Police hold grave concerns for a woman who went missing from the Gold Coast after an alleged break-and-enter at her property.

Wendy Sleeman, 61, called police after she came home to find her Ironbark Street home in Elanorahad had been allegedly broken into around 3pm yesterday.

Detective Superintendent Brendan Smith said within half an hour of Sleeman reporting the crime, she had disappeared.

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Police found blood in the home and a doormat on fire at the Elanora home.

"The scene behind us would indicate there's been some violence there and also evidence that a fire had been commenced but it was extinguished," Smith said.

Sleeman's son, Slade Murdok, 30, was spotted walking towards his mother's home yesterday afternoon, dressed in dark clothes and carrying a backpack.

He left his white Ford sedan parked around the corner.

Later, he allegedly drove out of Sleeman's house in her blue Honda Jazz with the registration 952AT4.

"Wendy is described as Caucasian in appearance, approximately 153cm tall with a heavy build and short brown hair," police said.

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"Slade is described as Caucasian in appearance, approximately 180cm tall with a proportionate build and dark brown hair."

Police hold "grave concerns" for Sleeman's wellbeing and the incident is not a random attack.

"It would indicate obviously a dispute has happened between the homeowner and somebody who we believe to be the son," Smith said.

"My experience as an investigator I can say it's clear that there are signs of violence and evidence of a fight. The disappearance and the evidence at the scene would suggest it's highly suspicious.

"It's clearly a targeted issue between mother and son at this point."

Smith said there have been some ongoing issues between Sleeman and Murdok since 2016.

"There's been support from government agencies along the way and unfortunately it would appear that that's failed," he added.

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Police are worried about Murdok's state of mind as he has previously threatened harm to officers, Smith said.

Smith added there had been domestic violence orders in place between Sleeman and Murdok since 2021.

9News understands Sleeman currently teaches English at Langports. Yesterday her son went to the workplace to threaten her.

"Earlier in the day, yesterday the victim as in Wendy reported her son as being near her workplace," Smith said.

Smith said a court appearance in a civil jurisdiction on Friday may have been a "catalyst for the behaviour".

Police believe the pair may be closer to Brisbane at this point and are focusing efforts in the area.

Members of the public are advised if they see Murdok and Sleeman not to approach the 30-year-old and to call authorities immediately.

"I am concerned about his state of mind and the risk to people trying to interact with him without the appropriate training," he said.

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A man has been arrested and charged after allegedly bashing a 51-year-old to death in a McDonald's car park in South Australia.

The victim died in hospital from severe head injuries two days after the alleged attack.

Police were called to the Elizabeth McDonald's in Adelaide on Sunday, January 22 at 10:15pm after reports of a fight. Shortly after the 51-year-old victim was taken to the Royal Adelaide hospital in a critical condition, suffering from severe head trauma.

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The victim died from his head injuries on Tuesday morning. 

The alleged offender, a 35-year-old man, was arrested by police at Elizabeth Cove on Tuesday and was charged with aggravated assault causing harm.

The man was granted bail and will appear back in Elizabeth Magistrates Court on March 7.

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While the men did not know each other, police say it was not a random attack.

Investigations are still ongoing, and police say further charges may be laid.

Anyone with information about the incident hs been urged to contact authorities.

Guy Sebastian's neighbour has been arrested and charged after allegedly sending a death threat to the pop star as a years-long dispute turns ugly.

NSW Police said they were called to Sebastian's Maroubra home, in Sydney's eastern suburbs, about 1.30pm yesterday after reports of a neighbour dispute.

Officers attended and arrested 65-year-old Phillip Richard Hanslow, alleging he threatened to kill Sebastian and kicked his fence.

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"I was cleaning bricks on my property and I was approached by Mr Sebastian, which then turned into an altercation," Hanslow said.

"We've had that many disputes with Mr Sebastian. It's too volatile to live over there."

Hanslow did not explain how the argument started.

"He (Sebastian) said he would call police, I said fine," Hanslow said.

"They ripped the back door open, they came in and arrested me and dragged me out of the place."

