Queensland residents have sweltered through another hot day as a heatwave lingers and fires continue to burn in parts of the state.

Fire crews battling blazes in the Western Downs region have called in reinforcements in the form of other firefighters across the state.

Residents have been evacuated from properties threatened by fire near Tara and Miles, roughly 250 to 300 kilometres west of Brisbane.

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A heat warning is current with maximum temperatures of five to 10 degrees above average across eastern Queensland.

The fire threat is expected to ease on Tuesday, with cooler temperatures and possible severe thunderstorms expected.

There is also the possibility for large hail, damaging winds and heavy rainfall.

A hazardous surf warning is in place for south-east Queensland and north-east New South Wales as easterly swells from ex–tropical cyclone Gabrielle, which has moved south towards New Zealand

Over in Western Australia, a heatwave warning and a fire weather warning for extreme fire danger are current for inland parts of the state.

According to the Bureau of Meteorology, heatwave conditions continue to build over the state with temperatures up to 10 degrees above average.

The heat is expected to shift east in the coming days and peak across southern and south-eastern Australia later this week.

Meanwhile a cyclone watch has been issued for coastal communities from Cape Shield in the Northern Territory to the Queensland border.

This is likely to bring rain and thunderstorms as well as strong and gusty winds.

A severe weather warning is also current for damaging surf for eastern parts of the Top End.

The tropical low and a developing monsoon trough over the NT and far north Queensland is bringing widespread showers, thunderstorms, and rain to much of the tropical north.

This is expected to continue for most of the week and may cause flash and riverine flooding.

New Zealand city grinds to halt as deluge from cyclone looms

Auckland residents are hunkered down as they brace for a deluge from ex-cyclone Gabrielle, two weeks after a record-breaking storm swamped New Zealand's largest city and killed four people.

Much of Auckland ground to a halt as train services were cancelled, libraries and most schools were closed and authorities asked people to make only essential trips.

Air New Zealand cancelled all domestic flights to and from Auckland through to Tuesday morning, as well as many international flights.

Some international routes would continue operating, the airline said, although they might need to be diverted from Auckland.

The carrier also cancelled domestic flights to and from the cities of Hamilton, Tauranga and Taupo.

In all, Air New Zealand canceled more than 500 flights.

More than 10,000 international customers had been affected, the airline said, with thousands still to be rebooked.

The former cyclone, which was moving south, dumped more than 220 millimetres of rain in areas north of Auckland, cutting power to about 58,000 households and forcing many roads to close.

About 46,000 homes remained without power on Monday afternoon.

Authorities declared a state of emergency in Northland, Auckland and some other regions, and were asking some residents in low-lying areas to evacuate.

Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said the weather had made the start of the year "incredibly challenging" for people in Auckland and other northern areas.

"Extreme weather event has come on the back of extreme weather event," Hipkins said.

"For families and businesses, I know that that has been just exhausting, and I want to acknowledge how hard many of them are doing it."

Gabrielle was expected to pass Auckland overnight on Monday.

Its windspeed was downgraded as gusts abated to about 130km/h.

Weather forecaster MetService said there was a very high likelihood of "extreme, impactful, and unprecedented weather" over many regions, with heavy rain, strong winds and large waves.

With Hipkins and some other lawmakers unable to immediately travel from Auckland to the capital, Wellington, some events scheduled for this year's opening session of Parliament were rescheduled, including Hipkins' statement outlining his priorities for the year, which has been moved from Tuesday to Wednesday.

Two weeks ago, Aucklanders experienced the wettest day ever recorded in the city, as the amount of rain that would typically fall over an entire summer hit in a single day.

Quickly rising floodwaters and landslides killed four people, caused widespread disruption and left hundreds of homes unliveable.

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More than 1000 screaming fans have flocked to meet YouTube sensations Logan Paul and KSI outside Nine's Sydney office, some having queued overnight to catch a glimpse of the stars.

The huge crowd of fans – mostly teenagers and young people – formed a huge sea of people stretching for metres outside of Today's North Sydney studio this morning.

The mass turnout came just days after the stars were similarly mobbed by huge crowds of fans in Perth.

