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On the weekend that Auckland businesswoman Elizabeth Zhong was stabbed to death her estranged business partner Fang Sun was supposed to be in the middle of a 10-day respite at a Waikato beach house. But when the manager of the Bookabach…

Police are calling for the person believed to be responsible for a hit and run death in Masterton to “unburden” themselves and come forward.Masterton Police are investigating the death of Lawziah Karaitiana, who was killed in the…

The battle over Labor leader Anthony Albanese's "absolute" backing to a minimum wage increase is heating up.

The contrast between flat wages and growing cost of living is growing ever more central to the current campaign, with unions calling for a 5.5 per cent increase in the minimum.

"I believe that the minimum wage should at least keep up with the cost of living," Albanese said yesterday.

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Asked directly if he would support a 5.1 per cent minimum wage increase, the same as the rate of inflation, Albanese said: "Absolutely."

He backed that up today, while clarifying he did not endorse it as an ongoing policy – only a measure of support for those currently doing it tough on minimum wage.

The business community has criticised the move, saying it will only put further pressure on inflation.

"What we're talking about here is the lowest-paid workers in Australia," Albanese said.

"Those people who are really struggling with cost of living increases."

He said the increase amounted to an extra $1 an hour for people earning $20.33 an hour.

FULL COVERAGE: Federal Election 2022

Additionally, Labor's plan was not to continue increasing minimum wage in line with potential inflation rates of seven per cent or more.

"To grow productivity the way that you can have wages increase and profits increase whilst not putting inflationary pressure there, is productivity growth," Albanese said.

"And that was the centre of my speech to the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry last Thursday, that's my position."

But critics – most prominently Prime Minister Scott Morrison – said increasing wages would only increase hip pocket pain.

Morrison called Albanese's decision "incredibly reckless".

"We all want to see wages go up and indeed the Reserve Bank governor has made it very clear that we are seeing wages starting to go up," he said.

"But the way you engage in economic policy is not in the loose way we saw from Anthony Albanese yesterday."

Morrison said Fair Work Australia was the appropriate body to determine wage increases.

"The risk is, if you add to the cost of doing business, you'll add to the cost of inflation," Andrew McKellar from the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry said.

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"That's going to push the cost of living higher."

Independent Senator Jacqui Lambie yesterday accused both major parties of essentially ignoring cost of living pressures, especially on pensioners.

She said power prices hikes had already seen people forgoing lunch or dinner to pay their bills, and that any increase in rent prices could see pensioners forced out of their homes altogether.

Parts of Queensland have been hit with major flooding as more torrential rain threatens to inundate already soaked catchments.

Areas in North and Far North Queensland as well as regions further west have been the worst affected by the floods and a woman has lost her life after driving into floodwaters near Mackay.

Several regions have seen up to a months worth of rain in just 24 hours, with May rainfall records broken in the North Queensland town of Charters Towers, parts of which have been soaked by a torrent of water.

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Locals were spotted pulling their kids on boards pulled by tractors through the rarely seen wet conditions.

In the community of Giru, south of Townsville, flood-water inundated the town as the Haughton River reached major flood levels.

Parts of Townsville recorded over 100mm of rain within an hour.

Between Cairns and Mackay, totals of 100 to 250 mm were recorded in most areas.

Innisfail, south of Cairns received some of the most rain with falls between 180 to 240 mm and Mourilyan on the Cassowary Coast recorded the highest rainfall with 244 mm of rain.

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Andrew Preece from the Bureau of Meteorology said the weather system would continue to move south, dumping more rain on already soaked communities in south-east Queensland.

"Overnight we've seen major flood levels in areas in the north tropical coast," he said.

"Most significant have been in the Bohle River catchment at Mount Bohle. That peaked at major flood level overnight.

"We're expecting that rain band to move off the coast and then move further south over the next couple of days."

Minor flooding is expected to impact the Mary River catchment in Gympie, south-east Queensland and minor flooding is also expected in Brisbane's north and the Sunshine Coast.

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Queenslanders warned to follow safety warnings

Queenslanders have been warned never to enter floodwaters at any cost and to prepare for the incoming wet weather.

Authorities warn "if it's flooded forget it" after February's floods claimed the life of 13 people, the majority of whom drove through flooded roads.

"You can't see what's underneath, you can't see how deep the water is, very… very treacherous conditions," Mark Burgess from Queensland Police said.

https://twitter.com/QldFES/status/1524249383382192128

QFES State Operations Centre Coordinator James Haig has implored people in affected areas to plan their trips "carefully" as the deluge continues.

"Pay attention to what the Bureau advice is in the local area. Also pay attention to the road closures," he said.

"Don't put yourself in a position where you will be under pressure to make a decision to enter floodwaters.

"It is never worth it."

Sandbags will be available from local council's and SES crews in a bid to reduce impacts on buildings and homes.

Woman dead, two lucky to be alive after car found in floodwaters

A woman was found dead in her submerged vehicle after becoming swept into floodwaters north of Mackay around 5am this morning.

The 31-year-old woman, who has not been formally identified, is a local from the town of Calen, police confirmed.

Swiftwater rescues crews were called to Surprise Creek Road at Mount Ossa around 5am after a car carrying three people was swept off a causeway in floodwaters.

