Australians are being told to stock up on their vegetables this season, as prices plunge to record lows.

Analysts claim the prices are the best value seen in years, as the cost for some varieties drop by 40 per cent.

In the space of a year, the price of cucumbers and tomatoes has halved, and the prices of red capsicum, broccoli, white cauliflower, avocado and lettuce are seeing similar reductions.

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Data from Deakin University's Global Centre for Preventive Health and Nutrition showed drastic price drops for zucchini, broccoli, red capsicum, tomatoes and cucumber, which all recorded reductions between 30 to 50 per cent.

The vegetables that recorded the biggest price drops were tomatoes, which were being sold for $8.30 per kilo in 2021, compared to $4.21 per kg in 2023, and red capsicum which fetched $7.40 per kilo in 2021, compared to $5.16 per kilo in 2023.

It comes as the Australian Bureau of Statistics reported a rise in prices for bread, meat and dairy.

Michael Whitehead from ANZ Agri-Insights said now was the "best time" to be buying vegetables, as optimum weather conditions created an "oversupply" of stock.

"Last year we had the floods and so consumers will remember that prices were overly high, now (we have) the opposite because of good sun and good rain at the same time," he said.

"Prices are much lower than they normally would be."

The news is good for shoppers but not so great for farmers like Catherine Velisha, who is a third generation farmer on a broccoli farm at Werribee in Melbourne's.

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Last year, the broccoli in her fields would have been worth $700,000, but this year it will fetch for $420,000.

At the same time, costs have jumped for power, fuel and packaging.

Velisha said consumers could help farmers through the period by buying more, and take advantage of the reduction in prices.

"Price-wise, it's really great for the customers, so hopefully they'll take advantage of that," Velisha said.

The recommended intake of vegetables is about 600 grams per day, but it's estimated only six per cent of children and one in seven adults eat enough vegetables.

"All we would need (to meet those requirements) is to eat one more serve of vegetables and that could change things for us as an industry by a huge amount," Velisha said.

"Also for our bodies and our brains and everything else.

"So go buy your veggies."

Residents in the Queensland town of Landsborough, about 20 kilometres south of the Sunshine Coast, have been told to "leave immediately" as fires continue to burn across the state.

The Queensland Fire and Emergency Service (QFES) issued an emergency warning at 3:30pm advising residents that "a large, fast-moving fire is burning near White Gums Street and Wintzloff Road".

The fire is burning to the east of the town and "is expected to impact Hardwood Road, Landsborough within the next hour". The fresh warning comes after an initial emergency alert was issued for the town last night.

As the situation is constantly changing, stay up to date with warnings and alerts at the Queensland Fire and Emergency Services website.

"Your life could be at risk. It will soon be too dangerous to drive," QFES said.

The fire is burning just a few kilometres from Australia Zoo, the wildlife and conservation facility founded by Steve Irwin's father.

A bushfire warning remains in place for residents living in Tara, where at least 35 homes have been lost.

Properties around Chinchilla Tara Road, Millers Road, Bakers Road, McCasker Road and Upper Humbug Road are the latest to be warned to prepare to evacuate.

A Watch and Act alert was also issued at 2pm for residents in the nearby towns of Condamine, Barramornie, Kogan and Montrose North.

QFES said "a large, dangerous fire is burning near Ravens Road".

"Conditions could get worse quickly," the service said.

"Firefighters are working to contain the fire but you should not expect a firefighter at your door."

QFES Deputy Commissioner Joanne Greenfield told Weekend Today crews were focusing their efforts on Tara, Lowmead and Beerwah.

"The conditions will ease slightly today and then we expect them to escalate again on Tuesday. So we will be working hard on containment lines," she said.

Residents living in Landsborough, about 323km from Tara, were told to "evacuate immediately" last night due to a fast-moving fire near the town.

"Police and fire crews are door-knocking, however please do not wait for a police officer or firefighter to be at your door," the warning said.

The emergency declaration was revoked at 10.20pm.

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Watch and Act alerts were issued overnight for Carnarvon Gorge and surrounding areas in the central highlands, The Gums (near Tara), in addition to Condamine, Kogan, Montrose North, Mount Tom and Colosseum.

Firefighters are preparing for increased fire weather on Tuesday with crews strengthening containment lines.

Deputy Commissioner Greenfield warned all residents living in a high-risk area, to remain vigilant.

"We are putting information out into the community. People who have been evacuated, don't return until you get get the all clear," she said.

An enormous fire at a factory complex in Sydney's west has wiped out several businesses, with the damage and losses expected to run into the millions of dollars.

The flames at the scene in Girraween near Parramatta were so intense that more than 100 firefighters were needed to control the blaze.

