London's police department is under scrutiny for the way officers handled some participants at an unofficial vigil Saturday night for a London woman whose death led to murder charges against a fellow officer and spurred a national conversation about violence against women in the UK.

Hundreds of people disregarded a judge's ruling and police requests by gathering at Clapham Common in honour of Sarah Everard, 33, who last was seen alive near the south London park on March 3. Demonstrators said they wanted to draw attention to the fear and danger many women see as a daily part of British life.

READ MORE: UK policeman charged with Sarah Everard's murder

Everard disappeared while walking home from a friend's apartment at about 10.30pm and was found dead a week later.

The slaying sent shockwaves across the UK because a Metropolitan Police officer is charged with her kidnapping and murder.

Video of Saturday's informal vigil turned rally showed officers from the same police force tussling with participants as they pushed their way through the crowd.

At one point, several male officers grabbed hold of several women and pulled them away in handcuffs to screaming and shouting from onlookers, Britain's Press Association reported.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan decried the police actions.

"The police have a responsibility to enforce Covid laws, but from images I've seen it's clear the response was at times neither appropriate nor proportionate," Khan said on Twitter.

Home Secretary Priti Patel tweeted that she had asked the Metropolitan Police for a full report on what happened.

The gathering happened hours after London constable Wayne Couzens, 48, appeared in court for the first time since his arrest in Everard's death. As Metropolitan Police officers approached the Clapham Common bandstand on Saturday evening, boos, jeers and shouts of "Shame on you" came from the crowd, according to the Press Association.

Organisers had hoped to hold "Reclaim the Streets" vigils in Everard's memory at the south London location and in other UK cities on Saturday but canceled the in-person events after a judge refused to grant an order allowing them to go on despite coronavirus restrictions that bar mass gatherings.

Hundreds of people showed up nonetheless. Before police moved in, many participants laid flowers at the park bandstand. Among them was Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, who was seen pausing for a moment in front of the sea of flowers.

Other people held signs reading "We will not be silenced" and "She was just walking home," and the crowd chanted, "Sisters united will never be defeated."

In the wake of Everard's disappearance and killing, many women have taken to social media to share their own experiences of being threatened or attacked while walking outside.

A 33-year-old nurse who works in the Clapham area, Mel Clarke, said she felt "very conflicted" about attending Saturday's gathering because of pandemic restrictions, but in the end "just felt that I needed to be here."

"I'm really pleased that there are a lot of men here. I hope that this is kind of an opportunity for men to learn how women feel, how vulnerable we are," Clarke said. "I hope that this is the start of justice being served for Sarah."

The Metropolitan Police has expressed shock and horror that one of its own was a suspect in the case. The London police force said Couzens joined its ranks in 2018 and most recently served in the parliamentary and diplomatic protection command, an armed unit responsible for guarding embassies in the capital and Parliament.

During his court appearance earlier in the day, Couzens stood wearing a grey tracksuit as the charges were read to him. He was remanded into custody and has another appearance scheduled Tuesday at London's Central Criminal Court.

Everard's body was found hidden in an area of woodland in Kent, more than 80km southeast of London, on Wednesday, a week after she went missing. A post-mortem examination is underway, police said Friday.

TV and radio presenter Sandi Toksvig said at the start of a vigil held online Saturday that a "cultural shift about how women are viewed and treated both in the public and private space" was needed.

"I am filled in equal measure with profound sorrow and rage, and I know there are many who share this rage, and I think it is entirely justifiable," Toksvig said. "But I also know that it will harm rather than help us if we don't try and direct that anger to good purpose."

Detectives are closing in on a witness almost a year after campers Russell Hill and Carol Clay went missing in the Victorian Alps.

Police have confirmed to 9News that they believe the driver or an owner of a 4WD which was spotted in the area could have been the last person to see the pair, aged 73 and 74, alive.

Authorities believe that person may have also been travelling with an associate at the time.

A white dual-cab ute seen in the area at the time remains unaccounted for.

