Inquiry in doubt after NSW parly prorogued

Critics have vowed to push ahead with a parliamentary inquiry into NSW's $5.3 billion electricity sale despite government attempts to kill it off by shutting down parliament.

The future of the inquiry was thrown into doubt on Wednesday morning when Premier Kristina Keneally announced Governor Marie Bashir had prorogued parliament.

The shock move, which came two months earlier than expected, means the parliamentary session has now officially been brought to a close.

Opposition Leader Barry O'Farrell immediately accused the government of trying to derail the upper house inquiry ahead of the state election in March.

But Christian Democratic Party MP Fred Nile and the Greens later obtained advice from the clerk of the upper house that the inquiry could go ahead.

Mr Nile, the chair of the upper house committee that will investigate the controversial sell-off, announced hearings would begin the week of January 17.

He said the parliamentary committee would meet as planned at 2pm (AEDT) on Thursday, to set the terms of reference.

"I think it was a bit like a poker game, a bluff, they thought by doing that, everybody said 'that's it, no committee inquiry'," he said.

"But I've made inquiries and advice from the clerks. There is nothing to stop the committee meeting."

While Labor MPs Greg Donnelly, Luke Foley and Kayee Griffin will attend Thursday's meeting, the government pointed to Crown Solicitor's advice that committees can't sit once parliament has been prorogued.

A spokeswoman for Ms Keneally would not say if the government will challenge the legality of the inquiry, which could see the dispute dragged through the courts.

Mr Nile said Treasurer Eric Roozendaal, who is in the US on government business, had called him on Tuesday to express his concerns the inquiry might jeopardise the second tranche of the sale.

The so-called gentrader rights of Macquarie Generation and Delta's NSW central coast power stations will be completed early in the new year.

The first tranche of the sale was controversially announced by media release just before midnight on Tuesday last week.

The resignation of eight board members from Eraring Energy and Delta Electricity, in a last-minute protest over the deal, further soured the sale.

Under the power sell-off TRUenergy has paid $2.035 billion for retailer EnergyAustralia and the right to trade the output generated by Delta West.

Origin Energy paid $3.25 billion for smaller retailers Integral Energy and Country Energy, together with the trading rights for Eraring Energy.

The opposition, Greens and business lobby have criticised the partial privatisation, saying the government hasn't realised the full value of the assets, and that the sale would lead to less competition.

Both Ms Keneally and Mr Roozendaal have defended the sell-off, saying the assets sold for "well above" their retention value.

They have also dismissed opposition calls for a judicial inquiry into the sale, but said they would welcome the scrutiny of the state's auditor-general.

Source http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/inquiry-in-doubt-after-nsw-parly-prorogued-20101222-195gx.html

Fake POW to spend time behind bars in Qld

An elderly man will spend Christmas behind bars for lying about being a prisoner of war in order to scam welfare payments.

Arthur "Rex" Crane, 84, posed as a World War II veteran for 22 years before his deceit was finally uncovered in 2009 by a military historian who thought his story didn't add up.

Before his fraud was exposed, however, the former president of the Ex-POW Association of Australia claimed $689,491 in commonwealth war pension and disability payments.

He was not entitled to $464,409 of that amount.

Crane pleaded guilty in the Brisbane District Court to defrauding the commonwealth and obtaining financial advantage by deception.

He was sentenced on Tuesday to four years' jail, but will be released on a good behaviour bond after just six months.

Judge Marshall Irwin also ordered Crane repay $413,869 which is still outstanding, but said his age meant it was unlikely the full amount would ever be recouped.

The court was told Crane started offending in 1988 as a way of maintaining a friendship he had developed with two ex-POWs.

The lie soon spiralled out of control, and the court was told Crane conducted extensive research to back up claims he had been involved in a volunteer guerilla force against the Japanese at the age of 15.

He said he had been captured and tortured by the Japanese and sent to work on the Thai-Burma Death Railway during WWII.

In reality, he had never served in the military.

Military historian Lynette Silver investigated Crane in 2009 after he delivered a speech at the POW War Memorial in Ballarat, Victoria.

Ms Silver had researched the "stay-behind" groups set up in Malaya and Singapore to operate behind Japanese lines and knew that Crane's claims could not be true.

"I'd done so much work that I knew the names of everybody and I knew he wasn't one of them," she told reporters outside the Brisbane District Court.

"I was absolutely shell-shocked to think that somebody could have risen to that level in the community and for 22 years milked the public purse on a totally and permanently incapacitated pension."

Di Elliott told reporters her father had never received a cent from the government despite being held as a prisoner.

"He died in 1975 of his war injuries, and it wasn't recognised as war injuries back in those days.

"My dad had been through it and got nothing and this man hadn't been anywhere near it and received all that money and accolades from all his POW mates - it was very difficult," Ms Elliott said of the court hearing.

Judge Irwin acknowledged Crane had done some meritorious work for the ex-POW community in Australia.

However, Crane's lies had shown "little respect" to those who had been injured while serving their country.

"Your conduct can only be regarded as an insult to those who fought, those who were captured, those who were tortured and those who died," Judge Irwin said.

In a written statement released by his lawyers, Crane said he was "deeply offended" by his own conduct.

Source http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/fake-pow-to-spend-time-behind-bars-in-qld-20101221-193ry.html

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Morcombe 'person of interest' denies 'thrill kill'

A man, described as a "person of interest" in the disappearance of Daniel Morcombe at Woombye on Queensland's Sunshine Coast, has denied allegations he was involved in a "thrill kill".

The man, dubbed P2, was testifying at the Brisbane inquest into the 13-year-old schoolboy's abduction in 2003.

Earlier the man denied any involvement, telling the Coroner he believed his own brother and another "person of interest" tried to implicate him to collect reward money.

P2 was asked why a former girlfriend would tell police he was involved in a thrill kill to which he replied "I'm not a murderer sir".

He said he did not know why she would make that claim.

The inquest continues.

Source http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/12/14/3093152.htm

NSW levees hold but more rain forecast

Nearly 4,000 people remain isolated in regional New South Wales tonight as flooding continues across the state.

