Australia's medicines regulator is calling on NSW Health to provide more information about the death of a woman who developed blood clots after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine.

The Therapeutic Goods Administration has joined NSW Health in investigating the 48-year-old diabetic woman's death, to determine whether it has any connection to the vaccine.

The TGA said it had not yet been established whether there was any link between the jab she received and the woman's death.

READ MORE: EU issues stinging rebuke of AstraZeneca

"The TGA is seeking further clinical information including clinical test results from the New South Wales Health Department," it said, in a statement.

It is not yet known what vaccine the woman received, but medicines regulators in Australia and overseas have identified a "possible link" between AstraZeneca's shots and an extremely rare form of blood clot known as thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome'.

On Thursday, the federal government said it no longer recommended people under 50 get AstraZeneca vaccines.

"The blood clotting disorders being investigated in connection with the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine are very rare and differ from common blood clots or venous thromboembolism, which occur in around 50 Australians every day," the TGA said.

"The clotting disorder being investigated in connection with the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, which is now referred to as 'thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome' (TTS), has been confirmed in only two cases out of over 700,000 people who have received the AstraZeneca vaccine in Australia.

Medical authorities stress that the blood clots remain extremely rare in vaccine recipients, about about "four to six, per million doses of vaccine", according to the Chief Health Officer last week.

"NSW Health does not speculate on or discuss individual cases, but the death of anyone is always a tragedy and our condolences are with the family and loved ones of the person who has passed away," the NSW Health Department said, in a statement.

"An adverse event following immunisation is any untoward medical event that occurs after a vaccination has been given, which may be related to the vaccine.

"A conclusion regarding a causal relationship with the vaccine is not necessary to suspect or report an adverse event.

"Many conditions can arise during normal life, whether or not a vaccine is administered, but it remains important to report any new serious or unexpected events so that safety can be appropriately monitored."

Prime Minister Scott Morrison cautioned against jumping to conclusions, saying "I think there's a lot more to understand and learn about that issue."

"I think it's important because of the fact that people can have concerns that we follow that important process to inform ourselves properly, to allow those medical experts to make their enquiries and to be able to inform government in an appropriate way," he said.

"And so for us not to move to any conclusions at this point what's important is that we continue on with the project and we'll certainly do that.

"And we've been very transparent, very transparent when it comes to information on these issues."

As of the latest update, 164,855 vaccinations for coronavirus have been administered in NSW.

The South Australia coroner has handed down a number of findings after an inquest into the murder of nurse Gayle Woodford.

Ms Woodford, 56, was abducted, raped and killed while responding to a call-out in Fregon, a remote community in South Australia's Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands, in March 2016.

She had been on call by herself and responded alone to a call-out from her killer, Dudley Davey.

READ MORE: Inquest opens into SA nurse's brutal outback rape and murder

Her body was found buried in a crude grave three days after she went missing.

Davey pleaded guilty to her rape and murder, and is serving a minimum 32-year jail term.

Ms Woodford's death led to the creation of Gayle's law, which requires a second person to accompany a medical responder during out-of-hours or unscheduled call-outs in remote communities.

The coroner recommended strengthening and expanding this provision, along with tighter parole conditions, better sharing of information, a permanent police presence in the region, and banning high-risk offenders from APY Lands.

Housing rental prices have reached record highs in multiple Australian capital cities, with Canberra tenants facing the highest costs in the country.

According to the Domain Rent Report released today, Canberra tenants coughed up a mega $600 in weekly rent for houses in the latest quarter and $500 for units.

Housing rentals in Sydney remained at a high of $550 per week, $20 more than the asking price in March last year.

READ MORE: Average first home buyer deposit cracks $100,000

The weekly rent for units remained at $470, which is $60 less than this time last year.

Sydney units recorded the steepest annual fall since Domain records began in 2004.

Overall, the harbour city was tied in second place for highest rental prices with Darwin, followed by Hobart in third at $480.

Brisbane overtook Melbourne by $10, the asking rental housing price hitting $440.

It means for the first time on record, Melbourne is the second most affordable capital city in the country, tied with Perth at $430.

READ MORE: Raft of rental law reforms come into place in Victoria

Melbourne's rental market saw significant rental price falls for houses and units over the last year and quarter, which could be due to the effects of its lengthy COVID-19 lockdowns.

Adelaide was crowned the most affordable with housing rental prices at just $425.

Outer-city regions across the country also saw median rental asking prices rise as demand ramped up.

Areas such as Sydney's Northern Beaches, Sutherland, outer south-west, outer west and the Blue Mountains grew in rental asking prices.

