For the better part of six decades, slipping into a structured Cue suit was a rite of passage for the Australian corporate woman.

Cue was the brand that defined modern professional dressing, from the boardroom to after-hours events.

Today, that brand is hanging by a thread.

The spectacular unravelling of Cue Clothing ∼ and its sister label Veronika Maine ∼ into administration last month marks the end of an empire.

Founded in 1968 by Rod Levis to capture a growing demographic of women entering the workforce, Cue once boasted a footprint of more than 230 stores and concessions across Australia and New Zealand.

Now that number has dwindled to just 51, with receivers FTI Consulting already planning to shutter at least five of those locations.

David Briskin, former chief executive of Sass & Bide, neatly summarised the mood across the industry to Financial Review, noting that the collapse is very sad for the state of Australian retail.

But nostalgia doesn't pay the rent and one retail expert argues the brand's downfall was a self-inflicted wound born of an inability to read the room.

Cue was undeniably the IT-girl brand at its cultural peak, according to Jana Bowden, professor of marketing at Macquarie University.

But fashion changed, and Cue didn't get the memo, Prof Bowden told news.com.au.

The pandemic rewired women's work wardrobes, dissolving the barrier between office and home hours and ushering in a hybrid reality.

It's no longer about how formal and powerful can I look - which was the core of the Cue identity, Prof Bowden said.

Women's workwear is now more about casualisation and how comfy can I be from desk to school pick up, parent duties and dinner.

With female workforce participation hitting record highs of around 63%, women are juggling careers alongside the lion's share of unpaid domestic care, the professor said.

Women don't want restrictive, synthetic heavy and rigid structured clothes to rule their multi-tasking lives; they want comfort, simplicity and everyday, she said.

“Traditional corporate wear is a thing of the past reserved only for the most formal of occasions but certainly not the modern workplace.

We have changed how we see the world - we have a lifestyle approach.

Cue failed to change with the times while premium mainstays like Country Road, Witchery, Saba and AJE successfully pivoted, Prof Bowden said.

Hell, even stalwart lifestyle and resort wear brands like Camilla are entering the fray with silk suits for workwear, she added.

Cue, meanwhile, couldn't let go of the stiff, edgy London mod movement and brand image it had historically tied itself to.

That within-company discontent Prof Bowden referred to wasn't just everyday bickering.

It was a full-blown family succession war playing out in the Supreme Court of New South Wales.

At the centre of the storm was Justin Levis, the son of Cue founder Rod Levis.

For years, Justin served as the company's executive director and, as The Australian Financial Review noted, had anticipated taking the reins of the 58-year-old empire alongside his sister, Melanie.

Instead, a dispute erupted over succession plans for the business.

In a blistering public statement shared with fashion trade publication Ragtrader in April last year, Justin Levis revealed he was suing his parents, seeking a constructive trust over up to 50% of the Cue Clothing Company. The legal dispute is ongoing.

After nearly three decades of leadership, I hold no ownership stake in the company I helped build, Justin said at the time, describing the situation as devastating.

… while I respect his (Rod's) legacy and the business he built, it is inconceivable that my indispensable decades of leadership, strategic direction and personal sacrifices have been disregarded and erased.

The business was sold to British-based investor Hilco Capital by the Levis family in April last year.

Hilco described the receivership as a disappointing outcome but the only course of action available under the circumstances.

The receivers said that notwithstanding an increase in sales and other improvements across the group, these were insufficient to mitigate the impact of overhead costs currently in the business.

A sale process seeking offers for the business as a going concern will also be launched.

STORY: Harrison Christian.

Nearly 60 dead ibis at one of Bendigo's best-known lakes have triggered fresh concern over bird flu, with authorities now testing samples to find out whether H5N1 has reached Lake Weeroona.

Wildlife rescuers were first called to Lake Weeroona in Bendigo, about 150km northwest of Melbourne, on Wednesday after reports of an ibis that appeared sick near a small island within the lake.

By the time crews finished their search, 59 birds had been found dead, adding to fears that Victoria's avian influenza outbreak may be pushing further inland.

On Thursday, Bendigo Wildlife Rescue warned the public not to go near affected animals while testing was under way.

