When Daniel Jones met this girl of his dreams, he thought he had found the person he was going to spend the rest of his life with.

But their whirlwind romance became a nightmare for Jones and his family when he realised the woman he loved was a calculating and manipulative liar – who would destroy his life and reputation with false rape and abuse allegations.

This Sunday on 60 Minutes, a broken family speaks exclusively to reporter Liz Hayes about how Sarah Jane Parkinson managed to send an innocent man to jail for crimes he did not commit, and how the police failed to test her claims – instead almost blindly trusting her accusations.

In 2011, when 25-year-old Jones met 20-year-old Sarah Jane Parkinson, it was love at first sight.

The young couple from Canberra were quick to reach their relationship milestones – in just a few months there was a marriage proposal, and then a mortgage.

But their picture-perfect reality came crashing down on the day they were scheduled to move into their brand-new home in the suburbs of Canberra.

From her workplace at Queanbeyan Police Station, Parkinson convinced her police colleagues to serve an AVO (apprehended violence order) against Jones for allegedly abusing her.

Questioned by police, Jones maintained he had never been violent towards Parkinson – but, in her word against him, they believed her.

"I'd just built a house and she'd moved in with me, everything was going well," Jones told 60 Minutes reporter Liz Hayes in an exclusive sneak peek.

"I had everything going right… and in that instant, everything just went to s---."

Jones left the police station shaken and bewildered, returning to the home he shared with Parkinson with a shattering question: could someone who professed to love him be trying to destroy him?

But Parkinson duplicitously claimed it was her police workmates being over-protective, and she had not asked for the AVO.

But she had, and the AVO was just the beginning of a harrowing ordeal that Jones says has ruined his life, devastated his family and taken everything from him.

What followed was the unravelling of every lie Sarah Jane Parkinson had ever told about her fiancé – including two false rape allegations, and exposed her relentless mission to strip Daniel Jones of everything he owned, including the house they had built together.

60 Minutes airs this Sunday at 8.30pm on Channel 9.

For more information on 60 Minutes, visit the official website.

A Victorian coroner has recommended stricter regulation of button batteries following an inquest into the death of a one-year-old.

Isabella Rees died in 2015 after she was sent home from the Sunshine hospital, in Melbourne’s west, three times as doctors attributed vomiting and fever as being symptoms of an infection.

On the fourth visit, after her mother had discovered Isabella covered in blood, an X-ray discovered a small silver button battery lodged inside her. By then, it was too late and Isabella passed away hours later, despite intensive resuscitation efforts.

Talking outside the coroner’s court in Melbourne today, Isabella’s mother urged parents to voice their concerns if they believe their child is unwell.

“We believe our beautiful Bella could have been saved, especially if early detection and intervention of a button battery ingestion was made,” Allison Rees said in a statement.

“You might think you’re just a mum or dad and not a medical professional. But you know your child better than anyone and you know when your child is sick. Make sure you voice your concerns and make sure you are being heard. Because it just might save your child’s life.

The inquest found that Isabella’s parents did tell hospital staff, on multiple occasions, they thought their daughter had swallowed something – which failed to be noted in medical records.

However, it was determined that the medical treatment provided to the young family was reasonable and appropriate and that button battery ingestion is extremely difficult to diagnose, especially if the ingestion is not witnessed.

Doctors must be vigilant and parents must feel empowered to raise concerns, Victorian coroner Caitlin English said.   

Ms English accepted the view of experts presented during the inquest who claimed primary prevention is the most important aspect of treatment.

Ms English noted what she found to be “substantial work” on behalf of the ACCC and a number of medical institutions to improve awareness and management of button battery ingestion arising from recommendations made in the Summer Streer Inquest.   

In a statement issued by Western Health, the operators of Sunshine hospital, the organisation expressed “sincere condolences and sympathies to the family of Isabella Rees following her tragic death at Sunshine Hospital in February 2015.”

Western Health acknowledges the findings and recommendations of the Coronial Inquest led by Coroner Caitlin English and have taken a range of steps since Isabella’s death to reduce the likelihood of such a tragic incident occurring again.”

“We will now move to implement the specific recommendation concerning Western Health as handed down by the Coroner and will seek to ensure the widespread visibility of information materials for our existing ‘Call for Help’ program for patients presenting across all our services.”

The last two days, I’ve sat in a courtroom in Minnesota watching jury selection unfold in the case against Mohamed Noor. 

This is the process whereby 75 potential jurors are narrowed down to 12 who will ultimately decide the former policeman’s fate.

The Somali-American is charged with shooting and killing Australian bride-to-be Justine Ruszczyk after she rang 911 to report what she believed was a sexual assault behind her home.

Noor arrived with his offsider - who was driving the patrol car - and when Justine emerged from her home, Noor shot her through the open driver’s side window. No one knows what prompted Noor to pull the trigger in the seconds before he fired.

Her fiancé Don Damond was away for work. They were getting married in Hawaii in just weeks to come. Now, he’s a witness in the case against her killer.

Noor is charged with second degree murder, third degree murder and second degree manslaughter. 

The process of jury selection sounds rather dry, but it’s far from it. 

Those 75 potential jurors are all just like you and I - normal, hard-working, average people with busy lives and families to look after.

But then all of a sudden, they’re called for jury duty and find themselves possibly tasked with judging a cop’s guilt after he shot dead an innocent woman. And before they get to that point, they have to withstand a grilling from a judge, prosecutors and defence lawyers about their personal beliefs on various delicate issues including preconceived notions about firearms, law enforcement and Somalians.

And as if that’s not intimidating enough, their life experiences then get poked and prodded to see if any of that will taint their view of Noor’s innocence or guilt.

If they asked me? No thanks.

But the problem is these 75 Americans don’t get a choice.

The process starts with each of them having to fill out a questionnaire. 

In this case, that questionnaire was 27 pages long with 66 questions.

They were asked questions such as:

“Do you watch any television shows that involved fictional crime stories? Ie ‘CSI’, ‘Law and Order’?”

“Have you ever had any particularly positive or negative experiences with persons of Somali descent or heritage?”

“Have you, or anyone you know, ever felt that they were treated unfairly by a police officer or other law enforcement officer?”

The next step involves the judge, prosecutors and Noor’s lawyers reading all 75 completed questionnaires and identifying potential jurors that they think should be struck out on the basis that they couldn’t be considered a fair juror.

So what does it mean to be a fair juror?

Minnesota law states that in a criminal case, the State (prosecutors) has to prove everything, the defence doesn’t have to prove anything.

In other words, Noor is presumed innocent until the State proves beyond a reasonable doubt that he WASN’T authorised to use deadly force on that night in July 2017

So, every juror must view Noor as innocent from the moment they start hearing evidence in the trial. 