Prices similarly rose in Melbourne's outer-east, south-east and Mornington Peninsula.

Demand also increased for the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast in Queensland.

Even with the virtual assistant turned off, most of us have suspected our mobile phone is listening to our private conversations.

While this can sometimes be convenient, helping marketers direct targeted advertising to our social media, search engines and news feeds, many people are creeped out and see it as an invasion of privacy.

According to digital privacy experts NordVPN, there are ways we can determine for sure if our phones are listening to us and ways to minimise the chances of it happening.

READ MORE: Hackers could be using your smartphone camera to spy on you

How to tell if your smartphone is listening to you

Experts say the best way to check if your phone is spying on you is to set up a trap.

Select a topic that wouldn't normally be associated with you that you can confidently say you have never spoken about.

Don't use your phone or any other device nearby to search for the topic.

Think of a list of keywords that could trigger a search engine.

Now discuss the topic out loud near your phone – try to do this for a few minutes and repeat it over a couple of days.

Now the trap has been set, if you start to see ads pop up on social media, underneath search engines or in your news feeds, this means the phone was listening.

READ MORE: The technology devices spying on your everyday conversations

Why does this 'invasion of privacy' happen?

When a person uses the virtual assistant on their smartphone, they agree to the terms and conditions of the service provider.

Digital privacy expert Daniel Markuson says you should review the permissions apps on your smartphone have been given on a regular basis.

"Once access is granted, the app can do whatever it wants with that data," Mr Markuson said.

"So, build a routine to review your phone's app permissions and think twice before agreeing to an app's demands."

He said some apps might try to access your microphone without any reason and this could allow agencies to spy on you in the background and collect ad-targeting data even when you don't want them listening.

"Don't share too much information with your phone. The less it knows, the better," he said.

He says you should go through your smartphone's settings and make sure that apps can access only the resources needed to do their job.

Clearing your activities once in a while and turning off the audio recording function can also help as Apple, Google, and other service providers allow the deletion of dictation history.

You may also want to install a virtual private network on your smart phone which will mask your IP address and encrypt traffic, thereby improving your privacy.

The devastated family of a Melbourne teenager killed in a vicious screwdriver attack at a birthday party say their lives have turned into a dreadful "nightmare".

Three men who gatecrashed the event in Tooradin are wanted by police after 17-year-old Jason Langhans was killed in an unprovoked assault described by police as "brutal".

Heartbroken mother Carolyn Langhans struggled to hold back tears as she told reporters her "beautiful" boy had been ripped from their lives too soon.

READ MORE: Siege underway with armed man barricaded inside Sydney house with a woman

"There is a big hole in our hearts," she said.

"I'm devastated, my heart is broken.

"I've lost my son, he's not coming back."

Up to 100 guests attended the 16th birthday party held on Saturday, March 20, at a one-acre Tooradin property on Station Road.

It was Rachel Donaldson's daughter's 16th birthday.

Ms Donaldson tried helping the injured teen by putting a bandaid on his forehead.

"If I had my time I would have called an ambulance immediately and I didn't," she said.

Police said the three men had not been invited to the party, but attended the event with one of the male guests in the early hours of Sunday morning.

A "minor confrontation" occurred out the front of the home between the trio and another guest, who had asked them to leave about 2.30am.

READ MORE: Third party 'clearly' involved in mysterious disappearance of campers

Homicide Squad Detective Inspector Andrew Stamper said Jason had stepped in as a "peacemaker" to calm down the escalating altercation before he was attacked.

"Jason saw this trouble brewing, stepped in as the peacemaker, and tried to de-escalate it … to take the heat out of the situation," he said.

"At that moment, without any provocation, without any warning, what has been described as one of the unknown men has slapped Jason to the head twice.

"We now know that, that the male had a sharp instrument in his hand when he did that.

"The attack was very swift and very quick. We also know that one of the other males has come over the top at the time … and punched or slapped Jason to the head as well."

The men then "took off into the darkness", with about 15 partygoers chasing after them across paddocks and properties.

Multiple people were in the area at the time of the fatal assault.

Tooradin is a semi-rural township on the outskirts of Melbourne, located about 57kms south-east of the CBD.

Police believe another altercation then occurred on the grounds of one of these properties.

Detective Inspector Stamper said the group who chased away the men could assist police in finding the assault weapon involved, imploring anyone with information to come forward.

Homicide squad detectives have been scouring the Tooradin area in search of the weapon, believed to be a screwdriver, as it may have been dumped somewhere locally.

