A former prison guard has today pleaded guilty to engaging in a relationship with an inmate and causing a safety risk to the detention centre.

Moss Vale Court today heard Collin Kelleher was employed as a prison warden at the Berrima correctional facility in the NSW southern highlands when he struck up a romantic relationship with 35-year-old inmate Kim Quach this year.

The pair met in the industries section of the jail last November where Kelleher was an overseer.

However, police say it wasn’t until February this year that the pair began engaging in a romantic relationship and wrote love letters to each other.

In one exchange Kelleher even told her how she could manipulate the system to reduce her level of classification at the facility. 

Six letters were found during a routine contraband search in March with his fingerprints on them, leading to his arrest last month.

Quach had been transferred to the prison serving a sentence for manufacturing drugs at the time the relationship began. 

Kelleher, who is married with a small child, was suspended from his position where he had been working since 2016.

At the time of his arrest, he made full admissions to his crime.

Keller’s case was adjourned until August for sentencing.

A plumber who claimed to be a charity fundraiser is accused of pocketing thousands from people who thought they were helping the needy.

Former soldier Mike Handley told A Current Affair he paid a man named Daniel Clarke $2500 to organise a fundraising dinner for Redsix, a group trying to lower suicide rates among veterans.

But just before the function, Mr Handley said, he discovered Mr Clarke had done almost nothing.

"We'd paid money to him in booking fees, to book all these people, who my wife called after we had been alerted no-one had been booked," he said.

He said "all bar one" of the people his wife Rachael had called told him they had never had any contact with Mr Clarke.

"I just couldn't understand or comprehend how or why someone would want to take advantage of others that are just putting our own money up front and on hold to look after others," Mrs Handley said.

"I went through every emotion from anger to depression."

Mr Handley said Mr Clarke also charged him $850 for another veterans' charity day at indoor skydiving centre iFLY.

But Mr Handley claimed he later found out iFLY had put the day on for free.

Another army veteran, Cory Camps, said he had paid $2400 in an online charity auction organised by Mr Clarke.

He won, but said he never received the prize - a day's surfing with icon Mick Fanning and a tour of the Balter Brewery for him and two friends.

"I was a bit gutted but moreso, it was a fair bit of money," Mr Camps said.

Mr Camps said Mr Clarke needed to be "accountable for his actions".

When contacted by A Current Affair, Fanning said via text that it was the first he'd heard of the fundraiser, and that the brewery had indicated to him they had not agreed to be part of it either.

However, the surfing champ said he would reach out to Mr Camps to try to make it up to him.

Lakelands Golf Club operations manager claimed Mr Clarke owed him between $5000 and $5500.

He said late last year, Mr Clarke approached the club wanting to put on a charity golf day to raise money for father of three Casey Townsend, who was diagnosed with a brain tumour.

Because the club had to shut the course for a day, Mr Beste said they offered to do it at the cost price of $5323, but he claimed Mr Clarke never paid in spite of a successful event.

"No-one wants to miss out on funds that are owed to them," Mr Beste said.

"It's not easy to write off that amount these days."

It's alleged the event raised an estimated $15,000.

The Townsend family, who were supposed to benefit from the day, claim they didn't receive anything from Mr Clarke until six months later, when he passed on $10,000.

They say they were told more funds would arrive, but so far there's no sign of the extra cash.

Mr Beste said the golf club had now put their debt in the hands of a debt collector, and contacted police.

Mr Clarke was last July declared bankrupt with depts of almost $170,000.

He refused to comment when approached by A Current Affair.

The Russian military 14 sailors have been killed after a fire broke out on one of its deep-sea submersibles.

The Defence Ministry said the blaze erupted on Monday while the vessel was performing tests in Russia's territorial waters.

In a statement it said that the fire was extinguished thanks to the crew's self-sacrifice.

It added that the submersible is now at the Arctic port of Severomorsk, the main base of Russia's Northern Fleet.

An official investigation has started.

Australians earning up to $90,000 look set to get an extra $1000 back in tax within weeks, with the federal government on the verge of winning the Senate support it needs for stage one of its tax package.

The $158 billion package passed the lower house on Tuesday night after about three hours of debate, with Labor failing to secure an amendment to bring forward the second stage of the package.

Labor leader Anthony Albanese said it was a sensible proposition given the central bank's second interest rate cut in as many months.

The opposition also failed to remove the third stage of the tax plan from the bill, which flattens the tax bracket in 2024/25.

"That's all about politics, not about good sound economic policy," Mr Albanese told the lower house.

But Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said it would give Australians confidence their future pay rises were protected from bracket creep.

"This bill lowers taxes for hard working Australians, it puts more money in their pockets."

Centre Alliance MP Rebekha Sharkie supported the bill on her understanding the minor party would reach an outcome with the government on ways to bring down gas prices.

But Ms Sharkie noted her two Senate colleagues were still continuing negotiations with the government.

Labor will now try to convince Senate crossbenchers to support the amendment on Thursday, but the government appears to be moving closer to a deal to get the whole package passed before parliament rises.

The coalition needs the support of four out of six crossbenchers to succeed.

The two Centre Alliance senators are likely to back it, with leader Rex Patrick saying they were working through the final details of a deal to make sure the extra money in taxpayers' pockets doesn't get gobbled up by higher power bills.

Former Liberal Cory Bernardi also backs the tax relief package, leaving the government just one vote short.

This means returning Tasmanian senator Jacqui Lambie is likely to be the deal maker or breaker, but she's yet to declare her hand.

