One of the Melbourne Tinder swindler's victims fears he will continue to steal money from women he meets on dating apps when released, after his jail time was reduced on appeal.

Christopher Alan Collins had his 16-month non-parole period reduced by three months by a judge on Friday.

The 33-year-old was jailed for a maximum of 22 months in September, after admitting to stealing and gambling more than $100,000 from women he met on dating apps.

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At the time, Magistrate Cecily Hollingworth described Collins' offending as brazen, cunning and said it showed his lack of respect for women.

Collins had just completed an 18-month community work order for similar offending when he began stealing from a woman he met on Tinder in January 2020.

He convinced her to open new online betting accounts and gained access to her banking.

While on a date at a pub he transferred $96,000 out of her account and moved more than $70,000 into betting accounts.

When she confronted him, he blackmailed, manipulated and threatened her, sending messages pretending to be his mother and told her she owed money to bikies.

The woman told the court on Friday she is now $63,000 in debt, has applied for financial hardship and relies on handouts from friends and family.

"My life will never be the same and I wouldn't wish this traumatic experience, because of the perpetrator, upon anyone else," she said, in a statement to court.

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Collins was on bail for this offending when he stole $8000 from a single mother of two children.

"I slept well before the world got turned upside down by Chris Collins. This crime changed me beyond repair," the woman said in a statement.

Collins, who appealed his sentence, appeared in Melbourne's County Court by video link from prison on Friday, having now served 13 months of his jail term.

His barrister William Blake argued his client deserved a shorter sentence as he had undertaken programs to address his gambling addiction and mental health issues.

"The personality disorder and gambling disorder significantly impacted his mental functioning at the time of the offending," Blake told the court.

Judge Richard Maidment said he saw a glimmer of hope that Collins' rehabilitation prospects had improved.

"I'm encouraged by the glimmer. If I see someone taking steps towards rehabilitation, positive steps that he doesn't seem to have taken in the past, it fills me with some degree of hope," he said.

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He reduced Collins' minimum jail term to 13 months, which means he is now eligible to apply for parole.

Outside of court, one of Collins' victims said she was "furious" about Judge Maidment's decision.

"I'm still suffering significant financial strain as a result of his activities," she told AAP.

She fears he will reoffend if granted parole, given his prior history, and warned other women to look out for him on dating apps.

"The fact that he did it to me, two months after he got (off a community corrections order), then recommitted whilst on bail, I cannot believe it," she said.

"Absolutely be mindful of who you are meeting and should he get parole, I'd obviously encourage people to remember what he looks like."

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

One of Deliveroo's rivals is stepping into the gap created by the food delivery service's sudden collapse in Australia, offering to honour vouchers or credits still held by customers.

Menulog has also said it will help the thousands of workers impacted by Deliveroo announcing it was immediately ending its operations in Australia on Wednesday.

"We expect there will be a lot of customers with unused Deliveroo vouchers and gift cards, so we would like to give them the opportunity to redeem those vouchers on their next Menulog order," Menulog's managing director Morten Belling has said.

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The company is even offering to round up unused Devlieroo vouchers or account credit when it issues a Menulog voucher in return.

"The voucher amount will be rounded up, so if you have a $17 voucher, we'll give you a $20 voucher!" the Menulog website explains.

However, the offer is capped at a maximum voucher value of $50.

Menulog is also offering expedited set-up with its network to delivery drivers who had been working for Deliveroo.

"We know there are couriers out there who will be feeling the impact of this," Belling said.

"We can help couriers to get up and running on the Menulog network as a priority and provide any safety gear that is required, helping them get back to delivering orders and earning an income as quickly as possible.

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"We also have opportunities for couriers interested in a position in our employed courier trial in select suburbs of Sydney."

Menulog is further inviting restaurant and grocery partners who were with Deliveroo to reach out to them, as the company capitalises on its rival's failure.

"Thousands of small businesses around Australia are increasingly reliant on the income generated through delivery partners. For any restaurant or grocery partners left without a delivery service, please get in touch and we will work with you to get your deliveries back on track and minimise any downtime," Belling said.

