Man dies in Sydney motorcycle crash

A man has died after his motorcycle collided with a car and hit a power pole in Sydney's southwest. Source: AAP

A TEENAGE girl has died after the ute her P-plate boyfriend was driving rolled and hit a tree on the NSW far south coast.

The 19-year-old driver and his 17-year-old passenger were travelling in his Toyota Hilux about 9am (AEST) on Saturday at Wyndham, south of Bega, when the vehicle lost control.

It rolled a number of times before hitting a tree and coming to rest on its roof.

The girl died at the scene while the young man suffered minor injuries.

Police established a crime scene and conducted an examination of the crash site.

The driver was taken to Pambula District Hospital for mandatory blood tests.

15.02 | 0 komentar | Read More

US warns against travel to southern Philip

THE United States has warned Americans against travelling to the southern Philippines just days after Australia and Canada issued similar advice.

A "security message" from the US embassy in Manila earlier this week said diplomatic staff had been restricted from travelling to three cities on the southern island of Mindanao.

It was followed by a US State Department travel warning dated July 5 advising Americans to exercise extreme caution when travelling to Mindanao, citing "criminal gangs ... (and) terrorist groups" in the area.

It also called on Americans to defer non-essential travel to the Sulu archipelago, a chain of islands off Mindanao where Al-Qaeda-linked militants are active.

"It (the travel warning) reflects continuing threats in the Sulu archipelago and the island of Mindanao due to terrorist and insurgent activities," the US embassy said in a statement.

Australia and Canada issued warnings on Wednesday about fresh threats of terrorism and kidnapping in the southern Philippines.

Canberra has barred its diplomats from travelling to Davao, Cotabato and Zamboanga - the same three Mindanao cities to which US embassy staff are not allowed to travel.

An embassy spokeswoman declined to comment on the nature of the threat against Americans.

The Philippine National Police also did not know of any specific threat against Americans in Mindanao, said spokesman Senior Superintendent Reuben Sindac.

Mindanao and surrounding islands are a hotbed of various armed groups including communist guerrillas, bandits, Muslim insurgents and the Abu Sayyaf, an Islamic extremist group blamed for the country's worst terror attacks.

Founded using seed money from Al-Qaeda mastermind Osama bin Laden in the 1990s, the Abu Sayyaf has often targeted foreigners for kidnappings for ransom.

In 2001, the group abducted three American tourists among a group of hostages from a Philippine resort, leading to the deaths of two of the Americans.

US troops have been based in the southern Philippines for more than a decade to help train local troops in hunting down members of the Abu Sayyaf, which is on the US government's list of so-called foreign terrorist organisations.

15.02 | 0 komentar | Read More

Bomb kills 3 police in Yemen

A BOMB blast has killed three policemen and wounded a fourth in the Yemeni capital Sanaa, a security services official says.

The device, which was hidden in a plastic bag, was placed near a police checkpoint in the north of the capital on Saturday, the official said.

15.02 | 0 komentar | Read More

Quake hits Indonesia's Sumatra

A 6.4-MAGNITUDE quake has struck off the Indonesian island of Sumatra, just days after a tremor on the vast island killed dozens and left thousands homeless, US seismologists say.

No tsunami warning was issued and there were no reports of damage after the quake struck on Saturday at a shallow depth of just 23km off the southwest coast of the vast island, said the US Geological Survey.

The epicentre was close to the remote archipelago of Mentawai. In 2010, a 7.7-magnitude quake triggered a tsunami that left more than 400 people dead on the island chain.

Suharjono, an official from the local meteorology, climatology and geophysics agency who goes by one name, said Saturday's quake was unlikely to have caused damage and there was no threat of a tsunami.

"Judging from the quake's magnitude and the distance from the epicentre to the land, I don't think the quake will have a significant impact," he said.

"There's little potential to cause damage," said the official, saying that it was felt mildly by people in two provinces on Sumatra.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center did not issue a tsunami alert.

