Two tourists have learnt the hard way the simple mistake of leaving your balcony door open can have major consequences on Queensland's Hamilton Island.

Ellie-May Hadrian and her friend Aimen walked back into their hotel room to find the disastrous results of a cockatoo invasion.

Packets of food scattered on the floor, bird poo on the bed, the surfaces, their clothes.

"It was like a tornado had come through our room," Hadrian told 9News.

It wasn't a storm but a simple mistake, forgetting to close the balcony door despite warnings from staff not to do so.

"Our beds and everything we own is f—ed," Hadrian says in a TikTok video that's been watched more than 2 million times and attracted thousands of comments.

"[We] opened the door, saw five or six cockatoos on the floor right outside the minibar," she told 9News.

" … we were like, 'Get out, get out, go away!'"

The avian party was over, leaving behind a massive cleanup and $25 minibar bill.

Hamilton Island staff are no stranger to the hungry birds wreaking havoc.

"They said it happens every single day," Hadrian said.

Visitors are warned to keep their doors closed but even outside the birds are opportunistic.

"They just get their little beaks, open the packaging and have a party," Hadrian said.

She's hoping her warning will not only save staff but other guests from the same fate.

"As long as people learn from our mistake, as long as something good comes from it I'm happy," she said.

Hadrian was gushing in her praise for the hotel's staff, saying she and her friend cleaned what they could before cleaners came through and took care of everything.

"I actually appreciate the staff so much because it's out fault, we left the doors open," she said, in a follow-up video.

"We're stupid enough to do that."

The time it takes for the average Australian to save for a home loan has blown out to almost a decade, grim new data has revealed.

With the escalating price of virtually everything causing people pain at the hip pocket, the announcement comes as no surprise to experts, who say Aussies are being forced to cut costs elsewhere in order to save.

The research, conducted by financial firm Canstar, suggests that it'll take singles a total of eight years and eight months to save to buy a home in the country, with couples on a dual income looking at about four years and two months.

READ MORE: Smaller tax returns come as a 'slap in the face' to struggling Aussies

In some positive news however, the data also revealed that Aussie first home buyers are saving slightly more per month in 2023 than they were last year.

The study claims that people are saving an average of $1,605 per month, up $188 in 2022.

"First home buyers being able to save more in a cost of living crisis shows how determined Aussies are to get off the renting treadmill," Canstar's Editor-at-Large and financial commentator Effie Zahos said.

"Property prices are continuing to rise but rents are also rising to historic highs.

"Renters are no doubt feeling the pressure to get a foot on the property ladder."

Zahos said that nine in every 10 potential first home buyers are prepared to make comprises to buy sooner.

"Radically reducing their spending was top of the list for what they would comprise on followed by purchasing an older property and buying an apartment over a house rounded out the top three," she said.

READ MORE: Power prices to spike again over summer

"While 62 per cent of potential first-time buyers are regularly saving, worryingly, one-quarter don't know how much they are regularly saving and 13 percent aren't in a position to save."

The study also found that 29 per cent of potential first home buyers say they are receiving some form of contribution from their parents or family – is up from 21 per cent last year.

But Zahos warned accepting help from mum and dad could come with serious risks.

"The Bank of Mum and Dad comes with warnings," she said.

"After 12 rate hikes those parents that jumped in and helped their children financially one or two years ago may find that they are now being called on to bail the kids out as they struggle with much higher repayments and are trapped in mortgage prison with little equity in their loan to refinance to a lower rate offer.

"Parents deciding to go guarantor on a loan to help their child buy sooner should consider limiting the amount of their guarantee, check that their child has some form of income protection insurance, work out an exit strategy to release the guarantee and get independent advice so both parties know their roles and responsibilities."

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Survivors describe the morning of horror in Auckland’s CBD.

Two people wanted by police for suspected break-and-enter offences have been arrested after an hour-long chase across Sydney's west.

The wild chase began in Prestons about 9.30am when police were investigating property crimes and came across a suspect car, an allegedly stolen white Hyundai Sonata.

Officers followed the car and tried to stop them but the occupants drove off, sparking the chase.

READ MORE: Three dead in New Zealand shooting

Whyte said the car collided with the rear of a truck on the M5 motorway during the pursuit.

Footage shows the heavy damage sustained by the car following this collision as it continued to evade police.

The Sonata weaved in and around streets in Liverpool and Milperra while police pursued.

However, the pursuit broke off shortly after due to safety concerns, while PolAir monitored the Sonata from the sky.

Footage from the air showed the Sonata heading through multiple suburbs into North Parramatta – ultimately crossing from the city's south-west to the north-west in about 45 minutes.