Hanslow was then taken to Maroubra Police station where "he was charged with destroy or damage property, and stalk/intimidate intend fear physical etc harm".

Police have also issued an AVO preventing Hanslow from contacting the celebrity and entering his property.

Hanslow was granted bail and will face Waverley Local Court on February 2.

Sebastian declined to comment.

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The feud is believed to be long-running, with Sebastian citing the problematic relationship on radio in 2019.

In 2017, a complaint was filed by Sebastian's neighbour that their property had been damaged.

"A residential property in Maroubra was damaged when a brick fell from a truck that was being loaded on an adjacent construction site," SafeWork NSW said at the time.

"SafeWork NSW issued a notice to the demolition contractor directing them to cease using the loading zone adjacent to the residential property and use an alternative loading zone."

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Dating app safety was at the forefront of a national roundtable as Australia tries to tackle the rise in domestic violence and prevent it from happening on the platforms.

The damning statistics for domestic violence speak for themselves in Australia, on average, one woman a week is killed by a former or current partner.

One in six women has experienced sexual or physical violence by a current partner while for men it is one in 16.

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More than three million Australians use dating apps and now authorities are figuring out how to prevent domestic violence perpetrators from infiltrating the platforms.

Why was the roundtable held?

As domestic violence becomes increasingly prevalent in Australia alongside the popularity of dating apps, both state and federal governments face a growing problem of how to stop it.

Most recently, 31-year-old Dannielle Finlay-Jones was allegedly murdered by a man she had met on a dating app in Sydney's west.

It sparked calls for reforms to dating apps and the protections for dating app users from potential partners with a history of domestic violence.

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What was decided?

Dating app representatives met with survivors, government officials, and domestic violence services at the summit in Sydney.

Communications minister Michelle Rowland said there is no overnight solution to preventing violence perpetration on dating apps, but today was a "first step".

There were three key takeaways from the roundtable, Rowland said.

• Preventing the exploitation of online dating services by perpetrators
• Supporting the users who experience harm
• Empowering users with safe online dating practices

Tinder had earlier released details about the dating safety guide available on the platform which all users have to agree on to download the app.

Grindr, Bumble and Match revealed the artificial intelligence the platforms are using to detect harmful language. 

There is also work to put background checks on the platforms.

Some apps have also recently introduced the ability to recover past messages when users have blocked someone so it can be used in evidence.

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https://twitter.com/MRowlandMP/status/1618002571628806146

Rowland said there is going to be no one law that fixes the perpetration of violence via dating apps but reassured the onus will not be placed on victim-survivors to fix it.

She added there need to be changes to the way complaints are handled on the apps.

"When a user of a dating app flags a problem. Complaints should not be just another data point," she said.

"We need the industry to improve their action, their transparency and their accountability in how they respond to consumer complaints."

So what happens from today?

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Rowland plans to convey the outcome of the roundtable to the Commonwealth and state and territory attorneys-generals.

The perspectives of victim-survivors will continue to inform decisions made by the government.

The communications department and eSafety commissioner will work to implement regulatory mechanisms for "transparency and change" on dating app platforms.

What do the experts think should be done?

In the wake of today's summit, domestic violence workers say education initiatives have to be implemented on the dating app platforms and technology should be better used.

Shaan Ross-Smith, who has a long history of working with domestic violence victims, told 9news.com.au that educational prompts in the terms and conditions of the app should be implemented when people sign up.

"There is a responsibility on dating apps to do what they can where they can," she said.

"Dating apps could give perpetrators information about what is not cool to do like 'do you know this constitutes domestic violence or this is a toxic interaction'."

She added digital nudges should also be implemented.

"There should be campaigns inside the dating apps like a digital nudge every time someone opens it to say 'hey remember this is what a safe interaction looks like'," she said.

Or even pop-up relationship tips or notifications about what toxic, unhealthy, abusive interactions look like or first-date tips on how to set safe boundaries.

But Ross-Smith the onus should not be placed on the victim to protect themselves but rather the perpetrators and platforms need to be held to account.