UNDER INVESTIGATION: The mystery disappearance of Russell Hill and Carol Clay

Police are seeking more information from anyone who may have spotted the vehicle in the area around March 19 and 20 last year.

Last week, a drone discovered in the search zone for the pair was found not to belong to Mr Hill.

The discovery of the drone comes after police revealed days earlier they were searching for an unknown white dual-cab ute, which was parked near the campsite.

Mr Hill left his Drouin home on March 19 and picked up Ms Clay from her home in Pakenham in his white Toyota LandCruiser.

Ms Clay told friends she was going away and was expected to return home on March 28 or 29.

But instead, their campsite was found burnt out, with their mobile phones gone.

Investigators believe the pair may have met with foul play.

A Queensland quarantine hotel will remain in lockdown as health authorities investigate potential COVID-19 transmission inside the facility.

It comes just 36 hours after an unvaccinated Brisbane doctor tested positive to the virus after treating two infectious patients at the Princess Alexandra Hospital.

Officially, Queensland recorded one new local case of COVID-19 today, but this is thought to be an historic case and not related to the current outbreak.

READ MORE: Sydney hotel quarantine worker tests positive to COVID-19

However, Queensland health authorities are now investigating whether a returned traveller inside the Grand Chancellor Hotel who tested positive on their Day 12 exit test contracted the infection inside the hotel.

They had been staying on the same floor as the patient with the UK strain who was transferred to the Princess Alexandra, where they are believed to have infected the junior doctor.

It is the same quarantine hotel where an outbreak in January sent the whole of Brisbane into lockdown.

Urgent genome sequencing is now underway as health authorities work to determine whether the latest case's genome matches that of the original case.

In the meantime, the Grand Chancellor Hotel has been sent back into lockdown, with no new overseas travellers admitted and no current guests who have finished their 14-day quarantines released.

EARLIER: Unvaccinated Princess Alexandra doctor feared to have UK strain

There have been 5,026 tests in the past 24 hours, with Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk saying the next 48 will be "very crucial" in containing the fresh outbreak.

The three primary contacts of the PA doctor have all tested negative to COVID-19, but will remain in isolation for 14 days.

Testing of the doctor's 238 community contacts is underway.

PA doctor 'didn't routinely work in quarantine ward'

Queensland health minister Yvette D'Ath has again faced tough questioning over the state's vaccination program, after it was revealed that the junior registrar who contracted COVID-19 from a patient had not received her first dose of the vaccination.

Health Minister Yvette D'Ath said 1615 of the hospital's 3862 staff had received their first shot.

"We need to remind ourselves that we are only in week three of a national vaccination rollout," Ms D'Ath said, noting that no state or territory has completed Phase 1A inoculations of high-priority individuals.

READ MORE: States warn travellers from Brisbane high-risk locations to self isolate

The junior registrar is thought to have caught the virus from one of two patients brought in from hotel quarantine in the early hours of Wednesday, March 10.

She was not assigned to any particular ward and worked throughout the hospital.

"This particular doctor did not routinely work in the quarantine ward," Ms D'Ath said.

"She was called on at around 2.30am in the morning to assess a couple of arrivals from hotel quarantine who were showing symptoms."

Ms D'Ath also said it was "completely untrue" that the doctor could not have contracted the virus if she had received her first dose of the vaccine, noting that the vaccine would reduce the severity of the disease but did not stamp out transmission.

Pressure is mounting on New South Wales Police after two more public shootings in Sydney overnight.

The attacks, which took place in Earlwood and Roselands, have left two men in hospital and neighbours on edge.

Police, including the riot and dog squads, responded to a home on Barnes Avenue in Earlwood about 11.30pm on Saturday after reports of a shooting.

Officers found a 53-year-old man with multiple gunshot wounds to his stomach and leg.

A group of men had jumped the fence and fired several shots before leaving him for dead.

READ MORE: New South Wales lashed with heavy rain and severe storms

He was treated at the scene by paramedics before being taken in a stable condition to St George Hospital for surgery.