That’s where this case gets tricky. Because this cop shooting was huge - it made international headlines. The judge herself has acknowledged multiple times that there’s no way anyone in Minneapolis could not have heard of Mohamed Noor and Justine Ruszczyk. 

That’s why this list of 75 potential jurors has been scrutinised so heavily by both the prosecution and defence. They - particularly the defence - don’t want anyone on that jury who has made up their mind on Noor’s guilt or innocence based on media coverage.

Here’s a sample of some of the answers written by potential jurors on the questionnaire:

“Where I have seen or heard coverage, I found it interesting.”

“What provoked his irrational reaction?”

“He shot an innocent woman with no apparent reason.”

“It’s sad.”

Over the last two days, the judge, prosecution and defence have all had an opportunity to quiz potential jurors in open court about concerns they have on their capacity to be fair jurors.  

By the end of today’s proceedings, 16 potential jurors of the 75 have been struck out.

A couple were let off the hook because they were going to suffer financial hardship if they missed work for the four weeks of the trial. But the common thread between most dismissals was their preconceived opinions about the case. Lots of potential jurors seemed to have made up their mind already, and wouldn’t be able to forget all the previous information they’d heard about Justine’s shooting death. 

Some had already formulated opinions because of their own life experiences. In selecting a jury, the job of the court is to probe those life experiences to see if it triggers feelings that mean they won’t be neutral during the trial.

Sadly - and perhaps not surprisingly in the US - many of those probed about their past experiences had encountered gun violence.

Juror #14 was an older guy with a friendly face. He witnessed a bar shooting in Washington in 1985. 

He told the court he saw the gunman who had started shooting because he couldn’t play another game of pool. But he assured the Court he didn’t think his ordeal would affect his ability to be a juror. 

Juror #16 was a younger, nerdy-looking guy wearing a hoodie. 

His uncle was shot during a petrol station robbery and he said it gave him more awareness of firearms. Interestingly, he revealed his family were hunters but that they don’t carry guns for any other purpose. 

When asked if the shooting of his uncle would affect his opinion as a juror, he said “I feel it would sway how I feel... it’s hard to understand why anyone would fire a weapon at another human and take their life.”

Juror #16 was excused from the case.

Juror #53 was an African-American young man. His dad was murdered, gunned down while waiting at a bus stop in a case of mistaken identity. He was nine years old at the time and told the court he was close with his father.

“Forget being a neutral juror, just let him leave”, I thought. Surely being involved in a trial about a shooting death would bring back awful memories and possible trauma. 

But this young man was so impressive. 

The judge inquired whether it would be hard for him to be on the jury to which he confidently replied it wouldn’t. 

Judge Quaintance then asked whether he’d be concerned about having to look at graphic photos. “I think I can handle it”, he responded. 

After telling the court he was comfortable presuming Noor was innocent, Juror #53 was allowed through for another round of questioning. That will involve him - and all the others who’ve been allowed through - being questioned as a group tomorrow afternoon. 

The last juror to be questioned individually today was probably the most memorable - Juror #54.

She was a retired African-American principal whose cousin was killed. And today, the day she was in court, was the first anniversary of her cousin’s death. 

This woman was a real character and a force not to be reckoned with. If she had been my principal, I would have been terrified.

Judge Quaintance asked her about the case involving her cousin. The juror explained that someone had been arrested and that she followed her cousin’s killer’s case but didn’t have an opinion on how it was handled by the court. 

The questioning moved on to her views about firearms in general. 

“I’m a little... I think there should be a little more training going on,” she said. 

Juror #54 continued: “This gun business... don’t you guys have stun guns? ... I mean why are they dead?” 

This woman wasn’t afraid to show she had her opinions.

Juror #54 was dismissed from jury duty.

The other thing that hovered in the back of my mind over all these hours is that some of those jurors who make it through to the final 12 could be giving answers that aren’t honest.

If they hate their job and want to get out of work for a few weeks, they can just smile and nod when asked whether they’ll be a fair juror.

Conversely, if they really want to get out of jury duty, they can portray themselves as a gun-hating, police-loathing citizen.

Throughout the last two days of jury selection, it all seems to come back to one key criteria - the jurors must be able to presume that Mohamed Noor is innocent. 

When Juror #38, a female retired executive assistant, was in the dock today, she made the following series of statements:

“Sometimes we think it’s all black and white and it’s not.”

 “It’s a different concept to think somebody who called for help, wasn’t armed, was shot.”

“He needs to explain his reaction.”

The defence team, unsurprisingly, didn’t want her to pass through. The judge disagreed and she’s been allowed to pass through for further questioning tomorrow. 

We’re a while off being narrowed down to 12, but this was an amazing insight into what’s going on in the minds of the average Americans who will decide Noor’s fate. They’re meant to base their verdict on the law, but how do you guarantee their emotions don’t get involved?

You can't.

Tomorrow should have been Cassidy Trevan’s 19^th birthday but instead the Victorian schoolgirl will remain “forever 15”.

Cassidy took her own life after schoolyard bullies allegedly orchestrated her gang rape when she was just 13 years old.

Now, her mother Linda Trevan has shared with nine.com.au a heartbreaking note her daughter wrote in the months before she died in December 2015.

The note comes as a leading Australian bullying researcher and a national bullying organisation both make calls for bullying to become a national focus ahead of the federal election.

In the note written by Cassidy, she describes the bullying she continued to endure in the months and years after the alleged rape by two boys at a house in Springvale South.

“The whole school has heard stories about me, as well as teachers,” Cassidy wrote.

“I get people I’ve never met contacting me on Facebook calling me a slut. I’ve moved schools, I’ve moved house and I’m still being bullied.

“I was raped. Just last night after one and a half years I still have nightmares over what happened.”

Cassidy also describes what she says was the inaction of her Melbourne high school, Wellington Secondary College, to address the bullying after she and her mother reported the rape to them.

“Wellington says they have an antibullying policy and a zero tolerance of bullying and yet the (school) did nothing,” the note reads.

“Even after my mother and I going and talking to them about this. Even after police contacting them and everything.”

Ms Trevan said she had kept her daughter’s room virtually untouched since her death, but was sorting out her things in preparation to move house when she found the note.

“I hadn’t really touched Cass’s room until now but when I picked up a pile of papers on her desk this five-page hand written note, just on loose blank paper, was so noticeable that it stood out to me straight away so I read it,” she said.

In the weeks before Cassidy’s death, she had also written a letter on her laptop warning other students at her school about her rape and the dangers of bullying.