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A 14-year-old was hospitalised after suffering a medical episode and remains stable in the Sydney Children's Hospital.

A security guard was also injured when over-excited fans pushed over a concrete barrier.

Speaking to Today's Karl and Sarah, Paul said the turnout was "on a different level".

"Oh my gosh, bro, it was like GTA," he said.

"As soon as we got to the airport we had four cars chasing us.

"It was outrageous. They were trying to cut us off."

The duo were escorted by the Today hosts to a Nine balcony where they were met with roars of applause and cheers from the hundreds of adoring fans below.

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"This is a surreal moment," Paul said while absorbing the atmosphere.

Asked how the pair "manage" their viral fame, KSI responded: "I don't think we are able to".

"I don't honestly know how we do this," he said.

"We're just always here to entertain the people."

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KSI then chanted "Aussie, Aussie, Aussie" with buzzing crowds below replying "Oi, Oi, Oi".

"I just want to get down there, man," Paul said to Karl. 

"He's an inspirational guy, inspirational man," one starstruck fan told Today reporter Gabrielle Boyle.

"I'm going to keep going throughout my life."

Paul, who has some 23 million followers online, describes himself as an "artist, boxer and wrestler".

One fan was asked what it is about the star that attracted them to head down to greet the duo this morning.

"They are amazing people," he said.

"I love them with my whole heart."

Crowds are believed to have queued for hours in anticipation, some even arriving last night.

Many fans were happy with the decision to turn out and wait for the social media stars.

"It's insane, this is unreal," one person said.

"KSI is a legend bro … I'm lost for words," another said.

Police were in attendance to ensure the safety of the group.

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The family are on a hill with Civil Defence authorities in contact with them every hour.

High winds from Cyclone Gabrielle cast fears that a 109-year-old tower could collapse.

A measles case has been confirmed in New Zealand for the first time since the 2019.

The quake struck 25km west of Gisborne at a depth of 22km.

Work is under way to install an Australian-first light system aimed at reducing congestion in the one of country's busiest tunnels.

The high-tech lighting is being rolled out in Melbourne's Burnley Tunnel, aming to improve traffic flow by encouraging drivers to keep pace with the speed limit.

The tollway carries traffic eastbound from the West Gate Freeway to the Monash Freeway and runs underneath the Yarra River.

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Transurban general manager of operations Phil Naulls said once up and running, green lights will be travelling at 80 km/h.

"As you come in, you see a pulsing piece of green light coming past you at the speed we want you to be driving at," he said.

"We have sensors which detect average speeds at each location. An algorithm tells the pacemaker how fast to go to get you out of the tunnel at the right speed."

It's taken months to install the $13 million worth of LED light sets.

"We have completed about 1.4 kilometres of lights and the tunnel is 3.6 kilometres," Naulls said.

As there is an incline on the exit out of the Burnley Tunnel, many drivers slow down due to the limited visual cues inside.

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"Most people don't know they are driving down 65 metres. It's like an upside down West Gate Bridge. So that steep climb coming out is creating a speed drop," Naulls said.

"Throughout their journey (drivers) they are slowing down by 20km/h.

"We can see the congestion all the way back to the start of the tunnel. That's where the pulsing lights come in."

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Victorian Transport Association chief executive Peter Anderson welcomed the system.

"The movement of the lights past you and you trying to keep up with them assists you in making sure you keep a steady speed," he said.

"We don't want the stop and start. We don't want the compaction at the end of the tunnel."

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Neurosurgeon Charlie Teo will defend his practices over the next five days as a disciplinary hearing gets underway.

Teo became a celebrity surgeon for performing neurosurgery on cancer patients who have been told by other doctors they have inoperable tumours.

In August 2021, the Health Care Complaints Commission (HCCC) investigated Teo's practices resulting in the NSW Medical Council invoking practising restrictions.

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Under these restrictions, Teo was unable to operate without the approval of another doctor who deems the patient aware of the risk and is financially informed.

It came after serious complaints and allegations about his decision to carry out some surgeries.

Teo denies any wrongdoing.

