Abbott's plea to WA voters

Prime Minister Tony Abbott has pleaded for Western Australian voters to back Liberal candidates. Source: AAP

PRIME Minister Tony Abbott has made a last-ditch plea to West Australian voters as they head to the polls for a Senate election re-run.

Before jetting out of the country to Asia on Saturday, Mr Abbott recorded a message saying Labor and the Australian Greens in the Senate were standing in the way of his government's plan to repeal the mining tax and carbon tax.

"If you want to get rid of these anti-West Australian taxes ... that means voting Liberal," Mr Abbott said.

He said coalition candidates are "absolutely committed" to scrapping the taxes and the government hoped to get the numbers in the upper house from July to pass the repeal legislation.

"Send a strong message to Canberra, send a strong message to the Labor Party," Mr Abbott said.

"You can't say one thing in Perth and do the opposite in Canberra.

"That's my plea."

The outcome of Saturday's election is important for Australia's future, the prime minister added.

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MH370 search above and below water

AN underwater search has entered its second day as authorities continue to race the clock to find a black box flight recorder belonging to a missing Malaysia Airlines jet.

Co-ordinated by Australia, the search and rescue mission in the southern Indian Ocean, some 1700 kilometres southwest of Perth, continued on Saturday spanning an area of about 217,000 square kilometres.

The focus has turned to the work of Australian navy vessel Ocean Shield and the British oceanographic survey vessel HMS Echo, which deploy "pinger detectors" in an attempt to trace a signal from the black box.

But the battery on the black box beacon is expected to run out of power within days.

Above the waves an aerial search continues for debris from flight MH370.

Up to 10 military planes, three civil jets and 11 ships will search on Saturday.

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Boy's parents located

POLICE have tracked down the parents of a young boy who was found wandering alone through suburban southwest Sydney.

Residents of Claymore called police after spotting the boy in the street wearing pyjamas about 7.30am Saturday.

Estimated to be aged two or three years old, the boy was cared for by officers until his parents were located and the search was called off.

The police thanked and updated the public about 2pm.

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Authorities defend handling of girl's case

FAMILIES SA will review its handling of a case involving a young mother whose four-year-old daughter died after repeatedly being forced to ride a motorbike.

David Waterford, deputy chief executive of the Office for Child Safety, said Families SA received 22 notifications about Chloe Valentine and her mother Ashlee Polkinghorne.

The matters were investigated, but Families SA was unable to substantiate the complaints, he told ABC radio on Thursday.

Polkinghorne, 22, and her former partner, Benjamin McPartland, 28, were jailed on Wednesday for at least four years for the manslaughter of Chloe through criminal neglect.

The couple made the 17kg girl get back on the 50kg motorbike over a three-day period, despite her suffering massive injuries from repeatedly falling off and crashing in January 2012.

When Chloe was eventually unconscious in a semi-vegetative state, the couple waited eight-and-a-half hours before calling an ambulance.

During that time, they went on Facebook, accessed internet banking, googled what to do with an unconscious person and smoked cannabis.

In jailing the couple, South Australian Supreme Court Justice Trish Kelly said that, unfortunately for Chloe, "your place was a dangerous place for that child".

Mr Waterford said Families SA received its last notification about Chloe on June 11, 2011, about six months before her death.

Staff visited the house and observed "things were very positive" and the interaction between mother and daughter was very good.

As happens in all cases where a death occurs in a case involving Families SA, the independent Child Death and Serious Injury Committee will review the case and report to the relevant minister.

Mr Waterford said Polkinghorne and Chloe were referred to the Safe Babies Program in 2007 and worked with the program for three years.

The SA opposition says Chloe's distressing death highlights the need for an independent commissioner for children who can look into such cases.

Families and child protection spokesman Stephen Wade said such a commissioner would be able to use investigative powers to assess every aspect of the case, providing confidence in the conduct of the department.

"We urgently need an independent commissioner to make sure these tragic events are minimised in the future," Mr Wade said.

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Extortion link to man's disappearance

A Sydney man last seen jumping into a car in the city's west is believed to have been kidnapped. Source: AAP

A SYDNEY man last seen jumping into a car with at least two men in the city's western suburbs is believed to have been kidnapped.

Raphael Joseph, previously known as Rafi Tooma, spent the afternoon of March 20 at his apartment in the waterfront suburb of Chiswick before he was spotted at The Star casino.