The quake came after a 6.1-magnitude inland tremor on Tuesday struck Aceh, on Sumatra's northern tip, flattening buildings and sparking landslides in the mountainous interior of the natural disaster-prone province.

So far 35 people have been confirmed dead and some 16,000 left homeless, according to the national disaster agency.

In 2004, a quake-triggered tsunami left more than 170,000 people dead in Aceh, as well as tens of thousands more in countries around the Indian Ocean.

Indonesia sits on the Pacific "Ring of Fire" where tectonic plates collide, causing frequent seismic and volcanic activity.

15.02 | 0 komentar | Read More

PM has no confidence in Robertson: govt

The prime minister has no confidence in Opposition Leader John Robertson, the NSW government says. Source: AAP

PRIME Minister Kevin Rudd has no confidence in Opposition Leader John Robertson and his ability to tackle state-based corruption, the NSW government says.

NSW Special Minister of State Chris Hartcher says the opposition leader's position is now untenable.

"He doesn't have the confidence of his own prime minister, nor does he have the confidence of his federal executive.

"Today (Kevin Rudd) effectively called time on the Labor leadership of John Robertson."

Mr Rudd is set to announce he will clean-up NSW Labor by placing it under administration, after damning revelations about the conduct of former MPs came to light at the state's corruption watchdog.

Mr Hartcher says it's a sign the ALP leadership doesn't believe Mr Robertson can or will follow through on his pledge to clean-up the party.

"This is an extraordinary vote of no confidence in John Robertson from prime minister Rudd," he said.

"Mr Rudd has exposed both the unwillingness and inability of Mr Robertson to tackle the corrosive corruption and union dominance within Labor, and exposes Mr Robertson as a key part of the problem for NSW Labor."

Mr Hartcher referred to reports Mr Robertson had holidayed at the ski chalet owned by Eddie Obeid, the former Labor powerbroker at the centre of the corruption allegations.

"The people of NSW have been appalled by the parade of former Labor ministers before the ICAC and their complete refusal to offer even the slightest contrition," he added.

AAP

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MacTiernan a 'formidable' Perth candidate

FORMER West Australian Labor minister Alannah MacTiernan has been selected as the party's candidate for the federal seat of Perth.

Lawyer Matthew Keogh said he withdrew his nomination before the deadline in the interests of party unity, leaving Ms MacTiernan, 60, as the only nominee.

She would be a formidable candidate, Mr Keogh said.

The vacancy was created by the retirement of Defence Minister Stephen Smith, who is bowing out of politics at the next election and will be her campaign director.

Ms MacTiernan said she hadn't coveted the seat, but Mr Smith had encouraged her to nominate, as had many other people.

"Now that we have got rid of the personality issues that I think were distorting the whole Australian political process, there are issues that this Australian election will be about ... really serious issues," she told reporters.

"That's why I am standing."

She said it was time for Labor to reform.

"The Labor party has got to be like the Labor party when I joined - full of a huge array of people from different backgrounds that all have a say."

Even WA Premier Colin Barnett said Ms MacTiernan would be a strong candidate.

"If Alannah has a go, it will be a full-on campaign, that's for sure," the Liberal leader said.

Ms MacTiernan said she would push hard for WA's interests, including a better share of Commonwealth funding for public transport.

And she would work with Mr Barnett on that front - ironic given the pair's sometimes bitter political rivalry.

After 17 years in WA parliament and her failed tilt at federal politics in 2010 - when she said she wouldn't have another - Ms MacTiernan returned to public life as the mayor of the City of Vincent in 2011.

"I've now learnt you never say never," she said.

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3D imaging lab launched in Victoria

TWO weeks ago, Simon Kelly was on the back porch when he suddenly collapsed.

Acute pain shot through the 53-year-old Victorian's neck, head and shoulders.

His wife found him slumped in his chair and he was rushed to hospital.

It was there that surgeons, for the first time, were able to assess his condition before operating by using an Australian-first 3D imaging lab.

"They didn't have to do the exploratory stuff to discover the problem, they were able to go straight to it, which was basically a pea size swelling that had ruptured," he says.