She is working with Centre Alliance in a very loose alignment, with the three senators meeting several times over the last 24 hours since arriving in Canberra.

Senator Patrick said part of the deal was that he and colleague Stirling Griff don't talk about Senator Lambie's position.

Senator Lambie told reporters she hadn't come to a position yet, saying her staff only started work on Monday and she hadn't had enough information from the government.

Senator Griff argues there's no use entertaining Labor's position, given the government has refused to budge on its three-stage plan, describing it as an all-or-nothing proposition.

Some opposition MPs have urged the party to back the full tax relief package.

The Greens implored Labor and the crossbench to stand firm if the Senate was forced to vote on the entire package.

"We don't need to be giving tax cuts to millionaires, to CEOs, to politicians; we need to be funding essential services," leader Richard Di Natale told reporters.

The first stage of the plan will deliver up to $1080 to low and middle-income earners when they lodge their tax returns in coming months.

The second stage will top up a low-income tax offset, which means more people - earning up to $45,000 instead of $41,000 - will get a 19 per cent tax rate.

The final stage flattens the tax rate from 32.5 per cent to 30 per cent for people earning between $45,000 and $200,000 from mid-2024.

Former prime minister Tony Abbott watched the opening day of Parliament from the public gallery.

Earlier, Victorian Liberal Tony Smith made history after being re-elected for the third time as Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Mr Smith, who has been a member of parliament since 2001, said it was an "honour and humbling experience" to be elected again.

Morrison today praised Mr Smith for his "wise and calming presence".

"The normal passions in the heat of the debate that occurs in this place, you accept and you celebrate, but at the same time you temper us in those times when, of course, there is overreach," Mr Morrison told the chamber.

"But in this role, Mr Speaker, you also do something which I think is truly great ... you honour and you work so well with those who serve in this chamber and you lead them incredibly well."

Albanese also heaped praise on Mr Smith, describing him as fair and impartial.

Mr Smith pointed out the House of Representatives was a place of debate, acknowledging his role in ensuring it occurred in a dignified, balance way.

"It's the arena where the battle of ideas and ideals takes place," he said.

"And it's right that it should be vigorous and passionate and robust."

He also flagged impending changes to behavioural standards during Question Time, which he described as political contest at its most intense.

Mr Smith was nominated by his colleague Lucy Wicks and seconded by Labor MP Maria Vamvakinou.

Keeping with tradition, Mr Smith was led up to the Speaker's chair by his two nominators in an act of feigned duress.

Dr William Mooney boasts he's 'Australia's leading ear, nose and throat surgeon, specialising in rhinoplasty and facial cosmetic surgery,' but some patients believe the way he treated them is unacceptable.

Two of his patients have died, he's under investigation by the Health Care Complaints Commission, he was suspended from practice.

Now the Medical Council has lifted the suspension but imposed an extensive list of restrictions on his registration. But it's up to surgeon Dr William Mooney's patients to find that out for themselves, and even if they know where to look, not all the conditions are disclosed.

Pouya Pouladian should be alive today. He was just 24-years-old, a student working two jobs to support his mum, Sisi, and sister, Ashley, after his father died of a heart attack six years earlier. Pouya was also working to pay for aviation training, hoping to become a commercial pilot.

On February 15 last year, Pouya underwent a routine operation to alleviate sleep apnoea at Strathfield Private hospital with Dr Mooney. It's alleged Dr Mooney may have nicked an artery.

"I would describe him as very cold and callous," a friend of the Pouladian family told A Current Affair.

"Both Sisi and Ashley were waiting to see the doctor and he just went home, and he was released, and within hours of coming home he was spewing and throwing up blood. I don't understand how the hospital or the doctor could've allowed this to happen. It's just not right."

Pouya was taken to Canterbury Hospital by ambulance, then transferred to Concord hospital, where he suffered a major bleed, followed by cardiac arrest, resulting in severe brain damage. His life support was turned off on March 3, 2018.

In a tragic turn of events, Pouya's mother, Sisi, and his 20-year-old sister, Ashley, took their own lives five months after Pouya's death. They were found dead inside their car parked in the driveway of their home. A hand-written message was left on the front door, it read "call the police ... thank you ... love you."

As journalists we are often confronted with difficult situations, and personally, this was one of the most challenging in a number of ways.

How do you tell someone's story when they, or their family, are not here to share their experience with you? And how do you comfort a broken man who's lost his closest friends? A whole family - two children with bright futures and their loving mother - gone.

This friend of the family has taken it upon himself to speak on Pouya, Ashley, and Sisi's behalf.

"They said we don't want money, we want justice. This man needs to be stopped," he said.

Pouya Pouladian was Dr Mooney's second patient to die after complications from surgery. Alex Taouil had a nose operation with Dr Mooney in November of 2017. The cause of death involved surgical trauma to the cribriform plate which went undetected during surgery. Eventually, the 41-year-old father had his life support machine turned off.

Those deaths are still under investigation, and it is unknown whether any adverse findings will ultimately be made in respect of Dr Mooney, or what those findings might be. Dr Mooney has previously said while he was very sorry to the families for their loss, he denied causing the deaths. The surgeon stated while “each was a tragedy … neither was caused by a complication in my procedure.”

Meanwhile, A Current Affair is aware of at least three other patients who claim to have had issues with Dr William Mooney.

One patient lodged a complaint alleging that in 2011 and 2012, she underwent two rhinoplasty surgeries with Dr Mooney. Following the surgery, the patient said she was experiencing pain on the right side of her nose to the corner of her eye, claims she says Dr Mooney dismissed.