Today, Bendigo Wildlife Rescue responded to reports of an ibis that appeared unwell and lethargic at Lake Weeroona, the group posted on Facebook.

At that point, the rescue service reported 15 dead birds and three sick birds that had been taken in for care and were awaiting testing.

Since then, the number of dead birds located at the lake has climbed sharply.

The Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action confirmed samples from dead birds provided through a local veterinary clinic would be assessed at a laboratory, while officers based in Bendigo had attended the site.

Recognising that H5 bird flu cannot be controlled in wild populations, Victoria's response is focused on reducing impacts where practical, a DEECA spokesperson said.

STORY: Andrew Hedgman.

Cult minimalist makeup brand MERIT has officially made its bricks-and-mortar debut down under, landing in 37 Sephora stores across Australia and New Zealand.

The viral beauty label, which first launched down under as a direct-to-consumer online store in 2024, expands its footprint this week as beauty lovers rush to swatch and shop the line-up in person.

Hype around the rollout peaked on Wednesday as eager shoppers queued at select Sephora locations - including Bondi Junction, Pitt Street, Chadstone, Melbourne Central, and Pacific Fair - to score opening-day giveaways for the first 100 customers, gifts with purchase, and free arrival coffees.

Photos captured inside the stores show huge crowds packed around the brand-new MERIT displays, eager to get their hands on products priced mostly between $38 and $65.

Shoppers were seen crowded around the dedicated MERIT stands, testing complexion shades and taking photos of the sleek, minimalist packaging.

The physical debut marks a major shift for local fans, giving them a chance to avoid online guesswork when matching foundation stick shades or choosing between bronzers and blushes.

Beauty insiders describe MERIT as minimalist luxury", which has helped build its massive cult following globally.

For those wondering what to buy first, the brand's famous '5-minute morning routine' is the ultimate introduction to the minimalist range - all for under $300.

Designed specifically for beauty lovers on the go, the routine promises a full, glowing face of makeup in just five minutes.

The Minimalist Perfecting Complexion Stick ($63) is the hero product of the speedy line-up, featuring a cream foundation-concealer hybrid formula that applies directly to the skin and blends seamlessly.

It can be layered for sheer-to-medium coverage across the entire face or used simply as a targeted spot concealer for a more natural look.

Ed: I would need a bucket full!

STORY: Eleanor Wicklund.

With the countdown on to the 30th anniversary of the late princess' death, could the Duchess of Sussex be in line to play a major part?

Just call 2027 annus documenatarius.

If there are two words stalking the royal family this week they are 'Diana documentary'. Who's making one, who's not, who might have had a top secret meeting about another, who's been quietly hunched over a MacBook clacking away at a script that could conservatively be worth squillions.

Next year, for the royal family, is going to be definitely horribilis.

Documentary number one will be coming from Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex.

For the last year, there has been ongoing speculation that the duke could be getting set to make a film about his mother Diana, Princess of Wales to mark the 30th anniversary of her death next year, however finally last week came word from the top of the mount.

Sources busily told The Telegraph that Harry has started approaching the princess' old friends and family members about taking part in a possible doco though nothing has been finalised or confirmed.

Then there is the question of a second documentary, from her other son Prince William.

While back in 2007 and 2017 the boys, as they are still called despite creeping bald spots and penchants for a nice supportive arch, worked on first a concert and then two documentaries to honour Diana, this time around, given the Arctic tundra that now exists between them, clearly will not.

So, with Harry gearing up for his, the obvious question was, would William put out his own competing screen take?

The answer: How loud can you make a vehement 'no'?

A really emotional Prince of Wales has firmly quashed any notion he might try to beat his brother at his own TV game and when it comes to marking next year's anniversary he is, The Times has reported, most likely to mark it privately.

However a single line in TThe Times, reporting that William had a meeting with Matt Brittin, the BBC's director-general, raises another possibility.

That while the prince might not appear on camera or explicitly put his name to a project, he might give the nod to some of his mother's friends who have held their tongues and maintained dignified silence for decades to take part or offer support in the form of, say, releasing a few never before seen photos of Diana.

According to The Times regarding the meeting, there was much to discuss.

Meanwhile, there could be a further plot twist to Harry's doco — could Meghan, The Duchess be in line for a starring role?