Mr Kelly had suffered an aneurism, and Monash Medical Centre staff credit the new lab with saving his life.

Within 20 minutes, the lab informed the radiologist exactly where his problem was and how to go about the procedure, deputy director of radiology, Associate Professor Ronnie Ptasznik, says.

Without the speedy information there would have been a high chance Mr Kelly's case could have been fatal or he could have ended up severely disabled.

"Before this, we would've known he had a stroke, we would've known that he probably had a burst aneurism, but we wouldn't have been able to plan the life-saving procedure before we touched him," Prof Ptasznik says.

Surgeons now have a better map of where the problem is before the procedure, with the lab providing clearer and more detailed pictures of organs, skeletal problems and tumours than ever before.

Testing is faster than a CT scan or ultrasound, cutting down patient waiting times for results.

"We move away from the bad old days when the patient was opened up and then had to wake up and be told they were inoperable and still had to recover from the surgery," Mr Ptasznik says.

"It's truly life-changing medical therapy."

The lab was launched by Health Minister David Davis on Thursday.

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$A higher after RBA comment branded a joke

THE Australian dollar is higher after a comment from Reserve Bank governor Glenn Stevens that caused the local currency to fall to a three-year low was dismissed as a lighthearted remark.

At 1700 AEST on Thursday, the local unit was trading at 91.06 US cents, up from 90.62 cents on Wednesday.

Mr Stevens told a business function on Wednesday that the RBA had deliberated for "a very long time" before deciding to leave the cash rate at its record low of 2.75 per cent on Tuesday.

The unscripted comment sent the Australian dollar below 91 US cents and to its lowest level since September 2010.

But on Thursday RBA deputy governor Philip Lowe said the comment was a lighthearted remark that was "misinterpreted" by financial markets.

"I can confirm for you that the board did deliberate for a very long time," Dr Lowe said.

"I can also confirm for you that it always deliberates for a very long time."

CMC Markets foreign exchange dealer Tim Waterer said the clarification from Dr Lowe saw the Australian dollar recover some of the losses posted after Mr Stevens' comment.

"The clarification by the deputy governor today seemed to have added a little bit of forward momentum to the Aussie," Mr Waterer said.

"The fact that Lowe came out and did state that it was a lighthearted remark, that had traders thinking that maybe the Tuesday rates decision wasn't as close a call as they originally thought on the back of Stevens' comments yesterday."

The Australian dollar at 1700 AEST was at 90.67 Japanese yen, down from Wednesday's close of 91.30 yen, and at 70.04 euro cents, up from 69.83 euro cents.

Meanwhile, Dr Lowe's comments sent Australian bond futures prices lower.

"We've pulled back a bit on the Lowe clarification," said National Australia Bank head of research Peter Jolly.

Prices were also driven by Australian Bureau of Statistics data showing total building approvals for new homes fell 1.1 per cent across Australia in May.

"It was a pretty soft reading because there's no doubt that residential construction is seen as one of those sectors that may at least partially fill the gap that's going to be left by the peak in the mining investment boom," Mr Jolly said.

At 1630 AEST the September 10-year bond futures contract was trading at 96.195 (implying a yield of 3.805 per cent), down from 96.240 (3.760 per cent) on Wednesday.

The September three-year bond futures contract was at 97.170 (2.830 per cent), down from 97.240 (2.760 per cent).

15.02 | 0 komentar | Read More

Palmer party dumps WA candidate

THE Palmer United Party has disendorsed a devoutly religious education consultant as one of its West Australian candidates, 12 days after she was anointed.

Wealthy party leader Clive Palmer backed Teresa van Lieshout to contest the Labor-held seat of Fremantle on June 20 - the same day he met her - although she said he'd seen her many YouTube videos.

That same day, Ms van Lieshout said she disagreed with Mr Palmer's stance on asylum seekers, but she was not one to toe the party line and most voters wanted politicians with firm views.

Mr Palmer says asylum seekers deserve more compassion, and even airline tickets to get here.

