Victorian police seek fatal hit-run driver

A man has been killed in a hit-and-run accident in Melbourne's east, police say. Source: AAP

POLICE say they will not rest until they identify the driver involved in a hit-and-run incident that killed a Melbourne man.

They are searching for a light coloured four-wheel drive that has a damaged front as a result of the impact.

A 54-year-old Blackburn man died after he was struck by the car in a residential street in Melbourne's east about 10pm (AEST) on Friday night.

Detective senior sergeant Brad Mcarthur said witnesses heard a loud noise and there was no way the driver was unaware he had hit the man.

"Some of the witnesses were about 50 metres away from this crash when they heard the impact," Det Sen Sgt Mcarthur said.

"It was enough for them to turn and take notice."

They rushed to help the man but he died at the scene.

Police were able to identify the car - a light coloured Toyota Kluger - from debris found at the scene.

They are analysing CCTV footage of the incident and have urged the driver to come forward.

"We treat these matters extremely seriously," Det Sen Sgt Mcarthur said.

"We will not rest until we identify the person involved."

It is believed the victim was returning from a shopping trip when he was struck.

Police are yet to track down any relatives.

"He lived a solitary existence," Det Sen Sgt Mcarthur said.

15.02 | 0 komentar | Read More

Indigenous shakeup looms under Abbott

THE man set to head the new indigenous advisory council under a Tony Abbott government is flagging a radical shakeup of Aboriginal institutions, starting with abolition of a wide range of governance bodies.

Warren Mundine, former Labor national president and now executive chairman of the Indigenous Chamber, said indigenous people were the most highly governed in Australia.

At every level of government, there were additional structures for indigenous people, producing a system of mind boggling complexity, crippled by over-regulation, stultifying of economic development, not truly representative or transparent, inefficient, unwieldy and sometimes corrupt, he said.

Mr Mundine said there were numerous statutory bodies including land, regional and homeland councils, Aboriginal Corporations and indigenous shire councils.

"For this there should be one governance body representing each indigenous nation," he said in a landmark speech to the Garma indigenous festival in the Northern Territory.

Opposition leader Tony Abbott is on board, declaring the new advisory council headed by Mr Mundine would inform coalition government policy implementation.

"What we've got to do is develop new governance arrangements where things happen a lot more quickly than they seem to at the moment," he said.

Mr Abbott said this new advisory body would meet three times a year with himself and other ministers.

"If lasting change is to be achieved in this area it has to be broadly bipartisan and embraced by Aboriginal people rather than simply imposed by government," he said.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd agreed.

He said if he had one ambition in life, it was to ensure closing the gap with indigenous Australians was taken out of the political ruck.

"We are judged by the rest of the world on these questions and rightly so and we will be judged by our children as to whether we have got this right," he said.

But Greens Senator Rachel Siewert said Mr Abbott seemed intent on returning to the Howard government's ineffective approach to ending disadvantage.

"Mr Abbott has shown no commitment to a number of key issues, such as addressing the lingering problems with our system of native title or ending the failed and expensive regime of income management," she said in a statement.

Mr Mundine's vision goes much further than reforming governance.

He said indigenous people should be able to own their homes which they can't now in communities where land is communally held by traditional owners.

He said communities could never attract business and investment to create jobs if substance abuse was out of control, which was why alcohol management plans were so important for economic development.

As well, indigenous communities needed to be more open and do away with permit systems if they were serious about development and jobs.

"This requires that we make some hard decisions," he said.

15.02 | 0 komentar | Read More

Rudd's day on the island state

Tasmanian's underwhelmed with Kevin Rudd's one off-job commitments to the troubled island state. Source: AAP

PRIME Minister Kevin Rudd's affection for Tasmania seems a lot stronger than Labor's spending commitment to the troubled island state.

There was great expectation ahead of the prime minister's visit on Saturday, following big spending coalition promises for the state amid rising unemployment and an ailing economy.

But in Hobart all that was on offer was a vague promise from a re-elected Labor government to spend $5 million on a showground redevelopment, leading to 140 jobs.

"We still have a big challenge here is Tasmania and jobs are number one and core here in the island state," Mr Rudd told reporters at Hobart Showground, in the seat of Denison.

To soften the blow, Mr Rudd championed his "love" for Tasmania and said Labor was committed to the state's future, citing the launch of the National Broadband Network as proof of its backing.

"When there's a jobs problem in Tasmania we are there to step in and help," Mr Rudd said.

Asked when the jobs would flow from the funding announcement, Mr Rudd said he didn't want to get into the "micro-planning" of the project.

The commitment follows a promise by Opposition Leader Tony Abbott in Tasmania earlier in the week to pay employers to they hire people who have been on the Newstart allowance for six months or more and continue to employ them full time for at least six months.

