A former families minister "humiliated" by having his sexual crimes against two men exposed has argued he could benefit society if released from jail within weeks.

Gareth Ward appeared in the NSW District Court today as his sentence hearing continued over the sexual assault of a political staffer in 2015 and abuse of a drunken 18-year-old in 2013.

His barrister David Campbell SC argued the former coalition MP, in custody since July, had good prospects of rehabilitation and was unlikely to reoffend.

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"The courts will not see him again," he told Judge Kara Shead.

Ward resigned from his position as an MP in August, hours before a parliamentary expulsion vote was due to take place.

In doing so, he narrowly avoided becoming the fifth person expelled from NSW Parliament in two centuries.

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Prosecutors contend the politician abused his position of power to sexually molest the two men.

Campbell said on Friday his client had been stripped of his office and "publicly exposed" and would not reoffend.

Ward was now an older man and his sexuality was well-known, the court heard.

"We say this has been obviously and objectively a very humiliating experience for this man," Campbell said.

"It has had a serious impact on his life, his status and every aspect of his being."

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The former MP wanted this "very sad and unfortunate chapter of his life" to come to an end, the court heard.

Because the 44-year-old still had the capacity to "significantly benefit" the community, the court could impose a sentence of conditional liberty outside of prison, Campbell said.

Crown prosecutor Monika Knowles described Ward's conduct as "very disturbing" and said he had provided no explanation about why he acted as he did.

He also had not explained the steps he had taken towards any form of rehabilitation, she argued.

How could anybody be assured that the disgraced MP would not offend again, she asked the court.

"Your Honour is actually left in quite a vacuum in which to actually assess this offender," she told Judge Shead.

Ward silently watched the submissions wearing prison greens from the Hunter Correctional Centre near Cessnock.

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He was found to have sexually assaulted an intoxicated political staffer after a mid-week event at NSW parliament house in 2015.

The then-24-year-old victim told jurors the then-coalition MP climbed into bed with him, groped his backside and sexually assaulted him despite him repeatedly saying "no".

His other victim, then aged 18, was plied with drinks before Ward indecently assaulted him three times in one night in 2013.

Ward pleaded not guilty at trial, claiming the incidents either didn't happen or didn't amount to sexual abuse

A cabinet member for the NSW Liberal party, Ward moved to the crossbench in 2021 when reports emerged police were investigating allegations of sexual crimes.

His personal vote in his Kiama electorate was so significant he was re-elected as an independent during the 2023 election despite being suspended from parliament.

Ward will be sentenced on October 29.

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

Twenty years' worth of imagery captured by two orbiters circling Mars has revealed raging winds on the red planet.

Wind on the barren planet would be invisible if it weren't for Mars' iconic red dust, which was caught in the wind's vortices, creating a phenomenon known as dust devils.

These tornado-like whirlwinds also occur on Earth, but the new catalogue of Martian dust devils, published this week in the journal Science Advances, shows that Martian dust devils seem to move much faster and are more abundant on a global scale, said lead study author Valentin Bickel, a Center for Space and Habitability fellow at the University of Bern in Switzerland.

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Researchers compiled the new publicly available catalogue by using images taken by the European Space Agency's (ESA) Mars Express since 2004 and ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter since 2016.

They trained a neural network, or machine learning modelled on the human brain, to spot the vortices in the orbital data, then checked each one to create a map of 1039 dust devils across Mars, including examples atop ancient volcanoes and in open plains.

The team was also able to determine the direction of motion for 373 of the rotating dust-filled wind columns.

They determined that the Martian dust devils and their accompanying winds can move up to about 160km/h, much faster than any dust devils ever clocked by rovers exploring the red planet's surface.

"This observation implies that those winds are likely able to lift a substantial amount of dust from the surface into the atmosphere," Bickel wrote in an email.

"We found a new puzzle piece that helps us to better understand the Martian dust cycle: where, when and how much dust is lifted off the surface and is injected into the atmosphere."

Tracking the movement of dust on Mars is crucial for planning future robotic and human exploration of the red planet, experts say.

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A window into whirlwinds

Studying dust on Mars provides scientists with a way to model the planet's climate without actually being on the ground.

On Earth, rain helps clear dust from the air. But on Mars, dust can linger in the atmosphere for much longer once it's lofted by wind, travelling across the entire planet.

And once dust is in the atmosphere, it affects Mars' climate and weather. Dust prevents sunlight from reaching the surface, causing daytime temperatures to be cooler, and it insulates the planet to keep temperatures warmer at night.

