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Queensland flood victims could miss out on $440 million in compensation after a massive court win for government-owned dam operator Seqwater.

Victims say a NSW Court of Appeal decision has let the prime offender responsible for exacerbating the 2011 floods off the hook.

They've already foreshadowed a High Court challenge, saying they've waited a decade for compensation so what's a few more years.

The court has ruled in favour of Seqwater, which appealed a 2019 NSW Supreme Court decision that it failed almost 7000 Brisbane and Ipswich residents during the floods.

The 2019 decision found Seqwater, the Queensland government and another state-owned dam operator SunWater exacerbated flooding by failing to properly operate Wivenhoe and Somerset dams.

In all, about 23,000 homes and businesses went under after huge water releases to make sure the dams did not fail.

The Queensland government and SunWater accepted the 2019 ruling, and have agreed to pay $440 million to compensate victims.

But Seqwater vowed to appeal and won that battle on Wednesday.

If victims cannot overturn Wednesday's ruling in the High Court, they will miss out on a further $440 million, Ipswich flood victim Paul Tully says.

"This decision defies common sense and logic given that SunWater and the state government have already accepted they were jointly liable for the flood," he's told reporters.

"We now have the bizarre situation where the state government and SunWater have agreed to pay $440 million as their assessed 50 per cent liability while Seqwater has squirmed out of its responsibility ..."

He later told AAP the only course of action was to go to the High Court.

"Who bloody cares now, it's already been 10 years. Another couple of years won't make a difference."

Law firm Maurice Blackburn led the case, which was heard in NSW because at the time it began class actions weren't allowed in Queensland.

The firm said it would carefully review Wednesday's decision before deciding whether to launch a High Court appeal.

Mr Tully said he and other victims could take some comfort from a deal that guarantees them a share of $440 million from SunWater and the Queensland government.

"That's unaffected. That money will flow next year, they can't review that, and that can't be appealed," he said.

© AAP 2021

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A Lockdown will be lifted in regional Victoria, with the exception of the town of Shepparton which is still battling a coronavirus outbreak.

The state has recorded 221 new locally acquired COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, but most are in Melbourne.

"Regional Victorians have done an amazing job, that is why these steps are possible," Premier Daniel Andrews told reporters on Wednesday.

From Friday morning the five reasons to leave home will be removed from regional Victoria, offices can reopen at 25 per cent capacity or 10 people, and businesses and venues can reopen.

Schools can also reopen for prep to year two and year 12 students.

In Melbourne, which will stay in lockdown, will see a jump in police enforcement of the metropolitan-regional border.

"If you don't have good lawful reason to go to regional Victoria, then please don't go to regional Victoria," Mr Andrews said.

It comes as police also investigate an illegal gathering in Melbourne's southeast.

So far six people have been fined $5452 each, or more than $32,000 collectively, after up to 30 people gathered to mark the Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashanah in breach of lockdown restrictions.

Victoria Police Assistant Commissioner Russell Barrett said there will be more fines issued "today or in coming days", as he urged those who attended the gathering to come forward.

"My advice is really clear to the people who were there last night - come forward, identify yourselves and allow us to process you through our systems and apply the law as it is today," he said.

Members of the Orthodox Jewish congregation entered a building, believed to be a prayer room, near a Ripponlea synagogue early on Tuesday morning and told police they wouldn't leave until nightfall.

Police surrounded the front and back entrances of the building and took details of those who began to file out just after 8pm.

Initial reports suggested up to 100 people had attended.

Mr Barrett said that number is still being investigated, but he's been advised it was "between 20 and 30" people.

Several worshippers became aggressive and an overnight news cameraman is being treated for a concussion at The Alfred after being assaulted.

Mr Barrett said the assault has been reported to police and will be investigated.

Police will remain in the area for the remainder of the Jewish new year, which ends after sundown on Wednesday.

The Jewish Community Council of Victoria said the actions of a few "do not represent the vast majority of our community" who are celebrating Rosh Hashanah at home with only the people they lived with.

"The JCCV expresses its strong disappointment in and condemns the actions of a small group of people who appear to have not followed COVID restrictions," a spokesman said.

He said local organisations "have gone to great lengths" to encourage the community to stay within the rules.

The health department on Wednesday confirmed 98 cases were linked to known outbreaks, with the source of the remaining 123 infections under investigation,

It brings the total number of active cases in the state to 1920.

© AAP 2021

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Britney Spears' father Jamie has petitioned a Los Angeles court to end the pop singer's 13-year conservatorship, NBC News and CNN report.

Britney had told the court in June that the arrangement was abusive and humiliating.

She had filed legal documents asking that her father be immediately removed as the overseer of her $US60 million ($A81 million) estate.

Jamie Spears, in a court filing in August, said he was willing to step down from the role.

In a new document on Tuesday, he went a step further and asked the court to end the conservatorship entirely, according to NBC News and CNN.

Britney "is entitled to have this Court now seriously consider whether this conservatorship is no longer required," Jamie Spears said in a new filing cited by the media outlets.

Her circumstances have changed "to such an extent that grounds for establishment of a conservatorship may no longer exist," he added.

Representatives for Jamie Spears did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Britney, 39, remains under the care of professional Jodi Montgomery, who manages her medical and personal affairs.

The nature of the singer's mental health issues have never been publicly revealed.

She has received support from the FreeBritney fan campaign that has rallied for her release form the legal arrangement.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Brenda Penny scheduled the next hearing in the case for September 29.

© RAW 2021

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A series of previously unheard interviews with John Lennon and Yoko Ono are expected to fetch up to 30,000 pounds ($A55,900) when they go under the hammer.

Chats with Canadian writer Ken Zeilig from 1969 feature the former Beatle and his wife discussing everything from their love for each other, their Bed-ins for Peace anti-war protests and Lennon's haircut.

The tapes were discovered by the family of interviewer Zeilig and they will be sold at an Omega Auctions event later this month.

Lennon, who was murdered aged 40 in New York in 1980, married Ono the year the interviews took place.

Of their bond, he said: "That's our only worry in the world, is that we die together. At exactly the same minute, otherwise, even if it's three minutes later, it's gonna be hell. I couldn't bear three minutes of it."

Lennon, who was still a Beatle at the time of the recording, discussed the band's future.

They broke up in 1970.

Asked what plans The Beatles had, Lennon said: "They don't, you know. The Beatles never made plans after they stopped touring.

"Plans were always made for them. And once there was nobody making plans for us, we didn't want any plans, so we don't make them."

The revered singer-songwriter mused about the future of hairstyle trends, having pioneered the mop-top look in his early Beatles career before growing his hair long while campaigning against the war in Vietnam.

Told his hair had become a "symbol" for peace, Liverpudlian Lennon said: "Well, I hope so, you know (chuckles). You see, because now everybody that complains about the length of my hair now, they're all middle-aged people with Beatle haircuts that I had in 1964, you know.

"And in, maybe, in 1984 - that dreaded year - they'll all be wearing long hippie haircuts and I'll be bald, you know. And they'll be complaining about that."

Paul Fairweather, of Omega Auctions, hailed the interviews as a "hugely important find".

The tapes will be sold by Omega Auctions during the Beatles Collection sale on September 28.

© PAA 2021