The man suffered two gunshot wounds to the abdomen, four wounds to the left leg and also sustained a fractured femur.

A large crime scene was been established in the street, at the home and in a neighbouring park area.

Four hours later and less than 5km away in Roselands there was another shooting.

Police were called to Moorefields Road to find a 32-year-old man had been shot while sitting inside his car, the Holden Captiva hit with several bullets.

The man rushed to hospital for surgery.

READ MORE: Sydney hotel quarantine worker tests positive to COVID-19 after receiving vaccine

Detectives spent the day split between two crime scenes looking for clues.

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After almost two months COVID-free, Sydney is on edge following a serious breach at one of the city's quarantine hotels.

A security guard has tested positive for the virus, despite having already had his first dose of the Pfizer vaccine before moving around the community.

NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard said authorities were notified of the locally acquired case late on Saturday night and urgent contact tracing and genome sequencing was underway.

The 47-year-old man works in security at two quarantine hotels, the Sofitel Hotel in Wentworth and the Mantra Hotel in Haymarket.

https://twitter.com/NSWHealth/status/1370888875871145985?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Mr Hazzard said he had worked while infectious.

Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant said he was possibly infected by a returned traveller at the Sofitel last week, but authorities were keeping "an open mind".

Dr Chant said he received the first of two doses of the Pfizer vaccine on March 2 but it could take up to 14 days to impact his immune system.

The guard attended three venues while infectious, including Bexley Aquatics Centre on Saturday March 13 from 9am 9.30am; Pancakes On The Rocks at Beverly Hills on March 13 between 10.45 am to 12pm; and a train from Hurstville to the city arriving at 6.30pm on Friday, March 12.

He also visited a coffee shop in the Hurstville Private Hospital across three days last week.

Hotspot locations

Anyone who was a customer at the following venues at the listed times should monitor for symptoms:

– Haymarket – Dae Jang Kum Korean restaurant on Saturday March 13 between 12.15am to 12.25am;

– Haymarket – 7 Eleven on Saturday March 13 between 12.20am to 12.25am;

– Hurstville – Hudson's Coffee shop, Hurstville Private Hospital on Monday March 8 between 8.30am to 9am; Tuesday March 9 between 8.30am to 9am; Wednesday March 10 between 8pm and 9pm; Thursday March 11 between 8.30am and 9am and Friday March 12 between 8.30am and 9am.

Anyone who travelled on the following train services during the below times should also monitor for symptoms:

– T4 line, Hurstville to Central – Friday March 12 departing 6pm Hurstville and arriving Central 6.30pm.

d- T4 line, Central to Hurstville – Saturday March 13 departing Central at 7am and driving Hurstville at 7.30am.

Contact tracing underway

All of of the security guard's family members have returned negative COVID-19 test results.

"We have contacted around 130 people who worked from 7pm on Friday night to 7am on Saturday, overlapping March 12 to March 13," Dr Chant said.

"We are asking those individuals to immediately self-isolate and get a test … that allows us time to work through and ascertain the nature of interaction that this security guard would have had to those quarantine workers."

NSW Police said in a statement it continues to review and monitor processes in quarantine and provides extensive support to ensure all infection control is in place.

"Investigations are underway by NSW Health to determine the source of this infection," the statement said.

"As part of these inquiries, NSW Police will assist health investigators by reviewing CCTV, conducting interviews and analysing rosters."

The new infection breaks NSW's 55-day streak with no locally acquired cases.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison downplayed any alarm surrounding the case, stating he was not disturbed and vaccinations were not immediately effective.

"I'm not surprised by it, because you would expect these things to happen on the odd occasion.

READ MORE: States warn travellers from Brisbane high-risk locations to self isolate

Deputy Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly said the jab was not a "silver bullet" that provided a quick fix.

Professor Kelly added there was a time lag between receiving the jab and it taking affect.

Aside from the hotel quarantine worker, NSW recorded no new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last night.

