Vic govt flags road, transport funds boost

THERE will be more money for Victorian roads and public transport in the upcoming state budget, the government says.

Treasurer Michael O'Brien said the government will spend an additional $130 million in road works of four years, with $80m to go on resealing and maintenance and $50m for capital restoration.

He also flagged spending increases for public transport, but would not go into detail.

"There will be significant boost to public transport as well in the budget but we'll leave those for another day," Mr O'Brien told reporters on Saturday.

"There'll be further announcements about road work down the track."

He said the additional funding, announced in one of Melbourne's growth areas in the city's north, meant scheduled maintenance projects would be able to be brought forward.

"(This is )terrific news for people in Melbourne's growing areas such as here in Mernda where we're seeing massive population growth and we need to see roads upgraded," Mr O'Brien said.

The government says the announcement brings its road management budget to more than half a billion dollars for 2014-15.

Opposition leader Daniel Andrews said under the Coalition government, road funding had been up one year and down the next.

"The government's simply putting back a portion of the money they've cut away from important road resurfacing," Mr Andrews said.

"Inconsistent road funding and savage cutbacks seen particularly in road resurfacing makes roads less safe."

He said Labor had proposed an annual allocation of $125m additional funding for the regions and metropolitan Melbourne over eight years.

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Three survive car's 'spin' on Vic slope

THREE men have escaped with their lives after their ute overturned and rolled over itself several hundred metres down a steep slope in Victoria's Alpine region.

The men were attempting to drive up a track at Longley Road, Porepunkah on Saturday morning when they lost traction with the vehicle rolling over itself for up to 400-500m, an Ambulance Victoria spokesman said.

Police say the men had been driving a 4WD utility vehicle up a fire track.

A 17-year-old male driver suffered pelvic and arm injuries and was airlifted to the Royal Melbourne Hospital where he remains in a serious but stable condition.

An 18-year-old man, who was airlifted to The Alfred, is in a critical condition after suffering head and chest injuries.

A third man, whose age is unknown, was taken to Wangaratta Hospital with minor injuries and is in a stable condition.

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Hard line on boats paying off: Morrison

Immigration Minister Scott Morrison says the government's tough stance on asylum seekers is working. Source: AAP

NO people-smuggling venture had succeeded in landing asylum seekers on Australia for more than four months, the government says.

In the latest update on Operation Sovereign Borders, Immigration Minister Scott Morrison said on Saturday that vigorous border protection activities was deterring illegal boat arrivals, even into the post-monsoon period when weather conditions usually improve.

Mr Morrison said the practice of turning back unauthorised boats remained in effect.

"Anyone seeking to enter Australia illegally by boat will be faced with the same policies those who previously attempted illegal entry met," he said in a statement.

Mr Morrison said no one had reached Australia since December 19 and that continued this month. But 3351 on 47 boats arrived in April 2013 under the former Labor government.

The latest Operation Sovereign Borders operational update says there are now 1281 in the processing centre on Manus Island and 1177 on Nauru, making a total of 2458.

Another 1405 remain on Christmas Island. During the last week, eight asylum seekers were transferred to Nauru.

Seven unauthorised maritime arrival transferees were voluntarily returned to Iran.

Since Operation Sovereign Borders started on September 18, 220 asylum seekers have voluntarily returned to their home countries.

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Magnitude 6.5 quake strikes off Tonga

A STRONG 6.5-magnitude earthquake has struck off the Pacific nation of Tonga, the US Geological Survey says, but there has been no immediate tsunami warning or reports of significant damage.

The undersea quake hit 71 kilometres northeast of the Tongan capital Nuku'alofa at a shallow depth of 10 kilometres on Saturday, the USGS said.

Residents reported a "short, very violent" jolt at around 0600 GMT (1600 AEST) that knocked items off shelves and sent people fleeing for higher ground, though there was no indication of a tsunami.

The Hawaii-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Center did not issue an alert, and the USGS said there was a low likelihood of casualties and damage.

Geoscience Australia estimated the tremor at a magnitude 6.3 and said it was likely to have been felt within a wide radius but damage was unlikely.

Tonga sits on the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, a region of frequent seismic activity due to collisions between continental plates.

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Digger wanted to march despite collapsing

A WAR veteran who collapsed during Melbourne's Anzac Day parade wanted to leave his hospital bed and rejoin his comrades.

The man suffered a cardiac arrest and required CPR while marching towards the Shrine of Remembrance on Friday morning.

He was taken to The Alfred hospital in a critical condition, but was keen to head back to the parade as soon as possible, an RSL spokesman said.

