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Police at a restaurant in the Sydney suburb of Auburn following a shooting that resulted in three people being injured.(ABC News: Patrick Thomas)

The phone buzzes with a job offer in an encrypted group chat full of young men.

But it's not about repainting a house or mowing lawns, the person on the other end is looking for a hit-man.

Police say they are now grappling with guns for hire in Sydney being recruited online getting younger and younger.

Often, the teens do not know who is making the offer on behalf of the organised crime group paying them to shoot, kidnap and firebomb the properties of underworld rivals.

This "kill car" was allegedly staged by a teenage boy this month. Inside were guns and balaclavas.(Supplied: NSW Police)

Other jobs include stealing a potential getaway car and staging it in a nearby location for the gunmen to make their escape from the scene.

In the most recent iteration of the city's gangland war, those recruited by warring crime gangs "for literally nothing" are juveniles lured by meagre sums of money, one police source noted.

The moment two gunman fired on Samimjan AzarI this week, the most recent shooting to rock Sydney.(Supplied)

In the most recent attempt to take out an underworld figure on Monday in Auburn, police suspect the gunmen hired to shoot Samimjan Azari were recruited in a similar method.

But as Taskforce Falcon Commander Jason Box said after a 16-year-old was charged with torching a barbershop in Merrylands, the consequences for those involved can go beyond the court system.

"You're associating with serious organised crime networks and committing offences against them," Superintendent Box said.

"The repercussions for their actions in the courts is one consideration, but there's also repercussions from the persons they're targeting from the organised crime networks.

Superintendent Box said the owner of the torched barbershop has links to the Alameddine crime family, whose internal feud, police believe, is behind an explosion in underworld violence.

The Alameddines are a Western Sydney family who police allege are one of the biggest crime gangs currently involved in the city's lucrative drug trade.

Taskforce Falcon, headed up by Superintendent Box, was established last month after the internal feud saw Dawood Zakaria killed while sitting at traffic lights in Granville.

Mr Zakaria was a member of the splintering Alameddine clan, though the hitmen's target was believed to be Samimjan Azari, who survived the attack in the back seat.

Police said Mr Azari, pictured after surviving an attempt on his life on May 25, was warned nine times his life was in danger before this week's shooting.(ABC News)

Mr Azari this week survived the brazen fourth attempt to kill him this year when masked gunmen stormed the Auburn kebab shop he was in about 1pm on Monday.

Police believe those responsible for picking up the offers to steal getaway cars and commit arson attacks are being recruited on encrypted group chats like Signal in a new marketplace for criminals for hire.

"We believe [the recruitment] is from social media, encrypted devices and word of mouth," Superintendent Box said after they charged the teenager over the Merrylands firebombing.

Jason Box addressing the media this week, one of many briefings he has had to front since acts of violence ramped up recently.(ABC News: Liam Patrick)

One day after forming on May 27, Taskforce Falcon charged another 16-year-old boy over allegedly staging a stolen "kill car" with jerry can of fuel, a balaclava and two guns inside.

The items are consistent with getaway cars often found burnt-out in the aftermath of the dozens of underworld killings Sydney has experienced since 2020.

A few days later a 17-year-old girl and a 14-year-old boy were charged with stealing a car in Lidcombe.

Jerry cans of fuel were found inside.

A semi-automatic rifle found inside one of the staged getaway cars allegedly set up by a teenager found by Taskforce Falcon.(Supplied: NSW Police)

Later that same day they also arrested another 15-year-old boy who they allege fled the scene after the stolen car, a Toyota HiLux, was stopped during a random patrol.

In the botched attempt to shoot alleged Alameddine crime boss Ali Elmoubayed at his Merrylands home on June 12 police are investigating what role two teens may have had.

The pair, both 17, were arrested after allegedly driving a stolen Ford Territory erratically in Greystanes in the aftermath of the shooting.

Inside police said they located balaclavas, cans of fuel, bleach and knives.

The stolen HiLux the teenagers allegedly abandoned. Police suspect cars like this are being used as getaway cars in gangland crimes.(Supplied: NSW Police)

One of the teenagers — believed to have been a passenger in the alleged stolen vehicle — pleaded not guilty when he appeared in court and was granted conditional bail.

His lawyer told the court it was the first court matter on his record and his first interaction with police.

The lawyer expressed "extreme concerns" about the prosecution case against him, including that there was no assertion he was driving the car, or that the knife was his.

All the teenagers who have been charged by Taskforce Falcon remain before the Childrens Court.

Three adults have been charged over the shooting on Mr Elmoubayed's home, which forced him to leave over fears for his life.

Former detective Peter Moroney spent 18 years in the NSW Police Force.(Supplied)

Former NSW Police officer Peter Moroney spent 18 years on the force, for most of those years he was chasing the worst of the worst.

Mr Moroney could see similarities in how the teens are being lured into the underworld with his days tracking terrorists and how they recruited young extremists.

"In terms of how [the children] are getting involved a lot of the time in disadvantaged areas when they're coming from broken homes they're looking for a sense of belonging," he said.

NSW Police are attempting to stop feuding gangsters spilling blood on Sydney's streets with a new mega taskforce.