Ms Trevan said she believed the five-page note was written around the same time as Cassidy’s warning letter.

None of Cassidy’s alleged bullies or rapists were ever charged by police.

Victoria Police previously confirmed to nine.com.au that detectives from its Sexual Offence and Child Abuse Investigation Team had spoken with Cassidy more than 20 times.

But fearing retribution from her bullies and that it would “push her over the edge”, Cassidy was never able to bring herself to make an official statement to police about the alleged gang rape.

Ms Trevan said she still hoped that one day one of the students involved in Cassidy’s alleged rape would come forward and tell police what happened.

In the meantime, the Australian government needed to do more to combat bullying, she said.

“Have things improved regarding Bullying? I’ve shared so many Bullycides on my Facebook page since Cass died that sometimes I don’t feel like I’m making a difference.

“My page has over 10,000 followers now, but that’s only scratching the surface. Only a few days ago I shared yet another Bullycide story with my comment ‘No, no, no. This just has to stop!’”

Lesley Podesta is the CEO of the National Centre Against Bullying.

Ms Podesta said Australia was crying out for leadership on a national level to tackle bullying and she hoped it would become an issue in the upcoming Federal election.

“I think it should be a federal election issue because it affects so many people,” she said.

“People feel really disempowered at the moment. They don’t know where to go or what to do. I would love to see both parties saying it’s unacceptable and that we are going to build a proper pathway on what to do and how to reduce this.”

Ms Podesta said there was currently no national body or taskforce dedicated to bullying, which was a source of frustration.

One area that urgently needed attention on a federal level was the lack of research into the prevalence of bullying, she added.

Award-winning Queensland bullying researcher and child and adolescent psychiatrist James Scott agreed national data on bullying was lacking.

“One of the things that has not been done is well-conducted research as to the trends of bullying and cyberbullying,” Associate Professor Scott said.

“Unfortunately, awful things happen as a result of bullying and cyberbullying. You have young people taking their lives and dying by suicide and that tends to get a very understandable, dramatic response that it’s become much worse.

“But we actually don’t really know that. It’s certainly being discussed more but we don’t know if rates of bullying and cyberbullying are going up or down or staying the same. The problem with that is we don’t know what is working and what is not working.

“A national effort to co-ordinate the data and interpret it so you can see what works and doesn’t work would be a good idea.”

Associate Professor Scott said there was also a need for the federal government to commit more funding to preventing mental illnesses, including those arising from bullying.

“There are a number of things that the government can do to prevent mental illness and what hasn’t happened in the budget this year, or other years, is an allocation of funding specifically for the prevention of mental illness. Investing in preventing bullying could be one of the ways in which you could prevent mental illness.”

If you or anyone you know needs help, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14, Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800, SANE Helpline 1800 18 72 63 or Beyond blue 1300 22 4636.

To read more about Cassidy's story visit 'Bullying Killed My Child Cassidy Trevan'.

Contact reporter Emily McPherson at emcpherson@nine.com.au.

If diamonds are a girl's best friend, then I just experienced what girls' dreams are made of.

A chance encounter with one of the world's most famous and fanciest yellow diamonds at the new Tiffany and Co. flagship in Sydney's CBD.

It's front and centre of the store as soon as you walk through the front door, encased in bullet-proof glass and set against the iconic Tiffany's blue.

The first thing you notice its the size. It's huge. 128 and a half carats to be precise. It took three years to cut its 82 facets, which is no small feat given the rough diamond was discovered 140 years ago before the creation of computer scans and precision technology used by artisans today.

The brilliant canary yellow colour, which is caused by nitrogen, is so vivid it looks like a flame has been lit within.

The diamonds that make up the chain also can’t be forgotten, amounting to another 100 carats.

"The Tiffany Diamond is probably the most famous, fancy yellow diamond in the world," Tiffany and Co. CEO Alessandro Bogliolo said.

When Lady Gaga stepped onto the red carpet at this year's Oscars, her look was surprisingly understated, but for the giant rock hanging around her neck.

It was only the third outing  for the cushion-cut stone, made famous by Audrey Hepburn in 1961, when she wore it, in a different setting, to a press event for the film Breakfast At Tiffanys.

Mined in South Africa in the 1870s, it's estimated to be worth more than $40 million, although Tiffanys claims the gem is priceless. They've only tried to sell it once, back in 1972.

"It was advertised in the New York Times on sale for 24 hours for $5 million but most people thought it was a joke," Mr Bogliolo said.

It's been housed in their flagship 5th Avenue store ever since. On the rare occasion the asset leaves New York, it requires its own security entourage.

"Information is kept very confidential for obvious reasons because of the value of the stone," the company CEO said. It's rumoured to have flown here on its own private jet.

Also in town for the opening of the new store, Kendall Jenner. The world's highest paid model and one 8th of the Kardashian clan arrived early this morning on a Qantas flight  from LA ahead of her appearance tonight where she'll wear custom-made pieces.

The new store is a vision in itself with two floors, private salons and floor to ceiling windows that allow maximum natural light to view some of the world's most beautiful diamonds.

And for most of us that's all it will be, a chance to marvel nature's ultimate treasure, because sometimes it's just nice to dream.

Christopher Pyne may not have a "log cabin" story, but he once had to get his own lemon for a gin and tonic.

The veteran South Australian MP and Liberal minister - and regular contributor to Today Show - gave his final speech in parliament today, ahead of stepping down at the next election after almost 27 years in federal politics.

He admitted to having a "fortunate life", after quoting former US president Franklin D Roosevelt's famous line about the "test of our progress" being "whether we provide enough for those who have little".

"I do not have a log cabin story like so many people in this place - but I once did have to get my own lemon for a gin and tonic," he said.

"That may or may not qualify."

With nine election wins under his belt, Mr Pyne said he was going to "miss the stage" and his fellow MPs.

"This place brings out the best of us and the worst in us," he said.

"I've seen some truly dreadful people come through here over the last quarter of a century, Mr Speaker. It is true."

Elected in 1993, he was a backbencher for 10 years and a frontbencher for 16, including six years in cabinet.

The defence minister paid a special tribute to Australia's military personnel.

"To be a minister for defence is to see Australians at their best."

He expressed confidence that Prime Minister Scott Morrison would win the election and his replacement in Sturt, staffer James Stevens, would retain the seat.

"I've relished the opportunity - thank you, goodbye and good luck," he said, fighting back tears.

His Labor counterpart, Tony Burke, paid tribute to him.

"The Leader of the House is someone who has always loved the parliament," he said.

Regan Yerbury is one talented woman - a former footy cheerleader, actor, model, dancer and a finalist in a men's magazine modelling contest.

