It will be 2041 before Darryl Grant Bridgeman is eligible for parole.

A witness says St John gave her the wrong access codes for the defibrillator.

An elderly pedestrian has died after she was struck by a car in Melbourne's south-east.

A car struck a woman in a car park of a medical centre on Victor Crescent in Narre Warren about 12.30pm.

The woman, who is yet to be formally identified but believed to be aged in her 80s, died at the scene.

READ MORE: 'Rapidly intensifying': Cyclone turns towards land in dramatic shift

The driver of the car, a man in his 50s, stopped at the scene and is assisting police with their enquiries.

Anyone who witnessed the incident, or has CCTV/dashcam footage or any information that could assist police, is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au

DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. Available on the Apple App Store and Google Play.

The recalled sand includes 380g craft pots sold in 15 different colours.

Last year, 70 donors helped more than 200 people receive lifesaving transplants.

‘We sincerely hope no other school in NZ will have to experience it.’

Sydneysiders have been warned that measles is probably circulating through the city, more than 10 years after Australia eliminated the highly infectious and potentially deadly disease.

NSW Health said today that someone has caught the virus in Sydney, even though they had not been overseas and hadn't been at any of the known exposure sites in the city.

Because authorities don't know where the person caught the disease, they said it's probably spreading through the local community.

READ MORE: NRL star's mum to claim mental health defence over crash that killed three people

"With the source of the infection unknown, it is likely measles is currently circulating within the community, and other people may have been unknowingly exposed to measles," NSW Health said in a statement.

Residents have been told to check they are up to date with their vaccinations, and to keep on the alert for symptoms of the disease.

"Symptoms to watch out for include fever, sore eyes, runny nose and a cough, usually followed three or four days later by a red, blotchy rash that spreads from the head and face to the rest of the body," South Western Sydney Local Health District public health director Dr Mitchell Smith said.

"It can take up to 18 days for symptoms to appear after an exposure. It's important for people to stay vigilant and if they develop symptoms, to please call ahead to their GP or emergency department to ensure they do not spend time in the waiting room with other patients."

READ MORE: Warning entire industry critical for Australian economy on the brink of collapse

The warning comes a week after NSW Health warned someone with the disease had been at Oasis' sold-out concert in Sydney on Saturday, November 8, as well as a Jelly Roll gig in Brisbane on October 24.

Measles is one of the most contagious human diseases, and can lead to severe and deadly complications, including pneumonia and acute encephalitis, or brain inflammation. 

According to the Australian Centre for Disease Control, nine out of ten people who are near an infected person will catch the disease themselves, whether through direct contact, coughing or sneezing, or even just breathing in the same air.

However, the measles vaccine – which is free in Australia for 12- and 18-month-olds – is both safe and extremely effective against the virus, providing long-term protection against infection in 99 per cent of people.

According to the World Health Organisation, the vaccine saved almost 32 million lives between 2000 and 2020.

"Anyone born after 1965 needs to ensure they have had two doses of measles vaccine," Smith said. 

READ MORE: Aussies are being forced to accept jobs with no clue what they'll be paid

"This is especially important before overseas travel, as measles outbreaks are occurring in several regions of the world at the moment.

"The measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine is safe and effective and is given free for children at 12 and 18 months of age. 

"It is also free in NSW for anyone born after 1965 who hasn't already had two doses…

"People who are unsure of whether they have had two doses should get a vaccine, as additional doses are safe. This is particularly important prior to travel."

Vaccination helped eliminate measles in many countries in the past few decades, including Australia in 2014.

However, growing anti-vaccine sentiment has led to outbreaks of the disease across the globe. 

Canada, for example, was declared measles-free in 1998 but has now lost that status and is currently battling thousands of cases, while the number of infections in the United States is growing towards 2000.

A full list of exposure sites in NSW can be seen here.

DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. Available on the Apple App Store and Google Play.

Australian trucking companies are at breaking point, with one in 12 forced to close over past months, a new report warns.

The triply whammy of rising fuel and labour costs, stubbornly high interest rates and fierce competition has left many freight operators struggling to remain solvent, the research by CreditorWatch found.

Smaller and family-run carriers, many of which serve critical industries on regional and interstate routes, are particularly vulnerable because they lack the cash reserves or negotiating leverage of larger logistics companies.