The Royalist's Tom Sykes, via his YouTube channel, has revealed he had heard A very interesting rumour … that Meghan wants to narrate Harry's film about Diana.

Bang, crash, wallop, cymbal clash.

If this did come to pass, can you imagine the sudden dramatic increase in china breakages inside King Charles and Queen Camilla's Clarence House?

There are no outsiders who have done more to rock the royal boat over the last 50 years than these two women.

It's nearly spooky the alignment in their experiences, both women who married into the monarchy only to profoundly suffer inside a calcified institution that felt threatened by their popularity, star power and naturalness out meeting the hoi and the polloi.

If Meghan were to take part in the Diana show, it would even further intertwine their narratives and really solidify the image of Crown Inc as fundamentally ruthless and callous, having learnt nothing since that terrible night in August 1997. (Nor would it be her first time in such a role, having recorded the voice over for Disney's Elephant in 2019.)

The duchess' participation, in a Diana doco, if it were to happen, would have to leave William spitting all and every chip available.

On the Meghan part, we will have to wait and see but in the meantime, 11 months out, battle lines are being drawn.

On one side we have Harry and his uncle Earl Spencer, the newly christened bête noire of Buckingham Palace.

The earl has been busy pushing his own Diana barrow, earlier this month releasing his controversial biography Swan Song in which he alleges that Charles, on finding out his ex-wife had been killed, sounded like he'd just discovered all his numbers had come up, even the powerball.

Recollections? Golly do they vary.

The Palace pushed by trying to tar and feather him and say he's a little bit Jatz crackers. (William's feelings, sources told the Times, about his uncle's book are of multigenerational fury, whatever that quite might mean.)

Kicking the countdown to the anniversary off, last week saw the earl row across the lake to the private island where his sister is buried while People's cameras filmed him, a charming taste of what might lie ahead.

The earl also controls access to Diana's burial place, on an island in the middle of the ornamental lake at Althorp, their ancestral seat in Northamptonshire, making him an even more important ally.

On the other side of the aisle there are Diana's sisters, Lady Jane Fellowes and Lady Sarah McCorquodale, who, Earl Spencer has said, are still digesting his decision to write a book about the princess and who were hurt that I hadn't told them [before].

Having resolutely not spoken about their sister since the 70s, it's hard to see them champing at the bit to help Harry stay on Netflix's good side.

And that is the last complicating factor in all this, all the cold hard readies that could be involved.

Harry's motivation to celebrate his mother, his devotion and love for her and his desire to honour her groundbreaking charity work, should never be questioned. This man clearly feels and feels very deeply, having repeatedly described himself as my mother's son.

But even dukes need, to quote eminent scholars, the Wu-Tang Clan, dollar-dollar-dollar-dollar-dollar bills.

Last year the Sussexes' contract with Netflix was downgraded to a first-look deal, as similarly happened to the Obamas. Unfortunately for the duke and duchess, their five years on the streamer's books saw them turn out a procession of gobble gobble turkeys like, Live to Lead and Polo.

The exception of course was the mega hit Harry & Meghan, six hours of actual HRHs dishing the dirt on the royal family like people with new spades to break in.

Another royal project and even more so a Diana one, would catapult them back into Netflix's good graces and to the top of the streaming charts and which could be worth Croesus kinda cash.

And as Wu-Tang told us, It takes money for a king to have a queen, It takes money for the king to buy her ring, It takes money for a castle … especially when your Pa won't just give you one anymore.

STORY: Daniela Elser.

Australians can expect to see higher prices and more small businesses going under from today if a major move that was supposed to save consumers money backfires as spectacularly as hospitality figures predict.

When the clock struck midnight last night, it ushered in a new era in how Aussies pay for goods and services, with surcharges for credit and debit cards officially scrapped from today (October 1).

The move, announced by the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) in March, was touted as a win for transparency in pricing and worth $1.6 billion in savings for consumers.

But critics of the move say Australians would now simply be paying more for everyday items, and again on major expenses like council rate bills as a result of the change.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese this week celebrated the move in a social media post.

Your coffee shouldn't cost extra just because you've paid by card, the post reads.

That's why from October card surcharges will be banned. Saving you money every time you tap.