The pilot plan would cost $6.5 million over the forward estimates to create 2,000 jobs.

Denison is held by independent Andrew Wilkie who is expected to retain the seat at the September 7 poll.

Labor's candidate Jane Austin is contesting the seat.

"I have never been a critic of Mr Wilkie and I don't intend to be a critic now, but what I'm saying is that in an election everyone deserves to have a choice," Mr Rudd said, in a half-hearted endorsement for Ms Austin.

He also said a Labor government would pay $375,000 to help fund the $1.1 million redevelopment of Prospect Park in Launceston.

The prime minister used the opportunity to warn Tasmanians their state would get $600 million less from the GST under an Abbott government.

15.02 | 0 komentar | Read More

Investigators probe Melb airport collision

A plane has been damaged after colliding with another while reversing at Melbourne airport. Source: AAP

SPECIALISTS from the Australian Transport Safety Bureau have arrived in Melbourne to investigate what caused two planes to collide at Tullamarine Airport.

The tail of a Jetstar plane and the wing of a Virgin plane were damaged when the two aircraft came into contact at the airport about 9.30am (AEST) on Saturday.

The Jetstar plane was empty and was taxiing to the international terminal to pick up passengers.

No-one aboard the Virgin flight to Maroochydore was injured, but they were delayed for four hours after the incident.

Passengers were supplied refreshments during the wait before being put on another plane.

A spokesman from the ATSB said investigators would be listening to all recorded information to try to determine how the accident occurred.

"Any sort of contact between planes is obviously not good," the spokesman said.

"There will have been errors made.

"You don't have accidents without errors. We'll look at why they occurred and how they occurred."

15.02 | 0 komentar | Read More

Chinese data not enough to rally shares

AUSTRALIAN shares rallied late, but closed slightly lower on Friday after being dragged down by the banks.

Investors were restrained after strong gains on Thursday.

IG market strategist Stan Shamu said investors were moving out of dividend paying yield plays, including the banks and Telstra, and into the riskier miners.

"The market cap of the banks is phenomenal, they have been cooked for a while and a lot of investors feel there is no value at the moment," he told AAP.

The four major banks represent four out of the six largest stocks on the exchange, meaning if they all fall then the overall market is likely to follow.

The Commonwealth Bank was down 15 cents at $72.85, ANZ had shed 16 cents at $29.23, NAB had lost 17 cents at $30.57 and Westpac was 14 cents lower at $30.77.

Telstra's share price has also been trading at near record highs, but fell five cents, or nearly 1.0 per cent, to $5.08.

The miners benefited from strong Chinese import and demand for raw materials data.

Rio Tinto shares were up 77 cents, or 1.29 per cent, at $60.25, while BHP Billiton was up 63 cents at $35.94, both companies' highest level in five months.

KEY FACTS

* At the close on Friday, the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index was down 9.6 points, or 0.19 per cent, at 5,055.2, which was a 1.2 per cent fall for the week.

* The the broader All Ordinaries index was down 8.3 points, or 0.16 per cent, at 5,038.8.

* At 1645 AEST on the ASX 24, the September share price index futures contract was three points higher at 5004 with 27,881 contracts traded.

* The spot price of gold in Sydney finished at $US1308.35, up $US14.85 from $US1293.50 on Thursday.

* National turnover was 1.4 billion securities worth $3.6 billion.

15.02 | 0 komentar | Read More

Cargo plane of arms crashes in Mogadishu

A CARGO plane full of weapons has crash-landed at Mogadishu's seaside airport, sending big plumes of dark smoke into the air, officials say.

The plane crashed as it was landing near the beginning of the runway on Friday, said Capt Ali Hussein, a police officer at the airport.

A second airport official said the plane involved was a cargo plane full of weapons from Ethiopia. The official insisted on anonymity because he is not an authorised spokesman. The extent of any casualties wasn't immediately known.

The weapons most likely would have been destined for African Union or Somali troops, who continue to battle al-Qaeda-linked militants from al-Shabab. The militants have shot at planes in the past but not in recent years.

Air traffic has increased significantly at the airport as Mogadishu continues on a slow recovery from decades of warfare. Two major international carriers - Turkish Airlines and Air Uganda - operate direct flights into Mogadishu.

15.02 | 0 komentar | Read More

Lobster man nabbed in covert op

IT took a sting operation involving covert surveillance and secretly microchipped lobsters.

But NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) boss Glenn Tritton says justice has been done.

A 65-year-old Cronulla man was caught with illegally obtained loot - six eastern rock lobsters and an abalone - in Kurnell, in southeast Sydney, in June 2011.

Now he's been forced to pay $2000 in fines and court costs, following a sentencing at Sutherland Local Court last month, according to the DPI.

