Origin Energy has been fined 17.6 million dollars for failing to meet Victoria’s energy regulations, affecting nearly 670,000 customers, including some on life support.

The breaches occurred between December 2021 and May 2023 and included inadequate customer notifications, insufficient support for those in financial hardship, and improper billing practices.

The Victorian Essential Services Commission took legal action, resulting in the largest financial penalty in the state’s energy sector history.

The Supreme Court also ordered Origin to improve compliance measures, provide additional staff training, and publish public notices about its breaches.

Justice Michael Osborne emphasised that significant penalties were necessary to deter future non-compliance.

The commission stated that energy retailers must uphold consumer protections, rather than treat penalties as business costs.

Origin has since implemented a new customer service system and has committed to improving regulatory compliance.

The Australian government is planning a new alcohol safety campaign, after the tragic deaths of Melbourne teenagers Bianca Jones and Holly Bowles in Laos, linked to methanol poisoning.

Starting next month, the Smartraveller initiative will aim to educate young Australians on alcohol risks, methanol poisoning signs, and safety tips, through social media, texts, and airport messaging.

Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong announced the upcoming advertising push for the safety of young travellers, and a June launch of a resource website for schools and parents.

The campaign will collaborate with airlines, educational institutions, and NGOs like Red Frogs and the Nicole Fitzsimmons Foundation.

Diplomatic efforts for transparency in the investigation in Laos continue, amid concerns from affected families and international authorities.

Victoria leads Australia in cardiac arrest survival, with a 41 per cent hospital discharge rate, the third-best globally.

The 2023 to 2024 Victorian Ambulance Cardiac Arrest Registry attributed this to early intervention, with bystander CPR in 79 per cent of witnessed cases and a record 141 public automated external defibrillator (AED) shocks.

Over 7,500 public defibrillators and the GoodSAM app, which connects people to those in cardiac arrest nearby, have further boosted survival rates.

Ambulance Victoria’s research director, Ziad Nehme, attributed the improvement to rapid response efforts, emphasising that immediate CPR and defibrillation save lives.