About midnight, Mr Joseph, also known as Huss or Hussany to his family and friends, was seen getting into a silver sedan on Dartbrook Road, Auburn.

Police say at least two other men were in the car.

Mr Joseph, who was wearing a grey T-shirt and khaki pants, has not been seen since.

NSW's homicide squad is leading the investigation into Mr Joseph's disappearance.

"We don't know where Mr Joseph is at present, but we believe there are a number of people out there in the community who do," NSW police Detective Superintendent Mick Willing said.

"His poor family are worried sick and are desperate to know what has happened to him."

Police have searched bushland and private properties in Sydney.

Mr Joseph's family will face the media on Thursday to appeal for information.

Police say that, on the day he disappeared, Mr Joseph was believed to have travelled to Auburn in a white 2009 Mercedes with Tasmanian number plates.

His car has been found.

He may have also met someone at a fast-food restaurant on Dartbrook Road, close to where he went missing.

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BHP to sell West Musgrave nickel project

MINING giant BHP Billiton has agreed to sell its West Musgrave nickel project in Western Australia to Cassini Resources.

Cassini says it has agreed to acquire 100 per cent of the nickel sulphide project from BHP Billiton subsidiaries Nickel West and BHP Billiton Minerals.

Cassini will pay a $250,000 cash deposit, a two per cent smelter royalty and a further $10 million 12 months after production starts.

The announcement comes amid speculation that BHP could be planning to set up a separate $20 billion company comprising its aluminium, bauxite and nickel assets following weakness in the sectors.

Cassini says it is a natural owner of the project given its nearby tenure and experience in operating in the region.

"Cassini intends to apply a new, innovative approach to the development of these assets with the goal of becoming a significant base metal producer in a relatively short timeframe," the Perth-based company said in a statement on Thursday.

The West Musgrave project area contains the Nebo and Babel sister deposits, the Succoth advanced copper exploration prospect and other exploration targets.

"We foresee that a number of significant project milestones are capable of being achieved within the next six to 12 months," Cassini managing director Richard Bevan said.

Chairman Mike Young, who founded BC Iron, said it was an extraordinary, once-in-a-cycle opportunity for Cassini.

BHP has said the simplification of its portfolio is a priority following divestments in Australia, the United States, Canada, South Africa and the United Kingdom, including petroleum, copper, coal, mineral sands, uranium and diamonds assets over the past two years.

The assets that might be spun off to a separate company are located in Australia, Africa and South America, and employ thousands of workers.

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Salvos promoted abuser who confessed

The Salvation Army promoted an officer who confessed to abusing a child, an inquiry has been told. Source: AAP

THE Salvation Army moved and promoted an officer who confessed to abusing an eight-year-old girl, an inquiry has been told.

News of his promotion and the officer's continued contact with her family contributed to the child's mother having a nervous breakdown, the royal commission into child sexual abuse heard on Wednesday.

The mother, JH, said via video-link her daughter was always a "gentle soul" but became more quiet and withdrawn after she was abused by then Captain Colin Haggar in 1989.

JH ran the local op shop for the Salvation Army in a central-western NSW town.

She said that in 1989 she and her husband were visited by Mr Haggar, who confessed to sexually abusing their daughter, who was eight or nine at the time.

We "just sat there in disbelief" when Mr Haggar told us "it wasn't that serious, I only fingered her", she said.

JH and her husband spoke with two senior officers about Mr Haggar's admission.

"I felt they did not want to believe us", she said.

In 1990, she received a letter from Mr Haggar saying he and his wife were "taking a break from the duties of officership so that we can spend time on our own spiritual path".

The commission has been told the Haggars were stood down and moved to Lidcombe where they were supported by the army.

JH said Mr Haggar stayed in contact and wrote about his attempts to re-enter the army.

He once contacted her to say he would be driving through and wanted to see "how my daughter was doing", she said.

"I never wanted to see him or let him meet with our daughter," JH said.

"I began having panic attacks".

In 1993, Mr Haggar was re-admitted to the Salvation Army and promoted to major and ultimately to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He was also on the Salvation Army's cabinet.

JH said she and her husband did not go to police at the time because they understood the Salvation Army would bring the matter to the attention of the police.

"We thought the matter would be taken care of by the Salvation Army officers, based on what they told us. We believed them," she said.

JH said her family was never offered any support or counselling. They left the corps in May 1991.

The army recently offered counselling and help "out of the blue", she said.

JH has also received a letter from Salvation Army Commissioner James Condon, who expressed his sadness and offered the services of the army.