A NSW Department of Fire and Emergency Services spokesman said crews responded to the blaze on the Great Western Highway about 2am.

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The fire was fuelled by furniture from an office removalist company.

Acting Commissioner Jeremy Fewtrell told Weekend Today more 20 trucks remained on the scene about 7am.

At times trucks ran out of water.

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He said firefighters were forced to tackle the blaze from a distance after the roof collapsed.

"The building has collapsed throughout the whole structure and there are little pockets of fire under the walls and roof," he said.

A man who was sleeping above a business next door said the heat was "intense".

"I could just feel the heat off the building you know, couldn't stand there too long it was that intense," he said.

It took firies three hours to control the fire, with the clean-up now underway.

Little Bonnie Loutas is not only a blessing for her parents.

She is the first in Australia be born using a new fertility treatment that could shake up the field of IVF. 

The technique is called CAPA-IVM, and it is 15 years in the making by Australian researchers and their counterparts overseas

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Bonnie isn't fussed about being in the spotlight.

But her arrival six days ago heralds an evolution in fertility treatment, and her parents couldn't be happier.

Leanna and Theo Loutas said they were "over the moon" and "unbelievably happy, it's so special".

She's the first in Australia to be born using a breakthrough technique.

That breakthrough is thanks to the work of UNSW Professor Robert Gilchrist and his colleagues in Belgium and Vietnam.

Professor Robert Gilchrist said "the principal benefit or principal advantage of the technique is for the patient herself".

The technique is called CAPA-IVM.

"The woman's eggs are immature when they're collected and are grown in the lab for two days using a special solution to mimic ovulation," Gilchrist told 9News.

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It significantly reduces the number of hormone injections required from two weeks to two days.

Leanna Loutas said she "didn't feel like I was taking medication".

Gilchrist explained that because she had less hormones, "there's less side-effects, less risk from the hormones".

"There's also less monitoring, ultrasounds, blood tests … about the half the cost of an IVF cycle," he said. "It's a cost saving for Australian taxpayers."

Up to 20 per cent of women needing IVF will benefit, particularly those with polycystic ovary syndrome.

Gilchrist said it had been a very long journey "but we got there in the end".

He said this breakthrough had the potential to shake up the field of IVF. 

Next year, the hospital is aiming to do the procedure without using hormones.

The Royal Hospital for Women is one of only six locations in the world to offer this new treatment.

Leanna Loutas said: "All the things we thought were important in our lives, we used to complain about are now completely insignificant."

Her dad Theo agreed: "She's everything now."

Wind gusts reaching 142km/h have already been recorded in Cape Rēinga.

When new mother Kim Vo, 31, noticed one of her toddler Chase's eyes looked slightly different from the other, she thought it was simply one of his irises changing colour, as can happen in the early months.

"The difference was so subtle," Vo said.

But when she looked closer with her husband Ryan Lim, 30, they noticed a his left pupil was obscured by a white clouded blur.

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They rushed Chase to see various eye experts and eventually, it was confirmed.

Chase had suffered a detached retina and couldn't see anything from that eye.

Vo said the parents were "confused and devastated", especially when they were told it was likely caused by an injury.

All they could think of was he had suffered a black eye after falling a few months before.

"Knowing our child could have gone completely blind, how could this have happened?" Vo said.

Initial hopes little Chase's sight could be saved faded after more specialist appointments.

The couple were then faced with a harrowing decision whether to have his eye removed, with the small possibility he could have cancer now being raised.

They opted for the surgery on June 30 this year and had a special family photo shoot before his eye was removed.

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But a week after medics did the surgery, they were given an even more devastating update.

Chase did have cancer, a rare kind called Retinoblastoma. 

The tumour had been growing behind the retina, which caused the sight loss.

"I feel like every next step we took we got another stage of bad news," IT Product owner Vo said.

"It felt like something was ripped out of my body. My heart sank."

Chase underwent multiple doses of chemotherapy at Melbourne's Royal Children's Hospital.

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Now the family is taking him to America for more treatment, which isn't on offer in Australia.

He'll have targeted proton radiation daily for five weeks at UF Health Proton Therapy Institute in Jacksonville, Florida from early November.

It allows more targeted radiotherapy around the delicate areas of the brain

Because he's so young he'll be put to sleep every day for the treatment.

"Initially you feel so guilty that he's in this position," Vo said.

"I so badly would trade places with him."

Despite what he's going through, the couple say Chase is coping well.

He's into "anything with wheels" such as trains and trucks, his mother said.

"Chase is such a playful, happy boy," Vo said.

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"He's such a sweet kid."