Mr Tritton said fisheries officers' suspicions were first aroused when they found several unmarked lobster traps off Cronulla.

"During the following days, fisheries officers began conducting covert surveillance operations surrounding these traps, identifying a man who was diving in vicinity of the unmarked traps over several days," he said in a statement.

"Using microchipping technology, fisheries officers were able to tag lobsters which were located in the traps to enable positive identification and chain of possession later in the investigation."

When the officers apprehended the 65-year-old, the seafood haul found in his possession included three lobsters which had been in the unmarked traps and microchipped earlier in the day.

Eastern rock lobsters are a priority species and the commercial quantity limit is five, Mr Tritton said.

The man pleaded guilty to charges of exceeding bag limits (possession of fish) in circumstances of aggravation, unlawful use of traps and provide false information, the DPI says.

He was fined $1600 and ordered to pay court costs of $300.

"This incident should serve as a warning to people thinking about breaking fishing rules with fisheries officers very active and effective in targeting offenders," Mr Tritton said.

"Fisheries Officers have access to a range of surveillance equipment available, including thermal imaging cameras and high powered spotting scopes."

15.02 | 0 komentar | Read More

Balance rights and responsibility: Pearson

IT'S not up to governments to save blackfellas but to empower them to help themselves, says academic and activist Noel Pearson.

The chairman of the Cape York Institute was addressing the Garma Festival on Yolngu land in east Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory.

"If our people are deserving of anything, it is the right to take charge of our lives, and it is a right that has been taken away from us," Mr Pearson said.

"We have been hesitant when the word responsibility is used in indigenous affairs - we have disowned it.

"We have been quite comfortable with the idea of rights, but we have to be able to balance the relationship to responsibility."

He called for the government to surrender power to allow indigenous people to lead in issues relating to them, echoing other Aboriginal leaders who gathered in Arnhem Land on Friday to call for welfare reform.

Ian Trust, chairman of the Wunan Foundation in East Kimberley, said people came to Kununurra to take advantage of the opportunities mining had created.

"Yet we have a huge number of my people on welfare and they've been on welfare for generations, while they're surrounded by mines," he said.

He said it was so sensitive an issue that no one even wanted to talk about beginning to address it.

"We have got to do something about people being caught in this passive welfare," Mr Trust said.

"It takes a lot of courage to stand up and say to people, 'you're 19 and strong as an ox, why are you on welfare'?"

Mr Pearson said it was about improving the lot of all Australians, no matter where they were from.

"This welfare reform thing is not a blackfella thing, it's a disadvantage thing," he said.

"The future is not some kind of abstraction. These people are concerned about real children and their destinies."

15.02 | 0 komentar | Read More

Huge fire engulfed Nairobi airport

Kenya's main international airport has been closed as firefighters tackle a large blaze in the arrivals area.

A MASSIVE fire destroyed the arrivals hall at Kenya's main international airport, forcing the closure of East Africa's largest airport and the rerouting of all inbound flights.

The blaze which began at 5am local time (midday AEST) at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport resulted in large clouds of black smoke billowing from the scene at one of East Africa's most important transport hubs.

Instagram user mkaranja posted this image of damage inside the arrival hall: A photo from inside the arrival area of #JKIA courtesy of @angelkatusia. Source: Supplied

Passengers reported a slow response by the under-resourced fire brigade, and the blaze raged for four hours before being contained.

The Kenya National Disaster Operation Centre, in a recent update, said the airport "remains closed indefinitely'', but that the fire had been "contained''.

Kenya Airways have issued a statement insisting that all of its passengers escaped the blaze without injuries: "All incoming and outgoing passengers are safe."

"We reassure international and local travelers that arrangements are being put in place to restore normal operations. The airlines are working to assist stranded passengers and advise them on the measures being put in place to resume services at JKIA,'' said Stephen Gichuki, the director of the Kenyan Airports Authority.

No injuries were reported, said Michael Kamau, the cabinet secretary for transport and infrastructure.

The fire broke out on the 15th anniversary of the U.S. Embassy bombings in Nairobi and neighboring Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, but there were no immediate signs of terrorism.

A British passenger, Martyn Collbeck, said he was surprised that the airport wasn't shut down sooner so that emergency vehicles could respond.

"When I arrived there were one or two fire engines parked outside the international arrivals. It spread very fast,'' said Mr Collbeck, who had been scheduled to fly back to London on an early morning KLM flight. "There were a couple of explosions which I think were a couple of gas canisters.''

But, he added: "I would have expected more fire engines to respond faster.''

Associated Press reporters at the scene earlier today said it appeared the fire had gutted the international arrivals area, where passengers pass through immigration and retrieve their luggage.

The blaze comes two days after aircraft were delayed for several hours after the failure of a fuel hydrant needed for refuelling the planes.

