Up to four million Australians are using buy now pay later services (BNPL) to pay for cosmetic or dental surgery, new data has revealed.

A survey by savings comparison service Finder discovered 44 per cent of Aussies reported using BNPL, with 38 per cent of whom – or the equivalent of 3.5 million people – later regretting their purchases.

Whilst the most popular purchase was clothing and accessories, 15 per cent admitted they used BNPL for cosmetic or dental work.

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Financial expert Rebecca Pike warned of the dangers of using BNPL services for impulsive or vanity purchases.

"For major expenses like cosmetic procedures, a solid savings plan is often a more financially sound approach than taking on debt for something you want right now," she said.

"The repercussions of buyer's remorse can be far-reaching, especially when impulse purchases become a financial pitfall."

However, spur-of-the-moment purchases are not the only thing BNPL is being used by Aussies.

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A quarter of Australians admitted they have purchased essential items such as groceries or utility bills using a BNPL service.

Despite BNPL services being an attractive option to help afford a potentially pricey purchase, they can have a significant impact.

Around 12 per cent of those said the BNPL purchase had led to them experiencing some form of financial difficulty.

"While it provides quick access to credit, it's important to remember it's a debt that needs to be paid off," Pike said.

"If you're struggling to curb this costly habit, the best thing to do is sleep on it. If you still desire the item 24 hours later, it becomes much easier to justify the financial outlay."

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An Iranian man has been arrested in Sydney's west after being accused of planning to import 390kg of methamphetamine into Australia.

The 61-year-old man is accused of coordinating the import of the drugs, which have an estimated street value of $360 million. The methamphetamine was allegedly concealed inside crane parts.

The shipment was identified in June by the Australian Border Force (ABF), which suspected there were border-controlled drugs inside a shipping consignment that arrived in Sydney.

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ABF officers intercepted three shipping containers carrying yellow-coloured, metal crane structures, each of which displayed anomalies. 

Subsequent inspection and deconstruction of the consignment found plastic pipes and packages concealed inside the crane structures, allegedly containing a crystalline substance. 

Australian Federal Police (AFP) forensics later confirmed the substance was methamphetamine. 

The AFP seized the entire consignment of illicit drugs, which was confirmed to weigh a total of 390kg. 

As a result, officers from the AFP arrested the man on Sunday after a search warrant was executed at his Quakers Hill home.

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He arrived in Australia from Hamburg in Germany on June 25, where police allege he planned to take possession of the consignment containing the methamphetamine.

The search of the man's property and rental car led to multiple items being seized, including power tools and cutting equipment.

Police charged the Iranian national with one count of attempting to possess a commercial quantity of unlawfully imported border-controlled drugs and one count of participating in the business of importing commercial quantities of border-controlled drugs.

Both offences carry a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.

The man faced Downing Centre Local Court yesterday.

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A young man who survived a spate of methanol poisonings among young tourists in Laos late last year is calling on the UK government to make information about the risks more widely known.

Calum Macdonald was one of a group of people who consumed methanol-tainted alcohol at a resort in the Laotian tourist town of Vang Vieng last November.

Six people died as a result, including two young Australian women, Holly Bowles and Bianca Jones, both aged 19.

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Macdonald, 23, survived but was left blind.

Speaking to the BBC for the first time, he said staff had offered free liquor shots to guests at the resort.

But when he arrived at the Vietnamese border the next day with his friends, he said, he began to suspect something was wrong.

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"I remember having this sort of kaleidoscopic, blinding light in my eyes and to the point at which I couldn't see anything," he told BBC Breakfast.

"(We agreed) it was strange but we thought it was food poisoning and the light I was seeing was some kind of sensitivity."

But in their Vietnamese hotel, things escalated drastically.

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"We were sitting in the hotel room, my friends and I, and I said to them: 'Why are we sitting in the dark? Someone should turn a light on'," he said.

But the lights were already on.

Macdonald, who the BBC said was now learning to navigate the world with a cane, is calling on the UK Foreign Office to more widely publicise the dangers of tainted alcohol overseas.

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"I felt, given that I was lucky enough to survive, I have a bit of a responsibility to try and prevent the same thing from happening to other people," he said.

Methanol, which is found in products such as antifreeze, can prove deadly to humans even in small amounts.

It has been known to be used to manufacture counterfeit alcohol in travel destinations such as Southeast Asia, and tourists are advised to be cautious.

The government's Smartraveller website advises if methanol-tainted alcohol is a known risk of a particular destination.

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A woman known as the "Ketamine Queen," charged with selling Matthew Perry the drug that killed him, has agreed to plead guilty.

Jasveen Sangha becomes the fifth and final defendant charged in the overdose death of the Friends star to strike a plea agreement with federal prosecutors, avoiding a trial that had been planned for September.