While the immediate flood threat has abated in some towns with river levels not reaching their expected peaks, residents are being told to brace for the worst as more heavy rain is on the way.

Some evacuated residents are even being warned they might not be allowed back into their homes until the end of the week.

The State Emergency Service (SES) says the Murrumbidgee River did not reach its expected 10-metre peak and the levee guarding the town of Wagga Wagga has held.

The same has happened in the north-west around Coonamble, where the Castlereagh River has remained steady at 5.2 metres, falling short of the predicted peak of 5.5 metres.

But SES spokesman Phil Campbell says the worst is yet to come in some areas, with the weather bureau predicting up to 100 millimetres of rain later in the week.

"Some of the river systems are receiving the worst flooding they've had in 20 years," he said.

"But if some of the projections come off for very heavy rain later this week, then we may have much more serious flooding, perhaps as much as a once-in-a-generation flood or one in 50 years.

"That really depends upon just [how] heavy this rain is and where that rain falls.

"So people should not think the worst is over yet. The worst may yet be to come and that's why it's very important to be well prepared."

While some residents evacuated from eastern Coonamble have been allowed to return home tonight, Wagga Mayor Wayne Geale says many of those who left their homes in North Wagga will not be able to return home just yet.

"I think those who have shifted out are probably having a sigh of relief at the moment, because it probably isn't going to go over the bank into their homes," he said.

"So it's really everything is on hold now to see what the next event brings."

Towns cut off

John Griffiths from the Coonamble council says the town's evacuation order has been lifted, but with heavy rain predicted later in the week, residents need to be on stand-by.

"We're expecting some fairly decent rain on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and I would suggest to you that there is a definite threat of the floodwaters returning," he said.

He says Coonamble remains cut-off by floodwaters.

"You can't get in or out of the town unless you use the airstrip, helicopter, that sort of thing," he said.

"We probably will be 24 hours before the highway even is opened and it will be some considerable time before the highway north of Coonamble to Walgett is opened."

More than 1,500 people spent last night in alternative accommodation because of the flooding.

SES commissioner Murray Kear says emergency authorities are keeping in close contact with those residents who have refused to leave their homes.

But he has reminded them of the risk and says they are wrong to think they can evacuate at the last minute.

The Bureau of Meteorology has also issued a major flood warning for Wee Waa, in the state's north-west.

The Namoi River is expected to reach 6.7 metres sometime tomorrow, causing major flooding along Blackgate Creek, Vera's Leap and Trindals Lane.

The SES says Wee Waa is likely to be isolated, with all roads in a 20-kilometre radius cut by floodwater.

Namoi region deputy controller Andrew Galvin says local crews remain on watch.

Disaster declaration

Today Premier Kristina Keneally visited Wagga today to inspect the damage.

She said she was declaring a natural disaster in Wagga Wagga, Parkes and four other shires, meaning 34 shires across the state are on the declared list.

"It's quite humbling to witness what nature can do to a town, to property and to people's livelihoods," she said.

"And particularly if we remember that there are now 34 shires right across this state that have been affected by floodwaters, by heavy rains, and when you consider the decade that we've just lived through, it's an extraordinary change of events and change of circumstances."

Many of the disaster areas had been in drought, but now residents are facing the worst flooding in decades.

Source http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/12/06/3086115.htm

Telstra split bill passes Parliament on feisty final day

LABOR may be on the nose in Victoria but Julia Gillard was smiling today after legislation to structurally separate Telstra's wholesale and retail arms finally passed federal parliament.

The House of Representatives had to be recalled today to vote on the bill, and at 2:15pm the Gillard Government finally had its way.

The passing of the bill paves the way for Labor's proposed National Broadband Network (NBN).

After a feisty afternoon of debate, the vote passed on the voices without the Coalition calling for a division.

Leader of the House Anthony Albanese said structurally separating Telstra was "historic micro-economic reform".

"We know that the structural separation of Telstra has been an issue that has been talked about from every telecommunications commentator, academic and many of the operators themselves, having acknowledged that this reform is vital," he said in Parliament.

Parliament was feisty for its final day, with Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Opposition Leader Tony Abbott trading barbs.

"2010 is ending very badly for the Australian Labor Party," Mr Abbott said.

Ms Gillard accused the Federal Opposition of being "empty of ideas", a "weather vane" and having "a temper tantrum", and said it displayed "bitterness" and "negativity".

Mr Abbott interjected, labelling Ms Gillard's slurs "outrageous".

Speaker Harry Jenkins warned Mr Abbott, and two other MPs were warned as the volume within the chamber soared.

Independent MP Rob Oakeshott slammed some members of the Coalition for not turning up to work, while pointing out all of the independents had returned to Canberra for the afternoon sitting.

"Where are your members who are supposed to be here working," Mr Oakeshott thundered.

"I did not come here for rhetoric over reality."

At one point independent MP Andrew Wilkie tried to shut Mr Turnbull down by calling a vote.

"So much for the sunshine," Mr Turnbull said.

Independent Bob Katter voted with the government, along with Mr Wilkie, to shut the debate down but their crossbench counterparts Rob Oakeshott, Adam Bandt, Tony Windsor and Tony Crook voted with the Coalition to allow debate to continue.

However at 2:15pm, after two hours and 15 minutes, it was all over, with Ms Gillard and Mr Albanese left smiling, while the Coalition benches looked somewhat bleaker.

Speaker Harry Jenkins said he hoped when Parliament resumed in February next year it would be more "robust" and "efficient", and a "less adversarial place".

Parliament resumes on February 8.

Source http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/telstra-split-bill-passes-parliament-on-feisty-final-day/story-e6freuy9-1225962789425

Parents 'share' photo of suicide pact twins Candice and Kristin Hermeler

THE parents of Candice and Kristin Hermeler have released a recent photo of their daughters as they try to deal with the tragic outcome of the identical twins' suicide pact in the US.

Candice survived but Kristin died when the 29-year-old twins from Surrey Hills in Melbourne shot themselves at a shooting range in Denver, Colorado, last week .