READ MORE: Australia's most expensive capital cities to rent a home revealed

The State Emergency Service also assisted in the search, looking through paddocks for any sign of the screwdriver.

Authorities recovered a number of items of interest including broken bottles.

Locals have also been urged to keep their eyes peeled for an abandoned screwdriver and to contact police if they came across the tool.

"We are trying to find the weapon that was used to kill Jason," Detective Inspector Stamper said.

"We believe it is potentially a screwdriver that may have been discarded anywhere between the property … and the area of Tooradin."

The party was "pretty well supervised" with the names of guests being ticked off at the front gate.

No trouble had arisen until the gatecrashers arrived, Detective Inspector Stamper said.

The injured Cranbourne North teenager was given a bandaid for the cut on his head at the party, before being driven home.

https://twitter.com/NearyTy_9/status/1382505503226351616

Detective Inspector Stamper said Jason looked "bit dazed" after the attack, with his family calling an ambulance within five minutes of him returning home.

His condition quickly deteriorated and he was taken to The Alfred hospital with life-threatening injuries.

He died three weeks later after his family made the "horrendous decision" to turn off his life support.

"Sadly, that's where his life ended at The Alfred, three weeks later," Detective Inspector Stamper said.

READ MORE: Australia 'lagging behind other countries in workplace diversity'

"The wound to his head was of such significance, the bleeding in his brain was of such significance, despite the best efforts of the best people we had, his injuries were unsurvivable.

"We now have a family who are mourning an unimaginable grief."

Detective Inspector Stamper said Jason's father, Mr Langhans, had been "too distraught" to attend the press conference.

"Jason and his dad were best mates, they did everything together," he said.

"He's lost his best mate, lost his son."

Mrs Langhans said she could not believe someone could attack Jason so viciously.

"I don't know how a human being could do something like that to another human being," she said.

"It's horrifying."

Her last words to Jason were asking whether he would be home for dinner the night of the party.

"It's still a dream, a nightmare. It's not real to me at the moment.

"I never got a chance to say goodbye."

Jason has been described as a "beautiful young man who had his whole life ahead of him".

The 17-year-old enjoyed fishing and playing footy for Narre Warren Football Club.

READ MORE: Baby found dead at Perth private school

He was looking forward to completing an apprenticeship and had recently bought a four-wheel drive.

"He planned to get his licence on his 18th birthday," Mrs Langhans said.

"That's all gone now, that's been taken away from him.

"He is a loving, caring, gentle person. He wouldn't hurt a soul."

Police believe the three men of interest drove to the party and were from the other side of town in the city's west.

They have been described as Middle Eastern in appearance and of driving age.

The first man had dark short-cropped hair and the second man had wavy black hair, which was brushed across his face.

The third man had a dark short crew cut. Police also believe he will have "fairly significant facial injuries" to the left side of his face.

They all wore dark-coloured clothing and were approximately 170cm tall.

Detective Inspector Stamper said police would leave no stoned unturned to provide the grieving family with answers.

"I can't even imagine what the Langhans family must be going through, to find out that your son and much-loved brother, who just went out to a party, will no longer be coming home."

Anyone with information is urged to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or log onto www.crimestoppersvic.com.au

Police in Wollongong have fumed at a driver who parked their car on a safety ramp at the bottom of a notoriously dangerous road, just so they could walk their dog.

The white Mitsubishi Mirage was parked in the middle of the sandy arrester bed at the base of Mount Ousley Road on Saturday.

READ MORE: Truck slams into McDonald's carpark in Wollongong

"Police attempted to locate the driver as they were concerned for their welfare, but they weren't with their vehicle," Traffic and Highway Patrol Command said in a Facebook post.

"A canvass of the area located the driver in the nearby bushland walking their dog, and that they had deliberately parked their vehicle in the middle of the safety ramp to do so."

The driver said they did not see any signs saying they could not park in the middle of the arrester bed.

They will be issued with an infringement notice.

This particular safety ramp was utilised during a truck accident only a few weeks ago.

Mount Ousley is a particularly difficult stretch of road on the Princes Highway, with trucks often losing control on the very steep downhill slope entering Wollongong itself.

https://www.facebook.com/TrafficServicesNSWPF/posts/4092988457432770

RSPCA Queensland has denied accusations it is profiteering by putting on a $4500 price tag to adopt French bulldogs.

The RSPCA has been caring for 28 rescued dogs for the past nine months, but is asking people to adopt them.

But the RSPCA's Michael Beatty said the dogs needed expensive surgeries to keep them alive.

