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Aussie dads are playing a greater role in their young children's education during COVID-19, leading the charge when it comes to home-schooling maths and PE, a study has found.

The research has been shared in time for Father's Day on Sunday.

"With our busy life and my job I had very little to do with our son's education since kindergarten," Sydney father and 'dadmum' blogger Brad Kearns said.

"My wife managed it and I was really only there for milestones. But now that we're all at home, I'm seeing his activities, work ethic and the satisfaction he gets from completing tasks."

Mr. Kearns' experience is reflected in the survey, which found 51 percent of Australian fathers who answered the May poll have been spending more time focused on their kids' schooling since COVID hit. Thirty-two percent of fathers have been dedicating the same amount of time and 14 percent have been spending less time.

The survey found 64 percent of dads offered help with maths, 55 percent with PE or sport, and 53 percent with art.

But mums still played a more significant role overall, with 70 percent saying they remained more involved with the schooling than their children's fathers.

The survey of 600 Australian parents of children aged five to 10 was commissioned by education technology business Osmo, which creates learning platforms for children.

Image: Supplied 

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Homicide squad detectives have marked the 10th birthday of William Tyrrell as investigations continue into his disappearance nearly seven years ago.

The three-year-old, dressed in a Spider Man outfit, vanished while playing in the garden of his foster grandmother's home in the small NSW mid north coast town of Kendall shortly before 10.30am on September 12, 2014.

Within hours, hundreds of local residents and emergency service workers combined to search the rural community, looking in scrub, creeks and paddocks for William.

Police formed the view the disappearance was as a result of human intervention.

In September 2016, the NSW government announced a $1 million reward for information that leads to the recovery of William Tyrrell, which remains on offer.

Since that time, Strike Force Rosann detectives have conducted extensive investigations, including several co-ordinated searches of bushland near Herons Creek and Kendall.

In March 2019, a coronial inquest commenced into William's disappearance, which remains ongoing.

"The NSW Police Force remains committed to finding William Tyrrell with the Homicide Squad's Strike Force Rosann continuing to conduct investigations into the circumstances surrounding his disappearance," Detective Superintendent Danny Doherty said in a statement issued on Saturday.

"Detectives are reviewing all evidence obtained since William's disappearance and have recently sought the assistance of numerous experts to ensure no stone is left unturned."

With the coronial inquest still to be finalised, Supt Doherty says the homicide squad investigation is ongoing and officers continue to update the deputy state coroner.

Regular updates are also being provided to William's loved ones.

"We acknowledge that today marks another important milestone without answers for the families and as such, our focus remains on the investigation to find out what happened to William," Supt Doherty said.

"As our inquiries continue, we encourage anyone in the community with information - no matter how big or small - to come forward, so we may provide answers to his families."

© AAP 2021

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Millions of people in Sydney have woken to their first day of a week-long lockdown as authorities work to contain a coronavirus outbreak that has ballooned to 65 cases.

The list of exposure sites is growing too, with venues in the northern beaches, Lakemba and Auburn an another two train routes added overnight on Friday.

People who live or work in Woollahra, Waverley, Randwick and the City of Sydney council areas will not be able to leave home for a week except for essential purposes.

These include work or education, shopping, providing care or outside exercise.

The order took effect from 11.59pm on Friday and will last until 11.59pm on Friday, July 2.

Australian Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly has also extended his declaration of Sydney as a hotspot, paving the way for Commonwealth support to be offered.

Coronavirus disaster payments of up to $500 kick in seven days after a hotspot is declared.

Eligible workers left without income in the seven local government hotspot areas will be able to access the one-off payment from July 1.

Treasurer Dominic Perrottet on Friday night also said he was looking at ways to provide support of affected businesses and workers.

NSW recorded 22 new local COVID-19 cases on Friday.

Eleven cases were detected in the 24 hours to 8pm on Thursday night, six of which were already reported. There were 17 further infections after 8pm which will be recorded in Saturday's tally.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian said authorities expect the number of cases to surge further, despite the lockdown.

