NSW skydiver killed near Sydney

A skydiver has been killed after colliding with another jumper in Sydney's southwest. Source: AAP

AN experienced skydiver has died after colliding in mid-air with another jumper southwest of Sydney.

Paramedics were called to Wilton just before 10am (AEDT) on Saturday but could not revive the man, who was in his early 30s.

Police believe he was knocked unconscious in the collision, before crashing into an earth-moving machine on the ground.

Investigators are trying to determine whether he suffered his fatal injuries in the mid-air collision or when he hit the parked earth mover outside the designated landing zone.

The other skydiver, a 39-year-old man, suffered minor injuries in the collision and was taken to Liverpool Hospital in a stable condition.

Sydney Skydivers director and chief instructor Phil Onis told AAP the two were involved in a jump out of a Cessna Caravan aircraft by 17 skydivers wearing squirrel-like gliding suits.

He said both skydivers were experienced and the deceased man, who was from Sydney, had made about 250 jumps.

Mr Onis said the chute of the deceased skydiver automatically opened after the collision but if he had been knocked unconscious he would not have been able to control his descent.

"The deceased may have died in free fall or when he hit the ground, we're not too sure.

"They're free-falling very fast and he hit the other fellow pretty hard," Mr Onis said.

"Skydiving is just like any other outdoor adventure activity.

"It's dangerous just like surfing or rock climbing or skiing, and everyone understands the dangers."

Police will prepare a report for the coroner and the Australian Parachute Federation will also conduct an investigation.

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UN says Congo's army committed rapes

PRELIMINARY investigations by UN peacekeepers indicate Congolese army soldiers committed rapes, looting and other human rights violations after they retreated from the key city of Goma after its capture by M23 rebels.

The UN mission could not confirm reports that 72 rapes were committed in the Minova area, about 60km south of Goma, but its initial investigation found that several violations, including rape and looting, were committed by Congolese army elements, UN deputy spokesman Eduardo del Buey said on Friday.

UN personnel are on the ground conducting further investigations and have expressed serious concern to Congolese authorities, he said.

The UN has been working with its partners and health authorities in South Kivu to make medical assistance available to survivors of sexual violence in health centres in the Minova area, del Buey said.

Since June, he said, the UN mission has also received allegations of serious rights violations, including killings and wounding of civilians, rape, looting and forced recruitment of children, by M23 rebels in Goma and neighbouring areas.

Del Buey said the UN mission can confirm the killing and wounding of civilians as well as looting committed by the M23 in Goma and surrounding areas. He said investigations into the allegations are continuing.

The Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group, made up of hundreds of soldiers who deserted the Congolese army in April, took control of many villages and towns in the mineral-rich east over the past seven months, culminating in the seizure of Goma on November 20.

It took days of negotiations and intense international pressure to get the M23 to withdraw from the city last weekend.

UN peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous told reporters after briefing the UN Security Council on the latest developments in eastern Congo on Friday that M23 has completed its withdrawal from Goma and regular activity has resumed at the airport.

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Grassfire burning in central Victoria

RESIDENTS in the central Victorian town of Heathcote have been warned to remain vigilant as a small grassfire burns nearby.

The Country Fire Authority (CFA) first received reports of the blaze about 3.40pm (AEDT) and brought the one-hectare fire under control in about 20 minutes.

The wind is expected to change later on Saturday, which may cause the fire to change direction and move towards the southwestern side of the town.

A CFA spokeswoman said the initial emergency message sent to residents had been downgraded and four fire crews were on the scene.

"The wind change is coming through and there is the potential for spotting but there are crews out there looking after it," she told AAP.

"Remain vigilant, particularly in weather like this, that's always the advice - keep your eye out, stay in touch with all your forms of communication, whether it be social media (or) local radio."

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Banksia investors get first payment

Investors owed $660m by the failed Banksia Securities have received a pre-Christmas first payment. Source: AAP

INVESTORS owed $660 million by the failed Banksia Securities are expected to get at least half of their investment back and have received a pre-Christmas first payment.

