Parents are being warned to avoid using chemicals to clean dummies with a Victorian study linking the method to an increased risk of food allergies.

While keeping them clean is imperative, new evidence suggests there is such a thing as "too clean" when it comes to using antiseptics commonly sold as dummy cleaning sprays or wipes.

"We're not sure of the mechanism underlying this," Professor Anne-Louise Ponsonby from the Florey Institute of Neuro Science and Mental Health said.

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"One of them could be the microbiome that is the gut bacteria underlying the mouth or the baby's gut and the second is, is it a direct effect of the chemicals in the chemical sanitiser," Professor Ponsonby said.

Researchers from the Barwon Infant Study followed 700 children from birth to the age of one.

They found a strong link between chemically sterilising dummies and food allergies.

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"The key finding was that chemical and antiseptic use on a dummy at six month of age was associated with a fourfold increase likelihood of having food allergy for that baby by 12 months," Professor Ponsonby said.

Researchers stress the risk is entirely connected to the use of those chemical antiseptics.

For the children whose dummies were boiled in water, washed under the tap, put in parents mouths or not washed at all, there was no increased risk of food allergy.

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"In 2018 dummy use by parents cleaning with their own mouths was actually associated with reduced risk of food allergy," Professor Ponsonby said.

The findings will be reviewed by the college of paediatric and government bodies before any formal recommendations are made.

With the community behind her, a 17-year-old fifth generation Victorian farmer is taking on one of the state's biggest energy providers and she's not being shy about her message for them.

Joee Aganetti-Fraser is protesting a proposal that she says will destroy many livelihoods, and "piss off AusNet" is now written in capitals across a hill at the Mount Prospect property.

AusNet wants to construct a 190km-long transmission line from Stawell to Melbourne, a project that would slice right through the Aganetti-Fraser potato farm near Daylesford.

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Farmers from all over the Central Highlands share the sentiment to energy distributor, AusNet.

But they have been unresponsive to the concerned locals.

"There's been nothing, they haven't got back to us on anything," Ms Aganetti-Fraser said.

Chris Stephens of Highland Potatoes said the move could be disastrous.

"You'd nearly destroy the potato industry in this district," he said.

Ms Aganetti-Fraser said her family farm would barely be able to function under the proposal.

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"There will be no more left of it, we won't be able to run anything or do anything with the land … it will just be good, rich volcanic soil out to waste."

The area grows more than 130 thousand tonnes of potatoes each year.

Most of that goes to food giant McCain.

Farmers say towering high voltage lines would reduce production by at least 40 per cent and that's not enough to keep a large contract.

"We can't have anything over three or four metres under these massive powerlines, which cuts out all of our machinery," Ms Aganetti-Fraser said.

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Growers say the flow-on effects will be monstrous.

"Well the factory will close because their jobs will go," potato farmer Andy Maher said.

"The factory is relying on us for their production."

Most of the area's potatoes end up as fries at big chains including McDonald's and KFC.

Farmers say because of the nutrient-rich soil, it is the best land for growing potatoes in the country.

If the project goes ahead, growers are adamant it will cause a substantial increase in imported French fries.

AusNet says it is conducting investigations and looking at the concerns of landowners and farming practices.

Local business owners say it's not just farming that will be hit.

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"People come to this region for the beautiful scenery, for the landscape, and they don't want to be looking at 85 metre tall powerlines," Doug May from Captains Creek Winery said.

Ultimately potato farmers want the power grid built alongside the Western Highway.

"My message is to the Daniel Andrews government: don't bite the hand that feeds you," Mr Maher said.

Police are appealing for information after an alleged road rage incident in Sydney's south-west left a man fighting for his life in hospital and three others injured.

Two groups of men in a Honda Civic and a ute were allegedly involved in an argument at an intersection of Henry Lawson Drive and the Hume Highway at Georges Hall around 10.45pm yesterday.

The ute allegedly then forced the Civic from the road and into bushland, where it rolled onto its roof.

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The Civic driver, a 20-year-old man, and his passenger, a 17-year-old boy, managed to escape the car before being confronted by the second group of men.

The men from the ute then allegedly assaulted the pair, with the Civic driver stabbed in his left leg.

The ute then took off, driving north at high speed before colliding with a motorbike and a silver Toyota Camry.

The driver did not stop and continued travelling north along Henry Lawson Drive.

NSW Police Detective Chief Inspector Darren Sly said the incident was "something which our community just cannot stand for".

"It is dangerous. And that's why we're trying to seek systems of the public today to try and locate these men, and in particular the vehicle as well," Mr Sly said.

The 24-year-old motorcyclist is now fighting for life after being taken to Liverpool Hospital in a critical condition.

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The male driver of the Toyota was also taken to hospital with chest injuries, along with the driver of the Honda – who remains in a serious but stable condition – after being stabbed.

The teenage passenger from the Honda was treated by paramedics at the scene for minor injuries.

"I actually just saw flashing lights through the blinds. I thought 'I wonder what's going on'. My wife said, 'I think there's roadworks going on'," witness Frank Abel said.

"And I thought 'not with all the police cars there'."

Henry Lawson Drive between Flinders Road and Tower Road was closed this morning as police examined the scene.

It took authorities about six hours to clear debris from the incident.

Police have appealed for public assistance to identify the men who may be able to assist with their investigation.

Anyone with information about the incident, or has dashcam footage, is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

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A 77-year-old man from Papua New Guinea has died in a Queensland Hospital following complications with COVID-19.

Queensland Health confirmed that the man, a dual Papua New Guinea/UK national, was transported via medivac from the country to Queensland on March 28 after his condition deteriorated.

He then spent more than a week in ICU at Redcliffe Hospital, north of Brisbane, before passing away on Monday.

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"Queensland Health offers its sincere condolences to his family during this time," authorities said in a statement released this evening.

Despite this being the 7th death related to COVID to take place in Queensland, it won't be counted in the state's statistics as the man was first diagnosed in Papua New Guinea.

The confirmation of the death comes as Queensland recorded 0 new COVID cases since March 3 today.

Australia's coronavirus death toll stands at 909.

More details to come.

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A rare water spout has been spotted off Sydney's east coast as the city braces for rain and thunderstorms later today.

A video taken across the Rose Bay Area shows the rare weather phenomenon occurring off the coast of Bondi in Sydney's east.

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A waterspout is a rotating column of water that contains an intense vortex similar to that of a tornado.

Waterspouts usually occur over warm tropical ocean waters and appears as a funnel-shaped cloud descending from the sky.

A very high chance of showers is forecast in Sydney this afternoon with the possibility of a thunderstorm in the evening.