The Government’s proposal to fix the old RMA is, arguably, just as complex.

A new $7.8 billion plan is set to play a major role in transforming Australia's energy map, but consumers will still face a looming severe price hike next year.

The federal and New South Wales governments have jointly announced the deal, which will see the Snowy 2.0 hydropower scheme and a number of renewable energy zones plugged into the grid.

The projects will bring 3900 jobs to regional NSW, and deliver "more reliable, more secure and more affordable" energy to the east coast.

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The federal government will contribute $4.7 billion to the scheme, with a further $3.1 billion coming from NSW.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the investment was part of a long-term plan to insulate Australia from the effects of global energy crises such as the one being caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The project, described by Albanese as "one of the biggest announcements that will be made in my prime ministership", won't do anything to drive prices down this summer.

That's what caps on gas and coal prices, like the one which passed NSW parliament in an emergency session on Wednesday, are designed for.

Instead, the prime minister, premier and ministers were keen to stress the important role the multibillion-dollar transmission project played in the "medium term".

Albanese said the major grid expansion would help turn Australia into a "renewable energy superpower".

"There's no point building a major source of power [like Snowy Hydro 2.0] and not having it plugged into the grid," he said.

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NSW Treasurer Matt Kean said the "game changer" was a "huge win" for the state that would "unlock cleaner, cheaper and more secure energy".

"This $8 billion will unlock eight critical transmission infrastructure projects right around NSW," he said.

"It will create thousands of jobs and … unlock the opportunity to deliver $32 billion worth of private capital that will deliver new generation storage and firming over the next decade."

Federal Energy Minister Chris Bowen said the latest stage of the $20 billion Rewiring the Nation project would "ensure energy can be supplied from wherever the wind is blowing and the sun is shining, to where it's used by households and industry".

Albanese said details would be announced in the future regarding a major project of a similar type in central Queensland. 

Three people have died in crashes in Wairarapa, Bay of Plenty and Central Otago.

Almost 34,000 tickets have been sold to tonight’s ‘Silent Night’.

Tribesmen president shot by member of same gang, police allege

Aussies have been warned to remain vigilant in the remaining days before Christmas due to a recent surge in gift card scams and toy-related injuries.

A statement released today by Assistant Treasurer Stephen Jones said that concerning trends have emerged in the final days of the year as last-minute shoppers flock to stores.

Jones said parents should double-check purchases made for their kids this Christmas after more than 1,000 reports of injuries were made in the last five years relating to toys.

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He said there was also anecdotal evidence to support a surge in gift card scams in recent weeks that have been catching shoppers off guard.

No legitimate business would never ask for payment with a gift card, Jones added.

"We want everyone to have a happy and restful summer break," he said.

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"So we're urging consumers to be vigilant as they cross-off items on their Christmas shopping list in the countdown to Sunday.

"Take a moment to think about whether that toy is safe and appropriate, or whether that offer seems too good to be true."

Jones said "a little extra caution" can go a long way to making sure Christmas is "memorable for all the right reasons."

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In particular, shoppers have been warned over toys that contain small parts prone to breaking off, small, high-powered magnets that can be ingested and can stick together, water beads that rapidly expand if swallowed, button batteries and rechargeable lithium ion batteries.

The top five scams circulating across Australia this Christmas include:

1. Fake retailer sites, especially "new" toy stores
2. Parcel delivery scams, where a link in an email or text message gives scammers access to phones and computers
3. Fake "unwanted presents" offered on auction sites
4. "Hi mum" text messages where scammers impersonate family members claiming to have lost their phone
5. Puppy scams that fleece consumers with fake puppy ads

A massive black hole has been photographed by NASA destroying a nearby star.

The black hole is the centre of a galaxy 250 million light years away from earth. This is the fifth closest black hole ever observed destroying a star.

When the star got too close to a black hole, the giant amounts of gravitational pull sucked the star into it – creating what's called a Tidal disruption event.

Once the star had been penetrated by the black hole's gravity, it formed an extremely hot structure of light around the black hole – referred to by astronomers as a corona.

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NASA's NuSTAR (Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescopic Array) satellite is the most sensitive space telescope capable of observing these wavelengths of light.

The event's closeness documented the star's destruction in a never-seen-before view of the corona's formation and evolution.

The destruction of a star, from start to finish, lasts only a matter of weeks or months.

Although short, these events give astronomers insight into how black holes can manipulate the materials around them, while creating incredible light shows in the process.

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"Tidal disruption events are a sort of cosmic laboratory," Suvi Gezari, an astronomer at the Space Telescope Science Institute told NASA.

"They're our window into the real-time feeding of a massive black hole lurking in the centre of a galaxy."

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Black holes are surrounded by billions of kilometres of hot gas, which takes hundreds, sometimes thousands of years to form.

Astronomers still know very little about the formations – but scientists think that the streams of gas that stretch and move during a star's destruction whip around the black hole, colliding with itself.

A mother has admitted murdering her three children who perished in a house fire in the West Australian town of Port Hedland.

