The Commonwealth Bank has called for the RBA to cut interest rates in September after it found household spending remained soft last month.

CBA's household spending insights (HSI) index, which uses transaction data from 7 million of the bank's customers, rose by just 0.2 per cent for March, it announced today.

That leaves it lower than November levels despite a boost brought about by the Easter long weekend.

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"Much of the spending lift in March can be attributed to the earlier-than-usual Easter holidays with people travelling and entertaining at home," CBA's chief economist Stephen Halmarick said.

"Beyond food and beverage and transport, gains in other categories were modest, and another fall in spending on household goods suggests consumers are prioritising spending on essentials."

Higher petrol prices sparked a 7.4 per cent monthly increase in spending at service stations, while there was a notable 6.8 per cent fall in recreation spending following a boost to that category in February due largely to Taylor Swift's Australian tour.

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Halmarick said the soft spending adds to the case for the Reserve Bank to begin cutting interest rates in September.

"The annual rate of increase of the HSI Index is steady at 3.4 per cent, which is close to flat in real terms when an inflation rate of 3.5-4 per cent is taken into account," he said.

"Since the November RBA interest rate rise we've seen consistently soft household spending and we retain our view that, when coupled with decelerating inflation, the RBA can start lowering the official interest rate in September this year."

The RBA didn't consider dropping rates at its latest meeting last month, but also didn't put an increase on the table.

Governor Michele Bullock has given little indication about when rates are likely to start easing, saying the bank isn't "ruling anything in or out".

Social media's favourite magpie Molly is headed back home – but some strict conditions have been imposed.

Molly was taken in by authorities two weeks ago as its keepers, Gold Coast couple Juliette Wells and Reece Mortensen, did not have a permit to keep the magpie at their Gold Coast home.

The magpie became an Instagram star after the couple rescued it as a fledgling during the COVID-19 pandemic.

READ MORE: Charges after home invader killed, grandfather's hand almost severed

It developed a friendship with the couple's pet staffy, Peggy.

"I spoke this morning with Reece and Juliette, Molly's carers, and indicated to them that we have identified a pathway to ensure they can obtain an appropriate permit," Queensland Premier Steven Miles said yesterday.

"I know that that will come as good news to the thousands of people who comment on my Facebook page every day and call on me to free Molly."

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The couple told A Current Affair they were "relieved and excited".

Today, the Queensland Department of the Environment, Science, and Innovation (DESI) posted a media release listing the conditions the couple will have to meet in order to keep custody of Molly.

These include:

• No ongoing commercial gain from the bird or its image
• Undertaking wildlife carer training
• Advocating public education to encourage people to appropriately care for native wildlife and acknowledging the specialist skills required to care for and rehabilitate wildlife
• Ongoing engagement with DESI to ensure the bird is receiving adequate care and enrichment

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"Once the individuals have demonstrated that they can and will meet the conditions, Molly will be placed with its former carers," the department wrote in the release.

"Independent expert veterinary advice has shown that Molly is highly habituated and may have developmental issues, meaning it can never be rehabilitated or returned to the wild."

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Police have seized more than half a million dollars in cash as they investigate what's suspected to be a billion-dollar money-laundering scheme.

Investigators from the multi-agency Serious Financial Crime Taskforce claim a Sydney-based cheque-cashing business has washed more than $1 billion to help businesses in a range of industries commit tax fraud.

So far, only one man, a 55-year-old, has been arrested, and charged with breaching bail for an unrelated offence but the Australian Federal Police says investigations continue.

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Australian Federal Police Assistant Commissioner Kristy Schofield claimed the criminal operation took money from about 1200 businesses and issued fraudulent invoices for pretended goods and services.

"The participating business, then received their funds back as cash minus a commission. This is commonly known as false invoicing arrangement," she said.

They raided seven homes and businesses across Sydney on Friday and seized more than $500,000 in cash, financial documents, electronic devices, mobile phones, a gel blaster firearm and fireworks.

The Australian Tax Office also made searches at five sites without notice in NSW and Victoria. 