But Sydney restaurant owner Peter Papas said it was farcical to suggest customers would be paying less, because the fees were not disappearing — just moving elsewhere.

They haven't got rid of the charge, he said.

“They've moved it out of a separate line item on your receipt into the price of the goods.

So, answer this Prime Minister, why is every hospitality venue I'm in contact with reprinting their menus and increasing their pricing as of October 1st?

Ed: Another no-brainer, Albo!

STORY: Heath Parkes-Hupton.

Prince William has rejected offers to participate in films marking the 30th anniversary of his mother's death next year in a bid to avoid being pitted against his brother.

According to The Times, the Prince of Wales has declined several offers to make or appear in documentaries about the late Princess of Wales, who died in a car accident in 1997.

The report comes just days after it was revealed that Prince Harry is planning to produce his own film tribute to their mother.

Harry is understood to be keen to mark the anniversary by honouring her legacy in the most meaningful way, as sources told The Telegraph last week.

It's understood he approached a number of friends and relatives, including his uncle Charles Spencer, to appear in his documentary.

It was referenced by Earl Spencer in his controversial new memoir, Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, in which he wrote that he had declined a series of offers for projects related to his sibling, including from his nephew.

As has now been reported, William is staying well away from any similar tributes so as to avoid any potential further conflict with Harry, with whom he has been estranged for years.

The brothers joined forces back in 2017 for a documentary in honour of the 20th anniversary of their mother's death and is understood to view that as his public catharsis, as The Times reports.

Furthermore, sources close to William told the publication that he found his uncle's new memoir difficult to process, as it contains a series of explosive allegations about his father and the rest of his family.

Insiders also told The Times that next year's anniversary will be a difficult situation for the prince, who is still really emotional about losing his mother.

The insight into William's mindset follows a dramatic month for the royal family, which has seen the unexpected return to the UK by Harry and Meghan, as well as the publication of Swan Song.

STORY: Bronte Coy.

Now research has revealed just how bad Australia's housing affordability crisis is, especially when compared to the rest of the world.

Australia has certainly been one of the countries that has seen the strongest growth in house prices compared to income and some of the worst affordability outcomes, CBA chief economist Luke Yeaman told news.com.au.

Canada is the other country that stands out as being particularly challenging but some of our big cities rank among the least affordable in the world.

The data paints a severe picture.

Research from SEC Newgate and the Growth Distillery has exposed the true extent of the housing affordability crisis. The National Housing Affordability Project research revealed 55% of Australians expect housing affordability to get worse over the next 12 months and 59% expect rental affordability to deteriorate.

Independent research consultancy Demographia benchmarks housing affordability using a scale that divides median house price by gross median household income. Markets scoring 5.1 times or above are deemed severely unaffordable, while scores of 9.0 times or higher are classified as impossibly unaffordable.

Australia dominated, as the only country in the world to have four capital cities on the international list of least affordable major housing markets.

Sydney ranked as the second least affordable city globally, behind only Hong Kong. A typical Sydney home costs 13.8 to 14.0 times the median household's pre-tax income, which puts it ahead of Vancouver, San Jose and Los Angeles — all known for a lack of affordability.

The research from SEC Newgate and the Growth Distillery found simultaneous cost-of-living crises and increasing interest rates have left even those with a foothold in the market struggling to make ends meet, with Australians liquidating long-term security to stay afloat.

Just 19% have accessed superannuation early, 15% have sold shares and 14% have sold motor vehicles to cover housing costs.

Half of Australians (50%) state housing pressures have directly hurt their ability to build long-term wealth, a number that surges to 67% for Gen Z and 64% for Millennials.

STORY: Bek Day.

Sisters of the Valley, a group of activist weed nuns who grow cannabis in California and who are not associated with any traditional religion, are now exploring plans to launch an Aussie branch of the growing international sisterhood movement.

The group's founder, Sister Kate, revealed she had already been in discussions with Australian investors, advocates and members of the medicinal cannabis community during a sit-down interview with news.com.au on a sunny late spring morning on a picturesque rural Californian farm, which took place as the Sisters smoked cannabis.

We would love to have an Australian chapter, Sister Kate said.

We do have lists of women that are interested in joining us when we can figure out how to do that.

