Statues of colonial figures in Sydney's CBD will be reviewed by council after calls from Indigenous leaders to acknowledge their damaging past.

The City of Sydney will review 25 statues to "reassess the one-dimensional accounts of past events" and may add alternate plaques and signage to the figures.

A plaque of former Governor Lachlan Macquarie in Hyde Park described him as a "perfect gentleman".

READ MORE: Cancer patient's plea over screening plan

Indigenous leaders say the plaque is misleading. 

"It doesn't talk about that he actually told the soldiers and others to actually, you know, kill Aboriginal people," City of Sydney Councillor and Wiradjuri woman Yvonne Weldon told 9News.

"These people actually did create great harm to the First Nations across this country so their representation needs to be with an honesty." 

Historians and First Nations people say the statues provide a "lopsided" account of Australia's past. 

"To fully understand that history then we need to hear their (Indigenous) voice in these monuments," University of Sydney Historian James Findlay said.

READ MORE: Alarming number makes rate rise a near certainty

Proposed changes will be made in consultation with Sydney's Aboriginal and Public Art Advisory panels.

Weldon told 9News that the next step forward should be erecting statues of significant Indigenous leaders throughout Sydney. 

The brother of two children who were killed in a horror shed fire in Corio near Geelong has also died in hospital.

Four-year-old Isaac suffered extensive burns after heroically shielding his siblings, three-year-old Saige and 18-month-old Ashlynn, when fire erupted on the family property on Sunday.

The only surviving child, six-year-old Mavis, remains in a critical condition at the Royal Children's Hospital.

READ MORE: Man to be extradited to Melbourne over underworld murder

The children's father Kane McGregor told media yesterday that his family had experienced the worst two days of their lives.

He described Isaac as one of the "strongest children (he) has known".

"Isaac had two huddled under him so they didn't burn," he said.

"He stayed there until he died himself, (paramedics) revived him and flew him to (hospital)."

READ MORE: 'Dangerous' fire burning out-of-control in Queensland turns deadly

Issac had suffered burns to 82 per cent of his body.

Their mother Jasmine Beck also received burns to her hands after dragging her children out of the blaze.

It's understood all four children were inside the shed playing together when a couch caught alight.

Police are continuing to investigate the cause of the fire, with McGregor saying a "clicky lighter" could be to blame.

Defendants tell court they were scared of victim on night of tragedy.

One of three men jailed for torturing and murdering two Queensland drug dealers whose bodies were found in a toolbox has appealed his convictions claiming the jury relied on inadmissible evidence.

Tuhirangi-Thomas Tahiata, then 28, was found guilty by a Brisbane Supreme Court jury in February 2020 of the murder of Cory Breton, 28, and Iuliana Triscaru, 31, and sentenced to life in prison.

Breton and Triscaru's bodies were found submerged in a lagoon south of Brisbane in February 2016.

READ MORE: Retired Victorian MP jailed for falsely claiming more than $170k

Justice Peter Davis at the time described the killings as horrendous and said Tahiata played no role in beating and restraining the pair but he knew he was "driving them to their deaths".

The Brisbane Court of Appeal on Wednesday heard submissions on whether Tahiata's convictions should be overturned.

Tahiata's barrister April Freeman said there had been a error of law during the trial because the jury were told Tahiata had confessed to police while their interview video camera was switched off.

A police officer testified to the jury that Tahiata said: "I did it. I killed them. I murdered both of them."

The specific words Tahiata used during the confession were later ruled inadmissible as they were not an acceptable record under legislation governing Queensland Police conduct.

Freeman said the quote from Tahiata was presented to jury members as a "pivotal moment" in the trial.

"It affected the jury when looking at (Tahiata's) other police interviews and deciding which version is true," Freeman said.

The crown prosecutor said the inadmissible evidence was not material to the outcome of the trial and the error had not affected the jury.

"There was no complaint about it by (Tahiata's defence) counsel at trial … it's a matter for the jury which version of events they accepted," the prosecutor said.

The prosecutor said there was other evidence that led to Tahiata's conviction including him saying "I committed murder, I'll face up to that" in a recorded interview with police.

Chief Justice Helen Bowskill, Justice Peter Flanagan and Acting Justice Michael Buss reserved their decision on the appeal.