The surgeon was flanked by fellow high-profile supporters including former Australian cricket captain Steve Waugh, whose wife was Teo's patient, and boxer Anthony Mundine as he arrived for the first day of hearings.

"Charlie's a great Australian, he saved my wife's life and he's a good mate. He's a genius at what he does and I'm here to support him," Waugh said.

Survivors of Teo's surgeries also flocked outside the hearing to show their support to the surgeon.

"I came to Australia and he saved my life," former patient Andrew Magar said outside court.

Another patient, Joanna McNiven, said: "After the operation, I was told I probably had about two or three months at most to live and I'm still here."

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https://twitter.com/RuthWW/status/1624920648333262849

In a speech outside the hearing, Teo said he was looking forward to having his say in the formal setting after allegations have been levelled at him of providing false hope and exorbitant fees to patients.

"It's sad we're in this situation. I mean I'd much rather be operating on a Monday," Teo said outside court.

"I'm really hoping that what we're going to see over the next few days is fairness, justice and truth come out."

During today's hearing, headed by a former family court judge and two neurosurgeons, the family member of a former patient gave evidence after his loved one was given up to 18 months to live with an incurable brain tumour.

The pair flew to Sydney in a desperate bid for the famous doctor's help.

"We were grabbing on to any hope that we could," the tribunal was told.

"That's why we went to see him… he laid out a map that was quite inviting."

The commission heard the pair had already seen two medical specialists interstate and a potentially risky surgery had been refused.

A referral was also refused.

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In cross-examination, the witness told the commission that Teo talked with confidence and "sold us a lot of hope".

The man alleged Teo told the patient "you could make your six-year-old son's 18th birthday".

Six months after the surgery, the patient died.

The commission also heard the patient was asked for $35,000 for the risky surgery but could only afford $10,000.

The HCCC wants Teo reprimanded and his right to practise to be placed under long-term conditions.

For the next four days, a panel will examine complaints made by patients against Teo.

The hearing continues.

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A Sydney car salesman who filmed himself dancing and driving at dangerous speeds on the M5 for Instagram has been sentenced to a 15-month suspended jail sentence and 150 hours of community service on appeal. 

In a series of social media videos Ali El Skaf is seen overtaking traffic in a breakdown lane at Bexley and breaking through a roadblock during bushfires to drive on the M5. 

In these videos, the 19-year-old is driving up to 189km/h.

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"Express. No one on the M5, only me ha ha ha," the Cecil Hills man can be heard yelling. 

"They can't even get us for speeding – allegations." 

In other videos, El Skaf is seen reaching speeds of up to 211km/h and often drives high-powered cars that are for sale at his family's Best Buy Autos business at Moorebank. 

His appalling record of dangerous driving was all uploaded to social media, eventually leading to his arrest in March 2020.

9News has obtained police bodycam footage of his arrest where El Skaf is seen trying to ditch a diamond-encrusted watch, which features prominently in his videos, and an item which a judge found was an identifying feature.

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Judge Andrew Scotting found El Skaf was identifiable in the videos due to his "distinctive voice" which has a "husky tone" and through a number of catchphrases he repeats in his videos, including the sound "ahhhhh" and the exaggerated pronunciation of the word "allegations". 

El Skaf was convicted of four counts of driving dangerously and while he unsuccessfully appealed his conviction in November last year, he appealed the severity of his sentence in January this year and was sentenced to a 15-month intensive corrections order. 

"The appellant deliberately drove at a speed and in a manner dangerous to the public for the purpose of filming and publishing his actions on social media," NSW District Court Scotting said.

"He intended to create notoriety for himself, to encourage others to copy his actions and to publicly express his contempt for the authority of the police," Scotting said. 

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In sentencing, the judge said he needed to send a strong statement to "like-minded people" including El Skaf's social media followers.

"The appellant has not taken responsibility for his actions or expressed any remorse," Scotting said.

"The appellant's actions demonstrate a disregard for the law and the authority of the police to enforce the law."

While El Skaf enjoyed filming himself for social media, he declined to answer questions on camera when 9News approached him outside the NSW District Court last month. 

"Get out of my face," he said.

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“No one gets a get out of jail free card,” an official said as the storm approached.