The NSW Premier has promised to "rebuild" Eugowra after an angry resident confronted him over the state's emergency response to the flood disaster.

Premier Dominic Perrottet and his team are touring the flood-ravaged town today, where 80 per cent of homes and businesses have been damaged.

Eugowra resident Peter Jones watched his family and friends get rescued after being swept away in the "wall of water" which hit the town.

READ MORE: Teen dies in hospital days after horror crash in Sydney's north

Jones confronted Perrottet about what he says was a lack of warning, lack of emergency response and lack of telecommunications available when the town was hit by floodwaters.

There was a long period when residents couldn't contact police and coordinate where help was needed, he said.

"We had no food, no clothing, no one telling them what was going to happen next because no one was here," Jones told the premier.

"What's your answer to some of them before I keep going?

"That's not good enough."

Perrottet replied by telling Jones "whatever we can do to make sure that is fixed, we'll do that".

The town of 700 people has been completely wiped out, with the premier and his team today assessing things like demountable cities, temporary locations and residencies for the people to live.

Shortly after at a press conference, Perrottet told journalists the government would help to rebuild communities and ensure they "come back stronger than ever".

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"We'll get the clean-up done, we'll start the rebuild, we'll get the homes back, and the community will be back stronger than ever," Perrottet said.

He said there were no plans to move the town to another location as it was a "freak event".

"We are going to rebuild and rebuild in a very strong way… no one is going anywhere, everyone is coming home," he said.

The government announced rural grants up to $75,000 for larger land holders and grants up to $100,00 for smaller land holders.

READ MORE: Why a Sydney mum sued Kmart over daughter's horrific accident

In an effort to rebuild roads surrounding Eugowra, $15 million is being offered to fast track funds for crews to rebuild the infrastructure needed to access the town.

Emergency services minister Steph Cooke said the grants would allow the families who have smaller farms and properties to get on with the initial clean-up and rebuild.

"Whether it's fencing, restoring their driveways or other repairs on farm, that money is now available to them as well," Cooke said.

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She said there were 70 local government areas in a natural disaster across NSW.

"We have moved from the response phase into recovery as soon as the roads were accessible… from Monday, we're currently setting up the recovery access centre here at the showground."

It comes as the New South Wales town of Condobolin is facing its worst flood on record as floodwater flows down the Lachlan River from Forbes.

The NSW State Emergency Service (SES) has issued a prepare to evacuation orders for Bedgerabong, Darlington Point and Tilpa as well as several "watch and act" warnings for towns in the Central West.

Currently, there are 109 warnings in place across the state.

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Receding floodwaters in Forbes are beginning to reveal the extent of the massive clean-up effort that the town is about to endure.

Developments are fast-moving and NSW residents can check the most up-to-date warnings at the SES website here

63-year-old Tony Prebensen loves hanging out with his old friend Holley, even though she’s a lot older than him. That’s because Holley is a 119-year-old veteran car, which he believes is one of only five Holleys left in the world.”I…

A Sydney mother who sued Kmart in a civil action lawsuit after her daughter almost lost an eye in an horrific accident has spoken out about her battle with the retail giant.

Jill Huang's daughter Cecilia was shopping with her grandmother in Kmart's Chatswood store in January 2020 when she slipped and fell onto a metal clothes hook.

As exclusively reported by 9news.com.au at the time, the then six-year-old's right eyelid was almost completely torn off. 

WARNING GRAPHIC IMAGE BELOW: An image showing the full extent of Cecilia's injuries has been included in this article at the request of her mother who wishes it to serve as a warning to others.

Cecilia's accident was also just one of several cases of children being injured on the metal hooks at Kmart and Target stores.

Following a series of articles by 9news.com.au, Kmart and Target – who are both owned by Wesfarmers – implemented new safety measures, including adding rubber ends to the metal clothing hooks in stores across Australia.

After her accident, Cecilia was rushed to hospital and needed two major surgeries to repair her eyelid.

Huang took the case to the NSW District Court where, last month, Kmart was ordered to pay the family almost $60,000 in compensation for the accident.

