New dementia research centre launched

A new research centre for dementia will drive better care, says the federal minister for aged care. Source: AAP

FEDERAL Minister for Ageing Mark Butler has launched a new research centre for improving dementia care services, saying with one million Australians expected to suffer from the disease by 2050 it is "one of the greatest health challenges we've ever faced".

The $25 million National Health and Medical Research Council Partnership Centre is a collaboration between the government, Alzheimer's Australia and non-government aged care groups in NSW, Western Australia and South Australia.

Canberra has devoted just under $21 million to the project, which will operate out of different locations across Australia, with Mr Butler saying "we want to make sure the world's best research informs the world's best care and support".

"Together the team will undertake essential work that will help to improve the planning of aged care services, responsible medication management, quality use of medicines and the development of new models of respite care," Mr Butler said in a statement.

"The government is investing in this centre to help people living with cognitive decline remain in the community living productive lives for as long as possible, and for those who are unable to do so it will also improve their experience of living in residential aged care facilities."

Alzheimer's Australia chief Glenn Rees said the centre would drive changes by "making sure that research results in real changes in practice".

"Dementia is a major global health issue, and we are a long way from where we need to be in the development of new treatments and improving the quality of dementia care," Mr Rees said in a statement.

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Asylum seekers reach WA port

A BOAT carrying suspected asylum seekers has been escorted into the West Australian port city of Geraldton.

Barely 430km north of Perth, the Mid West region coastal centre is more than 2000km south of Christmas Island where asylum seekers coming to Australia are usually intercepted.

The vessel arrived about 12 noon (WST) on Tuesday.

Locals were stunned as the crowded fishing boat approached.

It is thought it came from Sri Lanka and had been at sea for around six weeks.

Customs officials have taken the vessel ashore, and a temporary screening centre has been set up to process the arrivals.

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It's time for Tiwi recognition, elder says

IT'S time for Tiwi Islanders to take control of their own destiny, an elder says.

Elders on the islands, 80km north of Darwin, formed a land council in 1979 with the goal of taking control of their own affairs.

In the meantime they've watched the establishment of the Torres Strait Regional Authority.

But despite Tiwi aspirations for a similar authority, a local council still controls housing, healthcare, schooling, infrastructure and planning.

Elder Marius Puruntatameri says the idea has been discussed on the Tiwi Islands for 30 years.

"We were thinking about it then, we're still talking about it now," the softly spoken elder told AAP.

For Mr Puruntatameri, the duplication and wasted money is most frustrating.

"Everyone's just doing their own thing, there's no unity," he said.

"A lot of people out here are working for themselves instead of our people."

The elders have renewed their push for a regional authority as the Northern Territory reviews local governments.

"We've never stopped believing Tiwi people should be responsible, should be trusted," Mr Puruntatameri said.

"We'll never stop talking about it.

"Sure we'll have our problems, there will be ups and downs.

"But we can learn and we will learn."

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Labor remains committed to auto industry

HOLDEN job losses are disappointing but the federal government remains committed to the automotive sector, acting industry minister Gary Gray says.

Mr Gray says the government's thoughts are with affected workers and their families at this difficult time.

Holden has announced it will axe 400 jobs from its South Australian operations with another 100 positions to go from its product development workforce in Melbourne.

Holden said workers would be offered voluntary redundancy packages and the company expected the restructuring to be completed by August.

Mr Gray said Holden was committed to honouring worker entitlements and assisting them to find new jobs.

As well, the government has a range of measures available to assist workers, including intensive employment support under the Automotive Industry Structural Adjustment Program.

"The Gillard government remains committed to the Australian automotive sector and the manufacturing sector more broadly," Mr Gray said in a statement.

"We will work with the industry to ensure it is sustainable in a period where the Australian dollar is very strong, for example trading at parity or higher with the US dollar."

Holden said the strong Australian dollar was the primary reason for its decision, but there were also challenging market conditions and a fall in demand for its locally-built Cruze small car.

Mr Gray said Holden had made clear the restructuring was part of a broader move to make its operations more competitive and ensure it was well placed to retain production in Australia.

"The automotive manufacturing industry is an integral part of the Australian economy, paying the wages for around 250,000 Australians employed either directly in the sector, or indirectly in related manufacturing and service industries," he said.

"Our commitment to the sector is why we are investing $5.4 billion to 2020 under our New Car Plan. This will help fund investment and innovation by the car industry and it creates the policy certainty needed to support long-term investment."

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Woman's desperate cries ignored: Qld court

A YOUNG woman's screams of "Help me, oh God help me" nearly 40 years ago have haunted a man who ignored them.

The man and his wife have told a cold-case inquest into the deaths of two Sydney nurses in Queensland they saw two young women being manhandled by two men one night in September or October 1974.

One screamed for help but the couple didn't stop because they were frightened, the Toowoomba inquest was told.

Brian Britcher said he saw a green EJ Holden parked part way down the Toowoomba Range road.

Two girls and two men were nearby.

A blonde girl was being held around the neck by one man, while a dark-haired girl further down the road was being frogmarched towards the car by a second man.

Mr Britcher said the dark-haired girl was screaming "Help me, oh God help me", but he kept driving because his wife and young daughter were in the car.

"Had I have stopped I might've been able to help, but I thought of my wife and my daughter," he told the court, his voice breaking with emotion.

"I've lived with that for (more than) 30 years."

He said he didn't call police from a phone booth at nearby Withcott because he was afraid the men might drive past and recognise his car.

He didn't have a phone at home but contacted police within two days of the incident, which he said occurred either on the last weekend of September 1974 or the following weekend.

His wife Valma, who also gave evidence, said police told the couple to go home and forget about it because no one had been reported missing.