"I think education is the biggest and best thing we can do," she said.

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FullStop Australia director of clinical and client services Tara Hunter told 9news.com.au the apps need to step up and better use technology to verify and identify perpetrators of violence and harm and those who have a criminal record.

"But we acknowledge we can't create a false sense of safety but there does need to be an integrated approach," she said.

She echoed Ross-Smith's desire for educational resources but said the apps must make these accessible and appropriate for all backgrounds.

"It's not a one size fits all," she said.

Hunter added the apps also need to be transparent about complaint processes.

"If you're making a report the app should let you know what happens with that information and have the courtesy to let you know the outcome of the report," she said.

But Hunter said it isn't just up to the dating apps it's about a national approach to domestic violence.

Hunter wants to see some of the ideas discussed in the roundtable implemented quickly, like technology tracking domestic violence histories, and others put forward for further consultation both for the apps and the broader government framework.

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.

Help is available from the Men's Referral Service on 1300 766 491.

Former airline pilot Greg Lynn has been ordered to stand trial for the murders of campers Russell Hill and Carol Clay at a remote campsite in Victoria's alpine region.

Lynn replied "not guilty Your Honour" when asked by magistrate Brett Sonnet on Wednesday how he pleaded to the two charges of murder.

The order that he stand trial follows days of evidence about covert recordings, blood spatter analysis, phone data and a secret but potentially explosive police interview.

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Lynn was charged in November 2021 with murdering the campers, whose missing persons case became one of Australia's most high-profile crime stories in March 2020.

It's alleged Lynn, 56, killed the couple on March 20 that year, while they all camped in the remote Wonnangatta area of Victoria's alpine region.

How he allegedly killed them or what the motive was have not been revealed in a hearing in Melbourne Magistrates Court where prosecutors and Lynn's defence team have tested the evidence against him.

Lead investigator, Detective Sergeant Brett Florence was the final witness in a committal hearing on Wednesday afternoon.

He revealed there was at least one other person of interest when Lynn was first spoken to by police in mid-2020.

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Further searches still need to be done in the Mount Hotham area, he said, noting weather had posed a problem.

Searches since the campers went missing included a March 2022 review of the campsite which uncovered bone fragments.

Det Florence also revealed there was at least one other person of interest when Lynn was first spoken to by police in mid-2020.

He said officers had concerns about Lynn's mental health on the morning of his arrest, at a campsite at Arbuckle Junction in the high plains, but rejected a suggestion by Lynn's barrister, Dermot Dann KC, that the pilot had been at "mental breaking point".

The officer also admitted that despite those concerns early in the day they did not seek a physical or mental health examination of Lynn after his arrest.

Following Lynn's arrest he was formally interviewed by Florence and another officer over four days.

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Details of what was said during that interview, as well as in a conversation with police on July 14, 2020 and a formal statement he made that day have been suppressed after a successful application by Dann.

He said the contents of those pieces of evidence could be viewed as potentially explosive and argued they posed a real and substantial risk of prejudice to the administration of justice.

Among the details aired over a four-day committal hearing were allegations Lynn killed Hill and Clay – childhood sweethearts who reunited later in life – sometime after 6pm on March 20 at their Bucks Camp campsite.

In a summary of some of the evidence, police claimed the circumstances of the couple's deaths and Lynn's behaviour afterwards were consistent with him having intended to kill them, or at least cause really serious injury.

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It's alleged Lynn contaminated and staged the crime scene – setting fire to the camp to intentionally destroy evidence.

He's also accused of removing evidence and disposing of the couple's remains, involving burning, dispersing and partially interring them at a separate location near Dargo in May 2020 and/or November 2020.

Listening devices were installed in Lynn's Caroline Springs home and car, and he was allegedly recorded having conversations with himself about the deaths of Hill and Clay.

Lynn was formally charged with murder on November 25, 2021. The couple's remains were located four days later.

He has not applied for bail and will remain in custody until a directions hearing in the Victorian Supreme Court in March.