Receivers McGrathNicol on Friday made the first distribution of 20 cents in the dollar to debenture holders, predicting they will receive in total between 50 and 65 cents in the dollar.

"We hope the first distribution provides some initial relief to investors following the failure of BSL," receiver Tony McGrath said in a statement.

"The loan recovery processes we have put in place aims to ensure further distributions are paid as quickly as possible."

A further repayment of five to 10 cents in the dollar is expected by June 30.

Banksia Securities, a subsidiary of Kyabram-based non-bank lender Banksia Financial Group, went into receivership on October 25 owing $660 million to about 15,000 investors, many of whom live in regional Victoria.

Investors in a second failed Banksia Financial Group fund, Cherry Fund Ltd, are expected to get back a total of 55 to 70 cents in the dollar, but are not getting an immediate distribution.

The receivers have blamed the companies' failure on factors including a general reduction in property values, difficult credit market conditions, inadequate provisioning in the loan books and a mismatch between the timing of debentures due for repayment and the recoverability of borrowers' loans.

"Our review of the companies' loan portfolios is continuing, however, our initial views are that loan impairments are significantly understated and consequently, there will be a shortfall to debenture holders," a McGrathNicol report said.

"It is expected that the companies' loan portfolios will be realised through a combination of refinancing, repayment, loan portfolio sales and enforcement action."

The receivers are also looking at potential legal action that could lead to an increased return for investors, adding they are liaising with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission and other government departments in their review of the companies.

McGrathNicol said both Banksia Securities and Cherry Fund reported profits in recent years, but as certain loans were "non-performing" for some time and provisions were insufficient, both companies and in particular Banksia Securities most likely incurred substantial losses in recent years.

Banksia Securities had offered investors high interest on debentures and lent their funds out as mortgages or commercial property loans.

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Church compensation needs review: victim

A SEX abuse victim wants a Victorian inquiry to review every compensation agreement between the Catholic Church and victims, saying he felt "intimidated and bullied" when he signed his.

On the first day of regional public hearings in Ballarat, Philip Nagle said he felt the church did not think the abuse and associated compensation claims were important and he was made to feel what happened to him was no big deal.

"I was intimidated and bullied into signing an agreement that was on their terms," Mr Nagle told the parliamentary inquiry into child sex abuse on Friday.

"They didn't care, they just wanted me to go away."

He said it was made clear to him that if he didn't agree to their terms any compensation claim would be tied up in the courts for years.

"It was even implied to me that what happened to me was not so bad," Mr Nagle said.

He said he signed the inadequate agreement under duress because the ongoing battle was "killing" his family.

Mr Nagle was sexually abused by his grade five teacher when he was a student at St Alipius Catholic Primary School in Ballarat in the 1970s.

The inquiry also was told that Victoria Police are investigating more than 30 suicides among former students of St Alipius.

Mr Nagle called on the "good people" in the Catholic Church to right past wrongs.

He said he was offered no ongoing support and his parents were offered no counselling or compensation after his abuse was made known.

"I'm yet to hear a victim of Catholic clergy sexual abuse say they were satisfied with the way they were compensated and treated by the Catholic Church when trying to negotiate a satisfactory outcome," Mr Nagle said.

"It's the one thing the Catholic Church has the power to fix right now."

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Burglars pinch $100,000 from chicken chain

VICTORIAN police are hungry to catch burglars with a predilection for the spicy chicken restaurant chain Nando's.

Police believe up to 10 men committed a string of 43 burglaries, which occurred mainly at Nando's restaurants throughout Melbourne between March and September.

More than $100,000 in cash has been stolen, with thieves netting up to $15,000 from each restaurant.

Two men - a 30-year-old from Thomastown and a 20-year-old from Heidelberg - have been charged over the robberies.

The Thomastown man is facing a total of 56 charges.

Detective Senior Constable Andrew White said police were looking for another eight men over the heists, which often took just a few minutes.

"They certainly appear to know what they are doing and have a well-planned and sophisticated method," he told reporters in Melbourne on Friday.

Det Sen Const White said Nando's franchise owners have since taken measures to bolster security.