But now the spotlight is on Regan for all the wrong reasons.

The blonde bombshell has been charged with dishonestly obtaining financial advantage by deception, after allegations she falsely claimed a $30,000 car insurance payout between May 2017 and April 2018.

Her alleged accomplice is her mother, Karen Yerbury, a NSW police senior sergeant. Karen is facing two charges - dishonestly obtaining financial advantage or cause disadvantage by deception and misconduct in a public office.

Their alleged associate, Gavin Dunn, has been charged with driving disqualified and participating in a criminal group.

The mother and daughter are yet to enter a plea, and Karen has been temporarily suspended from police duties.

So how on Earth was the 23-year-old beauty allowed to go on a luxury holiday around the globe while on bail? Well, luckily for Regan, her father paid $10,000 bail security to guarantee his daughter’s return, and a magistrate agreed to vary Regan’s bail conditions so she could travel.

It's an itinerary many of us could only dream of.

On the 29th of December 2018, Regan set off from Sydney to Los Angeles.

From LA she flew to Miami and then onto Cancun, Mexico. She stayed at the Grand Oasis Palm, where a room can cost up to $300 a night.

Next stop - Playa Del Carmen for four days, before Regan hopped on board a seven-day cruise departing Cozumel.

Adios Mehico, hello Caribbean!.

Next, New York - and from the Big Apple, Regan jetted off to Lisbon, Portugal.

She then spent two-and-a-half weeks touring Morocco, where she swapped bikinis and the beach for selfies in the Sahara.

Then onto Doha, and from Doha she travelled to Denpasar.

Six long weeks later, Regan returned home, finally ready to report for bail at her local police station, and A Current Affair was there.

Sporting a pair of denim cut-offs and a designer belt, Regan was defiant, telling our cameras her holiday was "good" asking "what happened to innocent until proven guilty?"

"It's very unusual to see that someone goes overseas when they're on bail, and the reason for that is because people go overseas and never come back," lawyer Richard Mitry told A Current Affair.

"They've both been charged with fraud. Fraud is considered a very serious offence and each of them could get up to 10 years in jail if they're found guilty."

Regan and Karen Yerbury are to due back in court on June 11. A Current Affair will stay across the story.

It’s the dawn of a new day on the dry, dusty edge of the outback. Another day without rain.

Phillip Ridge and his son Richard are heading out to the paddock.

The fifth- and sixth-generation sheep farmers are feeding their remaining rams after having to offload 50 per cent of their stock over the last two years.

“Everyone’s been a bit brow beaten, it’s become part of your daily schedule, managing what you can with the stock you have in terms of feeding them,” Phillip told A Current Affair.

The vast plains of western New South Wales are harsh and unforgiving at the best of times, but the land around the bush town of Bourke hasn’t seen decent rain since the winter of 2016.

The town of Bourke, population 2000, sits on the banks of the Darling River where the depths of this crisis are tragically clear.

At a time like this, the Darling should be the town’s lifeline, but it’s bone dry.

Right now you can walk huge stretches of the riverbed with nothing but dirt underfoot.

It’s been more than 200 days since the river has run. The few pools that remain are shallow, stagnant and often toxic.

That same water flows through Gabie Le Lievres’ kitchen taps.

“So this is what’s coming out of taps all around here?” asked our reporter Sylvia Jeffreys.

“Yes, that’s what we’re showering in," Gabie replied.

"You can see it’s just disgusting, it’s so bad and the smell is just so pungent.”

Gabie and her husband Stuart live downstream from Bourke, near Louth, where they run a small number of sheep.

“Look, we're back to a third of what we normally carry and what we've got left are breeders, the bare breeders and that’s everybody around this community, everybody's exactly the same and they're cutting back even further so the ability to be able to get going” says Stuart.

Their eleven year old boys, Charlie and Wilbur pull shifts on the farm after school.

Gabie gets emotional when speaking about her tough this time has been on her family.

“It’s hard, it’s really hard on them you know, they're amazing kids, like you'll see, especially on social media, you'll see lots of footage of bush kids are absolutely second to none, you know they really are, they grow up before their time, they drive hay trucks or they drive utes so their parents can feed hay out the back,” she said.

The Darling is the Murray’s often forgotten sister system but it is Australia’s third-longest river.

It stretches for more than 1400 kilometres from north-western New South Wales, to the Victorian border where it meets the Murray.

Those who rely on it say they’ve rarely seen it worse.

“People say, 'oh the river's been dry before, this is nothing new', but it is because this is the health of the river now that we're talking about,” Gabie explains.

“The period of time that this is lasting is longer than we've experienced before,” says farmer Tony Thompson.

The outlook from his pumping station just west of Bourke is dire.

In a good year, he’d grow 800 hectares of cotton but this year, not a single crop.

“It can be very tough, its tough conditions for all of us but not only us, all of the community and other farmers in the district. We try to concentrate on the positives rather than the negatives,” he says.

Adding to the pain out here is anger over controversial water allocations, with many farming families feeling let down.

“There have been bureaucrats warning government, if they don’t make better decisions there will be issues arising from it,” says Stuart Le Lievres.

“They're ignoring 1400 kilometres of river and the further you go downstream, the worse it gets.”

Gabie feels the only way for them to get the government to take notice is to speak with the media to promote what life is like for them right now.

“It’s heartbreaking, you know every day to see how it is, I just don’t know what we can do to get government to see that it’s such a vital part of our whole lives out here,” she says.

Phillip Ridge agrees.

“It’s sad, I mean it’s a magnificent old river, we can't be the guardians of its demise," he said.

The flow-on effects of this water crisis are huge. When farmers cut back, business dries up in country towns.

“People just can't afford to spend as much as they used to spend on day-to-day products” says John Milgate, owner of the only bakery in Bourke.

He says businesses like his are feeling the pinch.

“Flour prices have gone through the roof, we're paying over $5 a bag more than what we used to pay and that accumulates about 20 cents a loaf,” he says.

Luckily, his pies are pretty hard to resist.

“Are you worried that you’ll have to shut up shop at some point?” asks Jeffreys.

“It's getting harder and harder but hopefully there's a light at the end of the tunnel and we can push through it,” John replies.

Bourke mayor Barry Hollman says his town is in uncharted territory.

“You can see how it affects our whole community when we don't have water, I mean it looks like a lot there but we may run out of water in May out of that system that you see now,” he says.

“Take the river away from Bourke and we won’t have Bourke.”

It’s no secret, it’s tough out here but the locals are strong.

They’re not ready to give up just yet finding new ways to survive.

“Why don’t you give up on this town?” Jeffrey askes Barry.

