Articles by 9News,Adam Vidler

Three dead after car 'crushed' in collision with truck in Victoria

Three people, including two children, are dead after a truck and a car collided in regional Victoria this morning. Emergency services were called to the crash scene at the intersection of Eurambeen-Streatham Road and Mount William Road at Stoneleigh, west of Ballarat, shortly after 9.30am. Police said the car appeared to have rolled and been crushed. READ MORE: Jury still out on deposit scheme stoking rise in property prices An adult and two children died at the scene. An adult who was trapped in the car suffered life-threatening injuries and is expected to be airlifted to hospital. The truck driver has been left with minor injuries. The area has been cordoned off and the surrounding roads blocked as part of the emergency response. Any witnesses or anybody with vision is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or online. 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.

4 hours ago

Technology

Great White Shark knocks rider off foilboard at WA beach

A warning is in place today after today after a shark knocked a foilboarder into the water at a Western Australia beach. At about 5.45pm local time yesterday, a reported white shark bit a foilboard, causing the rider to fall into the water off the beach at Prevelly, in the Shire of Augusta Margaret River south of Perth. The rider was not injured. READ MORE: Cane toads 'on track' to reach WA's Pilbara region within 10 to 20 years They were between "the Boat Ramp" surfing spot and "the Bombie" surfing spot when the encounter took place. 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. 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.

5 hours ago

Politics

The Wiggles company admits 'likely' law breach over Emma headband

Entertainment giant The Wiggles will devote an episode of their popular podcast to discussing the dangers of button batteries, after the company admitted it likely breached Australian consumer law, the national watchdog says. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission said The Wiggles Holdings had sold Emma Bow headbands without the mandatory safety warnings required for products containing button batteries. The ACCC said the headband, coloured yellow and black and bearing four flashing lights, was sold without the mandatory warnings between June 2022 and March 2024. READ MORE: Cane toads 'on track' to reach WA's Pilbara region within 10 to 20 years It has since been recalled by The Wiggles and by importer and distributor CA Australia. "The Emma Bow was aimed for children's use and was available at The Wiggles' live concerts. It was also sold by other suppliers on The Wiggles online store and through various physical retail stores" ACCC deputy chair Catriona Lowe said. "Without a warning on the product, parents may not have known it contained button batteries and not understood the severity of the risk. READ MORE: Jury still out on deposit scheme stoking rise in property prices "If swallowed, a button battery can become stuck in a child's throat and result in catastrophic injuries, and even death, in as little as two hours." The Wiggles has provided the ACCC with a court-enforceable undertaking in which it admitted it likely breached the law and has committed to implementing a consumer law compliance program within its organisation. CA Australia has also provided a written commitment to the ACCC to improve its consumer law compliance. As part of its cooperation with the ACCC, The Wiggles will also produce an episode of its podcast, "Wiggle Talk - A Podcast For Parents", which will refer to the recall and will discuss safety issues relating to button batteries and children's toys to help raise awareness. 9news.com.au has contacted The Wiggles for 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.

5 hours ago

Science

Cane toads 'on track' to reach WA's Pilbara region within 10 to 20 years

Cane toads are on track to continue their seemingly unchecked march across Australia, with new research finding they could be causing widespread destruction in Western Australia's Pilbara region in as little as a decade. Curtin University researchers said the forecast arrival of the invasive species in the region in the next "10 to 20 years" could bring about widespread losses among the native fauna, as well as "significant cultural and economic harm". The study, published in Scientific Reports, predicted that without containment efforts, cane toads would colonise up to 75 per cent of the Pilbara within three decades, putting 25 native species at risk of serious population decline. READ MORE: Charges three months after 'amazing' man killed in alleged hit-run These include several species of native marsupial predators like northern quolls, ghost bat and kaluta, as well as frog-eating snakes, blue-tongue skinks, and goannas. But lead author Dr Judy Dunlop, from Curtin's School of Molecular and Life Sciences, said there were simple steps that could prevent the invasive pest from using dams as stepping stones into the Pilbara. "The Pilbara region's permanent water sources make it an ideal habitat for the invasive species, which have already devastated native wildlife like quolls, goannas, and snakes across Australia's iconic Kimberley region," Dunlop said. READ MORE: Author's dogged pursuit of the truth 50 years after Whitlam dismissal "Toads are approaching a naturally dry part of the country south of Broome where the Great Sandy Desert meets the ocean. Here, the only water accessible to them is cattle watering points. "If these points are dams, toads will access and use them as stepping stones to make their way through the desert zone but simple upgrades to concrete tanks and troughs will make them inaccessible to toads." Co-author Professor Ben Phillips, also from Curtin's School of Molecular and Life Sciences, said the findings highlighted the urgent need to establish a "toad containment zone" to stop their southward march. READ MORE: Scientists dismiss 'poor' claims about paracetamol's links to autism "By establishing a 150km long 'toad containment zone' which limits toad access to artificial waterpoints, we may be able to prevent the invasion and push the species back to the top of the barrier – much like how firebreaks are used to halt the spread of bushfires by removing fuel and creating controlled boundaries," Phillips said. "There is no doubt that the arrival of toads will cause catastrophic declines in culturally important species, which will be felt by the Traditional Custodians of the Pilbara. The animals most at risk - such as the goanna and bluetongue skink - are culturally important to traditional owners for food, storytelling and bushtucker practices." Phillips said the findings may also have implications for WA's mining sector, which may face increased financial costs and new conservation requirements due to the changing status of local fauna if the toads invade. "Our study shows that implementing a model to control the invasion of cane toads could deliver significant environmental, cultural and economic benefits for Western Australia's Pilbara region and beyond," Phillips said. The researchers' work was supported by BHP Social Investments. 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.

6 hours ago