35 drivers across Victoria are doing it "tough".

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She said the taxi company was already struggling with the rising popularity of rideshare apps and independent operators who shirk the regulations.

"We're looking at things like... do we stay open? And we've been looking at that for a little while," Shephard told Nine.com.au.

"Because we wear the fuel cost, which means that, with any more costs going up, it's not even worth us staying open."

Shephard said Crown Cabs' regular customers in regional communities rely on the service for wheelchair-friendly trips or to attend healthcare appointments.

Often, drivers are heading back to town with no passengers.

These "empty" rides still use up fuel and after diesel surged to over $3.20 a litre, that is potentially hundreds of dollars wasted.

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"Our costs have gone up considerably," Shephard added.

"It's really tough. And there doesn't seem to be any reaction or any support from the state or federal government."

Some taxi drivers have reported seeing their weekly diesel bill double from around $400 to over $800.

But taxi companies are not able to pass on the cost of fuel to customers due to the industry's tight regulations.

There is legislation capping the maximum fares that taxis can charge in Victoria, meaning surcharges to cope with the cost of fuel are out of the question.

Even if they could, Shephard said her customers are "already struggling enough" as it is.

"We want to be there to help those people. We're not going to be raising our prices ridiculously - and we can't," she said.

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Meanwhile, rideshare companies DiDi and Uber have been able to introduce temporary levies to help out drivers.

Shephard said there has been a rise of independent drivers who refuse to play by the rules too.

"We have to abide by everything," Shephard said.

"And you've got all the idependents who are just rogue cowboys who take work away from those doing the right thing and give the industry a bad name."

For companies like Crown Cabs, it remains to be seen if the federal government's decision to halve the fuel excise for three months will help lower costs.

The government convened in a national cabinet meeting yesterday to urgently discuss ways to ease the supply issues and high prices impacting motorists.

Fuel availability is dwindling around the country as stock is depleted.

In Victoria alone, out of a total of 1,627 petrol stations, 82 are without diesel and 40 are without any petrol at all.

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Artemis II's moonbound astronauts capture Earth's brilliant blue beauty

Artemis II's moonbound astronauts capture Earth's brilliant blue beauty

9News

The Artemis II astronauts have captured our blue planet’s brilliant beauty as they zoom ever closer to the moon.

NASA released the crew’s first downlinked images on Friday, one and a half days into the first astronaut moonshot in more than half a century.

The first photo taken by commander Reid Wiseman shows a curved slice of Earth in one of the capsule’s windows.

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The second shows the entire globe with the oceans topped by swirling white tendrils of clouds. A green aurora even glows, according to NASA.

“It’s great to think that with the exception of our four friends, all of us are represented in this image," said NASA's Lakiesha Hawkins, an exploration systems leader. She added the mission was going well.

As of late Friday afternoon, Wiseman and his crew were more than 180,000 kilometres from Earth and were quickly gaining on the moon with another 240,000 kilometres to go. They should reach their destination on Monday.

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The three Americans and one Canadian will swing around the moon in their Orion capsule, hang a U-turn and then head straight back home without stopping.

They fired Orion's main engine on Thursday night that set them on their course.

After Mission Control shifted the position of their capsule, the entire Earth complete with northern lights filled their windows.

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“It was the most spectacular moment, and it paused all four of us in our tracks,” Wiseman said in a TV interview.

They're the first lunar travelers since Apollo 17 in 1972.

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Multiple men charged following alleged plan to import multiple tonnes of drugs into Victoria

Multiple men charged following alleged plan to import multiple tonnes of drugs into Victoria

9News

Nine men have been charged in a multi-agency operation investigating an alleged syndicate behind the importation of tonnes of illicit drugs into Victoria and the trafficking across the country.

The ten-month investigation has seen nine alleged offenders, aged between 31 and 72, charged with a range of offences relating to the alleged conspiracy of interstate drug trafficking.

Seven of the men are now facing a maximum penalty of life imprisonment if found guilty.

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The operation began in May last year after four crew members were rescued offshore following the sinking of a commercial trawler off Port Albert in Victoria.

The crew's movements were monitored following suspicions about why the vessel was out at sea in poor weather without the equipment usually used for commercial fishing.

For months after the incident, police kept close watch on multiple local boats they suspected were linked to a drug importation syndicate.

Authorities will allege the syndicate unsuccessfully made multiple attempts to travel in the Bass Strait so they could launch "daughter vessels" to receive large quantities of drugs from a "mother ship" passing through Australian waters.

