A letter to the editor of the Otago Daily Times ratted Leary out – ‘should know better’.

The woman at the centre of the suspected mushroom poisoning in Victoria has travelled to Melbourne to speak with her lawyers today.

Erin Patterson, 48, was questioned and released without charge by detectives from the Homicide Squad after three of her guests died and another fell seriously ill after eating toxic wild mushrooms during a lunch in the Gippsland region on July 29.

Don Patterson, his wife Gail – Erin Patterson's in-laws – and Heather Wilkinson died a week after the lunch in Leongatha on July 29.

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A fourth person, Reverend Ian Wilkinson, who is a pastor at Korumburra Baptist Church and Heather Wilkinson's husband, is fighting for life in hospital and awaiting a liver transplant after eating the same meal.

Patterson initially told police she bought the mushrooms at the local shops.

9News has contacted all local grocery stores in Leongatha and a farmers' market. All say they haven't had any recalls on mushroom products.

The major supermarkets also say there have been no products taken off the shelves and there's no concern for customer safety.

The dish at the centre of the suspected poisoning has been revealed to be a beef Wellington pie, according to numerous media reports.

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Victoria Police told 9News they could not confirm or deny those details and conceded it would take some time for answers.

Patterson remains a suspect, Detective Inspector Dean Thomas told media earlier this week.

"She is (a suspect) because she cooked those mushrooms," Thomas said.

Police spent yesterday searching a Koonwarra rubbish transfer station after seizing a food dehydrator.

9News understands the dehydrator was seized by police from a bin on Friday.

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There have also been reports in News Corp alleging that Erin's ex-husband Simon Patterson had told a friend he believed he had been poisoned by Erin in the past.

In a social media post from June 2022, Simon said he almost died last year from gut problems that left him in intensive care.

In the Facebook post, which has now been deleted, he revealed his family were asked to say goodbye to him twice in hospital due to fears he would not survive the gut illness, which required three emergency operations.

The post does not state the cause of his illness and there is no suggestion it is related to the current investigation.

Police have yet to determine if the illness was suspicious, calling it "unexplained".

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Commuters say service is not good enough, after another fault left passengers stuck.

As a former prime minister's portrait has been revealed, we have looked back at all of the leader's since federation.

An international student whose car ended up in a crumbling sinkhole on the Gold Coast has been left with a huge bill, with the local council refusing to stump up for the damage.

Riina Haapala's Purgeot sedan was damaged beyond repair when it was swallowed by a giant sinkhole that opened up on Short Street in Southport last Thursday.

With rising bills amid cost of living pressures, Haapala had forgone comprehensive car insurance.

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She appealed to the Gold Coast City Council for assistance, but they responded that they are not legally liable for the damage under the Civil Liability Act.

"So I'm pretty much in the hands of the Council and relying on… just hoping that they… are making decisions considering my position," Haapala told 9News.

The sinkhole was caused by a water main which burst in the early hours of Thursday morning, but the council said that the water main was "well within the expected life parameters for these installations" as it was upgraded in 2004.

Consequently, the council noted that the event was out of its "knowledge and control" and they were not liable.

"I really don't understand how they cannot be liable for it," Haapala said.

As an international student on a study visa, she is only permitted to work up to 20 hours per week and so has limited means to cover the costs.

A crowdfunding campaign has been set up to assist her, and she is now appealing for her case to be reviewed.

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Police in southwest Waikato are stepping up their search for runaway dad Tom Phillips.

Fire and Emergency NZ sent two crews from Wanaka. St John sent an ambulance and chopper.

‘Wayniac’ said he is ready to reform, but the judge noted he’s prospecting for a new gang.

Victims of Melissa Caddick's Ponzi scheme will get a share of $3 million after receivers sold her Dover Heights property and shares, almost three years after she vanished.

Caddick preyed on mostly friends and family to steal up to $30 million through her investment scam, using the money to fund her lavish lifestyle before disappearing in November 2020.

Months later, her badly decomposed right foot, still attached to a running shoe, washed up on a beach on the South Coast of NSW, leading authorities to presume her dead.

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The funds from the receivers are the "first and interim" distribution of payments to investors by Jones Partners, the receivers of Caddick and liquidators of Maliver, Caddick's investment business.

"This distribution has resulted from receivership property we have realised, in particular the share portfolios and the Dover Heights Property that Melissa Caddick resided in," principal at Jones and Partners, Bruce Gleeson, said.

"In many Ponzi schemes, it is not unusual for investors to receive no return, so we are pleased to be able to make this distribution and anticipate further significant distributions in the future," Gleeson said.

"We have also recently taken possession of the Edgecliff Penthouse and are presently preparing it for sale."

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Jones Partners have appointed Richardson & Wrench Double Bay to undertake the sale.

Gleeson said they were aiming for the Edgcliff penthouse in the Eastpoint Tower to go on sale next month.

"Edgecliff is in a prime location and the sale of it will importantly enable us to make further significant distributions to investors."

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Caddick's death remains a mystery despite a lengthy inquest.

Her husband Anthony Koletti is still fighting to keep some of her possessions in the Federal Court.

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Piha residents reported armed police swarming the west coast settlement.