AFP Detective Acting Superintendent James Rowe said tax fraud and financial crime robbed Australians of money that could help communities.

"The AFP works closely with the ATO to ensure people who cheat the tax system or enable others to avoid their obligations are not rewarded for their conduct," he said, in a statement.

READ MORE: The cost of cancer: Sarah's diagnosis came with a financial blow that caught her off guard

ATO Deputy Commissioner John Ford said the operation showed it would act against people running false invoicing schemes to avoid tax and super payments.

"The SFCT is warning businesses against using these types of arrangements. We will effectively deal with those who engage in false invoicing, or other illegal financial arrangements and work with partner agencies where appropriate," Ford said.

The 55-year-old man faced Bankstown Local Court on Friday and will return to court on May 31.

The AFP believes billions of dollars are laundered in Australia every year.

The unrelated Plutus Payroll fraud siphoned off $105 million of funds destined for the tax office.

An alleged criminal syndicate smashed last year was accused of laundering almost $229 million in the proceeds of crime over three years.

That was described as the most complex AFP-led money laundering investigation in Australian history.

When Sarah Occhino was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer at the age of 28, she was left stunned.

"It's been a massive blow in a million ways," the Melbourne live sound engineer told 9news.com.au.

"The first week is the worst, when they tell you, 'We think you've got it, we just don't know how bad, and you've got a week until we'll have the biopsy results.' 

"Nothing is worse than that week."

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That was six weeks ago. 

After Occhino was delivered the bad news, she was almost immediately thrown into a gruelling treatment program expected to last six months.

Her treatment includes chemotherapy every three weeks, targeted medication for her type of breast cancer, HER2-positive, and a double mastectomy.

Occhino said she felt grateful to be receiving "incredible" medical care through the public system, including at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre.

However, one aspect that has taken her off guard is the financial stress that has come with her diagnosis.

Side effects of the chemotherapy have left Occhino unable to work. 

"I really like to work – and losing the ability to be in control of my income has been awful," Occhino said.

Occhino said she was initially hopeful there would be adequate government assistance available to her.

"I was thinking, surely it's not going to be that bad, and then I was just hit with an onslaught of 'nos'," Occhino said.

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Occhino said she was told by Services Australia her only option was to go on JobSeeker, with a health exemption from the usual looking-for-work requirements.  

"JobSeeker is not a living wage, it doesn't even cover rent," Occhino said.

"It's so funny that in this country, we've got one of the highest survival rates of cancer but the government doesn't seem to care if we go broke during the treatment."

As a young person, Occhino said she had never thought about income protection insurance, which, she soon found out, was not included with her superannuation fund.

"I just didn't even know income protection existed," she said.

Occhino said her partner had also been forced to take some time off work to care for her, leading to more loss of income.

In another major financial blow, one of the two targeted therapy drugs for HER2-positive breast cancer, which her doctors recommended as the best course of treatment, is not fully subsidised.

"It's this drug that has been really proven to increase your chances of survival," Occhino said of the medication, Pertuzumab.

While increased government funding has brought down the price of the potentially lifesaving medication considerably over the years, the cost still comes in at $6000 for patients like Occhino.

It was $6000 that Occhino didn't have.

"It was pretty crazy, my little brother had to transfer $6000 in funds to my dad," she said.

Meanwhile, Occhino was advised by her medical team to move out of the rental she was living in with her partner, because of mould and rising damp issues.

"They said you need to get out of there immediately and go to your real estate agent today," she said.

Although they were lucky her real estate agent managed to find the couple another place to rent close to the hospital, the rent is higher.

The move itself was also expensive, Occhino said. 

"We were in a sharehouse before, so we had to buy whitegoods and stuff. 

"We spent a lot of cash. We had a terrible bed. It was really old and you could feel springs in the back, so we had to buy a new mattress."

Occhino estimates the cost of her cancer so far has amounted to at least $30,000.

Her and her partner's salvation has come in the form of an online GoFundMe, started by a friend, which has helped cover their initial costs.