But Ms van Lieshout echoes Bob Katter, who wants the Navy to patrol Australian waters for boats. And she believes asylum seekers should continue to be sent to Christmas and Manus islands, and Nauru.

On Tuesday, she said she had been disendorsed by the "executive in Queensland, behind Mr Palmer's back" because she wouldn't toe the party line.

"Towing (sic) the party line is not one of Mr Palmer's policies, and is exactly what the Liberal/Labor charade do to their politicians and candidates," she said in an email.

"Mr Palmer is overseas and doesn't know about it, as far as I'm aware.

"So unless I get a direct phone call from Mr Palmer, or a letter signed by Mr Palmer stating this is what he wants, I don't accept their decision."

Ms van Lieshout said she fully supported Mr Palmer.

She picked up 1.8 per cent of the votes running as an independent for the seat of Willagee in the 2013 state election.

Curtin University academic Chamonix Terblanche was the other WA candidate chosen by the Palmer United Party last month as part of its Senate ticket.

15.03 | 0 komentar | Read More

Porn found at priest residence: inquiry

PORNOGRAPHIC homosexual magazines and videos were found in the presbytery of a Hunter Valley Catholic priest later convicted of sexually assaulting a boy, a police whistleblower has told a special NSW commission of inquiry.

Detective chief inspector Peter Fox says a member of the Branxton Lochinvar parish told him he came across the material when he helped Fr James Fletcher move items from Branxton to Lochinvar in early 2003.

In the course of investigating child sexual abuse allegations against Fr Fletcher, Det Insp Fox asked him later that year about the magazines and videos.

"He said they belonged to a priest who had previously lived in the presbytery," Det Insp Fox told the commission on Tuesday.

"Pornography is not illegal but it's highly unusual that a member of the clergy have this type of material."

Det Insp Fox said he then spoke to a priest who had been based at Lochinvar, Fr Des Harrigan, who told him Fr Fletcher had given him the magazines and videos and he destroyed them.

A barrister assisting the commission, Julia Lonergan, asked Det Insp Fox: "Were you informed by another person that it was their own pornography?"

"Yes," Det Insp Fox said.

"And did you believe them?"

"No," he said.

Det Insp Fox said he never saw the magazines or videos but believed they would have assisted his investigation of Fr Fletcher.

He said he eventually laid more than 60 charges against Fr Fletcher and after a discussion with a representative of the Director of Public Prosecutions office these were reduced to nine more serious offences.

In 2008 Fr Fletcher pleaded not guilty in the district court but a jury found him guilty of all nine charges.

Two appeals against his conviction failed and Fr Fletcher died in jail.

In evidence earlier in the day before commissioner Margaret Cunneen, Det Insp Fox said he suspected Maitland Newcastle Bishop Michael Malone "deliberately" tipped off Fr Fletcher in 2002 about police investigating child sexual abuse allegations against him.

The commission, which was triggered by assertions that the church covered up abuse crimes, is looking at how police and church officials handled sexual abuse allegations involving Fr Fletcher and another Hunter Valley priest, Denis McAlinden.

Det Insp Fox said the mother of one of Fr Fletcher's victims rang him in a distraught state, saying she was told that Bishop Malone, Fr Harrigan, Monsignor Jim Saunders and Fr Bill Burston were at the meeting when Fr Fletcher was told of the investigation.

In addition, Bishop Malone also told Fr Fletcher the name of the victim, the victim's mother said.

Det Insp Fox said that when he asked Bishop Malone about why he had gone out to speak to Fr Fletcher, he said was concerned about Fr Fletcher's welfare and wanted to offer him pastoral care.

"I told him that if he hadn't told him (Fr Fletcher) that there was a police investigation he wouldn't be upset," Det Insp Fox said.

When asked whether he thought Bishop Malone's actions were a deliberate attempt to interfere with the investigation, Det Insp Fox said "it seemed fairly deliberate" as the warning gave him a chance to get his story together and took away the police investigator's element of surprise.

The commission continues on Wednesday and is expected to run for two more weeks.

15.03 | 0 komentar | Read More