Australian label Exotic Athletica will officially fold this week after 10 years in business.

The Queensland-based activewear and athleisure brand collapsed into voluntary administration in April.

Administrators SV Partners announced at the time they were hoping to find a buyer for the "much-loved" brand, which launched in 2014, but the rescue bid failed to come through.

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The Sunshine Coast business told followers in a social media post this week that it would shut for good on Sunday.

"After 10 wild, messy, fabulous years of leggings, crops, and chaos… it's time for us to say something we never thought we would: Exotica is closing our doors on Sunday, November 16th," the company announced.⁠

"We built this brand for women who dare themselves, who sweat, laugh, cry, and strut in every shape and size imaginable. And wow — you did just that.

"We've loved watching you own your bodies, your moves, and your boldness. You made it bigger, louder, and wilder than we ever imagined.⁠

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"To our creators, our ride-or-die customers, and our team of absolute legends: thank you for every story, every post, every cheer, every 'yes you can'. You made Exotica unforgettable.⁠"

The brand is still operating until then and hoping to move as much of the remaining stock as possible over the next few days, with items discounted by 70 per cent.

"Because darling, if we're going out… we're going out sassy, sweaty, and unforgettable," the brand said.⁠

The business was launched by Leilani Chandler, who "became inspired by Brazil's fitness fashion culture, their celebration of feminine curves and bold designs that encourage women to express themselves", according to the company's website.

The brand became a hit, with Chandler once telling media that sales of one particular $49.99 top online between April 2020 and April 2021, earned her $7 million.

However, things took a turn over the past few years SV Partners said in their May announcement of voluntary administration.

"In recent years, Exotic Athletica has faced significant challenges, such as changes in senior management and increased operational expenses," the statement said.

SV Partners have been contacted.

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Two more people have been arrested over a brazen daylight fire-bombing attack of an Adelaide supermarket last month.

The incident, which occurred in broad daylight, resulted in serious injuries to two butchers.

CCTV captured the attack, including the moment one of the alleged arsonists emerged having set himself alight. 

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A court heard today that one of the victims was doused in fuel and thought he was going to die and the shop was going to explode.

Yesterday, a 40-year-old man, who police allege was the getaway driver, was arrested at a home in Paralowie during a raid.

The accused driver allegedly used a black Lexus to flee the scene, colliding with several other vehicles in the process. 

He faces multiple charges, including arson, two counts of attempted murder, and six counts of endangering life. 

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He was today denied bail to protect the safety of the victims and wider community.

Two other men had previously been arrested and faced court in connection with the firebombing. 

All three men will remain in custody until their next court appearance in April next year. 

A 37-year-old woman has also been arrested over the matter. 

She is accused of supplying the accelerant used in the attack and knowing its intended purpose. 

She has been granted bail and is scheduled to appear in court in January.

The investigation is ongoing.

This article was produced with the assistance of 9ExPress.

A manhunt is under way after a man was smashed in the head with a gun that fired during the ordeal.

A 27-year-old man was hit in the head with a firearm in Quakers Hill about 8pm yesterday, prompting residents to rush out and help him.

"There was a very loud bang and a piercing scream, so (we) went out to investigate," witness Mitchell Klenner said.

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"Ran back home, got bandages to compress the wound. He was bleeding rapidly.

"You just want to help your fellow man."

Police and paramedics arrived but the attackers fled the scene shortly after the incident.

In a video filmed after the attack the man said "I was just stopping by. I came from Newcastle".

It's left residents scared,

"We've got young kids at home, this has been a safe neighbourhood. It's absolutely terrifying seeing this crime on our street," Klenner said.

Police say the attackers arrived in a black sedan before approaching the 27-year-old, who was inside his green Commodore.

A fight broke out and a single shot was fired.

Police are now searching for two people.

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Police said they seized three mobile phones and a substance believed to be cocaine.

The victim remains in Westmead hospital.

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Analysis: If you've read much about the economy recently, you'll have noticed not a hell of a lot of the headlines have been positive as of late.

While Australia is still a strong performer by global standards – unlike many other countries, it hasn't had any post-COVID quarters of economic decline, has dodged the worst of Donald Trump's tariffs, and still has historically low unemployment – there are signs the easing cost-of-living crisis might yet have a sting in its tail.

Inflation has picked up again, and despite the jobless rate rising to its highest level since the height of the pandemic, any chance of a pre-Christmas interest rate cut – once considered a near-certainty – has been well and truly dashed.

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And just to top things off, the RBA warned yesterday that Australia could find itself trapped in a period of low growth.