President Uhuru Kenyatta arrived at the scene earlier today to get first-hand updates on the fire.

Stranded passengers stood on sidewalks outside the airport holding their luggage.

Inbound flights have been rerouted to other Kenyan airports.

Barry Fisher, a trade specialist who lives in Nairobi, described the scene as chaos.

"There was no one stopping any traffic going to the road to the airport,'' he said. "A number of fire trucks and ambulances were trying to negotiate their way through the lane. ... They were trying to weave their way through a solid two lanes of cars.''

Images broadcast earlier today on Kenyan media showed flames rising high in the sky and billowing clouds of black smoke out of the main arrivals and departures terminal, with dozens of police and fire trucks at the scene.

The airport serves as a regional hub for East Africa, with many long-distance international flights landing there to connect to countries across the region.

###

15.02 | 0 komentar | Read More

Costing debate is Labor election strategy

THE federal government has entered the election campaign as the underdog but believes Labor's momentum is building now the coalition's policy costings are under the spotlight.

On the third day of the run-up to the September 7 poll, Opposition Leader Tony Abbott went to Adelaide to unveil a 1.5 percentage point corporate tax cut.

The reduction to 28.5 per cent will cost $5 billion over four years, but Mr Abbott's not yet ready to say how exactly it will be paid for bar pointing to a broad $17 billion in coalition savings.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd spent most of the day in the northwest of Sydney where he seized on media reports a coalition government could consider raising the 10 per cent GST to cover its budget "black hole".

Labor insiders told AAP the coalition was playing directly into its initial strategy of putting their opponents on the back foot over costings.

"We've got the coalition talking about what is going to become their number one problem in this campaign, which is their election costings," said Hawker Britton director Simon Banks, a former Rudd staffer.

"That's plenty of momentum."

Mr Abbott said his tax cut plan would reduce costs for 750,000 businesses, allowing them to expand and create more jobs.

"I want to make it absolutely crystal clear that the tax reductions that we have so far announced are more than funded by the sensible savings that were announced by us before the campaign commenced," he said.

The savings referred to include axing Labor's SchoolKids Bonus ($4 billion), cutting 12,000 public service jobs ($5 billion), a two-year delay in a superannuation contribution rise ($2.1 billion) and scrapping the low-income super contribution ($2.9 billion). These total $14 billion.

The coalition's $4.3 billion paid parental leave scheme, to be unveiled next week, will be paid for by a 1.5 per cent tax rise for Australia's 3000 biggest companies.

Shadow treasurer Joe Hockey said further savings would be announced during the campaign.

When compared to coalition policy announcements, the budget bottom line would be "better off".

Labor claims the coalition's starting point is a costings "black hole" of between $50 billion and $70 billion - which Mr Hockey denies.

Treasurer Chris Bowen said the coalition's approach to costings was "adding some fairy dust and saying something will turn up on the night".

"Australian families have every right to be very concerned that this will be paid for by reducing government funding to hospitals, schools and services," he said.

Labor also went on the offensive over the GST, after Mr Hockey said on Tuesday the GST would be "part of the equation" under a planned coalition tax system review.

"This is a big, big development in this election campaign," Mr Rudd said.

"What I would say loud and clear is that the Australian government I lead would not increase the GST, nor would it extend its scope."

Mr Abbott said if the GST came up during the review "we will consider what the consultations come up with".

"But the fact is we have no plans whatsoever to make any changes to the GST," he added, while visiting a drinks factory in the South Australian Labor-held seat of Makin.

Meanwhile, Labor and the coalition continue to discuss plans for a series of leader debates.

So far, they've agreed the first debate should be on Sunday.

The final decision on whether it will be Sydney or at the National Press Club in Canberra is still under discussion.

15.02 | 0 komentar | Read More

Tas government reacts to jobs crisis talks

AN industry-organised jobs "crisis" forum in Tasmania has the state government conceding it can cut red tape and help local businesses secure government contracts.

The Tasmanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry convened the forum, in Launceston, after the state's unemployment rate hit 8.1 per cent - the highest in the nation - in June.

Labor Premier Lara Giddings has responded with "a set of short-term actions".

They include a review of regulation, a buy local push for government contracts, less paperwork and an inquiry into water and sewerage charges.

The government will also establish a business advisory group to be chaired by the premier.

"We have committed to additional short-term measures aimed at addressing issues that were identified as impediments to jobs growth," Ms Giddings said in a statement.

The moves drew immediate condemnation from Opposition Leader Will Hodgman, who refused to attend the forum.

"As a result of the jobs summit the premier has committed to four new reviews and two new committees," he said.

"We need less bureaucracy and red tape, not more.

"Millions of dollars of job-creating projects are being stalled under the Labor-Green experiment."