We're looking at creating a ministry structure that can help support that and it's going to be a global ministry.

Who are the Sisters of the Valley?

Founded in 2015, the Sisters of the Valley describe themselves as a modern sisterhood rooted in social justice, women's independence and plant-based medicine".

The organisation says it draws inspiration from the medieval Beguines - communities of independent lay Christian women who focused on self-sufficiency, charity and herbal healing without joining the formal Catholic Church.

When news.com.au visited the group's California headquarters, Sister Camilla welcomed us with a cleansing ritual before entering the property, where cannabis plants grow alongside vegetable gardens and communal living spaces.

The collective has built a large international following through social media, documentary appearances and its distinctive image, with Sister Kate saying Australians have become some of its most engaged supporters.

STORY: Robert White in California.

After against-the-odds wins over South Sydney, the New Zealand Warriors and Penrith, with just 12 men for the entire second half, the Knights came painstakingly close to grand final glory.

In the end a point was the difference on the scoreboard in the 19-18 defeat but the Knights were under the pump for most of the 80 minutes.

They kept fighting and gave an insight into what the young group of men is capable of in the future.

“I've never watched a harder game of footy, Holbrook said post-match.

“I'm just so proud. But you just felt for them. They were coming off their own line facing baseball bats there and if you can win anything on heart and effort, then we definitely won that.

“It was the hardest game of footy I've ever coached, just watching our side come off our tryline the whole time.

But you don't win off being proud. You win off being the better side, and we weren't the better side today and we didn't win.

The Roosters' line speed and power through the middle almost suffocated the Knights, who were forced to bring the ball out of their own end time after time.

The resilience and non-stop effort was the measuring stick in a season where they went from collecting the wooden spoon to showing they are a genuine premiership force, despite losing leaders Jacob Saifiti, Phoenix Crossland, Dylan Brown and Trey Mooney to injury and suspension.

I'm extremely proud of the season that we've put together, Knights captain Kalyn Ponga said.

“Multiple times a lot of people counted us out, but internally we knew what we had, not what we didn't have.

“We got excited about our footy. We got excited about the people that we represent, and I think we represented them proudly.

“There's so much to look forward to. I know this obviously hurts and the ultimate goal is to win a premiership, and our fans want that so bad.

But you look at the youth that's coming through, you look at our starting pack tonight, and our back-rowers, there's so much to look forward to, and although this feeling hurts, definitely remember it, definitely use it.

STORY: Renee Valentine.

In its Newcastle debut, acrobatic production Wolf hit the Civic Theatre stage on Friday night and this afternoon with a mix of artistry and primal instincts.

A cast of 10 artists will tear, climb, grasp, leap and balance with fierce abandon, according to the show's blurb.

Director Yaron Lifschitz said the production delivered an evolution of intense choreographies that overflowed with raw energy and astounding physicality".

If your arts appreciation nerve endings were somehow cauterised at birth such that, after the weekend's barnstorming New Annual opener, you found yourself thinking 'it's cool, but needs more dinosaur', then rest easy.

In the first instance, you have our sympathies. In the second, New Annual has dinosaurs.

Of course, it is New Annual — Newcastle's flagship arts festival, celebrated for pushing the boundaries of culture and performance to platform revelatory new voices in a showcase of regional creativity — so, the dinosaurs wear crocs.

STORY: Simon McCarthy.

The government said last week it hadn't received the report, which is a key political issue over whether the rescue service will get a taxpayer-funded five-year contract to continue its operations next year.

The Newcastle Herald asked NSW Health, NSW Ambulance, Health Minister Ryan Park and the rescue service for comment on what the report found and how they will deal with the governance and safety issues.

The government did not respond, but a spokesperson for the rescue service said it remains committed to providing a comprehensive update to the community and will not make further comment at this time.

Why hasn't the government released this report?" Greens health spokesperson Amanda Cohn asked.

Is it because the serious issues with the private provider have not been resolved? Dr Cohn said.

If there is any doubt, this contract worth over $500 million should not be renewed and there should be an open tender process for alternative operators to be considered.

The rescue service, which has bases at Belmont, Lismore and Tamworth and its administration at Broadmeadow, operates under a 10-year contract with NSW Ambulance on behalf of NSW Health.

