He called police as he entered the man’s property saying he was making a citizen’s arrest.

A deep dive into the raid, the investigations and the complex collapse of the Du Val group

Surfers and shark attack survivors are calling for government or corporate funding to roll out life-saving emergency response kits across all Australian beaches.

The Community Shark Bite Kits, designed to help control life-threatening bleeding, were designed by Danny Schouten, after his friend Kai McKenzie almost died from being bitten by a shark while surfing in Port Macquarie in 2024.

"It was by the grace of a man… walking his dog on the beach that day, who was trained in trauma control and used his dog lead to save Kai's life," Schouten said.

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"And I thought, we need to have one of these kits on every one of our beaches so it's not left up to chance next time."

Ten kits were initially rolled out in northern NSW last year and now there's 150 on beaches across NSW, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia.

The inexpensive kits contain a tourniquet, two conforming bandages, two large dressings, an emergency thermal blanket, gloves, a whistle and step-by-step instructions on how to treat a shark bite.

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Schouten said his local community, which has seen multiple shark attacks, immediately jumped behind the project but interest was now also coming from further afield.

"The wider community, the surfing community is right behind this," he said.

"We know we're entering the unknown.

"There's a lot of people who will say 'we don't want to cull', 'we don't want nets'.

"There's no right mitigation strategy, only preparation."

He said a tourniquet applied within seconds could be the difference between someone surviving or succumbing to a shark attack.

"We live in a community where our mums, our dads, our friends, our brothers, they surf and if it's your friend, it's your brother, I pray that the place that they're surfing has one of these kits.

"Someone's life, after being attacked by a shark, has minutes… at most before you bleed out."

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McKenzie said he was fortunate to have had someone on the beach with trauma experience on the day he was bitten – but not everyone would be so lucky.

"I was lucky to have someone with such experience to save me, but there will come a day where that won't be the case and a Shark Bite Kit would help the chances of surviving dramatically," he said.

Schouten is currently fundraising on GoFundMe to expand the project, with the goal to see a kit on every single beach across the country.

"Ideally, we'd have the government's support… funding from businesses or other ventures to be able to get behind it and put one everywhere," Schouten said.

"It's about Australian beaches being well prepared for when these attacks happen and making our coastline a safer place for everyone.

"We're not going to stop doing what we love, so we just have to be better prepared."

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Exclusive: They're the two words that have been clogging up email inboxes and plastered across storefronts for weeks: Black Friday.

But a nine.com.au reader poll has now revealed that almost half of Australians are opting out of the massive Black Friday sales.

Of the 416* respondents, nearly 50 per cent said that they didn't plan to spend a single cent in the sales.

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"If you have enough disposable income then yes, you could get bargains," one said.

"But it's easy to get caught and buy things you don't really need."

About 47 per cent of readers had already bought something or planned to buy something in the Black Friday sales.

Fewer than 10 per cent were on the fence.

Many said they would only shop in the Black Friday sales if the discount was high and the item was something they actually needed.

"If I am after something specific and I have tracked the prices for it during the year, and there is a definite discount, then maybe," one said.

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Some respondents voiced distrust in Black Friday sales, stating that it's hard to tell if you're actually getting a bargain or not.

Others admitted they were wary of retailers that may have inflated prices before the Black Friday sales to make discounts seem better than they are.

That isn't surprising, given Australian retailers' track record with Black Friday sales.

The ACCC put retailers on notice for misleading or deceptive sales advertising last week and companies caught breaking the rules can face investigations and fines.

Michael Hill, My House and Hairhouse online paid penalties earlier this year for allegedly making false and misleading representations about their Black Friday sales in 2024.

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"Retailers and marketers want people to buy more than they need," University of Melbourne law professor Jeannie Marie Paterson previously told nine.com.au.

"People who run marketing campaigns have studied psychology [and] we need to realise that they know more about us than we know about ourselves, so just beware."

But the warnings haven't deterred everyone.