Tasmanian Farmer and Graziers Association chief Jan Davis said the state's agriculture, forestry and fisheries businesses bore as much as $1 billion per year in compliance costs.

"That is Big Brother on steroids," she said.

Unemployment is set to be a major federal election issue in Tasmania and will dog Ms Giddings' government ahead of a state poll due in March next year.

The announcement of the latest figures was quickly followed by news of closures at Australian Weaving Mills' plant and car parts maker ACL's factory in the state's north, throwing hundreds out of a job.

The forestry industry in the state has shed thousands of positions in recent years, with little hope of a major recovery.

Federal Environment Minister Mark Butler recently approved two mines for the environmentally sensitive Tarkine region in the northwest as the state looks for answers.

Tasmanian Greens leader Nick McKim said they could be found in the sustainable industries of agriculture, tourism and information technology.

"One of the strong themes to emerge from the forum was the need encourage a more risk taking, entrepreneurial culture in Tasmania and that's certainly a view shared by the Greens," he said.

15.02 | 0 komentar | Read More

Town grieves for boys killed by python

THE family of two boys believed to have been killed by a python that had escaped from an exotic pet store have asked for privacy as they wait for the result of the autopsies.

Dave Rose, the great-uncle, of Noah and Connor Barthe, aged five and seven, appealed for the media to respect the family's privacy, and described their final hours with emotion.

The family had been guests of the pet store owner, Jean-Claude Savoie, and his young son, and had spent the day playing in a paddling pool, eating barbecue and riding a tractor in the small town of Campbellton in the east of the country.

"So, a super day," he said. "And then after a long day late into the night, they got home for the sleepover and the two families stayed together until midnight."

The brothers stayed on with their young friend for a sleepover above the pet shop, and Savoie said he found the boys' bodies on Monday morning.

"I have many mixed emotions right now. It's ridiculous. I can't believe this is real," he told Radio-Canada.

Police believe the python slithered out of its enclosure in a pet store and got into the ventilation system through a grille that opened directly into the beast's terrarium.

From there it slithered upstairs to the apartment owned by the pet store's manager, dropped through a broken pipe and - police believe - choked the children.

The boys had been asleep in the living room while their friend had been sleeping in another room.

Autopsies were expected on Tuesday but at this stage it is believed the boys were strangled by the snake, which is of a species that constricts its prey and squeezes out its life.

The snake was euthanased and sent for a sent for a necropsy in Fredericton, Sergeant Alain Tremblay of the Royal Canadian Mountain Police said.

Police said the snake was a rock python, also known as a python sebae, the biggest snake species in Africa. It is not poisonous, but is hugely strong and capable of killing large animals including antelopes.

It is not known as a man-eater in the wild, but it is widely feared.

Canadian media said the snake was four metres long and weighed around 45 kilos.

"It's strange, I'm just trying to piece it together," added Lee Parker, the facilities manager at an Ontario reptile zoo named Reptilia.

He told CBC that pythons only kill to eat.

"They don't go on killing sprees ... it doesn't make sense to me," he said.

Former pet shop owner Laurent Brisson told Radio-Canada that heat can also attract such snakes and that hunting is simply a matter of instinct.

The RCMP major crimes section is carrying out a criminal investigation but has not brought charges.

The incident sparked strong reactions in Campbellton, a town of just over 7000 people on Chaleur Bay in northern New Brunswick.

Deputy Mayor Ian Comeau expressed sorrow over the accident and noted that there had been opposition to the presence of the exotic pet store in the town.

He pledged the city ordinance that allowed it would immediately come under review.

15.02 | 0 komentar | Read More

Tokyo stocks close up 1.00%

TOKYO stocks have ended 1.00 per cent higher after a late buying surge, while the US dollar rebounded moderately against the yen.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 index added 143.02 points to 14,401.06 on Tuesday, after falling 1.36 per cent in morning trade, while the Topix index of all first-section shares gained 0.75 per cent, or 8.92 points, to 1,193.66.

Sony shares fell 4.58 per cent to 2,039 yen after the electronics giant said its board had unanimously decided to reject a US hedge fund's proposal to spin off part of its profitable entertainment arm.

Yoshihiro Okumura, general manager at Chibagin Asset Management, said the stock market was "primarily driven by currency movements, with individual shares often subject to earnings - and other event-driven effects".

"In thinly traded markets typical of mid-summer like now, index movements can be more vulnerable than usual to single-factor trading patterns, such as reflexive weak-yen based-stock buying," he told Dow Jones Newswires.

The US dollar-yen pairing has moved in virtual lockstep with the Tokyo stock market, something of a chicken-and-egg relationship where analysts struggle to agree on which is causing the other to move.