The Sonata was seen driving at high speed, through red traffic lights, and on the wrong side of the road.

It narrowly missed colliding with other cars on several occasions.

"It was clear the driver and passenger had no concern whatsoever for other motorists. The manner of driving was appalling," Superintendent Adam Whyte said.

"It was lucky no one was injured.

"The driving was very very reckless."

READ MORE: Millions hit by 'slap in the face' tax loss

The car ultimately hit a traffic light and came to a stop on North Rocks Road at North Rocks, just after 11am.

It was blocked in by an unmarked police car and multiple officers swarmed the Hyundai.

Kasey Glover, 39, and Ashlee Ralston, 37, were arrested at the scene.

While police searched the car they found a number of items related to the property offences officers had been investigating.

Officers also found two unregistered firearms which Whyte confirmed to be a sawn-off rifle and a gel blaster rifle.

READ MORE: Netflix has last laugh after password sharing crackdown

Whyte said Ralston was being investigated by police for break-and-enter, stealing and fraud offences in the Fairfield and Liverpool area.

Glover had two warrants against him related to property offences and aggravated robbery.

Inquiries are continuing.

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He had already been deported but came back to NZ on fake papers and gained residency.

A selfie with three dingoes has landed a New South Wales woman in hot water and prompted authorities to issue a warning to all visitors to the Queensland island of K'gari.

The Department of Environment and Science said the 29-year-old was one of two women to receive a $2300 fine after they documented their encounters with the dingoes on social media.

A 25-year-old Queensland woman was also hit with a penalty notice after her encounter with a dingo, also known as wongari, was posted online.

READ MORE: Auckland construction site gunman was under house arrest

The department's compliance manager Mike Devery said both women made "an extremely dangerous decision" to interact with the animals and they were lucky the situations did not escalate.

"The Queensland woman could have been bitten by the wongari (dingo), which was clearly exhibiting dominance-testing behaviour," Devery said.

"Wongari are wild animals and need to be treated as such.

"The New South Wales woman has recklessly chosen to approach very closely to three sleeping wongari pups.

"She was lucky the mother of the pups wasn't nearby."

The fines come days after Moreton Bay Regional Council worker Sarah Peet was hospitalised after she was chased and attacked by dingoes on the island on Monday.

It is believed the 24-year-old had up to 30 lacerations to her arms, legs and torso after the incident.

Senior ranger Linda Behrendorff said most of K'gari is bushland, which gives the dingoes plenty of territory to live, hunt and raise their pups.

"Unfortunately, wongari that venture near the public areas can become quickly habituated," Behrendorff said.

"And one interaction can be the start of wongari becoming habituated, because they lose their natural wariness of people.

"Residents and visitors to the island cannot treat wongari as cute, hungry or something to play with.

"The wongari will start to approach people for food, and that can put wongari and people at risk."

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A police spokesperson said police were called to Hinemoa Street in Birkenhead at 5.50pm.

Accused remanded in custody.

The gunman who shot and killed two people and injured six others in Auckland's CBD was recently sentenced on domestic violence charges.

Matu Tangi Matua Reid was sentenced in March on charges of injuring with intent to injure, wilful damage, male assaults female and impeding breathing.

The 24-year-old was sentenced to five months' home detention at the Auckland District Court.

READ MORE: Man dead after police shooting in Sydney

Reid died in the shooting which unfolded at a construction centre near Auckland CBD's waterfront where he had previously worked.

Police Commissioner Andrew Coster confirmed Reid was wearing an ankle monitor at the time of the shooting, but Coster said there was a condition of his bail which allowed him to work at the construction site.

Coster also confirmed Reid did not have a gun licence.

Department of Corrections acting national commissioner Sean Mason said Reid was subject to 10 standard conditions and five special conditions during his home detention period.

These include residing at a specific address, not consuming alcohol and non-prescription drugs and completing a non-violence program to the satisfaction of a probation officer.

Mason said Reid had completed an alcohol and drug program and had been drug tested twice during his sentence with negative results on both occasions.

The acting national commissioner said Reid was also actively engaged in a non-violence program.

"While our full review is yet to be undertaken, initial information suggests that Community Corrections staff managed his compliance with these conditions closely," Mason said.

"He was in frequent contact with staff and was required to report in to his probation officer twice every 10 days.

"He had last reported in yesterday."

Mason said Reid had "regular approved absences" to travel to work, including at the time the incident occurred this morning.

"Home detention requires a person to remain at a suitable and approved residence at all times and be electronically monitored 24 hours a day, seven days a week, unless approval to leave is given by a probation officer," he said.

Police said there is no ongoing safety risk, while New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins earlier confirmed the FIFA World Cup opener will go ahead tonight with an increased police presence in the city.