READ MORE: The Aussies who are forced to accept jobs with no clue what they'll be paid

The road transport industry is also facing other big headwinds.

A shortage of drivers is pushing up labour costs as a lack of younger drivers taking up the job leaves companies with an ageing workforce.

The price of second-hand trucks, which jumped during the pandemic, has now fallen dramatically by more than 60 per cent.

Added to these are volatile fuel prices, higher insurance premiums and rentals and the demands of environmental compliance.

CreditorWatch data shows the closure rate for road transport businesses during the past 12 months was 8.46 per cent, or one in 12 businesses.

This was an increase of 40 per cent year-on-year and a 26 per cent rise since this January.

The closure rate for transport companies has rocketed and now rivals that of the hospitality sector, traditionally one of Australia's most failure-prone industries.

There are some bright prospects for trucking firms, particularly in the mining and commodities sectors.

But the benefits are unlikely to compensate for the industry's current dire condition, according to CreditorWatch chief economist Ivan Colhoun.

"Elevated cost bases, stretched balance sheets, and soft freight demand from retail and manufacturing mean insolvency pressures are set to remain high through 2026," he said.

DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. Available on the Apple App Store and Google Play.

Senator Lidia Thorpe has called for a nationwide ban on "forever chemicals" used in everyday products like non-stick pans and cosmetic and personal products.

A 12-month Senate inquiry on the extent and management of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) — a group of more than 4700 synthetic chemicals effective at resisting heat, stains, grease and water — has handed down its final report.

It found Australia's health advice lags behind the international consensus and minimises the risk it can have on affected communities.

READ MORE: 'Gale force' wind warning as cyclone heads toward Top End

The report acknowledged the difficulties of establishing a conclusive link between PFAS and the health issues, but noted that the federal government needed to strengthen its precautionary stance as science continues to investigate.

The inquiry handed down 47 recommendations, including a national monitoring program, a website with a map of PFAS hotspots, subsidised PFAS blood testing and cancer screening and reviewing the current health guidance.

PFAS can enter the environment, food and drinking water, with growing research linking them to health issues ranging from mildly elevated blood cholesterol to reduced kidney function.

It is dubbed "forever chemicals" as they are virtually indestructible and unable to break down naturally. 

PFAS are almost impossible to avoid and are found in many Australian homes, with the chemical present in firefighting foam, non-stick cookware, cosmetics and personal care products, medical devices, pharmaceutical products, fast food packaging, microwave popcorn bags, pesticides, paint, and stain-resistant clothing.

There have been increasing concerns around the long-term effects of these chemicals after they were detected in Sydney's drinking water.

READ MORE: New mRNA flu vaccine far more effective than existing jabs: study

Thorpe, who chaired the Senate inquiry, called for a total ban on all PFAS chemicals.

"For too long, PFAS chemicals have poisoned our land, water, and communities, while governments looked the other way," she said.

"The science is clear: PFAS are toxic and linked to immune, reproductive and cancer risks.

"People are getting sick, but the problem is still being minimised — that has to stop.

"These chemicals are the asbestos of the 21st century."

Monash University's chemistry professor Rico Tabor also called for a PFAS ban, adding that the potential health issues are "not a risk we should be prepared to take".

"We just don't have long-term and sufficient enough studies to truly understand the range of impacts, but we know that acute and chronic exposure to these chemicals is problematic and is implicated with a number of serious health concerns," he said.

"In the face of international evidence, we have been slow… We have been slow off the mark, and that means we've got catching up to do in order to put the right legislation protections in place."

Tabor added that the federal government needed to support chemists to find an alternative chemical that works identically to PFS.

READ MORE: Trump signs bill to release Jeffrey Epstein case files after fighting it for months

In the final report, Labor Senators acknowledged most people likely have PFAS in their bodies and the concerns about health impacts were justified.

But they were cautious about policy interventions due to a lack of technical expertise and the ongoing research. 

9news.com.au has contacted the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water for further comment.

DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. Available on the Apple App Store and Google Play.

Exclusive: Marcel Black* has seconds to decide if she wants to take a job that could cost her more money than it makes her.

If she doesn't accept the job in time, or at all, she could be penalised.