JH said: "If they let me down so badly all those years ago, why should I let them in now?"

The lack of transparency around the Salvation Army's processes for dealing with complaints about abuse needs to change, a victims' advocate says.

Karyn Walsh is the chief executive of Micah, a Queensland community-based organisation which has helped 95 abuse victims who were resident in Salvation Army homes go through a claims process.

She said victims had been critical of the process and changes were needed including "full transparency about how decisions are made."

The commission has heard that there were significant differences between the levels of compensation offered by the Salvation Army, with some people being offered $7,000 even if they had been significantly harmed.

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Parkinson to stay on until November

PRIME Minister Tony Abbott has asked Martin Parkinson to stay on as Treasury Secretary until after the the G20 Leaders Meeting in November.

Dr Parkinson had been expected to stand down as the head of the department after assisting Treasurer Joe Hockey with his first budget in May.

Mr Abbott announced that Dr Parkinson was leaving Treasury's top job soon after being sworn in as prime minister after the September election, raising speculation that Dr Parkinson had been pushed.

Australia is the G20 president this year, which will end with the Leaders meeting in Brisbane.

Mr Hockey will attend a G20 finance minsters and central bank governors meeting in Washington next week, and after what was regarded as a successful first meeting in Sydney in February.

Mr Hockey will host a further meeting in Cairns in September.

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Court gender ruling has reach: lawyer

The High Court has found in favour of a Sydneysider who wants to be recognised as gender-neutral. Source: AAP

THE High Court has backed a case of gender neutral recognition in a ruling that could have ramifications across Australia.

Sydney resident Norrie, 52, has won a long-running legal battle against NSW's Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages to be granted non-specific gender status.

Norrie, who goes by one name, was born male and underwent gender reassignment in 1989. But Norrie stopped taking hormones after surgery and no longer identifies as male or female.

In a world first in 2010, Norrie was given gender neutral status, but this was withdrawn months later by the NSW government, sparking a string of appeals and counter appeals which reached the High Court.

A unanimous judgment handed down on Wednesday found in Norrie's favour.

"The act does not require that people who, having undergone a sex affirmation procedure ... must be registered, inaccurately, as one or the other," the court found.

Despite its ruling, the court repeatedly refers to Norrie as "she" and "her" in its judgment, citing that Norrie's legal representatives used the terms in submissions.

Norrie's lawyer, Scott McDonald, described the case outcome as a "persuasive authority" for other jurisdictions.

"It'll be binding on the states that have identical or similar legislation," he told reporters.

And for states such as Western Australia, with very different legislation, the judgment has sent a message the High Court doesn't think gender is limited to male and female.

The court was asked to consider whether "non-specific" can be included as a third gender category under the Registry's Act.

Lawyers for the Registry argued unacceptable confusion would flow from the acceptance of more than two gender categories, and that the purpose of a reassignment procedure is to assist a person to be considered a member of the opposite sex.

But counsel for Norrie said it is the register's purpose to record the truth.

"Norrie's sex remained ambiguous so that it would be to record misinformation in the register to classify her as male or female," a judgment summary reads.

For Norrie, Wednesday's ruling was "very exciting".

"Many other people let me know they wanted (to identify as non-specific) in Australia and indeed around the world," Norrie told reporters in Sydney.

The Human Rights Law Centre said it was important that identity documents such as birth certificates give equal recognition to gender diverse people.

"It's essential that our legal systems accurately reflect and accommodate the reality of sex and gender diversity that exists in our society," spokeswoman Anna Brown said.

Community support group A Gender Agenda spokesman Sam Rutherford said all states and territories would have to pay attention to the judgment.

Norrie's application for non-specific status should now be reconsidered by the Registry in accordance with the court's finding, the judgment said.

The Registry must pay Norrie's costs of the High Court appeal.

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Aussie dollar back in RBA's sights

THE Reserve Bank is sticking to its plan to keep interest rates on hold, but a resurgent Australian dollar is undermining its efforts to keep economic growth on track.

The central bank kept the cash rate on hold at 2.5 per cent at its April meeting, as expected, and Governor Glenn Stevens said it expects of "a period of stability in interest rates".

The use of that statement for a third month was designed to help boost consumer and business sentiment, CMC Markets chief market strategist Michael McCarthy said.

"This is an attempt to bolster confidence giving businesses and consumers something to lean on," he said.

Economists said the comments from the RBA accompanying its decision were almost identical to those issued a month earlier, with one notable change.