So it has come as a major surprise that a new survey has revealed consumers are currently feeling cheerier about the economy than at any other point in the last seven years, outside the highly volatile years of the pandemic.

The latest edition of the Westpac-Melbourne Institute Consumer Sentiment Index, released today, surged 12.8 per cent to 103.8.

That's the first time the index has climbed into overall optimistic territory (over 100) since early 2022.

"This is an extraordinary and somewhat surprising result," Westpac head of Australian macro-forecasting Matthew Hassan said.

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"Sentiment overall is still only marginally positive rather than strongly optimistic. 

"However, the move draws a clearer line under what had been an extended period of consumer pessimism when disposable incomes were being hit hard by a combination of high inflation, high interest rates and rising tax payments…

"The real surprise, though, is how much these positives have outweighed renewed concerns about inflation and the outlook for interest rates."

In a sign those worries about the cash rate haven't completely evaporated, sentiment dropped slightly among households with a mortgage despite the overall rise.

It could also paint a promising picture for retailers ahead of the Christmas period – while about a third of consumers are planning to spend less this high season than a year before, 15 per cent say they'll spend more.

"While the mix falls short of that seen during the post-COVID reopening boom in 2021, it's the 'least restrained' spending intentions we have recorded outside of that year since 2016," Hassan wrote.

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However, not everyone is convinced that the uptick is much more than a volatile outlier in the survey results.

"This result is a huge surprise, given the RBA's message last week of no further near-term interest rate relief," CreditorWatch chief economist Ival Colhoun said. 

"It's also a little hard to believe… I'm inclined to suspect survey volatility."

If the rise is genuine though, and consumers are planning to start spending more, that could suggest recent inflation pressures are unlikely to ease anytime soon – which would only further dent the chance of another interest rate cut.

"Perhaps an explanation for the improvement is that prior negativity has lifted," Colhoun said.

"Again, I'd like to see further confirmation next month, but at face value it's another positive signal on the economy and unhelpful for the likelihood of further interest rate cuts being delivered any time soon."

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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.

About 15,000 people turned out for the NZ Trotting Cup at Addington Raceway.

Geelong AFL star Tanner Bruhn has proclaimed his innocence, calling on police to investigate those who made dumped rape allegations against him.

Prosecutors withdrew charges against Bruhn and his co-accused Patrick Sinnott today after the pair fought claims they raped a woman in February 2023.

Bruhn's identity had been suppressed throughout the court proceedings but his barrister Dermot Dann KC asked for the order to be lifted.

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He said the complainant had since admitted she lied and the case was clearly a "horrible stain on the criminal justice system".

"(Bruhn) should be regarded now and forever as someone who was 100 per cent innocent," Dann told Geelong Magistrates Court today.

Prosecutors alleged Bruhn and Sinnott raped the woman, who cannot be legally identified, in the early hours of February 5, 2023 after attending a strip club in Geelong, south-west of Melbourne.

They alleged the two men left the club with the complainant in her car and the assault happened in a Dan Murphy's car park in the nearby suburb of Belmont.

CCTV footage showed the woman leaving the strip club with the men at 4.17am and then her car arriving at the car park at 4.21am.

The alleged rape was not captured on the vision, but the woman's vehicle was seen leaving the area about 5am.

During a committal hearing in September, a male prosecution witness told the court the woman later admitted to lying in her police statement.

She told the man she had an agreement with Bruhn and Sinnott and it was consensual, but something happened she didn't agree with, the court heard.

The man said the complainant told him to lie in his statement to police and in his evidence before the court.

The woman was scheduled to give evidence today before the charges were dropped.

Bruhn's lawyer Anna Balmer said her client wanted those behind the allegations to be investigated.

"Tanner wants to see those responsible for making these false allegations held to account," she told reporters outside court.

"We should all hope that Victoria Police properly investigates what appears to be an attempt to pervert the course of justice by at least one, if not two, prosecution witnesses."

The AFL confirmed Bruhn had been stood down from playing in the AFL or VFL while the allegations were before the courts.

Bruhn said he was keen to get back to playing football.

"Tanner wants to put this nightmare behind him," Balmer said.

"He's hopeful for the future and looking forward to getting back to doing what he loves."

The Geelong Football Club confirmed Bruhn would return to its program for the start of pre-season training.

"While legal proceedings have been ongoing, the club has provided professional welfare to Tanner during this time and will continue to do so," a club statement read.