Of those planning to shop the sales, just one in 10 planned to keep their spending under $100.

Almost one in five planned to spend between $101 and $250.

About 12 per cent were budgeting $251 to $500 for their Black Friday purchases, and 16 per cent were planning to spend over $500.

But is all the spending really worth it?

Just over two in five readers said the Black Friday sales are worth the money, while just under two in five said they're not.

That left about one in five undecided, at least this year.

"If you really need the item or it's a gift for Christmas, you can save some money, but I don't buy things just for the sake of it," one person wrote.

*The nine.com.au poll, which runs once a fortnight, canvases the views of the Nine audience on 9Nation, which is an online community of our readers and viewers.

Have you got a story? Contact reporter Maddison Leach at Google Play.

Researchers believe they have unravelled the mystery behind a cache of stone tools that were buried by a waterhole in the remote outback, up to 170 years ago.

Archaeologists from Griffith University, who discovered the hoard, believe they are evidence of planning and trade by those that stashed them.

The research team spotted a handful of stones poking out of the soil in an area just north of the town of Boulia, Central West Queensland.

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After investigating further, they discovered a pile of 60 large Aboriginal stone "tulas", special flaked stone tools that were hafted onto a handle and used for woodworking.

They were important tools, used across most of the continent to make objects such as boomerangs, wooden coolamon dishes, shields and clapsticks.

Dr Yinika Perston from the Griffith School of Social and Cultural Research said the retrieval process was arduous.

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"Even while we were excavating, bushfires raged to the north, preventing some of the team from joining us," she said.

"Once we found the cache, we knew were in a race against time to recover the tools before they were washed away in the next flood."

The researchers used scientific methods to analyse the tools, working closely with the Pitta Pitta, who hold Native Title for the area where the collection was found.

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"Innovation and connection helped the Pitta Pitta people survive the region's harsh climates," Perston said.

"If they could not find resources locally, they bartered along vast trade routes.

"It's possible this cache was a bundle of specially made artefacts that were intended for trading."

Dating revealed a 95 per cent probability the tulas were buried sometime between 1793 and 1913.

The nearby town of Boulia was established around 1879, and the Burke River police camp operated from 1878 to 1886.

"We think the Pitta Pitta ancestors were likely planning to trade the tools in these caches when the time came, but for some reason never retrieved them," Perston said.

"One possible reason for this may be due to disruption caused by European arrival – but the dates aren't precise enough to be sure.

"What we can say, is that this cache reveals how planning, resource management and collective cooperation allowed Aboriginal people to not only survive, but thrive, in this harsh environment."

The study 'Under the shade of a coolabah tree: A second cache of tulas from the Boulia district, Western Queensland' has been published in Archaeology in Oceania.

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Planning holidays in advance can help Australians transform the typical 20-day annual leave entitlement into more than 50 days off in 2026.

By carefully choosing dates around Christmas and New Year, Australia Day, Easter, the King's Birthday, and Labour Day (or equivalent state/territory holiday), Aussie workers who typically work Monday to Friday can clock up 53 days off.

And that's before you factor in specific regional public holidays.

Here are all the public holidays for 2026, plus tips to make the most of your annual leave next year.

Australia's public holidays by state and territory for 2026

January

Book four days of leave from January 27 to 30 and get nine days off between Saturday, January 24 and Sunday, February 1 (all states and territories).

Public holidays for the month fall on: 

• Thursday, January 1: New Year's Day
• Monday, January 26: Australia Day

February

Book four days of leave from February 10 to 13 for nine days off between Saturday, February 7 and Sunday February 15 (parts of Tasmania only).

Public holidays for the month fall on: 

• Monday, February 9: Royal Hobart Regatta (parts of Tasmania)

March

Book four days of leave from March 3 to 6 for nine days off between Saturday, February 28 and Sunday, February 8 (WA only).

Book four days of leave from March 10 to 13 for nine days off between Saturday, March 8 and Sunday, March 15 (ACT, SA, Tasmania and Victoria only).