"And these gangs offer that. But if a couple of kids get caught in the crossfire they don't give a rat's arse.

"If they get a cleanskin to do it with no criminal record it's less likely to tie back to them.

"But you have seen how their work is sloppy, back in the day they would have paid a lot of money, flown a hitman in and [the target] would be dead by now."

Topic:Liberal Party of Australia

Brad Battin has called on members of the Victorian Liberal Party to unify.(ABC News: Pat Rocca)

Victorian opposition leader Brad Battin has conceded some Liberal Party MPs have focused more on internal rivalries than voters, but has said his team will be unified heading into the election in 2026.

Mr Battin described the party's decision to provide former leader John Pesutto a $1.55 million loan to avoid bankruptcy, a policy he supported, as a "line in the sand" that signalled a renewed focus on winning government.

Mr Battin supported a party decision to provide a $1.55 million loan to John Pesutto.(AAP/James Ross)

The long-running fight between Mr Pesutto and fellow Liberal MP Moira Deeming, who successfully sued her former leader for defamation, has divided the party.

It became a proxy battle in a broader ideological struggle for control of the party.

In an interview with the ABC, Mr Battin said he was speaking to every MP individually following the decision to provide Mr Pesutto a financial lifeline, stressing the need for unity.

Victorian Liberals vote to save former leader John Pesutto from bankruptcy.

"You've been elected as a local member of parliament. You've got the self-discipline to get there. You just need now to put that into team unity."

Asked whether MPs who failed to be team players would face consequences, Mr Battin said voters would ultimately decide.

"The consequences are, you lose the election. It's a pretty simple consequence."

The Coalition has not won a Victorian election since 2010 and has been crippled by infighting. A common criticism is that too many MPs are focused more on getting to parliament rather than winning government.

"I think there's always an element of that, because it's been publicly perceived as that,'' Mr Battin said.

Brad Battin will leave it in the hands of voters to determine the consequences for party infighting.(ABC News)

The Berwick MP said it was incumbent on MPs to reflect on why they were elected.

"What things did you want to see change in the state? And can you do it from opposition? If the answer is yes … then you're probably in the wrong job."

Mr Battin challenged Mr Pesutto's leadership six months ago after his supporters undermined Mr Pesutto's position, but Mr Battin reiterated throughout the interview that his team was now united.

He hinted that the frontbench team could change but would not say if Mr Pesutto or Ms Deeming would be included in a revamped shadow cabinet.

Ms Deeming had proposed an alternative to the party loaning Mr Pesutto money, including delaying his court order debt if her preselection was guaranteed.

Mr Battin would not comment on whether Moira Deeming would be included in any changes to his cabinet.(AAP)

Mr Battin declined to comment on that or complaints to the state's anti-corruption watchdog, citing legal advice not to speak publicly on the matter.

While expressing confidence in the team he would take to the election, Mr Battin said some MPs would need to reflect on their future.

"People have to make decisions about time served in parliament, if they want to stay or not,'' he said.

The Coalition must add 16 seats at next year's November election to win office.

The task is big, but after three terms of Labor, there is a genuine chance for the Liberals, Mr Battin believed.

"We've got one chance coming up in about 16 months. It's our opportunity to ensure we prove to Victorians we're ready."

He said the party would now focus on policy, with internal disputes hopefully behind him.

Brad Battin hopes to become the first Liberal premier in Victoria in more than 15 years.(AAP: Joel Carrett)

Mr Battin admitted the long-running conflict between Mr Pesutto and Ms Deeming took a toll on him, including sleepless nights.

"It takes a physical and mental challenge on you … but it's resolved my drive. I know what I need to do to win at the next election."

He doesn't regret how he handled the matter, stressing that it was a dispute between two individuals.

Some MPs criticised Mr Battin for a lack of leadership in failing to resolve the crisis sooner, while others were angered by his decision to support the loan to Mr Pesutto, highlighting the party's ongoing divisions.

"I know what I need to do to win at the next election. I need to get the right policy settings, have the right processes with my team, ensure we're a united front, and send a message to Victoria that we're ready to govern."

Topic:Liberal Party of Australia

Topic:State and Territory Government

Many of the largest protected areas on private land are operated by charities, which are already exempt from land tax.(ABC Rural: Maddelin McCosker)

People operating nature refuges that play a pivotal role in the Queensland government's conservation goals say having to pay land tax is "dumb", and a disincentive to others wanting to protect habitats on their property.

Nature refuges, also known as conservation covenants, are deals struck between the state government and landholders to protect their land in perpetuity.

There are 592 such refuges around Queensland, protecting 4,930,731 hectares of important habitat.

State land tax is applied to the accumulative property owned by an individual worth $600,000 or more, unless it is your home or subject to an exemption.

Charities and primary producers, who run a great deal of the state's refuges, already receive a land tax exemption, but Queensland is the last state charging private landholders with refuges.

The Herbertvale nature refuge, operated by a grazier, covers close to 30,000 hectares of land about 260 kilometres north-west of Mount Isa.(Supplied: Queensland Government)

Premier David Crisafulli last monthflagged an ambition to rapidly expand protected areas in the state, with a focus on nature refuges.