The twins had hired .22 calibre handguns and ammunition and, after shooting targets for more than an hour, turned the guns on themselves.

Candice remains in a serious condition in Colorado's Swedish Medical Centre, where her parents are at her side after flying from Melbourne at the weekend.

“Our family asks that you respect our privacy during this difficult time but wanted to share a recent photo of our daughters with you,” parents Ernest and Kelsay Hermeler said in a statement today.

Candice told investigators the twins had planned to kill themselves, but has refused to explain why.

Colorado police have formally closed their investigation into the double shooting, saying there was “not any more that can be done on this case”.

The closure of the case comes after the discovery of links between the twins and the 1999 Columbine High School massacre.

In letters to Columbine shooting survivor Brooks Brown, Kristin said she was someone who had “been rejected, victimised and ostracised”.

Mr Brown's father told The Australian he believed police had prematurely closed the investigation into the twins' shooting.

The Hermeler twins completed Year 12 at Melbourne's exclusive Methodist Ladies College, where classmates recalled them as quiet, socially awkward and withdrawn.

One Year 12 classmate said she wouldn't have been surprised if the twins has been bullied at school. “It was a bitchy school,” she said.

Source http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/parents-share-photo-of-suicide-pact-twins-candice-and-kristin-hermeler/story-e6frg6nf-1225959420855

McKay to play for Australia A

Pace bowler Clint McKay will replace Mitchell Starc in Australia A's injury-hit lineup for their four-day game against England starting on Wednesday at Hobart's Bellerive Oval.

Starc, 20, has withdrawn because of a side strain and the home side have also been forced to find a replacement for injured West Australian opener Shaun Marsh (back), giving an opportunity to Tasmania's Ed Cowan.

Queensland quick Ryan Harris, who was a candidate to replace Starc, has also been ruled out with an ongoing knee complaint after taking nine wickets in last week's Shield win over Tasmania in Hobart.

Cricket Australia physio Kevin Sims said Starc has a "low-grade side strain" which the NSW left-armer suffered in last week's Shield match against Victoria at the SCG.

Chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch said Starc and McKay had both been impressive in taking nine wickets between them in Australia's one-day international win over Sri Lanka in game three in Brisbane on November 7.

"It's obviously very disappointing for Mitch who had been bowling well, as we saw in the last (ODI) match against Sri Lanka," Hilditch said on Monday.

"Clint ... has been a regular member around Australia's limited overs squads for some time now and I know he will be looking forward to this challenge against England."

Australia A batsman Callum Ferguson, who played for South Australia in last week's drawn game at Adelaide Oval, says the tourists are in excellent form.

"They're going to be a tough work out here but we've got some serious talent in this Australia A side and we'll be taking it right up to them, no doubt," Ferguson said.

England announced on Monday they would be resting their four frontline bowlers Stuart Broad, James Anderson, Steven Finn and spinner Graeme Swann from the Australia A game and sending them straight to Brisbane to acclimatise for the first Ashes Test starting on November 25 at the Gabba.

Source http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-sport/mckay-to-play-for-australia-a-20101115-17ts8.html

Gillard: Australian Banks 'Arrogant' In Raising Rates Beyond RBA's Hike

Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard Wednesday harshly criticized two Australian banks as "arrogant" for raising their rates on mortgages beyond the central bank's benchmark.

Gillard, in Seoul for the meeting of leaders from the Group of 20 major nations, said higher capital standards for banks globally under the Basel III accord would not justify the banks' rate hikes, because Australia has already secured special considerations for its well-capitalized banks.

"We don't want Australian banks to have any excuse from these new financial rules to excuse their arrogant conduct in putting up interest rates above and beyond reserve bank movements," Gillard told reporters on the sidelines of the meeting.

Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd. (ANZ.AU), Australia's third-largest lender to home buyers, Wednesday increased its variable mortgage interest rate by 39 basis points a week after rival Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA.AU) hiked rates beyond a 25 basis point tightening by the Reserve Bank of Australia, the country's central bank.

Gillard said that in a meeting with South Korean President Lee Myung-bak, she and Lee both expressed their desire to "rapidly conclude" talks on an Australia-Korea free trade agreement, but she declined to give a specific timetable for the conclusion of talks.

On exchange rates and imbalances, which have already become highly contentious in G-20 discussions here, Gillard reiterated Australia's position that the world should move over time to "market-based mechanisms" for exchange rate movements.

-By Aaron Back, Dow Jones Newswires; 8610 8400 7799; aaron.back@dowjones.com

Source http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20101110-705258.html

House of horrors adults named by Supreme Court of South Australia

THE identities of three men and a woman who bound, starved, punished and neglected five innocent children in an Adelaide home can finally be revealed.

Supreme Court Justice Kevin Duggan today said there was no longer any reason the names of Luke Andrew Armistead, Robert Armistead, Michael Benjamin Quinlivan and Tania Marie Staker should be obscured.

Armistead, Armistead and Quinlivan were last week found guilty, by a jury, of two counts each of aggravated acts to endanger life, and three counts each of aggravated acts creating a risk of serious harm.

Staker - the mastermind of the cruel regime - pleaded guilty to the same charges prior to trial.

Although no suppression orders had been placed on the group's identities, AdelaideNow chose not to name them so as to ensure the trial proceeded without impediment.

Today, Justice Duggan commended the media on their approach to the difficult case.

"The media have, quite properly, taken a careful attitude towards this matter," he said.

"But I think the court should now say something to indicate that publication of the names of these prisoners will not identify the victims."

Staker and the men committed their crimes in a northern suburbs home between February and June 2008.

They were among 20 adults and children who lived in the house.

During the trial, the jury heard Staker masterminded "a cruel regime" to punish the children.

They had been fathered by her then-partner, Luke Armistead, and another woman - whose identity is suppressed to protect the children.

That woman subsequently had a relationship with Michael Quinlivan, who also lived in the house.

Staker and Quinlivan are siblings, while Robert Armistead is Luke Armistead's former step-father.

The children suffered starvation, malnutrition, emaciation and scabies.