"His first question was when could he get back to the march," he said.

The parade was briefly suspended as the man received treatment.

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Royals provide 'different' Anzac touch

The royal couple joined a record crowd of 37,000 for the Anzac Day commemorations in Canberra. Source: AAP

IT was the personal touch from the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge which impressed Dick and Janice Middleton.

The handwritten message on the wreath of red poppies placed at the Stone of Remembrance was simple but said all that was required.

"Never forgetting those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom".

The note is signed William and Catherine.

The royal couple laid the wreath at a solemn national Anzac ceremony in Canberra, in which Prime Minister Tony Abbott thanked them for their attendance.

"Your presence reminds us of all our comrades in arms," he said.

The Middletons from Engadine in Sydney praised the couple as "so casual and so friendly with everyone".

The pair, Dick having completed national service with the air force in 1956, and Janice wearing her uncle Merv's medals from World War I, said the royal couple had lifted the service at the Australian War Memorial.

"They're not the royals of old," said 77-year-old Dick.

"It's written in their own hand - very plain and casual.

"It just shows a different approach."

William, who was a lieutenant in the Royal Air Force, wore two service medals and a sprig of rosemary to the late morning service.

The Duchess dressed in a grey tweed trench coat and a poppy broach that Emma, the wife of Australian Victorian Cross recipient Ben Roberts-Smith, gave her at a reception on Thursday night.

The couple also visited the tomb of the unknown soldier and placed a poppy on the Wall of Remembrance, where they were visibly moved by the sea of red flowers.

The national service was the second attended by the Duke and Duchess on Friday, after they surprised all by joining a record crowd of 37,000 at the Canberra dawn service.

The couple had not been expected at the memorial so early, but made a discreet entry just after 5am.

The final duty on William and Kate's 10-day visit to Australia was to plant a sapling, cultivated from seeds collected in Gallipoli following the Battle of Lone Pine.

For Prince William, who served in the RAF for more than seven years, the tree had a special family connection.

Prince Henry the Duke of Gloucester - who later went on to serve as Australia's governor-general after World War II - planted the original pine at the war memorial in October 1934.

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More peace, less Simpson says Tas governor

TASMANIAN Governor Peter Underwood has told Hobart's Anzac Day ceremony Australia needs to understand the truth of its involvement in war.

Mr Underwood has called for peace studies centres to be funded and for the Anzac centenary in 2015 to be a designated Year of Peace.

The governor is renowned for his strongly worded anti-war Anzac Day addresses, and last year implored Australians to avoid glorifying the centenary.

More than six thousand people have attended Hobart's dawn service while seven thousand in Launceston didn't let near-freezing temperatures deter them.

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Smaller crowd falls silent at Gallipoli

THIS year's dawn service at Gallipoli was billed as a dress rehearsal for the 2015 centenary but a smaller-than-expected turnout made it a very intimate affair.

Some 4400 mostly Australian and New Zealand pilgrims were at North Beach 12 months out from the 100th anniversary when 10,500 people will be crammed on to the site.

The crowd on Friday was reminded that reverential silence on the often eerily quiet Turkish peninsula is a tribute to the diggers who died in 1915.

Veterans' Affairs Minister Michael Ronaldson said the soldiers who landed at Anzac Cove 99 years ago were, by their own admission, ordinary men.

"They did not seek glory, nor did they want their actions to be glorified - for it was they who quickly came to know the true horror of war," the minister said as the sun rose over the Gallipoli cliffs.

"That these ordinary men, however, did extraordinary things is beyond doubt."

Senator Ronaldson said the Anzacs left a vanquished fighting force but "were victorious in helping forge the identity of our two new nations".

"As the dawn of this new day breaks over the peninsula our tribute to the spirit of Anzac is a reverential silence," he said.

Some 8700 Australians died during the eight-month campaign alongside 2700 New Zealanders.

It's estimated up to 87,000 Turks lost their lives.

The modern Turkish nation, too, was built partly on the back of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk's success as a commander at Gallipoli. He went on to become the republic's first president in 1923.

Young Australian Erinn Cooper camped out overnight to represent her father and grandfather at the dawn service.

The 22-year-old comes from a military family - her father served in East Timor and Iraq while her grandfather fought in World War II.

"It's really mind-blowing to be here," she said.

"Anzac Day is our biggest day of the year. It's a really big thing in our family."

Ms Cooper considered applying for the centenary in 2015 but decided the ballot was too risky.

"Coming this year was something we could actually make happen."

Organisers saw this year's service as a dress rehearsal for 2015.

