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Police and investigators from Fire and Rescue NSW will comb through the wreckage of a former hat factory and another empty building that were engulfed in flames in the Sydney CBD.

Crews were called to Randle Street in Surrey Hills on Thursday afternoon to find the two multi-storey buildings completely alight.

Police arrived shortly afterwards to cordon off the scene, with nearby streets closed off and the eastern suburbs light rail line shut down.

Nearby residents were ordered to evacuate, as the fire sent plumes of toxic smoke into the sky.

The only reported injury from the fire was a minor burn suffered by a firefighter.

There was minor damage to nearby buildings, mainly from the extreme heat.

The fire was described on Thursday by Fire and Rescue NSW Acting Commissioner Jeremy Fewtrell as one of the largest fires in the city for years.

He said it was lucky no one was badly hurt in the extremely dangerous conditions.

The blaze saw 120 firefighters attend, with the fire declared mostly contained by around 7pm.

Fire investigators were on the scene to try to determine the cause of the blaze and police will also investigate.

© AAP 2023

Dolphins winger Jamayne Isaako has celebrated his 100th NRL game in style with a majestic display in a 26-12 win over St George Illawarra.

Isaako extended his lead as the NRL's top points-scorer this season with two tries and five goals at Redcliffe's Kayo Stadium on Thursday night.

Five-eighth Anthony Milford had his best game in a Dolphins jersey to set up a try and score one himself against a lacklustre Dragons outfit who bumbled and fumbled their way to defeat without inspirational skipper Ben Hunt.

Both sides would have given their respective coaches heart palpitations with some substandard decision-making and ball-handling but the Dolphins' spine was superior with Milford, fullback Kodi Nikorima and hooker Jeremy Marshall-King making key contributions.

"I'm happy with it," Dolphins coach Wayne Bennett said of the victory.

"You don't have to be pretty to win. You've just got to get it done."

Milford kicked to corners and was easily the best playmaker on the field, showcasing the class that once led to him representing Queensland.

It is not often that a winger is the most valuable player on a regular basis for an NRL side but Isaako is proving to be just that for the Dolphins.

Coach Wayne Bennett said before the game the 26-year-old was "reborn" after several lacklustre years with Brisbane. He now has 138 points for the season.

"He came to the Broncos (at the start of 2016) because of me and was someone everyone wanted at the time because he was a schoolboy star," Bennett said.

"We have a good relationship but he wasn't going to let the boys rain on his own parade tonight. He took the game by the scruff of the neck."

The win solidified the Dolphins' position in the top eight and kept the Dragons in last place as they await the expected signing of Jason Ryles as head coach in 2024.

Interim Dragons coach Ryan Carr had a last-minute win over the Sydney Roosters last week but there was to be no miracle on this occasion.

"It was a frustrating game as a whole for us. We made it way too hard on ourselves," Carr said.

The Dolphins set up the win with three tries in the space of six minutes in the opening stanza. Milford kicked high for Isaako who dazzled in the air and with his feet. Marshall-King put Mark Nicholls through threadbare goal line defence with guile and Milford showcased a classic show and go.

Dragons skipper Jack de Belin was sin-binned for a cannonball tackle and put on report.

"I don't think I went in too hard or too low with bad intent. I was pretty shocked in all honesty to be sin-binned," de Belin said.

The visitors did some stupid things, with fullback Tyrell Sloan penalised for giving lip to the referee when the Dolphins were on their own tryline.

Dragons hooker Jacob Liddle tried his heart out but lacked support in a display that showcased why his side are propping up the ladder.

© AAP 2023

Sale of illegal tobacco will become harder under new Queensland laws.

Parliamentarians debated the Tobacco and Other Smoking Products Amendment Bill 2023 and passed the legislation aimed at strengthening anti-smoking and illicit tobacco laws and their enforcement.

A licensing scheme for the sale of tobacco, the expansion of smoke-free areas and tougher restrictions on cigarettes in licensed venues were all legislative reforms put through in the crackdown.

The laws are aimed at keeping illegal tobacco off the streets and ensure only "fit and proper" people are licensed to sell and store legal products.

Maximum penalties for supplying illicit tobacco sit at $43,125 and storing illicit tobacco $20,125.

The government believes the legislative reforms send a clear message to illegal suppliers that trading in illicit tobacco is no longer low risk with high reward.

Licences for the sale of smoking goods must be renewed every year with a public register of licences. Businesses will have until September 24 to obtain a licence.

Health Minister Shannon Fentiman said the licensing scheme will provide Queensland Health with improved oversight of the industry, and allow authorities to engage more effectively with sellers and design targeted enforcement activities.

She said the reforms have been welcomed by stakeholders across Queensland.

"As a way of ensuring only legitimate businesses are authorised to sell smoking products," she told parliament.

Queensland parliament's health and environment committee heard concerns from tobacconists and licensed vendors around the state at public hearings in April.

Steven Donohue, director of Townsville's public health unit, said ongoing legal disparities heavily impeded attempts by health authorities to stem illegal supply.

While welcoming the reforms, he believed the changes were "too little, too late" as the burden of new smokers impact heavily on health services.

But the government is confident health authorities will be faster in targeting and prosecuting illegal operators under one lead agency.

The Queensland Police Service will also support health officers, assuming the role of investigating and seizing illegal tobacco products.

Lung Foundation Australia CEO Mark Brooke also welcomed the passage of the laws.

"These reforms are integral in continuing the decades of hard work by the Queensland government to reduce tobacco and e-cigarette use and protect the health of young people and non-smokers," he said.

"Queensland has long been a leader in tobacco control, and we are heartened to see these strong efforts continue."

A parliamentary inquiry into the use of vapes and e-cigarettes has been slated by the government with the committee's report into reducing rates of e-cigarette use in Queensland due on August 31.

© AAP 2023