Authorities became aware of the situation when one child was taken to hospital with a head injury and severe hypothermia.

During the trial, jurors heard the children survived on chips and noodles when they were permitted to eat.

One day, they were given dog food and told "if you're hungry, eat this".

The children's mother - who also pleaded guilty to criminal neglect - said she lived in fear of Staker, claiming to be "numb" because of her own dysfunctional childhood.

One of the five children, who gave evidence before the jury, said they were fed enough to keep them alive "but not that much".

Source http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/national/house-of-horrors-adults-named-by-supreme-court-of-south-australia/story-e6frf7l6-1225947410200

Kids' TV star admits keeping child porn

A former Queensland policeman and television presenter has admitted storing footage of naked boys at his workplace.

David Warren Moore, 55, pleaded guilty in the Brisbane District Court on Tuesday to one count of possessing child exploitation material.

Moore, who was known as "Constable Dave" in the 1980s when he appeared alongside the puppet Agro on the children's television program Wombat, was busted with the vintage film when police went to his Brisbane workplace in May last year.

The court was told on Tuesday that Moore directed officers to a box of porn he had stored in his office, telling them it contained a video that had child exploitation material on it.

The court was told the tape contained about 13 minutes of video showing naked boys rock climbing and boating, with the focus on their genitals.

Judge Leanne Clare will sentence Moore on Wednesday morning, remanding him in custody until then.

Source http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/kids-tv-star-admits-keeping-child-porn-20101102-17bxo.html

Men guilty of starving children

THREE men, including a father, have been found guilty of participating in the cruel abuse suffered by five malnourished, seriously ill children in a northern suburbs house.

A Supreme Court jury of eight men and four women returned its verdict today after six hours of deliberation.

They found the men - who cannot be named - guilty of two counts each of aggravated acts to endanger life, and three counts each of aggravated acts creating a risk of serious harm, Adelaide Now reports.

The charges relate to events that occurred in a house occupied by more than 20 people, including six adults, between February and June 2008.

The five children suffered under what prosecutors called "a cruel regime" masterminded by a woman, who pleaded guilty prior to the trial.

They said that woman wanted to punish the children, who had been fathered by her partner and his former girlfriend.

Both the father - one of the men on trial - and the former girlfriend - who also pleaded guilty prior to trial - lived in the house.

The five children suffered starvation, malnutrition, emaciation and scabies.

Authorities became aware of the situation when one child was taken to hospital with a head injury, severe hypothermia and a temperature of just 26C.

During the three-week trial, jurors heard the children were denied food and, on the occasions they did eat, survived on chips and noodles.

One day, they were given dog food and told "if you're hungry, eat this".

One of the five children, who gave evidence before the jury, said he and his siblings were fed enough to keep them alive "but not that much".

"When we woke up we would have to stand near the wall through the whole day," he told jurors.

"We had a little bit of food, which wasn't that much... we never said anything (about it) because they would have beaten us up."

Another child who lived in the house - but was not abused - said some of the children were bound, hand and foot, with sticky tape "to stop them stealing food".

Giving evidence in his defence, the father of the five children admitted he "turned a blind eye" to the abuse.

This evening, Justice Kevin Duggan remanded the men in custody to a directions hearing next Wednesday.

Source http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/national/men-guilty-of-starving-children/story-e6frf7l6-1225944869793

Standoff intensifies as man douses yacht

A man holding police at bay at a major ferry terminal in Brisbane's CBD is again dousing his yacht and a neighbouring vessel with liquid from a jerry can.

The New Zealand man was seen by media crews pouring liquid over the bow and front deck of a Brisbane City Council cross-river ferry which the yacht is moored alongside.

The 54-year-old Vietnam veteran called police at 5:00am (AEST) threatening self-harm and has been holding off police, fire and ambulance personnel since.

A 100-metre exclusion zone has been set up around the busy Eagle Street pier and police and a bomb detection robot are at the scene.

The man had earlier been seen on the boat's deck carrying a five-litre container of fuel and a long knife, playing a guitar and smoking.

This afternoon a police robot handed him a case containing a phone and what appeared to be a piece of paper.

The Riverside ferry terminal remains closed and council buses are running from Eagle Street to the Mowbray Park, Hawthorne and Bulimba Citycat terminals.

The alternate bus services will continue until 8:00pm (AEST).

'Cry for help'

A fellow yachtie and friend of the man says he is probably making a cry for help.

The man's friend of a few years said he had lived on his boat in Brisbane for two years and was close to the nomadic yachting community.

Other yachties are concerned for the welfare of the man.

"I think this is a cry for help - none of this was expected, none of us thought this would have happened," the friend said.

"He's had some health issues and some family issues. He's a nice guy, an ex-Vietnam vet, a super guy.

"This is completely out of character for him."

Source http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/10/25/3047865.htm

Appeal for information about Mandurah death

The son of a 73 year old Mandurah woman found dead in her backyard says the circumstances of her death have devastated his family.

Police believe Helen Margaret Bromley was murdered about a fortnight ago.

Mrs Bromley's youngest son Brett Dawe wants anyone with information about her death to come forward.

"I thought my mother had another ten years or so left in her and she's gone, in such a way that's very destroying for the family," he said.

Source http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/10/22/3046176.htm

Cat flushed down toilet: firefighters save kitten from drain

Firefighters have rescued a kitten that was flushed down the toilet at a house in Sydney's north-west.

NSW Fire Brigades Superintendent Ian Krimmer said three fire rescue crews were sent out to a home in Jacqui Circuit, Baulkham Hills, this afternoon.

He said firefighters pushed a search camera down a drain pipe and found the kitten trapped there.

The kitten was still alive.

So the emergency crew removed the toilet, then broke through a concrete slab down to where the kitten was, he said.

A neighbour, Elizabeth Harrison, said she was told by a woman outside the house that it was her two-year-old daughter who flushed the day-and-a-half-old kitten down the bowl.

It was not known how or why the kitten was flushed down the toilet bowl, Superintendent Krimmer said.

Fire crews responded to a triple-0 call for help.

It was a legitimate triple-0 call, he said.