The patient presented herself at the Sydney Eye Hospital, where she says she was diagnosed with a staph infection and pseudomonas in her nose. She claims a doctor at the hospital told her she was close to going blind, or lose her right eye completely.

To this day, the patient says she continues to visit the Sydney Eye Hospital, she says she can't see well, and has permanent scarring to her eyes.

Dr William Mooney was suspended by the Medical Council on the November 7, 2018, and on June 3 this year, the suspension was lifted and Dr Mooney returned to work.

The NSW Medical Council told A Current Affair it has imposed a range of stringent conditions on Dr Mooney's medical registration “to protect patients and the public generally.”

A Current Affair understands that on at least three occasions, The Medical Council called urgent hearings to consider whether Dr Mooney posed a risk.

In December 2016, a complaint was made to AHPRA alleging Dr Mooney engaged in a sexual relationship with a patient and had used cocaine with that patient. In 2017 Dr Mooney became subject to weekly drug testing. That condition was lifted later in the year, but in 2018 he again became subject to drug testing as a condition of his registration.

"A doctor doesn't need to let a patient know that they have restrictions on their practicing rights, so it's up to patients to make sure they thoroughly research the doctor or surgeon before they undergo a serious procedure," principal lawyer in the medical negligence department at Maurice Blackburn, Libby Brooks, told A Current Affair.

The current list of Dr Mooney’s conditions can be viewed here on the AHPRA website. It includes restrictions on the types of surgery he can perform and drugs he can prescribe, and requirements that he be supervised and audited, as well as “other conditions … not publicly available due to privacy considerations.”

The Health Care Complaints commission is currently investigating Dr Mooney, and told A Current Affair, "in these circumstances, evidence has been found that a practitioner has significantly departed from the expected standard of clinical care and treatment, or may provide grounds for a finding of unsatisfactory professional conduct by a disciplinary body."

A Current Affair was interested in finding out whether Dr Mooney's patients were being told about the restrictions on his medical registration, so we paid him a visit.

I asked Dr Mooney whether he was telling his patients about the restrictions, if so, when, and I asked for more information on the HCCC's investigation.

Through his lawyers, Dr William Mooney declined to comment further.

Another former patient of Dr William Mooney shared his experience with A Current Affair.

"I wasn't feeling well, I just kept on vomiting blood, just kept on vomiting," he said.

Dr Mooney performed a rhinoplasty and liposuction on the patients jowls in 2013. The case was a complicated one as he had previously undergone surgery to improve his breathing.

The patient claims he woke up during the surgery, his breathing didn't improve following the operation, he says he's been left with permanent scars which he covers with his beard, and he's upset about how he was treated by Dr William Mooney.

"I had this sore throat going on for about two or three weeks and I thought 'something is seriously wrong'. He said to me, and this is in front of everyone, he goes to me 'well I've had three cases today of throat cancer, so let's put you on the table, maybe you're my fourth'," the patient claimed.

"When leaving his office and walking down the hallway, Dr Mooney yelled out 'when you grow some ‘cojones’ you come back and see me'."

Dr William Mooney is no longer operating at Prince of Wales hospital, Strathfield Private Hospital, Bankstown Hospital and St Lukes Private Hospital. He is accredited to operate at Bondi Junction Private Hospital.

The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency website has a search function where people can check whether a health practitioner is currently registered or is subject to any conditions on their registration.

Readers seeking support can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or beyond blue on 1300 22 4636.

On October 11, 1973, Charles Hickson and Calvin Parker were on the shores of the Pascagoula River in Mississippi when they say they were abducted by aliens.

Now, more than 45 years later, an historical marker has been placed near the river where these men claim they had their close encounter.

On Saturday, Parker visited the riverbanks once again, accompanied by family members, to see the marker.

WHAT DO THEY SAY HAPPENED?

On the night of October 11, 1973, Hickson, then 42, and Parker, just a teenager aged 19, were fishing down by the Pascagoula River.

Hickson was Parker’s foreman at a shipyard, and the pair had gone out after work, according to The Washington Post.

“I was just getting ready to get some more bait when I heard a kind of zipping sound,” Hickson told the newspaper in 1975.

“I looked up and saw a blue flashing light. Calvin turned around too. We saw a 30-foot-long object with a little dome on top.”

According to multiple reports over the years, the men said they saw three floating creatures with pincer-type claws emerge from the UFO.

They then claim they were suddenly paralysed, and taken aboard the aircraft, examined by an eye-like object, and released.

TO THE POLICE

What happened next is not contested: the terrified and frantic pair presented to the Jackson County Sherriff’s Department and reported what they said happened.

Unsurprisingly, police did not believe them. They secretly recorded the pair after leaving the room, in a bid to catch them out.

However, the men stuck to their story even when left on their own, continually talking about how scared and confused they were by this apparent encounter.

AN INTERNATIONAL STORY

Overnight, the story made headlines all over the world, and thousands flocked to the Mississippi town.

There were journalists, scientists, sceptics and believers hoping to catch their own glimpse of the supposed aliens.

Parker published a book about the experience in 2018. Hickson died in 2011.

Both said many people doubted their story. A few witnesses have since come forward to corroborate some details.

A Sydney man has pleaded guilty to animal cruelty charges after throwing his girlfriend’s cat down a seven-storey garbage chute and failing to seek medical treatment for it.

The 21-year-old Chippendale man, whose name has not been disclosed, was convicted of two separate counts of animal cruelty at Downing Centre Local Court on Monday.