“Country people don't do that, Sylvia, country people are born and bred in the country, it’s in their system and they'll fight till the end,” he replies.

Alleged terrorist Khaled Khayat claims he just an innocent Sydneysider set up by his own blood.

The 51-year-old Lakemba man and his brother Mahmoud Khayat, 34, are on trial accused of planning to bomb an Etihad flight leaving Sydney in 2017.

He claims the bomb was shipped inside a welder, with his brother telling him to buy a timer. The accused terrorist said he put the bomb in a yoghurt container and buried it in his uncle’s Surry Hills home, where it remained for several months.

He claims he never intended to follow the instructions of his brother, but was just scared Tarek would dob him into the police – something he said later happened. “He’s the one who dobbed on me, if it wasn’t my brother no one else knows,” he told the court.

He added that he doesn’t support Islamic State and denied he and his co-accused were celebrating Bourke Street murderer James Gargasoulas killing six people and injuring 27 others when he drove his car through Melbourne’s Bourke Street two years ago.

In texts read out to the court, Mr Khayat replied to a message about the news of the deaths with: “Allah Akbar”

When asked by the Crown why he would reply “God is the greatest” to such a tragedy, the accused said his words had been misinterpreted. “It’s an expression of shock, just like you would say ‘oh my God’,” he said.

The trial is still underway.

A man has been charged with murder after a shooting in Sydney’s Inner West earlier this week.

Emergency services were called to an apartment building on East Street, Five Dock at 3.45am on Tuesday after reports two men had been shot.

John Odisho, 24, was inside the apartment with a 24-year-old relative when two men ambushed the pair, shooting Mr Odisho in the head and his relative in the shoulder.

Mr Odisho was taken to Westmead Hospital in a critical condition but died shortly after arriving.

A short time later, a 28-year-old man understood to be involved in the shooting, presented at Auburn Hospital with a gunshot wound to his abdomen.

Detectives from the NSW State Crime Command’s Homicide Squad commenced an investigation into the shooting and laid charges against the 28-year-old Yagoona man earlier today.

He has been charged with murder, shoot at with intent to murder and aggravated break and enter and commit serious indictable offence.

He appeared at Parramatta Local Court today and was refused bail.

Investigations are ongoing and detectives are still seeking out the second man allegedly involved in the shooting.

Anyone with information that may assist Strike Force Wesson investigators is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 

Two people have been charged after a stabbing attack on a shopkeeper on the NSW Central Coast.

Emergency services were called to Carmichael’s Corner Store in Wyong on Tuesday morning after owner Steven Van Meeteren was found bleeding on the floor by a customer.

The 41-year-old was allegedly stabbed in the chest eight times by one man while another held him down on the ground. A juvenile female was also allegedly present during the attack while a fourth person allegedly kept a lookout on the street.

Mr Van Meeteren, a much loved local man, was given a blood transfusion at a nearby park before being flown by CareFlight chopper to Royal North Shore Hospital where his condition has since stabilised.

Detectives from Tuggerah Lakes Command launched an investigation seeking public assistance to find two men and two women believed to be involved in the attack.

Following enquiries, an 18-year-old man was arrested at a home in nearby Green Point on Tuesday night.

He has been charged with robbery while armed with an offensive weapon, causing grievous bodily harm.

Last night, a 17-year-old girl was also arrested at a home in Wyong.

She has also been charged with robbery while armed with an offensive weapon, causing grievous bodily harm.

Both the man and the teenage girl were refused bail and investigations are continuing into the identity of the other two people believed to be in the store during the incident.

Anyone with information that may assist Strike Force Wesson investigators is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 

Three time AFL premiership player Brian Lake will spend a second night behind bars this evening after pleading guilty to harassing a woman he believed to be his ex-wife’s new lover.

The former Hawthorn star was arrested yesterday at 2.10pm and appeared in the Sunshine Magistrates Court today.

The 37-year-old pleaded guilty to charges of causing a breach of the peace, damaging his ex-wife’s iPhone and committing an indictable offence while on bail on Tuesday night.

The Norm Smith medallist also pleaded guilty to property damage – he put his fist through a door - and assaulting his wife’s friend at the family home in Aintree, west of Melbourne, on February 17.

He also pleaded guilty to stalking his ex-wife, whom he split from seven months ago.

Police evidence submitted to court revealed the existence of a phone video in which Lake could be heard saying: “You f---ing lesbians, I heard everything… Look at you. Look at you.”

The video was recorded on February 17.

Lake will be assessed for a community corrections order and sentenced tomorrow.

He  spent six nights behind bars in Japan after a drunken bar fight in July last year.

The desperate search for a missing missing kayaker in Perth's south has been called off during its second day because of dangerous conditions.

Stephen Angel , 59, disappeared off Point Peron yesterday and his kayak found floating upside down.

The ocean mission proved difficult today and the search was suspended around 3.30pm after divers were unable to enter the water.

Winds got up to 50km/h and waves got up to three metres.

Mr Angel’s family said he is fit, healthy and is an experienced kayaker.

"It’s worrying to think what could have gone wrong, we went to his car, searched his car, we left notes on his car saying if you come back we’re looking for you," his daughter Anna Marelic said.

The Dwelingup father set out off Point Peron yesterday and never returned. His personal location beacon was manually activated just after ‪11am around 1.5 nautical miles from the shore.

The alarm sparked a wide scale search.

Sea rescue crews were quick to find Mr Angel’s kayak, which was abandoned and upturned but the 59-year-old was no where to be seen.

His paddle was found by a member of the public a short time later washed up at shoal water bay.

It's believed he wasn't wearing a life jacket.

"He is a kind, genuine and truly wonderful person and we just want him to be safe," Ms Marelic said.

It is expected the search will recommence tomorrow morning, with search vessel deployment and an air search currently being planned.

A Coroner will tomorrow deliver his findings into the death of Daniel Morcombe, 16 years after the schoolboy was abducted and murdered.

Daniel’s parents, Bruce and Denise, say they will be relieved to see the end of legal proceedings and are hoping for recommendations that will see improvements in policing.

Daniel vanished on December 7, 2003, from underneath the Kiel Mountain Road overpass on the Sunshine Coast, where he had been waiting for a late-running bus that never stopped.

He was abducted and murdered by convicted child molester Brett Peter Cowan, who is serving a life sentence, having exhausted his options for appeal.

But the inquest, which first began in 2010 when Cowan was merely a person of interest, has examined the adequacy of the police investigation.

Bruce Morcombe believes the investigation could have been far simpler, and quicker.

“It's important that the process, the police review process, is thorough and they get it right because there were some errors made,” he said.