This is how tens of thousands of Australian Uber drivers work and Black, 52, wants to change it.

READ MORE: 'Gale force' wind warning as cyclone heads toward Top End

An executive assistant from Sydney, she started driving for Uber on weekends to keep up with the cost of living.

But she was shocked to discover that Uber drivers aren't given crucial information about a ride – like the fare, pickup or drop-off address – until after they accept it.

Uber drivers earn a base fare plus extra cash based on how long and far they drive, minus any service, booking or cancellation fees.

Black couldn't believe that she was expected to accept rides with no indication of what she'd be paid for them.

"Ask any contractor in Australia, an electrician, a plumber, they're not going to accept the job without telling you how much they want to be paid," she told 9news.com.au.

"We just want the same."

All Australian Uber drivers are shown before accepting a ride is:

• the time and distance to the pickup point
• any surge pricing
• the rider's rating
• the type of trip (e.g. UberX, UberXL)

9news understands that Australian drivers can also see the upfront fare and pickup and drop off location for Uber Reserve and Intercity trips.

Drivers with Gold, Platinum, or Diamond status in the Uber Pro rewards program may also be able to access the trip's estimated duration and direction (e.g. north, south).

READ MORE: What's next once Trump signs bill releasing the Epstein files

Black said drivers must maintain an acceptance rate of 85 per cent and above to continue to access those details.

That makes cancelling a ride for any reason risky.

If a driver's overall cancellation rate gets too high, Black claimed drivers face warnings, lower fares or deactivation.

Uber drivers are also only paid for the ride from the pickup point to the drop-off point, not the distance driven to collect a passenger.

Which means drivers could accept a job kilometres out of their way, not knowing it will only make them a few dollars.

"On Saturday, I did a pickup that was 10 kilometres away and it took 1.6 kilometres to get to the drop off the drop off," Black said.

"So I made an almost 12-kilometre drive for $6 pay … that's not worth my time."

Not knowing the final destination of a ride before accepting it is also a safety concern for many drivers.

READ MORE: Flight warning for Australia after massive volcano eruption in Indonesia

Black feels unsafe in some locations late at night and wishes she could screen rides to avoid having to drop passengers off in those areas.

"It's definitely a safety question for women drivers," she said.

"I've had rides where I've been thinking, 'oh my god, I'm gonna die because the place is so dark.'"

It's a different story for Australian Uber Eats drivers and millions of Uber drivers overseas.

Black previously drove for Uber Eats and said she was able to see how much she'd make from a delivery, as well as the pickup and drop-off address before accepting a job.

And Uber drivers in the US are given a wealth of information before accepting rides.

Screenshots of the app interface show an estimated fare, distance to the pickup location, its street address, the trip distance, length of time, and address of the drop-off location.

All of which is visible to drivers before accepting a ride.

"The Americans get it, I don't understand why we can't get it," Black said.

"All we want to know is how much the fare will be, and the address where we going."

READ MORE: NSW man ordered to turn in plates featuring dictator's nickname

She wants to be able to see how much she'll make, as well as the pickup and drop-off locations, prior to accepting a ride on Uber.

But some passengers are opposed to that kind of transparency.

They worry that drivers will disproportionately decline short trips that won't make them much money, or rides that take them out of the way.

Black claimed that Uber agents said similar things when she raised the issue.

"The last communication that I got was from one of the agents saying, I'm paraphrasing me here, 'we're not going to change it, because we find it unfair,'" she said.

"Unfair to whom, I don't know."

An Uber spokesperson told 9news.com.au that the business regularly engages with driver partners to understand how to better support them.

"We'll keep listening and evolving the app to help driver partners make informed decisions and have a more reliable experience on the platform," they said.

READ MORE: Footage catches car thief's reaction on finding sleeping baby

After raising the issue with Uber, Black started a Change.org petition demanding transparency for Australian Uber drivers.

It has already attracted more than 1000 signatures.

"We fully know that Uber is not going to do this on their own, they're not going to change it just because we want them to," she said.

Black said drivers deserve to know where they're going and what they stand to earn before accepting rides.

She also suggested that if Uber doesn't want drivers to cherry-pick rides that pay well, it should increase driver wages.

*Name changed.

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