"This GoFundMe has just been life-changing," she said.

"I don't know what we would have done without it, it's been so stressful."

Occhino said she had also been lucky enough to receive some added support through Support Act, a non-profit organisation that provides financial assistance to music industry workers facing hardship. 

But the whole experience had left her wondering how other people coped with the financial wrecking ball of cancer, Occhino said.

"What about people who can't speak English well, what do they do? Or what about the people who have just moved here and don't have that really strong community support?"

Breast Cancer Network Australia director of policy, advocacy and support services Vicki Durston said the financial impact of a breast cancer diagnosis was considerable and being made worse by the current cost-of-living crisis.

"Breast cancer can push people, and their families, to the financial brink, leaving them reliant on financial assistance from family, friends and their communities," Durston said.  

The network's Financial Impact of Breast Cancer Report found that over 25 per cent of respondents reported out-of-pocket costs for treatment exceedingly more than $17,200. 

Cancer Council Australia director of cancer control policy Megan Varlow said the financial burden of cancer often came as a surprise to patients who assumed everything would be covered under the public health system.

"We hear from lots of people that they don't expect cancer treatments to come with costs," Varlow said.

"So when they have bills coming along, that are for thousands of dollars, they really are very surprised."

Varlow said loss of income could put a huge strain on cancer patients, and in some cases they were choosing to miss treatments over work.

"Cancer Council Australia provides support and assistance to lots of Australians every year and something we have been hearing lately is much more about the cost-of-living pressure that that's putting on people," she said.

Requests made to the Cancer Council Australia for financial assistance and advice from financial counsellors were increasing and had a waiting list, Varlow said.

"They're very busy and we know that it's definitely a problem at the moment," she said.

Varlow said it was often difficult for cancer patients to navigate the welfare system, and they often incorrectly assumed they were not eligible for JobSeeker payments.

Services Australia's approach to dealing with people with cancer also lacked consistency, Varlow said.

"We'd really like to see a consistent approach whereby people are supported to access the income support that they need, because we know that most people with cancer, once their treatment is completed, are able to return to some sort of pre-cancer employment. 

"It's a need for a temporary income support program that's going to support them during that time."

Cancer Council Australia is also calling on the government to provide increased access to, and funding for, financial counselling for people affected by cancer.

People needing information on the financial impact of breast cancer can call the Breast Cancer Network Australia's helpline on 1800 500 258, or Cancer Council Australia on 13 11 20.

Contact reporter Emily McPherson at em********@******om.au

Rescuers were searching for a gray whale last spotted off Northern California's coast with its tail entangled in a massive gill net.

The 9-metre whale was spotted Tuesday near San Francisco swimming north as part of gray whales' annual migration from Mexico to Alaska. It was dragging the net with two bright red buoys that rescuers attached to it on March 22, when the animal was first spotted off Laguna Beach in Southern California.

Justin Viezbicke, coordinator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries' California marine mammal stranding response, said the rescue team pulled up behind the animal on Tuesday but could not cut the net because it became aggressive.

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“The team went out there yesterday and made some attempts but as the team approached, the animal became very reactive,” Viezbicke said.

NOAA's team, which is working on the rescue effort with the Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito, California, was searching Wednesday for the whale north of San Francisco.

Kathi George, director of cetacean conservation biology at the Marine Mammal Center, said a rescue crew in Southern California couldn't disentangle the whale last month but the team was able to attach a satellite tag to the net to track it and two buoys to make it easier to spot the animal. But the tracker is no longer attached, she said.

George said that if the rescue team spots the whale on Wednesday they will attempt to cut the net or at least attach another satellite tag.

"Our goal is to retrieve the gear that’s on the whale, so we can learn more about the entanglement and how it happened so, we could use that to inform risk reduction efforts,” she said.

Every spring, Gray whales migrate 8,000 kilometres from birthing waters off Baja California, Mexico to feeding grounds in the Arctic.

Australia, the United States and Japan will launch a new air defence strategy, US President Joe Biden announced today.

