Received

The federal government has backed in a pay rise for aged care workers, outlining support for an increase in the minimum wage in the sector to the Fair Work Commission.

While the submission does not specify an exact amount for how much wages should rise, the government said it supported a boost.

"The average care requirements for aged care recipients in both residential and in-home care have increased in acuity and complexity over time," the submission said.

"This further contributes to the work value of aged care workers being significantly higher than the modern awards currently reflect."

Unions have called for a 25 per cent pay rise for workers.

The government submission said such an increase to wages could boost the labour supply in the sector by up to 10 per cent over the next five years.

However, Treasury has estimated a 25 per cent rise would increase wages across the economy by less than one per cent, which could lead to a flow-on effect for similar areas.

"In the current economic environment of above-target inflation and persistent global price shocks, there would be risks to inflation expectations if similar wage rises are demanded in associated industries," the submission said.

Workplace Relations Minister Tony Burke said the call for higher wages for workers was delivering on the findings of the aged care royal commission.

"Aged care work is hard work. The pandemic made it even harder," he said in a statement.

"Right now there is no doubt their work is undervalued. We need to change that."

Labor minister Tanya Plibersek said some aged care workers were earning as little as $22 an hour.

"You can literally earn more stacking shelves at a supermarket than caring for some of our most vulnerable Australians," she told the Seven Network.

Aged Care Minister Anika Wells said the pay rise would help to close the gender pay gap.

"One of the main causes of the gender pay gap is low pay and poor conditions in care sectors like aged care, where the majority of workers are women," she said.

"Increasing wages in aged care is essential to ensuring that men and women are paid equally."

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton said he supported a lift in aged care worker wages.

"The government promised at the last election that they would fix the situation in aged care, and we want to make sure that they're not making a bad situation worse," he told reporters in Brisbane.

"But we certainly support an increase in the pay for aged care workers."

Asked what the new level of pay should be, he said: "That's an issue for the Fair Work Commission".

Opposition finance spokeswoman Jane Hume said the government's proposed wage increases needed to be reasonable.

"We know that aged care workers are some of the lowest paid workers in the land, but we also want to make sure that if they do get a pay rise, the system is sustainable," she told Sky News.

"That the aged cared system can stand up under the weight of that increased cost to their businesses."

Mr Burke said he was "stunned" at the comments from Senator Hume.

"It's as though the royal commission never happened," he told reporters in Canberra.

"We have an area of serious neglect, where getting more people into the workforce is a critical part of that. That's the starting point."

© AAP 2022

A man accused of shooting three family members dead on a remote Queensland cattle property has appeared in court for the first time.

Darryl Valroy Young, 59, has been charged with three counts of murder and another count of attempted murder.

He will remain behind bars after his case was adjourned following his appearance via video link at Proserpine Magistrates Court on Monday.

Young's matter was listed for 8.30am.

But the court was reportedly opened about half an hour earlier for it to be mentioned, with Young appearing via video link from the watchhouse at Whitsunday Police Station, Cannonvale.

Neighbours of the victims made the long trip to Proserpine court for Young's first appearance.

The victims have been identified as Mervyn and Maree Schwarz, aged 71 and 59, and Maree's son Graham Tighe, aged 35.

The neighbours said they wanted to show support for the victims' family as they tried to comprehend the tragedy.

"I just couldn't believe it," they told The Daily Mercury.

The sole survivor of the shooting is recovering in hospital and remains in a stable condition following the incident between neighbours near Bogie, northwest of Mackay.

Graham Tighe's brother Rosss sustained a gunshot wound to the stomach and has been interviewed by police.

A GoFundMe page has been set up to raise money for Mr Tighe and his family.

"We have created this fund to help them with the aftermath of suddenly having their worlds turned upside down," it said.

"Please help us lessen some of this burden and unforeseen future costs."

On Monday afternoon more than $11,000 had been raised.

Police believe Young met his neighbours at the boundary line of their properties before the shooting occurred early on Thursday morning.