But while the crowd will be much bigger next year, it will also potentially be more manageable.

Authorities know exactly who's coming because the event is ticketed.

Further, the pilgrims will be older on average because 1600 passes were set aside for direct descendants and veterans.

In 2015, only 25 per cent of visitors will be under 35, whereas usually 60 per cent are in that age group.

Australian authorities think it's likely Prince Charles will attend the centenary service in Gallipoli although his spokeswoman has told AAP it is "too early to say".

Prince William this week revealed he was looking forward to "taking part in next year's Gallipoli centenary" along with wife Kate and brother Prince Harry.

That led to speculation they'd be at North Beach but a palace spokesman has clarified they could attend any number of Anzac ceremonies anywhere in the world.

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Transurban expands into Qld for $7b

A consortium led by toll road owner Transurban has agreed to buy Queensland Motorways for $7bn. Source: AAP

TOLL roads operator Transurban has extended its reach, leading a consortium that has bought several Brisbane toll roads from the Queensland government for around $7 billion.

The consortium beat other bidders to acquire Queensland Motorways' 73.5 kilometres of roads and bridges for $6.67 billion, plus stamp duty of $384 million and transaction costs of $447 million.

The Queensland Motorways portfolio comprises the Logan and Gateway motorways, CLEM7 tunnel, Go Between Bridge and Legacy Way, which is expected to begin operating in June 2015.

Transurban chief executive Scott Charlton said the Brisbane toll roads were high quality assets that would help grow earnings for Transurban securityholders.

"Clearly, this is a portfolio of attractive assets with all the characteristics of our existing networks in Sydney and Melbourne, and the attractive demographics of the Queensland market," Mr Charlton said.

He rejected suggestions the price was too high, saying the roads had substantially longer remaining concession lives than Transurban's other toll roads.

The acquisition price did not include the savings and benefits that Transurban could make from operating efficiencies, such as improving call centre operations, credit and billing functions, and tolling systems, Mr Charlton added.

"I don't think people understood how much value was there, or flagged, before the transaction occurred," he told reporters.

Transurban believed it had beat the nearest bidder by less than one per cent, Mr Charlton said.

Morningstar analyst Adrian Atkins said the acquisition made strategic sense for Transurban.

"Transurban doesn't have any assets in Brisbane at this point in time, it's a core market in Australia, and there should be some back-office synergies," he said.

"It's a growth area, where you might expect there to be more opportunities in the future."

Transurban securities, which last traded at $7.27, are in a trading halt while the company raises $2.74 billion through the issue of new securities to help fund its share of the acquisition.

Transurban holds a 62.5 per cent stake in the consortium that successfully bid for Queensland Motorways, and will operate the Brisbane network.

The other members of the consortium are AustralianSuper, with a stake of 25 per cent; and Tawreed, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, which has an interest of 12.5 per cent.

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Franklin says crash 'just an accident'

Swans player Lance Franklin says he is truly sorry for crashing into five parked cars in Sydney. Source: AAP

AFL superstar Lance Franklin says he wasn't on the phone or speeding when he crashed into four parked cars and he admits he's frustrated at being back in the spotlight for another off-field incident.

Franklin has been fined $405 and lost three demerit points over the crash, but Sydney won't be taking action against their $10 million recruit.

The Swans forward says he didn't see a car parked on the left as he drove his girlfriend's sponsored 4WD through the Sydney suburb of Rose Bay on Wednesday night, clipped it and then slammed into three other cars after the airbags went off.

"I wasn't texting at all. I wasn't doing anything. I wasn't speeding," he said before Swans training at the SCG on Thursday.

"It was just an accident, accidents happen and as I said I'm so great (sic) that no one was hurt in this case and for the people's cars that were hit, we can get them fixed up as soon as possible and move on."

He said he was shocked and shaky after the accident, but also annoyed at himself.

"Obviously there's frustration, more for myself than anyone," he said.

"I don't want to see myself in the spotlight. Obviously I've found myself in it again but I just want to move forward as quickly as possible and get on to this week's game."

Police interviewed Franklin at the scene on New South Head Road and gave him a breath test, which returned a negative reading, before issuing him with a ticket for negligent driving.

Sydney coach John Longmire said the club accepted Franklin's explanation and he'll play against Melbourne on Saturday.

"Ultimately he's here to play football and it was a really unfortunate thing that happened last night but we're here to prepare today and prepare for Melbourne this week and that's what we'll continue to do," Longmire said.

"The police spoke to him for half an hour after the incident and they're satisfied with what Lance said as well. So we'll get into football mode."

