It's home to two of that nation's most photographed landmarks that are synonymous with Sydney.

But successive state governments have lamented over how to maximise the star potential of Circular Quay.

Now long-awaited designs to elevate the gateway to the harbour have been revealed.

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Multi-level viewing platforms would open up spectacular new outlooks, with ageing ferry wharves and train platforms upgraded.

The concrete entrance would be transformed into a tree-lined boulevard.

In Tuesday's Budget, the government is funding the next stage of approvals, to get shovels in the ground.

Cities Minister Rob Stokes said: "Sydney deserves a beautiful front door, and for too long Circular Quay has not lived up to its potential."

Treasurer Matt Kean said a $216 million cash injection will see what's possible.

There have long been discussions about demolishing the roadway and sinking the railway underneath, a project that comes with a whopping $70 billion price tag, which Stokes said wouldn't be the best way to splash taxpayers cash.

Instead, two of the four lanes will be taken out to broaden the walkway into a parkland in the sky inspired by New York's High Line.

The proposed Cahill Expressway conversion won't start until the new Western Harbour tunnel is open in 2027.

But work at ground level could begin sooner.

Frontline workers, including teachers, police and nurses, as well as single people over 50 will be able to get a "leg up" in the property market under a new New South Wales government housing scheme.

Premier Dominic Perrottet today announced a $780.4 million commitment to the program under the upcoming state budget, which will see the government contribute an equity share of up to 40 per cent for the purchase of a property.

It will also allow many public sector workers to enter the housing market with a two per cent deposit.

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Perrottet said the scheme would help address housing affordability.

"We know housing affordability is becoming a real challenge," he said.

"We want to make sure you have that opportunity. We know home ownership is crucial to growing wealth, to growing the opportunity that people right across our state deserve.

"We want to make sure people across NSW have the opportunity to buy a house."

The scheme will initially be available to 3000 frontline workers such as nurses, police officers and teachers, as well as singles aged over 50 and single parents.

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Workers will need to earn $90,000 individually or have a combined income of $120,000 per year to be eligible.

That means eligible people would only need to contribute a two per cent upfront deposit under the scheme on homes worth up to $950,000 in metropolitan areas and $600,000 in regional areas.

Treasurer Matt Kean said the scheme would be trialled over a two-year period.

"This is about helping people reach their goal and live their dream," he said.

"One of the particular cohorts we are focusing on in particular who are falling through the cracks and that's older singles, particularly women who are divorced.

"It's a huge area of growing social need. We want to make it as easy as possible for that cohort to get back on their feet safely."

The scheme is slated to begin in January 2023.

Hundreds of thousands of Australians could share in $2 billion in compensation in what would be the country's largest-ever class-action lawsuit.

From tomorrow, owners of 260,000 defective Toyota cars will be contacted to register their interest in receiving compensation following a Federal Court ruling earlier this year.

In April, the Federal Court found that Toyota Hilux, Prado, and Fortuner diesel vehicles sold from October 1, 2015 to April 23, 2020, had a defect, and that the car giant had engaged in misleading or deceptive conduct while marketing and selling the cars.

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The defect, which centred on the cars' diesel particulate filters, caused white smoke and foul-smelling exhaust to be excessively emitted, while also increasing fuel consumption.

The court found it also led to a 17.5 per cent reduction in the value of the cars when they were sold.

Lead applicant Ken Williams, who has already been awarded more than $18,000 in compensation, said he is "thrilled with the Court's judgment, particularly that the Court has found that hundreds of thousands of ordinary Australian consumers who bought these vehicles are entitled to be awarded damages for the losses they suffered as a result.

"I hope that the judgment provides a degree of comfort to people who, like me, have had to deal with the disappointment, inconvenience and extra cost of owning these vehicles."

The average compensation for each vehicle is expected to be more than $10,000.

Toyota has appealed the judgement.

A group of teenagers are on the run after breaking into a Melbourne mosque, causing thousands of dollars worth of damage.

Police say a number of youths gained access to a mosque in Langwarrin at 1.50am on Sunday.

It's alleged the teens rode bicycles through the main prayer room of the Leisureland Drive mosque before they forced open a locked door.

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In just minutes, CCTV shows the offenders allegedly damaging a ladder, a window, and a badminton court.

Displays of holy books were also damaged.

Imam Wadood Janud was downstairs with his young children when he heard the disturbance and called police.

"The first thing I could find was the hockey stick. I came out and I banged it on the fence loudly couple of times," he said.

"I actually saw them, you know, run out of the building."

The offenders fled before police arrived.