Multiple search warrants were executed over the past month across suburbs in Victoria, including Morwell, Glenroy, Cranbourne, Cranbourne West, Cranbourne South and Greenvale.

A warrant was also executed in St Clair, a suburb in Sydney's west.

Following the searches, eight men were arrested in Victoria, and one man was arrested in Sydney.

Police charged seven of the men for their alleged roles in conspiracy to import drugs into the country, while two were charged for their alleged involvement in drug activity.

Four of the men were also charged in relation to the seizure of 30kg of methamphetamine in Perth on August 11 last year and the confiscation of 41kg of cocaine by Victorian police just two days later.

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Police will allege these two incidents are tied to the syndicate, which would allegedly exploit ties to the trucking industry to move illicit drugs interstate.

Police have not ruled out further arrests as they continue to investigate the international syndicate behind an alleged mothership attempting to drop illicit cargo into Australian waters.

"Organised criminals are sending their business to our shores because of the insatiable Australian demand for illicit commodities and the community's willingness to pay top dollar for them," AFP Detective Superintendent Ray Imbriano said.

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Brisbane woman spat on, verbally abused by e-scooter riders in brazen attack

Brisbane woman spat on, verbally abused by e-scooter riders in brazen attack

9News

A Brisbane woman has been left shaken after being attacked by a pair of e-scooter riders in broad daylight.

Ruby Fraser, 23, was on an afternoon run at a walking track at William Jolly Bridge, near the Brisbane River, on Tuesday when she suddenly felt a tug on her headphones.

Two male e-scooter riders attempted to steal Fraser's headphones, before spitting at her and verbally assaulting her near Lang Parade in Auchenflower, police said.

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They both fled the scene shortly after.

While Fraser was not physically harmed in the incident, the young woman told Today she is "shocked and shattered" and is now afraid to go out running.

"I'm pretty shattered, feeling pretty defeated the last few days. It's beem a tough few days," Fraser said.

"Then they came up within a metre of me, verbally abusing me, projectile spitting on me, giving me the middle finger and saying some pretty hurtful things.

"The thought of going on that run alone again anytime soon just brings me major anxiety."

Fraser was able to quickly move to safety by hiding out at a nearby apartment complex.

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She called the police and officers began a search for the two young offenders, but were unable to find them.

"I was luckily able to escape up a ramp up the main road and get away from them," Fraser added.

"It was lucky I was there, because there's kilometres [on that track] with no escape."

The two offenders are described as being in their mid to late teens.

The first is described as having a fair complexion with a slim build, around 160 centimetres tall, and wearing a red hoodie and black pants.

The second is also described as having a fair complexion, a proportionate build, approximately 180 centimetres tall and was last seen wearing a black windbreaker jacket and black pants.

An investigation into the incident remains ongoing and police have urged anyone with information to come forward.

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'High' chance of cyclone developing off Queensland coast this weekend

'High' chance of cyclone developing off Queensland coast this weekend

9News

A tropical low off the coast of Queensland has a moderate chance of intensifying into a cyclone tomorrow, increasing to a high chance on Sunday.

The chances of a cyclone forming remain high through Monday and into the week.

Tropical low 37U is currently hovering between Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.

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It has an up to 70 per cent chance of developing into a tropical cyclone over the weekend, but the slow-moving low may not reach Queensland.

It's expected to move west towards Papua New Guinea over the weekend, then head south or south-west through the week.

The BOM predicts the system will stay well away from Australia regardless of whether it remains a tropical low or develops into a cyclone.

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Earlier this week Weatherzone said though it may not make landfall in Australia, it could still impact local weather.

"This convergence of three tropical atmospheric waves is likely to enhance cloudiness and rainfall over the western Pacific Ocean, possibly including parts of the Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia and northern Australia," the weather reporting site said.

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Rain is forecast for many parts of the sunshine state over the Easter long weekend.

Wide-spread scattered showers are predicted along the Queensland coast, particularly near the Cassowary and Daintree regions.

Weatherzone has forecast a high chance of rain in Brisbane today, followed by clear skies and sun from Saturday to Monday.

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Tech giant slashes 30,000 jobs in 6am email

Tech giant slashes 30,000 jobs in 6am email

9News

US technology giant Oracle has slashed thousands of staff in a bold restructure to free up billions of dollars for Artificial Intelligence (AI).