As a result of the Morcombes’ tireless work advocating for the safety of children, some improvements have already happened, including the introduction of the Amber Alert system, which allows police to urgently provide the media with details about an abducted or high-risk missing child.

The Morcombes will be in the courtroom tomorrow as the findings are handed down.

The crew of the Ethiopian Airlines jet that crashed shortly after takeoff last month performed all of the procedures recommended by Boeing when the plane started to nose dive but could not save it, according to a preliminary report released by Ethiopia's government.

The report was based on data from the recorders of the Boeing 737 Max 8. Boeing declined to comment pending its review of the report.

The Max 8 has been under scrutiny since a Lion Air flight crashed off the coast of Indonesia under similar circumstances in October.

Investigators are looking into the role of a flight-control system known by its acronym, MCAS, which under some circumstances can automatically lower the plane's nose to prevent an aerodynamic stall. The Max has been grounded worldwide pending a software fix that Boeing is rolling out, which still needs approval from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and other regulators.

The Ethiopian Airlines jet crashed just after taking off from Addis Ababa on March 10, killing all 157 on board.

Ethiopian investigators did not specifically mention the MCAS, but recommended that Boeing review "the aircraft flight control system related to the flight controllability." They also recommended that aviation officials verify issues have been adequately addressed before allowing the planes to fly again.

Boeing is the focus of investigations by the U.S. Justice Department, the Transportation Department's inspector general, and congressional committees. Investigations are also looking at the role of the Federal Aviation Administration in the U.S., which certified the Max in 2017 and declined to ground it after the first deadly crash in October.

The FAA, which must certify the 737 Max is safe before it can go back into the air, said in a statement that the investigation is still in its early stages.

"As we learn more about the accident and findings become available, we will take appropriate action," the agency said.

The statement did not say if the FAA would review the Max's flight control system as recommended by Ethiopian investigators, and FAA spokesman Greg Martin would not comment beyond the statement. Boeing is working on improvements to the MCAS software that would make it less aggressive in pointing the nose down and easier for pilots to disable. The FAA has said it will review the software before allowing the Max to fly again.

But it wasn't clear whether the Ethiopians are seeking just that or a broader update in the Max's flight controls.

What also isn't clear is whether the Ethiopian pilots followed Boeing's recommendations to the letter in dealing with the system repeatedly pointing the nose down.

The pilots initially followed Boeing's emergency steps by disconnecting the MCAS system, but for an unknown reason, they turned the system back on, an official familiar with the crash investigation told The Associated Press on Wednesday. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because at the time, Ethiopian investigators had not released their preliminary report. Boeing's procedures instruct pilots to leave the MCAS system disconnected and continue flying manually for the rest of the flight.

Ethiopian investigators did not address that issue at a press conference to release the preliminary report, saying only that the pilots had done what they were supposed to.

"The crew performed all the procedures repeatedly provided by the manufacturer but was not able to control the aircraft," said Minister of Transport Dagmawit Moges.

David Hasse, an aviation analyst and editor of industry publication airliners.de in Berlin, says it is significant that the report found that the pilots followed the proper procedures, because that links the case more closely to the Lion Air crash.

"What is special about this case is that two crashes seem to have a very, very similar reason. This is something that is very rare in aviation. The question is whether the Boeing 737 Max should have been grounded after the Lion Air crash and before the Ethiopian Airlines crash," said Hasse.

He noted that crash reports are not meant to assign legal blame and that it is too soon to know what the legal implications might be for Boeing, but it clearly raises the pressure on the company.

"If pilots sit there and follow the rules that have been given to them by the manufacturer, then they should be able to rely on the fact that they are correct," Hasse said.

Bill Shorten's pitch to be prime minister starts with billions of extra dollars for health and education, and bigger personal income tax cuts for workers.

He's promising $1.2 billion to make almost all cancer scans free and another $1 billion to create 150,000 apprenticeships.

The Labor leader's budget-reply speech included a promise for six million free X-rays, mammograms, ultrasounds, and PET and CT scans.

"For so many people, cancer makes you sick and then paying for the treatment makes you poor," Mr Shorten told parliament on Thursday night.

"If we win the election, not only will we provide new MRI machines to communities where they are needed most.

"We will guarantee that every single MRI machine in Australia that meets national standards is covered by Medicare for cancer scans, full stop."

The speech has taken on even greater relevance this year, as it comes just weeks out from an election which Labor is widely tipped to win.

Mr Shorten also promised to match the coalition's $1080 tax cut for 4.5 million middle income earners.

But he's gone further for people earning below $45,000 a year, with the lowest income workers getting $350 a year compared to the coalition's $255.

"To give these workers the tax cut they deserve, Labor will increase the offset for low-income and part-time workers," Mr Shorten said.

However, Labor would not go ahead with the coalition's planned July 2022 tax cuts or the July 2024 changes - which make 94 per cent of workers pay no more than 30 cents in the dollar, with the biggest benefits going to the wealthy.

Not progressing the two coalition tax changes is expected to give Labor about $150 billion to pay down debt and balance the books.

The coalition promised to create 80,000 apprenticeships to fill the skills shortage, but Mr Shorten will almost double that with a $1 billion pledge.

"This investment will provide 150,000 additional apprentice incentives in areas of skill shortages."

Labor will also provide $433 million to immediately cover specialist consultations for cancer patients.

"Over the next four years, this will mean an additional three million appointments are bulk-billed - with no out-of-pocket costs," Mr Shorten said.

The coalition has regularly attacked Labor after it stopped putting new medicines on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme when the budget went strongly into deficit.

So Mr Shorten has promised to guarantee that every drug recommended by the independent experts will be listed on the PBS.

Finance Minister Mathias Cormann criticised Labor's record of delivering deficits when in power and Mr Shorten's plans to raise taxes.

"Last time in government, Labor delayed the listing of important new medicines on the PBS because they ran out of money," Senator Cormann tweeted.

The coalition has targeted income tax cuts as a key plank in its campaign win a third election.

Mr Morrison has promised a $7.1 billion surplus in 2019/20 and a plan to wipe out net debt by 2030. Mr Shorten promised bigger surpluses but didn't detail what they would be.