Now, based on the new research, scientists suspect dust devils may play a larger role in lofting dust into the Martian air than previously thought.

Dust devils have long fascinated Bickel because they provide a window into the dynamics of Mars' atmosphere closest to the planet's surface – and they can be seen from orbit.

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"I think it is incredible that we are able to observe and track moving whirlwinds of dust on a different planet," Bickel said. "By observing dust devils from orbit we can learn many things, such as wind speed and direction, which would otherwise be invisible."

The team's analysis showed that while dust devils occurred across the planet, many were found in Amazonis Planitia, one of the smoothest plains on Mars that is covered with dust and sand.

Dust devils form when hot air near the surface rises and spins, picking up dust along the way, Bickel said.

"It appears that Amazonis Planitia offers the ideal conditions for dust devil formation, as it's a vast, very flat region that receives a lot of illumination during the summer," he said.

The team also determined that dust devils have seasonality, with intense whirlwind activity taking place during the spring and summer months in both the northern and southern hemispheres.

Typically, the vortices just last a few minutes and occur during daytime, between 11am and 2pm local time – similar to dust devils that occur in arid, dusty places on Earth in the summer.

An advantageous aerial view

Neither orbiter carries instruments that were designed to clock wind speeds on Mars. But Bickel and his team uncovered treasure within what might normally be thought of as a nuisance.

Both orbiters create images by combining views from different channels that look at Mars in specific colours or directions. For example, Mars Express can create a single image from nine image channels, and there can be delays of between seven and 19 seconds from one channel to another.

So if there is movement on Mars, such as a dust devil, it produces noticeable "colour offsets" in the final mosaic image – and a way to track the speed and motion of the dust devils.

Faster dust devils tend to travel in very straight lines, while slower dust devils wobble from left to right, Bickel said.

Previous measurements of dust devils on Mars showed that they typically had a sustained speed below 50km,/h with a rare maximum of 100km/h. But the latest data shows a much higher maximum for the dust devils as well as the winds surrounding them.

"These strong, straight-line winds are very likely to bring a considerable amount of dust into the Martian atmosphere – much more than previously assumed," Bickel said. "Our data show where and when the winds on Mars seem to be strong enough to lift dust from the surface."

But Mars' atmosphere is more than 100 times thinner than Earth's, meaning that even strong winds would feel more like a breeze to us. Without a substantial atmosphere, wind lacks force — but on Mars, it's just enough to pick up dust.

"A dust devil would certainly not be able to kick you off your feet," Bickel said.

Picking the perfect landing site

Dust remains a primary concern for missions heading to Mars. Suspended Martian dust can lead to planet-encircling dust storms, a phenomenon which ended the Opportunity mission in 2019. And a buildup of dust on the stationary lander InSight's solar panels put an end to that mission in 2022.

Sometimes, dust devils can be helpful. By chance, the vortices helped clear dust from solar panels on the Spirit rover in 2009.

Bickel said that new images from orbital data will continue to be added to the catalogue so it can serve as a resource for future mission planning.

"Our measurements could help scientists build up an understanding of wind conditions at a landing site before touchdown, which could help them estimate how much dust might settle on a rover's solar panels – and therefore how often they should self-clean," Bickel said.

Data from the new study is already being used to help determine the optimal landing site for ESA's ExoMars Rosalind Franklin rover, expected to touch down on Mars in 2030.

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The brother of one of Jeffrey Epstein's most prominent victims has condemned Donald Trump for considering a pardon for sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell.

Earlier this week, Trump said he would "take a look at" a pardon for Epstein's long-time partner.

Speaking to MSNBC, the brother of Virginia Giuffre Sky Roberts slammed the president.

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"It really is disgraceful, and it's very hurtful," Roberts said.

"She was convicted of basically running a sex trafficking ring. And so at this time, like, what does this teach our children? What does this teach the people around us?"

Giuffre, who died in Western Australia earlier this year, was one of Jeffrey Epstein's victims.

She described Maxwell as the "devil's right-hand man".

On Monday Trump was asked whether he would grant Maxwell a pardon.

"You know, I haven't heard the name in so long. I can say this, that I'd have to take a look at it. I would have to take a look," he said.

"I'll take a look at it. I will speak to the DOJ (Department of Justice).

"I wouldn't consider it or not consider, I don't know anything about it."

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Roberts also lamented the decision from House Speaker Mike Johnson to not swear in newly-elected congresswoman Adelita Grijalva.

