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In this social media age, where risky behaviour can be broadcast widely online, the number of Aussie teens drinking underage has dropped drastically.

The number of young drinkers has plummeted by about 42 per cent between 2010 and 2021, according to the latest statistics gathered by the International Alliance for Responsible Drinking.

There has also been a 19 per cent drop in the number of deaths resulting from drink-driving, and a 15 per cent decrease in heavy episodic binge drinking.

Australia, the US and Lithuania are leading the charge on declining underage drinking figures, according to the global analysis, all reporting more than a 40 per cent drop.

The report confirms a downward trend for half of the 62 countries studied, and no change in a further quarter.

The alliance believes the drop in underage drinking - and other risky behaviour such as underage smoking and sex - has a lot to do with young people wanting to create and maintain a certain image on social media.

They don't want to put their chances of personal and career success at risk by having photos of embarrassing or illegal behaviour online for the world to see.

"These downward trends in risky behaviour are linked to this rise in the public profile of their social life," Henry Ashworth, chief executive of the International Alliance for Responsible Drinking, told AAP.

"It's not hidden behind the bike shed."

DrinkWise Australia chief executive Simon Strahan agrees that social media has played a huge role in making teens more circumspect.

"Teenagers spend time building a profile of themselves on social media - they don't want to destroy it," Mr Strahan says.

He says young people are very savvy and only too aware a questionable photo could haunt them forever.

Mr Strahan says the sharp decline in unhealthy alcohol consumption in Australia is also a reflection of the collective push to break generational inheritance of drinking habits.

He says DrinkWise campaigns over the past 15 years have encouraged parents to consider their own patterns of drinking behaviour and the example they might be setting for their children, and that Australians are also bringing up an increasingly health-conscious generation.

Mr Ashworth says there is a big societal change happening, and the most important statistic in the report is the drop in underage drinking because that should play forward to future generations.

"Those sorts of trends are really important because they create generational shifts," he said.

"This is a great example of how government and industry and civil society and educational organisations all pull together in this whole-of-society response.

"Producers, advertisers, retailers - they all have a part to play."

© AAP 2022

Serial swindler Peter Foster brought out the big guns - Karl Stefanovic, 60 Minutes and the ABC's Media Watch - before being granted bail in a Queensland court.

Foster is facing a raft of charges after being arrested in Port Douglas in August 2020 over an alleged $2 million bitcoin fraud.

He was granted bail in NSW in March 2021 but was declared a fugitive after he failed to appear in a Sydney court in May.

After six months of freedom, Foster was arrested for the second time at a Victorian winery near Gisborne in December last year.

The 59-year-old was extradited to Queensland where he was charged with five counts of fraud, two counts of obtaining or dealing with identification information and one count of falsifying records.

A long-haired Foster appeared briefly by video link in Southport Magistrates Court on Friday as his legal team made an application for bail.

Defence barrister Russell Pearce said it would be "churlish in the extreme" to suggest there was no risk that the so-called "international man of mischief" might not appear in court.

"He is probably a man who has dined out at times on his notoriety," Mr Pearce said.

A Media Watch report showing Nine Network's footage of Foster's dramatic arrest on Four Mile Beach at Port Douglas in August 2020 was played to the court as Mr Pearce argued it was a media set-up.

He said the event was orchestrated by the Nine and private investigator Ken Gamble who clearly had a financial interest to promote his own business and was directly credited in reports for "getting his man".

Crown prosecutor Christopher Cook strongly objected to bail describing the application as "simply breathtaking".

"He has been convicted of dishonesty offences on 11 occasions in four different countries and at least in three states in Australia," Mr Cook said.

"He has used 20 different aliases."

He insisted Foster was a "significant risk" of failing to appear, interfering with witnesses or obstructing the course of justice.

Magistrate Janice Crawford granted Foster bail ordering he live with his sister at Mt Tamborine in the Gold Coast hinterland.

Foster must also wear a tracking device, surrender his passport, not approach any airport, and report three times a week to the police.

Speaking outside court, Foster's lawyer Chris Hannay said his client had spent about 12 months in jail "for nothing" and planned to defend the charges.

"It was clear you saw from the clip it was a set-up. Cameras everywhere, drones everywhere."

He said Foster was thrilled to be granted bail and would celebrate his freedom with family on Friday night.

"He (Foster) is obviously happy and we're happy for him," he said.

"It's going to give him an opportunity to prepare his case and get on with life."

Foster was remanded to reappear in Southport court in June for mention.

© AAP 2022

Craig Bellamy has pulled a surprise by opting for rookie Tyran Wishart at fullback for Melbourne's blockbuster NRL Magic Round clash with Penrith on Saturday night.

Earlier on Friday, coach Bellamy said he was contemplating moving five eighth Cameron Munster to the back to replace injured fellow superstar Ryan Papenhuyzen.

However on Friday night Melbourne announced Nick Meaney, who was named to wear the No.1 jersey, would move back to the wing with 22-year-old utility Wishart to play fullback.

Wishart covered at fullback when Papenhuyzen was forced out with knee and hamstring injuries in the second half of their win over the Dragons last round.

Making his debut this season, Wishart - the son of Steelers great Rod Wishart - is sure to be put under plenty of pressure by Panthers halfback Nathan Cleary in the top of the ladder clash.

Munster started his NRL career at fullback in 2014 and spent the bulk of two seasons there when Billy Slater was sidelined with shoulder injuries.

He took over the five-eighth jersey fulltime in 2018 but the 27-year-old has often spoken of his desire to return to the back.

"Munster has played plenty there so we've got some options," Bellamy had said earlier.

"He's gone there a couple of times this year ... we'll start a certain way but if that's not quite working out we can make some changes."

Following Wishart's move, Jordan Grant will come onto the bench with Cooper Johns and Tui Kamikamica remaining in the 19-man squad.

Any late change will see prop Kamikamica play his first NRL game of the year after completing a nine-week ban for an off-field incident.

The Storm are also planning to start Marion Seve in the centres despite him only playing nine NRL games in the past two seasons.

Bellamy said Seve, who had a knee reconstruction in 2020, had been knocking on the door for some time before Reimis Smith was injured.

"He's been outstanding in the Queensland Cup ... we're real confident he will do the job," he said of Seve.

Melbourne and Penrith have dominated the past two seasons, each winning a title, while they enter this sold-out Suncorp Stadium clash on top of the ladder with 8-1 records.

Some extra spice was thrown into their rivalry when it was revealed that after the 2020 grand final victory Storm halfback Jahrome Hughes drunkenly mocked the blue-collar upbringing of the Panthers, which they used as fodder for last year's preliminary final win.

Bellamy defended Hughes, who apologised to the Panthers this week for his social media antics.

"I don't know the situation from 2020 but the only thing I will say is that I've never met a better person than Jahrome Hughes," the coach said.

"He's a very humble guy and very well-mannered so if he did upset someone he would be very sorry for that."

Melbourne have piled on an incredible 162 points in their past three matches and Bellamy conceded that wasn't great for an expected arm-wrestle with the Panthers.

"If that's the way it turns out, our last three weeks hasn't been ideal preparation for that sort of game," he said.

"We can only play to our strengths and try to restrict opportunities for the opposition."

© AAP 2022