The community pitched in to ensure a South Island triumph.

The Prime Minister has met various world leaders during his Asia trip this week.

A woman who was found guilty of sexually abusing three young children and sharing online videos of the crimes has been sentenced to 10 years behind bars by the Perth District Court.

The 24-year-old woman was sentenced this week after pleading guilty earlier this month.

She will be eligible for parole after serving eight years.

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The Western Australia Joint Anti-Child Exploitation Team (WA JACET) – a unit comprised of officers from the AFP and Western Australia Police Force – charged the woman in July 2024.

WA JACET identified the woman after investigating a report from the United States' National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children about an online user uploading child abuse material via social media.

She was then charged with additional offences.

AFP Acting Commander Murray Taylor thanked the dedication and resolve of WA JACET investigators after three child victims were identified and removed from harm.

"The investigators reviewed videos and images of the horrific crimes to check if they could identify and help any of the young victims," he said.

"Our officers come to work every day to make a difference to children's lives, and this outcome should send a clear warning that the AFP, WAPF and other partners are committed to protecting children and identifying and prosecuting anyone involved in their harm."

"This outcome reflects our unwavering commitment to pursuing and bringing to justice those who exploit children," WA Police Sex Crime Division Acting Superintendent David Palmer said.

The woman pleaded guilty to 14 Commonwealth offences and 12 state-based offences.

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It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas earlier and earlier every year.

Or at least that's how it seems.

In every ad break on TV and on shop shelves around the country, there will be all the hallmarks of the season.

But is Christmas getting earlier every year, or does it just seem that way?

According to Professor Gary Mortimer of the Queensland University of Technology Business School, it is.

We see Christmas stuff on shelves as early as August or September for operational reasons, Mortimer said.

"What happens is our warehouses are under pressure so much they need to get that inventory into stores," he told 9news.com.au.

"That then frees up space in warehouses for summer apparel and all the other stuff that happens after Christmas."

But in the next few days, we'll be seeing Christmas decorations and food taking up a lot of space in supermarkets and department stores.

There's a simple reason for that, Mortimer said.

There is a lot of space in stores set aside for promotional events.

And with nothing major on the calendar between Halloween and December 25, Christmas fills that void.

The space filled with Christmas promotions is often the same space used to display Easter eggs, Mother's Day merchandise and Halloween decorations.

But there's also a psychological reason for early Christmas promotions.

"Shoppers will walk past toys, Christmas decorations and Christmas cards four months before they're willing to purchase," Mortimer said.

"You're not necessarily buying them in September or October, but when you're ready to buy you know exactly where to go."

And people genuinely are buying Christmas stuff earlier.

Retail figures show people are buying more in November than they are in December.

That's in large part to the Black Friday and Click Frenzy sales.

But many people are using those sales to buy their presents early for a discount.

"As we move into December, a lot of the Christmas shopping is done, and then December becomes more about food and parties," Mortimer said.

But the major supermarkets say Christmas marketing and sales aren't any earlier in 2025 than in previous years.

"Consistent with previous years, we offered a select range of longer-life Christmas essentials starting in August," a Woolworths spokesperson said.

"We've just started rolling out a larger selection this month – including our seasonal hams and many desserts – but rest assured, there are plenty more products still to come.

"We haven't started any earlier this year; we simply want every customer to have the choice to shop at the pace that suits their budget and matches their enthusiasm for Christmas."

Meanwhile, a Coles spokesperson said the launch of their Christmas advertising is in line with previous years.

"We've already seen strong demand for our festive products," they said.

"Our first batch of puddings arrived in stores in August, and they've proven to be incredibly popular – last year, half our stock was snapped up before December even began."

"Our customers love indulging in festive treats well before Christmas and more than 50 per cent of our fruit mince pies were sold before December last year."

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Many Australians now have access to cheaper visits to the doctor, after a $7.9 billion overhaul of the bulk billing system came into effect.