KEY PROMISES IN LABOR BUDGET REPLY

* $2.3 billion for cancer care, eliminating almost all out-of-pocket costs for cancer scans

* Three million cancer specialist consultations to be bulk-billed over four years

* Guarantee that all drugs recommended by independent experts for listing on the PBS will be listed

* $1 billion for TAFE and apprentices, ensuring 150,000 Australians will go to TAFE with no upfront fees, and an additional 100,000 apprenticeships will be made available

* Higher income tax breaks, than promised by the coalition, for those earning $45,000 and below

* Match coalition's income tax cuts for those earning $48,000 to $126,000, but not act on second and third tranches of the coalition's cuts

* Put back every public school and health dollar cut by the coalition

* Stronger surpluses

* Defence spending of two per cent of GDP

* Uncapped university places opening up extra 200,000 spots

* Guaranteed universal access to pre-school or kinder for every three and four year old for 15 hours a week, 40 weeks a year

* $2000 payment to families seeking to install a battery storage system

* $1.5 billion upgrade to Brisbane's Gateway Motorway from Bracken Ridge to Pine River and next stage of Bruce Highway from northern suburbs to Caboolture

A Queensland father who suffered serious injuries in a scooter accident in Bali has died on the same day he was expected to be flown back to Australia.

Erran Braddick, 32, from Mackay was hit by a truck in the resort area of Canggu on Sunday.

LifeFlight confirmed yesterday plans had been put in place to fly Mr Braddick back home, with the flight due to depart Bali at 9am local time.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed this morning to 9News.com.au that Mr Braddick had died in Bali.

"The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is providing consular assistance, in accordance with the Consular Services Charter, to the family of an Australian man who died in Bali," a statement said.

"Owing to our privacy obligations we will not provide further comment."

LifeFlight also confirmed today that the jet planned to take Mr Braddick back to Australia yesterday, will today begin its journey without a patient on-board.

Mr Braddick was left in a coma in intensive care at the BIMC Hospital in Kuta following the crash, which happened while he was on holiday with his girlfriend.

As reported by 9News, the couple had joked just moments earlier that the scooter’s seat was too hot for her to sit on before Erran drove off alone, teasing that he’d meet her at their next destination just 300 metres away.

He never made it.

He suffered extensive brain and chest injuries, as well as multiple broken bones including his ribs, plus internal bleeding in the accident.

Witnesses rushed to try and help.

Footage shared on social media shows the young dad lying on the side of the road next to a rice field, with people around him.

On Wednesday night, his mother shared an emotional appeal to others from her son’s bedside.

She urged travellers to take care, and always get insurance.

Rayleen Braddick, told 9News in a letter: “Get adequate travel insurance! You cannot imagine what a situation like this costs your family financially - it’s beyond what I ever imagined.

“If not for the support of our family and friends, I honestly do not know what we would have done. Most families I know do NOT have those sort of funds ready and waiting! We certainly didn’t, especially late on a Saturday night!”

It is believed Mr Braddick didn’t have an insurance policy, as an appeal was launched prior to his death to pay for his emergency medical flight home.

More than $41,000 has so far been gathered.

A young man's claim to be an Illinois boy who disappeared eight years ago has been found to be a hoax.

DNA tests have proved that his claims to be Timmothy Pitzen, who went missing from a motel in Illinois aged six after his mother died, are false.

The confirmation by police dashes the boy's family's hopes that the baffling case had finally been solved.

For a day and a half, a breakthrough seemed to be at hand when a young man found wandering the streets of Newport, Kentucky, on Wednesday (local time) identified himself as 14-year-old Timmothy Pitzen.

He told police he had just escaped from two men who had held him captive for seven years.

Timmothy disappeared in 2011, apparently sent into hiding by his mother just before she took her own life.

But Newport Police Chief Tom Collins identified him as Brian Rini of Medina, Ohio, a 23-year-old ex-convict. He was released from an Ohio prison less than a month ago after serving more than a year for burglary and vandalism.

Rini may now face criminal charges.

"Law enforcement has not and will not forget Timmothy, and we hope to one day reunite him with his family. Unfortunately, that day will not be today," FBI spokesman Timothy Beam said in a statement.

In Timmothy's hometown of Aurora, Illinois, Sgt. Bill Rowley said that over the years his department has received thousands of tips about Timmothy, including false sightings.

"We're always worried about copycats, especially something that has a big national attention like this," he said.

Timmothy's family members said they were heartbroken at the latest twist.

"It's devastating. It's like reliving that day all over again, and Timmothy's father is devastated once again," said his aunt Kara Jacobs.

The boy's grandmother Alana Anderson said: "It's been awful. We've been on tenterhooks, hopeful and frightened. It's just been exhausting."

She added: "I feel so sorry for the young man who's obviously had a horrible time and felt the need to say he was somebody else."

Timmothy vanished after his mother, Amy Fry-Pitzen, pulled him out of kindergarten early one day, took him on a two-day road trip to the zoo and a water park, and then killed herself at a hotel.

She left a note saying that her son was safe with people who would love and care for him, and added: "You will never find him."

Police have said she might have dropped the boy off with a friend, noting that his car seat and Spider-Man backpack were gone.

Timmothy's grandmother said her daughter had fought depression for years and was having problems in her marriage to Timmothy's father.

News reports suggested she was afraid she would lose custody of the boy in a divorce because of her mental instability.

At Greenman Elementary after the boy's disappearance, Timmothy's schoolmates, teachers and parents tied hundreds of yellow ribbons around trees and signs. A garden was planted in his memory.

The brief but tantalising possibility that the case had been solved generated excitement in Timmothy's former neighbourhood.

Pedro Melendez, who lives in Timmothy's former home, didn't know the boy but saved the concrete slab with his name, handprint and footprint etched in it when he redid the back patio. It is dated '09.

Rowley expressed hope that the flurry of activity and attention had renewed interest in the case.

"Perhaps, it has people looking at the case with new eyes," the police sergeant said.

Bruce and Denise Morcombe say the findings of an inquest into the death of their son Daniel nearly 16 years ago are "very powerful" and they are relieved legal proceedings are finally over.

The inquest, which began in 2010, sought to find out if and when he died and the adequacy of the police response, after Daniel disappeared at a bus stop on his way to buy Christmas presents for his family in 2003.

State Coroner Terry Ryan today said many positive changes had already been made to respond to missing children, largely thanks to the work of the Daniel Morcombe Foundation.

In his findings, Mr Ryan commended the family's "incredible resilience".

"Initially, they faced many years grieving the loss of their son, who was taken from them at the age of 13," Mr Ryan said.

"They did not know what had happened to him. Instead of giving in, they strengthened their resolve.

"As Justice Atkinson noted at (Brett Peter Cowan's) sentencing hearing, their strength was one of the main factors that led to his conviction."

The Coroner made two recommendations.

Firstly, that the police manual be changed for a mandatory review of an unsolved homicide or "suspicious high risk missing person investigation" after one year, and secondly that a time limit be imposed on the testing of human remains, "in circumstances where the prosecution and defence fail to reach agreements on the identity of the deceased".

Bruce Morcombe said the family considered the mandatory review an "excellent decision".