Kmart previously admitted to the court it had breached its duty of care to Cecilia, who is now eight years old.

Two years on from the accident, Cecilia still suffers from anxiety and is left with a permanent scar on her eyelid, her mother said.

Huang said it was possible Celicia would need further expensive surgery when she was older, as well as sessions with a psychologist to treat her anxiety.

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The court heard Cecilia refuses to talk about the accident, and the previously active child is reluctant to play any contact sports.

She often cries and is anxious at night.

A psychiatrist told the court the behavioural changes were "significant" and he believed she should receive counselling "sooner rather than later".

Judge Robert Montgomery said the ordeal could have a lifelong impact on Cecilia.

"In my opinion, quite apart from the pain and inconvenience, (Cecilia's) demeanour and zest for life have been severely impacted by the defendant's negligence," he said.

Despite the prospect of taking on Kmart in court, Huang said she was determined to fight for her daughter's future needs.

"Everyone told me Kmart is too big to fight, but I am just a mother trying to protect my daughter," Huang said.

"I'm also teaching my daughter that in the future if she feels something is unfair, she should be brave and speak up, even if she feels small and insignificant.

"There needs to be someone to stand up and take the risk, to challenge the laws, regulations and rules to make this world better and safer.

"Cecilia was just an innocent girl and it was a horrible experience." 

READ MORE: Two missing from flood-hit town as disaster continues in NSW

Before the case went to court, lawyers for Kmart offered her a settlement, but the offer was rejected.

Huang said declining to settle the case outside court meant she needed to pay both Kmart's legal fees and her own, which would whittle away almost all of the $60,000 in compensation her daughter was awarded.

"It's very heartbreaking. We didn't ask for millions of dollars, we're not greedy. We were just asking for enough to cover the potential costs for my daughter in the future," she said.

Despite winning the case, Huang said it didn't feel like a victory and she was planning to lodge an appeal.

A spokesperson for Kmart said the retail chain accepted the court's judgement in the case and "extended its best wishes to Cecilia and her family".

"Following the incident, Kmart rolled out rubber caps to be placed on top of all hang rail arms across our stores and these are regularly maintained to try and ensure no similar incidents occur again," the spokesperson said.

Despite the stress involved in speaking out and taking legal action, Huang said she was glad it had resulted in changes to help protect other children.

"I still think I did the right thing because they changed the policy and the safety standards because of what happened to Cecilia," she said.

Contact reporter Emily McPherson at em********@******om.au.

Australians living with disability say they are facing "humiliating" treatment at airports, with reports of people forced to use garbage lifts, being carried onto flights by loved ones or suffering injuries from falls.

Writer Zoe Simmons has called for a total overhaul of how people with disabilities are handled at airports after a string of "appalling" and "dehumanising" incidents.

The Sydney woman, 27, who lives with fibromyalgia, has been approached by dozens of people with disabilities after 9news.com.au reported her wheelchair was damaged by Qantas in September.

READ MORE: Qantas apologises after initially refusing to cover cost of woman's wheelchair left broken after flight

Do you have a story? Contact reporter Joe Attanasio on United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities that they should be abiding by."

She said the only way people with a disability can deal with their issues is through the Human Rights Commission.

"They look at conciliation, but there are no strict guidelines."

Leading Australian airlines Qantas, Jetstar and Virgin Australia were approached about their procedures supporting the travel of people with disabilities.

All said their processes are regularly reviewed in consultation with disability organisations. 

"We welcome thousands of passengers who require specific assistance on board our aircraft every year," a Qantas spokesperson said.

"We have a dedicated team who work with these passengers and we are always looking at ways we can make sure everyone has a smooth and comfortable journey with us."

Jetstar said its "top priority is providing a safe, comfortable and affordable travel experience to all our customers, including those requiring specific assistance".

Virgin Australia said it has a dedicated team to support people with disabilities through airports.

Every week we will break down, debunk and demystify your rights as a shopper in Australia. This week we are looking at whether it's legal for companies to implement "surge pricing" during high demand.

We all know life is getting more expensive than ever before, and how important it is to stretch every dollar you make.