"I think he's forgetting that these are human lives," he said.

"These are actual victims and survivors, including my sister and the families… that are still suffering a great loss."

Grijalva's signature would clinch a majority on a vote to release the government's files on the Epstein investigation.

Despite winning her election in a landslide more than two weeks ago, Johnson has refused to swear in Grijalva.

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Typically winners of special elections are sworn into Congress the following day.

Grijalva has tied this refusal directly to her vote on the Epstein files.

Johnson has denied his decision not to swear her in is connected to that vote.

"It has nothing to do with Epstein," Johnson said.

Yesterday Trump's attorney-general refused to give a direct answer when asked if the FBI had discovered photographs of Donald Trump with "semi-naked young women", as had been previously reported.

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A teenage girl has been arrested after footage emerged of a group of five masked offenders allegedly attacking students outside a school in Melbourne.

Greenvale Secondary College was plunged into lockdown when two students were injured in an alleged affray which began about 3.12pm yesterday.

Police arrested a 16-year-old girl and she was interviewed in relation to attempted armed robbery and affray.

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She was spoken to at a police station yesterday evening and has been released pending summons.

Police are investigating after five people allegedly approached students outside the school on Glencairn Drive.

A scuffle broke out and two students sustained minor injuries, police said.

"Police believe one person produced a machete at the scene but it was not used in the affray," officers said in a statement.

Bystanders filmed the alleged attack, which showed punches being thrown between a group of people.

The five alleged offenders left the area in a car and have not been located.

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Police have described it as a "targeted" incident.

Ambulances were called to the incident, however no emergency treatment or hospital transport was needed.

In an email to parents, the school's principal said the college was put into lockdown but assured them students and staff are safe.

Police have appealed for anyone who may have filmed vision of the incident or who may have information to please come forward or contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

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Portuguese soccer superstar Cristiano Ronaldo has become the sport's first ever billionaire player following a contract he signed with Al Nassr earlier this year, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.

Although the former Real Madrid, Manchester United, and Juventus star – now in the latter stages of his playing career – has always been one of the top earners in soccer, it's his current stint at Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr that has catapulted him onto the exclusive list of billionaire athletes.

After moving to the Saudi Pro League in January 2023, he became the highest-paid player in the sport's history with an annual salary of around US$200 million ($303.5 million), according to Saudi state media.

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And in June 2025, the 40-year-old signed a new two-year deal with the Saudi outfit, reportedly worth more than US$400 million ($607.1 million) in tax free earnings.

That contract has boosted Ronaldo's net worth up to US$1.4 billion ($2.12 billion), according to Bloomberg.

The Portuguese superstar's earnings aren't the only stream of income that have skyrocketed his net worth.

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The five-time Ballon d'Or winner signed a decade-long Nike deal worth almost US$18 million ($27.3 million) a year, as well as sponsorships with brands such as Armani and Castrol – adding over US$175 million ($265.6 million) to his net worth, according to Bloomberg.

Ronaldo has also amassed a global real estate portfolio and invested in a number of businesses in multiple countries, including Portugal and Spain.

The five-time Champions League winner now joins the likes of basketball legend Michael Jordan and retired tennis superstar Roger Federer on the sought-after list of billionaire athletes.

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The latter mainly earned the status from a stake in Swiss sportswear brand On as part of a sponsorship deal.

Jordan, however, made much of his fortune from longtime endorsement deals with Nike as well as having owned a majority stake in the NBA's Charlotte Hornets up until 2023.

As the soccer superstar approaches retirement, club ownership is something that he has teased in the past.

"If I can be a club owner, why would I be a manager, sporting director or CEO?" Ronaldo said in an interview with Portuguese television channel Canal 11 earlier this year.

"This is my dream and I'm sure I'll get there. I'll even say more: I hope to not only have one club but to own several clubs."

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Dolly Parton wants everyone know she's fine and "not dying."

An odd thing to have to say, yes. But the country music icon, actress, activist and humanitarian posted a video to social media on Wednesday to clear up rumours that had been going around to the contrary.

"I wanted to say, I know lately everybody thinks that I'm sicker than I am," Parton, 79, said in the video from a set where she was filming a commercial for the Grand Ole Opry. "Do I look sick to you? I'm workin' hard here."

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Dressed in a red and black fringe top, the "9 to 5" star added that she "wanted to put everybody's mind at ease" because many seemed "real concerned, which I appreciate."

"And I appreciate your prayers because I'm a person of faith. I can always use the prayers for anything and everything, but I want you to know that I'm ok," she added in the video, which was captioned "I ain't dead yet!"

