A man has died in Queensland floodwaters as the state braces for another day of heavy rain.

Police were called to Gulf Development Road at Normanton, in the state's north-west, at about 3pm yesterday.

They found a car submerged in floodwaters, where the body of a man aged in his 70s was located inside.

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The death is not being treated as suspicious and a report will be prepared for the coroner.

It comes as the state's north faces record rainfall for the fourth day in a row, with landslides, widespread flooding and more than 30 roads cut off yesterday afternoon.

Rainfall is expected to ease today, but the Bureau of Meteorology has warned totals could still reach up to 220mm in Townsville and 100mm in the state's west in the next 24 hours.

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Premier David Crisafulli yesterday announced disaster relief for the affected areas.

"We have two main concerns and that is roads and the impact on agriculture," he said.

"There could be some significant stock loss. We stand ready to be able to provide fodder if that is required."

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Further north, between Cairns and Townsville, South Mission Beach has now recorded 850mm of rain from the current monsoon storm system.

That's expected to exceed a metre before the system moves on.

Multiple severe weather and flood warnings are in place for the state's north and north-west, including for the Norman, Flinders, Gilbert, Cloncurry, Georgina, Nicholson, Leichhardt, Bohle, Western, Diamantina, Herbert, Mulgrave, Russell, and Tully rivers.

"A tropical low embedded in the monsoon trough across the northwest will linger for the next few days whilst slowly weakening," the bureau said.

"The position of the trough will fluctuate over coming days whilst it slowly weakens, and will most likely be located between Cooktown and Townsville."

Queensland Police Minister Daniel Purdie said yesterday authorities were already in position to help with the response to the weather event.

"We've put senior police into Richmond, Mount Isa and Ingham with some support staff to help the coordination of this response," he said.

"With the fire department, we've 37 expert swift water rescue crews have been pre-positioned, coupled with air assets from the fire department ready to help."

Crisafulli also said he was confident the state was in a good position to handle the disaster and recovery.

"I want to give people assurance that we've done a lot of work to pre-prepare for the disaster season," he said.

"That really puts us in good stead and I am very confident about the way that we can handle events, both this one and in the future."

People are urged to stay up to date on the BoM website and the Queensland government's disaster website.

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Cath Armstrong is not a fan of grocery shopping, so the Victorian mum uses a method that allows her to do it as little as possible.

Each year between December 27 and 30, the founder of the popular Cheapskates Club dedicates a few days to a yearly shop to save her "time, grey hairs, frustration and stress".

"I loathe grocery shopping," Armstrong said.

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"People wander up and down, they park their trolleys, they stop in the middle of the aisles, it nearly sends me spare."

Armstrong switched from a weekly shop to a monthly shop years ago to avoid the chore but had to rethink her approach when life became busier with work and family.

"I stretched it out to three months, then I thought, 'Well, I can do this for six months'," she said.

"When I hit shopping once every six months, it was just bliss.

"It took a full day but then it was just one day and for six months I didn't have to go back.

"Then I thought 'I'm going to try this for a whole year'."

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Armstrong now does a yearly pantry re-stock and smaller fresh food shops every few weeks.

The annual shop costs about $1200 and consists of enough staples for her family for the year.

"All I simply did was look back over what I'd been buying and multiplied everything so it equaled a year's worth," she said.

Armstrong finds her calculations are "pretty accurate", which helps her avoid food waste.

During the yearly shop, she buys mostly generic brands from Aldi, Coles and Woolworths.

"It doesn't take up a lot of space, I've got one shelf unit in my laundry and that's about it," she said.

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Armstrong also comes up with an annual meal plan, which follows a similar pattern every week.

During a typical week, the family will have a roast dinner on Sunday, meat and vegetables on Monday, pasta on Tuesday, meat and vegetables on Wednesday, homemade pizza on Thursday, fish on Friday and Mexican food on Saturday.

She then shares dinner ideas with thousands of Cheapskates Club followers to help them slash their grocery bills and navigate meal times with ease.

Food is one of the biggest household expenses for Australian families but making small changes to the way you shop can have a big impact on your budget in the new year.