Investigators have released CCTV footage of one of the incidents in a bid to identify a man that police believe may assist their investigation.

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Nufarm expects 15% EBIT rise for FH13

PESTICIDE company Nufarm expects earnings to rise 15 per cent in the first half of fiscal 2013 due to a stronger performance in South America and an improvement in Europe.

Chief executive Doug Rathbone told the company's annual general meeting that earnings before interest and tax was expected to be up 15 per cent for the first half of fiscal 2013, compared to the previous corresponding period.

"Looking ahead, our first half results will benefit from the strong performance of our South American operations and an improved outcome in Europe, which will more than offset what is likely to be a weaker first half result in Australia," he said.

The Australian market was currently behind where it was the same time last year due to a late winter and a dry spring, leading to low demand for crop protection for wheat farmers.

He said more rain would also be needed over summer to increase demand for Nufarm products.

"Summer cropping activity, which is concentrated in Queensland and Northern NSW, is now under way and, while water storage levels are adequate to support irrigated crops in those regions, further rainfall is needed to generate stronger demand for industry products, due to the current low levels of insect pressure and fungal disease," he said.

"Rains are also needed to boost demand for summer weed control."

But he said the business had performed very strongly in Brazil where both sales and profit are up significantly, compared to the first half of fiscal 2012.

The European business was also improving with sales up in France, Germany and parts of Eastern Europe as well as more favourable autumn seasonal conditions.

Mr Rathbone said the company had also started restructuring its European business and had improved its product development co-ordination and marketing in the region.

Nufarm chairman Donald McGauchie also told the meeting that the company decided to settle a shareholder class action last month for $46.6 million, without admitting liability, because they wanted to focus on the company's strategic growth plans.

More than 700 shareholders had bought the class action against Nufarm, claiming its 2010 profit forecast was excessively positive and misleading.

"In the end, we decided that settlement of the matter was the best outcome for shareholders and we are pleased to put this matter behind us in order that we can be fully focused on the growth of the business," he said.

Nufarm closed down five cents at $5.62.

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Traditional TV still most popular

TRADITIONAL television viewing remains Australians' favourite screen activity despite an increase in internet usage and the use of computers to watch videos.

According to the Australian Multi-Screen Report Q3 2012 by ratings companies OzTAM and Regional TAM and data company Nielsen, Australians watched 99 hours, 54 minutes of traditional television a month during July, August and September.

This compares to six hours, 46 minutes spent watching playback television, 48 hours using the internet on a personal computer and three hours, 54 minutes watching video on a computer.

While traditional television viewing easily remains the most common form of screen watching, it did fall slightly compared to the third quarter of 2011 when 101 hours and one minute were watched.

Playback television viewing increased slightly over the same period from the six hours, nine minutes a month watched in third quarter 2011 and internet usage on a PC increased from 42 hours, 27 minutes a month.

Video watching on a personal computer or laptop also slightly increased from three hours and three minutes a month in third quarter 2011.

Unsurprisingly younger viewers, especially teenagers aged 13 to 17, spend more of their overall screen usage time on non traditional television viewing than older age groups.

However, even teenagers spent the majority of their screen time watching traditional television.

"Even people 13-17, the heaviest other usage group, devote 60 per cent of their screen time to conventional live TV," the report said.

While the percentage of Australians viewing more than one screen device has hovered around 60 per cent for about five years, the report found that the frequency and time spent doing this has increased.

The report also found that households that owned smartphones or tablets were more likely to own other media devices.

Subscription television was 40 per cent higher in households with a tablet device than the general population.

"Whilst tablet ownership is still growing, estimated at 22 per cent of all homes, it is clearly a complementary asset to existing household technology," the report said.

Tablets and smartphones were also more prevalent in households in which children aged up to 17 lived.

Almost half (48 per cent) of homes with tablet devices had children aged 17 or under living there, compared to 26 per cent of non tablet homes.

Men were more likely to watch video on the internet (60 per cent) or mobile phones (62 per cent) than women.

But slightly more women watched traditional television (53 per cent) than men.