A garbage truck driver who hit and killed an elderly woman has been sentenced to 200 hours of community service after a judge found his driving at the time was not unlawful or implicitly dangerous.

Ruiming Zhang, 83, was crushed beneath the truck as it performed a "hammerhead" three-point turn in Sydney's Chester Hill on the morning of February 23, 2021.

The 34-year-old driver, Christopher Sultana, pleaded guilty to negligent driving occasioning death, which carries a maximum prison term of 18 months.

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During the judge-alone trial, Sultana claimed he didn't see Zhang and expressed his remorse and subsequent trauma over what had occurred.

In handing down the sentence, Judge Sophia Beckett said there was a "critical but momentary" period of inattention by Sultana that led him not to see Zhang while the truck was reversing for a second time.

Judge Beckett said there were about four seconds where Zhang would have been visible in the truck's rear-view mirror which Sultana should have noted and adapted to.

However, she accepted in the moments before Zhang was struck she would have been in the truck's blind spot and that Sultana's driving on the day was otherwise "exemplary".

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Sultana was placed on a two-year community corrections order, during which he will conduct 200 hours community service, and was disqualified from driving for the minimum penalty period of 12 months.

He will also take part in a traffic offenders program.

In a victim impact statement delivered on Wednesday, Zhang's daughter said her Christian faith helped her forgive Sultana for killing her mother.

"Because of your mistakes a daughter has lost her mum and these grandchildren have lost their last remaining grandparent," Zhang told Sultana.

"I have chosen to forgive you Sultana because God has forgiven me for my sins."

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Prior to sentencing Sultana read aloud from an affidavit expressing how "truly and deeply sorry" he was for what occurred.

"I've wished over and over that I could restart that day," he told the court.

"I want (the family) to know that regardless of the outcome of the final court day, this is something I will carry with me the rest of my life."

Earlier in the trial, Judge Sophia Beckett found Sultana not guilty of the more serious charge of dangerous driving occasioning death, saying she was not satisfied beyond reasonable doubt his driving at the time was dangerous.

Two other charges of failing to give way to a pedestrian and disobeying a no right turn sign were withdrawn.

Sultana began working for waste management firm JJ Richard & Sons four weeks before the incident and had driven the truck unsupervised for two days.

Swimmers have been urged to be extra vigilant around the nation's oceans and waterways after multiple people have drowned across the country in the past 24 hours.

A 50-year-old man died while swimming at a beach in Queensland on Monday, while another man drowned in shallow water at a riverside boat ramp in Victoria.

More than 50 people have died this year across Australia, according to the Royal Life Saving Summer Drowning Toll.

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Multiple dead in two days

A Truganina man died after he disappeared under the water in Glenaire, about 225 km from Melbourne.

Police said the man was standing in shallow water with children near a boat ramp in the Aire River around 10.30am on Monday.

The man was pulled from water in distress, but sadly died at the scene.

Hours later, a Queensland man died after he was pulled from the water unconscious at Delicate Nobby in Crescent Head.

Members of the public performed CPR however the man died at the scene.

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Extra patrols over 'high risk period'

The drownings has sparked Life Saving Victoria to announce increased patrols around inland lakes in the coming days.

There have been 29 fatal drownings in Victoria since July and almost half of them occurred in inland waterways such as rivers, creeks, streams and lakes.

Over a horror three days in December, four separate drownings were recorded.

Life Saving Victoria General Manager of Lifesaving Services Liam Krige said the public needs to be educated about the risks waterways can bring.

Krige said the coming days have been classified as a "high-risk" period for lifeguards and emergency services. 

"It's a misconception that drowning mainly happens on the coast – people are almost three times more likely to drown at an inland waterway in Victoria," he said.

"We are urging Victorians to remember that your safety is your responsibility.

"If we can't see you, we can't save you, so make sure you seek out one of our more than 65 patrolled locations across coastal and inland waters."

The warnings come ahead of warm weather which is predicted to grace Sydney, Brisbane and Perth on Australia Day.

Meanwhile, it will begin to heat back up in Melbourne on Saturday, with a high of 36 degrees expected.