But Armstrong emphasises people don't necessarily need to go shopping once a year to reap the benefits.

"I try to tell people just because I do something doesn't mean it's right for you," she said.

"Pick the things that work for you and keep doing them."

Australian grocery shopping habits have changed

When you enter a supermarket, every product is competing for your hard-earned cash.

From the essentials to the treats on the end-of-aisle displays, shop layouts are designed to get you to spend more, according to University of Sydney retail expert Lisa Asher.

"All of these key ingredients that we would normally buy, they're all so far apart that you have to cross the store often," Asher said.

"That causes you to go down the back aisle or go down the front aisle.

"You're seeing these end displays, which prompt impulse purchases.

"They're designed to make you buy and they're very effective."

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Another factor that contributes to impulse spending is the current economic climate.

"The use of promotions has become more prevalent and people, through the cost-of-living crisis, have become more deal-prone," Asher said.

"We've shifted from everyday low pricing, although there are everyday low products, but you've really got to look for them.

"This shift to half price, it hasn't always been like this."

Grocery shopping habits have also changed in Australia, which has increased the likelihood of impulse buying.

"It used to be that people might do one big shop a week or once a fortnight," Asher said.

"The more frequently people are going now, the more there's temptation."

Simple ways to save

Armstrong has shared her money-saving tips with thousands of Australians for decades to help them live "debt-free, cashed up and laughing".

For Australians who want to reset their budgets in the new year, she offers a few simple suggestions to kick-start the journey.

Her first tip is to take a look at your utility bills and see if there is a better deal.

"Don't be afraid to swap, it's really easy, it's painless," she said.

Her second tip is to adjust your grocery shopping habits as necessary.

"If you shop weekly, think about moving to fortnightly or monthly," Armstrong said.

"If you don't try it, you'll never know."

Her third tip is to write a shopping list, take it to the supermarket and stick to it.

"If you've forgotten something, add it to the list for next time and make do," she said.

"The less money you spend in the shops, the more money you're going to keep in your purse."

The information provided on this website is general in nature only and does not constitute personal financial 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.

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Three people have been charged over a stinky stunt that saw about 200 kilograms of dead shark heads dumped at the electoral office of WA Fisheries Minister Jackie Jarvis.

The trio face charges of trespass and depositing litter after the find in Margaret River, about 270 kilometres south of Perth.

Their alleged actions are believed to have been a silent protest over the State Government's controversial fishing ban.

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The minister announced an 18-month ban on recreational fishing and an indefinite ban on commercial fishing of all demersal species, also known as groundfish, in early December.

The strict restrictions were announced in an effort to save under-threat species including the popular pink snapper, red emperor and dhufish.

"They're tough and people are upset but this is the right thing to do sustain the industry and to sustain recreational fisheries," WA Police Minister Reece Whitby said.

They're all due to appear in Bunbury Magistrates Court on January 22.

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Police allege they have foiled a plot to carry out a shooting in a public place after a chase of a Porsche came to a crashing end in a western Sydney golf course.

Police chased the luxury car they say was being driven suspiciously while patrolling in South Granville in the city's west just before 9.30pm last night.

The driver allegedly sped away when police tried to pull it over, and police started a chase to Rawson Road at Guildford.

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It then collided with a fence and crashed into a public golf course.

A 17-year-old man was arrested and taken to hospital with minor injuries, before being taken to Granville Police Station.

Police allege they found a pistol in the Porsche and say a shooting was planned.

"We believe we've stopped a public place shooting," NSW Police Superintendent Grant Healey said.

"We know that's what they were talking about and the indication from the car that was pursued last night and the firearm located, we believe that they were going to shoot at a premise."

Police allege the plot was planned by an organised crime group, with the 17-year-old potentially hired to carry out the shooting.

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"[We are] unsure what time and when the shooting was going to take place, but we believe [the 17-year-old] was part of a plot," Healey said.

Healey said police were still searching for other members of the group.

Detectives are also investigating two other cars they found.

A 24-year-old man was charged yesterday after tactical police swarmed a house in Fairfield West on Sunday.