"We expect household contacts to develop the virus," Premier Gladys Berejiklian told reporters on Friday after a crisis meeting to review the swelling figures.

"Our aim is to make sure that we get on top of any potential spread and that we also get on top of any chains of transmission that our testing hasn't picked up."

But the Australian Medical Association has said the current restrictions will not be enough to get on top of the outbreak, and it has called for the entire Sydney basin to be locked down.

Adding to the concern is confusion about the rules of the lockdown.

NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard said on Friday that retail, weddings, funerals and community sport could continue in the restricted areas.

"Other non essential businesses and other services in houses of worship will cease," he tweeted.

Late on Friday health authorities added the Chinese restaurant Lotus Barangaroo to the growing list of exposure sites, ordering anyone who visited the venue on the afternoon of Sunday June 20 to isolate for 14 days.

People who have been to Lyfe Cafe at Bondi Beach, Lean Bean Fitness at Bondi, Moore Park View Hotel at Waterloo and Doncaster Hotel at Kensington at specified times must also isolate for a fortnight

Several shops and cafes in Barangaroo, Double Bay, Cecil Hills, Chipping Norton, Randwick, Zetland and Burwood were also added to the list, with people being told to test and isolate until they get a negative result.

A number of public transport routes were also affected.

Restrictions remain in place for other areas of Greater Sydney as well as the Central Coast, Blue Mountains, Wollongong and Shellharbour, while those who live or work in the Inner West, Canada Bay or Bayside council areas are still barred from leaving metropolitan Sydney.

© AAP 2021

Image credit: Grant Broadcasters

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Only seven months ago, Kylie Hilder answered a game day SOS and came out of retirement to play for the NSW Women's State of Origin team at the age of 44.

That may have been tough but Hilder reckoned that playing was easier than coaching after Queensland claimed a controversial 8-6 win to spoil her debut as NSW mentor on Friday night.

Hilder completed a remarkable journey when she sat in the Sky Blues coach's box at Sunshine Coast Stadium alongside assistant, NSW's former Origin series-winning captain Geoff Toovey.

She took over the reins in 2021 from Andy Patmore after playing a surprise swansong Origin in last November's 24-18 loss to the Maroons at the same venue.

Hilder was initially part of the Sky Blues support staff after retiring two months earlier but earned a game day call-up last year when hooker Keeley Davis pulled out with a back injury.

Hilder enjoyed her coaching debut on Friday but admitted it was tougher than being on the field after watching helplessly as Queensland iced the victory with a penalty goal in the final minute.

NSW captain Kezie Apps accused Chelsea Lenarduzzi of "milking" the penalty when Filomina Hanisi pulled her leg as the Maroons prop tried to play the ball right in front of the posts.

The hard-fought clash held in miserable weather looked headed for golden point but NSW were left shattered when Queensland centre Lauren Brown slotted the match-winning penalty with just 20 seconds left.

"It is definitely a lot harder as coach," former Test and NSW No.9 Hilder said.

"You don't have any control once the girls are out on the field.

"As a player you can at least have some input, but I had full faith in the girls.

"It was just some silly mistakes. I think we bombed four tries.

"But I am super proud of the girls. My first coaching experience has been great."

Hilder was a part of history on Friday night after lining up against Queensland rookie coach and most capped Jillaroo Tahnee Norris, marking the first time both women's Origin teams boasted female mentors.

The game also had the first all-female on-field officials line-up after referee Belinda Sharpe ran out with touch judges Kailey Beattie and Karra-Lee Nolan.

But Hilder believes it may be some time yet before the women's game joins the men and adopts a best-of-three Origin series.

"After losing, definitely (want a three game Origin series)," Hilder said.

"Three games would be wonderful but until our athletes are full-time it is impossible for these girls to play three Origins and NRLW plus have a full-time job.

"Hopefully, we will get there one day."

Hilder also hopes the women's Origin clash will return to NSW next year after Queensland won the two games played on the Sunshine Coast since it was relocated from North Sydney Oval in 2019.

© AAP 2021

Image credit: Channel Nine