In March Mr Stevens said the fall in the Australian dollar would help boost economic growth, but on Tuesday he suggested recent rises in the currency would diminish that outlook.

"The decline in the exchange rate from its highs a year ago will assist in achieving balanced growth in the economy, but less so than previously as a result of the rise over the past few months," Mr Stevens said.

The Australian dollar has risen from a low of under 87 US cents in January to close to 93 cents on Tuesday, but remains well below the $US1.06 it was trading at a year ago.

JP Morgan economist Ben Jarman said Mr Stevens' statement showed the Australian dollar wasn't doing what the RBA needed it to do, as it attempts to boost underperforming sectors of the economy to offset declining mining investment.

He expects the RBA to start talking the Australian dollar down if the currency continues to rise.

"That's a space to watch, if it keeps going up they'll have to start jawboning it again."

UBS economics Scott Haslem and George Tharenou said Mr Stevens' statement also showed little concern for rising house prices.

"For now, the RBA appears unfazed by the recent 'heat' in housing," they said.

Most economists saw nothing in the latest comments from the RBA to change their forecasts for the cash rate.

The next move is widely tipped to be a rise, which most economists expect will come in early 2015.

The median forecast for the cash rate at the end of 2015 is 3.25 per cent.

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Libs, Palmer cautioned over election rules

MEMBERS of the Liberal Party and Palmer United Party are among those cautioned for possible breaches of Tasmania's election rules.

Liberal state director Sam McQuestin, Clive Palmer and his party's senator-elect Jacqui Lambie have all been sent letters by the Tasmanian Electoral Commission (TEC) in the wake of the March 15 poll.

The TEC says the trio, along with several newspapers, a right-to-life campaigner and Australia Post all could have breached the island state's electoral act.

The act prohibits the publication of the name or likeness of an opponent during an election campaign.

The issue blew up during the campaign when the Liberals complained about a Palmer United Party (PUP) newspaper advertisement that included photos of their leader Will Hodgman, Labor Premier Lara Giddings and Greens leader Nick McKim.

A caption referred to the leaders as the "three amigos".

The ad included an authorisation from Ms Lambie, who denied having seen it before it was published and later threatened legal action against the newspaper.

Mr Palmer blamed Newscorp for the breach and wrote to the TEC citing a High Court decision on freedom of speech.

The TEC has found that ad, a letter from Mr Palmer, an advertisement and pamphlet from the Liberals and a Right to Life Australia pamphlet all could have breached the act.

It says Mr McQuestin and Australia Post took immediate action to stop distribution once possible breaches became known.

In a statement, the TEC said the circumstances of each breach meant it would not take legal action.

"The TEC takes the view that all persons seeking to involve themselves in Tasmanian election campaigns have a responsibility to acquaint themselves and to comply with duly enacted Tasmanian electoral laws," the statement read.

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Shorten welcomes whaling ban

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has welcomed the UN's decision to ban Japan's whaling program. Source: AAP

THE decision by an international court to declare Japan's Southern Ocean whale hunt illegal was a vindication of Labor's decision to take the original court action, federal Opposition Leader Bill Shorten says.

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Monday demanded Japan cease its whaling program "with immediate effect" as it didn't comply with the country's obligations under the international whaling convention.

The court agreed with Australia's long-held view that Japan's JARPA II research program wasn't "for purposes of scientific research" as allowed under Article 8 of the 1946 convention.

That argument was first brought to court after a push by former environment minister Peter Garrett, and Mr Shorten said that had ultimately led to a decision which would be welcomed by most.

"This is great news for everyone who wants to see whales protected and not hunted for commerce," Mr Shorten said.

"The decision that Labor made to take this to the international court was a policy that was not supported by (Prime Minister) Tony Abbott.

"The wisdom of the approach was vindicated by this successful decision. Our seas will be better for it.

"I think most Australians regardless of politics are probably happy that there won't be commercial whaling in our seas."

The decision comes less than a week before Mr Abbott heads to Tokyo in a bid to finalise a free trade agreement with Japan, Australia's second-largest trading partner.

Mr Shorten said he did not think the decision would affect Australian-Japanese relations.

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Seven Group to buy Nexus Energy

Kerry Stokes' Seven Group Holdings has lodged a takeover bid for oil and gas company Nexus Energy. Source: AAP

BILLIONAIRE Kerry Stokes' Seven Group Holdings has lodged a takeover bid for debt laden oil and gas company Nexus Energy.