Parton went on to acknowledge that she's had "some problems" health-wise, which she had mentioned last month when she cancelled a series of December concerts in Las Vegas. She then elaborated on the reasons behind those issues.

"Back when my husband Carl was very sick – that was for a long time – and then when he passed, I didn't take care of myself," she said. "So I let a lot of things go that I should have been taking care of. So, anyway, when I got around to it, the doctor said 'We need to take care of this, we need to take care of that.' Nothing major, but I did have to cancel some things so I could be closer to home."

Parton's husband of nearly 60 years Carl Dean died in March.

Heightened concerns about Parton's health were spurred on Tuesday, when her sister Freida posted to Facebook that she'd been "up all night praying" for the "Jolene" singer.

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"Many of you know she hasn't been feeling her best lately. I truly believe in the power of prayer, and I have been lead to ask all of the world that loves her to be prayer warriors and pray with me," Freida Parton's post read. "She's strong, she's loved, and with all the prayers being lifted for her, I know in my heart she's going to be just fine. Godspeed, my sissy Dolly. We all love you!"

Mass panic ensued, reasonably.

But someone apparently had words with Freida, because she went back on Facebook later to tell everyone that she didn't intend for her words to spark worry. "I didn't mean to scare anyone or make it sound so serious when asking for prayers for Dolly," she wrote. "It was nothing more than a little sister asking for prayers for her big sister."

Later, another Parton sister appeared. This one was named Stella. "My sister Freida is always concerned when one of her siblings isn't feeling well so she ask for prayers on Dolly's behalf," she explained. She then went on to say she was mad about being asked for health updates on her sister.

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Fans were on particularly high alert because this call for prayers came soon after the death of Parton's husband. The death of a long-term spouse has been associated with illness and even death in the surviving partner.

Late last month, Parton announced that she was postponing her December concerts in Las Vegas due to some "health challenges."

She added that she had been told by doctors she had to undergo "a few procedures," without elaborating further.

"Given this, I am not going to be able to rehearse and put together the show that I want you to see, and the show that you deserve to see," she wrote at the time.

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Parton was set to perform six shows at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace in December in her first Las Vegas residency in more than 30 years. Those concerts were rescheduled for September 2026.

Parton is one of the most-beloved musicians – likely even one of the most-beloved people – in the world.

She is a long-time best-selling songwriter and performer and actor. Her charitable works include helping underwrite Moderna's vaccine for COVID-19. Her program that sends books to children has changed an untold number of lives; the Louisville chapter alone noted recently that it had just mailed its 500,000th book to a child.

In her video on Wednesday, Parton said she hoped that if her admirers "heard it from me, you'd know that I was ok."

"I'm not ready to die yet. I don't think God is through with me and I ain't done workin'," she added. "So I love you for caring and keep praying for me."

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US President Donald Trump has flagged a potential trip to the Middle East in just days as negotiations continue toward a potential ceasefire in Gaza.

Speaking in the White House, Trump said he was hopeful of a good result as talks continued in Egypt.

"Peace for the Middle East, so it's a beautiful phrase, and we hope it's gonna come true, but it's very close and they're doing very well," he said.

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"We have a great team over there, great negotiators, and they're – unfortunately great negotiators on the other side also, but it's something I think that will happen, got a good chance of happening. I may go there sometime toward the end of the week, maybe on Sunday."

It's the first indication Trump might join the table, as the US's top Middle East adviser, the prime minister of Qatar, and other senior officials joined the third day of peace talks between Israel and Hamas in an Egyptian resort overnight, a sign that negotiators aim to dive deeply into the toughest issues of an American plan to end the war in Gaza.

Hamas says it's seeking firm guarantees from mediators that Israel won't resume its military campaign in the Palestinian territory after the militant group releases all the remaining hostages.

All sides have expressed optimism for a deal to end the two-year war that has left tens of thousands of Palestinians dead and most of the Gaza Strip destroyed.

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But key parts of the peace plan still haven't been agreed to, including a requirement that Hamas disarm, the timing and extent of an Israeli troop withdrawal from Gaza, and the creation of an international body to run the territory after Hamas steps down.

US President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, and the president's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, arrived overnight at Sharm el-Sheikh for the discussions, as did Qatar's prime minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's top adviser, Ron Dermer.

Representatives for the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine were also in attendance, and a delegation from Palestinian Islamic Jihad, another fringe militant group that holds an unknown number of Israeli hostages, were scheduled to arrive, according to officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorised to speak to the media.