"I have no elevated concern about FIFA – this is a generally safe country," Coster said.

Police were on the scene 11 minutes after shots were first reported inside the building under construction site on lower Queen Street about 7.22am NZST.

The gunman was armed with a pump-action shotgun and moved through the building site, firing shots.

When he reached the upper levels of the building, Reid allegedly went into a lift shaft, where police tried to speak with him about 8am.

A police officer was then shot. He was in a critical condition but has since stabilised.

Reid was found dead after shots were exchanged between him and police.

Two members of the public were then found dead on lower levels.

Five others are also being treated for critical and moderate injuries, police have advised.

Coster said some construction workers were forced to take refuge in the building, while many others escaped during the shooting.

"This has been a shocking and traumatic event for those people who came to work and found themselves in the middle of an armed emergency."

Precinct director Graeme Wong said he did not know when the site would reopen or when work would resume given the ongoing investigation.

Prime Minister Chris Hipkins earlier praised emergency services for their "heroic" and quick actions.

"I want to thank the brave men and women of the New Zealand police, who ran into the gunfire, straight into harm's way, in order to save the lives of others," he said.

He said it was too early to confirm who the victims of the shooting were and if they were construction workers.

Police are still working out exactly what occurred, with investigations expected to take days, but have reassured the public the incident is over.

"What has unfolded is understandably alarming and we are reassuring the public that this incident has been contained and is an isolated incident," Hipkins said.

Police have said they are in the process of speaking to more than 40 witnesses who were around at the time of the shooting.

Officers have also reassured the public that they can return to the CBD, but are asked to stay away from the crime scene.

Photos of construction workers sheltering on top of a building have been circulating, as has vision of a police officer being ushered into an ambulance with what appears to be injury to his face.

"Police are still confirming the sequence of events in which the offender died, and we will continue to provide updates," New Zealand Police said in a statement.

"As we have previously advised this is not a national security risk.

"Police are liaising with the families of the victims, including that of the deceased, and we have engaged with Victim Support."

The shooting occurred hours before Auckland was due to host the FIFA Women's World Cup opening match between New Zealand and Norway.

Readers seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.

If you or someone you know is impacted by sexual assault, domestic or family violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit 1800RESPECT.org.au. In an emergency, call 000.

Almost two years to the day since world champion kayaker Nathan Baggaley and his brother were jailed over a bungled cocaine-smuggling plot, Dru Baggaley says there has been a miscarriage of justice.

The men were found guilty by a Brisbane Supreme Court jury in April 2021 of attempting to import up to $200 million worth of cocaine into Australia.

Three months later, on July 27, the Olympic silver medallist was sentenced to 25 years behind bars, while his younger brother was handed a 28-year jail term.

READ MORE: Three dead in New Zealand shooting

Dru Baggaley was found to be a principal organiser of the plot and recruiter of another man, Anthony Draper, to go to sea with him.

The now 41-year-old and Draper set off on a rigid-hulled inflatable boat from Brunswick Heads in July 2018, meeting a foreign freighter about 360 kilometres off Queensland's coast about 11 hours later, the court was told.

The men retrieved packages thrown off the other ship but on their return flung them into the sea when pursued by an Australian navy vessel.

Bundles recovered at the time, together with those washed ashore for months after, contained 650 kilograms of white powder containing cocaine worth between $130 million and $200 million.

READ MORE: Power prices to spike again over summer

Dru Baggaley and Draper were arrested before they reached the mainland and Nathan Baggaley taken into custody almost a year later.

An appeal against Dru Baggaley's conviction was adjourned after Justice Jean Dalton said she was "slightly unusually" commenting before the start of proceedings to avoid an undesirable course of raising issues during the hearing.

Dru Baggaley was arguing there was a miscarriage of justice caused by defence counsel's conduct at the trial, the Queensland Court of Appeal was told on Thursday.

"You've chosen to make this the ground of your appeal, it's a big thing to do but if you're going to do it, you have to do it in a way that's proper," Justice Dalton told barrister Saul Holt KC.

The court was concerned that submitted affidavit material only told part of the relevant factual background and it was being asked to make inferences where there was no direct evidence, she said.

READ MORE: Highway remains closed after 'explosive' crash

The case was adjourned until a date yet to be decided for Mr Holt to take further instructions from Dru Baggaley and solicitors to provide more evidence to the court.

Nathan Baggaley, now 47, has also appealed his conviction, earlier telling the court his lawyers failed to follow his instructions.

It was "incompetent to say the least" that his legal counsel had not argued certain aspects during the earlier appeal proceedings, he said.

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READ MORE: Dingo euthanised as rescuer reveals more details of attack