The media and industrial services group plans to acquire all shares in Nexus Energy for two cents each, which values the company at $26.6 million.

Nexus has offshore exploration and production assets in the Gippsland Basin, off the south east coast of Victoria, and the Browse Basin off the north west coast of Western Australia.

Seven Group will also replace Nexus Energy's debt, and provide funding for its continuing operations.

Seven Group said it expects to outlay about $400 million on the company in the medium term.

"We believe the proposed acquisition of Nexus Energy is an excellent investment, provided there is an immediate injection of the agreed major capital in the next several weeks," Seven chairman Kerry Stokes said.

"Realisation of the ultimate value of these assets will require substantial capital investment over time."

The proposal also ensures the assets remain in Australian hands, he said.

Nexus has been facing impending debt milestones, which Seven Group said it would be unable to meet without the takeover proposal.

Seven Group shares gained three cents to $8.26, while Nexus shares have been suspended from trade since late February.

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US star fights against WA's shark cull

Shannen Doherty has thrown her support behind Sea Shepherd's fight against WA's shark cull policy. Source: AAP

ACTRESS Shannen Doherty has thrown her support behind Sea Shepherd Australia and its fight against Western Australia's controversial shark cull policy.

Doherty, who rose to fame playing do-gooder Brenda Walsh on television show Beverly Hills 90210, is an outspoken animal activist, and will on Monday tour Perth's drumlines with Sea Shepherd.

The star of TV show Charmed, who came to Perth for Oz Comic Con, has posted photographs of herself on social media with Sea Shepherd representatives, wearing one of their beanies.

Omar Todd, from Sea Shepherd, tweeted on Sunday: "How to sell out really quickly of @SeaShepherd beanies? Well when @DohertyShannen wears one they disappear fast! #outofstock!"

Doherty then tweeted another photograph of herself wearing the beanie, telling Adelaide fans who will see her next: "Free hug if you wear one!!"

For her forthcoming 43rd birthday, Doherty has even asked fans to donate to Sea Shepherd, rather than give her gifts at forthcoming conventions.

Sea Shepherd Australia is a non-profit conservation organisation which aims to end the destruction of habitat and the slaughter of wildlife in the ocean.

Under WA's shark cull trial, any bull, tiger or great white shark bigger than three metres caught on baited drumlines set one kilometre off the metropolitan and southwest coast would be be shot dead and dumped further out at sea.

Drumlines have so far caught at least 104 sharks, including 101 tiger sharks, with 40 either found dead or destroyed, figures released earlier this month show.

WA's Environmental Protection Authority has declined to formally assess the program, despite receiving a record number of public submissions.

Sea Shepherd also recently failed in its bid to secure a Supreme Court injunction to force the state government to suspend the cull.

The trial runs until April 30.

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Funtastic posts $26m half year loss

Toy distributor Funtastic made a half-year loss of $26 million and says sales have been displeasing. Source: AAP

TOY distributor Funtastic has suffered a $26 million half year loss and says sales of some of key brands have been disappointing.

The company's loss in the six months to January 31 was largely caused by a writedown of $24.2 million on its entertainment division, Madman, which is in the process of being sold.

Funtastic also had higher costs in the period, while the weaker Australian dollar and poor sales of key brands including Leapfrog, Power Rangers and Ben 10 also impacted its performance.

The company made a $9.3 million profit in the same period a year earlier.

Funtastic will not pay out an interim dividend, but chief executive Stewart Downs expects a better performance in the second half of its fiscal year.

"Given our strengthening financial position and operating performance I expect to resume dividend payments to shareholders when we announce our full year results," he said.

An expected second half improvement would see the company achieve earnings of between $19 and $23 million for the full year, Mr Downs said.

It had earnings of $3 million in the six months to the end of January.

Two expressions of interest have been lodged for the Madman business, which distributes DVDs and Blu Ray products and manages rights for films and television programs.

Funtastic said it expects a sale will be completed by the end of July.

Aside from the reduced value of Madman, the business also had a fall in earnings due in part to changes to its distribution model.

"It was a disappointing first half domestically both for Funtastic Australia and Madman Entertainment businesses," Mr Downs said.

But Mr Downs said the company's move into producing its own products was paying off, with strong sales growth from its Chill Factor slushy maker during the half.

"On a positive note, our own brands performed exceptionally well now making up 56 per cent of our earnings contribution," he said.

Funtastic shares closed steady at 13 cents.

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