The partnership, announced during a joint press conference between Biden and the Japanese Prime Minister, Kishida at the White House in Washington, brings closer military ties between the three nations in a move aimed at deterring China.

"Today we announce our vision to co-operate on a networked air defence architecture among the United States, Japan, and Australia to counter growing air and missile threats," a joint statement between the two leaders said.

READ MORE: Man charged after home invader killed, victim's hand almost severed

"We will explore enhanced cooperation, including missile defence information sharing to counter growing air and missile threats."

The partnership is aimed at bolstering defence and security cooperation throughout the Indo-Pacific region, at a time when China is growing increasingly assertive in the region.

Details of about the air defence systems have not been released.

But earlier this year, Australian and Japanese officials held talks about testing missiles on Australian ranges.

Biden and Kishida also said the AUKUS alliance nations of Australia, the US and Britain was looking at bringing in Japan as a technology partner.

This would be under pillar two of the tri-nation pact and involves sharing and developing advanced military technology, such as hypersonic missiles, undersea capabilities and artificial intelligence.

READ MORE: Australia and AUKUS partners say Japan could play role in alliance

In their joint statement, the US and Japan leaders said they were committed to pursuing a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

"The United States and Japan also remain committed to advancing trilateral cooperation with Australia to ensure a peaceful and stable region."

Unsafe aircraft an ship incidents between the US and Chinese militaries in the South China Sea were discussed when official from both countries met earlier this week.

A suspect has been charged after an armed intruder was killed and a grandfather's hand almost severed as he defended himself from two home invaders on the NSW Far North Coast.

Two masked men armed with an axe allegedly stormed an Oxford Street home in Kingscliff, south of Queensland's Gold Coast, about 8pm on Tuesday.

The home invaders confronted 66-year-old Alan Kerr and struck him with the axe multiple times, partially severing his hand, police said.

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Kerr managed to grab hold of a knife to defend himself before stabbing one of the intruders.

Officers arrived to the scene to find a 29-year-old man, identified as Trae Laurie, laying on the verandah with serious knife wounds to the chest.

Despite the efforts of paramedics, Laurie died at the scene.

Kerr was found in the hallway in a semi-conscious state and was airlifted to Gold Coast University Hospital where he underwent surgery on Wednesday morning.

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A 26-year-old man was arrested at a Kingscliff home about 5.30pm on Wednesday, police said.

He was taken to Tweed Heads Police Station where he was charged in the early hours of Thursday morning with special aggravated break and enter and commit serious indictable offence.

Neighbour Ken Rogers told 9News Kerr had lived in the area for a long time.

"He's got grown girls and they've got kids," Rogers said.

It's understood Kerr did not know his attackers personally.

Detective Inspector Matt Zimmer earlier said police were looking at whether a silver Toyota Corolla located nearby was linked to the incident.

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"We have been informed that the occupant, in self defence and in an attempt to protect himself, has armed himself with a knife and struck the deceased to the chest," he said.

"We will be examining the circumstances surrounding the incident, in particular the conduct of the occupant if the conduct was necessary and proportionate to his safety."

Zimmer said police were considering whether the incident was a robbery gone wrong or a case of mistaken identity. 

The 26-year-old man has been refused bail and will front Tweed Heads Local Court today.

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Instagram star Molly the magpie is due to be reunited with its best friend Peggy the staffy after Queensland Premier Steven Miles promised the couple would gain a permit.

Molly was seized by authorities two weeks ago as the couple did not have a permit to keep the magpie at their Gold Coast home.

Miles was under pressure from carer photographer Juliette Wells, her husband Reece Mortensen and their 812,000 followers to work with the Department of Environment, Science and Innovation (DESI) to find a way to bring Molly home.

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"I spoke this morning with Reece and Juliette, Molly's carers, and indicated to them that we have identified a pathway to ensure they can obtain an appropriate permit," Miles said.

"I know that that will come as good news to the thousands of people who comment on my Facebook page every day and call on me to free Molly."