Charges include recruiting others to assist in carrying out illegal activities, participating in a criminal group and contributing to a criminal activity, and knowingly directing the activities of a criminal group.

He was refused bail, and was due to appear in court today.

Police say the raid was not related to the Bondi terror attack, or to Operation Shelter, the taskforce cracking down on antisemitism.

"This is organised crime, there is nothing else in it," Healey alleged.

Investigations are ongoing.

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Six men, including two teenagers, who were charged in Sydney after loaded guns were allegedly found in a car, were likely "contract killers", police say.

Police investigating a shooting at a home on Loura Street in Tallawong in the city's north-west on November 27 have charged the men, who are aged between 16 and 25.

Police stopped a taxi carrying a 16-year-old boy and a 20-year-old man on Old Windsor Road in Old Toongabbie.

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The pair allegedly tried to run when the innocent driver stopped, but were arrested. 

Police allegedly found two loaded guns, a cloned number plate and a "dedicated encrypted criminal communication device" in the car.

Detective Acting Superintendent Brad Abdy alleged the group was likely hired by criminal organisations.

He said the pair were on their way to a home in Rouse Hill to commit a "further serious violent act involving firearms".

"We were actively searching for people who were involved in the original shooting [at Tallawong], and at that, we were monitoring this group," he said.

"We believe, after receiving information earlier yesterday, that we were required to intercept that vehicle and prevent any further acts of violence."

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Later that morning when police arrived at the Rouse Hill home, three men allegedly ran.

A 17-year-old, an 18-year-old, and a 23-year-old were chased and arrested.

Police found four allegedly stolen cars with cloned number plates there, as well as live semi-automatic guns, more than 1000 rounds of high-calibre ammunition, several fake number plates and two stolen gun vests. 

"That ammunition is obviously extremely dangerous," Abdy said.

"This seizure certainly hinders that group and certainly dismantles that [alleged] criminal syndicate."

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Police also stopped and arrested a 25-year-old man on Mountford Avenue in Guildford and allegedly found two phones, including one suspected encrypted device.

They searched another home on Talbot Street in Guildford and allegedly uncovered more criminal communication devices, ammunition and clothes.

The 16-year-old was charged with 11 offences, including two counts of possessing an unauthorised pistol and participating in a criminal group contributing to criminal activity.

The 17-year-old and 18-year-old were also charged with 11 offences, including possessing more than three unregistered firearms, one is prohibited/pistol and participating in a criminal group contributing to criminal activity.

The 20-year-old was charged with 13 offences, including participating in a criminal group contributing to criminal activity and hindering or resisting a police officer in the execution of duty.

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The 25-year-old was charged with participating in a criminal group contributing to criminal activity.

The 23-year-old is alleged to have been involved in the shooting at the Tallawong home last month and was charged with 19 offences.

He and another 19-year-old man, who was charged over the shooting earlier this month, are alleged to be the pair who wielded a sledgehammer when they tried to force their way into the home on Loura Street.

One of the men allegedly tried to shoot at the home, but when the shot failed, threw a stun grenade inside.

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The men then allegedly got another gun from their car and fired two shots at the property before driving away and later crashing.

The two people inside the Tallawong home were uninjured. 

Investigations continue.

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Australian Federal Police Commissioner Krissy Barrett says investigators are reviewing a trove of CCTV footage of alleged Bondi Beach gunmen Sajid and Naveed Akram in the Philippines.

Speaking alongside Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Barrett confirmed the Akrams travelled to the Philippines and stayed in Davao City from November 1 before arriving back in Australia on November 29.

"The initial assessment from the Philippine National Police is that the individuals rarely left their hotel, and there is no evidence to suggest they received training or underwent logistical preparation for their alleged attack," she said.

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"What this points to, and I will again advise this is a point-in-time assessment, is that these individuals are alleged to have acted alone."

"There is no evidence to suggest these alleged offenders were part of a broader terrorist cell, or were directed by others to carry out an attack."

However, she said, this did not mean the AFP currently believed the Akrams were in the Philippines "for tourism".

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Barrett stressed that the investigation was still in progress and the AFP's findings were not finalised, and that updates to the public were restricted by the fact that the matter was currently before the courts.