The court heard that on Friday April 27, Hibala, a Ragdoll cat, was thrown down the garbage chute of the apartment building the man lived in with his then girlfriend.

It was revealed that the man was jealous of Hibala and the attention he got from the girlfriend, so he threw the two-year-old cat down the garbage chute while it was in his care.

When Hibala was eventually found, a vet determined he had a fractured tail, cuts exposing the bone in the tail, missing fur and severe inflammation.

The vet said two-thirds of Hibala’s tail was necrotic and had to be removed if he was going to survive.

For that offence, the man was fined $3000 and placed on a two-year community corrections order.

“I don’t know what to say to [the defendant]. I have no idea what to say to a person who places a cat in a garbage chute,” the magistrate said upon sentencing.

“The early guilty plea is the only thing keeping [the defendant] out of jail.”

The man was also found guilty of a previous offence. Between June 9 and 23 last year, Hibala’s owner was overseas.

She asked her boyfriend to take Hibala to the vet when she noticed a cut on his nose in one of the photos he sent her.

The court heard that he refused to take the cat and it wasn’t until friends of the owner collected him, Hibala was found to have a sever wound and fractured bones in his front left paw and injuries to his eye, ear and nose.

It was not revealed how these injuries occurred, but surgery was required to remove dead tissue from around his paw and he was hospitalised for six days.

For refusing to help Hibala, the man was fined an additional $3000 and ordered to complete a three-month intensive corrections order.

He was also banned from purchasing or taking into custody any type of animal for the next ten years.

“Hurting an animal out of pure jealousy, one that belongs to and is loved by your partner no less, and letting it suffer over a prolonged period of time is a shocking display of callousness,” RSPCA NSW Chief Inspector Scott Myers said.

Hibala is now in the care of his owner and they have since moved into a new apartment away from the offender.

Eryn Osborne lets out a gentle laugh as she recounts the advice her physiotherapist gave her the day she returned to the race track.

The 17-year-old from New South Wales north coast was given the all clear to race last month after spending almost five weeks on bed rest following a horror crash.

“My physio did an assessment on me and he said give it a go but obviously try not (to crash),” she told nine.com.au.

It was Saturday, March 30 this year when Eryn competed in the Australian Kart Championships and crashed heavily into a kerb after an accident early in a race.

The Trinity College student was wearing a neck brace and helmet at the time of the crash, however the force of the impact shifted the brace upwards leaving her helmet strap momentarily choking.

Despite the seriousness of her injury, Eryn continued to race at the Newcastle meet and only realised something was wrong an hour into a six-hour drive home the following day.

The pain was so great Eryn and her family stopped at Lismore Base Hospital. On the Monday morning, she went for an X-ray on the advice of her physio. By Tuesday, she was given the grim news she had broken her throat bone.

Eryn took her X-rays back to Lismore Base Hospital where she had more scans that showed she had a vertical fracture in her hyoid bone, or as her GP told her the “gallow bone” – named after the bone that would break when a criminal was hanged.

“No one really has heard of it, it’s extremely rare,” she said, adding that hospital staff had to phone around for a treatment plan for the injury.

As part of her recovery, she was put on five weeks’ bed rest and only allowed to eat soft foods so she wouldn’t need to chew. As well as a broken gallow bone, the teenager also suffered whiplash in the race accident which required neck stretching exercises to resolve.

A month after the accident, Eryn had a follow-up scan which showed a small improvement in the fracture. Recent scans have revealed the bone has fused but is slightly out of place. Eryn, who says she has no pain following the accident, is now being treated by a chiropractor.

“I made it to South Australia,” she said of her planned return to this year’s Australian Kart Championships.

“We didn’t go as well as we hoped, after not being in the kart for so long. I was pretty nervous, I didn’t know if my neck was going hold up.”

Despite her remarkable recovery, Eryn’s return to the track has been bittersweet. Financial pressures have meant she is unable to train and race regularly after eight years behind the wheel.

“I’m still looking and still planning to get back on the track,” Eryn said.

“I still have my kart. To be able to get on the track I need to get more financial backing to race and practice.

“I’d love to move into any sort of car racing. I do have a sponsor for MARC Cars Australia to help me get into (supercars) at the moment. So, I might move to cars sooner.”

Former Rugby League super star Jarryd Hayne has been committed to stand trial on two charges of aggravated sexual assault.

But the 31-year-old had a small win in Newcastle Court, with a magistrate agreeing to vary his bail conditions to allow Hayne to live in Perth, where he will undergo “disciple training” at Youth With a Mission over a six-month period.

The DPP opposed the change on community safety grounds, but Hayne’s lawyer told the court his client would be living in a male-only dormitory on an alcohol-free campus, arguing that should alleviate any concerns.

He also said the organisation would alert the NSW DPP immediately, should Hayne ever fail to show up for a lecture or course.

“The course providers ... are aware of the nature of the charges and Mr Hayne’s background now having gone through the formal application process,” Richard Pontello said.

Magistrate Robert Stone allowed the change, “because I consider that the variations will cont to mitigate the risk of the safety of the community and I also consider that it will mitigate the risk of there being any non appearance.”

"Jarryd Hayne was recently enrolled to do a Discipleship Training School with Youth With a Mission Perth after going through our application process," YWAM Perth said in a statement today.

"Youth With a Mission Perth supports all our students in their desire to grow in Christian character. This would include Jarryd.

"Youth With a Mission Perth is a Christian missions organisation that focuses on evangelism, training and mercy work.