The contract ends in May next year but there's an option for a five-year extension.

The government has to decide on the contract by November because, if the existing operator loses the contract over the allegations, a six-month period would be needed for a new tender and due diligence to avoid any loss of public service.

The service costs about $60 million a year to run, of which about $41 million was funded by the NSW government and grants, 2025 financial statements show.

The Herald has been told the rescue service gave the government a redacted version of the sensitive report months ago, which prompted Mr Park and NSW Ambulance to demand the unredacted report.

When the Herald asked Mr Park about the issue last week, he said we are advised the report has been finalised and expect to receive it in due course.

Yesterday, the government did not deny that the health ministry had the report three weeks ago.

Whistleblower Stacey Price raised concerns about the rescue service through the parliamentary inquiry into the Mater hospital, which was examining failures of public-private partnerships.

Ms Price, who worked for the rescue service from 2018 to 2024, told the inquiry she was sexually harassed and bullied after she raised concerns about safety compliance.

Ms Price told the Herald that the full findings of the report, which contains a review of allegations against the rescue service, should be made public with redactions to protect the identities and privacy of participants.

She said the terms of reference and scope of the review should also be made public, so people can see what was examined and what was not.

The Mater inquiry, chaired by Dr Cohn, recommended that NSW Ambulance not extend its contract with the rescue service unless it was satisfied with workplace safety.

The inquiry report also recommended that NSW Ambulance ensure a transparent investigation.

The NSW Ambulance Advisory Board last month raised concerns about a lack of transparency at the rescue service.

The advisory board expressed serious concerns about the possibility of a further five-year contract with NSW Health, minutes from the board's August meeting show.

The board was concerned about the safety and wellbeing of ambulance staff and patients. It asked that its concerns be passed on to NSW Health secretary Susan Pearce.

STORY: Damon Cronshaw.

Home prices across regional Australia dropped by 0.7% in September, compared with a 1.2% drop across capital cities.

The median dwelling value, which covers both houses and apartments, now sits at $758,931 according to the Cotality Home Value Index.

The regional markets have been more insulated than the capital cities but are not completely resilient to the falling values, Cotality research director Tim Lawless said.

The combined regionals index is down 2.2% since its peak in May, whereas capital city values are down 6.4% from an earlier peak back in March but we're definitely seeing consistent falls now across regional Australia, he said.

NSW, Victoria and Queensland have seen the biggest fall-off in prices, with Western Australia still on the rise.

NSW, Victoria and Queensland are clearly in a downturn with a lot of that weighted towards major regional centres, Mr Lawless said.

In the Illawarra we've seen values down 5.2% from their peak back in April this years while Newcastle and Lake Macquarie is down 4.1% from an April peak as well.

In September the median price dropped to $1.035m, down 1.5% in the Illawarra.

In Newcastle and Lake Macquarie the median home value sits at $1.008m, after dropping 0.7% in September.

Despite the drop, prices were still not as badly affected in those cities as compared with the NSW capital.

We're not seeing values down as much as what they are in Sydney, which is down 8.6% from a February peak but it still seems to be following the same type of trend.

Continued population growth to regional Australia and relative affordability were two factors which Mr Lawless said could contribute to regional prices staying stronger than capital city counterparts.

There are more people arriving than leaving in a lot of parts of regional Australia and we can also still see a bit of an affordability advantage in these markets as well, he said.

Even without the changes of the federal budget and higher interest rates the market was already slowing ahead of rate hikes due to things like affordability, Mr Lawless said.

He did not foresee investor activity returning to previous levels and expected the RBA to be cautious in any rate cutting.

I think the rate cutting cycle, when it eventually starts to show up, is going to be a very cautious one, he said.

Given the RBA's commentary around getting inflation back to target it is going to take some time.

STORY: Jen Melocco.

Knights fans were out in force on Tuesday morning in the hopes of getting their hands on a grand final shirt ahead of Sunday's big dance.

Queues for the Knights supporters store stretched around the corner as far as the trotting track car park by 9am.

Fans reported trying to snag a shirt online and finding their size had sold out while it was still in the cart for checkout.

Madi and Connor Hill made the trek into the store from Singleton with eight-week-old Lenny and their daughter Bindi after they were unable to secure their kit online.