But not everyone gets to benefit from right away, with the government projecting it will take years for most GP practices to sign on to the scheme.

So what's actually changed, and what does it mean for you? This is what you need to know.

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What has changed for bulk billing incentives?

Under the previous system, the federal government incentivised doctors to provide bulk-billed consultations to children under 16 or patients who have a Commonwealth concession card.

However, from Saturday, November 1, the scheme has been expanded so the incentive now covers anyone with a Medicare card.

The government has also introduced the Bulk Billing Practice Incentive Program (BBPIP) – an extra 12.5 per cent incentive payment to be split between doctors and practices that sign up for the program.

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Why have these changes been made?

The changes were announced in the lead-up to this year's federal election campaign. 

While it was partly a political move from the Labor government aimed at exploiting a perceived weakness of then-opposition leader Peter Dutton due to his stint as health minister, it's also aimed at addressing the declining bulk billing rate.

In 2020, the figure was sitting at a record high of 89 per cent. In 2024, it had fallen to 78 per cent (admittedly up fractionally from 77 per cent the year before).

The government says the overhaul will drive the bulk billing rate up to 90 per cent by 2030.

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So does this mean free GP visits for (almost) everyone?

That's the idea – the government wants as many Australians as possible to access free doctor appointments. 

In practice, it's going to take a while for GPs across the country to sign on to the new scheme, although the government insists it's happy with the uptake so far.

A few days out from its introduction, more than 1000 practices had indicated they would move to full bulk billing from November 1.

To hit its 90 per cent bulk billing rate target, the government in February said it needs 4800 practices on board (although about 1600 were already fully bulk billing before the changes came into effect).

That leaves a shortfall of about 2200 to close over the next few years.

Health Minister Mark Butler is confident, though, that more providers are going to join.

"They're going through those numbers, obviously making their own assessment about whether the practice will be better off and whether general practitioners, the GPs that work in their practice, will be better off," he told reporters the Monday before the scheme started. 

"Already a couple of thousand of them have indicated that they're going to do that.

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"Now, a number of them are already bulk-billing practices but… almost a thousand of them are practices that this week are charging gap fees, but they've indicated next week they'll be fully bulk billing. 

"I expect there to be a significant number of practices that make that same communication to us over the course of this week before Saturday as well."

He also said he expects the numbers to rise over the coming years and that he was "delighted" at the initial level of support.

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What does it mean for doctors?

GPs weren't particularly happy with the 12.5 per cent BBPIP payment being split between doctors and practices, claiming it favours larger corporate clinics and could be a barrier to some providers signing up.

However, the government says doctors will be financially far better off under the new system.

"Two years ago, a full-time, fully bulk-billing GP would have been earning about $280,000 a year after they paid their practice costs," Butler said. 

"From this weekend, they'll be earning $405,000 a year, a $125,000 increase. 

"This investment is obviously good for the Medicare system, good for patients, but it's also good for GPs themselves."

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South-east Queensland is bracing for severe thunderstorms with a warning issued for Ipswich, Somerset, the Lockyer Valley and the Sunshine Coast.

Thunderstorms likely to produce damaging winds, heavy rain, and large hail have been detected moving north-east from Coolum Beach on the Sunshine Coast towards Noosa Heads and from Eumundi to Tewantin, around Moore and Linville in the Somerset Region, and moving southeast from Helidon to Gatton, Grantham, Linville, Laidley, Grandchester and Mulgowie.

A more general severe thunderstorm warning is also current for parts of the Wide Bay and Burnett, Darling Downs and Granite Belt and Southeast Coast districts.

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Weatherzone's Ben Domensino has warned the storms will become more intense on Saturday.

"Storms could develop early in the morning over eastern parts of NSW and Queensland on Saturday, before becoming more widespread and intense during the afternoon into the evening," Domensino said.

"Saturday's storms will be most active between central eastern Qld and central NSW, which could include both Brisbane and Sydney.