About 8.6 per cent of state has been protected, making the government about 14 million hectares short of its goal to protect 17 per cent of the state's land.

A statement from the the Department of Environment, Science and Tourism said nature refuges "play a critical role in conserving biodiversity, safeguarding habitats, and enhancing ecological connectivity across landscapes".

The federal government has set its own goal of preserving 30 per cent of the country by 2030.

Andrew Taylor operates a nature refuge west of Brisbane, adjacent to the D'Aguilar National Park, with his partner Gabby.

He said it was a "pristine" block that had never been farmed or cleared, which created a corridor between two parts of the national park.

In order to prove the block's worthiness, Mr Taylor said he had to engage a third-party consultant at the cost of about $13,000 to assess the values of the property.

"They identified that it was habitat for the black-breasted button quail, for scrub turpentine, and a few other species which are listed as vulnerable or endangered."

Andrew Taylor believes people who operate nature refuges should not have to pay land tax.(Supplied)

Mr Taylor said they paid around $3,500 in land tax every year — a price he believes will "inevitably rise".

The total cost of converting land to a nature refuge and the ongoing management can be a "disincentive" to people considering the taking the step, he added.

While some councils offer support and rate relief for nature refuges, Somerset Regional Council, where Mr Taylor's property is located, does not.

Mr Taylor said he had received a state grant of $25,000 in 2023 to help eliminate the invasive weed cat's claw, which paid for three workers for a week on the property.

"I think people weigh up the financial pros and cons of converting a property and one of those financial disincentives is having to aggregate that land for the purposes of determining the threshold for land tax," he said.

Andrew Taylor received a grant to remove the invasive weed cat's claw from a section of the property.(Supplied)

The ABC understands the Queensland government is considering a submission from the Australian Land Conservation Alliance (ALCA) for the exemption to be expanded to private land holders.

ALCA policy lead Michael Cornish said because of existing exemptions, the change would come at a "low and reasonable cost" to the government.

"We're not talking about millions of dollars here," he said.

"For governments who might try to fund the entirety of their conservationist project themselves, it's a much cheaper lever to pull."

In research published earlier this year, Griffith University conservation planning expert Dr Michelle Ward found half of the habitat of 220 "highly imperilled" species fell outside of currently protected areas.

Dr Michelle Ward setting a wildlife detection camera following bushfires in 2019-2020.(Supplied)

Dr Ward was encouraged by the Queensland government's focus on nature refuges, and said a land tax exemption would be a "great first step and incentive" to encourage landholders.

"These landholders need to be adequately paid for taking land out of production and maintaining it as natural vegetation as well as managing the land," she said.

"Conservation actions are not cheap … it's not just a single point in time that it needs to happen, it needs to happen over many years."

There are calls for the state government to set a concrete timeline for its target of preserving 17 per cent of its landmass, with just 595,000 hectares protected since 2022.

In 2024, Victoria became the most recent state to introduce a similar exemption to what is being called for in Queensland.

The change caused a surge of interest in nature refuges, according to Trust for Nature, an organisation that helps landholders through the process of converting their land.

"In the past year we've had a record number of 53 covenants registered and 168 are currently in progress," Trust for Nature Victoria chief executive Corinne Proske said.

Trust for Nature Victoria CEO Corinne Proske says Victoria cutting the tax led to widespread interest in nature refuges.(Supplied)

Much of this interest has come in areas around Melbourne with high land tax, such as the Mornington Peninsula, Ms Proske said.

She said areas with high developmental value were often those that needed the most protection.

Queensland property owners tend to pay far less in land tax than in Victoria, but Mr Cornish from ALCA said an exemption for nature refuges would be a good opportunity for the government to "put their money where their mouth is".

On the Sunshine Coast, Deon Venter and his wife Jane have converted 32 hectares of a 35 hectare block to a nature refuge.

Many of the blocks around it have been developed, and the property provides part of a nature corridor directly into Tewantin National Park.

"The amount of diversity is stunning, at both the botanical and animal level. Every time you walk through it you notice something new," Mr Venter said.

Re-rehabilitated bandicoots on Deon Venter's Sunshine Coast property.(Supplied)

They receive support from the council for weeding, and spend several thousand dollars of their own money annually on upkeep.

Last year the couple had to pay $11,000 in land tax, despite the covenant meaning they legally cannot develop the site.

"We believe we should get an exemption on the tax for a substantial part of the property since it is not an economic asset in any way, it is actually an economic drain," Mr Venter said.

Wal and Heather Mayr have spent more than 40 years rehabilitating a former banana plantation.(ABC Gold Coast: Tom Forbes)

Wal Mayr, who runs a 25 hectare nature refuge in the Gold Coast hinterland with his wife Heather, said they were lucky to receive support from the council and state grants, outweighing the few thousand they pay in land tax.

But it still rubbed him the wrong way.

Steven Knight said being at the jail brought a "lot of memories" up for him.(ABC News: Ursula Malone)

Steven Knight remembers his tiny cell, the "yuck" food, and a NAIDOC Week painting he worked on at Old Parramatta Gaol.

He was 25 when he served time and said there were a "lot of good people" but "a lot of bad people" inside too.