He was driving his model girlfriend Jesinta Campbell's $77,000 Jeep Grand Cherokee, given to her as part of her role as a brand ambassador for the carmaker.

The car was towed away with significant damage to its front end and there's speculation the incident may affect Ms Campbell's deal with Jeep.

Franklin was on the other end of an accident involving a borrowed car in March when he lent his Mercedes to teammate Dan Hanneberry who crashed it.

Full forward Franklin, 27, moved from premiers Hawthorn to Sydney last October in a nine-year deal that raised eyebrows.

He is yet to capture the dominant form that made him such a success at Hawthorn, while Sydney has denied reports he has not settled into the club's culture and is a bad influence on their young players.

News Corp reported in February that paramedics were called to Franklin's Bondi flat on January 3, after he collapsed because of an apparent seizure.

In 2012, Franklin lost his licence for six months after he was caught speeding 40km/h over the limit in Melbourne's Brighton East.

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Whitehaven cuts coal guidance

WHITEHAVEN Coal shares have fallen after the miner cut its full year production guidance by up to eight per cent due to operational problems.

The northern NSW miner revised its guidance from 10.7 million tonnes of saleable coal to between 9.8 million and 10 million tonnes.

The company has had to stop production in a section of its key Narrabri mine due to safety issues relating to roof supports.

A return to production is still two to three weeks away.

Production had also been hampered by previously disclosed geotechnical challenges at another mine, Rocglen, the company said.

Whitehaven shares dropped 4.5 cents, or 2.8 per cent, to $1.56.

Whitehaven had some good news last week when the Commonwealth Department of the Environment found the company's biodiversity offsets package for its controversial flagship Maules Creek project complied with approval conditions.

Development of the Maules Creek mine has been met with vocal criticism from locals.

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Heineken returns to growth in Europe

Brewer Heineken has returned to growth in its crucial Western Europe market in the first quarter. Source: AAP

HEINEKEN says it has returned to growth in its crucial Western Europe market in the first quarter, after a long period of stagnation.

Organic sales - a figure which strips out the effects of currencies and acquisitions - grew by 3.4 per cent.

However, the Dutch-based brewer's reported sales fell because of the strong euro and because its Eastern European sales shrank. Earnings were lower because of one-off gains in the same period a year ago.

Net profit was 143 million euros ($A214.25 million), against 227 million euros a year ago. Sales fell 2.6 per cent to 4.08 billion euros.

Heineken said that like-for-like sales in Western Europe, where it is the largest brewer, were up 1.8 per cent to 1.51 billion euros.

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Picture perfect royals visit the zoo

IT was the picture perfect moment the world had been waiting for.

Royal baby Prince George giggled, smiled and played his way through just his second public engagement - a trip to the zoo with his parents Prince William and Kate on Sunday.

The trio arrived at Sydney's Taronga Zoo to visit the bilby enclosure named after Prince George as part of Australia's gift marking his birth on July 22 last year.

It was just the fifth time the royal tot, who is almost nine months old, had been seen in public on this trip.

Dressed in royal blue shorts and a striped, light blue shirt and blue shoes and socks, he appeared to wriggle mischievously in Kate's arms as the family strolled to the bilby enclosure.

For much of this royal tour of New Zealand and Australia, the eyes of the world have been trained on Kate and her fashion choices.

For the zoo, she had changed out of the dove-grey Alexander McQueen outfit she had worn to an Easter church service, into a lemon cream broderie anglaise dress.

At the enclosure, George met a bilby - also called George, then helped his parents unveil a plaque, renaming the enclosure the Prince George Bilby Exhibit.

Bilby keeper Paul Davies said the royal couple were relaxed with George inside the enclosure.

"All of a sudden they were just a family in the zoo," Mr Davies said.

He said at one point George wanted to grab the bilby's ear.

"I said 'he can touch the bilby', but they said no, he (the bilby) will have one ear less," Mr Davies said.

After the bilbies, George returned to Admiralty House and William and Kate viewed other animals at Taronga.

They fed tree kangaroos, strolled past giraffes, enjoyed a bird show, and took in the rhino conservation display.

At the bird show, the couple had galahs and owls swooping just centimetres above their heads.

Taronga Zoo bird trainer Brendan Host presented the bird show, before introducing the duke and duchess to two echidnas, a quokka and a koala named Leuca.

"I think Kate was very taken with Leuca," Mr Host, 27, told reporters after the show.

"She didn't realise the koala would smell the way it did because they eat eucalyptus leaves.

"I think she just really enjoyed the moment."