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Forum misses green tape opportunity: AiG

BUSINESS groups say the federal government has rejected an opportunity to remove "green tape" from companies wanting to invest in major projects.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard on Thursday chaired the second Council of Australian Governments business advisory forum in Canberra.

Business leaders were positive about the progress made since the inaugural meeting in April on red tape reduction, tax reform and an overhaul of the energy market.

But Australian Industry Group chief Innes Willox told AAP debate on getting rid of duplication in environmental checks and approvals between the state and federal governments had gone backwards.

"It would be very disappointing if concerns of the Greens and others on the Left have trumped the needs of industry to have some investment certainty," Mr Willox said.

He said offers by Victoria and NSW to sign heads of agreements to harmonise their green tape had been put to the prime minister, but they had been rejected because the federal government now wants a "uniform national approach".

"We would say the opportunity to reach agreement with any of the states should be taken up," Mr Willox said.

"Any agreement is better than none.

Business Council of Australia president Tony Shepherd said it was a "frustrating reversal" by the federal government.

"These agreements (from NSW and Victoria) can be a model for bilateral negotiations with other states in coming months so that momentum can be maintained in this critical national reform," he said in a statement.

The final communique from the meeting noted that "discussions between the commonwealth and states and territories will continue to work through all these matters and business participants urged governments not to limit their options in this regard".

The meeting welcomed the removal of 57 carbon reduction and energy efficiency measures that were ineffective and burdensome for business.

Mr Willox said he was hopeful that Friday's COAG meeting would make progress on energy market reform following the business forum agreeing to the "broad principles".

The business forum communique said COAG should deliver reforms that make the independent regulator more effective, put downward pressure on power prices and improve consumer protections.

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'Police pressured Perth man to get drugs'

SERIOUS questions have been raised over the role played by police in the arrest of an Australian man accused of drug trafficking in Malaysia.

Dominic Bird has pleaded not guilty to two charges, including one in relation to the alleged supply of a large quantity of methamphetamine, which carries a mandatory death penalty.

The 32-year-old from Perth was arrested in a police sting on March 1 at a cafe in central Kuala Lumpur, near his apartment.

He was arrested as he allegedly handed over a package containing 167 grams of methamphetamine to an undercover police officer, who had been posing as a drug dealer.

But questions have been raised about the actions of the undercover police officer, Inspector Luther Nurjib, who by his own testimony revealed that he sought Bird out and pressured the Australian over a two-week period into making a deal.

Bird's lawyer, Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, plans to attack Insp Nurjib's credibility when he cross-examines him on Friday, saying his testimony "has got serious flaws".

"What he has testified is really shocking," Mr Shafee told AAP outside the Kuala Lumpur High Court on Wednesday.

"It will have a direct bearing on the outcome of the case."

There are also questions about a mysterious informant, who put Insp Nurjib in contact with Bird.

Insp Nurjib has already testified that while posing as a drug dealer, he asked Bird to supply 250 grams of methamphetamine.

Bird allegedly initially supplied a sample of five grams, well under the 50 grams level that carries a mandatory death penalty.

"The question is whether ... (police acted) unfairly to make him commit a bigger offence," Mr Shafee said.

"We do not know what the informant said to him (Bird). He may not have been keen to do anything."

The criticism of Insp Nurjib's actions comes after forensic analysis work carried out by police following Bird's arrest was brought into question earlier in the week.

Under Malaysian law, the police were required to test a minimum of 10 per cent of the drugs in order to establish quality and quantity.

The police forensics officer who carried out the test admitted to the court on Monday that just 0.07 per cent of the drugs was tested.

The trial continues.

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Retail services expand ahead of Christmas

SHOP owners have received some good news ahead of Christmas, with the retail services sector expanding for the first time in 12 months.

The Australian Industry Group - Commonwealth Bank Australian Performance of Services Index (PSI) improved in November, rising 4.3 points to 47.1 points.

Even though the overall sector was contracting but at a slower pace, the retail sector showed an expansion.

The sub-indice for retail services rose 13.6 points to 55.2. It was the first time that sector had been over 50 - the level that separates expansion from contraction - since November 2011.