"A lot of people trying to do bad things to themselves. That's no good. Lot of fights," Mr Knight said.

A quarter of a century after his release, he still visits the jail in North Parramatta — not just as an ex-inmate but also as one of its owners as a member of the Deerrubbin Land Council.

The site costs the Deerubbin Land Council $500,000 annually to maintain.(ABC News: Ursula Malone)

Old Parramatta Gaol opened in 1842 as a final bid to build a jail in Sydney's west, after previous attempts were either burnt down or poorly constructed.

It would eventually become the state's principal manufacturing jail, with prisoners making and supplying clothing, boots, food, and other products across New South Wales.

The medium-security facility housed thousands of prisoners over its operation, incarcerating infamous criminals such as prison escapee Darcy Dugan and underworld figure Neddy Smith.

Mr Knight painted this NAIDOC week mural with other inmates during his time in the jail.(ABC News: Ursula Malone)

In 2011, the state government decommissioned the jail after changes to bail laws lowered prison population demands.

Five years later, Deerrubbin Land Council won it back in a successful land claim and has owned the jail ever since.

Yet, as nearly a decade has passed by, the land council has been put into administration.

Heritage advocates have raised questions on how the jail can be used in the future, as the area around it continues to grow.

Currently, if a land council wins a claim, they may be eligible for transitional funding under the state's Environment Protection Authority, which can ease the immediate costs.

However, in 2015, transitional funding was not an option, with the Deerrubbin Land Council having to fund any fixes to Old Parramatta Gaol itself.

"The significant pieces of land are returned to us with a range of refurbishment needs … the dollars needed to remedy lots of that are enormous," co-chair of the NSW Aboriginal Land Council (NSWLAC) Ray Kelly said.

The jail was decommissioned in 2011 after opening in 1842.(ABC News: Ursula Malone)

Maintenance costs take a financial toll on local land councils, with sites often being handed back in disrepair.

Mr Kelly said historical sites were often given back with contamination problems like asbestos or hazardous waste, as well as annual upkeep payments.

Ray Kelly said land won in claims often had significant refurbishment needs.(ABC News: Ursula Malone)

In 2021, the land council lodged a development application to Parramatta City Council to host music festivals, markets, educational seminars and weddings.

However, the application was rejected due to planning policy noncompliance and concerns surrounding heritage impacts and transport accessibility.

"There are challenges such as the legacy issues pertaining to a correctional centre with a very specific use and the size and composition of the site that requires extensive remediation, planning and also funding to optimise and activate," Tim Gumbleton, administrator of Deerubbin Land Council said.

Old Parramatta Gaol has a history spanning back 170 years.(ABC News: Ursula Malone)

The land council's administration status presents another barrier to development; however, Mr Gumbleton said it would not impede the vision for the jail's future.

"Across NSW, local Aboriginal land councils continue to be major landholders, developers, employers, and economic contributors," he said.

"That includes this site, which remains of significant cultural, commercial and economic importance to both the Aboriginal community and the broader public."

An option to help with hefty costs could be turning the jail into a tourist attraction.

Cheryl Bates, spokesperson for the Parramatta region at National Trust Australia, said it would be "foolish" not to utilise its tourism potential.

"We can't just have buildings sitting idle without any purpose … I think we've got a really good opportunity to do something with the jail," Ms Bates said.

Cheryl Bates says the jail's closeness to other heritage sites makes it a desirable tourist spot.(ABC News: Ursula Malone)

"The state government has put in a light rail, which is only a block from [the jail], so would be accessible by public transport."

She also pointed out its proximity to other heritage sites like Old Government House and the Parramatta Female Factory.

While a NSW planning department spokesperson said the jail was excluded in the government's rezoning plans, they said the development would benefit the jail in the future.

Historical sites can come with unique challenges for redevelopment.(ABC News: Ursula Malone)

"By activating underutilised land surrounding the gaol, the NSW government believes this will support opportunities to integrate the Old Parramatta Gaol within the broader Parramatta North precinct while protecting its heritage status," the spokesperson said.

The future of Old Parramatta Gaol remains unclear for now, but the land council has said it was open to working with stakeholders to identify its best use.

"I'd like to clean this place up and then put it back the way it was."

Near Mount Hotham, scorched alpine ash stands show the scale and toll of bushfires on forests.(ABC Landline: Tim Lee)

Scientists say Victoria's mountain forests are on the brink of collapse due to frequent bushfires and a lack of regeneration support.

Key species like alpine ash are unable to recover because of short fire intervals and slow seed production.

Experts are calling for urgent action to prevent irreversible ecosystem loss, including a large seed bank and reforestation.

Vast tracts of Victoria's alpine forests are one major bushfire away from oblivion, according to a growing number of scientists.

Alpine ash, a tall eucalypt, is most vulnerable to fire because it takes at least 20 years to produce seed.

"There's probably about 80,000 hectares which is young forest currently and will be young forest for the next decade or so," University of Melbourne scientist Tom Fairman said.

Dr Fairman, a future fire risk analyst at the School of Agriculture, Food and Ecosystem Sciences, has calculated that in the past two decades, half of the state's mountain forests have been ravaged by bushfire.

