Daniel Gale says lives remain at risk without river alert trigger levels.

A digger was used to conceal Jayden Mamfredos’ body 3m underground.

An independent King’s Counsel has been appointed to carry out the probe.

Residents on the Bay of Plenty coast may smell sulphur odours, GeoNet says.

The transport corridor project’s $139m budget has blown out by $15m–$25m.

The ‘larger than life’ Stowers, 45, died on November 7.

The packaged food industry has failed to reach the government's target for uptake of the health star rating system, and government will now decide if it should be mandated.

More than 10 years after it was first launched, uptake of the system has plateaued at 37 per cent – well below the government's 70 per cent target.

Food ministers across Australian state and territory governments have previously indicated labels would be made mandatory if the industry failed to meet the target by today's deadline.

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"The government's targets were extremely generous, yet the multibillion-dollar packaged food industry has not even come anywhere close to meeting them," Associate Professor Alexandra Jones from The George Institute said.

"Simple nutrition information shouldn't be optional.

"Shoppers have a right to clear information that helps them quickly and easily understand the healthiness of what's available on supermarket shelves."

What is the health star rating system?

The health star rating system rates the overall nutritional profile of a packaged food product from 0.5 to 5 stars.

Manufacturers input the nutritional information of their product on a government website, which uses an algorithm to calculate a rating between 0.5 and five stars.

The algorithm gives points for protein, fibre, fruits, vegetables, nuts and legumes and removes them for saturated fat, sugar and salt.

Consumers ideally then use the rating to compare similar products and ultimately make healthier choices.

However, experts say the ability to compare products is limited as only a third of products currently feature a rating.

And unsurprisingly, it's being exploited as a marketing tool, with five-star products far more likely to feature the rating (61 per cent) compared to half-star products (16 per cent).

VicHealth chief executive Professor Anna Peeters said the findings highlight an opportunity to strengthen food labelling in Australia.

"In Australia, ultra processed foods contribute 42 per cent of the population's daily energy intake and more than 60 per cent of supermarket shelf space is taken up by discretionary foods," Peeters said.

"This is an opportunity for government, industry and the community to align on creating a fairer, more transparent food system that supports health and wellbeing."

When is the system likely to be mandated?

Jones said ministers should be able to approve the regulatory standards by this time next year.

She urged them to commit to the time frame to avoid further delay.

Food Standards Australia New Zealand told 9news.com.au it is continuing preparatory work for a mandated system.

"Food ministers are expected to receive the final uptake figures in early 2026, along with an update on our preparatory work," a spokesperson said in a statement.

"With this information, food ministers will decide whether to ask FSANZ to formally raise a proposal to consider mandating the HSR system.

"If asked to raise a proposal, we will be required to follow the legislated processes for changing the Food Standards Code as outlined in the FSANZ Act, which includes public consultation.

"FSANZ would progress this work as a matter of priority."

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Severe thunderstorms are possible in Bay of Plenty, Taupō, Gisborne and Hawke’s Bay.

The funds come from round two of the Government’s $70m Major Events and Tourism package.

A man accused of leading police to former childcare worker and alleged pedophile Joshua Brown has pleaded not guilty to dozens of charges.

Michael Simon Wilson, 36, faced Melbourne Magistrates Court today and he opted to fast-track more than 60 charges to a higher court.

The alleged offences include child abuse possession and transmission, aggravated use of a carriage service, bestiality, and his alleged rape of a teen he met on social media.

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Wilson was alleged to have committed the offences between April 2022 and May 2025, and many of the charges arose from an analysis of his mobile phone, the court was told previously.

His lawyer Heather Anderson said that set of offences were proceeding straight to the County Court with pleas of not guilty to each as they involved alleged child victims.

Wilson, who appeared in court via video link from Metropolitan Remand Centre on Friday, was asked to formally enter his plea before magistrate Gerard Lethbridge.

"Not guilty, Your Honour," the accused man replied as the charges were aired.

"I have noted your pleas of not guilty to all charges," Lethbridge said.

"As no application for bail is made, you are remanded in custody."

He will next face a directions hearing at Melbourne's County Court on December 15.

Wilson is separately accused of eight offences, including rape and allegations he detained a woman against her will and kept her under surveillance.

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Anderson said her client planned to fight those charges, and a one-day contested committal hearing was set down for February 25 next year.

In October, Wilson tried for a gag order over his case and its alleged links to Brown.

He failed after a magistrate found just because Brown's case had "notoriety" it did not mean he was entitled to a suppression order.

Prosecutors told the court at the time police were investigating Wilson's alleged offending when they found information on his devices that led them to the accused childcare molester.

Brown, who will next face court in February, has been charged with more than 70 offences related to his alleged abuse of eight children in his care between April 2022 and January 2023.

He is yet to enter a plea to any of the charges.

Wilson is not charged with any childcare-related offending.

Support is available from the National Sexual Assault, Domestic and Family Violence Counselling Service at 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732)Kids Helpline at 1800 55 1800.