Australian Industry Group chief executive Innes Willox said the improvement in retail came at a good time.

"While the sector as a whole remains weak, there are some tentative signs of encouragement, including the lift in retail trade one month out from Christmas," Mr Willox said in a statement.

The health and community services sector also expanded, up 12.4 points to 51.6, as did in finance and insurance, up 3.4 points to 69.7.

Communications services fell 23 points to 22.0 in November, and accommodation, cafes and restaurants fell 7.2 points to 41.0.

There was some improvement in new orders from businesses, up 5.4 points to 46.3, and the employment index rose 4.2 points to 48.3.

Mr Willox said the overall results showed Australian consumers remained cautious with their spending.

"Continuing weakness in the services sector lends support to yesterday's decision to cut interest rates," he said.

Commonwealth Bank senior economist John Peters said the weak spending trend could change next year, in response to the rate easings by the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA).

"Recent policy easing by the RBA, which has seen the cash rate lowered by one per cent over the past 12 months, should further boost consumer sentiment and activity in early 2013," he said.

The RBA cut the cash rate by a quarter of one percentage point to 3.00 per cent on Tuesday - the cash rate's lowest level since the global financial crisis.

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Santos cuts 100 jobs in SA

The nation's second largest oil and gas producer Santos has cut 100 jobs from its SA operations. Source: AAP

THE country's second largest oil and gas producer Santos has cut 100 jobs from its South Australian operations.

Redundancies will begin in the first quarter of 2013.

Those affected are based in the company's Adelaide head office and its Moomba operations in the Cooper Basin.

Santos said the affected roles were not going to meet the needs of the business in the coming years.

Those needs include the next stage of its natural gas development in the Cooper Basin, based around in-fill drilling and shale gas.

Santos vice president James Baulderstone said the decision was made as part of a broader program to ensure the eastern Australia business remains cost competitive.

"In order to execute an ongoing successful natural gas development program in the Cooper Basin, we need to ensure that our practices are efficient, and our business model is a competitive one," he said in a statement.

The changes were necessary if Santos was to continue to be a competitive, global company that can benefit the local community, Mr Baulderstone said.

The company's South Australian workforce currently consists of 1,600 employees, out of a national workforce of 3,200 people.

The company's chief executive David Knox said in an interview last week that it would need to bring its cost base down.

Santos shares were up down 11 cents at $10.95 on Wednesday.

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Chorus extends slide as NZ shares fall

NEW Zealand shares fell for a second day, retreating from a five-year high as Chorus extended its slide on concerns about price regulation and Xero fell from a record high.

The NZX 50 Index dropped 33.396 points, or 0.8 per cent, to 4015.69. Within the index, 29 stocks fell, nine rose and 12 were unchanged.

Turnover was about $190 million, with heavy turnover in Chorus for a second day.

Equity markets generally fell across the Asia-Pacific region following unexpectedly weak US manufacturing and concerns the US Congress won't find a way to head off the fiscal cliff.

Xero, the cloud-based accounting service, dropped 9.1 per cent to $7 having soared on Monday after two US funds bought shares, giving the unprofitable company enough cash for three years as it chases global sales.

Chorus, the network company spun off from Telecom last year, fell 4.5 per cent to $7, adding to Monday's 14 per cent decline.

About 11.5 million shares changed hands.

Moody's Investors Service said on Tuesday it may cut the Baa2 credit rating on some $US2 billion of the company's debt because of the impact of Commerce Commission's draft plan to curb prices it can charge rivals.

"This is a pretty material outcome for Chorus and a very big hit on its ebitda," said James Lindsay, equities manager at Tyndall Investment Management.

"It is essential it does get reviewed."

Telecom fell 1.9 per cent to $2.27 and Sky Network Television declined 2.1 per cent to $5.15.

OceanaGold was unchanged at $4.10 after announcing plans to raise up to $C108 million in a fully-underwritten share issue to repay debt and bolster its balance sheet.