"We always try and help with domestic pets where we can."

Source http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/cat-flushed-down-toilet-firefighters-save-kitten-from-drain-20101019-16rx3.html

Federal police celebrate huge drug seizure

Authorities say about half a tonne of cocaine has been kept off the streets thanks to this week's huge drug bust in south-east Queensland.

More than 460 kilograms of the drug was found on a luxury yacht at a Brisbane marina on Tuesday.

Three New South Wales men appeared in court yesterday and have been remanded in custody on drug charges.

Australian Federal Police deputy commissioner Andrew Colvin says it will be alleged the cocaine was imported from South America on a larger boat, before being transferred at sea.

"The luxury boats that were intercepted and the technologies employed on those vessels is some evidence of the finances available to organised crime when they're conducting these operations," he said.

"But this seizure has put a large hole in the financing of organised crime in this country."

Source http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/10/14/3038650.htm?section=justin

Driver drunk when toddler killed

Jacob Bangoang and his wife left war-torn Sudan, walking barefoot for five days and through crocodile infested waters in their quest for a better life.

They found refuge in Australia but their dream was shattered last December when their six-year-old son Bangoang Tut died after being hit by a drunk, unlicensed driver as he played in the front yard of their home.

The Victorian County Court was told that alcoholic Gary Edward Ryan, 26, was travelling up to 80km/h before the crash that killed Bangoang Tut and endangered the lives of Bangoang Tut's then pregnant mother Yomding Deng and his cousin and friend.

His friends, who guessed he had had up to 18 beers, hid his keys to stop him driving.

But Ryan recovered them, determined to drive, prosecutor Ray Elston SC said.

Once in the car, he did burnouts and fishtails. He told police he may have had half a stubbie either in his hand or between his legs.

He told police he lost control and hit a fence before crashing into Bangoang Tut, who was playing in the front yard of his Morwell home in Victoria's southeast.

Bangoang Tut was critically injured and died a short time later in hospital.

Ryan recorded a blood alcohol content of .109, twice the legal limit, after the incident.

Jacob Bangoang said in his victim statement that he and his wife had left their country as refugees for a safe place for their son Bangoang Tut to grow up.

"We risked our lives to travel day and night. After what we had been through we thought our lives here would be so much better and different," he said.

"Now it turns out more devastating and disastrous to us than ever before."

He said his other children now feared being killed by a car.

Father of two Ryan sobbed as the court heard of his remorse.

A letter of apology he wrote to his victim's family was read aloud.

"I would like you to know if I could give my life to bring Bangoang Tut back I would," he wrote.

Judge Liz Gaynor said Ryan had acted like a lunatic but she accepted he was sorry.

Defence barrister Shivani Pillai said Ryan had a violent upbringing, was bullied at school and had a longstanding alcohol problem.

She said he began drinking heavily to treat his depression from age 16, consuming up to 16 beers in a session.

Once he reached 19, he would drink to the point of blackout.

Ryan, of Morwell, pleaded guilty to culpable driving causing death and three counts of reckless conduct endangering death.

He will be sentenced on October 27.

Source http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/driver-drunk-when-toddler-killed-20101012-16hn5.html

Starving children fed dog food: court

Five malnourished children were so hungry they wolfed down dog food when offered it by a woman who had been starving them, a court has been told.

The five siblings, who lived in Adelaide with six adults and 16 other children, were mistreated and deprived of food until they were so thin their bones could be seen, a trial of three men heard on Wednesday.

The three men have each pleaded not guilty to aggravated acts endangering life, criminal neglect and aggravated acts creating risk of serious harm against the five children, who were aged between four and seven at the time.

Mr Nitschke told the jury that the children's mother had pleaded guilty to the abuse and would testify that she and the others had deprived her children of food and forced them to stand in line all day with their hands on their heads.

This happened "from the time they got up until they went to bed at night", Mr Nitschke said.

The line-up began as a one-off punishment but it turned into a daily practice under the enforcement of the alleged ringleader, a mother of 12 who was in a relationship with the father of the five children.

Mr Nitschke said that when the desperate children broke out of line to snatch at food, the scraps were taken out of their mouths.

"By force, if necessary. They were often grabbed by the throat and choked," he said.

He said one witness would testify to seeing the ringleader hand each of the five a plate of dog food, telling them to eat it if they were hungry.

"He will tell you that each of them wolfed down the dog food," the prosecutor said.

Mr Nitschke said that when the five-year-old collapsed, some of the adults tried to cover up their neglect by force-feeding him.

"A gruel of soggy mashed Weet-Bix was made up and put into a syringe," he said.

Investigating officers said the children were "looking like children from a famine-affected Third World country", he said.

"Some of the children's feet had swollen up, it was difficult for them to stand."

Source http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/starving-children-fed-dog-food-court-20101006-16793.html

Cats won't stop Thompson moving to Dons

GEELONG chief executive Brian Cook says the Cats will not prevent departing coach Mark Thompson from joining another club if he wishes to do so.

Thompson resigned from his position at Geelong on Monday after a very successful 11 seasons in charge.

But his move has reignited speculation he will soon join Essendon - the club he captained to a premiership in 1993 - as a senior assistant coach working under James Hird.

"Mark's current contract allows him to leave with six weeks notice, which he has provided today," Cook said.

"He is pretty much a free man after that. The only expectation we would have - and that's been communicated to him - is that at some stage in the future, if and when he does take up another position, is that he doesn't take any of our staff."

However, Thompson, 46, has once again refused to give any hints on whether he will head back to the Bombers.

"The thing for me has been to say goodbye to the people who work here, the supporters, the players. It's really difficult to do," he said.

"What I'm going to do tomorrow is sit down and reflect and see what I want to do next.

"I clearly have no idea, and I know there's a lot of speculation about what I'm going to, but it's pretty hard to speculate if I don't know what I'm going to do tomorrow.

"I really don't know what I'm going to be doing. End of story."

Thompson said he was glad to have left his position on his own terms, rather than face the prospect of being forced out at a later date.

"I think handling it this way is a lot easier on the person," he added.