"Supercell thunderstorms are possible on Saturday, and isolated tornadoes can't be ruled out."

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Some areas may see a thunderstorm each day for up to six days, he said.

The thunderstorms are the result of an an upper-level through that may culminate in several days of rain across central, eastern and southeastern Australia early next week.

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The woman who died after being struck by lightning on Queensland's Sunshine Coast has been identified as 21-year-old Finley Bone.

Paramedics were called to the Cooroy Sporting Complex yesterday where Bone was treated in a life-threatening condition and transported to Nambour Hospital with critical care paramedics on board.

She died a short time later.

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Bone's mother, Donna, said her daughter, a keen football player, "her her life taken away in a minute".

"No one can believe this happened. Our heartfelt thanks to emergency teams who responded in minutes and the ED at Nambour Hospital. They gave us next level care.

"We are a close-knit family and today we are spending time with Fin's older brothers and sisters, nephews, aunties and uncles."

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Bone was a member of the Noosa Lions FQPL3 women's team and also coached the under-12 and under-13 girls teams.

The club said they were devastated by the tragedy.

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A woman has been arrested after tyres were slashed on dozens of cars on the southern Gold Coast overnight.

Parked cars between Palm Beach, Currumbin, Kirra, Bilinga and Coolangatta had tyres slashed between 9pm yesterday and 6am today, police have confirmed.

Many cars had two tyres slashed, meaning they will need to be towed.

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Video posted to social media shows more than 10 cars parked on Palm Beach Avenue with two tyres slashed.

A 41-year-old Coolangatta woman is assisting police with their enquiries.

Police are investigating the damage and are appealing for anyone who witnessed suspicious activity in the area overnight or who has dashcam or CCTV to come forward to police.

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A date has been set for a hearing on a bid to block the youngest Snowtown serial killer from being released on parole, but it will be shrouded in secrecy.

The hearing will take place on December 5, but it will be held behind closed doors and the media won't be permitted to attend, because under law these proceedings are always conducted in secret. 

Reporters attended a brief hearing this morning, along with legal representatives, including the lawyer for James Vlassakis. 

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Vlassakis was convicted over four of the 11 Snowtown murders in the 1990s.

Parole board commissioner Michael David KC allowed a discussion about whether the media could be given access to the high-profile appeal, but he ruled these hearings must take place in private. 

Vlassakis, now 45 years old, was controversially granted parole in August after serving 26 years, but the South Australian attorney-general launched an 11th-hour bid to put that release on ice.

Kyam Maher asked for a review saying the parole board failed to give proper consideration to community safety.

This article was produced with the assistance of 9ExPress.

Floral tributes have been laid outside of a primary school in Sydney's north-west after a child was hit by a ute coming out of a driveway yesterday afternoon.

Emergency services were called to Rouse Hill Public School shortly before 4pm yesterday, where police were told a five-year-old girl had been riding a scooter on a footpath when she was struck by the vehicle.

Paramedics treated her at the scene before taking her to Westmead Children's Hospital in a critical condition.

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Early this morning, police announced the girl had died.

Department of Education secretary Mirat Dizdar said the loss was "deeply devastating for the entire school community".

"I saw that firsthand," Dizdar said.

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The 42-year-old driver is a father who was picking up his children.

He underwent mandatory testing and was released without charge.

"My heart goes out to the driver too," one mother at the school said.

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In a joint statement, Mark Speakman, Sarah Mitchell and Ray Williams from the NSW state opposition said the tragedy would "shake the community to its core".

"Our hearts ache for the family and friends of the little girl who lost her life outside Rouse Hill Public School," the statement said,

"We are thinking of her loved ones, her classmates and the teachers and parents who are mourning today.

"Our deepest thanks go to the paramedics, police and hospital staff who acted with courage and compassion in the most heartbreaking circumstances.

"We also want to thank the Department of Education staff who are supporting the school community through this difficult time."

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