"This includes daily lectures, prayer and worship... The course that Jarryd will be doing will have approximately 10 other students."

Hayne must also report to police at East Perth three times a week, which is just 2.3 kilometres from the campus where he’ll be staying.

Hayne had nothing to say as he left court and got into a waiting black car.

He has previously indicated he will fight the charges, but any trial is a long way off, with the court today hearing it was unlikely to start before September next year.

One of Australia's most notorious prisoners has been arrested over an alleged ice syndicate uncovered during the investigation into the execution-style murder of a Sydney teenager.

Bassam Hamzy, 40, was taken from Goulburn Supermax to Goulburn Police Station this morning and formally arrested.

He is being questioned by homicide detectives.

Solicitor Martin Churchill, 62, was also arrested at a Glebe home this morning and taken to Newtown Police Station for questioning.

Police said the arrests relate to "alleged commercial drug supply and participation in a criminal group".

The alleged syndicate was uncovered by officers investing the murder of Brayden Dillon, 15, who was shot in the head in his bed at his Glenfield home on Good Friday in 2017.

Brayden was rushed to hospital in a critical condition but later died.

The Homicide Squad's acting commander, Detective Acting Superintendent Mark Henney, said police investigating the murder had uncovered details of drug supply in the state's Riverina and Illawarra regions.

Police were aware of the drug operation but until now had not been able to determine the leaders of the alleged syndicate. 

"During that investigation, we became aware of organised criminal activities that were being directed by an inmate of a high-security prison complex," he said.

"The directing of that criminal activity was being facilitated through the client-solicitor communications with his solicitor."

Det. Act Supt Henney said any links between the alleged drug syndicate and Brayden's murder were still being investigated.

"There are a lot of different moving parts of people who have played various roles, particularly after the murder," he said.

Brothers 4 Life gang founder Hamzy has been in prison for more than two decades after he was jailed for the murder of a teenager outside a Sydney nightclub in 1998.

Since his murder conviction, Hamzy has also been found guilty of running a drug ring from his cell.

He was also involved in a brawl with fellow high-profile inmate and convicted terrorist Talal Alameddine in October last year.

Seven people have previously been charged by detectives investigating Brayden's murder and remain before the courts.

Police allege the murder was a revenge attack over the death of a teenager in a brawl.

A teenager has been filmed by friends rolling through a burning pile of fire crackers, setting fire to his clothing in the process, during Territory Day celebrations in Darwin.

Video obtained by 9News shows a group of young males surrounding a small fire on a bitumen road.

“I don’t want to roll on the concrete,” one said.

“It’s literally firecrackers, there’s firecrackers in it,” another male, standing out of shot, said, as the others egged each other on.

Suddenly one of the males took a run up, dropped to the ground and army-rolled through the flames.

His clothing immediately caught alight and bystanders could be heard saying “oh no! roll, roll, roll, roll, roll, roll, roll” as he dropped to the grass beside the road.

Friends could be seen attempting to help him put out the flames.

The extent of his injuries is unknown.

Territory Day is celebrated annually on July 1, to mark the day the Northern Territory was granted self-government on July 1, 1978.

The event is also known as “cracker night” with Territorians allowed to fire personal fireworks between 6pm and 11pm.

Authorities said Territory Day 2019 had proved better than previous years, with fire crews responding to 25 call outs to grass fires compared to 35 last year, and no reports of major incidents.

“We were certainly prepared for a busy night with a number of volunteers from Bushfires NT and NTFRS as well as local fire crews, on duty,” Fire and Rescue Services District Officer Jim Bateman said.

“Throughout the 6pm till 11pm period crews attended 25 call outs to grass fires compared to 35 last year, which we can thank both the public safety education campaign, and the lower than average fuel loads around the area.”

Anyone in possession of fireworks after 12pm on July 2 is liable for a $1570 fine.

A 78-year-old NSW man on a holiday of a lifetime with his wife in Europe has been stranded with a $40,000 hospital bill despite having travel insurance - because he had been drinking alcohol with his dinner.

Grandparents Robert Morphett and wife Robyn, 76, from Moama, set off last month on a four-week long holiday which included a Danube river cruise in Austria, a trip to Scotland and a dream visit to Wimbledon.

Aside from a cruise to New Zealand, it was the first time the couple had been overseas.

But ex-farmer Mr Morphett fell down some stairs on the ship five days in and fractured his skull.

Travel insurance firm Cover-More initially told the couple they would pay the hospital bills and get them home after the accident four weeks ago, but last week it declined the claim after receiving the medical and toxicology reports.

Their son, Stewart, 51, is now flying to Austria and has launched an appeal to help pay the bills.

He said his parents, who were fit and well, had paid for the highest level of insurance cover.

“It was after dinner and they were sitting in the lounge aboard the ship listening to music,” he told nine.com.au

“He’d had a few drinks during dinner. He’s certainly a beer drinker. I don’t know what he was drinking.

“Mum said ‘I’ll see you in a few minutes.

“A few minutes later someone came and said 'Your husband’s had a fall, you better come'."

A Cover-More spokesperson said it had made their decision after consulting medical information.

"Cover-More’s medical assistance team has offered all possible non-financial medical assistance we can to Robert and his family,” said the spokesperson.

“Cover-More is fair and reasonable in our claims processes and we make our decisions after thoroughly assessing all available details and medical information. We have given Robert and his family a detailed explanation for declining his claim.”

“In general, being under the influence of alcohol is a standard exclusion across all travel insurance policies."

Mr Morphett was found in a pool of blood at the bottom of some stairs inside the ship.