She agreed to plead guilty on Monday (Tuesday AEST) to five federal criminal charges, including providing the ketamine that led to Perry's death, federal prosecutors said in a statement.

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Prosecutors had cast Sangha, a 42-year-old citizen of the US and the UK, as a prolific drug dealer who was known to her customers as the "Ketamine Queen," using the term often in press releases and court documents and even including it in the official name of the case.

She agreed to plead guilty to one count of maintaining a drug-involved premises, three counts of distribution of ketamine, and one count of distribution of ketamine resulting in death or serious bodily injury.

She admitted in the agreement to selling four vials of ketamine to another man, Cody McLaury, hours before he died from an overdose in 2019. McLaury had no relationship to Perry.

Prosecutors will drop three other counts related to the distribution of ketamine, and one count of distribution of methamphetamine that was unrelated to the Perry case.

Sangha will officially change her plea to guilty at an upcoming hearing, where sentencing will be scheduled, prosecutors said. She could get up to 45 years in prison. An email sent to Sangha's lawyers seeking comment was not immediately answered.

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She and Dr Salvador Plasencia, who signed his own plea deal on June 16, had been the primary targets of the investigation. Three other defendants — Dr Mark Chavez, Kenneth Iwamasa and Erik Fleming — agreed to plead guilty last year in exchange for their cooperation, which included statements implicating Sangha and Plasencia.

Perry was found dead in his Los Angeles home by Iwamasa, his assistant, on October 28, 2023. The medical examiner ruled that ketamine, typically used as a surgical anesthetic, was the primary cause of death.

The actor had been using the drug through his regular doctor as a legal, but off-label, treatment for depression, which has become increasingly common.

Perry, 54, sought more ketamine than his doctor would give him. He began getting it from Plasencia about a month before his death, then started getting still more from Sangha about two weeks before his death, prosecutors said.

Perry and Iwamasa found Sangha through Perry's friend Fleming. In their plea agreements, both men described the subsequent deals in detail.

Fleming messaged Iwamasa saying Sangha's ketamine was "unmarked but it's amazing," according to court documents. Fleming texted Iwamasa that she only deals "with high end and celebs. If it were not great stuff she'd lose her business."

With the two men acting as middlemen, Perry bought large amounts of ketamine from Sangha, including 25 vials for $US6000 in cash four days before his death. That purchase included the doses that killed Perry, prosecutors said.

On the day of Perry's death, Sangha told Fleming they should delete all the messages they had sent each other, according to her indictment.

Her home in North Hollywood, California, was raided last March by Drug Enforcement Administration agents who found large amounts of methamphetamines and ketamine, according to an affidavit from an agent. She was indicted that June, arrested that August and has been held in jail since.

None of the defendants has yet been sentenced.

Perry struggled with addiction for years, dating back to his time on Friends, when he became one of the biggest stars of his generation as Chandler Bing.

He starred alongside Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc and David Schwimmer for 10 seasons from 1994 to 2004 on NBC's megahit series.

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Countless reports of crime are being posted to community Facebook pages every day where they rarely ever get seen by investigators, according to Crime Stoppers Queensland.

A new campaign for Crime Stoppers Day is urging people to report their CCTV footage, eye-witness accounts and rumours of suspicious activity directly to authorities instead of posting on social media.

"This year's campaign focuses on busting the myth that social media is the best place to raise concerns about crime and suspicious activity," Crime Stoppers Queensland chief executive David Hansen said.

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"Social media might alert your neighbours, but it does little to help police track down offenders, prevent crime or keep communities safe."

Unconfirmed or inaccurate information can also be problematic.

"Unverified posts can fuel fear, spread misinformation, and even lead to vigilante behaviour or the public shaming of innocent people," Hansen said.

Hansen said if it was important enough to post on social media, it was important enough to report through the proper channels.

"We're asking everyday Queenslanders to move from online commentary to real-world impact," Hansen said.

"Whether it's a gut feeling, something you saw or something you heard – don't just talk about it online.

"Take that extra step and report it to Crime Stoppers."

In an emergency or if a crime is happening now, call triple zero.

If you need police assistance, but it's not an emergency, you can contact Policelink on 131 444.

Anyone with information about non-urgent crime or suspicious activity can contact Crime Stoppers Queensland anonymously at 1800 333 000 or visit www.crimestoppersqld.com.au.

Reports to Crime Stoppers can be made anonymously and you will not be made to give a police statement or attend court.

The fight to lower the speed limit on an Adelaide Hills road has taken a strange turn, with a resident armed with a piece of plastic and a few screws taking the matter into his own hands.

A 60km/h sign on Ambleside Road in Hahndorf was switched to 50km/hwithout the knowledge of authorities.

"It's bizarre and it's illegal," Transport Minister Tom Koutsantonis said.

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"I know they're well intentioned but we can't have people doing that – it's dangerous and inappropriate."

