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China on Friday said the US and Australia were "flexing their muscles" with recent naval drills in the South China Sea, underscoring Beijing's sensitivity over the strategic waterway it claims as its own.

The US Navy's 7th Fleet said the guided-missile destroyer USS Curtis Wilbur and the Royal Australian Navy frigate HMAS Ballarat concluded a week of joint operations in the South China Sea. Those included manoeuvring drills along with resupplying vessels, cross-deck helicopter operations and live-fire gunnery exercises.

"The ships honed their advanced mariner skills in a joint environment while enforcing the normalcy of routine operations throughout the region in accordance with international law," the Navy said.

READ MORE: 'There is a lot at stake': PM sounds warning ahead of G7 summit

At a daily briefing in Beijing, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said the two countries should "do things that are conducive to regional peace and stability, instead of flexing their muscles."

It is the latest barb in the tense relations between Australia and China and follows Prime Minister Scott Morrison saying on Friday that Australia will ask the World Trade Organisation to intervene in the wine tariff trade row with China.

The US and China's neighbours have rejected Beijing's claim to virtually the entire South China Sea, through which an estimated US$5 trillion ($6.5 trillion) in trade travels each year.

Australia has joined them in expressing concern over China's growing presence in the South China Sea, most notably through its construction of militarised man-made islands built atop coral reefs in the highly disputed Spratly island group. Taiwan, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam have claims that overlap with China's.

READ MORE: US trade strike force to counter China

China for its part calls the US naval presence in Southeast Asia the biggest threat to regional security, particularly its insistence on sailing close to Chinese-held territories in what is termed freedom of navigation operations.

In a bid to assuage concerns, Beijing hosted foreign ministers from the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations this week, with Foreign Minister Wang Yi telling them China remained committed to signing a long-stalled code of conduct on activities in the South China Sea to prevent conflicts.

You can find out more details about how to book your vaccine through the Federal Government health site here.

Eccentric Australian businessman Geoffrey Edelsten has died aged 78.

The former owner of the Sydney Swans AFL club died at his apartment in Melbourne on Friday afternoon.

The colourful GP started his career as a doctor and by the 2000s he and a business partner founded Allied Medical Group.

"He was a great man Geoffrey," former Carlton player Greg Williams told 3AW.

"People had an opinion of him but he was a lot different than the actual opinion. He was a great guy with a great heart and he loved the Swans even though he barracked for Carlton.

"He loved football and he couldn't have looked after me any better than he did.

"I loved Dr Edelsten. All the blokes who played for the Swans, I'm sure there's great memories there."

Dr Edelsten's second wife, Brynne Edelsten, was "deeply saddened and shocked" by her former husband's death.

"It is of great sadness to hear of the passing of Dr Geoffrey Edelsten today," a spokesman for Ms Edelsten said in a statement.

"On behalf of Ms Brynne Edelsten, we send our deepest and sincerest condolences.

"Brynne and Geoffrey enjoyed some truly beautiful moments, including their wedding in 2009.

"While their marriage ended after five years together, Brynne remains grateful for the good times the couple shared and is deeply saddened and shocked to hear the news of his passing."

Early life

Edelsten was born in the Melbourne suburb of Carlton in 1943.

He went to school there before studying at the University of Melbourne, graduating with a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery degree in 1966.

In the 1960s he owned a Melbourne-based record company, Hit Productions. After his graduation from medical school, he worked as an intern at a hospital before going into general practice.

Following his term as an intern he became a country doctor at Birchip in Western Victoria, and then Wauchope in NSW where he learned to fly, according to his website.

Sydney Swans ownership

Edelsten played a key role in getting the Swans up and running after the club moved from South Melbourne to Sydney when he bought the team back in 1985 for a reported $6.3 million, clearing the club of all its debts.

Central to his purchase of the Swans was the recruitment of future Brownlow Medallist Williams, along with teammates David Bolton and Bernard Toohey from Geelong.

Along with his association with the Swans, Edelsten was also a long-time benefactor of the Carlton Football Club, and was awarded life membership in 2013.

Controversies

An eccentric Edelsten lived a life in the spotlight, but also in the courts.

In 1975 he opened a nightclub called Centrefold – but was subject to extortion threats and police raids.

In 1988, NSW removed Edelsten from its medical register for using unqualified staff for laser surgery.

Then in 1990, he was convicted of perverting the court of justice and soliciting someone to assault a former patient. He was jailed for a year.

Relationships

In more recent years his relationships were in the spotlight – including a high-profile marriage to Brynne Edelsten and a relationship with Gabi Grecko.