Public holidays for the month fall on: 

• Monday, March 2: Labour Day (WA)
• Monday, March 9: Canberra Day (ACT), Adelaide Cup Day (SA), Eight Hours Day (Tasmania), Labour Day (Victoria)

April

Book eight days of leave from March 30 to April 2 and from April 7 to 10 for 16 days off between Saturday, March 28 and Sunday, April 12 (all states and territories).

Book another four days of leave from April 28 to May 1 for nine days off between Saturday, April 25 and Sunday, May 3 (WA only).

Public holidays for the month fall on: 

• Friday, April 3: Good Friday
• Saturday, April 4: Easter Saturday
• Sunday, April 5: Easter Sunday
• Monday, April 6: Easter Monday
• Saturday, April 25: ANZAC Day
• Monday, April 27: ANZAC Day day in lieu (WA)

May

Book four days of leave from May 5 to 8 for nine days off between Saturday, May 2 and Sunday, May 10 (NT and Queensland only).

Public holidays for the month fall on: 

• Monday, May 4: May Day (NT, Queensland)

June

Book four days of leave from June 2 to June 5 for nine days off between Saturday, May 30 and Sunday, June 7 (ACT and WA only).

Book four days of leave from June 9 to June 12 for nine days off between Saturday, June 6 and Sunday, June 14 (ACT, NSW, NT, SA, Tasmania and Victoria).

Public holidays for the month fall on: 

• Monday, June 1: Reconciliation Day (ACT), Western Australia Day (WA)
• Monday, June 8: King's Birthday (ACT, NSW, NT, SA, Tasmania, Victoria)

July

There are no public holidays in July.

August

Book four days of leave from August 4 to 7 for nine days off between Saturday, August 1 and Sunday, August 9 (NT only).

Book four days of leave from August 10 to 11 and 13 to 14 for nine days off between Saturday, August 8 and Sunday, August 16 (Brisbane area of Queensland only).

Public holidays for the month fall on: 

• Monday, August 3: Picnic Day (NT)
• Wednesday, August 12: Royal Queensland Show (Brisbane area only)

September

Book four days of leave from September 29 to October 2 for nine days off between Saturday, September 26 and Sunday, October 4 (WA only).

Public holidays for the month fall on: 

• Monday, September 28: King's Birthday (WA)

October

Book four days of leave from October 6 to 9 for nine days off between Saturday, October 3 and Sunday, October 11 (ACT, NSW, SA and Queensland only).

Book four days of leave from October 23 to 26 for nine days off between Saturday, October 20 and Sunday, October 28 (Tasmania only).

Public holidays for the month fall on: 

• Monday, October 5: Labour Day (ACT, NSW, SA), King's Birthday (Queensland)
• Thursday, October 22: Royal Hobart Show (parts of Tasmania)

November

Book four days of leave from November 3 to 6 for nine days off between Saturday, October 31 and Sunday, November 8 (parts of Tasmania only).

Book four days of leave on November 2 and November 4 to 6 for nine days off between Saturday, October 31 and Sunday, November 8 (Victoria only).

Public holidays for the month fall on: 

• Monday, November 2: Recreation Day (parts of Tasmania)
• Tuesday, November 3: Melbourne Cup (Victoria)

December

Book eight days off from December 21 to 24 and December 28 to 31 for 16 days off between Saturday, December 19 and Sunday, January 3, 2026 (all states and territories).

Public holidays for the month fall on: 

• Thursday, December 24: Christmas Eve – 6pm to midnight (Queensland), 7pm to midnight (NT, SA)
• Friday, December 25: Christmas Day
• Saturday, December 26: Boxing Day (all states and territories except Tasmania)
• Monday, December 28: Boxing Day (day in lieu)
• Thursday, December 31: New Year's Eve – 7pm to midnight (NT, SA)
• Friday, January 1, 2027: New Year's Day

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A former Spotify executive has exposed how streaming music algorithms from industry giants are killing Australian music.