Tom Fairman says about half of Victoria's alpine ash range has been burnt in just 20 years.(ABC Landline: Tim Lee)

After six high-intensity major fires in those years, government agencies have re-sown tens of thousands of hectares of burnt country, broadcasting seed from aircraft to reach impenetrable slopes and valleys.

With fires occurring on average every four years, young alpine ash that has not sprouted since then are at high risk of summer bushfires killing them all.

Dr Fairman called it a "ticking time bomb".

He and other leading scientists, alarmed at the precarious state of the mountain forests, have accused the Victorian government of not doing enough to address the problem.

Owen Bassett, a silviculture, or forest, scientist has spent decades working on the post-fire recovery of Victoria's 600,000 hectares of alpine and mountain ash forests.

Forester Owen Bassett says eucalypt seed supplies are dangerously low.(ABC Landline: Tim Lee)

From a mountain near Mount Hotham he looks across ridges of dead trees rolling to the horizon.

Some are weather-bleached skeletons, others are strewn across the bare ground.

Devastating fires, not logging as some claim, are to blame.

The trees, which grow to 80 metres, once flourished here but this landscape is so degraded some want alpine and mountain ash declared a threatened species.

Mountain ash trees are some of tallest in the world.(ABC Landline: Tim Lee)

Successive fires have thwarted attempts to re-seed the trees.

Mr Bassett said the sudden shutdown of Victoria's native timber industry in 2023, six years earlier than expected, had inadvertently further jeopardised this ecosystem.

Vic Forests, which was responsible for collecting and preserving vital eucalypt seed for forest regeneration, was closed.

"In their absence, DEECA [Department of Environment, Energy and Climate Action] is attempting to put together a seed program," Mr Bassett said.

The government has just awarded tenders to seed harvesting contractors who scale the giant trees to gather the tiny pinhead-sized seeds at the tree's crown.

Landline can reveal the contracts are only for one to two tonnes of seed from alpine and mountain ash species in the next two years.

Mr Bassett describes the amount as "woefully low". In past years about three times that amount was collected.

He believes 17 tonnes of seed is now needed to ensure there are sufficient supplies to re-seed burnt areas after severe bushfires.

Pinhead-sized alpine ash seeds grow into one of the largest plants on the planet.(ABC Landline: Tim Lee)

He said responsibility for the alpine forests should be broadened and favours the establishment of privately funded seed banks supported by corporate and community donors to assist the state.

Repeated devastating bushfires have destroyed vast tracts of alpine forest.(ABC Landline: Tim Lee)

Victoria's native species seed bank was depleted following re-seeding efforts after the Black Summer bushfires.

Next to no seed has been collected since the timber industry shut down and seed-harvesting contractors were retrenched.

Brendon Clark, long regarded as the industry's best harvester, did not put in a tender for the latest seed collection contract.

Former seed harvester Brendon Clark once scaled Victoria’s tallest trees to collect seed.(ABC Landline: Tim Lee)

He said the amount of seed and the remuneration were both inadequate.

"Our forest is in serious trouble," Mr Clark said.

Watch ABC TV's Landline at 12:30pm AEST on Sunday or stream any time onABC iview.

Endangered and Protected Species

James Ackerman's mother Sonya (right) and widow Saraa remember a cheeky, generous character.(ABC Sunshine Coast: Jake Kearnan)

It's been 10 years since her son's death and Sonya Ackerman still notices the poignant reminders of his presence, whether it's a random blast of James's favourite Uncle Kracker song, a rainbow or a confronting reminder of someone less fortunate.

"He always used to say, 'There's always someone worse off than us' when something went wrong,'" Mrs Ackerman says.

At that moment, she noticed a nearby grave for a five-year-old boy named James, which she took as a sign from her son: "That person, their families are worse off, Mum".

On June 20, 2015, James Ackerman took the field for Sunshine Coast Falcons in a Queensland Cup match against Norths Devils at Bishop Park, Nundah, in Brisbane's north.

Five minutes into the match, James was hit with a shoulder charge by an opposition player and died in hospital two days later. He was 25.

He is survived by his children, Milly and Ollie, who were two and three at the time, and his wife, Saraa Spaens, who has since remarried.

"I'm not sure what I expected but time hasn't healed anything," Mrs Spaens says.

James with his children, Milly and Ollie.(Supplied: Facebook)

"It's certainly gotten worse for [the children]. They have more of a concrete realisation of how long time really is."

The memories they made as a family are what the Sunshine Coast mother treasures.

"He was the first to come home after a long day of work and take the kids to the park," she says.

Sunday marks 10 years since James Ackerman passed away. For Mrs Ackerman, it feels like yesterday.

She relives the moment she ran to the other side of the field to check if he was OK after he was dealt the sickening blow. The "horrible" ordeal still keeps her up at night.

"I knew he was knocked out, but I constantly kept asking the guys on the bench, 'Has he come to?'" she recalls.

"Ackers" was known for his toughness and, because of his strength, Mrs Ackerman clung to hope he would get back up.

Mrs Ackerman wants her son remembered as a tough player who loved being on the field with his best mates.(Supplied: Ackerman family)

"He was just so tough, he would just bounce straight back up," she said.

