Melissa Caddick’s parents speak about being scammed by their daughter.

A date for an inquest probing the mysterious disappearance of Sydney fraudster Melissa Caddick has been set, as her parents fight off liquidators trying to claim their eastern suburbs apartment.

The con woman investment broker disappeared in November 2020, hours after the Australian Federal Police and Australian Securities and Investments Commission raided her Dover Heights home. Three months later the 49-year-old's decomposing foot, encased in a running shoe, washed up on a south coast beach.

She is believed to have used her company, Maliver, to conduct a Ponzi scheme, stealing around $23 million from friends and family to fund her luxurious lifestyle and was facing a string of charges. Police have stated they believe Caddick is dead, but conspiracies that she is alive - living somewhere without one of her feet - have abounded. The theories will be tested at a two-week inquest into her disappearance, due to begin on September 12.

The announcement comes as her parents - who also say they were swindled - seek to stop liquidators and receivers taking the apartment they live in. Liquidators and receivers moved to take possession of all the properties in Caddock's possession in November after getting the sign-off of the Federal Court.

But in a statement tendered to the court last week, Barbara and Ted Grimley argue they should be allowed to retain the Edgecliff property, purchased in 2017 for $2.55 million.

The Grimleys originally lived in Sydney's south, but were convinced by their daughter to sell their home and move east to be closer to her family. They contributed almost $1.2 million to the purchase of the apartment, bought in Caddick's name, on the condition they would have the right to live there rent-free until they died.

But without their knowledge, Caddick "dishonestly and fraudulently" did not use the money to pay down the loan taken out of the Edgecliff property, the statement says.

Date set for inquest into Sydney fraudster Melissa Caddick’s disappearance https://t.co/Q9wrqHSZFn

— Guardian Australia (@GuardianAus) April 12, 2022

- With AAP.

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Organisers of the Sydney Royal Easter Show have beefed up security after a teenage boy was stabbed to death in front of the crowds. 

The Royal Agricultural Society of NSW was forced to defend the family-friendly reputation of the annual show after one of its 17-year-old workers was killed on Monday night.

A 15-year-old boy has been charged with multiple knife-related offences and others remain at large after the fatal stabbing during a brawl between two young groups around the adult carnival rides.

A police spokesman confirmed to news.com.au the arrested teen and victim were related. It is believed the 15-year-old boy arrested did not stab his 17-year-old brother, but was defending his brother - who died - instead. The 15-year-old has been given bail. No other arrests have yet been made, with police confirming on Tuesday the assailant remained at large.

The Chief Executive of the RAS of NSW, Murray Wilton, offered his condolences to the dead boy's family and apologised to patrons who witnessed the stabbing, saying it was a "horrific experience".

"Someone's lost their life at our house, and it's disgraceful," Mr Wilton said on Tuesday.

Commander of the Auburn Police Area Command, Superintendent Danielle Emerton, said it was possible the attack was motivated by or linked to conflict within postcode gangs, or an internal dispute between groups.

#BREAKING: A 15-year-old, who allegedly brought a 10 cm knife into the Royal #Sydney Easter Show last night, has been granted bail this afternoon.

Police believe the person who stabbed a 17-year-old boy to death at the event is still on the run. @em_partridge #9News pic.twitter.com/G1wdluJc2t

— 9News Sydney (@9NewsSyd) April 12, 2022

Image: AAP.

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Johnny Depp’s $50m defamation lawsuit against his ex-wife Amber Heard has begun this week, a battle that has been years in the making between the famous former couple.

And Britney Spears has announced her pregnancy via a slightly vague Instagram post. So why are some outlets reporting it with a hint of raised eyebrows? Hidden amongst her happy news is also a sign that, despite the hype of the ‘Free Britney’ movement, we really haven’t learned anything from the last few years.

Plus, Hollywood’s version of a royal wedding took place this week, between actress and heiress Nicola Peltz and celebrity offspring Brooklyn Beckham. The glitzy wedding images have been splashed across every corner of Vogue, but at the same time, quite a few scandals have erupted from the event, involving Victoria Beckham and Meghan Markle.

Listen to today’s episode of The Spill now!

Victoria has been confirmed to host the 2026 Commonwealth Games, with the event to be largely held in the state's regions.

The state will stage the international sports event in four years, with hubs being set up in Geelong, Bendigo, Ballarat and Gippsland.

"The Commonwealth Games Federation is absolutely delighted to award the 2026 Commonwealth Games to Victoria," president Dame Louise Martin said in a statement to UK's PA Media.