Emergency services including a helicopter responded to the scene.

One of Australia's most iconic – and arguably most recognised – foods is celebrating 100 years.

Vegemite, the jar of salty, yeasty spread, was first sold to skeptical Aussies a century ago today.

But not many people know the story behind the popular spread, which has been used in everything from baked goods and sandwiches, to soups and stews.

In 1922, Fred Walker from the Fred Walker Company hired young chemist Dr Cyril P. Callister to develop a remarkable new spread from brewer's yeast.

It hit shelves on October 25, 1923, but at first, Australians didn't take to the product and sales were slow.

But by World War II, our diggers were requesting the condiment be made to meet their nutritional requirements.

"He always had faith and he knew that it was a great product but he could never have imagined," Jaime Callister, the grandson of Vegemite's founder, said.

"It's just a national icon and it's transcended, it's moved well beyond the pantry."

The formula soon became one of the world's richest known sources of natural vitamin B and marked the start of what would become one of Australia's most-loved products.

The name Vegemite was chosen in a competition and Vegemite was sold in a two-ounce (57g) amber glass jar, capped with what was known as a Phoenix seal.

In 1954, the famous jingle was written.

At the Melbourne warehouse where the product has been made since 1923, a room full of "happy little Vegemites" – including retired Australian tennis star Ash Barty – today celebrated an Aussie love affair that has lasted a century.

"Vegemite has been with me through so many of my important milestones and has served as a reminder of home while I've been travelling – and I've even got my own Bartymite jar," Barty said.

Vegemite employee Robert Carman has worked at Vegemite for the past 52 years.

"I have it every day, it can be with avocado, it can be with tomato … and I'll still keep eating it."

Let us know about inspirational Kiwis and stories in your town, city and region.

A manhunt is underway after a man was shot in a Sydney harbourside suburb.

The man in his 30s was allegedly shot and injured outside a home in Upper Pitt St, Kirribilli, which is just 600 metres away from the Prime Minister's official Sydney residence, Kirribilli House.

A unit block has been sealed off with police tape with emergency services including a NSW ambulance are in attendance.

LIVE UPDATES: Wong joins global calls for Gaza ceasefire amid 'dire suffering'

Two men were reportedly seen running from the scene, while an abandoned car was found alight three kilometres away in Neutral Bay.

Witnesses say they heard the gunshots.

NSW Police have confirmed the man suffered minor injuries to his leg.

Investigations are underway. 

A 22-year-old man charged over the fatal shooting of Melbourne underworld figure Gavin "Capable" Preston will be extradited to Melbourne.

Jaeden Tito was arrested without incident during an early morning raid at a home in Sydney's south-west this morning.

Victoria Police Detective Superintendent Janet Stevenson said the arrest marked a "significant" step forward in the investigation.

LIVE UPDATES: Australia sending more military forces to Middle East

Preston was at a cafe in Keilor with Abbas "AJ" Maghnie, the son of late crime boss Nabil Maghnie, when two men dressed in black fired multiple shots at the pair about 10.20am on September 9.

Preston died at the scene while Maghnie was hit in the stomach and taken to hospital with serious injuries.

Nobody else was wounded, though other patrons were in the area at the time.

Police said the attack was believed to be targeted.

Investigators executed warrants from 6am today at residential properties in Bradbury, Yagoona and Campbelltown, in Sydney's south-west.

READ MORE: Sydney man arrested over brunch shooting that shook Melbourne

The 22-year-old Bradbury man was charged later this morning.

His extradition to Victoria is expected to take place tomorrow.

He will face the prospect of additional charges when he comes into Victoria Police custody.

"This is a significant arrest and an important step forward," Superintendent Janet Stevenson of Victoria Police said.

But she said the investigation was "far from over".

READ MORE: Rental ad highlights grim reality of Sydney's housing crisis

The motive behind the shooting remained unknown at this point, Stevenson said, but it is not believed to be linked to a recent series of arson attacks on tobacco stores in Melbourne.

She thanked the public and NSW Police for their assistance with the "challenging" investigation.

Preston's family has been notified about the arrest.

Panel allows seven lots of 39.7 hectares in Auckland’s Pt Chev to be subdivided.