Nobody saw what happened.

The ship was in port in Linz, Austria, and he was rushed to the town’s Kepler University Hospital.

He spent ten days in ICU after suffering broken ribs, plus he has also lost some hearing and speech.

But calls to Cover-More reassured Mrs Morphett, a retired primary school teacher, that everything would be paid for, according to her son.

However, on Friday, the insurance company told the couple the $40,000 bill, plus the cost of getting them home would not be covered.

“They got the medical reports and toxicology reports and sent it to their forensic medical consultant and it was their determination that the alcohol contributed directly or indirectly,” said the son.

“I don’t know anyone who goes on a cruise that doesn’t have a drink.

“What do you say? Don’t have a drink, don’t enjoy yourself too much?”

“Mum, she’s nearly 77, and worried sick about dad and to have this added stress, she rang me in tears last night.

“Everyone has a drink and tries to enjoy themselves.

“You wouldn’t think that would be a problem, especially as he’s not rock-climbing, doing bungee jumping or extreme sports.”

Mr Morphett is now well enough to fly home on a regular flight – but must have a business class seat at the cost of $7500, which his son has paid for.

However, a payment must be made to the hospital before they can leave.

The hospital has agreed to allow the rest of the bill to be paid once the family has raised the cash.

Insurance Council of Australia spokesperson Lisa Kable confirmed that most Australian travel insurance policies listed injury or damage while under the influence of alcohol or drugs as an exclusion.

“Generally, alcohol-related exclusions are applicable if the intoxication was the contributing factor to the loss, injury or damage incurred,” Ms Kable said.

“Travel insurers assess each claim on its individual circumstances.”

The Insurance Council of Australia's consumer website Understand Insurance reminded travellers that insurance policies were unlikely to cover risky behaviour, alcohol or drug use that led to a claim, she said.

A major search operation on the NSW Far North Coast for missing Belgian backpacker Theo Hayez has been called off more than a month after his disappearance.

The 18-year-old was last seen in Byron Bay at 11pm on May 31 as he left the Cheeky Monkeys bar on Jonson Street.

Authorities were first alerted to Theo’s disappearance on June 6 when he failed to return to his hostel, where his belongings have remained untouched, and he could not be contacted.

An extensive air, land and sea search operation involving multiple agencies across police, SES volunteers and surf lifesaving groups have yet been unable to locate the missing teenager.

Theo’s father and Belgian search authorities were flown into NSW last month to join the huge search, which had also attracted the help of local residents and tourists.

Laurent Hayez issued an emotional plea for help a fortnight ago to locate his son.

“We know that Theo used WhatsApp the night he disappeared. We understand the politics about confidentiality and respect that, however this is a question of providing assistance to a person in grave danger,” he said.

“It is vital that investigators get access to Theo’s WhatsApp account without delay. Every minute counts.

“When I left Belgium I promised Theo’s little brother Lucas that I would bring his brother home, please help me keep my promise to him.”

While police today suspended the search, investigations into Theo’s possible whereabouts are ongoing.

"It’s times like this which shows the strength of our community. We want to thank each and every person who assisted and who provided support,” Superintendent Dave Roptell said in a statement.

“Throughout the entire investigation we have been liaising with the Belgian Federal Police, keeping them informed of our progress and work collaboratively with them. Belgian authorities have been appreciative of the work being undertaken.

“We met with Theo’s family today and we send our thoughts to them all, both here in Australia and abroad.”

The decision also comes just days after Theo’s girlfriend, Severine Marcotty, urged people to continue looking for the 18-year-old. She had earlier posted an image of the couple together.

"Every day where we are together is the most beautiful day of my life," she wrote alongside the photo.

It’s the shocking vision of a little boy playing with a pokie machine while a grandfather watches on from behind.

The alarming breach of gaming rules has cost the club, Mounties in Mt Pritchard, a $6000 fine and a guilty court ruling after the child sat on a stool and pressed the buttons of the colourful machine in the middle of the pokie room.

A Liquor & Gaming NSW investigation found the boy was inside the gaming room for just under two minutes (1 min 48 secs).

As part of their inquiries, they seized CCTV which showed the young boy sitting on a stool in front of a gaming machine at Mounties with a man standing behind him.

The child was pressing buttons on the machine without money having been inserted during the incident just after 8pm on May 28 last year.

Other gamers walk past, oblivious to the child.

It’s only when two staff members walk past and don’t appear to notice the child that the carer lifts the boy down from the stool.

The staff were only alerted to the boy’s presence when he ran past them.

The man and the boy then leave the club.

Mounties pleaded not guilty in the Downing Centre Local Court to a charge of breaching gaming laws that ban minors from being inside gaming areas at licensed venues.

But the club was convicted on Monday by Magistrate Sharon Freund and fined $6000.

The fine is small change for the Mounties Group which owns seven clubs including Mounties, Harbord Diggers and Manly Bowling Club and made more than $104 million in revenue from poker machines in 2018, its latest annual report shows.

While the western Sydney “super club” is one of the richest clubs in terms of pokie profits, it services one of our poorest communities.

Liquor & Gaming NSW director of compliance operations Sean Goodchild said the offence was a serious breach of NSW gaming laws.

“These laws are in place to protect minors from exposure to gaming machines which have the potential to cause significant harm,” Mr Goodchild said.

“All venues with gaming machines have a clear responsibility to supervise and monitor gaming machine areas to ensure minors do not enter and remain in gaming machine areas at any time.”