"This day was different and I knew it straight away."

Stepping inside the office of Falcons chief executive Chris Flannery, it is quickly apparent that the Ackerman legacy will never be forgotten.

Framed pictures of the Falcons number eight sit next to the CEO's desk — a stark reminder who they are playing for.

He recounts the phone call he received while his team was playing away at Norths.

"I don't know why I wasn't at that game — I usually travel to most away games, particularly down in Brisbane," he said.

Falcons chief Chris Flannery says the Ackerman family has done a great job keeping James's legacy alive.(ABC Sunshine Coast: Jake Kearnan)

"I received the call and I think it was from our chairman, Ashley Robinson, and he said Ackers had been hurt and that it didn't look good.

"I got another phone call about 15 minutes later and basically they said he hasn't moved, he hasn't regained consciousness and it is looking very serious.'

The days that followed are a blur to the Ackerman family.

His mother recalls meeting three neurosurgeons who explained that James wasn't going to make it and, even if he did, he would have little quality of life.

James's widow Saraa Spaens (left) and his mother Sonya will celebrate his life on Sunday.(ABC Sunshine Coast: Jake Kearnan)

"It was in that moment — and I don't know why I asked because I never for a minute thought we were going to lose him — but it just came out of my mouth: 'Is he able to be an organ donor?'" Mrs Ackerman says.

"That was something we had spoken about."

At just 25, Mrs Spaens bravely maintained her composure as she signed organ donation waivers while caring for the couple's two children.

"We were always organ donation people but having to actually do that process was a great weight," Mrs Spaens says.

James's daughter Milly and her year level all wore "take a knee for Ackers" socks to school on Friday.(Supplied: Sonya Ackerman)

"[You ask yourself] 'Why is this happening to us?'

She said being a mother saved her life and gave her a reason to get up each day.

"I had to get up to make sure they were OK, so that gave me focus," she says.

"It took me a couple of days for it all to hit me and then for me to become incredibly emotional.

"I actually thought something was wrong with me and, I guess, it's just my body's way of protecting me from pain and from sadness and all the feelings that come at once."

In 2017, a coronial inquest found the Queensland Police Service made the right decision not to investigate the death as a criminal matter, but that the NRL and QRL should reconsider thestance of only sending players off in extreme circumstances.

It will be remembered as the darkest time in the Sunshine Coast Falcons's 19-year history.

"A lot of our trainers that were on the field that day and the things that they went through, they were the ones trying to revive him and bring him back," Mr Flannery said.

On Saturday, the club commemorated the 10-year anniversary by taking a "knee for Ackers" prior to their match against Wynnum-Manly Seagulls.

James Ackerman spent time at both the Sunshine Coast Falcons and Redcliffe Dolphins.(Supplied: Ackerman family)

It's just one of the many ways the club keeps the 25-year-old's legacy alive.

"Our team song that we sing after every victory, the last line is about Ackers, so there are lots of little things that continue to remind us about his legacy and just what James was to this club.

"He'll never be forgotten here."

For Mrs Ackerman, it's her son's contagious smile that she longs to see.

"He's a Gemini, so he had the two personalities: he was very quiet, as in didn't talk much, but at the same time he was a real cheeky character," she says.

Family and friends of the prop forward will honour his memory on Sunday at a Sunshine Coast pub — a few beers and a few bets, the way James would have wanted.

"It's going to be — as much as it can be — a big celebration," Mrs Spaens said.

"That's definitely the attitude that we're taking towards it and celebrating his life as opposed to still being weighed down by the time that has lapsed.

"Seeing everyone have a beer and a bet and do what we say is the Ackers way. It can't get more him than that."

Mahmoud Khalil was greeted by his wife, Noor Abdalla, at Newark International Airport.(AP: Seth Wenig)

After being released from immigration detention, Palestinian rights activist Mahmoud Khalil says Donald Trump's administration is trying to dehumanise anyone who disagrees with it.

Mr Khalil says the Trump administration and Columbia University, where he protested, are complicit in Israel's actions in Gaza.

The US government still wants to deport Mr Khalil, a permanent US resident, arguing his activism is detrimental to American foreign policy interests.

Palestinian rights activist Mahmoud Khalil says he will continue to protest against what he calls US government-funded genocide in Gaza.

Speaking the day after he wasreleased from immigration detention, he said Donald Trump's administration was trying to dehumanise anyone who disagreed with it.

Mr Khalil said the Trump administration and Colombia University, where he protested, were complicit in Israel's actions in Gaza.

"Not only if they threaten me with detention, even if they would kill me, I would still speak up for Palestine again," Mr Khalil said.

"I just want to go back and just continue the work that I was already doing, advocating for Palestinian rights, speech that should actually be celebrated rather than punished."

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez says Mr Khalil's detention is "an affront to every American".(AP: Seth Wenig)

Mr Khalil, 30, was reunited with his wife Noor Abdalla, a US citizen, at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey on Saturday afternoon.

He was met by friends and supporters, including US Democratic congresswomanAlexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

The US government still wants to deport Mr Khalil, a permanent US resident, arguing his activism is detrimental to American foreign policy interests.