"I really want to be clear that this is one of, if not the most important investigation that the AFP and our partners will ever, ever do," she said.

"We have got a grieving community and we have got a community that is looking for answers, and that is my focus, and therefore I won't do anything or say anything that would potentially jeopardise our investigation and our prosecution."

She said the force also continued to target domestic extremism and welcomed the government's plans to strengthen hate speech laws.

"I remain concerned about vulnerable adults and youth who are susceptible or open to manipulation by religious and other extremists who encourage violence or desensitise (them to) violence," she said.

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"Radicalisation and extremism can provide a pipeline of recruits to terror groups who are willing to use violence to advance their cause."

She said investigators had been going through sermons "line by line" and sought legal advice over potential charges.

However, currently, while investigations were ongoing, Barrett said no prosecutions were underway.

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said one of the aspects of the government's independent Richardson review into the Bondi attack was overseas travel alerts.

"Obviously there are some countries where there is almost no valid tourism industry there at all, and it raises a very high level of alarm," he said.

"There are other countries where there is a mixture of people going there for legitimate reasons and people going travelling for nefarious reasons.

"And then there are other countries where an alert might come up, but it wouldn't necessarily raise the eye."

He said national security expert Dennis Richardson was the best option to ensure the current system was "fit for purpose".

Albanese said there had been multiple meetings with Richardson and the community in order to establish the remit of the inquiry.

"We wanted to make sure when we come to the references that Mr Richardson will consider what the agencies knew about the alleged offenders before the attack," he said.

"The information sharing between the commonwealth and state agencies, what judgements were made and actions taken by agencies, whether there were any additional measures that commonwealth agencies could have taken, whether commonwealth agencies were prevented from taking prohibitive actions by the current legislative framework."

Albanese also again defended the decision to hold a review instead of a royal commission, saying that he recognised the calls for the latter came from "a good place".

"We want to make sure that there are no gaps in the federal system," he said.

"So our position is not out of convenience, it is out of conviction that this is the right direction to go in, and the actual experts, who are the current experts, have all recommended this course of action."

He, as well as Barrett, both promised to support and cooperate with the NSW royal commission.

In the meantime, Albanese said, AFP officers and some federal logistical support, such as surveillance measures, were being made available for NSW's security arrangements.

But he appeared to pour water on the suggestion – one floated by NSW Premier Chris Minns – that the military could be deployed as part of a domestic policing operation.

"They perform a very different role," Albanese said.

"What we are doing with NSW constructively is, I'll discuss further with Premier Minns what is the best way in which the Commonwealth can supplement the work that NSW is doing."

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More than 60 firefighters and 20 fire trucks have worked to contain a blaze at a timber flooring factory in Sydney's west.

Emergency services were called to the fire at Claremont Avenue in Greenacre just before 3pm today.

An exclusion zone has been set up and motorists are urged to avoid the area.

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Fire and Rescue NSW Adam Dewberry said there were no reports of injuries, but due to the intensity of the blaze, it spread to adjoining businesses, the exact damage is still unknown as the fire is still smouldering.

"We have property at risk on the side and to the rear of the property," he said.

"We've had roof and some wall collapse."

"One of the complexities with this particular operation was not only the fuel loading being furniture and timber, (but also) the difficulty in getting significant water up into the fire trucks and onto the water," Dewberry said.

"Fire and Rescue New South Wales had to pump water from a distance in other streets of other big mains to get enough water on the fire."

NSW Police and NSW Ambulance paramedics were also at the scene.

People are being urged to avoid the area and keep any doors and windows closed if they live nearby.

The cause of the blaze remains unknown.

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The embattled Cairns-based Coral Adventurer cruise ship that ran aground in the South Pacific has been detained by authorities as passengers have been flown home.

The vessel hit a coral reef and became stuck off Papua New Guinea, about 30km from the city of Lae, early Saturday morning during its first trip out at sea after the death of a passenger.

None of the 80 passengers or 43 crew members were injured. 

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The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) has now detained the cruise ship due to suspicion that it is unseaworthy.