"Commonwealth Games Australia and the Victorian Government have set out a bold and innovative vision that provides an exciting new blueprint for hosting our major multi-sport event." 

It is the first time the Commonwealth Games have been awarded to a region in its 92-year history, with events usually held in cities. 

The Victoria 2026 Commonwealth Games will be the regional games for regional jobs.

Four regional hubs will be established in Geelong, Bendigo, Ballarat and Gippsland, each with an athletes' villages. Shepparton will also host events, and the MCG will host the opening ceremony.

— Dan Andrews (@DanielAndrewsMP) April 12, 2022

Hosting rights for the 2026 event hit the market after the English midlands city of Birmingham replaced South Africa's Durban as host of the 2022 Games, to be held from July 28 to August 8.

With no other bidders, Victoria was considered a strong favourite to secure the event after the state government entered exclusive negotiations with the Games' governing body in February.

The opening ceremony is set to take place in Melbourne at the MCG before moving the majority of the remaining events to regional Victoria, if successful.

The Games last came to Victoria in 2006, when Melbourne played host. It is the sixth time the event has been held in Australia, most recently on the Gold Coast in 2018.

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Good morning everyone! Coming at you with some HUGE and WONDERFUL entertainment news this morning.

Britney Spears has announced she's pregnant in an Instagram post, writing "I got a pregnancy test … and uhhhhh well … I am having a baby".

This is extra special because last year, during her public court testimony against her conservatorship, Britney shared that she had been placed on contraception against her will and wanted to come off it to try for a baby with her long-time partner, Sam Asghari.

Image: Instagram.

On Instagram, Brit went on the share struggles she had during her first two pregnancies with sons Sean and Jayden, and how she planned to bunker down a bit so paparazzi couldn't get the 'money shot' of her this time around, which is a sobering reminder of everything she's been through in the past two decades.

For everything we know so far, check out my article here: Last year, Britney Spears was 'freed'. Now, she's announced her pregnancy.

Morning all,

We're hearing lots of talk about election promises and funding as we head into day two of the election campaign. 

To cut through all the noise, we asked the Mamamia community exactly what they want our new government to know, regardless of who wins. 

From "do better to "tell the truth", here's what they had to say. 

But first, lets get you across the biggest news stories you need to know today, Tuesday April 11. 

1. Election campaigns pitch jobs against health care, as Albo apologises.

It's day two on the campaign trail, and while Prime Minister Scott Morrison will pledge to create more jobs, Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese will be hoping to distract from yesterday's gaffe with an announcement on regional health care.

Morrison will be in Sydney today peddling an election promise to create 1.3 million new jobs in the next five years. 

The jobs pledge will be fulfilled by investing in the infrastructure, manufacturing and digital sectors to create more opportunities for workers.

Scott Morrison will lean into the Coalition’s credentials on creating jobs as the Labor leader accepted that he made a mistake when he couldn’t recall key economic figures.#auspol #AustraliaVotes https://t.co/feoAmV5Tnq

— The Age (@theage) April 11, 2022

Meanwhile, Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese will start the day in Tasmania announcing Medicare support for regional patients.

If elected, an Albanese government would reinstate a 50 per cent regional loading for bulk-billed telehealth psychiatric consultations.

The commitment is expected to cost more than $31 million over four years, and support 450,000 consultations during that period - or more than 1.4 million appointments over 10 years.

He was forced to apologise on Monday, after he admitted to a press conference that he didn't know either the official interest rate or the unemployment rate. 

"People make mistakes. That happened. I've faced up to it," he told Sky News. "I accept it, I own up to it, I'm not blaming anyone else. I'm accepting responsibility, that's what leaders do."

2. 10,000 civilians killed in Ukrainian city.

More than 10,000 civilians have died in the Russian siege of the Ukrainian port city of Mariupol, the mayor says. 

Speaking to The Associated Press, Mayor Vadym Boychenko said corpses were "carpeted through the streets" and the death toll could surpass 20,000. 

He also said Russian forces brought mobile cremation equipment to the city to dispose of the bodies, and accused Russian forces of refusing to allow humanitarian convoys into the city in an attempt to conceal the carnage.

Russian forces have taken many bodies to a huge shopping centre where there are storage facilities and refrigerators, Boychenko said.

The mayor of the Ukrainian port city of Mariupol said today that more than 10,000 civilians have died in the Russian siege of his city.https://t.co/g636Toavcn

— PBS NewsHour (@NewsHour) April 11, 2022

About 120,000 civilians are in dire need of food, water, warmth and communications in the city, the mayor added.