That's why each week we'll answer a question surrounding what shoppers are – and aren't – entitled to when dealing with retailers and manufacturers.

MONEY MATTERS: Refund loophole most consumers have no idea about

It feels wrong!

Hi Stu,

We were discussing this in the wake of a lot of businesses starting to have their Christmas parties.

Every time on a Friday or a Saturday night if you order a lift home on a rideshare app you get hit with the most ridiculous high prices because of surge pricing.

Then sometimes you go to get in a taxi and they won't even turn the meter on. It's a rip off!

During the worst of COVID-19 the government stepped in to stop shops charging too much for rapid tests.

So how is surge pricing not illegal for people wanting to go home?

Hi there,

The bottom line is, unfortunately, that surge or "dynamic" pricing is not illegal.

MONEY MATTERS: Can a business refuse legal tender in Australia?

There is a condition though – businesses must make it absolutely clear what the total price will be upfront.

You can't sell a consumer on the premise of one price and then hand them the bill for another when you arrive at their destination.

After all, in a free market the easiest time to increase prices is when the demand is high, such as pub goers all leaving at the same time when the house lights are turned on.

But here's where things get murky.

Under Australian Consumer Law, businesses are not allowed to make false or misleading claims about their prices, including the reasons for surge pricing.

MONEY MATTERS: The big problem with card payment surcharges

In theory, this means businesses must be able to prove there is high demand in order to implement surge pricing.

Some consumers label the practice of ramping up prices during high demand as "price gouging". 

While arguably unethical, on their own very large price increases are not illegal.

As for getting home, I don't have any concrete solutions for you – download as many of the apps as you can and price match them all against each other. Competition is usually the strongest way to bring down prices.

Do you have a consumer question you need answered? Contact Stu at sm****@******om.au.

The information provided on this website is general in nature only and does not constitute personal financial or legal advice. The information has been prepared without taking into account your personal objectives, financial situation or needs. Before acting on any information on this website you should consider the appropriateness of the information having regard to your objectives, financial situation and needs.

Name suppression has lapsed for the man accused of killing Kawerau woman Korrey Whyman.The accused is Credence Paripari Malcolm, 30, from Rotoiti.Malcolm was granted interim name suppression when he appeared for the first time…

The killings of four University of Idaho students Sunday in their off-campus home has brought in the investigative powers of the local Moscow Police, state police and the FBI.

Days after the deaths, there is no suspect or murder weapon, and police have been tight-lipped on what they know.

Still, they have provided some information on the killings, and a preliminary timeline reveals some of the students' final hours as well as the investigative response.

READ MORE: Bound, blindfolded and threatened, Alesha begged them to stop

Saturday, November 12

Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Ethan Chapin and Xana Kernodle were students at the University of Idaho who lived at a nearby off-campus residence in Moscow, a college town of about 25,000 people.

They had two other roommates at the residence, a three-floor, six-bedroom apartment.

Goncalves posted a series of photos on her Instagram at some point with the caption "one lucky girl to be surrounded by these ppl everyday." One of the photos shows Mogen sitting on Goncalves' shoulders, with Chapin and Kernodle standing next to them.

That night, Chapin and Kernodle went to a party on campus, and Mogen and Goncalves went to a downtown bar, police said.

Sunday, November 13

Mogen and Goncalves ordered at a late-night food truck at about 1.41am, the food truck's live Twitch stream shows.

They ordered $US10 ($15) worth of carbonara from the Grub Truckers and wait for about 10 minutes for their food. As they waited, they could be seen chatting with each other and with other people standing by the truck.

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Joseph Woodall, 26, who manages the truck, said the two students did not seem to be in distress or in danger in any way.

Mogen, Goncalves, Chapin and Kernodle returned to the home at some point in the early morning hours.

At about noon Sunday, a call came in to 911 about an unconscious person at an off-campus residence. Police did not say who called 911.

Arriving officers found the door to the residence open and discovered the bodies of four fatally stabbed students.

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"It was a pretty traumatic scene to find four dead college students in a residence," Latah County Coroner Cathy Mabbutt later told CNN affiliate KXLY.