Delegat's Group fell 1.6 per cent to $3.05 after flagging a small increase in annual earnings for 2013, while warning that the strong kiwi dollar is making life hard for the wine-maker

Among smaller stocks, upscale Wellington retailer Kirkcaldie & Stains was unchanged at $3.05 after saying a mystery buyer for its Harbour City Centre on Wellington's Lambton Quay has walked away after deciding the building wasn't the right fit as an investment.

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Stocks to watch at close on Tuesday

TOCKS to watch on the Australian stock exchange at close on Tuesday:

GNC - GRAINCORP LTD - up 38 cents at $12.32

Graincorp is likely to reject US food processing giant Archer Daniels Midland Company's (ADM) second takeover bid, a market analyst says.

PMV - PREMIER INVESTMENTS LTD - down seven cents at $6.40

Retail company Premier Investments says the lack of GST on overseas online purchases under $1000 is seriously harming Australian businesses.

SGP - STOCKLAND GROUP - down two cents at $3.38

Property group Stockland has warned its earnings will fall by 15 per cent if the Victorian market fails to show any improvement.

WHC - WHITEHAVEN COAL LTD - down two cents at $3.01

Whitehaven Coal says a train derailment will interrupt shipments from the company's Narrabri mine in NSW for at least another fortnight.

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Aust shares close lower

THE Australian share market closed lower after the Reserve Bank of Australia cut its cash rate to three per cent, a level not seen since the global financial crisis.

At the close on Tuesday, the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index was 27.9 points, or 0.62 per cent, lower at 4,503.6, while the broader All Ordinaries index was down 28.2 points, or 0.62 per cent, at 4,511.8.

On the ASX 24, the December share price index futures contract was 42 points lower at 4,508, with 22,952 contracts traded.

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Air NZ testicle 'joke' hits a bum note

AIR New Zealand's latest promotion has bombed, with the airline accused of transphobia over a "joke" suggesting disgraced female Belarusian shot putter Nadzeya Ostapchuk has testicles.

The company launched a Christmas Cracker promotion on its Grabaseat site on Monday, giving people the chance to win prizes.

Those who don't win a prize get a consolation joke instead - with one reading: "What large heavy ball was responsible for Valerie Adams' gold medal? The Belarusian's left testicle."

The so-called joke is a reference to Ostapchuk winning - and later being stripped of - the shotput gold medal at the Olympics earlier this year after testing positive for a banned steroid.

The medal was later awarded to Kiwi shotputter Adams.

Air NZ has taken a hammering on social media, with Twitter users calling on it to apologise for the "unbelievably offensive" joke, and pledging to boycott its services.

Rather than apologise, Air NZ responded by tweeting: "not everyone likes our xmas cracker jokes so tell us your tacky kiwi jokes & we'll add our favourites into the cracker".

Air NZ is not the first company to face a backlash over mocking Ostapchuk's gender and fall from grace.

Sandwich chain Habitual Fix took a hammering in August after creating a poster with a picture of Ostapchuk to sell its "manwich", featuring the catchlines "no added hormones or steroids" and "no hidden a-genders".

The latest Air NZ blunder comes just a month after the airline made headlines by giving spooky names to its domestic destinations for Halloween, with the South Island's Blenheim becoming Beastheim'.

The town - where serial sex offender Stewart Murray Wilson committed crimes over 26 years that saw him dubbed "the Beast of Blenheim" - was not amused.

Air NZ axed Beastheim from the promotion.

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Japan's missiles on standby

TOKYO has begun deploying a surface-to-air missile defence system and is putting its armed forces on standby ahead of a planned North Korean missile launch this month, reports and officials said Monday.

Public broadcaster NHK reported that a naval vessel carrying PAC-3 (Patriot Advanced Capability-3) ballistic missiles left a western Japan naval base on Monday, headed for the country's southern Okinawa island chain.

Defence Minister Satoshi Morimoto on Saturday ordered the military to prepare for the rocket launch, with a defence ministry spokesman telling AFP that "our ground, marine, and air forces are now preparing to deploy troops in Okinawa", which the rocket may fly over.