The US dollar, which fell below 98 yen earlier in the day, rebounded to 98.45 yen in afternoon Tokyo trade on Tuesday compared with 98.27 yen in New York on Monday afternoon.

A weak yen is advantageous for Japanese exporters as it makes their products more competitive abroad while inflating their foreign income when repatriated.

US stocks ended mostly lower on Monday on fairly quiet trading during which some investors fretted about the possible pullback of the Federal Reserve's aggressive bond-buying program.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 0.30 per cent at 15,612.13.

The US growth outlook appeared firmer as the Institute for Supply Management's July purchasing managers index for the services sector showed a healthy jump in activity.

This raised some concerns that the Fed might taper its bond-buying program sooner rather than later, weighing on stocks while supporting the US dollar.

In Tokyo trade, Toyota rose 0.31 per cent to 6,380 yen, while Sharp gained 0.47 per cent to 423 yen and Panasonic rose 1.89 per cent to 914 yen.

15.02 | 0 komentar | Read More

Coroner urges eBay pram crackdown

THE sale of substandard prams on eBay should be banned following the death of a child in Tasmania, a coroner has recommended.

Coroner Glenn Hay has called for legislation outlawing the importation of second-hand baby products which don't comply with Australian standards.

It comes after an investigation into the 2007 death of 11-month-old Zac Cameron Rainbow in Hobart.

The coroner found the child died of positional asphyxia when sleeping in a Swedish-made Emmaljunga pram purchased on eBay by his grandmother for $60.

The boy became trapped between the mattress and side wall of the pram.

"I recommend consideration be given to introducing legislation ... precluding the import, whether via the agency of eBay or similar agencies, from overseas of such second-hand equipment not complying with current Australian safety standards," the coroner wrote.

Mr Hay said second-hand nursery furniture should only be sold through licensed dealers.

He said equipment not complying with Australian standards should be disposed of.

A five-month old New Zealand child asphyxiated in an Emmaljunga pram prompted a recall in 1997, he said.

The coroner found no person had contributed to the death of Zac Rainbow, who was rocked to sleep in the pram by his grandmother after becoming unsettled at around 1am (AEDT) on February 3, 2007.

The child was found dead at 7am (AEDT).

Mr Hay said a clear label on the pram had warned of leaving children unattended, but more safety awareness was needed among carers.

He expressed his regret at the length of time of the investigation but said he was hopeful its thoroughness might prevent a similar death.

15.02 | 0 komentar | Read More

Vic anti-McDonald's protester charged

POLICE have dramatically intervened in a long-running protest at the proposed site of a McDonald's restaurant in outer Melbourne.

Up to 50 police moved in before dawn on Tuesday, using a cherry picker to remove a woman from the roof of the Tecoma site after weeks of protests involving dozens of residents.

The woman was charged with trespass and bailed to appear at Ringwood Magistrates Court.

Police said the operation, which had been planned for weeks, was to help large machinery gain access to the site.

Protest spokesman Garry Muratore, who estimated there were 200 protesters at the site early on Tuesday, said the police turnout was excessive.

"We're not terrorists, we're just mums and dads saying no," he told AAP.

Mr Muratore said the protesters would remain.

Acting Superintendent Paul Rosemblum defended the number of police involved in the intervention.

"We did bolster our police numbers today, but prior to today we hadn't been required to use a large number of resources," he told reporters.

"The fact that there was going to be heavy machinery going in ... (and) previous indications were that there was the potential for people to put themselves in harm's way."

He said police were deciding whether officers would join private security guards in maintaining a presence at the site.

McDonald's said it has consulted the community and always respected people's right to express opinions but not when it put themselves or others at risk.

"We have followed due legal process every step of the way to build a family restaurant," the company said in a statement.

"We're ready to get on with it and know there is much support from within the community."

They said the local franchise would create 100 local jobs, provide accredited training and work experience.

The Victorian Supreme Court last month ordered a temporary injunction blocking residents from disrupting the project, with the case due to return to court on August 27.

15.02 | 0 komentar | Read More

Rudd, Abbott back Lib candidate over gaffe

TONY Abbott and Kevin Rudd don't agree on much, especially during an election campaign.

But they were united on Tuesday in sympathy for Liberal candidate Jaymes Diaz.

Both men leapt to Mr Diaz's defence after he was left red-faced in a television interview on Monday night.

In the five-minute interview, the Liberals' hope in the west Sydney seat of Greenway is unable to detail the coalition's six-point asylum plan.

"The key point would be stopping the boats where safe to do so," is Mr Diaz's best reply to questioning from Network Ten's John Hill.

Mr Abbott was quick to defend his candidate over the interview, which has since gone viral on YouTube.

"I'm afraid it happens to all of us from time to time," he told ABC radio in Sydney.

He said an occasional gaffe was just part of being in politics.