"His findings were very powerful in identifying a couple of areas where the Morcombe family had considered the Queensland Police in hindsight could have done better," Mr Morcombe said outside court this morning.

"In particular, we refer to the initial report at Maroochydore police station. We also identify that the tape lifts of Cowan’s car were never forensically checked until, in fact, the trial some many years later."

The inquest heard Daniel had to be reported missing three times before an investigation started.

The Coroner said, in hindsight, Daniel should not have been treated as a runaway, but it was not inappropriate given police procedures at the time.

Denise Morcombe spoke to the coroner's second recommendation.

"We had to wait for many, many months after Daniel’s remains were found," Mrs Morcombe said.

"The coroner recommends that this be changed to make it a lot easier and a lot quicker for any families after us.

"We won’t have Daniel back but we hope  in the future that other families won’t have to wait so long to get some answers."

In August 2011, shoes and bones were found in bushland at Beerwah on the Sunshine Coast. Over the next two months, forensic testing revealed the bones were Daniel’s.

But it wasn’t until December 2012, nine years to the day he disappeared, that Daniel was finally laid to rest at Woombye Cemetery.

The Coroner found the only person responsible for Daniel's death was Brett Peter Cowan, who is currently serving a life sentence in prison, having exhausted his options for appeal.

Mr Ryan said the immediate police response was adequate but "more could have been done" regarding the investigation into Cowan's involvement.

But it is not necessary or helpful, he said, to evaluate every element of the police investigation as Cowan was ultimately found.

The inquest began in 2010, and Cowan, a convicted child molester, testified as a person of interest.

It was adjourned in April 2011, as police began an elaborate covert sting that would eventually net them the confession they needed.

“Yeah, ok, you know, yeah I did it,” Cowan told undercover officers, who he believed were gang bosses who would “fix” any evidence he’d left behind.

A recording of Cowan’s chilling confession was played to his trial in Brisbane’s Supreme Court in 2014, and on March 14 of that year a jury found him guilty of murder, indecent treatment of a child and interfering with a corpse.

The inquest resumed again in 2016 to hear about the police handling of the case. Today, it ended.

"While we have lost Daniel, it is really important that we focus on Daniel's legacy, which is educating kids on how to keep safe and supporting young people... and also those that are missing particularly where a child is involved," Mr Morcombe said.

"Most definitely the Daniel Morcombe Foundation lives on, it is as strong as ever and it will continue to grow and do good community work."

He thanked the media, and the community who have supported the family over the past 15 years.

"This step, this chapter is finally over, so we wish you farewell."

Christine Ebrey was out Christmas shopping at her local shopping centre when she slipped and fell, snapping a bone in her right leg.  Almost 10 years later, the break and bone still hasn’t healed.

It was Christmas Eve back in 2009 when the Queensland mother-of-two parked her car in the loading dock of the retail store to pick up a barbecue for her husband, Roy.

As she walked towards the rear of the car she slipped on a section of broken concrete, badly fracturing the thighbone of her right leg.

The 61-year-old has undergone seven surgeries over the years to correct the break with no success.

According to her medical records, copies seen by nine.com.au, her right leg is now 5cm shorter than her left with her leg pointing in the wrong direction from the knee.

She has metal plates in her leg and requires crutches for mobility and needs help to move just a few steps. Her injury has also left her unable to bath or shower herself on her own.

It has led to her gaining weight and developing issues with anxiety and depression. She also suffers chronic pain, suffers from insomnia and finds it difficult to sleep due to incessant leg aches.

Her orthopaedic surgeon says there is nothing more he can do for her while her GP says she is at risk of falling “all the time” and is “not fit to undertake any paid employment”. Her condition has been medically classed as permanently disabled.

Yet, for more than two years the Ebreys have been battling Centrelink for access to the Disability Support Pension (DSP).

In December last year, the government agency rejected Ms Ebrey’s application for DSP, ruling her ineligible. Under the DSP criteria, an individual needs to have an impairment of 20 points or more under its Impairment Tables. Mr Ebrey says his wife’s score is 10 out of 20.

“She’s living with a broken bone in her leg,” he nine.com.au.

Mr Ebrey has chosen to speak about his wife’s situation out of frustration with the government agency. He said since his wife’s accident he hasn’t been able to hold down a full-time job, and in 2017 reached the stage of needing to register with Centrelink to help with the cost of living.

“I have not been in this situation before and at 60 years of age I had no idea what I needed to do so the whole process was difficult and somewhat humiliating for both of us,” he said.

“It took some time and a lot of effort but I was eventually placed on Newstart as was my wife. We followed the rules precisely.”

Department of Human Services General Manager Hank Jongen told nine.com.au the agency was sympathetic to the Ebrey’s situation.

“We understand life events such as these are very difficult. While we can’t go into the details of Mrs Ebrey’s case, we acknowledge the impact her condition has undoubtedly had on her life,” he told nine.com.au in a statement.

“We will ensure Mrs Ebrey is fully supported during this tough time.

“All medical evidence provided with a claim is carefully considered by health professionals, who are trained to assess the evidence against the rules.”

However, he said Centrelink “do not have any discretion to grant payments outside the very clear criteria set down in legislation”.

In the two years since being on Centrelink’s radar, the couple have applied for DSP twice – and have been refused both times.

They appealed the decision with the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT), with the AAT on Monday recommending Ms Ebrey’s Impairment Rating be raised to 20 points.

“This has been a great stress relief to my wife Christine as you can imagine,” Mr Ebrey said.

“I have been working part-time and have just taken on a second part-time job as living on new start was simply impossible given the medical costs we incur and I have had to withdraw a large sum from my superannuation to help us with relocating as our home is now unsuitable to Christine's needs.

“We are not counting our chickens yet though as Centrelink may appeal so we will have to wait and see.”

He said he has also withdrawn a large sum from his superannuation to help them relocate as their home is now unsuitable to his wife’s needs.

While he and his wife have been given a glimmer of hope in their push for access to the DSP, Mr Ebrey would like to seen an overhaul of the DSP criteria so others don’t continue to suffer.

“I’d like to see an application of fairness, means testing or function testing. Not just based on a mathematical table (devised) in an office,” he said.

“I know there have been a lot people take advantage of the system but now they are punishing everybody for the sins of a few.”

Mr Ebrey said he and his wife reached a financial settlement with the shopping centre over the fall – agreeing to a one-off payment. They used the money to pay medical bills, legal costs and put the small amount left into their mortgage.

“We had no idea it (the injury) was going to be permanent, but no surgeon was willing to say,” he said.

“She got worse and worse… the leg is deformed now…it points in the wrong direction.”