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Their participation underscores the aim of the talks to encompass all Palestinian groups.

A senior Hamas official, Taher Nounou, said the group has provided a list of Palestinian prisoners it wants released from Israel in return for hostages in Gaza as part of the deal.

Two officials from Arab countries said progress was made in Wednesday's talks and that a deal could be reached in the coming days. Both spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak to the media.

Trump's peace plan

The Trump plan calls for an immediate ceasefire and release of the 48 hostages that militants in Gaza still hold from their attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, that started the war and triggered Israel's devastating retaliation. Around 20 of the hostages are believed to still be alive.

It envisions Israel withdrawing its troops from Gaza after Hamas disarms, and an international security force moving in. The territory would be placed under international governance, with Trump and former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair overseeing it.

Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi said Wednesday in televised comments that the negotiations so far "were very encouraging."

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Netanyahu has already accepted Trump's plan. His office said Tuesday that Israel was "cautiously optimistic," framing the talks as technical negotiations over a plan that both sides already had approved.

In a statement Tuesday, Hamas reiterated its longstanding demands for a lasting ceasefire and a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, but said nothing about disarmament, a step it has long resisted. Hamas has also spoken against the idea of international rule, though it has agreed it will have no role in governing post-war Gaza.

Speaking in Sharm el-Sheikh, Khalil al-Hayya, Hamas' top negotiator, told Egypt's Qahera TV that the group wanted solid guarantees from Trump and mediators that the war "will not return." It appeared to be his first public appearance since an Israeli strike targeting him and other top Hamas leaders in Qatar last month killed six people, including his son and office manager.

In January, the two sides had a ceasefire that brought the release of some Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. Under the agreement – which Trump and Witkoff played a major role in brokering – the two sides were then supposed to enter negotiations over a long-term truce, an Israeli withdrawal and a full hostage release.

But Israel broke the ceasefire in March, resuming its campaign of bombardment and offensives, saying it aimed to pressure Hamas for the remaining hostage releases.

Past rounds of negotiations have frequently fallen apart over the same obstacle, with Hamas demanding assurances of the war's end and Netanyahu vowing to keep fighting until the group is destroyed. The Trump plan attempts to resolve all the issues at once, by laying out Hamas disarmament and a post-war scenario for governing the territory with provisions for a major reconstruction campaign.

Foreign ministers from European and Arab countries will meet in Paris on Thursday to signal their support for Trump's plan and discuss the future of Gaza. The meeting will focus on the potential deployment of an international stabilisation force, Gaza's post-war governance, Hamas' disarmament and humanitarian aid and reconstruction, officials said on condition of anonymity because they couldn't publicly disclose details of the meeting.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar criticized the French initiative as being "concocted behind Israel's back at the sensitive timing of the negotiations in Sharm el-Sheikh."

Sa'ar said that he hopes the initiative won't "undermine the critical negotiations for the release of hostages, as it already happened in the past."

Praying for a deal

In the Hamas-led attack two years ago, militants stormed into southern Israel and killed around 1200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted 251. Most hostages have since been released in ceasefires or other deals.

A growing number of experts, including those commissioned by a UN body, have said that Israel's offensive in Gaza amounts to genocide – an accusation Israel denies. More than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza and nearly 170,000 wounded, according to Gaza's Health Ministry.

The ministry, which doesn't differentiate between civilians and combatants but says around half of the deaths were women and children, is part of the Hamas-run government. The United Nations and many independent experts consider its figures to be the most reliable estimate of wartime casualties.

The ministry said Wednesday that the bodies of 10 people killed by Israeli strikes had been brought to local hospitals over the past 24 hours.

In the Gaza Strip, where much of the territory lies in ruins, Palestinians are desperate for a breakthrough. Thousands fleeing Israel's latest ground offensive in northern Gaza and Gaza City have set up makeshift tents along the beach in the central part of the territory, sometimes using blankets for shelter.

"There is no food, nor good water, and blockage of crossings," said Um Sulaiman Abu Afash, a displaced woman from Gaza City.

"Our kids sleep in the streets. We buy drinking water. Where do we go? There's no mercy."

Sara Rihan, a displaced woman from Jabaliya, said she was praying for an end to the war.

"I hope we return to our places and homes even if there are no homes," she said.

"Our existence in our land is the biggest happiness for us."

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Footage has captured a Jetstar flight taxiing on the runway of Sydney Airport with its cargo door wide open yesterday morning.