"Inevitably, a very experienced and slightly aggressive journalist shoves a microphone in your face and starts barking at you and it is possible to freeze," he said.

"I've done it myself."

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, too, was in Mr Diaz's corner.

"I understand the Liberal candidate for Greenway had a few challenges yesterday. I'm sure some of ours will at some stage or another," Mr Rudd told reporters in the Queensland seat of Griffith.

"That's just life in an electoral campaign. If you've been through as many as I have you've seen anything happen."

Mr Diaz, a local family lawyer, is running against Labor's Michelle Rowland, who holds Greenway on 0.9 per cent.

Mr Diaz did not return AAP's calls.

Deputy Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said although it was the first gaffe of the 2013 campaign, it wouldn't be the last.

"I think anyone who's never made a mistake ever is entitled to have a go," he told reporters in Sydney on Tuesday.

But he said it was important that politicians were able to support the policy of their party.

"Particularly when there's not much there to support," he added.

"This person's been a candidate before of course.

"He was chosen by the Liberal Party last time around, they've selected him again, they obviously think he's one of their best."

The coalition needs a swing of just 0.9 per cent to claim the seat from Labor MP Michelle Rowland, making it the most marginal in NSW.

15.02 | 0 komentar | Read More

Rudd makes $650m in campaign pledges

PM Kevin Rudd is expected to announce a package to help the battling car industry ahead of election. Source: AAP

LABOR has notched up $650 million in new spending on the first full day of the election campaign, targeting cash strapped parents and the ailing vehicle manufacturing sector.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's first big promise, which came just hours before the government went into caretaker mode, was an extra 68,000 places in before- and after-hours school-based care for children at a cost of $450 million.

The extra places will be available from 2014 and increase job opportunities, particularly for women.

"The government will give parents a further helping hand," Mr Rudd said Canberra on Monday.

Earlier, Labor earmarked $200 million for the car industry and pledged to ensure commonwealth agencies only use Australia-made passenger vehicles.

During a trip to the Labor-held southeast Queensland seat of Blair, Opposition Leader Tony Abbott used his first campaign foray ahead of the September 7 poll to revisit a pledge to abolish the carbon tax.

Mr Abbott has written to the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet to warn legislation to repeal the carbon tax will be his first order of business if elected to government.

The opposition leader was critical of the Labor plan to inject $200 million into the car industry, saying there were no details about how it would be spent.

"They throw taxpayer money around like confetti," Mr Abbott said.

"I have more respect for your money than to make blank cheques to industries which, let's face it, have been very good at using taxpayers' money but haven't always been that good at maintaining production and jobs."

With the economy firmly at the centre of the campaign, shadow treasurer Joe Hockey sparked debate over a possible central bank interest rate cut on Tuesday being a sign of a weak growth.

"We should not be in a position where interest rates are being cut, because the economy should be growing faster," Mr Hockey said.

Mr Rudd said the comment showed Mr Hockey believed it was "okay to have very high interest rates".

The prime minister evaded a question on whether he, like Mr Abbott, would pledge not to go into minority government if the election ended in a tie like the 2010 poll.

He said if the Liberal-National coalition was adamant about not doing deals with independents or minor parties it should instead direct preferences to Labor at the election.

Meanwhile, the Australian Greens accused Mr Abbott of "arrogance" over his letter to the prime minister's department about the carbon tax.

"We haven't had the election yet and he is already assuming that he is the prime minister," Leader Christine Milne said.

Former senator and Nationals lower house candidate Barnaby Joyce, who's wants to win the NSW seat of New England, was very upbeat about the coalition's chances in the upcoming poll.

"I honestly think the coalition will win," he said.

"You're not supposed to say that, but I try to be straight with people."

The latest Newspoll puts the coalition on 52 per cent of the two-party vote, to Labor's 48 per cent.

The first allocation from Labor's car industry plan was $28.6 million to Toyota Australia, which makes the Camry in Victoria.

Mr Abbott said the best thing Labor could do for the industry was scrap its $1.8 billion in fringe benefits tax changes on employer-provided cars.

15.03 | 0 komentar | Read More

Car bailout may not save Holden

Treasurer Chris Bowen has confirmed Labor will announce a new car industry support package. Source: AAP

THE federal government's $200m auto industry aid package may not be enough to guarantee the survival of the nation's most iconic car maker.

Industry Minister Kim Carr announced the bailout on Monday, although his government has yet to detail how the money will be distributed.

Along with new funding, the federal government plans to ensure 100 per cent of the commonwealth passenger car fleet is Australian made, boosting sales by 18,000 a year.

But Holden boss Mike Devereux said the company will wait until after next month's federal election before making a decision on a vital investment of its own in its Australian operations.