"I know I've let the club down by walking away, but we're going to be friends for life because I chose that way.

"A lot of people who do get the sack as coach, they don't end up having a great relationship with that club."

Cook said the working group that has been put together to find Geelong's new coach will hold its first meeting on Tuesday morning.

"It's not simply a matter of coming up with three or four names and ringing their managers," Cook, who is part of the working group, said.

"It's an important position and we'll do the best we can to find the best person for Geelong, whether that person is sourced internally or externally."

Geelong's recruiting manager, Stephen Wells, will handle the club's participation in trade week, which begins on Tuesday.

Source http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/103713/default.aspx

Crews monitor LPG cylinders after blast

Fire crews are monitoring gas cylinders at a burning factory in Melbourne's southeast after an explosion in which a man was burnt.

The fire broke out shortly after 3pm (AEST) on Wednesday inside a factory at Renver Road, Clayton.

A man received treatment at the Monash Medical Centre for non-life- threatening burns believed to have been received in the fire, a Metropolitan Fire Brigade spokesman said.

"There is a lot of insulation burning in the building," a Metropolitan Fire Brigade spokesman said.

"There is still LPG cylinders in the factory."

Fire crews will remain on the scene, and investigators will return on Thursday morning.

They brought the fire under control in just over 30 minutes.

Source http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/crews-monitor-lpg-cylinders-after-blast-20100929-15x1r.html

Liberal Alex Somlyay accepts Labor offer for Deputy Speaker job

LABOR has brokered a deal with Queensland Liberal MP, Alex Somlyay, to become deputy speaker and help the Government with its knife-edge majority.

Mr Somlyay, who was dumped as chief opposition whip in the latest Coalition shuffle, has agreed not to support no-confidence motions against the Gillard government or back the blocking of supply which would bring down the Government.

Labor has the numbers, with the independents and Mr Somlyay, to vote on the floor of the parliament for Harry Jenkins to become Speaker and Mr Somlyay to be his deputy.

The Opposition is now trying to consider what action to take at its partyroom meeting on Monday faced with Mr Somlyay’s deal with Labor.

MPs will elect the Speaker and a deputy when parliament sits on Tuesday, the first time it has met since the August 21 election failed to give either of the major parties an absolute majority.

The offer to Mr Somlyay came after the Coalition refused yesterday to agree to provide a pair for a Labor Speaker.

Pairing allows parties to maintain their numbers even if people are absent from the chamber.

Mr Albanese accused Tony Abbott of being a “wrecker” who did not want to play a constructive role in the parliament.

“Under those circumstances the Labor Party believes it is important to have the best and most experienced person for the job, that is why we will be nominating Harry Jenkins,” he said.

“I've had a number of discussions with members of the Coalition,” Mr Albanese said in Melbourne.

“It is fair to say there is great deal of anger within Coalition ranks with Tony Abbott - many members of the Liberal Party and the National Party have expressed their concern.

“I understand Tony Abbott has been pushing Philip Ruddock but it is my understanding they will walk away from that.”

Earlier, independent MP Bob Katter - who backed Mr Abbott to be prime minister in negotiations after the election - said he wasn't surprised Labor was sounding out Coalition MPs.

“If I was the ALP I would be rushing to support him too, but Harry Jenkins is the best Speaker I may have served under in my 37 years in parliament,” he told The Australian Online.

“This was ill-advised by Tony Abbott - he's burning up capital, he looks like he is a disrupting influence and it's taken attention away from Julia Gillard.”

Mr Katter said Mr Abbott had wasted valuable political capital by walking away from the deal to pair the Speaker, but he wouldn't switch his support to Ms Gillard.

Source http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/liberal-alex-somlyay-reported-to-be-considering-breaking-ranks-over-speaker-deadlock/story-fn59niix-1225928867342

Rahul declines Mehbooba's call to intervene in Kashmir

Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi on Thursday scotched any possibility of his intervention in trouble-torn Kashmir and said with a touch of humour that nowadays he is being asked to intervene on any issue, including the upcoming Commonwealth Games.

Responding to a query on Peoples' Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti seeking his intervention to bring peace to Kashmir, Gandhi said he was currently involved in the full-time job of rejuvenating the Youth Congress and the National Students' Union of India (NSUI).

"I am currently involved in a full-time job. But I find everybody everywhere nowadays likes to offer me new job. I have even been given an offer of intervening in the Commonwealth Games," Gandhi said in a media conference here.

"The way I see it, I have been given a responsibility. The way I have been brought up, you have to carry out a political task. I spend most of my day attending to issues that could result in bringing fresh young people to the NSUI and the Youth Congress," he said.

He said there were many people who were more capable of handling issues like Kashmir and running the Commonwealth Games.

"And Kashmir is not a part-time problem. When I am given a task, I would like to settle down and understand the problem in detail," he said.

Source http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics/nation/Rahul-declines-Mehboobas-call-to-intervene-in-Kashmir/articleshow/6565534.cms

Jat reservation stir grips Haryana, two dead

The Haryana Government on Monday was in for a major concern with the State’s Jats agitating for quota in the Government services, which let two dead and several others injured, when the police had to open fire to control the mob.

One of the deceased was identified as Sunil, while the identity of the other casualty was not confirmed. The injured were admitted in the hospitals in Hisar and other places for treatment, while Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda ordered a magisterial inquiry into the violence.

The incident took place at Mayyar village in Hisar district. The agitating mobs burnt as many as six vehicles, disrupted the regular vehicular traffic along with disrupting the movement of several trains in the region. The protests for quota were reported from Sonepat, Sirsa, Hisar, and Bhiwani districts, and are likely to spread in other parts of the State soon.

The main Opposition INLD was quick to condemn the State Government for inciting the mob.

“It was peaceful demonstration, but the police personnel chose to lathicharge them, which further flared up the crowd. Action should be taken against the erring cops,” said Ashok Arora, MLA and senior INLD leader.

“The State Government has no control over the police forces. They did not act, when Dalit houses were burnt in Mirchpur in Hisar district. They do not have respect for democratic values. Chief Minister Hooda must take action against the erring cops. Why the police forces have gone out of his control,” he asked.

