Professor Rangi Mātāmua is a major finalist for New Zealander of the Year

Te Arawa’s Matatini kapa haka groups are to give a free concert the day after Lakeside.

A 68-year-old Melbourne fisherman who spent seven hours struggling to keep his head above water after falling overboard has said he thought he was going to die.

An emotional Bart Karlovic has called the team who pulled him out of the water in Indented Head in Victoria about 1.20pm on Monday legends.

Karlovic was fishing on his tinnie off the shore of Indented Head near Geelong early on Monday when a wave knocked him overboard.

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Police have said he only survived because he was wearing a life jacket.

"Without a doubt he is alive due to the fact he was wearing a life jacket," Inspector James Dalton has said.

But the current and the wind was too strong for him to swim to shore.

For almost seven hours the Altona man struggled in the water, bleeding from the mouth.

His tinnie was found doing circles about 9.30am, alerting police to his disappearance.

Almost four hours later police found him in the water, almost 1.5km from his boat.

Karlovic suffered hypothermia, with his lungs full of salt water.

He then spent four days in hospital.

Inspector Dalton said it was very lucky police had been able to find the man.

"To locate him so far away from his tinnie and so far off shore is like finding a needle in a haystack," he said.

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A woman is suing convicted paedophile and disgraced entertainer Rolf Harris for alleged sexual assault in 1982 when she was 10 years old.

In a statement of claim seen by AAP, Harris, 92, is listed as one of three defendants along with the State of Victoria and child welfare organisation OzChild.

Maurice Blackburn Lawyers, acting for the woman who cannot be named for legal reasons, claim Harris molested her while she was in foster care at a camp on the Mornington Peninsula, in Victoria's south-east.

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The pair allegedly met after Harris performed at Camp Manyung and he was helping remove wax from her clothing on a bench when the alleged incident occurred.

Harris is accused of lifting up her skirt at the back and sexually assaulting her.

"The plaintiff tried to call out and scream and she then ran away. The plaintiff told a staff member at the camp about the abuse but Rolf Harris called the plaintiff a liar," the documents filed in the Supreme Court of Victoria said.

Harris then left the camp.

The woman further claims she was molested in separate incidents while under the care of the State of Victoria and OzChild.

She said she suffered severe mental health and substance abuse issues as a result of the alleged assaults and is seeking damages and costs.

Maurice Blackburn principal lawyer John Rule said his client's quality of life declined after the alleged abuse and she was seeking unspecified damages for pain and suffering.

"It's fair to say it's had an extreme impact on her life in a range of ways … when someone is abused at that sort of age in those formative years in a serious way and they're not believed when they talk to adults about it," Mr Rule said.

"We see in these cases that can have a really catastrophic affect on their development and personality and their relationships."

The woman struggles with a range of conditions including post-traumatic stress disorder and has little or no interest in sex.

Rule said it was not uncommon for victims of sexual abuse to wait 25 to 30 years to come forward.

The Victorian government extends its thoughts to all victim-survivors of sexual abuse, thanking those who have spoken out. But a government spokeswoman wouldn't comment on the matter specifically as it was before the court.

OzChild chief executive officer Lisa Griffiths said the organisation supported all victims of abuse.

"OzChild is committed to supporting those impacted by our care throughout our history. This commitment was demonstrated by signing up to the National Redress Scheme in 2020," Griffiths said.

"OzChild is deeply apologetic to any individuals who have experienced abuse, however cannot comment on individual matters."

In 2013 Harris was arrested in the UK and charged with the indecent assault of four underage girls dating back to the 1980s.

He was jailed in 2014 for more than five years.

After three years behind bars, he was released in 2017 while facing a second trial for seven more charges. Acquitted on three, the jury was undecided on four.

The case was retried for three of the undecided offences, but the jury remained unable to reach a verdict.

The prosecution decided against another trial, and Harris returned to his home near London.

Support is available from the National Sexual Assault and Domestic Family Violence Counselling Service at 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732).

Readers seeking support can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or beyond blue on 1300 22 4636.

Back-to-back earthquakes have struck Vanuatu as the country prepares for its second major tropical cyclone in as many days.

A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck 90km from Luganville in Vanuatu at 5am this morning with a second 5.4 magnitude earthquake 114km from the city at 6.30am.

No casualties have been immediately reported from the twin quakes.

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There was no tsunami warning issued following the quakes which struck 10km deep.

The pacific island has been placed under a state of emergency for six months as multiple disasters sweep across the country.

It comes as category 4 Cyclone Judy has swept across the country leaving parts of the capital Port Vila without power for days and many people in emergency evacuation centres.

There are reports of significant damage in the Tafea province in the country's south.

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The Vanuatu Business Resilience Council said it will work to provide support to impacted residents.

"We will mobilise our private sector cluster network of shipping vessels to support the government response to get urgent aid to the effected islands," the group said.

A second cyclone is approaching the country, Cyclone Kevin, and is expected to make landfall this weekend.

It will intensify to a category 4 on Saturday as it travels south-east.

"The Pacific island nation is still in the early stages of recovering from the effects of a previous cyclone, which made landfall earlier this week," US AID's Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance said.

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Nearly 400mm of rain is expected to fall as the cyclone makes landfall.

Destructive winds of up to 120km/h with 185km/h gusts are also forecast.

The weather emergencies have forced businesses and schools to close and airlines have cancelled flights.

Located to the east of Australia and the north of New Zealand, Vanuatu is home to about 300,000 people.