Will Page, who used to be Spotify's chief economist, revealed in a new report for The Australia Institute that the number of local artists featured on the world's biggest streaming services, including Spotify, YouTube, and Amazon, has fallen by 20 per cent between 2021 and 2024.

"The algorithms of streaming services might recognise language, but they ignore geography, which means local music is not typically recommended to Australian audiences," Page said.

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"If Australians are to enjoy a vibrant domestic music culture greater investment in new, local artists is needed."

The number of times an Australian band was streamed in Australia dropped by 30 per cent, showing that ensembles are struggling even more.

And while the Australian recording industry is making much more money since 2021, far less of that is going to the artists.

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Revenue from Australian music increased by 25 per cent, but the artists' share shrunk by 30 per cent.

Association of Artists Managers executive director Maggie Collins said the revenue increase showed there was a lot to be confident about in Australian music.

"This proves that it's not a quality problem and makes the domestic streaming decline even more striking," she said.

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"The numbers in this report reveal a clear market distortion, yet despite this disadvantage, Australian artists have proven yet again that when a door is closed, they will find a way in through the window.

"This approach, however, is expensive, resource-heavy, and for some Australian artists, is simply out of reach."

Former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull also contributed a foreword to the report.

He said Australia's "cultural voice risks being drowned out" when "the algorithm replaces the DJ".

"Just as we invest in technology, energy, and defence, we must invest in culture – because identity is the foundation of confidence," he said.

"The streaming age does not have to erase national character; it can amplify it, and it should."

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Aldi Australia is taking urgent action over a recent supermarket scam that has seen Aussie grocery shoppers promised significant savings on their weekly shop.

The discount supermarket retailer tells nine.com.au they "have been actively pursuing" the removal of scam videos that have been appearing on social media channels.

The videos have been appearing primarily on TikTok, as well as other social media outlets. They are labelled The Aldi Method, The Coles Method and The Woolies Method.

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Each video follows a similar format: a voiceover sharing a method to save on groceries atop footage of someone placing groceries into a trolley at Aldi, Coles or Woolies.

Viewers are then directed to a web address, which appears to be an Aldi or corresponding supermarket website, which is placed in the description or the comments section and requests a customer's personal details.

A spokesperson for Aldi Australia has told nine.com.au they are "aware of some websites impersonating Aldi and we have been actively pursuing their removal to protect our customers".

"We encourage Australians to always remain wary of any offers seen on unofficial social media pages or websites, and to report any scams to Scamwatch," they said.

READ MORE: The teens fighting social media ban in the High Court

Aldi has reminded customers DoorDash is the only platform that sells Aldi products online.

Any other website claiming to do so is not legitimate and may be a fake website pretending to be Aldi, customers are being warned.

Today money expert Joel Gibson says the scams, which target vulnerable Aussies struggling to make ends meet, are easy to spot once you know what to look for.

"There are dozens of these accounts, not many followers, if you scratch the surface, you will see that, but people don't often see that when they first see the post," he explained.

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Some of the scam videos allege savings of up to $750 on grocery costs.

"The problem is they are complete BS," he says.

"It's a scam. They ask you to go to a website and put your data in."

Gibson said the scam is working because so many people are struggling to afford their weekly shop.

A Coles spokesperson has told nine.com.au: "Coles advises customers to be aware of websites, competitions and other unsolicited communications that use the Coles brand without Coles' permission, or which promote Coles rewards or other incentives, in an attempt to appear legitimate.

"These offers predominantly attempt to collect your personal details or financial information and Coles will never request personal or banking details in unsolicited communications.

"We encourage people to report any suspicious communication you may have received to the ACCC via their Scamwatch page."

A spokesperson from Woolworths has issued the following warning.

"It's important for our customers to remain vigilant when it comes to scam activity," they said.

"To help our customers, we frequently post notices on our website with the different types of scams we see reported to us, how to stay safe from them and where to get help.

