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More than 10 per cent of the seafood sold in Australia is not what's on the label and threatened species sometimes wind up on the plate, DNA tests suggest.

The national study, by the Minderoo Foundation, has exposed a serious problem with labelling and species substitution.

Researchers who DNA tested 672 seafood products sold at Australian supermarkets, fish markets and restaurants found 11.8 per cent didn't match what was on the label.

Shark and snapper species, and imported seafood, were most likely to be incorrectly labelled.

In Tasmania, a supermarket that purported to be selling imported stingray was actually selling critically endangered spotback skate from South America.

At a restaurant in Western Australia, something generically labelled as shark was actually a piece of smooth hammerhead, a species classed as vulnerable globally.

Minderoo's Dr Chris Wilcox, who co-authored the study, said vague labelling was a serious problem alongside incorrect labelling.

Only a quarter of the products named a particular species, with most using vague or umbrella terms such as flake and snapper.

"Flake, for instance, officially refers to gummy shark but is often misused to describe any type of shark meat," Dr Wilcox said.

"Fifteen of the mislabelled flake products were actually elephant fish, which are only distantly related to sharks.

"In one instance, we found flake served as battered fish and chips was actually school shark, which is classified as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature red list of threatened species."

Not knowing what's ending up on dinner plates is not just a consumer rights issue, but a conservation one too.

"Australians are increasingly aware of the need to protect our ocean from unsustainable fishing and want better information about the seafood on offer so they can be confident in their purchase," said co-author Emily Harrison, who works on ocean policies at Minderoo.

"We know from previous research that consumers assume the checks and balances have already been done before the point of sale."

Dr Wilcox said the results were timely, with the Australian government considering measures to prevent the importation of illegal, unreported and unregulated seafood.

"Overall, the research confirms the mislabelling rates in Australia are similar to other wealthy countries like the United States, but points to a problem that really needs to be addressed," he said.

"Consumers should be able to rely on the labels to represent what's actually in the package.

"We wouldn't accept that in other products so we shouldn't have to accept it in seafood."

The research has been published in the peer-reviewed journal Scientific Reports.

© AAP 2023

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Volunteer organisations will get extra funding in an effort to boost services and help those giving up their time for their communities.

More than six million Australians volunteer each year but numbers have not yet reached what they were before the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2019, the proportion of adults who had volunteered in the past year was 36 per cent, but by April 2022 that had declined to 26 per cent.

This means there were nearly two million fewer volunteers at the start of 2022 compared to before the pandemic.

The federal government will provide $10 million via the volunteer grants program which assists organisations across Australia.

Grants of between $1000 and $5000 can be used to help volunteers buy equipment or reimburse fuel, transport and training costs.

Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth said volunteers provided essential services such as those who helped out in disasters, supported vulnerable Australians and assisted local sports teams and events.

"These locally awarded grants help to ensure communities are at the centre of volunteering and help us to maintain a resilient volunteering sector," she said.

There were more than 2.1 million volunteers in NSW, but the Northern Territory had the highest number as a percentage of its population with nearly 35 per cent of territorians volunteering their time in 2022.

© AAP 2023

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Lizzo says that she's "not the villain" that three of her former backup dancers falsely accuse her of being in a sexual harassment lawsuit.

The civil lawsuit filed Tuesday in Los Angeles Superior Court claims Lizzo pressured the dancers to engage with nude performers at a club in Amsterdam and shamed one of them for her weight gain before firing her.

"I am not here to be looked at as a victim, but I also know that I am not the villain that people and the media have portrayed me to be these last few days," Lizzo said in a statement posted on social media.

"I am very open with my sexuality and expressing myself but I cannot accept or allow people to use that openness to make me out to be something I am not."

Plaintiffs Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams and Noelle Rodriguez made numerous allegations including sexual, religious and racial harassment, disability discrimination, assault and false imprisonment.

They accuse the Grammy winner and her production company of creating a hostile work environment.

The legal complaint seeks unspecified damages from Melissa Viviane Jefferson, known professionally as Lizzo, her production company Big Grrrl Big Touring, Inc, and Shirlene Quigley, captain of the performer's dance team.

"These last few days have been gut-wrenchingly difficult and overwhelmingly disappointing," Lizzo said in the statement.

"My work ethic, morals and respectfulness have been questioned. My character has been criticised.

"Usually I choose not to respond to false allegations but these are as unbelievable as they sound and too outrageous to not be addressed."

She said the "sensationalised stories" were coming from former employees "who have already publicly admitted that they were told their behaviour on tour was inappropriate and unprofessional."

The court filing claims that after performing a concert in Amsterdam, Lizzo and her crew attended a sexually-themed show at a club in the city's notorious Red Light District where: "Lizzo began inviting cast members to take turns touching the nude performers" and led a chant pressuring Davis to touch the breasts of one of the nude women performing at the club.

"Finally, the chorus became overwhelming, and a mortified Ms Davis acquiesced in an attempt to bring an end to the chants," the complaint states.

"Plaintiffs were aghast with how little regard Lizzo showed for the bodily autonomy of her employees and those around her, especially in the presence of many people whom she employed."

Lizzo, who routinely champions body positivity, is also accused of calling out Davis for her weight gain after accusing the dancer of not being committed to her role. Davis was fired in May for recording a meeting during which Lizzo had given out notes to dancers about their performances, according to the complaint.

"Sometimes I have to make hard decisions but it's never my intention to make anyone feel uncomfortable or like they aren't valued as an important part of the team," Lizzo said.

"I'm hurt but I will not let the good work I've done in the world be overshadowed by this."

© AP 2023

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Gold Coast are fuming after captain Touk Miller was suspended for one AFL game for conduct unbecoming over his contentious tackle on Brisbane Lions rival Dayne Zorko.

The incident, in which Miller made contact with Zorko's groin area while tackling him during last Saturday's game, was cleared initially in match review.

But in a Monday radio interview, Zorko said his groin region was bruised after being squeezed.

His comments were the catalyst for an AFL investigation, with the two players interviewed, and Miller was subsequently suspended for Saturday's away game against Adelaide.

Suns coach Steven King had defended Miller's reputation on Monday, and immediately after the suspension was announced on Thursday Gold Coast made their thoughts clear.

"We accept the AFL's decision but as a club we are extremely disappointed in the outcome," Suns football boss Wayne Campbell said in a statement.

"Touk is the captain of our football club and has built a reputation as a fair and strong leader who is admired by the entire AFL community.

"He is one of the most highly respected players in the competition and it's disappointing his integrity and character has been tarnished during this process."

Miller added he had planned to execute a fair tackle.

"It was not my intention to harm Dayne and if that has occurred from my actions I would like to apologise to him," Miller said.

On Monday, Zorko had fired up about the latest incident in the pair's long-running rivalry.

"It's interesting, you're allowed to grab the groin region now and squeeze it and do whatever you want to it," Zorko said on SENQ Breakfast.

"So that's an interesting rule that's been cleared by the AFL. It's quite interesting that (he) got off.

"I tell you what, my groin region is quite bruised at the moment. It's funny how that all happens.

"It must have been an accident ... it's an accident when they get up and smile and laugh about it, isn't it."

The AFL said no action was taken initially because there was no complaint from the Lions.

After a medical report was also considered, the match review verdict was that the footage of the incident was inconclusive and no charge should be laid.

But along with Zorko's radio interview, another medical report was given to the league.

The AFL then interviewed the two players and reviewed the footage again before laying the charge.

"That investigation found that Miller made contact with the groin region of Zorko in a manner that caused Zorko pain and discomfort and ultimately constituted conduct unbecoming," the league said.

© AAP 2023