He married first wife Leanne Nesbitt in 1984. The former-model-turned-nurse was only 20 years old. At 41, Edelsten was more than twice her age.

The following year, for Leanne's 21st birthday, the businessman reportedly gave her a pink De Tomaso sports car. That same year, he bought the license to operate the Sydney Swans for a reported $6.3 million — he was the first private owner of the football club ever.

READ MORE: Geoffrey Edelsten's controversial relationships

Edelsten's love life made headlines again in 2009 when he married Brynne Gordon, a fitness instructor from California. He was 67 at the time, she was 26.

The couple tied the knot in a lavish ceremony at Melbourne's Crown Casino just nine months after being set up on a blind date by a mutual friend in Las Vegas. It was said to have cost more than $3 million.

After their wedding, Brynne — known for her flamboyant and flashy outfits — became a regular on the Aussie celebrity circuit and even appeared on TV shows such as Dancing With The Stars and Celebrity Splash, before landing her own reality show, Brynne: My Bedazzled Life, in 2012, where cameras followed her on extravagant shopping sprees and lavish holidays.

But their glamorous lifestyles came undone in late 2013 when the couple secretly called it quits.

Next came Gabi Grecko. Edelsten married the 24-year-old American model in June 2015, just months after he finalised his divorce from Brynne.

The pair were on and off for a number of years before finally calling it quits for good in 2019.

Devastated mother Chantelle Berlemon cried as she recalled the moment she learned of her son's death.

Brandon Kent was killed yesterday after the stolen motorbike he was riding crashed into a ute reversing out of a driveway on Morphett Road, Warradale about 7.40pm.

The 19-year-old father's friends and fiance were travelling in a car behind him and informed his mother of the heartbreaking news in a Facebook message.

"I thought they were joking and she sent me a picture of my son laying on the ground, covered over," Ms Berlemon told 9News.

She admits her son was no angel, but Ms Berlemon hopes his story will serve as a warning to other teens

Mr Kent was repeatedly in trouble with the law and due to face court next month over a collision at Ovingham, in Adelaide's north, last year.

He is accused of crashing a car into an innocent driver and running from the scene.

His brother, Auston Berlemon, said his sibling was attempting to do better.

"Brandon wasn't a good kid but he was trying to change, slowly" Mr Berlemon told 9News.

Today, friends lay flowers near the scene of the accident, while Mr Kent's fiance, who is seven weeks pregnant with their second child, shared a tribute online.

"I promise that our baby on the way will know how excited you were to meet it," she wrote.

The 54-year-old male driver of the ute was taken to hospital to be checked over as a precaution.

A young boy has been bitten by a two-metre shark while snorkelling near Coral Bay in remote Western Australia.

The 10-year-old was bitten on the foot by a bronze whaler shark around 75 metres offshore at Five Fingers Reef, about five kilometres south of Coral Bay.

READ MORE: Woman's body found in Victoria's disaster floodwaters

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) was alerted to the attack at the Shire of Carnarvon just before 11.15am (local time) this morning.

"DPIRD received a report of a possible shark bite incident at 11:14am on Friday June 11," the department said in a statement.

READ MORE: Man banned from driving until 2062 caught behind the wheel

The boy was treated at a nearby nursing post before being flown to Perth Children's Hospital by Royal Flying Doctors for further treatment.

He is in a stable condition and his injury is non-life threatening.

The section of reef the boy was bitten has been closed off to the public and won't reopen until at least tomorrow afternoon.

Swimmers are being advised to take extra care in the general Coral Bay area and adhere to any beach closures put in place.

The area is a popular spot among beachgoers for snorkelling and is known for its whale sharks, manta rays, turtles, coral gardens.

In March, a spearfisherman was also attacked by a shark, only managing to escape by punching the two-metre beast

Police have charged a Perth man with multiple weapons offences, alleging the 72-year-old had a massive haul of guns and ammo in his back shed and was building a WWII-style submachine gun.

Detectives executed a search warrant at the man's home on Karel Avenue, Willetton, yesterday afternoon, where they allegedly discovered several firearms, thousands of rounds of military-grade ammunition and blueprints and material to build weapons including a WWII-style submachine gun.

NSW Police Acting Inspector Doug Stjepic said the man also had canned goods, water and other materials "akin to a doomsday prepper".

READ MORE: Weapons uncovered in Clean Up Australia Day rubbish

The man did have a firearms licence for nine of the rifles found on the property, and police say he does not have any known military background or known links to criminal networks.

"It's a privilege to have a firearms licence, and for those that go beyond, you will be prosecuted," Acting Inspector Stjepic said.