We missed out so we packed up the kids and drove the hour in and luckily we were able to get some, she said.

Ms Hill said she would likely be watching the game from home on the couch with the kids wrapped in their red and blue.

The hubby will be working so he will be listening on the radio but we will be on the couch yelling at the TV.

She said the grand final will be special for her because it reminded her of her family and their stories of the finals in 1997 and 2001.

STORY: Dylan Nicholson.

Older Australians tend to sit on a pillow, or use pillows and other things for comfort, which then adjusts the seatbelt and that's how they're getting fined, Khoury said.

Our bigger concern is the enormous percentage of people, the overwhelming percentage of people, who are anchored into the seatbelt but getting fined because they're not wearing their seatbelts properly.

For a multitude of reasons, that's happening. That was our biggest concern when we saw the data.

According to NRMA data, 88% of NSW fines in 2024-2025 were people who were buckled up.

So 88% of all those fines are actually people who are wearing their seatbelt ∼ it's anchored in ∼ but it's not over their shoulder. It's under their arm.

NRMA's recent Buckle Up Right report called for an immediate public education campaign on correct seatbelt use.

Khoury said he will like the campaign to focus on vulnerable demographics, such as pregnant women and older Australians.

The first thing we want the government to do is run a comprehensive campaign reminding people of the rule, he said.

The rule is that just being anchored in is not enough.

STORY: Carla Mascarenhas.

Flying winger Dominic Young, who has now scored in all three NRL finals so far this year, says: It still doesn't feel real.

Ever-reliable lock Mat Croker, who has played every single game of this campaign, sums it up simply with one word: Proud.

Greg Marzhew, that's who, even admits: I think a few of the boys are ready to make history.

Newcastle Knights has qualified for an NRL grand final for the first time in 25 years and only 12 months after collecting the wooden spoon.

Here's what Knights players had to say after Sunday's down-to-12-men and come-from-behind victory over minor premiers the Penrith Panthers at a red-and-blue washed Accor Stadium. The score ended up 22-14.

The 35-year-old centre, who has played 339 NRL games and 23 Origins and a World Cup, opened up after full-time and ahead of his second GF appearance.

It's up there with possibly the greatest performance from a team that I've ever been apart of, Dane Gagai said amid celebrations at Olympic Park yesterday.

“Especially with that age bracket, some of those younger guys like Cody Hopwood, Fletcher Sharpe and all of these guys in the team and just that never-say-die attitude.

“That sort of what makes us who we are and our unity as Newcastle Knights and as a town, that's the people and a never-give-up attitude.

That performance is right up there with one of the greatest wins of my career.

October 4 against the Roosters will mark Gagai's last outing for Newcastle before he joins the Broncos next season.

STORY: Josh Callinan.

A car allegedly driven by 18-year-old P-plater Indika Bambrick Samarasinghe careered into a crowd and 10 people were left injured near a major roundabout on Saturday morning.

There were six people taken to John Hunter hospital with injuries caused by the collision, according to the Hunter New England Local Health District chief executive, Tracey McCosker as of 4pm Sunday, five people were in a stable condition.

A five-year-old girl who had been placed into an induced coma with critical injuries, although her condition has stabilised.

Samarasinghe was taken to hospital for mandatory testing and subsequently charged with nine offences, including dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm, negligent driving and causing bodily harm by misconduct.

He did not make any application for release during a brief court appearance yesterday, and he was formally refused bail. The judge also endorsed a warrant for a health assessment.

The bail court was told the most serious offence of dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm carried a maximum jail term of seven years.

He will next appear at the Newcastle local court on October 15.

Chris Clancy was among those injured in the crash, after joining thousands of Newcastle Knights fans to lined the streets to farewell their team as the players travelled to Sydney for the Grand Final.

We're there at the roundabout having fun — cars going past, beeping their horns, people waving, Clancy said.

“The next thing, this car stops [at] the roundabout and then he just floored it on the wet ground, lost it.

It happened in seconds, but when you stand there, seeing the car coming at you, I honestly thought I was going to die. It just felt like slow motion.

Clancy suffered small fractures in his ribs and spine, a broken collarbone, and small fractures in his foot.

STORY: AAP and Andrew Messenger