Tokyo is also planning to deploy Aegis warships in neighbouring waters, the top-selling Yomiuri Shimbun and other Japanese media reported Monday.

Officials are preparing to issue an advance order as soon as Friday to shoot down the rocket if it looks set to fall on Japanese territory, after an emergency meeting chaired by Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda, the Nikkei business daily reported.

Noda on Monday called for close cooperation with the United States, China, South Korea and Russia in preparation for the planned launch, which has drawn international condemnation.

"I have ordered cabinet ministers to gather and analyse information closely with each other and as we closely collaborate with related countries," Noda was quoted by Dow Jones Newswires as saying.

The communist North announced on Saturday that it would launch a rocket between December 10 and 22 - its second long-range rocket launch this year after a much-hyped but botched attempt in April.

It has reportedly notified neighbours including Japan of the trajectory of the planned launch.

Washington and Seoul urged Pyongyang to scrap the launch while Tokyo reportedly postponed talks due this week with North Korea.

In April, Japan ordered missile-defence preparations, including placing one of its PAC-3 systems next to the defence ministry building in central Tokyo in response to the earlier launch.

Military preparations were also made in 2009 ahead of another North Korean rocket launch.

China, the North's main ally and key benefactor, said Sunday it was concerned at the rocket launch plans, according to state media.

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Perth man faces death penalty if convicted

PERTH man Dominic Bird remains in good spirits despite facing a mandatory death sentence if convicted by a Malaysian court on drugs charges.

The 32-year-old appeared in the Kuala Lumpur High Court on Monday for the first day of what is likely to be a lengthy legal process.

Bird has pleaded not guilty to two charges, the most serious of which relates to drug dealing and carries a mandatory death sentence.

He has also been charged with drug use.

Bird was arrested in a police sting on March 1 at Old Town White Coffee, a cafe on Jalan Dang Wangi in central Kuala Lumpur.

It's alleged he offered to sell undercover police 167 grams of methamphetamine.

The drugs Bird had allegedly been carrying in a Mr Potato chips container were presented to the court on Monday.

Handcuffed and dressed in a black pinstripe suit and wearing a white and grey-striped tie, Bird was accompanied in court by his father and sister, as well as a number of close friends, who sat huddled behind him.

Earlier, before the trial began and during an adjournment, they chatted with an apparently upbeat Bird, who smiled at times and shared an occasional joke.

Despite the prospect of a death sentence hanging over him, Bird appeared to be in good spirits.

The prosecution will call eight witnesses, and is expected to complete its case by Friday.

Prosecutor Ahmad Akram Gharib told AAP that it was highly likely a verdict would not be delivered until next year.

Mr Gharib has vowed to appeal if Bird is acquitted.

He said he expected Bird's legal team would also appeal if he is convicted, ensuring a lengthy legal process.

The appeals process would mean that it would be 2014 at the earliest before Bird learns his fate.

The trial has been adjourned until Tuesday.

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Taliban suicide attack on Afghan NATO base

TALIBAN insurgents have launched a major attack against a NATO base at an Afghan airport with suicide car bombs, rocket-propelled grenades, mortars and small arms fire.

The Taliban claimed on Sunday insurgents had entered the airport at Jalalabad, near the eastern border with Pakistan, but this was denied by NATO's International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).

"Insurgents including suicide bombers attacked the perimeter of the Jalalabad air base this morning," a spokesman told AFP.

"None of the attackers succeeded breaching the perimeter."

The airport complex has multiple layers of security, with the NATO base set well back from the first entrance, which an Afghan official said had been breached.

There were no early reports of ISAF casualties but one Afghan security force member was reportedly killed and another was wounded, the spokesman said.

An Afghan security official told AFP he had seen five dead men in Afghan army uniform, but it was unclear whether they were soldiers or Taliban attackers.

The Taliban said their militants had entered the airport, and an Afghan government official confirmed that clashes had taken place within the airport complex.

"First a fedayee (suicide bomber) mujahid... detonated a car bomb causing the enemy heavy casualties and losses and removed all the barriers," the Taliban said on their website.