The agitation for quota in Haryana is being spearheaded by the All India Jat Arakshan Sangharsh Samiti (AIJASS). It is said that the outfit has not only the tacit support of INLD leaders, but also a section of the Congress leaders who do not want to see Hooda holding the coveted post any longer.

Given the sensitivity of the issue, Chief Minister Hooda was quick in announcing a magisterial inquiry by the Divisional Commissioner, Hisar, to look into the circumstances leading to the death of one person and injuries to others during the ‘Chetawni Rally’ held by All India Jat Arakshan Sangrash Samiti at village Mayyar near Hansi on National Highway No 10 on Monday. The report would be submitted in a month’s time.

A Government statement said that several police personnel, including Hisar SP Subhash Yadav, were injured as mob indulged in arson, causing damage to public property and resorted to heavy stone-pelting on police personnel during the ‘Chetawni Rally’ being held by AIJASS, demanding reservation for Jats in the Government services.

A spokesman of Haryana Police said they had put blockade at the National Highway No 10, Delhi-Hisar road thus causing inconvenience to the people. A mob attacked the vehicles and put them on fire, damaged bank and indulged in stone-pelting.

Source http://www.dailypioneer.com/283031/Jat-reservation-stir-grips-Haryana-two-dead.html

No Lankan player under scanner for bookie link: Sangakkara Read more: No Lankan player under scanner for bookie link: Sangakkara

Sri Lankan captain Kumar Sangakkara on Friday rubbished media reports that Tillakaratne Dilshan was under the ICC scanner for his alleged links with bookmakers and said none of his team-mates were suspected of "fraternising with shady characters".

"All these stories going around about Dilshan are absolutely baseless. No Sri Lankan player to my knowledge is in suspicion of fraternising with these so called bookies by their team-mates nor by team management and Sri Lanka Cricket Board. As far as I know there was no report to SLCICC's Anti-corruption Unit," Sangakkara said.

According to British tabloid 'Daily Mail', Sri Lankan team manager filed a report to ICC's ACSUWorld Cup in England in June last year.

Sangakkara denied it and said he had never passed on information of any suspicious activity by any of his team-mates to the management.

"I have never reported against any player specifically. All the players are very open in communicating with me and team management. No one including me have voiced our suspicion over any of our team-mates at any time nor reported specifically to the team manager or SLC," he asserted.

"If there is any report of any suspicion on any player, then it is better to ask the SLC and the team management about that but as far as I know ,there is no such thing," he told 'Times Now'.

Sangakkara also ruled out any Sri Lankan player intentionally mixing up with illegal bookmakers.

"Any of the players upto my knowledge have not fraternised with any of these shady characters. The only thing is you never know who is sitting at the chair next to you or who is taking photograph with you at a hotel or somewhere," he said.

SLC chief executive Ajith Jayasekara also dismissed reports of Dilshan being under ICC scanner.

"We dont go by speculation or what any newspaper wants to say. We don't want to go by such reports. The Anti corruption Unit of the ICC has not reported any such involvement of any player. We cant go by speculation. This has not been brought to our notice by the anti-corruption unit of the ICC. There is no evidence against any Sri Lankan player," Jayasekara said.

Read more: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/cricket/top-stories/No-Lankan-player-under-scanner-for-bookie-link-Sangakkara/articleshow/6530049.cms

US to look to India for changes in Nuclear Liability Bill

The US says it will look to India to see what "changes" can be made to the Nuclear Liability Bill just passed by Parliament in the wake of concerns over making suppliers of equipment also liable in the event of a nuclear accident. "We continue our discussions with the Indian Government on this issue and we note that Indian business leaders are concerned about some specific aspects of the law that was just passed by Parliament," State Department spokesman P J Crowley said in the first reaction by the Obama Administration to some controversial provisions in the Bill.

"We will look to the Indian Government to see what changes can be made," Crowley told reporters in response to a question on the US business being reportedly unhappy on some aspects of the liability law. The liability legislation was a vital step to clear the decks for the full implementation of the historic Indo-US civil nuclear deal. On August 30, Parliament had adopted the nuclear liability bill with the government insisting that the compensation package for victims matches that of the US and it was still open to accommodate some suggestions. A US South Asia expert has recently suggested that the Parliament had passed a flawed civil nuclear liability law, warning that it could cast a pall over the Indo-US nuke deal.

US policymakers and industrial leaders were taken off guard over the passage of the legislation "despite retaining language inconsistent with international standards for engaging in nuclear commerce," according to Lisa Curtis, Senior Research Fellow for South Asia at The Heritage Foundation, a Washington think tank. The law includes language that makes suppliers of equipment, raw materials, and services liable after the construction of a plant during any nuclear accident. Noting that Indian business groups have denounced the legislation, Curtis said "This latest obstacle in the US-India nuclear deal is unfortunate, as it follows the successful completion of a US-India nuclear reprocessing agreement earlier this year, which granted India the right to reprocess spent nuclear fuel." PTI LKJ DDC

Source http://ibnlive.in.com/generalnewsfeed/news/us-to-look-to-india-for-changes-in--nuclear-liability-bill/302328.html

Indian states crippled by trade union strike

A strike called by trade unions in India on Tuesday to protest against rising prices and alleged anti-labour policies crippled life in the east and south of the country in Communist-ruled states.

Most other areas were largely unaffected by the protest which came nearly two months after a successful nationwide shutdown led by opposition parties to protest against rising fuel prices.

Schools, colleges and government and private offices were closed across the eastern state of West Bengal and roads were deserted in regional capital Kolkata. About 100 flights were cancelled at the city's airport.

"Security has been stepped up across the city to avoid untoward incidents," Kolkata city police chief Gautam Mohon Chakraborty told AFP.

In southern Kerala, which is also Communist ruled, unions led rallies in the state capital city Thiruvananthapuram.

"The strike is total in Kerala and all the major unions have joined," M.M Lawrence, general secretary of the Centre of India Trade Union, told AFP.

"The protesting unions have organised peaceful protests against the anti-labour policies of the union (federal) government."