"Online scams seek to imitate well-known brands to collect personal information, but we would never ask our customers for their personal or banking details in unsolicited communications.

"This particular website is not affiliated with Woolworths."

Exclusive: Sydney high school student Noah Jones learned about the federal government's impending social media ban, ironically, on social media.

Now, the 15-year-old is fighting the legislation in the High Court.

"I find it hard to believe that the Australian government is keeping the children out of the platforms, but not trying to get rid of the predators that are actually doing the harm on these platforms," he said.

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Noah and fellow 15-year-old Macy Neyland are the two plaintiffs in a case challenging the constitutionality of the social media ban, which will kick children under 16 off Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, X, YouTube, Threads, Reddit, Twitch and Kick on December 10.

He said his peers were preparing to bypass the age restrictions with fake profiles when the rules came into effect.

"The problem is with that, if they're being secretive about it, they can't report anyone or say something to parents or police because they weren't supposed to be on the platform in the first place, so they're at more risk," he said.

Macy agreed that the law was "bad safety policy".

"Bring us into safer spaces, with rules that work – age‑appropriate features, privacy‑first age assurance, and fast takedowns," she said.

Child protection is paramount to Noah's mum, and former primary school teacher turned lawyer, Renee Jones, who has raised her three children to be safe in the online world.

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But she said the government should work with social media platforms to crack down on predators and unsafe content online, rather than removing children from the digital world they have grown up in.

"His newborn photos were taken on an iPhone, and Noah's birth was announced on social media. He didn't live a life of newsprint, and Noah has never had an experience like other generations have had," she said.

"This is his space." 

NSW Libertarian MP John Ruddick yesterday filed proceedings in the High Court via his organisation Digital Freedom Project, with Noah and Macy as the plaintiffs, against the ban.

When none of the big tech companies launched a legal challenge, Ruddick took it upon himself to oppose the law.

"The kids will still be accessing social media, so that creates an underground social media. It's a recipe for disaster," he said.

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The group will argue in court that the government's ban will rob 2.6 million young people of their constitutionally implied right to freedom of political communication in the years ahead of when they will take to the polls.

"They're going to be voting in a lot more federal and state elections than a 60-year-old is," Ruddick said. 

Noah uses social media to engage in politics and is so passionate about the issue that he is writing to school captains across the country to ask them to chat and share their views with their local MP.

"It'll ban me from information on politics in Australia, and I'm coming up to the years where I'm going to vote, and I won't know much information," he said.

"It's not only about just 15-year-olds. It's about how we have rights as Australians, and we'll become invisible with this ban.

"You won't be able to hear any of our ideas or our banter on things."

Macy said children should not be silenced and compared the ban to George Orwell's famed dystopian novel 1984. 

A court date will be set in the next few days ahead of the end-of-year holidays.

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The group hopes to win an injunction that would delay the law from coming into effect until the case is heard early next year.

"Social media is getting bigger and bigger every day, and whether we like it or not, it's a big part of life," Ruddick said.

They believe the court will rule the law unconstitutional and dismantle the government's world-leading legislation. 

"Instead of making the social media platforms spend money and resources on avoiding fines, they should be spending money and resources on creating safer places on these platforms and taking action against these predators and inappropriate content," Noah said.

Federal Communications Minister Anika Wells said she would not be intimidated by the legal challenge.

"Despite the fact that we are receiving threats and legal challenges by people with ulterior motives, the Albanese government remains steadfastly on the side of parents and not of platforms," she said.

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A Victorian man has accused the state government of ghosting him after promising to fund a fresh search at a gold mine to find his brother who went missing over 50 years ago.

Daryl Floyd has dedicated most of his life to bringing his brother and "best mate" Terry home.

Terry was just 12 when he disappeared from the corner of Sunraysia and Pyrenees Highways in Avoca in Victoria's Central Highlands on June 28, 1975.

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Do you have a story? Contact reporter April Glover at Google Play.