South East NSW local news briefing: Thursday, November 5, 2026 - ABC News & Headlines – Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Here's what's making news in the South East NSW region today.

Gold has allegedly been stolen during a break-in at a business on the NSW Far South Coast.

Police were called to a store on Orient Street in Batemans Bay at around 3:50am on Wednesday after reports of a break and enter.

They were told two people used a sledgehammer to smash a window at the store, which sells metal-detecting and prospecting equipment.

Police said an amount of gold was taken before the pair fled in a Toyota LandCruiser.

An investigation is ongoing, and anyone who has mobile phone, dashcam or CCTV footage has been urged to contact Crime Stoppers.

The former head of a far south coast Aboriginal land council has lost an appeal against his disqualification from office.

Hika Tarawa Te-Kowhai was the CEO of the Cobowra Local Aboriginal Land Council, based in Moruya.

In September 2025, the Registrar of the Aboriginal Land Rights Act recommended he be removed from office over allegations of misconduct.

The allegations included using racist, derogatory and abusive language towards staff and administrators.

In June, NCAT disqualified Mr Te-Kowhai from holding office for nine months.

He appealed the decision in the Supreme Court, but Justice Rigg this week found no clear injustice had been demonstrated.

The Bega Valley Shire Council has voted unanimously to review traffic changes being trialled in Merimbula's CBD.

Councillor Mitchell Nadin's motion, which was discussed at Wednesday's extraordinary council meeting, included plans to restore two-way traffic and explore ways to replace lost parking spaces.

The council will report back in December with a plan to meet grant funding deadlines, consult the community and identify funding for further changes.

Mayor Russell Fitzpatrick said the trial would continue while the council examined a "Plan B", with a decision to be made towards the end of February.

Three Snowy Hydro executives have received more than $750,000 in combined bonuses for the 2025–26 financial year.

The company's latest annual report showed Chief Financial Officer Kim Josling received $215,440 on top of an $828,839 base salary, Chief Operating Officer Maia Schweizer received $255,570 on top of a $1,050,503 salary, and Chief Commercial Officer Gordon Wymer received $280,915 on top of a $1,142,268 salary.

The payments were made in September 2026. 

Since then, revised Snowy 2.0 costings have doubled, with the potential price tag blowing out to $25 billion.

A Snowy Hydro spokesperson said in a statement that short-term incentives were based on a range of performance outcomes.

A Merimbula food pantry expects demand for free and discounted groceries to increase for the rest of the year following the latest interest rate rise.

This week, the Reserve Bank lifted interest rates to 4.85 per cent, its highest level in 18 years, in an effort to curb inflation.

Sapphire Life Opportunities Pantry manager Maryanne Spink said demand had been steady year-round due to the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, but she expected it to get busier.

"We definitely think we will be seeing a lot more people coming in here to look for their Christmas and end-of-year shopping," she said.