Holden, which earlier this year announced it would cut 500 jobs, is talking with unions about an enterprise agreement to hopefully save $15 million a year.

Mr Devereux said a decision on Holden investing $1 billion in Australia to develop two new cars will be finalised after talks with whichever party wins the September 7 election.

"We would need to wait until, frankly, the outcome of the election to be able to commit that $1 billion investment," Mr Devereux told reporters.

"Because it's such a long time period. We're talking about investments that will take us out beyond 2022 now to 2023."

Unions say that regardless of the federal funding, Holden would still close its doors if the enterprise agreement is rejected by workers.

Australian Manufacturing Workers Union South Australian state secretary John Camillo said if the workers rejected the plan, Holden had made it clear the assembly operations in Australia would close from 2016.

He said the company required both the new enterprise agreement and the federal government's financial support to continue as a local car producer.

"The workers will make a decision and if it's a no, the company will close," Mr Camillo said last week.

Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief economist Greg Evans, meanwhile, called on the car industry to "stand on its own two feet."

"The government is not doing the car industry any favours with various tax changes," Mr Evans said.

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott said it was scandalous Labor couldn't say exactly what the $200 million would be used for.

"They throw taxpayer money around like confetti," he told reporters in Brisbane.

"I have more respect for your money than to make blank cheques to industries which, let's face it, have been very good at using taxpayers' money but haven't always been that good at maintaining production and jobs."

The announcement of the auto industry bailout coincided with another from Toyota that it will invest $123 million in its Australian manufacturing operations with the federal and Victorian governments contributing to the package.

15.03 | 0 komentar | Read More

Rudd spends day tying up loose ends

PM Kevin Rudd has committed $450m to provide before and after hours school-based care for children. Source: AAP

PRIME Minister Kevin Rudd spent the first full day of the federal election campaign hosting Labor's last cabinet meeting and tying up the loose ends of the 43rd parliament.

The official end came at 5.29pm (AEST), when the Governor-General's official secretary Stephen Bradbury read out a proclamation dissolving parliament at the front of Parliament House.

This allowed the writs to be issued for the September 7 poll, and was underscored by a 19-gun artillery salute witnessed by more than 300 people.

But Mr Rudd did have time to confirm $650 million of government spending on initiatives for the child care and car industry and conduct a round of interviews to restate Labor's commitment to support jobs and help families manage living costs.

"What the Australian people want is a new approach to the future, which is based on positive policy and bringing the country together," he said on Monday.

Two new opinion polls show the coalition has a two to four percentage point lead over Labor, which faces a tough battle maintain its 71 existing seats while gaining up to five more to retain government in its own right.

The first Newspoll of the campaign put the coalition two-party lead at 52-48 per cent while the Essential poll put the lead at 51-49 per cent.

Both poll results were unchanged for the previous surveys, implying there might be some upside for either side in the next round of voter responses now the campaign is underway.

However, the Essential poll also said three quarters of voters have already decided which party they will vote for, with 44 per cent of saying they will "definitely not" change their mind.

Mr Rudd emerged from his meetings at 3pm on Monday, to again challenge Opposition Leader Tony Abbott to a public debate as soon as possible.

It appears the first confrontation between the leaders could take place at the National Press Club in Canberra on Sunday.

This would be a US-style presidential debate, with members of the federal press gallery grilling Mr Rudd and Mr Abbott.

Mr Rudd is expected to be in Brisbane early on Tuesday for his first full day on the campaign trail for a debate in his seat of Griffith against LNP hopeful Bill Glasson, the Greens' Geoff Ebbs and Karin Hunter for the Palmer United Party.

15.03 | 0 komentar | Read More

Argo forecasts modest growth in year ahead

ARGO Investments expects Australian companies to post only modest growth in the year ahead as the nation's economy slows.

As it reported a 4.6 per cent rise in full year net profit to $175 million, the investment firm warned that a slowing domestic economy was likely to hamper Australian company earnings in the 2013/14 financial year.

"We do not expect strong earnings growth from Australian companies over the coming year and, therefore, predict only modest dividend growth," chief executive Jason Beddow said.

"However, we believe the overall yield available in the Australian equity market remains attractive."

Macquarie Group was among the best performing stocks in Argo's portfolio, even though its stake in the financial services player was reduced.

Argo increased its holdings in ANZ bank and retail giant Wesfarmers as part of $224 million spent on investments.

It sold holdings in building products and garage door maker Alesco Corporation, Australian Infrastructure Fund, Consolidated Media Holdings and Hastings Diversified Utilities Fund.

Argo held investments in 98 companies during the previous financial year, with the 20 largest firms in the portfolio accounting for 63 per cent of total assets and 64 per cent of income.

Argo shares gained four cents to $6.99.

15.03 | 0 komentar | Read More