Only those residents who have passed the Russian "filtration camps" - where Ukrainians are interrogated - are released from the city, Boychenko said. 

He said improvised prisons were organised for those who did not pass the "filtering," while at least 33,000 were taken to Russia or to separatist territory in Ukraine.

3. Teen stabbed to death as ride investigation continues at Sydney Easter Show.

A teenage boy is dead and another has been seriously injured after both were stabbed at Sydney's Royal Easter Show yesterday.

A brawl broke out at the crowded carnival ride area of the showground around 8pm last night, NSW Police said.

NSW Ambulance Inspector Mark Whittaker said the teen was in cardiac arrest with a traumatic chest wound when paramedics arrived.

EASTER SHOW HORROR: An attack at the Sydney Royal Easter show has led to two teenagers stabbed in front of terrified families, leaving one boy dead. #9Today pic.twitter.com/Ax8NWakoqQ

— The Today Show (@TheTodayShow) April 11, 2022

"Paramedics performed CPR and a number of other critical interventions at the scene before loading the patient for transport to Westmead Hospital," he said in a statement. "Unfortunately despite best efforts, he couldn't be resuscitated.

The second teen was stabbed in the leg and was taken to Westmead Hospital in a serious but stable condition and a man has been arrested and taken to Auburn Police Station.

Show visitors were moved out of the area, which is now closed, and a crime scene has been established.

A message for all 12 April 2022 ticket holders. pic.twitter.com/2qHK5lRc89

— The Sydney Royal Easter Show (@eastershow) April 11, 2022



It comes as SafeWork NSW and show organisers are investigating whether the Free Fall ride should be closed after a four-year-old boy was left unrestrained on the ride on Sunday. 

4. Former primary school teacher who abused children jailed. 

This post deals with child abuse and may be triggering for some readers. 

A former primary school teacher has been jailed after abusing children and filming himself having sex with a doll that was dressed in a school uniform.

James Treasure faced the Victorian County Court yesterday, where he was sentenced to four years and eight months behind bars after pleading guilty to producing and possessing child abuse material, and two counts of an indecent act with a child under 16.

The 42-year-old must serve at least 19 months behind bars before being eligible for parole and has agreed to use a chemical sex drive inhibitor upon release.

"It is tragic for your sake, and all the victims, that your personality and psychological problems could not be identified earlier," Judge Frances Hogan said.

Treasure has been diagnosed with a hyper-sexuality and deviant sexual fantasies, and told police he felt "relieved" when arrested.

He will be placed on a sex offenders register for life but could be released from prison within five months, having already served more than 430 days in pre-sentence detention. 

If this post brings up any issues for you, you can contact Bravehearts (an organisation providing support to victims of child abuse) here.

If you are concerned about the welfare of a child you can get advice from the Child Abuse Protection Hotline by calling 1800 688 009. You can also call the 24-hour Child Abuse Report Line (131 478).

5. Queen says COVID-19 left her 'very tired, exhausted'. 

The Queen has said COVID-19 left "one very tired and exhausted" as she talked to health workers and a former patient about her own experience of "this horrible pandemic".

The 95-year-old monarch tested positive for COVID-19 in February and was described as having had mild, cold-like symptoms. She later returned to light duties.

The Queen spoke on a video call to National Health Service workers at the Royal London Hospital, as she marked the official opening of their Queen Elizabeth Unit.

She also spoke to Asef Hussain, who had been seriously ill with COVID-19 and who lost family members to the virus. 

"It does leave one very tired and exhausted doesn't it, this horrible pandemic," she said to him.

Queen reveals Covid left her "very tired and exhausted" https://t.co/fTgZI99tno

— BBC News (UK) (@BBCNews) April 11, 2022

The Queen asked how the patients had coped with not being able to see family members. "It obviously was a very frightening experience," she said.

The Queen, who turns 96 this month, has cut back on engagements since being hospitalised for a night last October for an unspecified illness.

You're all up to speed. We'll bring you more of the biggest news stories you need to know throughout the day. 

- With AAP. 

We are just a couple of days into the 2022 federal election campaign, but already we have witnessed an incredible amount of gaffes, in-fighting and misinformation, but is this normal or is it all a bit... weird?

The Quicky speaks to two experts in federal politics to find out what the rest of the lead up to the ballot on May 21 might look like.

READ: 

• What women were talking about on Monday. 

Feature Image: Getty.