The injured Mr Tighe managed to flee by car and raise the alarm before being airlifted to Mackay Base Hospital to undergo surgery for critical injuries.

He was found by police about 40km away from the shooting scene.

Police then locked down the surrounding rural cattle properties before conducting a sweep.

Young and two other people, who were held by police but later released, were found on his property.

It has also emerged that Young was unable to renew his gun licence in 2010 after Queensland Police deemed him "not a fit and proper person".

However, he successfully appealed in the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal, saying he needed the licence for four rifles and two shotguns "to deal with the control of feral animals" on his property.

"I would like the Tribunal to over turn the rejection notice as I have not broken any laws to stop me having a gun licence," Young wrote in his appeal application.

"There is no were (sic) in the laws of the gun laws that I have broken to stop me having a gun licence.

"I need my gun licence for my business. I hope the Tribunal over turns the decision so I can have my licence."

Young - a long-term resident of the area - is due to appear in Bowen Magistrates Court on November 1.

© AAP 2022

COVID cast its shadow over the golden glow of yet another triumph for Australia's all-conquering women's T20 team on a dramatic end to cricket's return to the Commonwealth Games.

Australia held on to beat India by nine runs at Edgbaston to add Commonwealth gold to World T20 and ODI success for this green and gold machine.

But it was achieved amidst great drama, with star allrounder Tahlia McGrath allowed to play despite returning a positive test on the morning of the match.

Games officials and representatives from both sides were forced into furious talks pre-game which delayed the toss by 12 minutes, as questions surrounded McGrath's availability.

"We were all happy to play, she was happy to play," fast bowler Megan Schutt said after the game.

"She feels absolutely fine so I think the positive result was a bit of a shock to her, but that's COVID isn't it - we're all going to live through it."

While India maintained a diplomatic line, it is believed they were not as supportive of the decision.

"Before the toss we got to know ... that was something which was not in our control and whatever the decision the Commonwealth had, we had to follow it," skipper Harmanpreet Kaur said.

Ironically, had the game been played in Australia, McGrath would have been forced to isolate for seven days.

As it was, she played - with COVID protocols put in place - leading to a series of bizarre situations.

She had to sit in the dressing room by herself wearing a mask as she waited to bat, and when she took a catch, teammates were warned to stay away.

And when the final wicket was confirmed by the third umpire she went from standing outside the team huddle to jumping into it.

And there she was masked on the podium to receive her gold medal - but no hand shake thanks.

"We didn't want to get in trouble, we felt bad for Tahlia at the end there," Schutt said.

"Obviously when you're part of a game that's so thrilling like that, that's all you want to do (is celebrate) and at the end 'screw it, if we get COVID, so be it."

Added opener Beth Mooney - who starred with the bat making 61 off 41 balls: "It's a real shame that in elite sport you get publicly shamed for having COVID when over here probably 90 per cent of the people in this room have it right now.

"No-one's testing, no-one's doing anything. It's just a real shame she couldn't celebrate with us, but at the same time I think the right decision was made in terms of letting her play.

"Hopefully people aren't too upset about it".

As it was, with figures of 0-24 off two overs and two runs with the bat, McGrath had little impact what was a cracker of a game.

India seemed on track to chase down their victory target of 162 when skipper Kaur was plundering boundaries for fun.

But when she holed out for a superb 65 as one of two wickets in two balls for Ash Gardner - who was brilliant with 3-16 off three overs - India were left needing 41 off 4.1 overs with two new batters at the crease.

"Once she flicked the switch there and started bombing us for fours and sixes we knew we were in trouble ... her wicket, that was the absolute turning point," Schutt said.

They came down to needing 11 off the final over, but Jess Jonassen needed only three balls to finish off the tail.

"It means a lot more than a I thought it did before these Commonwealth Games," Schutt said.

Australia could have made things easier for themselves had they gone on with what was looking like being a big total.

Mooney and skipper Meg Lanning (36 off 26) put on 74 for the second wicket, and at 3-109 with seven overs to go, 180-plus was in the offing.

© AAP 2022