Jetstar flight 456 was set for Ballina before the pilots were alerted by a cockpit warning light and returned to the gate safely.

"It's horrific," Transport Workers' Union national secretary Michael Kaine said.

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"This is what happens when the workforce is stretched beyond limits."

Jetstar said: "We are currently investigating how this could have happened and are working with our ground handler to ensure it does not happen again."

After Qantas sacked its baggage handlers, Swissport was one of the companies brought in by the major airline.

This year, the union surveyed 300 Swissport workers in Australia and said 73 per cent claimed they were pressured to work unsafely.

"They are under so much time pressure, they are poorly paid, highly casualised. All of that adds up to a deadly recipe," a Transport Workers Union spokesperson said.

Swissport has been approached for comment but has not responded.

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A growing number of ordinary Australians are pouring billions of their savings into exchange-traded funds (ETFs), but what are they and what are the risks?

ETFs are an investment fund full of a basket of assets, like shares, bonds, or commodities, and are typically an affordable way to obtain a diversified share portfolio.

For example, the A200 ETF tracks the ASX200, Australia's largest 200 companies, in a single bundle so investors can spread their risk and diversify their investments, rather than betting on a singular stock.

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They can also get access to overseas companies like Apple or Google. 

About 2.7 million Australians now own ETFs, which is up by 20 per cent in a year, and have invested $300 billion. Women make up nearly 680,000 of ETF holders.

Phillip Vassallo is one of those people.

The 24-year-old social worker prefers to ride his investment with the market as a low-maintenance way to grow his money.

"As a young person, if you just have money in the bank, you're never really going to get ahead, you might just be treading water," he said.

"It's super easy. Just transfer the money and it's automatically invested in all those shares rather than having to pick out 200 different ones yourself."

Betashares chief executive Alex Vynokur said ETFs are a convenient and cost-effective way to grow wealth, especially as soaring house prices put many out of reach of property ownership.

"It's the convenience, accessibility, transparency and cost effectiveness," he said.

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"ETFs really open up access to wealth creation without having to be a property owner."

Betashares expects more Australians to invest in ETFs and push the industry to $500 billion in assets by 2030.

Australians can invest directly with an ETF provider, but they can also use an online broker or pick ready-made portfolios.

But Nine's money editor Effie Zahos says ETFs are not completely risk-free.

ETFs will rise and fall in line with the value underlying assets, and global ETFs can also be hit by currency swings.

Depending on the ETF, fees can range between 0.03 per cent and 2.56 per cent.

Brokerage fees can also apply each time you make a contribution or sell, so it is important to read the product disclosure statement before investing.

ETFs also require a medium to long-term investment time frame to generate returns.

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.

The daughters of convicted paedophile Daniel Hume have been disgusted to learn that Corrective Services NSW granted their abuser a dying wish to have a family photo by his bedside.

The daughters, who were subjected to years of abuse from Hume, say they were traumatised after learning the photo went unchecked by guards.

"It makes me feel sick to my stomach he was allowed to look at me while he died," Neveah Jett said.

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Hume was seven years into a 30-year sentence for the sexual abuse of 14 victims when he died in August. He had terminal cancer and was allowed to end his life via the voluntary assisted dying process, incensing his victims who say they were not informed ahead of time.

The family photo by Hume's bedside was taken when both of his daughters were being abused and was requested by the inmate to have in palliative care at Cessnock Hospital.

It was taken to his bedside by his mother and was not checked by guards.

A full investigation has been launched into Corrective Services protocols, with Commissioner Gary McCahon admitting a huge mistake and not ruling out punishment for the guards involved.

"I'm deeply concerned the photos were not screened, that concerns me greatly," McMahon said.

"I sincerely apologise for the trauma this has caused to any victims.

"If there is any wrongdoing by my staff, they'll be held accountable."

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Hume, who was terminally ill, was serving a 30-year sentence.

It was reported that he was able to walk around hospital grounds unrestrained, even being able to wear a button-up shirt instead of his prison greens on the day of his medical suicide.

When asked if being unshackled and able to roam the grounds was protocol, McMahon said it was not and that it was also subject to investigation.

"That is outrageous. He died a free man," Jett said.

"He did not die a prisoner, and that man's password on every account he had was freedom, the word freedom, and you guys gave it to him."

Jett is now working to become a victim advocate as she pushes for reform.

"I've sent an email off to Corrective Services, Health Services, and the Premier asking for VAD reform, and I have received no response. This can't go unanswered," she said.

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