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For the locals in Alice Springs, crime has been a rising problem for months and months.

But the crisis has only just come into nationwide awareness in the past week.

The crime wave is so bad Prime Minister Anthony Albanese had to make a sudden visit to the town.

So why is this incredibly isolated town of about 26,000 in the news?

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What is happening in Alice Springs?

Put simply, crime is out of control in the red centre, with residents reporting a surge of break-ins, vandalism and alcohol-related assaults.

The latest data released by NT Police showed a sharp spike in crime in the year ending in November. 

But locals say the situation has gotten worse since then.

Why has crime increased so dramatically?

There's many reasons for the causes of crime in any community, but increased access to alcohol is seen as a major factor in the Alice Springs crime wave.

The Stronger Futures legislation introduced in 2012 restricted the purchase of alcohol and banned it on large swathes of Aboriginal land.

The legislation was in place for 10 years, and expired last year and has not been renewed.

READ MORE: Units in Melbourne and Canberra suffer steep decline, report reveals

What is the territory government doing to address the problem?

The territory government has introduced strict new bans on buying alcohol.

Takeaway purchases of alcohol will be prohibited on Mondays and Tuesdays, and will only be permitted between 3pm and 7pm on the remaining days. Each person will have a one transaction limit per day.

The measures came into effect yesterday, and will be in place for three months.

The territory will also ramp up anti-crime measures with a boost in federal funding.

What is the federal government doing?

Canberra will put $14.2 million into high visibility police operations, specifically targeting grog running. Liquor licensing compliance inspections will also be increased.

The government will also put more funding into emergency accommodations for young people.

More funding will also be put into domestic violence services, First Nations justice measures, health infrastructure and Indigenous housing.

READ MORE: Alice Springs business slams response to crime crisis as 'band-aid'

Will the army or the federal police be sent in?

No. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has already ruled out the use of the AFP to restore order.

"The idea that they have more improved skills than someone who's here on the ground in Alice Springs and the local Northern Territory Police, I'm yet to see anyone put that argument," he said yesterday.

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Australia's annual rate of inflation has risen to 7.8 per cent, marking the highest yearly increase since 1990.

New data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) showed that the Consumer Price Index, or CPI, rose 1.9 per cent in the December 2022 quarter.

The figure largely beat market expectations, which had been pricing in more moderate growth.

READ MORE: What is inflation? And how a record-high CPI might affect you

It is the fourth consecutive quarter to show a rise in the cost living greater than anything seen since the introduction of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) in 2000.

The CPI is anecdotally used to measure the rate of inflation in Australia as it evaluates the change in cost of a standard basket of goods and services.

Today's hotter-than-expected inflation figure now increases the likelihood that the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) will increase rates when it meets on the first Tuesday of February.

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Two days ago Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told Today the federal treasury had modelled for inflation to peak "around about this time or in the first quarter of this year".

"We certainly hope that (inflation) has peaked," he said.

"The whole world has been impacted by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and we are not immune to it."

Albanese did not explicitly say Australia if would avoid slipping into a recession.

"I think our economy still has very strong fundamentals," he said.

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What is inflation?

Inflation measures the prices of the goods and services that households buy.

In Australia, this is also known by the term Consumer Price Index, or CPI.

Okay, tell me more about the CPI

The CPI measures quarterly changes in the price of a "basket" of goods and services which account for a high proportion of expenditure by metropolitan households.

What's in this basket?

A lot of items, too many to list here.

But the basket covers a wide range of goods and services in 11 categories: food and non-alcoholic beverages, alcohol and tobacco, clothing and footwear, housing, furnishings, household equipment and services, health, transport, communication, recreation and culture, education, insurance and financial services.

The "basket" fundamentally attempts to replicate the real-world spending of the average Australian household.

So what does this all mean?

With every inflationary rise, your buying power goes down, because you're paying more for the items you habitually purchase.

Some Australians may receive pay rises – which maintains their buying power – but many are left affording the same times with the same money available to them before rising inflation.

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Clarke Gayford has shared a touching tribute to Jacinda Ardern.