The mother of Beau Lamarre-Condon, the former police officer accused of killing a Sydney couple, has been arrested and charged for allegedly trying to influence an important witness in his double murder trial.

Homicide Squad detectives charged 63-year-old Coleen Lamarre today after she allegedly attempted to influence a key witness to change their evidence in the trial over the alleged murders of Jesse Baird and Luke Davies.

She was arrested at her Balmain home this morning at 11.15am and was taken to Day Street Police Station.

READ MORE: Police reveal 'distressing' finds in increasingly desperate search for Sharon

Lamarre was charged with intending to pervert the course of justice.

She was refused bail and will appear in court tomorrow.

More to come. 

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Warning: This story contains details and content that some readers may find distressing.

A pair of children's underwear believed to be Sharon Granites' and a shirt worn by her suspected abductor have been found, police have revealed, as the search for the Alice Springs girl grows increasingly desperate.

The five-year-old has been missing since Saturday night, when she was put to bed some time before 11pm at a house in the Old Timers Camp where she and her mother had been visiting.

She was last seen nearby holding hands with Jefferson Lewis at 11.30pm with police today confirming they believe he led the little girl away from the camp.

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Lewis had been released from jail just six days earlier, charged for violent offences including assault and domestic violence.

Police found the items of clothing on the riverbank at the back of the Old Timers Camp where Sharon was last seen on Sunday, but have only just revealed their findings.

Northern Territory Assistant Police Commissioner Peter Malley said the shirt found by police is Lewis' "distinctive" yellow and black shirt captured on police bodycam footage when officers visited the Old Timers Camp earlier on Saturday for an unrelated mental health call out.

A doona cover was also found alongside the shirt and children's underwear.

Malley said the possibility that Sharon had been allegedly sexually assaulted was "certainly on the table".

The items of clothing and the doona have been sent away for forensic examination, with the findings expected tomorrow.

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NT Police Commissioner Martin Dole said Sharon's family are "distressed" by the findings and is being supported by authorities.

"She is a very affectionate little girl loved by her family, so it's just a horrible thing that they are going through at the moment," he said in an update from Alice Springs this afternoon.

There have been no other confirmed sightings or traces of either Sharon or Jefferson Lewis since Sunday, which Malley described as "very unusual".

This has prompted police to suspect that community members may be sheltering Lewis.

"There are people in the community who aren't telling us what we need to hear, which is very frustrating when we believe that serious offences have been committed," he said.

"When we do get him – and it's only a matter of time – they could be in strife as well."

Despite this, police maintain that Sharon may yet be alive, saying she may have wandered away from Lewis and become lost in the bush.

"As time goes on, the chances of finding little Sharon alive reduce," he said.

Around 100 community volunteers have now joined in the hunt for the little girl, now in its fourth day, assisted by helicopters and drones which are scouring the "rough" terrain.

"This man doesn't have a telephone, he doesn't have a bank account, he doesn't have a car," Malley said.

"We are going back to 1930s policing without that digital footprint… we are knocking on doors, we are going through houses.

"It is old-style policing and it is a hard slog."

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Lewis had previously worn an ankle monitor, police said, providing potential

The widening manhunt has also reached interstate, with Western Australian police contacting Lewis' wife and children in Bolga, who police say are cooperating with authorities.

Malley called on anyone in the community with information about either Sharon or Lewis to contact authorities immediately.

Support is available from the National Sexual Assault, Domestic and Family Violence Counselling Service at 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732)

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He was a pivotal figure in securing a retrial and then a pardon for Arthur Thomas.

Winter’s on the way, but it might not follow the script.

Several activists stormed the stage before Prime Minister Anthony Albanese delivered a speech in Western Australia this morning.

Before the prime minister spoke at the Chamber of Minerals and Energy breakfast at the Westin Hotel in Perth, three people jumped on stage, shouting loud protests against a proposed expansion for a major oil project in the state.

The trio were quickly led away by security off the stage and out of the event.

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The protesters were later revealed to be part of the Disrupt Burrup Hub group, which is actively protesting against the expansion of Woodside's Burrup Hub in Karratha.

"Disrupt Burrup Hub! Block Browse!" one of the protesters, revealed by the group to be an 18-year-old man called Will, shouted.

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A female protester, 19, accused Woodside of committing "ecocide".

Disrupt Burrup Hub confirmed the trio were led away from the hotel and issued move-on notices.

The expansion of Woodside's assets in WA has caused controversy due to the potential impact on animal and marine life in the Browse Basin region, as well as important cultural sites potentially being damaged or destroyed.

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Speaking to reporters after the incident and after his speech, Prime Minister Albanese said he welcomed the protest, but said it had to be done in the "right way", though he did not specifically refer to this morning's events.

"People have a right to protest and by all means express their views, but they can do so in a way that is appropriate," he said, noting there had been an increase in threats towards him and other politicians.

"We need to turn the temperature down on public debate, there is no need for some of the positions that are put forward, in the manner which they are forwarded as well."

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Aussies are looking to fight back against shrinkflation, with more than half saying they would be willing to pay more to get more at cafes and restaurants.

Rising costs in hospitality are causing small businesses to either increase costs to cover for products getting more expensive, or shrink portion sizes so they spend less.

However, there are times where product or serving sizes will decrease but prices remain the same, which is referred to as "shrinkflation".

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In a money.com.au survey of 1000 Aussies last month, 56 per cent said they would prefer to pay more when dining out at cafes and restaurants, if it means they don't get less on their plates.