The formerly Silicon Valley-based company laid off 30,000 employees this week to funnel billions of dollars into its AI data centres – around 19 per cent of its global workforce.

The news was reportedly delivered to impacted staff in a 6am email, which saw Oracle inform workers that it was undergoing a "broader organisational change".

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"After careful consideration of Oracle's current business needs, we have made the decision to eliminate your role as part of a broader organisational change," the email read, as per Business Insider.

"As a result, today is your last working day."

The cuts are estimated to result in up to $10 billion ($14.5 billion) in extra cash flow, which Oracle is expected to invest in AI operations.

Oracle Senior Operations Manager Michael Shepherd said the company had conducted a "significant reduction" in staff and that the layoffs had impacted many of his colleagues.

"The individuals affected were not let go because of anything they did or didn't do," Shepherd said in a post on LinkedIn.

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"Many of them are the people you call when something is truly broken, the ones who show up early, stay late, and carry institutional knowledge that took years to build."

Shepherd said a massive talent pool of engineers, architects, program managers and technology specialists just hit the job market.

"To everyone impacted today – the industry needs people like you, and the right opportunity is already on its way," he added.

Hundreds of former staff members who suddenly lost their jobs have taken to the networking site to announce their departure from Oracle.

Oracle, which bills itself as a database management company, employs around 162,000 people around the world.

The company was founded in Santa Clara, California but moved its headquarters to Austin, Texas in 2020.

Its annual revenue is around $18 billion ($55.4 billion).

Oracle declined to comment when contacted by Nine.com.au.

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DNA confirms notorious killer carried out unsolved 1974 murder

DNA confirms notorious killer carried out unsolved 1974 murder

9News

The murder of a US teen in 1974 has finally been solved, with her death being definitively attributed to one of the country's most notorious serial killers.

Laura Ann Aime, 17, was last seen leaving a Halloween party on the evening of October 31 that year in Lehi, Utah County.

She left the party alone to buy some items from a convenience store, witnesses said. She never returned.

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Her body was found on November 27, thrown several feet from a highway in the American Fork Canyon.

She had been bound, sexually assaulted, severely beaten and strangled with a nylon stocking before her death.

An initial medical examination posited that Laura had died about a week before her discovery, on November 20.

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Laura's death had been linked to serial killer Ted Bundy, as part of his murder spree in 1974-1975 across multiple states.

Bundy, who was executed aged 42 in 1989, confessed to 30 murders, including Laura's, and has been confirmed to have killed at least 20 people, though he also hinted there could be many more.

Although Laura is usually counted among his confirmed victims, the Utah County Sheriff's Office said the official case remained unsolved as they were reluctant to rely on Bundy's word.

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However, in 2025, 51 years after Laura was murdered, her case was reopened.

"With this specific case, it was determined that current forensic technology, police methods, and initially collected evidence possessed the appearance of solvability, as forensic science has greatly evolved in the past several years," Utah County Sheriff Michael Smith's office said in a statement.

"The Laura Aime case held many similarities to prior Bundy cases, however, investigations and evidence held additional discrepancies and possessed issues for the detectives to work through."

However, today, the office said the case had been solved.

"The results were magnificent as they confirmed irrefutably that DNA evidence recovered from Laura's body verified the existence of DNA belonging to Bundy," the office said.

Laura's family and friends remembered the teen as a "tall, beautiful, outgoing free spirit who enjoyed outdoor activities and shared a passion for riding horses, hunting, and caring for her several siblings", the sheriff's office said.

She was remembered as generous and joyful, often using her pocket money to buy candy for her siblings because she enjoyed making them happy.

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'Construction has to stop!': Judge orders a halt to Trump's ballroom

'Construction has to stop!': Judge orders a halt to Trump's ballroom

9News

A judge has halted Donald Trump's construction of a ballroom at the White House.

The president demolished the East Wing of the property in order to build a much bigger space, including a massive ballroom.

But a federal judge in Washington DC ordered a halt to the immense project with a temporary injunction."

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"The President of the United States is the steward of the White House for future generations of First Families," Judge Richard J Leon wrote in his decision.

"He is not, however, the owner!"

In a scathing judgement, Leon declared the president could not carry out extensive renovations without congressional approval.

"No statute comes close to giving the President the authority he claims to have," the judge wrote.

Leon said while presidents were able to carry out "care, maintenance and repair", the existing laws "bring to mind things like replacing the lightbulbs, fixing broken furniture, and changing the wallpaper".