READ MORE: Beloved dog becomes millionaire after owner's death

"To be honest $4500 doesn't come near to paying for that," he told 4BC.

"I'd be the first to admit with some of the smaller breeds, we will often charge more for those, because they help us care for some of the larger breeds that take a lot longer to rehome.

"In the case of these French bulldogs, that wasn't the case."

French bulldogs are brachycephalic, which means they have been bred to have flat faces. This quality leads them to have serious lifelong health issues.

"They all suffer from severe breathing problems," Mr Beatty said.

"Anyone thinking of buying a French bulldog should be aware of that."

French bulldogs also suffer from allergies, skin conditions, ear and eye problems and gastrointestinal issues.

Other brachycephalic dog breeds include pugs, bulldogs, boxers, Cavalier King Charles spaniels and mastiffs.

New Zealand's Christchurch City Council has admitted a $5 million accounting error over the running costs for a community pool which has been earmarked for possible closure.

Independent consultants calculated it would cost $7.7m to operate and maintain Wharenui Swimming Pool and Sports Centre over the next 10 years and used the cost as justification for "decommissioning" the site.

However, members of Wharenui Swim Club asked for a detailed breakdown of the figures and discovered they did not add up – and that the estimated cost was actually closer to $2m.

READ MORE: Air New Zealand to weigh passengers before embarking

The Riccarton pool is widely used by schools, sports clubs and community groups but could close when the new Metro Sports Facility, now known as Parakiore Recreation and Sports Centre, opens in 2022.

Wharenui Swim Club president Chris Averill now hopes the council will scrap its proposal to scrap the pool and instead keep it open.

"It means the amount is far more manageable and hopefully the end result will be that the council will let it stay," he said.

"We have always said the true cost of the capital was between $1.5m and $2m. We just worked through it and they had made a simple mistake on one of the spreadsheets, that's where the $5.5 million difference came in."

He said he's proud of the team who analysed the data and discovered the error.

"We had four guys look at it and the guy who spotted it was one of our swim coaches.

"To me this is quite a big story. How often has this happened where they have put out numbers (that are incorrect) and no one knows?"

In a statement, the council apologised for the mistake and said "staff agree there is a substantial error in our calculations and the estimated cost could be up to $5 million less than what was originally projected".

David Bailey, the council's recreation sports services manager, said it will work with Wharenui Swim Club to "refresh this data to ensure we have an accurate figure for the projected costs over the next 10 to 20 years".

"We'd like to apologise to the community and key stakeholders, particularly those who have taken the time to make a submission on the future use of the pool," he said.

Wharenui Swim Club – one of the country's oldest swimming clubs, which was founded in 1911 – has launched a campaign against the proposed closure.

More than 3000 people have backed an online petition urging the council to reconsider its decision.

The proposed closure is part of the council's long term plan for the next decade, which is open for consultation until April 18.

The adoptive mother of a child maths whizz has been spending sleepless nights worrying about the prospect that she may be separated from her child who could be forced to return to Vietnam when she graduates at age 15.Vicky Ngo Ngoc…

A Queensland homeowner is likely sleeping with one eye open tonight after a massive snake skin was found hanging from their roof but with no sign of the serpent.

The Buderim local found the skin yesterday morning and was concerned the reptile might still be holed up in their roof, so they called their local snakecatcher for help.

Measuring close to four metres in length, video of the snake skin shows it caught in the gutter and stretching down onto the ground.

READ MORE: Red-bellied black snake found inside child's asthma puffer

"This is from an absolute weapon of a carpet python and oh boy do I hope we find it," Sunshine Coast Snakecatchers 24/7's Stuart McKenzie said.

Mr McKenzie said it was one of the biggest skins he had ever seen and based on its position and the fact snakes usually shed from the face first, it was less likely it was still hiding in the roof.

Nevertheless, Mr McKenzie searched the roof cavity and checked the surrounding grounds, but was unable to locate the culprit.

"We haven't found that particular skin owner yet but if someone finds a skin similar to this situation, it means you have had a snake at some stage on the property and it is either curled up or on the move after shedding its skin," Mr McKenzie told nine.com.au.

READ MORE: Aussie mum's frightening find in child's bedroom

"It's just a big carpet python and they are not dangerous – they will just be after their next sleep or meal."

Mr McKenzie believes the snake is no longer a threat to the homeowner and it has likely ventured back into the surrounding bushland.

"We are going to put the call out for the 'Buderim Beast' and if anyone finds him give us a call straight away," he said.