His dad, analyst Ryan, said even with all the procedures, such as having a prosthetic eye fitted, his son remains happy.

"He's been the bravest of all," he said.

"He still comes out at the end of it smiling."

Australia's Medical Treatment Overseas Program will pay for Chase's treatment – but only the flights and accommodation for one of his parents.

The family is raising money to pay for them both to go to America trip on GoFundMe.

What is retinoblastoma?

Retinoblastoma is a rare tumour that can develop in the lining of a child's eye, called the retina.

The retina is the layer at the back of the eye that detects and senses light.

Signs and symptoms include a white appearance or glow of the pupil, which tends to reflect light, similar to a cat's eye.

A squint or a crossed or turned eye can develop, along with redness and poor vision.

Treatment can include removal of the eye, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. 

In 2022, it is estimated that 776 children were diagnosed with cancer according to Cancer Australia.

According to Cancer Australia the survival rate of childhood cancers is 85 per cent.

Do you have a story? Contact journalist Sarah Swain at ss****@******om.au

Anthony Albanese is back on home soil, and at home in his electorate.

Surrounded by culture from the other side of the world, the prime minister toured an Italian Festa in the Sydney suburb of Leichhardt.

But it comes at a time when there is so much disharmony and conflict in the world.

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Amid war in Europe and the Middle East, Albanese leaned last week on our oldest Allies.

He dined with Joe Biden in an official state dinner at the White House.

But this week his focus shifts to our largest trading partner – China.

Asked how he expects to balance the expectations from the US with our trade relationship with China, the prime minister said "the US welcomes this".

"They've had visits to China. President XI will visit the US next month as well." The Chinese leader agreed to a meeting with President Biden in the weeks after Albanese's own meeting.

The prime minister's visit to Beijing will be the first since Malcolm Turnbull's trip to China in 2016.

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Much has changed since then but he firmly believes dialogue is the only way forward.

"Dialogue is always a great thing," he told 9News.

"And the visit to China symbolises the normalisation and a more stable relationship."

And there was another symbol of improvement in Australian-Chinese relations – this time, the return of QF129.

Qantas today returned to mainland China for the first time in more than three years.

Albanese said: "We should co-operate with China where we can, disagree where we must and engage in our national interest.

"I'm looking forward to the visit to Shanghai and Beijing."

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While Albanese stressed the nation's interests with China, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton said that Australia's values should never be sacrificed.

"We need to stand up for the values we've fought for for a very long time", he said.

"And we don't sacrifice those under any circumstance."

"We want to see the trading relationship increase but we need to be very frank in the relationship as well."

Dozens of residents in Sydney's south-west have been told to evacuate and more are being warned to monitor conditions as a grass fire burns out of control.

The blaze is burning near Ingleburn and Minto, the RFS said.

While currently not threatening homes, residents are being warned to monitor what is happening between Carnarvon St and Stennett Rd.

"Multiple fire trucks are on scene and there is no threat to property," the RFS said on X.

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https://twitter.com/NSWRFS/status/1718511722913480852?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet

Residents in Kosciuszko Place in Bow Bowing have been told to evacuate and crews are trying to prevent the fire from spreading to a nearby rehabilitation centre.

Police are door-knocking other streets to alert residents.

Trains on the T8 line are not running between Ingleburn and Macarthur stations in either direction, Sydney Trains said.

Meanwhile, firefighters tackling dozens of grass and bushfires across NSW are desperately trying to contain them ahead of a "challenging" forecast for tomorrow with temperatures expected to reach into the mid 30s.

On Sunday night there were 88 fires burning, 29 on the Northern Tablelands in the state's north, the RFS said, with a total fire ban issued for much of the state for Monday.

"Challenging conditions are set to return from tomorrow, and so significant work is being done to contain as many of these fires as possible," the RFS said on X, formerly Twitter.

Temperatures of 33C are forecast in Sydney and 36C in the west of the city for Monday.

Regional areas are also going to heat up.

Lismore is tipped to reach 28C, Grafton 31C, Taree 30C and Maitland in the Hunter 34C.

On the NSW South Coast, Batemans Bay will reach an expected 34C while Katoomba in the NSW Blue Mountains will be 28C.

A total fire ban has been announced for Sydney as well as large swaths of NSW, meaning no fires can be lit in the open.

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https://twitter.com/NSWRFS/status/1718485843311255655?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

An extreme fire danger is forecast for Greater Sydney Region, Illawarra/Shoalhaven, Southern Ranges, Central Ranges, North Western, Upper Central West Plains and Lower Central West Plains, the Bureau of Meteorology said.

Winds up to 45km/h are also expected worsen the conditions.