Trump hit back at the judge in a Truth Social post.

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"In the Ballroom case, the Judge said we have to get Congressional approval. He is WRONG!" the president wrote.

"Congressional approval has never been given on anything, in these circumstances, big or small, having to do with construction at the White House. 

"In this case, even less so, because the Ballroom is being built with Private Donations, no Federal Taxpayer Money!"

It appears Trump did not read the injunction, because the judge had detailed how previously renovations were authorised and funded by Congress.

Leon is an experienced judge who was appointed to the bench by President George W Bush.

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"Unless and until Congress blesses this project through statutory authorisation, construction has to stop!" Leon wrote.

The ballroom as it is currently designed has drawn the consternation of architects across the United States.

When Washington DC was planned by Pierre L'Enfant under the instructions of President George Washington, the Capitol was intended to be visible down Pennsylvania Avenue.

Trump's ballroom would impede that line-of-sight.

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Phones, smartwatches and earbuds to be banned in every classroom in Victoria

Phones, smartwatches and earbuds to be banned in every classroom in Victoria

9News

Mobile phones, smartwatches and wireless headphones will soon be banned in every classroom in Victoria after the government extended its device crackdown to private schools.

Victoria's nation-first phone ban was first introduced to government schools in 2020 and will now capture all schools, including private and Catholic, from January 28, 2027.

Students will not be allowed to use smartphones or wearable devices such as Apple watches and wireless earbuds during school hours under the expanded legislation announced today.

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The law will require all mobile phones to be switched off and stored away until the final bell, while wearable devices must have internet connections, recording functions and notifications turned off.

Victoria will be the first state or territory in Australia to outlaw wearable technology on school grounds.

Exceptions will apply for students who require devices for health reasons.

In the case of an emergency, parents or guardians can reach their child by calling the school.

Students were found to be more focused during classwork and more social during breaks after the ban was first introduced in 2020, according to an independent review.

Government schools also reported fewer incidents involving phones.

"The evidence shows it worked and now we're going further, so every Victorian student, in every Victorian school, can put their phone away and focus on learning," Victoria's Education Minister Ben Carroll said.

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The universal, state-wide ban will reduce screen time and encourage more "learning time" for students, Premier Jacinta Allan added.

Independent and Catholic school bosses have supported the imminent legislation.

"We welcome today's announcement and acknowledge the government's efforts to balance access to electronic devices with the need to support positive learning environments and student wellbeing," Independent Schools Victoria Chief Executive Rachel Holthouse said.

After Victoria introduced the ban in 2020, almost every other Australian states and territory followed suit with similar legislation.

Today's announcement follows federal legislation introduced in December last year which bans children under the age of 16 from accessing social media.

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Millions of Aussies will get an extra hour of sleep this long weekend

Millions of Aussies will get an extra hour of sleep this long weekend

9News

Millions of Australians will get an extra hour of sleep this Easter long weekend as daylight saving time comes to an end.

All but three states and territories will wind their clocks back by an hour, earning a little sleep-in in the process.

Here's everything you need to know before that happens.

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When is daylight saving time ending in Australia?

Daylight saving time will come to an end this Sunday, April 5 at 3am Eastern Daylight Time (AEDT).

Do clocks go forward or backward in April?

Clocks will go back by one hour from 3am to 2am to give millions of Australians an extra hour of daylight in the morning.

Will my phone update automatically?

Most smartphones will automatically update their clocks when daylight saving time ends, but some older or 'dumb' phones may need to be updated manually.

Most microwaves and ovens that display the time will also have to be changed manually.

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Do I lose an hour of sleep on Sunday, April 5?

No.

Australians in all but three states and territories will actually gain an hour in the early morning this Sunday, April 5.

Enjoy the extra hour of sleep.

Which Australian states and territories change their clocks?

NSW, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania, and the ACT all observe daylight saving time.

Queensland, Western Australia, and the Northern Territory do not.

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Why do we have daylight saving time?

Daylight saving exists to ensure Australians in the southern states and territories can make the most of the daylight hours at different times of the year.

Clocks are moved forward in the warmer months to give people an extra hour of sunlight in the evening, when it's balmy and mild.

As the weather cools down, the clocks are moved back for a little extra light in the mornings.

But not all states and territories opt in.

Queensland, WA and the NT never adopted daylight saving because the difference in daylight hours doesn't vary as much across the seasons up north.

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