In New Delhi, some branches of nationalised banks shut for the day and Dow Jones Newswires reported that the Indian factory of German engineering group Bosch had shut "for certain national issues".

The rising cost of living in India is one of the hottest political issues at present, with inflation running in near double figures.

A weak monsoon last year hit food production that has led to severe price increases at markets across the country. The trend is now in decline, however, with this year's monsoon at normal levels.

India's main inflation index is likely to ease to 7.0 percent by December compared with 9.97 percent at its last reading in July, India's chief statistician T.C.A. Anant said Tuesday.

Source http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jqDSSi-T-3L7HjqDLE2URtqUjUYw

China denies 'troops in Pakistan' report

China on Thursday dismissed reports saying troops of the People's Liberation Army are in a disputed area of Pakistan.

The New York Times ran an opinion piece last week which said up to 11,000 soldiers of the People's Liberation Army were in Gilgit, a northwest area of disputed Kashmir.

"The story that China has deployed some military in the northern part of Pakistan is totally groundless and out of ulterior purposes," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said at a regular briefing.

"Some people are making fabrications to destroy relations between China, Pakistan and India but their attempt will arrive nowhere," she said.

The piece by Selig Harrison, director of the Asia program at the US-based Center for International Policy, said China wants control of the region to get clear road and rail access to the Gulf through Pakistan.

It said many of the soldiers are working on a railway link.

The article comes amid reports of military unease between China and India.

Earlier this week China said it had not received word from New Delhi that it had suspended military exchanges, despite Indian media reports that relations had been put on hold after Beijing refused to grant a visa to a top Indian army general from the Indian-controlled part of Kashmir.

An anonymous senior Indian official was quoted in the Hindu newspaper on Saturday as saying that future military exchanges and a joint exercise between Indian and Chinese defence forces would remain suspended until China resolves the issue.

China's Ministry of National Defence said in a statement faxed to The Associated Press that it had not suspended the exchanges nor received word from India about any suspension.

Indian media reports said the suspension was New Delhi's response to Beijing denying a visa for Indian army Lt Gen B.S. Jaswal, who was scheduled to join a military delegation to China.

Jaswal was denied a visa because he is responsible for army operations in the Indian-controlled portion of Kashmir, the reports said.

Jiang said such reports were untrue and that Beijing had no intention to interfere in the Kashmir dispute.

"As a neighbour and friend of both countries, China believes that the issue should be left to the two countries so that it can be properly handled through dialogue and consultation."

India and Pakistan, an ally of China, both control part of the Himalayan region while claiming all of it.

China also claims part of northeastern Kashmir that it says is part of Tibet.

While relations between China and India have improved in recent years, they are still testy over territorial claims dating back to a brief border war in 1962.

In recent years, India and China have held more than a dozen rounds of talks on settling the border dispute but have made little progress.

Beijing is also highly critical of India's support for the Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, who fled Tibet in 1959 and set up a government-in-exile in the northern Indian hill town of Dharmsala.

Source http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-world/china-denies-troops-in-pakistan-report-20100902-14rhl.html

BlackBerry ban? Apple, Nokia could be among main beneficiaries

Indian companies are mulling options that include leaving Research in Motion (RIM) for other smartphone makers as they face a threatened ban on BlackBerry services that could disrupt business. RIM's rivals Apple Inc and Nokia would be among the biggest gainers if India blocks BlackBerry services.

Both firms are waiting to gain share in a market that has been mostly dependent on BlackBerry. BlackBerry, once a synonym for safe corporate communication, faces an Aug 31 deadline for giving Indian security agencies access to its corporate email and messenger services, failing which the services would be blocked, the government has said.

General Electric's Indian unit, which has about $2.6 billion in revenue in the country, has already started discussing options to switch to other services, a person familiar with the matter told Reuters. The person said options included Apple's iPhone services, though a final decision would be made only after the government makes a decision.

Infosys Technologies Ltd, India's No. 2 IT software services exporter, would look at using alternate services for communications to ensure that its business was not affected if some BlackBerry services were banned. "We hope that this issue will be resolved soon," said an Infosys spokeswoman. "If the need arises, we will use alternate services to help our staff remotely access mails."

An official with one of the leading European banks in India said the bank could look at using other smartphones if BlackBerry services were blocked in the world's fastest-growing wireless market. "The plans are very preliminary at this stage, but we will have to look at some alternate arrangements if the BlackBerry service is blocked in the country," said the official with the bank, declining to be named as the discussions were confidential.

"Obviously, if there is uncertainty, consumers will definitely" switch to other service providers, said Pankaj Mohindroo, president of Indian Cellular Association, a trade organization for mobile phone manufacturers. He said customers were "feeling extremely uncertain" as they depend on their communication devices. India has about a million BlackBerry users, according to industry estimates. RIM does not give country-specific user numbers.

RIM has said singling out BlackBerry would be counter-productive for India, as it would limit the efficiency and productivity of local firms.

CALLS TO RIVALS

An official with one of RIM's rival companies confirmed they had started getting queries from wary corporate BlackBerry users asking if they could be a substitute for BlackBerry. Nine mobile operators offer BlackBerry services in India, of which Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Essar are estimated to have the maximum number of BlackBerry users in India. "There is a chance that we could receive further orders from the government requiring us to shut down certain services available on the BlackBerry platform for an undetermined length of time," Vodafone Essar told its corporate customers in an email.

"We will be in a clearer position after September 1 to advise on the likely outcomes and whether it is necessary to engage in any detailed contingency planning," India's third-largest mobile operator, controlled by Vodafone, said in the note.

India might extend an Aug 31 deadline in its standoff with RIM if the Canadian firm says it has a solution and asks for more time, a government source said on Friday. India says it wants to track and read BlackBerry's secure email and instant messaging services that officials fear could be misused by militants trying to create instability. India is one of a number of countries putting pressure on RIM, which has built its reputation around confidentiality.

Source http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/infotech/hardware/BlackBerry-ban-Apple-Nokia-could-be-among-main-beneficiaries/articleshow/6460980.cms