Mr Khalil, who recently graduated from Columbia University in Manhattan, was a prominent figure in the pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel student protest movement that swept campuses last year.

Federal immigration agents arrested him in the lobby of his Columbia apartment building on March 8, making him the first target of Mr Trump's effort to deport international students with pro-Palestinian or anti-Israel views.

Ms Ocasio-Cortez, speaking alongside Mr Khalil at the airport, condemned the Trump administration for what she called "persecution based on political speech".

"Being taken is wrong. It is illegal," she said.

"It is an affront to every American."

Mr Khalil was born and raised in a Palestinian refugee camp in Syria and lawfully became a permanent US resident last year.

Nonetheless, citing an obscure part of federal immigration law that has not been invoked in more than 20 years, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he had determined that Mr Khalil and several other foreign pro-Palestinian students at US schools must be deported because their presence could harm the government's foreign policy interests.

Protesters, including some Jewish groups, said the government wrongly conflated their criticism of the Israeli government, one of the United States' closest allies, with antisemitism.

This month, US District Judge Michael Farbiarz in New Jersey ruled that the government could not detain or deport Mr Khalil based on Mr Rubio's determination, finding the Trump administration was violating Mr Khalil's constitutional right to free speech.

The Trump administration has drawn pushback for attempting to deport a permanent resident under an obscure and untested Cold War-era statute. Here's what to know.

On Friday, he ordered the Trump administration to release Mr Khalil on bail while he continues to fight the government's deportation efforts and his lawsuit accusing the government of wrongful detention.

A spokesperson for Mr Trump said in a statement after the ruling that Mr Khalil should be deported for "conduct detrimental to American foreign policy interests" and for omitting or incorrectly describing his employment history on his application form to become a permanent resident.

Mr Khalil has said his application form was correct and the allegations of omission were spurious.

Also on Friday, an immigration court in Louisiana ruled that Mr Khalil must be deported.

He will now challenge the decision in the immigration court, which is run by the Department of Justice rather than the government's judicial branch, through the Board of Immigration Appeals.

The Trump administration appealed Judge Farbiarz's rulings on Friday evening to the US Court of Appeals.

Occupied Palestinian Territories

The "sidekick" parenting role often begins for practical and social reasons.(Pexels)

Parenting is an intense ride and always being the one in the driver's seat can take its toll.

And having someone firmly entrenched as passenger can actually be damaging for both partners and the relationship.

Recent research found that in heterosexual relationships, where it is mums most often taking the wheel, some dads can experience a phenomenon labelled "passenger parenting".

The term was coined by Norma Barrett, the study's co-author and lecturer in public health and health promotion at Deakin University in Warrnambool, on the traditional lands of the Gunditjmara people in regional Victoria.

She explains that while fathers are becoming increasingly engaged in daily family life, the persistence of a gendered norm means some feel on the "outskirts" when it comes to parenting decisions.

And parenting alongside a passenger parent isn't easy, says Carly Dober, a psychologist and policy coordinator at the Australian Association of Psychologists.

She says mothers who are carrying the lion's share of caring responsibilities because the men in their lives are not participating more may feel burdened.

"It can be really stressful if you do feel you are the default parent and wearing the emotional and cognitive load of all decisions," she says.

So, what can you do if you're stuck in a driver-passenger parent dynamic? And, because passenger parenting can look a lot like weaponised incompetence, we explain the difference.

Tasks such as breastfeeding are most often done by the birthing parent.(Adobe Stock)

While some dads Ms Barrett spoke to were "happy to go with the flow" and be led by their partner, most wanted to fully share the whole experience but felt "shut out" from doing so.

She says the "sidekick" parenting role often begins for practical and social reasons.

For example, it's most often mothers who take time off to care for the baby.

"There are physical reasons for that [being the birthing parent], and also if the baby is being breastfed then naturally it will be the mother that is going to do that," Ms Barrett says.

Dads may have little to no time off before returning to work, and the parent spending the bulk of the time with the child becomes "specialised" in the gig of parenting.

Ms Dober says dads might feel like they are not as equipped to do things like dress the child, how and when to feed the child, and what health appointments they need, for example.

Carly Dober says parenting with a passenger parent can be stressful.(Supplied)

Some men in Ms Barrett's research expressed passenger parenting had a negative impact on their relationships.

"They are trying to be more involved in decision making, like around caring for the baby, feeding the baby, trying to be part of it, and if struggles were arising, coming up with solutions — but not always feeling like they knew the right language or approach.

Fathers can get stuck in their passenger role beyond the transition into parenthood, explains Ms Barrett, because even when mothers might return to work and the caring load should equalise, dads haven't had the same "parenting boot camp", leaving them on the backfoot.

Do you feel like the passenger parent in your family? Or perhaps you're tired of always being the one in the driver's seat. Share with us atlifestyle@abc.net.au

Ms Dober says while some women may be happy to take a leadership role in parenting, others may feel there is a pressure to be the "expert parent".

Whether it's a role they are comfortable with or not, it can be a difficult one to fulfil, with consequences for their wellbeing,career, and financial future.

If current working patterns continue, the average 25-year-old woman today who goes on to have one child can expect to make$2 million less in lifetime earningscompared to the average 25-year-old man who also becomes a parent.