Meanwhile, a fire near Tenterfield in rural northern NSW has escalated.

Locals near Woodside are being told to 'watch and act'.

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"The fire has crossed Woodside Rd and is moving in a north-easterly direction, towards the Bruxner Highway. If you are in the vicinity of Woodside Rd and Frost Rd, Prepare Now," the RFS said on X.

Tenterfield is expecting temperatures up to 27C tomorrow.

Several fires are also escalating in Queensland, after multiple homes were lost on Saturday.

Friends star Matthew Perry has died aged 54 at his home in Los Angeles.

The actor was found dead after an apparent drowning in a hot tub on Saturday, according to the Los Angeles Times, citing law enforcement sources.

The American-Canadian actor is best known for playing fan-favourite Chandler Bing for 10 seasons of the sitcom Friends.

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Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman Brian Humphrey told CNN a 911 call came in at 4.07pm (10.07am on Sunday AEDT) for a water rescue emergency.

Humphrey said it was unclear what body of water it was.

LAPD officer Drake Madison would not name the victim, but confirmed that officers responded to a home matching Perry's address at 4.10pm for a death investigation involving a man in his 50s.

US media outlets are reporting Perry had played a two-hour game of pickleball before his death and had sent his assistant out on an errand.

Perry's family have arrived at his home in Bluesail Drive in Pacific Palisades near Malibu on the edge of Los Angeles, the LA Times reports.

His mother Suzanne and her husband, broadcaster Keith Morrison, joined the journalists and LAPD officers on the scene.

Morrison declined to comment, the newspaper said.

Crime scene tape sealed off the home.

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After running the errand for Perry, the assistant reportedly returned to find him unresponsive.

An unnamed representative for Perry confirmed the actor's death to NBC, the network that carried Friends for the entirety of its 10-season run.

Representatives for Perry did not return CNN's request for comment.

There was no sign of foul play, reports say.

A Warner Bros Television Group spokesperson told CNN they were "devastated" by the death.

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"Matthew was an incredibly gifted actor and an indelible part of the Warner Bros," it said in a statement.

"The impact of his comedic genius was felt around the world, and his legacy will live on in the hearts of so many. This is a heartbreaking day, and we send our love to his family, his loved ones, and all of his devoted fans."

Early beginnings

Perry was born in Massachusetts on August 19, 1969, and is the son of John Bennett Perry and Suzanne Marie Langford.

His first credited role was a small part in the drama 240-Robert in 1979.

From there other bit parts came his way in shows including Charles in Charge, Silver Spoons and The Tracey Ullman Show.

He was still in high school when he secured his first film role, playing opposite River Phoenix in the 1988 film A Night in the Life of Jimmy Reardon.

He moved to Los Angeles to pursue acting when he was just 15, with his mother, who was once the press secretary of Canadian Prime Minister Piere Trudeau.

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After graduating, he took his first TV role in the series Second Chance, which was later renamed Boys Will Be Boys.

He also appeared in numerous other TV shows including Growing Pains, Ally McBeal, The West Wing and Scrubs.

After hearing about the early production of Friends he was not initially considered for an audition on the hit show.

Perry would eventually land the iconic role of Chandler Bing, which ran for 234 episodes, alongside Courteney Cox, Jennifer Aniston, David Schwimmer, Matt LeBlanc and Lisa Kudrow.

Off-screen, the actors became as close as their characters on the show, and famously negotiated together to become some of the highest-paid actors on a television series at the time.

A Friends reunion special in 2021 was hosted by James Corden and fed into huge interest in seeing the cast together again, although the HBO Max reunion was the actors discussing the show and not a continuation of their characters' storylines.

Perry received one Emmy nomination for his Friends role and two more for appearances as an associate White House counsel on The West Wing.

Perry's recent memoir

The Emmy-nominated actor published a memoir titled, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing, recounting his life and career on November 22, 2022.

The memoir openly discussed his troubles with drug and alcohol dependence, including his addiction during the filming of Friends.

He also revealed that he nearly died at the age of 49 when his colon burst from opioid overuse.

Doctors gave him only a two per cent chance of survival and he was in a coma for two weeks followed by months more in the hospital.

The actor required 14 surgeries to help repair all of the abdominal damage, and he admitted to having gone to rehab 15 times over the years in hopes of kicking his drug addiction.

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Perry was candid in recent years about his struggles with addiction, which he battled even at the height of his career.

"I was taking 55 Vicodin a day, I weighed 128 pounds, I was on Friends getting watched by 30 million people—and that's why I can't watch the show, 'cause I was brutally thin," Perry said in a CBC interview last year.

-Reported with AP, CNN

The Serious Crash Unit has been advised.