"After the attack other fedayee mujahids entered the base... and started attacking the invading forces in the base."

A guard said that after the initial huge explosion the airport had come under fire from rocket-propelled grenades, mortars and small arms.

The hardline Taliban Islamists have waged an 11-year insurgency against the Afghan government, which is backed by 100,000 NATO troops, since being overthrown in a US-led invasion for harbouring Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.

The airport has come under attack on two previous occasions this year.

On February 27, six civilians, an Afghan soldier and two local guards were killed in a suicide car bomb attack on the military base at Jalalabad airport, but NATO troops escaped unhurt.

The airport also came under attack on April 15, when the Taliban launched their spring offensive with a series of commando-style assaults across Afghanistan.

The latest assault comes as the usual summer fighting season should be drawing to a close and shows that the insurgency remains resilient as NATO forces prepare to withdraw in 2014.

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Man charged with murder in Qld hit-and-run

A MAN has been charged with the murder of a teenage boy who died in a hit-and-run outside a wild house party near Brisbane.

Police say between 100 and 150 people were at the party in Station Road, Woodridge when a brawl erupted and spilled on to the street.

Jordan Matehaere Tukaki, 17, was seriously injured in a hit-and-run during the fracas and later died in hospital.

A 21-year-old man has been charged with murder, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle and callous disregard. He will appear in Beenleigh Magistrates Court on Monday.

His car has been seized and is undergoing forensic testing.

Jordan's family released a statement on Sunday, saying he was just weeks away from celebrating his 18th birthday.

"Jordan had such a bright future and outgoing personality, loved music, was an awesome rapper, who would stop to help anyone in need," the statement read.

He is survived by his mother Tia, grandmother Jan and brothers and sisters.

Nearby resident Asmatullah Nasrullahi said he heard people swearing and yelling on the street before seeing a car speed away on Saturday night.

"I was a bit scared because I was at home by myself," he told AAP.

"I could just tell by the noise outside that something was going to happen."

Mr Nasrullahi said he was not surprised the incident occurred in his street.

"This is a low income area and the kids who live here don't have any chance for a good life," he said.

Detective Inspector Christopher Jory rejected witness accounts the brawl was either gang or racially motivated.

"There's nothing to suggest that from our investigations at all," he said.

Acting Superintendent Darren Harland says the party was gatecrashed after it was advertised on Facebook.

"(There is) the potential for uninvited people to arrive at your party and if you advertise on social media, this can be one of the consequences," Supt Harland told reporters in Logan on Sunday.

Police on Sunday were doorknocking residents in the street as they continued their investigations.

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Car park craze as HK property cools

CURBS on buying property in Hong Kong have cooled a market pushed sky-high by mainland Chinese investors. But the steps have sparked a craze for an unlikely new investment - car parking space.

The Asian financial hub slapped new taxes on residential properties in late October to rein in prices, amid growing complaints from Hong Kong citizens that buying even a tiny apartment was now out of their reach.

Mainland Chinese buyers were largely blamed for the increase in prices, which have skyrocketed by 90 per cent since 2009 as they flocked to the city with their new wealth amid the country's economic boom.

Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying hoped the curbs would calm anger over the issue in the space-starved southern city of seven million people, after previous promises of making more land available did little to help the situation.

The curbs appear to be working but have also had unusual side-effects, with the city's imaginative investors now focusing on car parking spaces, which analysts say could hit an all-time high.

The issue grabbed the public's attention with a single sale of parking spaces for $HK1.3 million ($A160,510) last month, according to reports.

It was the most expensive sale when tycoon Li Ka-shing's flagship Cheung Kong Holdings offloaded 514 car park slots for a total of $HK600 million.

Some of the slots, located in the New Territories area of Hong Kong bordering mainland China, were reportedly quickly resold for profits of up to $HK300,000 each.

People who sell the spaces said they had seen a surge in activity, which they believed was because the slots are not affected by the new taxes, as well as being maintenance-free and relatively cheaper than buying a property.

They say car parking spaces were not previously a popular investment in a city which has only about half a million private cars and is well connected by a vast public transport system.

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