The new case in NSW comes after a doctor at Brisbane's Princess Alexandra Hospital tested positive.

Queensland today recorded one new local case of COVID-19, however it is believed to be an historic case.

Several venues of concern in Brisbane have been identified.

NSW Health is asking any NSW residents who attended any of these venues during the relevant times is asked to immediately self-isolate.

Saturday night's crushing wipeout election defeat for the Western Australian Liberal Party could have serious flow-on effects for the Morrison government at the next federal election, says political editor Chris Uhlmann.

The state's Liberal Party is set to secure just two seats following the landslide victory by Mark McGowan's Labor Party, meaning they will lose their status as a party and with it important parliamentary resources.

Liberal leader Zak Kirkup lost his own seat of Dawesville to Labor's Lisa Munday, the first major party leader to lose their seat in WA in 88 years.

READ MORE: WA election bloodbath as Labor triumph in historic, landslide victory

WA will now be governed by what Uhlmann has described as a "virtual one-party state", with Labor securing 53 out of 59 seats in the lower house, and a 54th looking likely.

"This is an extinction level event for the opposition in Western Australia," Uhlmann told the Weekend Today show this morning.

"I don't believe anyone when they say this morning perhaps there are no federal implications for this.

"All the resources they had in terms of getting ready for a federal election have been stripped away."

READ MORE: How an Instagram idol Premier left the Liberals in crisis

Uhlmann noted that if the results from last night's election were repeated in WA's federal electorates, the Morrison government would lose six seats — enough to swing the election in Labor's favour.

Women to march on Canberra

It's latest stress from the west for Mr Morrison.

Two WA cabinet ministers — Attorney General Christian Porter and Defence Minister Linda Reynolds — are on sick leave in the wake of separate rape allegations.

Outrage that has been sparked around the country in recent weeks will fall on Parliament when it returns on Monday, with thousands expected to join the Women's March 4 Justic to protest in Canberra.

Uhlmann says the spotlight on political scandal is not just a problem for the government, with a growing number of Labor MPs and Senators fearing the party's pursuit of Mr Porter and Senator Reynolds may rebound on the opposition, and there are signs that is already happening.

"Former Labor staffer Anna Jabour alleges she was sexually exploited while working for the Gillard Government," Uhlmann says.

"Writing for news.com.au, she says: 'one of the people I used to look up to the most, who turned out to be one of the most toxic figures, is currently a senior Labor figure'.

"Nine News has confirmed that a senior staffer to Senator Penny Wong was let go after an alleged incident with a young woman in Adelaide last year. In a statement, Senator Wong's office said" 'our foremost concern is to support the complainant … including a request for privacy'."

COVID key to success in WA

Meanwhile, the analysis of Mr McGowan's success — with the premier himself maintaining a staggering popularity rating of around 88 per cent — has largely been attributed to his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"It's not lost on me that I have a huge weight of responsibility and I want to make sure that we do our very best for Western Australia over the course of the next four years," Mr McGowan said today.

"It's obviously been a long road for me, I've been in parliament for 24 years, and the last four years as premier, nine years as party leader, and the last two and a half months for this election campaign were a pretty hard road.

"But it's all worth it because at the end of the day I'm here to serve."

Commenting on Mr Kirkup's loss of his own seat, Mr McGowan empathised.

"I wish him all the best. It's a hard thing, he is a young man…. We're all Australians… we're all human beings and we should all care about one other," he said.

WA residents have lauded the state's long-standing border closures as responsible for the state's enviable economic position and maintaining social freedoms throughout interstate lockdowns.

"As far as people were concerned, it was a health and not an economic crisis," Uhlmann said.

"So Scott Morrison now has a crisis with state Premiers."

"Heading into the next federal election, he has three state Labor premiers who are in extraordinarily strong positions: Annastacia Palaszczuk, Daniel Andrews and now Mark McGowan.

"If they gang up on him in a federal campaign and chip away at him, they might prove a lot more effective than Anthony Albanese."

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