The royals posed with Leuca and the echidnas with iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House in the background.

This was Australia - as much as the royals - on show.

As he touched the koala, William commented: "This is the moment everyone's been waiting for."

The couple also heard about a number of Australia's endangered species at the bird show - and appeared to take a keen interest.

Taronga Zoo volunteer Meghan was in the audience at the bird show and said the duchess looked "incredible".

"She's stunning, she's perfectly put together, there's never anything out of place."

Michael, 49, at the zoo with his three-year-old son Jimmy, described George as "quite a handsome little man.

"And the duke and duchess; they're a beautiful couple of course."

He said Jimmy "wanted to have a little bit of a play" with the young prince, adding that he hoped the royals had a "great day out" at the zoo.

15.03 | 0 komentar | Read More

'Lucky' boy falls 200m, fractures leg

AN eight-year-old boy has being hailed as "incredibly lucky" after he survived a 200m fall and suffered only a fractured leg.

The boy fell from a viewing platform at Dangars Falls, near Armidale, and slid 200m down a slope, after climbing through the cordoned area to retrieve a personal item on Saturday.

"Just below the platform is a walkable area, but he's slipped again somehow," NSW Ambulance duty operations manager Inspector Neale Waters said in a statement.

"It was a slide and roll affair and the momentum kept him going.

"He came to rest about 200m from the viewing platform. What's stopped him from falling to the bottom, I don't know. It's about a 300m drop so there was another 100m to go."

Insp Waters described the boy as "incredibly lucky".

A NSW Ambulance paramedic went to the boy's aid, taking a splint "because we were told the patient had a fractured femur before we went down to him".

"(The boy) had a talk to mum and dad," Insp Waters said.

"There were civilians down there who had a CB radio which helped us a lot. We had no communication."

A helicopter winched the boy out after five hours.

The boy was flown to Tamworth airport before being taken Tamworth Base Hospital. He is in a stable condition.

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George makes light of royal duties

FINALLY it was Prince George's turn to be the star of the Royal Show Down Under.

Dressed in dark blue shorts, a striped blue-collared shirt, dark socks and shoes, and wriggling in his mum's arms, he made his much anticipated Australian debut on day five of the Cambridges' visit.

But he had to compete with a bilby, also named George, for the cutest in show.

The occasion was the naming of the bilby enclosure at Taronga Zoo's Australian Nightlife Display in honour of the young prince, part of Australia's gift after his birth in July last year.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge played second fiddle to their little man on Sunday as he undertook his first official engagement, albeit away from the loud and large crowds that have been flocking to see the royals.

Dad William worked his magic to get the two Georges to overcome their initial shyness, encouraging bilby George with some food while mum Kate held the prince close to the glass divider.

Before long, the curious prince was quite taken with the bilby.

Keeper of Australian Fauna Paul Davies took them on a guided tour of the indoor display, which included echidna, spinifex hopping mice and feather-tailed gliders well as bilbies.

"It was awesome. They were just like any other family," Mr Davies said after.

"Prince George was so lively. So many kids of that age don't like the dark - it is like moonlight in there - and run out screaming. Not Prince George."

Afterwards, George helped unveil the plaque and accepted presents - the beginning of a long career of officiating at similar ceremonies for the near nine-month-old - before returning to Admiralty House.

It was his second public function of the three-week tour of Australia and New Zealand, where he "hosted" a play group event with other babies his age at Government House.

He has been kept on the sidelines for much of the visit - still too young for the full rigour of the tour.

His parents, however, have been undertaking a hectic schedule with visits to the Opera House, Blue Mountains, Royal Easter Show and Manly Beach in Sydney, and a whirlwind trip to Amberley RAAF base and Brisbane on Saturday.

It continued on Sunday with the duke and duchess continuing the visit to the zoo, feeding tree kangaroos, walking past giraffes, enjoying a bird show, and taking in the rhino conservation display.

Kate wore a pretty, deep lemon/cream broderie anglaise dress by an independent designer who didn't want to be named, and sky high tan wedge sandals, and William was in blue jeans and a blue check shirt with his sleeves rolled up.

They posed with the echidnas with William commenting: "This is the moment everyone's been waiting for."

The royal couple started Easter Sunday at a church service at St Andrew's Cathedral and will end the day by flying to Canberra, where they will be based for the rest of the tour that ends after Anzac Day services on Friday.

They'll have a rest day on Monday. On Tuesday, they'll be in Yulara and visit Uluru in the Northern Territory.

Another picture perfect moment on what has been a picture perfect trip so far.

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