Nearly a quarter – 23 per cent – believe restaurants should absorb rising costs or cut costs in other areas of the business, rather than selling customers short.

Experts say as shrinkflation becomes more common, Aussies are becoming more perceptive of when it occurs.

"Shrinkflation can feel like businesses are trying to hoodwink customers and hope people won't notice they're getting only one piece of bacon instead of two with their eggs on toast for the same price they've always paid," money.com.au's Sean Callery said.

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He said people have become accustomed to it in supermarkets, but claims the situation in cafes and restaurants is different.

"In a café or restaurant, it's more of a leap of faith when you order that the portion size will be reasonable for the price and consistent," he said.

The survey found older Australians, Baby Boomers and Gen X, would be more willing to pay more to get more, but only 45 per cent of Gen Z surveyed held this view.

Gen Z also expect businesses to do more to absorb costs and not pass them on to the customer, potentially reflecting that they have less spending power than other generations.

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However, the cafe and restaurant industry argue they are in a lose-lose situation, being unable to absorb costs anymore.

CEO of the Australian Restaurant and Café Association (ARCA) Wes Lambert claimed portion sizes across the industry had remained consistent, but admitted some price rises had to be as high as 10 per cent.

"People would quickly notice if they were no longer satisfied, so reducing portion sizes is much harder to get away with," he added.

"It's very difficult to 'shrinkflate' in hospitality because portion sizes are often fixed by the vessel. A pint is a pint, a schooner is a schooner."

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At least 40 G8 Education childcare centres are set to shut across Australia.

In a statement today, the provider announced it will make an effort to respond to the challenges they say have impacted the entire sector following a dip in occupancy and trust following 'serious child safety incidents' in childcare centres across Australia involving a number of different operators, including G8.

It is not yet known what centres are to close.

"The early childhood education and care (ECEC) sector is experiencing unprecedented change and uncertainty, driven by a combination of socio and macro-economic factors, including evolving family demand, lower birth rates and changing operating conditions," the statement read.

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"Occupancy across the ECEC sector is lower compared to 2024 and 2025 due to families experiencing sustained affordability pressures, falling birth rates, increased long-day care supply and confidence being impacted by serious child safety incidents."

G8 is one of a number of operators in Victoria rocked by historical allegations of child abuse against accused paedophile Joshua Dale Brown.

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G8 said that operators in the field are also dealing with rising costs due to pressures across the economy, as well as changing compliance regulations and "a more complex operating environment".

"In this environment, G8 Education's focus remains firmly on safety, high-quality education and care, disciplined execution, as well as efficient and effective management of the areas within its control," G8 chief executive Pejman Okhovat said.

On April 24, occupancy at G8 centres saw a 7 per cent slump from the same day last year, dropping to 56.4 per cent, whilst total year-to-date occupancy fell 7.9 per cent to 56.1 per cent.

National Sexual Assault, Domestic Family Violence Counselling Service 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732).

Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800.

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Inflation has surged to its highest level in almost three years as borrowers brace for a potential third consecutive interest rate hike to start the year.

New data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics released this morning showed the consumer price index rose 4.6 per cent over the 12 months to March, up from 3.7 per cent in February.

While that was slightly lower than economists' expectations, it remains far higher than the Reserve Bank's target band of 2-3 per cent, and is the worst figure since 2023, when inflation was coming down from a peak of more than 7 per cent.

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The surge was driven primarily by skyrocketing petrol prices caused by the war in Iran and ensuing closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

According to the ABS, fuel costs rose a whopping 32.8 per cent in March – the highest monthly rise on record.

However, in a silver lining for borrowers fearing another rate hike, the trimmed mean – the RBA's preferred measure of underlying inflation – remained steady at 3.3 per cent.

Prior to today's data, financial markets had been pricing in a roughly three-quarters chance of an interest rate rise when the RBA's monetary policy board meets next week, and all big four banks are forecasting a hike.

Nine's Political Editor Charles Croucher said transport costs have been one of the key drivers of an unprecedented rise in monthly inflation.

"This is coming from the bowser, and it's jumping on board the inflation that was already outside the RBA's target band," Croucher said.

"We were already in a bad spot, this has just made it a whole lot worse."

Croucher warned that yet another rate hike at the Reserve Bank's May meeting is "almost inevitable".

Oxford Economics Australia economist Harry McAuley agreed that unwelcome rate announcements are likely to be on the agenda next month.

He said oil price shocks are a central bank's "worst nightmare" and that the RBA has a long road ahead to push the soaring inflation down.

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"But the longer the Strait remains closed, the fewer options the board will have; a prolonged closure would force the RBA's hand to hike rates multiple times this year to tame inflation and inflation expectations," McAuley said.

Inflation will get worse: Chalmers

The inflation figure may increase even further before it drops again as the Iran war continues, Treasurer Jim Chalmers said.

Chalmers addressed the media following the announcement of a 4.6 per cent inflation and offered a grim prediction for the next few months.

"This war could drive inflation up even higher before it comes back down again," he said.

"Treasury's expectation is that inflation is likely to peak higher than this, but they are still finalising their forecasts ahead of the budget next month."

But in a small triumph for the government's fuel-saving measures, Chalmers said inflation would have been even higher if the excise had not been halved.

"For the next couple of months, our fuel excise cut has been a very important factor, taking some of the sting out of fuel prices, and that's reflected in the movement in fuel prices," he added.

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