Research also shows twice as many women as men experience parental burnout, due to the fact women still carry70 per centof the family mental load.

"There are so many micro decisions in the day-to-day of parenting that really do add up — an infinite amount of decision to make," Ms Dober says.

The relationship can be impacted if women feel they aren't supported, she says.

"There might be resentment if you perceive your passenger parent is just deferring to you because they can't be bothered or prefer you managing it."

In intimate partner relationships, weaponised incompetence is often evident in the division of domestic tasks and caring labour.

It is when someone "demonstrates helplessness, real or false, in order to avoid certain tasks or responsibility, thus making other people [often their partner and/or co-parent] feel they have to step in and do it for them,"Ms Dober told us for a previous article.

What makes passenger parenting different is intent, she explains.

"Weaponised incompetence is when you might be trying to gain more spare time to rest, socialise, or just tend to your own needs versus those of the family.

"Passenger parenting is feeling like you have less agency. There isn't malicious intent — although it can look the same depending on some behaviours."

Weaponised incompetence in relationships can keep women "locked into" traditional roles, experts say.

Ms Dober says passenger parents will feel like they are missing out on something, and can "take a beating to their self-esteem".

Parenting expert and dad to six daughters Justin Coulson says while some dads are "happy to take a back seat", in his experience, men overwhelmingly want to be more involved.

While there are societal and structural barriers to reaching equality in co-parenting relationships, such as making itmore viable for dads to take parental leave, there are some ways individuals can work towards improvement.

Dr Coulson recommends couples have weekly check-ins.

"On a Sunday morning when things are relatively quiet, my wife and I sit down and ask three questions. First, 'What's going well?' And we just take a minute to bask in the sunshine of success."

Secondly, they ask "What hasn't worked this week?"

"It's not a finger-pointing exercise, rather saying 'I've struggled here', of 'I could have done with more support on Wednesday night when three things were happening at once'," Dr Coulson says as an example.

Lastly, "What could we work on this week?"

"And the critical part of that is put together a plan to make that happen," he says.

While Ms Barrett's research recommended couples have conversations early on about their parenting expectations, Ms Dober says those can change over time.

She says parents can regularly touch base on what they would like to do more, or less of.

For dads who feel like they don't have agency, that might be expressing what they would like to have more expertise in, or what challenges they think could benefit them in learning to do more?

Ms Dober says parents need to be kind to themselves, and each other.

"Understanding that parenting is hard — you're both on this journey together, and figuring out what parenting looks like for your family.

"And that might be different to others, and to how you grew up."

Tom Zdanius reads a book as he lies in a Japanese hospital bed.(Supplied: Lukas Zdanius)

Yamba man Tom Zdanius suffered a stroke while on holiday in Japan.

He did not have travel insurance, and his hospital bills are now estimated at $130,000.

His family is fundraising and trying to organise a medically supervised flight back to Australia.

Tom Zdanius recently spent his 57th birthday alone in the Iseikai International General Hospital in Osaka.

He suffered a stroke in Japan last month, and has been lying in bed racking up medical bills of about $5,000 a day ever since.

His brother Lukas Zdanius said it was a terrible situation for the family.

"He is partially paralysed, he has lost his voice and ability to eat, and a couple of other things," he said.

"He is conscious and able to listen, hear and understand.

"If you use letters of the alphabet, you can get him to write words."

Tom Zdanius and a friend in Japan.(Supplied: Lukas Zdanius)

Mr Zdanius said learning that his brother, who is from Yamba in NSW, had gone overseas without travel insurance caused the family "a lot of angst".

"It is a cautionary tale, for sure," he said.

"Some people seem to get away with it, but you don't drive a car without insurance, and you don't travel without travel insurance.

"But there is nothing we can do about that, and the next best thing is to pay it out of our own pockets."

Mr Zdanius said the family had already made one unsuccessful attempt to organise a medically supervised flight home.

However, his brother took a turn for the worse and wound up back in the hospital.

Yamba man Tom Zdanius suffered a stroke while on holiday in Japan.(Supplied: Lukas Zdanius)

Mr Zdanius said the failed attempt had cost about $30,000.

The family has started a crowdfunding campaign to cover that and other expenses, which Mr Zdanius estimates will eventually exceed $200,000.

"The issue is we need to get the medevac people to take out nine seats of a commercial plane so they can fit a stretcher in," Mr Zdanius said.

David Beirman, an adjunct fellow in management and tourism at the University of Technology Sydney, said research showed about 90 per cent of Australians took out insurance before heading overseas.

"I wouldn't go anywhere without taking out travel insurance, particularly in countries like Japan and the United States, where medical costs are high," Dr Beirman said.

"I know people often consider it a grudge purchase, and I don't blame them because travel insurance can be quite expensive.

Dr Beirman, who consults with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) on travel advisories and tourism safety, said it would be wise for the family to seek consular assistance.

"On rare occasions, people can approach DFAT and ask for them to repatriate them in a case of dire need," he said.

"It will usually be treated as a loan."

The ABC approached DFAT for comment about Mr Zdanius's case.

It confirmed it was working to assist a man in Japan, but could not provide more details for privacy reasons.