In a statement Group Chief Executive Officer Dale Hunt said: “Mounties Group is incredibly disappointed with the outcome and will be appealing this decision."

“In our opinion, the Magistrate's decision came down to a discrepancy in legal definition, rather than an intentional breach of the law.”

Bart Doohan wraps an arm around his teenage daughter, Hayley, as they look out across their empty dairy. Hayley lets the tears flow. At 17, this is her first harsh taste of injustice.

The Doohans have put their farm near the small Southern Riverina town of Blighty, New South Wales, up for sale after gradually destocking in recent months.

The last of their cows were loaded onto a truck and sent to the meat works in a crushing blow to a family that's already in "dire straits".

"The dairy industry is in such turmoil there was no option to send our cows to other dairy farms," Bart said.

The last irrigation season was the nail in the coffin for the Doohans' operation. Under the Murray Darling Basin Plan, they were on zero water allocation, meaning they didn't receive any water under their fixed entitlement. 

And with losses of up to $3 million over the past 18 months, they couldn't afford to buy water on the temporary market to keep the operation running.

"Every dairy farm in this area is going backwards and we just can't keep sustaining that," Bart said.

There's a cruel twist to the water crisis on the Murray. They may have been impacted by drought over the past 12 months, but at the height of the last irrigation season there was an abundance of water in the region. The two main dams were more than 50 per cent full while the Murray itself was flowing fast past their properties. 

But under the MDBP, that water was pushed downstream to South Australia where landholders received 100 per cent of their allocations, leaving NSW Murray farmers high and dry. 

According to Murray Dairy, 72 dairy farms are operating in the NSW Murray region, down from 89 during the 2017-18 irrigation season. But farmers who are more acutely aware of operations in the regions, say that number is more likely to be around 30.

And on July 1, South Riverina dairy farmers received the unsurprising news that “due to the severity of the drought” they've once again been denied an allocation for the next season, which for many will be their last. 

The Murray Darling Basin Plan is driving a key agricultural sector to extinction as New South Wales dairy farmers, like Bart Doohan, walk off their properties at record rates. 

Accusations of mismanagement and misleading science have dogged the Murray Darling Basin Authority and the evidence is piling up against them.

In a report released last month, The Australia Institute outlined how the Murray Darling Basin Authority failed to comply with its own objectives by denying an allocation to NSW Murray general security holders, while flooding the Barmah-Millewa forest and draining the Menindee Lakes.

"While everyone else in the Basin was dealing with drought, the MDBA created a flood and lost large volumes of water," said Maryanne Slattery, senior water researcher at The Australia Institute.

The farmers I met in the Southern Riverina are beyond the tipping point. They're desperate and living on borrowed time. They want the 2012 Plan to be paused for the sake of their survival. But governments are staying the course, promising to deliver the plan in full.

Making matters worse, city-based traders who don't own agricultural land are pricing farmers out of the temporary water market.  

Lachlan Marshall uses a poker analogy to describe his family's dilemma.

"Four generations of the same family and we're all in," he said.

Lachlan, 38, and his brother Adam, 36, are milking 900 cows three times a day on their property near the Doohans. 

They're only just holding on, but at a huge price. 

Between October and late December last year the Marshalls spent $1 million on water on the temporary market, where prices are at record highs. 

"The price has gone up exponentially and it’s been driven up by speculators and traders ... who are making astronomical profits off the hardship of people who are trying to make a living," said Lachlan Marshall.

They say water on the temporary market reached a spike of $650 per megalitre last year; up from $30 dollars per megalitre when they moved to the region in 2006.

"These people are leaving the industry and they're leaving burnt and jaded and angry and they're not coming back," Lachlan Marshall said.

"There's a real concern for our nation's food security unless we're happy as a nation to be buying overseas food."

Another season on zero allocation will likely spell the end for this fourth-generation operation.  But they won't walk off their farm without a fight, which is why the brothers have joined a class action.

Barooga farmer, Chris Brooks, is leading the action, accusing the MDBA of negligence and mismanagement, which has cost up to 1800 landholders a total of $750 million.

"The payout will compensate for the losses last year but the main objective is to take the MDBA to account," said Brooks.

The MDBA claims water was sent downstream to South Australia to meet environmental commitments.  But severe erosion at the Barmah Choke and along the banks of the Murray River are evidence that the Basin Plan is causing major environmental damage.

The Australia Institute report shows that 1700 gigalitres of water was wasted by flooding the Murray system, which would have been enough to provide an allocation to Southern Riverina dairy farmers.

It’s no wonder calls for a royal commission into the MDBP are growing louder. An independent review, at the very least, is critical to the survival of yet another endangered Australian industry.

The plan is a mess. It's based on questionable science. And by failing to act, the federal government is allowing wealthy traders to reap enormous profits at the expense of farmers who can’t make ends meet.

There's an opportunity now to find a better, more equitable way to manage water in Australia. If that opportunity is not seized, the death of the dairy industry will become a dark legacy for the Prime Minister in years to come.

Read statements from the MDBA and a spokesperson for the NSW Minister for Industry here.

A senior North Korean official has met with a special envoy from the Swedish government in Pyongyang amid speculations the visit may be related to the disappearance of Australian student Alek Sigley.

The Vice Chairman of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea Ri Su-yong met and spoke with Special Envoy Kent Rolf Magnus Harstedt, official North Korean news agency KCNA reported without providing details.

The meeting came a day after Harstedt met with North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho, with whom he discussed the development of bilateral relations and the current situation on the Korean Peninsula, KCNA said.