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The teens jumped two security fences to get inside the centre, a home to hundreds in Ahmadiyya Muslim Community.

It's not the first time the mosque has been targeted. There have been other incidents of vandalism and threats, and an elderly man was attacked in 2015.

But the damage of this latest break-in will have a lasting impact, Janud said.

"Most of the members of our community that have escaped persecution from different parts of the world, and they gathered here so that they can live their life, you know, peacefully," he said.

Police said roving patrols and a search of the area failed to find those involved, however they have received information regarding the incident and the investigation is ongoing.

Police are appealing for the people involved to come forward. Anyone with information should contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Five months on from Russia's brutal invasion of Ukraine, Australia is bolstering military aid to the war-torn nation, sending more armoured vehicles to the frontline.

The first four of 14 Australian M113AS4 armoured personnel carriers were loaded into a Ukrainian cargo plane last week and flown to Ukraine, as part of a package of military aid now worth $285 million.

Already being used in battle are Australian Bushmaster vehicles, anti-armour weapons, unmanned aerial systems and ammunition.

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"We are going above and beyond but so we should because the issues at stake in Ukraine apply everywhere," Defence Minister Richard Marles told Nine News.

"It's so important the world stands in solidarity in support of Ukraine and against the appalling Russian aggression that we've seen."

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The extra assistance has been warmly welcomed by the Ukrainian Ambassador to Australia, who said the assets sent so far are playing an important role in the war effort.

"Australia is punching above its weight," Vasyl Myroshnychenko said in an interview with Nine News.

"The only problem now is we need more of that because every day we see 100 Ukrainian soldiers killed, 400 wounded," he said.

"It's brutal and extremely bloody. For every Ukraine shell we get 10 Russian shells and we are running out of ammunition."

With no end in sight to the conflict, the Defence Minister confirmed Australia will keep playing our part for as long as the war rages on.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is yet to confirm if he will accept an invitation to visit war-torn Ukraine at the end of the month, when he attends a NATO summit in Madrid.

Myroshnychenko said there's no pressure on him, but the visit would send a welcome signal of solidarity.

"Australia has become a big friend of Ukraine," he said.

"I think it's very clear who's Goliath and who's David here fighting.

"That I think is black and white and I think Australia is standing strong in supporting the sovereignty of nations, and want to stand up to bullies."

A precious set of World War II war medals have been returned to the relieved daughter of a veteran, five years after they were stolen from her Melbourne home.

The incredible find was all thanks to a Good Samaritan and a dedicated police sergeant who was determined to find their owner.

Amanda Shields said thought police were joking when they contacted her saying they'd found the medals belonging to her late father, Laurie McKoy.

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"I couldn't believe it. I was shocked (when police called), I thought it was a joke," she said.

"I don't have a lot of things from my father, especially because he died when I was 10."

The medals were stolen, along with her jewellery during a burglary in 2017.

They were found half buried in a garden, by a person mowing their lawn, and given to police.

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Then officers worked to track down their rightful owner.

Victoria Police Sergeant Vaughan Atherton said hours of research into the origin of the medals led him to Shields.

"I went through the national archives, through the service records and from there I was able to get date of birth and places where the medal recipient had lived," he said.

Shields said she now plans to frame and display the medals, in memory of her dad.

"I just want to honour him, the best that I really can," she said.

After a two-year hiatus, television royalty has landed on the Gold Coast to celebrate the 62nd Annual TV Week Logie Awards.

Police say they "feared for their lives" after being "attacked" during a raid on climate activists connected to Blockade Australia in Sydney's north-west.

NSW Police say they were conducting "planned investigations" at a property on Putty Road in Colo, in the Hawkesbury, when they were approached by multiple people.

Acting Assistant Commissioner Paul Dunstan said police involved "feared for their lives" as they were "shoved, pushed, jostled."

"This activity won't be tolerated and we won't allow police to be attacked and we will not tolerate police being manhandled in any circumstances," he said.

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An unmarked police vehicle had its tyres damaged to stop it leaving, they said.

Acting Ass Comm Dunstan said the group's camp was raided after a series of disrputive protests in and around Sydney in March including at Port Botany.

He said the group had announced they would be protesting again this month.

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"Police aimed to prevent and disrupt any further protest activity," he said.

Two people were arrested, with other people fleeing into the bush.

More arrests were made later, police said.

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Blockade Australia said on Facebook the camp was raided by "groups of cops in cammo gear with guns,"

"Police are raiding our beautiful camp," the post read.

"Dog squad, riot police, helicopters and fully militarised police are all over us."

A crime scene has been established at the property and police said they expect to arrest more people.

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