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Multiple F45 gyms have collapsed into liquidation in recent months owing upwards of $100,000 in debts as reduced memberships and the COVID-19 pandemic continue to take their toll.

F45 is a popular workout franchise consisting of 45-minute workouts with a mix of circuit and high-intensity interval training (HIIT).

At least five F45 gyms across Victoria, Queensland and South Australia – which are individually owned but franchise operated – have entered liquidation in the past six months, according to Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) records.

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B&T Advisory has handled the liquidation of two F45 franchises based in Newstead in Queensland and two other gyms in Stafford and West End which collapsed in November last year.

"All Companies ceased to trade prior to our appointments due to reduced memberships as a result of COVID-19 pandemic and government legislation," liquidator Murray Daniel told 9news.com.au.

"No assets were available upon appointment, with liabilities of approximately $100,000 per company, owing to the landlords and the Australian Taxation Office (ATO)."

9news.com.au has contacted the insolvency firms for the remaining F45 gyms listed for liquidation.

A further two gyms in Victoria have also issued their intention to wind up business, ASIC records reveal.

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An F45 spokesperson said the franchise still maintains nearly 500 studios in Australia despite the closures.

"We are one of the largest fitness operators in Australia and are proud to have been ranked the top Australian gym by Canstar Blue for the fifth consecutive year," the spokesperson said.

"We recognise that the success of our franchisees is integral to F45's overall success, and we continue to take steps to support our valued franchise network.

"With our recently announced $90 million financing and a strengthened Board and leadership team, F45 is on stronger footing to drive the business forward as we work to best position the company and its franchisees for the future."

It comes after the fitness industry took a major toll during the COVID-19 pandemic as gyms were forced to close during lockdowns, then tough number restrictions for classes and capacities were introduced as well as strict cleaning practices.

CEO of AUSactive the health and fitness industry association Barrie Elvish said gyms have been forced to change their tactics in a post COVID-19 world.

"The fact is that many fitness brands with gyms in CBDs in the East Coast – particularly Sydney and Melbourne – have had to evolve their studio footprints to address shifting market dynamics and changes in consumer behaviour post-COVID," he said.

"Factors include rises in suburban memberships due to more gym-goers working from home, more than half of the trainer workforce exiting the industry, and inconsistent practices by landlords on rent abatement in response to pandemic-required closures."

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Renters in New South Wales will soon no longer have to worry about no-grounds evictions after cross-party support to ban the practice, but it still remains in place across much of Australia.

The reform won't end all evictions, either – landlords in NSW and elsewhere in the country still have the power to tell their tenants to leave when they have a suitable reason.

So why can renters be told to find a new place to live, and how exactly does eviction work in Australia?

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How does eviction work in Australia?

Rental legislation – and therefore eviction rights and processes – is in the hands of states and territories in Australia, and therefore varies depending on which part of the country you're living in.

It also depends on the type of rental agreements, as there are different requirements for fixed terms (like your standard six- or 12-month contract) and periodic or rolling leases.

Generally speaking, evictions require a landlord to provide written notice to a tenant requiring them to vacate the premises on a certain date. The necessary notice period depends on the jurisdiction and type of lease.

The renter will need to leave the property by that date, and if they don't, the landlord can seek legal or tribunal orders to forcibly remove them.

However, tenants can also challenge some cases. This might include claiming it was a retaliatory eviction, or that the notice wasn't issued properly (for example by not following the required notice period).

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What are grounds for eviction in Australia?

Putting aside no-grounds evictions for the moment, there are some reasons landlords can have for telling their tenants to leave.

Again, it varies from state to state, so you should check with your relevant local body to see what the laws are where you live.

Not paying rent, damaging the property or using the premises for illegal activities are things that would be considered grounds for eviction, and most likely fall under a breach of the tenancy agreement.

Generally speaking, an eviction can also be issued if the landlord decides to sell the property and their tenant is on a rolling lease.

However, if a fixed agreement is in place, both the existing and new landlord cannot kick the renter out over the sale.

That brings us to the question of: can a landlord just kick you out for no reason? The answer in most parts of the country remains yes, thanks to no-grounds evictions.

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What is a no-fault or no-grounds eviction, and which states and territories still have them?

A no-grounds or no-fault eviction occurs when a landlord decides to remove their tenant even though there's no breach of the agreement.

Once again, the regulations around them vary between jurisdictions, but in most states and territories, renters can be issued with a no-grounds eviction if they are either on a rolling lease or if their fixed term has come to an end.

There are some exceptions.

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Queensland introduced new legislation, which came into effect in October 2022, that ended no-fault evictions, although both tenants and landlords can end tenancy agreements without a reason at the end of a fixed term.

Both Victoria and Tasmania have similar laws.

The ACT "removed all forms of tenancy termination without a cause" in November 2022, prohibiting non-fault evictions from all rental agreements.

As for NSW, cross-party support for an election promise from the government to end no-grounds evictions means it will be outlawed in the state.

However, until that commitment is legislated, the practice remains legal, and is likely to remain so for a while yet while the government undergoes consultation with stakeholders.

As for Western Australia, the Northern Territory and South Australia, there's no legislation addressing no-grounds evictions.

Gina Rinehart unsurprisingly took out the top gong for the richest woman in Australia but this group of 20 women nudge a combined $100 billion in collective wealth.

Donations are used to provide ongoing support to those affected by Cyclone Gabrielle.

The Spinoff has backed its writer’s part in the heated conversation.