Molly rocketed to fame after the bird was taken in by Gold Coast photographer Juliette Wells and her husband, Reece Mortensen, as a fledgling during lockdowns in 2020.

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The magpie befriended one of the couple's pets, an English staffy named Peggy, and cute photos of the pair taken by Wells quickly went viral.

The couple announced to their followers that they had no choice but to surrender the magpie to the DESI on March 26.

A DESI spokesperson alleged the couple did not have a valid rehabilitation permit at the time.

The next day Miles said his government was committed to working with Wells and Mortensen to ensure they could obtain the required permits.

A post to Peggy and Molly's Instagram page yesterday claimed Miles was not responding to the couple after he promised his support.

"If he does get back to me I'm going to tell him WOOF I'm NOT Happy, I miss my bestie & think about him everyday," the post written in the perspective of the couple's other dog Ruby said.

The post encouraged people to keep emailing their support to the government departments.

Mortensen previously said he had applied for a wildlife permit but was asked to withdraw the application because of a perceived conflict of interest over the couple's social media accounts.

News of the separation of Molly and Peggy caused public outcry.

An online petition calling for the pair to be reunited has attracted more than 154,000 signatures.

Two nine-year-old girls have described the moment they were hit by an allegedly stolen car in Melbourne.

The friends have labelled the accused teens as selfish and careless after they attempted to flee the scene in Berwick, in the city's south-east.

The girls were on their way to a play date, being driven by one of their mothers.

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They were travelling along the Princess Highway in Berwick yesterday morning when a Mazda packed with teens ran a red light.

"We just felt this crash and it was kind of chaotic," one girl said.

"It felt really scary and we didn't know what was going to happen next."

"I thought they were very selfish and careless."

The second girl said the car's airbags emerged as it crashed.

Instead of checking to see if anyone was injured, four teenagers allegedly bolted from the scene.

One teen later posted about the crash online.

The grade four students suffered minor bruising.

One of the girl's mums, who was driving at the time was also shaken, and said they were relieved they were all OK.

One of the teenagers who was arrested over the crash was only bailed on Monday night.

He had been bailed twice in less than 24 hours after being charged over a crime spree in the city's south-eastern suburbs.

A passenger was seen flashing wads of cash while the 14-year-old accused driver was allegedly clocked at speeds of 150km/hour

The teen later boasted about his antics online.

"Anger is turning into disappointment as we've learned that the people who were involved are regularly in the habit of engaging in this sort of conduct," one of the girl's fathers said.

Security footage has captured the moment a runaway racehorse ran loose on the platform of a Sydney train station on Friday night.

The horse had bolted from its stable on a farm near the station before making its way onto the platform of Warwick Farm station.

Sydney Trains chief executive Matthew Longland said staff were warned that a passenger was "horsing around" just before midnight on April 5.

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CCTV shows the horse entering the station, still wearing its raincoat.

The horse gradually makes its way down the train platform, with onlookers appearing spooked by the horse's unexpected appearance.

The horse trotted up and down the rainy platform for around five minutes before a train began to pull into the station.

The train's driver had been warned ahead to keep an eye out for a horse and kept the doors closed as it arrived at the platform.

A short time later, the horse's trainer arrived at the scene.

The horse was collected and led into the back of a trailer before it was taken back to its stable.

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"From time to time we do find animals on tracks, particularly cows on longer regional services," Longland said.

"This one was a little bit unusual, as it was a horse at a suburban station. 

"It's a wonder the horse didn't try to board the train, to be honest.

"The good news is the horse was captured, and it's obviously healthy and unharmed."

Asked if the horse would face fines for not tapping on at the station, Longland said the team had "given the horse a stern warning".

The horse may have escaped from a local farm during the deluge of rain that hit Sydney last weekend.

"It's not every day you see a horse on the platform, but that's what we saw at Warwick Farm," NSW Transport Minister Jo Haylen said.

She said the horse was a well-behaved passenger.

"In fact, it kept its hooves behind the yellow line, which is a good thing."