Harstedt and his team arrived in Pyongyang on Monday and were received by Kim Yong-nam who until April served as North Korea's honorary president, although KCNA has not reported on the duration or purpose of the visit.

The visit comes at a time of intense speculation about the alleged arrest in North Korea of the 28-year-old Sigley, a masters student in Korean literature at Kim Il-sung University in Pyongyang, who has been missing since last week and whose whereabouts Canberra has failed to verify.

Australia and North Korea maintain diplomatic relations but do not have embassies in their respective territories, giving rise to speculations that Canberra could be investigating this matter with Sweden, which has a diplomatic delegation in Pyongyang.

Sigley, from Perth, had been active on Twitter where he has documented his life as a student in Pyongyang since late 2018.

His last tweet, dated June 24, was about the famous Ryugyong Hotel, a gigantic unfinished luxury complex that began to be constructed in Pyongyang in the late 1980s and of which Sigley took a few photos from the outside.

Sigley's family became concerned on June 27 after they were unable to contact him on Whatsapp, as was customary.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Tuesday that Sigley's disappearance was a "troubling and concerning situation and we are using every effort to locate him and hopefully bring him home safely."

If confirmed, this would be the first known arrest of a foreigner in North Korea since that of American student Otto Warmbier, who was sentenced to 15 years hard labour for allegedly stealing a propaganda poster during his visit to Pyongyang in December 2015.

A year and a half later, Warmbier was repatriated to the United States in a coma and died six days later on June 19, 2017.

Four teenagers have been charged after they allegedly assaulted an elderly woman and stole her car at a Logan City shopping centre in South East Queensland.

Police allege two girls approached the 73-year-old woman from Crestmead in the car park at Browns Plains at about 2.30pm yesterday, with one pushing the woman before grabbing her keys and throwing them to the other girl.

The second girl allegedly drove off in the sedan, picking up the other girl and two male teenagers on the way.

Police parked behind the stolen car about an hour later at a shopping centre car park in Crestmead, before the driver allegedly reversed into the patrol car before several teenagers ran off.

One girl remained in the car and allegedly rammed the shopping strip before smashing into a ute next to her with two young children inside.

No one was injured.

The youths were caught a short time later and all were charged.

A 19-year-old Adare man was given police bail and was due to face Beenleigh Magistrates Court today but did not appear, while a 17-year-old Logan Reserve girl, a 16-year-old Boronia Heights boy and a 14-year-old Harristown girl will be dealt with under the Youth Justice Act.

A young journalist who hit a cyclist with a $350,000 sports car she was test driving has been sentenced to a year in jail.

Last May, Amelia Hungerford was behind the wheel of a McLaren sports car in Ku-ring-gai Chase when she hit a cyclist, 2GB revealed at the time.

The cyclist, James Tan, suffered injuries to his face and legs, and was rushed to hospital in a serious condition.

Hungerford, 28, was working for Signature Luxury Travel & Style and was test driving the $350,000 vehicle as part of a media junket.

This week she was sentenced to 12 months behind bars, with a non-parole period of seven months.

She was granted bail and is appealing the severity of the sentence.

A Gold Coast car enthusiast claims his luxury car was stolen by a serial fraudster who was recently released from jail.

Hugo Calvert was contacted via Gumtree by a man who claimed he was an IT expert and asked about his 2000 Porsche Boxter.

The pair met up for a test drive and the man then agreed to buy the car for $17,000, paid by cheque.

By the time Mr Calvert discovered the cheque had bounced, the man had already taken off with his car.

A business card he was given featured the address for an IT shop in Surfers Paradise which is currently for lease and the mobile phone number provided went unanswered.

Mr Calvert told 9News he believes the man who scammed him is convicted fraudster Bradley Strauch.

Strauch, dubbed the ‘baby-faced scammer’, was arrested in 2016 after scamming victims of their cars through Gumtree, giving false payments and pretending to be a doctor.

He spent two years in prison and was released back onto the Gold Coast in April.

Police are investigating.

The brother of slain ISIS fighter Khaled Sharrouf has been charged over sickening domestic violence allegations at his home in Sydney’s south west. 

Arken Abdul Rahim Sharrouf, 32, is facing serious assault charges after an alleged attack yesterday, left his 27-year-old partner with 10 broken ribs, two broken vertebrae and a fractured left eye socket. 

Sharrouf is also charged with choking his partner and forcibly shaving her head. 

Police said the woman turned up to Riverwood Police Station just after 10 last night.  

She had severe injuries to her face and was treated by NSW ambulance paramedics at the station. 

Police arrested Arken Sharrouf at a nearby home on Belmore Road at Peakhurst.

He was charged with intentionally choking a person without consent, common assault, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and assault occasioning grievous bodily harm.

Sharrouf didn’t appear before the magistrate at Sutherland Local Court today.

Instead his lawyer Omar Juweinat asked that his client be seen by mental health staff from Justice Health to be treated for schizophrenia.

On the night of the incident, police refused bail for Mr Sharrouf, alleging he has links to a terrorist organisation, is the brother of a known deceased terrorist and has previously travelled to the Middle East to support terrorist organisations. 

Police also claim to hold fears for the safety of the alleged victim, if Sharrouf is released on bail. 

Arken Sharrouf’s older brother, Khaled Sharrouf, was an ISIS fighter who was killed in an air strike in Syria in 2017. 

Arken Sharrouf’s domestic violence matter returns to court next week. 

National Domestic Violence Service: 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732). If you are in immediate danger call triple zero (000).