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Two passengers, a 50-year-old man and 30-year-old woman, managed to free themselves from the car, but the driver could not.

Her body was located during a search and rescue mission.

"The driver was located in the vehicle as it was able to be recovered and in fact the seat belt still remained on the driver," Acting Superintendent Mark Burgess said.

"(The other passengers) were able to get themselves obviously to a position to be able to make a call or otherwise attend for help."

The Forensic Crash Unit is investigating the circumstances of the incident.

"Police will prepare a report for the coroner," police said in a statement.

Queensland Ambulance said the man was treated for a head laceration, while the other passenger was uninjured.

Both are in a stable condition.

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Mackay Mayor Greg Williamson said "100mm over a couple hours" put low-lying areas at risk.

"(There's) a forecast of 10 inches (25 centimetres) over the next couple of days," he said.

"We're ready, as ready as we can be as a community. We are used to this sort of thing, probably not in May but we are used to it," he said.

"We've had up to 10 inches in May before, but the prolonged period and this massive cell that's moving down the coast, yeah, it's pretty weird."

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Heavy rain, rough swells in south-east Queensland

Heavy rains hit south-east Queensland last night and continued into today, with the Sunshine Coast bearing the brunt of wet weather.

Several roads have been closed due to flash flooding.

The weather system has also seen massive swell develop off the coast, with the Sunshine Coast recording one six metre wave.

On the Gold Coast, lifeguards have confirmed all beaches will be closed today as the coast is battered with waves between four and five metres.

On the city's coast, rough winds and ocean conditions swept a boat off its mooring and into a pier on The Broadwater, in Labrador.

Winds of 60 -70km/h "howled" through the Gold Coast.

"It's making the proximate temperature here on the Gold Coast feel about seven degrees cooler," 9News reporter Mia Glover said this morning.

'Anxious, traumatised' NSW communities on edge

As the system makes its way down the coast, the BoM said showers will be felt across most of New South Wales.

The heaviest falls are expected in the northwest before moving inland on Thursday.

NSW State Emergency Service (SES) said they are on standby, preparing for possible rain and flooding should rain extend into northern NSW; an area which has flooded twice this year.

It explained recent weather events and high soil moisture levels increases the risk of flooding and landslips remains for northern NSW "in the coming days".

NSW SES Commissioner Carlene York acknowledges the news of more potential rain may be extremely unsettling for the Northern NSW communities.

"We understand that the current weather system may be causing concern for many people in the Northern Rivers. Recent events have left our communities, not only devastated but also traumatised and anxious," she said.

"It is important to acknowledge that this anxiety exists, especially considering recent events. It is normal to be feeling this way. You are not over-reacting or being silly.

"We are hoping that the rainfall predictions are accurate and that the rain coming is not significant. But please know our NSW SES volunteers are prepared, and stand ready to work with their communities once again."

However, the La Niña weather event which has caused the wet weather across Australia could come to an end by early winter, BoM said yesterday.

The prediction comes as waters are warming to neutral El Niño – Southern Oscillation (ENSO) levels. ENSO has little influence on rainfall meaning Australia could soon see an end to the unprecedented downpours.

Residents are advised to stay across BoM forecasts and NSW SES updates in the meantime.

It's official – Apple has rung the death bell for the iPod, the MP3 player that changed the way the world listened to music.

A Sydney-based photographer had a "mind-blowing" encounter with a great white shark off the NSW coast this weekend.

The photographer, who is known as Carved Banks, was exploring Jervis Bay on a jet ski on Sunday when he came across a juvenile great white around two to three metres in length.

The beast was "calm and curious" and circled the jet ski.

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In video shared to Instagram, the shark moves towards the watercraft at one point.

Speaking to 9news.com.au, Carved Banks said he's still in awe.

"It was amazing to see it that close," he said.

"It was so curious and calm. It was mind-blowing.

"It was very healthy for a young shark — got a bit of girth on it."

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While the shark was placid, Carved Banks said smaller great whites still pose a danger.

"They are so curious at that age and they learn by biting," he said.

"So it is not advisable to jump into them."

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The CSIRO, Australia's leading scientific research body, has identified two great white populations in Australia – an eastern population and a southern-western population.

The eastern population is estimated at 5460, but CSIRO has admitted there could be more than 12,802 great white cruising the waters.

The size of the south-western population is "not yet determined", but estimates suggest there are about 1460 adults cruising the waters from western Victoria to north-west Western Australia.

A blinding flash of light and a bang rang across an Adelaide inner-city suburb after two Molotov cocktails were launched at a home last month.

But at the time of the incident residents thought the loud bang was due to weather.

They woke to find two Molotov cocktails burnt out on the lawn of the home.

The reality of the scene, which occurred in the early hours of 28 April in Novar Gardens, has been revealed in CCTV released today.

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South Australia Police have shared the video in a bid to illicit further information about the incident.

In the moments before the chaos, a car is seen pulling into the home's driveway and two people are seen getting out.

They light the incendiary weapons before flinging them into the air.

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Police said investigations show the car is a mid 2000's Mitsubishi Outlander with a front nudge bar and roof rails.

"There was no damage to the home or injuries to the occupants," police said.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or online here.