While some locals have voiced concerns about speeding along Ambleside Road and support a reduction in the speed limit, they said any change needs to go through the proper channels.

"I don't think we've really got the right to change signs on the road. It should be done through the right channels," one resident said.

A man believed to be responsible for the alteration was approached for comment but declined to speak on camera.

"My very strong advice is to stop," Koutsantonis said. 

"Yes, ingenuity yep, tick. Illegality? Unfortunately, yes, that is a tick as well, and you can't do that.

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"And if you get caught, you can go to jail."

The fake speed sign has since been removed.

Meanwhile, it's believed a load limit sign on the same road has also been tampered with.

It's meant to say 15 tonnes, but the "1" has been removed.

This article was produced with the assistance of 9ExPress.

Exclusive: The three people charged over an alleged machete attack which left a Melbourne father in hospital have all been accused of similar offences before yesterday's incident.

The 39-year-old man was allegedly stabbed 11 times while his wife was forced into a separate room with the couple's sleeping children in Kew East just before 4am, police allege.

Two teenage boys, aged 16 and 17, along with a 24-year-old man, have all been charged with multiple offences in relation to the incident, including false imprisonment, aggravated home invasion and intentionally cause serious injury.

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9News can reveal the charged teenagers and man have all faced similar charges in the past – including a stint in jail for the 24-year-old.

The 24-year-old Caroline Springs man was remanded to appear at Melbourne Magistrates' Court in November.

The 17-year-old from the Frankston area and the 16-year-old, also from the Caroline Springs area, were both remanded to appear at a children's court at a later date.

Two males who are believed to have been involved in the incident remain on the run.

Victorian Opposition Leader Brad Battin described the state government's crime management as a "joke".

"This government is a joke when it comes to crime," Battin said.

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"I'd be interested to see if they go speak to the dad who got stabbed in the head and see how the bail laws are impacting his house."

The incident has left senior detectives shaken.

"I've never seen anything like this, this is awful," Victoria Police's Leeanne Trusler said.

"There's nothing to indicate it being premeditated, they've just chosen this house and destroyed a family."

The 39-year-old victim was taken to hospital with a fractured arm, cuts to his face and will need to undergo eye surgery.

His parents, aged 69 and 70, were allegedly also cut and bruised as they tried to help.

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"They're not used to people fighting back, and this homeowner fought back," Trusler said.

"It's gotta stop. This has got to stop. Someone is going to be seriously hurt. Well, someone has now been seriously hurt. It's beyond a joke."

The man's two children, who are aged just two and three years old, slept through the attack.

Their 34-year-old mother was treated for minor injuries while their nanny was uninjured.

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Hawke’s Bay eateries win big at Cuisine Good Food Awards.

The body of an infant has been found in a stormwater drain in Perth's north.

Police responded to reports a child had been discovered inside the drain in Alexander Heights about 1pm (3pm AEDT) today.

Multiple resources have attended the scene on La Salle Road.

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Anyone with information is urged to contact police immediately on 131 444.

The age and gender of the child have not been confirmed.

An investigation into the discovery of the child's body is ongoing.

More to come

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A surfer has had a narrow escape from a shark at a beach in northern NSW where a teenager was bitten just months ago.

Footage caught on Coast Cam at Cabarita Beach at 7.26am today shows surfer Brad Ross in the water alongside a dark shape, before splashing.

The attack lasted only seconds and surfers around Ross were not immediately aware of what was unfolding.

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Ross was uninjured but a massive bite was taken from his board.

Witness Kane Douglas described seeing an "explosion of water and foam".

"One part of the board went that way, his board was still attached to him," Douglas said.

"The first thing I checked for when he started saying 'shark' was blood in the water."

Grace Shaw told 9News she caught a wave moments before the attack.

"We both looked at the wave and I got it, and it was amazing and then I looked back to paddle out and his board's in pieces and his mate's like, 'Mate are you okay?' and he's like, 'I don't know what happened, it just blew up'," Shaw said.

"I was just like, 'I'm okay, he's okay, if I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die'."

Moments later a great white shark, approximately five metres long, was spotted on drone footage.

Within hours, a nearby drum-line snagged a shark fitting that description but it broke free before it was able to be tagged.

Shark expert Dr Daryl McPhee from Bond University said sharks were expected in the area at this time of year.

"We expect white sharks in that northern New South Wales area at this time of year following the bait fish and also following the whale migration," he said.

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Surfing great Kelly Slater expressed his disbelief about the lucky escape.

"How does it bite that much and miss the guy? Insane!" he wrote in an Instagram comment.

Cabarita Beach is south of Kingscliff, just south of the NSW-Queensland border.

The beach was closed by the local Tweed Shire Council today.

Mayor Chris Cherry said surfers seen in the water later that day were taking an "unnecessary risk".

In June, a 16-year-old boy was hospitalised after an encounter with a shark at the same beach.

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