A 10-year-old girl and two boys, aged seven and five months, were found dead inside the Anderson St property by firefighters who responded to the blaze on July 19.

The children are not being named for cultural reasons.

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Their mother, Margaret Dale Hawke, 36, was charged with three counts of murder and one count of criminal damage by fire.

Court records indicate she pleaded guilty to all of the charges during an appearance in the Stirling Gardens Magistrates Court on Wednesday.

Hawke was remanded in custody and could face life in prison when she is sentenced next year.

Hawke was hospitalised at Hedland Health Campus after the fire before being flown to Perth for further specialist treatment.

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The blaze sent shockwaves through the community of Port Hedland in WA's Pilbara region.

Support services were provided in the town by government agencies.

In a statement earlier this year, the Hawke family said it was going through a "very traumatic grief process" and asked for their privacy to be respected.

"We are quietly paying tribute to our three little angels, and just supporting each other at this time," they said.

"Please let us do this without adding to our grief."

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An elderly man has accidentally severed his own foot while attempting to get out of his car in Sydney's west earlier today.

Paramedics rushed to the scene at Thistle Way, near Heliotrope Crescent in Blacktown, at 2pm after the man, aged in his 80s, ran over his right foot while trying to exit his car.

"He has somehow knocked the vehicle back into gear and put his left foot on the accelerator, which caused the car to run over his right foot," NSW Ambulance Inspector Greg Marshall said.

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"It appears the patient was trying to get out of his car and didn't realise the vehicle was still running.

"Luckily, there were two tradies who were in the street and managed to use their belt as a tourniquet.

"When we arrived, we then applied another two tourniquets."

The actions of the tradies "undoubtedly helped save the patient's life", Marshall added.

Though suffering from serious injuries, the man is now believed to be stable at Westmead Hospital.

The ACT government will establish a powerful independent inquiry into the trial of former political staffer Bruce Lehrmann, who was accused of raping fellow Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins in Parliament House.

The government on Wednesday announced the board of inquiry, which is equivalent to a royal commission, in response to a series of "complaints and allegations" regarding the trial, which was aborted in late October due to juror misconduct.

The allegation, which Lehrmann always denied, had been set to go to a retrial in February next year before that too was aborted, over concerns for Higgins' health and wellbeing. 

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He had pleaded not guilty to one charge of sexual intercourse without consent and has maintained there was no sexual contact between the pair. The charge was dropped when the retrial was abandoned.

The inquiry announced by Chief Minister Andrew Barr will look into whether the process went ahead with the "appropriate rigour, impartiality, and independence".

That specifically includes aspects of the behaviour of ACT Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and ACT Policing and their interactions "regarding the prospect of charges being laid, the decision to proceed to trial and the decision not to proceed to a retrial".

It will also look into the support Higgins received from the victims of crime commissioner and the legal framework around juror misconduct. 

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"This was a high-profile trial. The allegations made in recent weeks are serious. An independent review of the roles played by the criminal justice agencies involved is the most appropriate response," Barr said.

In a statement, Lehrmann's lawyer Steven Whybrow said his client welcomed the inquiry and "hopes the terms of reference will extend to an examination of all aspects of the matter, including decisions not to prosecute various individuals, and the efforts taken by the DPP to ensure a fair trial."

On Instagram, Higgins shared an article about the inquiry and wrote, "Sunlight is the best disinfectant".

The government said the inquiry would be able to hold public and private hearings, issue search warrants, demand documents and compel witnesses to attend.

It said ACT Policing, the DPP and the victims of crime commissioner had all indicated they would cooperate.

The government wants to find someone appropriate to helm the inquiry and finalise timeframes and terms of reference with them next month, before a report to the chief minister in the first half of the year.

Attorney-General Shane Rattenbury said he was "deeply concerned" by the matters raised and described the allegation police had pressured the DPP not to prosecute as "very serious".

"The Director of Public Prosecutions and ACT Policing work together literally every day of the year, they have a long and ongoing relationship," he said.

"And clearly, these allegations are very concerning in terms of that relationship. I hope that this matter does not affect that broader relationship.

"But that is part of the reason we are establishing this inquiry is to ensure that we're addressing those allegations and these fracture points have been aired, there is an independent forum to investigate them and draw conclusions that can lead to a better cooperation between the parties."

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He said it would be a matter for the inquiry to determine how the compulsory powers would apply to ACT Policing and said Higgins, Lehrmann and the federal government had all been advised before the announcement.

The terms of reference would be broad enough to address accusations of political interference that had been raised, he said.

Rattenbury stressed the inquiry was not about "revisiting" the trial, its evidence or outcome.

"It is expected that the Inquiry will have regard to investigations which other bodies may be conducting regarding these matters," he said.

Earlier this month, Director of Public Prosecutions Shane Drumgold called for a public inquiry into "political and police conduct".

Shortly after those calls became public, Rattenbury confirmed they'd been referred to the Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity.

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.

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