"AMSA has detained the vessel in accordance with the Navigation Act 2012, based on reasonable suspicion that it is not seaworthy due to potential damage sustained during the grounding, and that it is sub‑standard as a result of failures in the implementation of its Safety Management System under the International Safety Management Code," it said in a statement.

Coral Adventurer had previously insisted that there was no indication that there was damage to the ship. 

Today, passengers are beginning their travel home to Australia via a chartered flight to Cairns.

Australian and PNG authorities have been working to re-float the cruise ship, but efforts have been unsuccessful.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau is investigating and will conduct interviews and collect evidence once appropriate.

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"In the meantime, data from the ship's voyage data recorder has been quarantined, and investigators are collecting other relevant recorded information, including ship tracking data, weather information, and crew, operator and maintenance records," the bureau said in a statement. 

The 12-night cruise, costing $13,280 per person, departed from Cairns on December 18 and reached Papua New Guinea on December 20.

It was cruising up the coastline before it ran aground on Saturday.

Coral Adventurer has faced troubled waters after the death of 80-year-old NSW tourist Suzanne Rees in October.

The cruise ship left her behind during a luxury trip to the remote Lizard Island, where she was later found dead by police.

Investigations into that event are ongoing. 

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Paramedics are pleading for an end to violence against them and other emergency service workers following a spate of verbal, physical and sexual assaults across Victoria.

Ambulance crews have reported being rammed by a car, repeatedly punched in the face, and swung at with a cricket bat, in what Ambulance Victoria says are increasing dangers.

Paramedic Luke Harrington said he was on the job on December 22 when he was ambushed by a member of the public who became violent.

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"He started striking the ambulance and then swearing at us, and then that's when he escalated, and he got right up to my face and spat on my neck," Harrington said.

Paramedics say the risk of violence on the job is so serious that they've been advised to refuse treatment to anyone who displays and such behaviour.

"It's the worst I've ever seen it in 30 years of emergency work," Ambulance Victoria Metropolitan Director of Regional and Clinical Operations Vanessa Gorman said.

"It's probably worse in regards to the severity of what is occurring."

Ambulance Victoria is now urging the public to respect frontline workers.

"We stand here united to say this is not okay and it has to stop,"  Ambulance Victoria Metropolitan Director of Regional and Clinical Operations Andrew Burns said.

"Even over the last four days whilst everyone's enjoying Christmas, our staff have endured ridiculous levels of both verbal assault through the use of revolting language and verbal intimidation, through to physical contact in both sexual assault and physical assault."

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Three people are lucky to be alive after being mauled by a dog north of Newcastle in NSW.

Neighbours said the Staffordshire Bull Terrier cross Mastiff started to run loose through a Raymond Terrace cul-de-sac at about 11pm and lunged at anyone in its path.

Paramedics arrived and led a 35-year-old man into an ambulance after he was mauled by the canine.

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Local resident Georgina Croese provided first aid to the man and his 36-year-old partner, who were savagely attacked while on a late night walk. 

"They were bleeding out, in and out of consciousness," Croese said.

"I've never seen anything like it, honestly. It was one of the worst things I've ever seen."

Josh Humphries was the first to come to the couple's rescue, armed with a metal pole.

"I had a stick to try and get rid of it but he just kept coming at me," Humphries said.

His partner's 14-year-old son Kaiden O'Dell was the next victim of the dog.

READ MORE: Proof that the terror in Bondi has changed city forever

The Year 10 student was set upon while trying to protect his family with a broomstick after the incident unfolded on their front lawn. 

"It just chased me up the stairs… just ran up and ran inside and bit me," he said.

"I grabbed its fur, tried pulling it away and mum dragged me off. It bit me on the leg too."

Police then arrived on scene and euthanised the animal.

Jess O'Dell said she was grateful her son Kaiden wasn't killed.

Reminders of the attack were still evident today from a blood trail on their driveway to the dog's claw marks on their car.  

"I actually at one point thought that maybe it could have been a lot more serious than that," Mrs O'Dell said.

"I'm very grateful that I didn't turn out like that, very grateful."

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