There was no sign of forced entry or damage, police said.

Moscow Police issued a statement saying four people were found dead in a home off campus. University of Idaho President Scott Green announced that the four victims were students and canceled classes on Monday.

Monday, November 14

Moscow Police issued a statement identifying the four homicide victims as Chapin, Goncalves, Kernodle and Mogen.

Police said details were limited and no one was in custody. They added that Moscow Police "does not believe there is an ongoing community risk based on information gathered during the preliminary investigation."

Moscow Mayor Art Bettge released a statement calling the deaths "senseless acts of violence." Bettge said only limited information can be shared without "jeopardizing the integrity of the investigation."

READ MORE: Gabby Petito's family awarded millions in wrongful death lawsuit against Brian Laundrie's estate

Green issued a statement offering condolences to the victims' families and the community.

"Moscow police do not believe there is an ongoing community risk based on information gathered during the preliminary investigation, however, we ask our employees to be empathetic, flexible and to work with our students who desire to return home to spend time with their families," he said.

Tuesday, November 15

Moscow Police issued a statement saying that an "edged weapon such as a knife" was used in the killings. Police said no suspects were in custody and they had not found the murder weapon.

"Also, based on information from the preliminary investigation, investigators believe this was an isolated, targeted attack and there is no imminent threat to the community at large," police said.

Later in the day, police released another statement that attempted to calm fears of a killer on the loose.

"We hear you, and we understand your fears," police said. "We determined early in the investigation that we do not believe there is an ongoing threat for community members. Evidence indicates that this was a targeted attack."

Wednesday, November 16

Police Chief James Fry held a press conference – the department's first in the case – and reiterated there was no suspect. He also backtracked on the assurances that no one is at risk.

"We cannot say there's no threat to the community," Fry said.

"And as we have stated, please stay vigilant, report any suspicious activity and be aware of your surroundings at all times."

The two other roommates were home at the time of the attack and were not injured, Fry said.

"There was other people home at that time, but we're not just focusing just on them, we're focusing on everybody that may be coming and going from that residence," he said.

A Sarasota County, Florida, judge ruled on Thursday in favour of Gabby Petito's family in a wrongful-death lawsuit against the estate of Brian Laundrie.

The final judgment awards $USD3 million ($4.4 million) to Petito's mother, Nichole Schmidt, as the administrator of Petito's estate.

"The Petito family lost their daughter, and they were also denied the opportunity to confront her killer," Patrick Reilly, attorney for Petito's parents said in a statement to CNN.

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"No amount of money is sufficient to compensate the Petito family for the loss of their daughter, Gabby, at the hands of Brian Laundrie. Brian did not have $3 million; it's an arbitrary number. Whatever monies they do receive will help Gabby's family in their endeavours with the Gabby Petito Foundation."

The trial scheduled for December will not be held, according to Reilly.

The curator of Laundrie's estate did not immediately respond to CNN's request for comment.

"Joseph Petito and Nichole Schmidt wish to turn their personal tragedy into a positive. It is their hope that Gabby's foundation will bring these important issues into the forefront of the public eye to the benefit of all our communities," Reilly said.

Gabby Petito, 22, was at the centre of a nationwide search last year when she was reported missing after she embarked on a cross-country trip with Laundrie, her fiancé.

Petito's remains were found in Teton County, Wyoming, in September, a little more than a week after her family reported her missing.

She died by strangulation, the coroner ruled.

READ MORE: Businesses foresee gloomy Christmas as confidence dips to GFC levels

Laundrie returned to the couple's home on September 1 by himself, left again roughly two weeks later and disappeared.

Laundrie's body was later found in the area of a Florida nature reserve near his home in Sarasota County and a medical examiner ruled he died by suicide.

Nearby, authorities found a notebook in which they said Laundrie claimed responsibility for Petito's death.

Petito's family also filed another lawsuit in May against Christopher and Roberta Laundrie, alleging they knew their son Brian murdered Petito, knew "the whereabouts of her body," and were working to help him flee the country, CNN previously reported.

READ MORE: Timeline of the mystery University of Idaho slayings that left four students dead