Lawyers for Sinnott also spoke outside court, noting he had suffered the brunt of public scrutiny while his co-accused's identity was suppressed.

"The impact has been deep and far-reaching," lawyer Holly Boylan said.

"Patrick now asks to be allowed to move forward in his life."

The AFL Players Association welcomed the charges being dropped after a "long and flawed process".

While Geelong had been exemplary in its care for Tanner during the court process, the association described an AFL decision to stand him down after charges were laid as "premature and disproportionate".

Early in the 2025 season, Tanner was listed as unavailable with a finger injury before being removed from the injury list altogether.

Unlike the NRL or Football Australia, the AFL does not have an official no-fault stand-down policy.

National Sexual Assault, Domestic Family Violence Counselling Service 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732).

National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028

Help is available from the Men's Referral Service on 1300 766 491.

Surf cams have captured the moment a great white shark knocked a panicked foilboarder into the water at a popular beach in Western Australia. 

Andy McDonald could be seen suddenly falling into the water and thrashing about 50m off Prevelly Beach, south of Perth, about 5.45pm yesterday. 

He said he fell onto the creature, with the leashes attached to him getting tangled with its body.

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"I was just like punching it and kicking, and I was panicking basically," he told 9News.

McDonald hit and pushed until he made his escape, rushing back to the shore. 

"I didn't even want to look up to see if there was a fin. I was thinking, I just hope this thing doesn't come back," he said.

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The shark had taken a chomp out of the board, just centimetres away from his feet.

But luckily, McDonald was uninjured. 

He had been between the Boat Ramp and the Bombie surfing spots when the encounter took place.

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A shark warning is now in place for the area, with people urged to take extra caution.

Officers from the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development are monitoring the situation.

See the full warning online here.

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‘Emma had the biggest heart we have ever known.’

A former senator's bid to discover where Brittany Higgins' $2.4 million compensation payout went following their bruising defamation battle has been frustrated by a bankruptcy paperwork glitch.

Ex-Liberal senator Linda Reynolds successfully sued Higgins over a series of social media posts the former defence minister believed damaged her reputation.

Reynolds was awarded damages of $315,000 plus $26,109 interest after Western Australia's Supreme Court in August found some of the posts were defamatory.

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The former political staffer was also ordered to pay 80 per cent of her former boss's legal costs, which are estimated to be more than $1 million.

Reynolds launched bankruptcy proceedings in October against Higgins to recoup the costs awarded in her defamation win.

A Federal Court hearing today was expected to result in Higgins being declared bankrupt, but a technical issue led to the matter being adjourned.

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Reynolds' lawyer Martin Bennett said his client would continue to pursue Higgins after he had complied with the court's request for more information.

"(Ms Reynolds) is incredibly disappointed that Higgins got $2.4 million worth of taxpayer money and has paid not a cent towards the judgment against her," he told reporters outside the court.

"It cost her an enormous amount to prove that dishonest lies had been said about her and not a cent has been recovered."

If Higgins is rendered bankrupt by a court order, a trustee will be appointed and could investigate a trust Reynolds alleged the former staffer was using to protect her Commonwealth payout.

"Ms Higgins is saying she personally has no money (but) where is the $2.4 million?" Bennett said.

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Higgins apologised to Reynolds after the former defence minister emerged victorious from the duo's high-profile five-week defamation trial.

Justice Paul Tottle found Higgins' social media posts carried an array of imputations.

They included that Reynolds engaged in a campaign of harassment against Higgins, mishandled her rape allegation and engaged in questionable conduct during Bruce Lehrmann's aborted criminal trial for rape.

The 360-page judgment made factual findings about the events involving Reynolds and Higgins, including her alleged 2019 rape and the events in the years after it.

Higgins made 26 false or misleading statements in media interviews after her alleged sexual assault, the judgment said.

She alleges former co-worker Lehrmann raped her in the senator's ministerial suite.

A Federal Court judge overseeing a defamation case launched by Lehrmann against Network Ten found Higgins was, on the balance of probabilities, raped by her former co-worker in the office.

Lehrmann is appealing that finding.

He has always denied the rape allegation and his criminal trial was derailed by juror misconduct.

Higgins' husband David Sharaz was also served with a bankruptcy notice by Reynolds and is expected to declare bankruptcy.

He was also found to have defamed the former politician and was ordered to pay $85,000 in damages plus interest and costs.

Higgins' bankruptcy matter will return to the same court next Tuesday.

Support is available by calling 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) or the National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service on 1800 211 028.

Coster goes on leave from his role as CEO of the Social Investment Agency.