"This appears to be a case where (the man's) interest in firearms has gone beyond what is legal and acceptable, and that in itself creates a risk for the community.

"Out on the streets, that (submachine gun) would be deadly."

Acting Inspector Stjepic said the weapons appeared to be for the man's personal use, but it did appear he was preparing for "something".

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The man has been charged with eight counts of unlicensed possession of a firearm or ammunition, possessing a firearm in circumstances of aggravation, and fail to comply with firearm or ammunition requirements.

He is scheduled to appear at Perth Magistrates Court next month.

You can find out more details about how to book your vaccine through the Federal Government health site here.

One person has died and another has been seriously hurt after their car crashed on a rural road between Cambridge and Lake Taupō.The single-car crash took place on Waipapa Rd in Wharepapa South around 6.15pm.Police said the…

The Reservoir family of four who tested positive to COVID-19 in Melbourne's north likely have the Kappa variant of the virus.

Victoria's Chief Health Officer Professor Brett Sutton said genomic sequencing suggested the family had the UK origin strain, which matched the City of Whittlesea outbreak.

The four infections detected yesterday still remain mystery cases, with no clear acquisition source.

LIVE UPDATES: State starts walk-in vaccinations after demand surge

"The genomic sequencing has come back for that family and is suggesting a Kappa variant," Professor Sutton said.

"In terms of managing those cases, their primary and secondary contacts have been identified.

"Some critical primary contacts have been tested and tested negative, but we need to look at how they may have acquired the infection and keep investigating those close contacts."

Victoria recorded no new local cases of COVID-19 today, on the first day after Melbourne's hard lockdown lifted.

https://twitter.com/VicGovDH/status/1403120157711605764

The state's Department of Health said one new overseas case was recorded in hotel quarantine.

In the 24 hours to midnight, 20,752 vaccine doses were administered and 17,604 test results were received.

READ MORE: Melbourne ends lockdown but masks still mandatory

"It is good news and news I know everyone in Victoria wanted to hear," Acting Premier James Merlino said.

"Today is a terrific outcome but (this is) nowhere near over. We cannot be complacent but it is good news to be at zero."

Mr Merlino called for more Victorians to come forward for testing after numbers dropped to just 17,604 tests yesterday amid severe weather conditions.

Anyone who lives in the concerning area of Craigieburn, who did not get tested yesterday, is urged to come forward.

"Please make plans today to get tested immediately," Mr Merlino said.

Coronavirus fragments have been detected in wastewater, prompting concern.

The detections were found in the state's north in Bendigo, in Melbourne's north-west in Glenroy and Pascoe Vale, and in the eastern suburb regions of Whitehorse, Manningham and Monash.

The Commonwealth yesterday lifted its COVID-19 hotspot declaration over the city, which means Melburnians will no longer receive disaster payments, despite some businesses being required to remain closed for at least another week.

The Victorian Government also reversed its decision on masks yesterday, with face coverings still required to be worn outdoors until the state has its latest outbreak of the virus under control.

The harshest restrictions eased at 11.59pm yesterday, a week after it was initially hoped the state would be on top of the outbreak.

READ MORE: 100k still without power in Victoria

Mr Merlino emphasised "lockdown is not the first option" when dealing with coronavirus outbreaks in Victoria.

It comes as NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said she believes her state could avoid lockdowns in the future.

"Lockdown is not the first option. It is based on the nature of the outbreak," he said.

"We have had outbreaks in Victoria that did not require a lockdown, where we did not get advice from public health to go into a circuit breaker.

"Given the generations of transmission, large number of exposure sites, thousands of close primary contacts, we had no option in this case."

Australian Medical Association Queensland president Dr Chris Perry said while the two-week lockdown appeared heavy-handed, the decision had the support of the medical community.

"They do seem a bit harsher than some of the other states have had, but they have a bigger problem than the other states," he told Today.

The lifting of the lockdown in Melbourne means the five reasons to leave home no longer apply.

Private household gatherings are still prohibited, but public gatherings up to 10 people outdoors will be allowed, hospitality and retail sectors will reopen and students will return to schools.

Settings deemed high-risk such as gyms, amusement parks, dance studios, and nightclubs will remain closed.

READ MORE: Clean-up begins after wild Victoria storm

The capacity limits are affecting businesses, which has prompted leaders from entertainment, hospital, arts, and cultural institutions to speak out.

The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and the Australian Ballet have written an open letter to Chief Health Officer Professor Brett Sutton to say their sectors are being financially ruined.

You can find out more details about how to book your vaccine through the Federal Government health site here.