They contacted police again when the bodies of the two Sydney women were found in 1976 but no statement was taken.

It wasn't until 1987 that police called them and they were shown photos of the two women.

Ms Britcher said she was positive they were the women she had seen.

The inquest continues.

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Seven no comment on Oly broadcast rights

THE Seven Network won't comment on reports it has withdrawn its bid for the rights to broadcast the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

The Australian on Monday reported that Seven dropped out of the race for the commercial free-to-air rights after the International Olympic Committee told it to raise its offer.

The Nine and Ten networks had declined to make an offer for the rights for both the Sochi winter Olympics in 2014 and Rio in 2016 because of cost concerns.

The Nine Network broadcast the London games last year, while Foxtel held the payTV rights.

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Potentially serious flu season ahead

THE NSW government has released a state-wide plan urging people to prepare for a "potentially serious" flu season with experts expecting a return of swine flu.

Health Minister Jillian Skinner along with several health experts released the Get Ready For Winter plan at Westmead Hospital in western Sydney on Sunday.

Ms Skinner said it's important people are prepared to combat and prevent flu as the government is expecting a "potentially serious" flu season after record levels of infection in the northern hemisphere over the past winter.

"This year we are particularly concerned about the likelihood of three strains of influenza - the H1N1, H3N2 and B strains - all circulating at the same time," Ms Skinner said in a statement on Sunday.

H1N1, also known as swine flu, was responsible for several deaths in 2009.

But NSW Health director of health protection Dr Jeremy McAnulty told AAP it might not be as severe as it had been in the past.

To deal with more patients over the flu season, a "record number" of nurses and doctors would be available, Ms Skinner said.

"Our hospitals are equipped and preparing to manage the increased case load but we are urging people to be aware of how they can stay well during the influenza season and stay out of hospital."

"In the first instance, people with a cold or flu-like symptoms should see their GP or contact healthdirect (1800 022 222) to talk to a registered nurse."

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Inquiry starts into soldier's truck death

A COMMISSION of inquiry will begin investigating the circumstances of a young Victorian military engineer's death during a training exercise.

Sapper Jordan Penpraze, 22, died three days after he was involved in a truck crash during a defence exercise at Sydney's Holsworthy Barracks in October last year.

The Defence Department said a commission of inquiry into the death begins in Sydney on Monday at 10am (AEST).

Retired magistrate and coroner Warren Cook, will preside over the inquiry along with Lieutenant Colonel Andrew Herbert and Major Jamie Cotton.

As a trainee combat engineer in the Australian Army, Mr Penpraze had been looking forward to deployment in Afghanistan - building bridges and clearing roads of improvised explosive devices and minefields.

But the Victorian soldier died on home soil, the same week he was due to graduate from the Australian Army School of Military Engineering.

Sapper Penpraze was one of 18 soldiers thrown from the open-top Unimog troop carrier when it careened off the road and rolled several times.

The Defence Department said the hearings will be open to the public, as much as possible.

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Venezuela's Maduro claims plot to kill him

VENEZUELA'S acting president Nicolas Maduro has accused former US officials Roger Noriega and Otto Reich of plotting to kill him to prevent his victory in next week's presidential elections.

Speaking at a televised campaign event on Saturday, Maduro said the plot also involved "right-wing forces" from El Salvador, which had already dispatched paid assassins to Venezuela to implement the plan.

"Their goal is to kill me," said Maduro, who had been designated by the late Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez as his heir apparent. "They want to kill me because they know they cannot win free and fair elections."

A presidential election to replace Chavez, who died of cancer last month, will be held on April 14.

Maduro said part of the plot also involved sabotaging the nation's electrical grid.

Parts of oil-rich Venezuela suffer from regular power outages, a problem opposition leader Henrique Capriles had seized upon to criticise the socialist government that Chavez led for 14 years until his death on March 5.

On Thursday, Maduro also accused the opposition of plotting to sabotage the national power grid to cause a blackout ahead of the election.

He repeated the claim on Saturday, adding that he was aware that one of the leaders of Capriles' Justice First party had met with an employee of the US Embassy in Caracas to discuss plans for "a general blackout" in the state of Bolivar, where most of Venezuela's electrical power is generated.

"They are clearly hatching a conspiracy," Maduro insisted, adding that the Venezuelan government will consider "an appropriate diplomatic measure." He did not elaborate.

A conservative Mexican-American, Roger Noriega served as US permanent representative to the Organisation of American States (OAS) from 2001 to 2003.

Otto Reich, a Cuban-American, was the US president's special envoy for the Western Hemisphere, assistant secretary of state and US ambassador to Venezuela.

While vocal critics of Venezuelan policies, both have repeatedly denied any involvement in Venezuelan affairs.

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Super reforms not a cash grab: Shorten

Federal Superannuation Minister Bill Shorten says changes to super are not a cash grab. Source: AAP

THE federal government has denied claims by opposition leader Tony Abbott that superannuation reforms are a cash grab.

Mr Abbott has accused the government of a cash grab with its changes to super, but refused to rule out whether the coalition would adopt any of the reforms in Brisbane on Saturday.

Federal Superannuation Minister Bill Shorten said the reforms were aimed at preventing a limitless taxpayer concession to people who were already comfortable.

"It's not a cash grab because any analysis of the budget numbers shows that the initiative is not bringing savings to the budget in the short term," he told journalists in Melbourne.

Mr Shorten said Mr Abbott could not make up his mind on whether he supported the reforms.

"He may support it, he may not," Mr Shorten said.

"Mr Abbott probably needs help on what shirt to pick in the morning."

The government has announced changes including a plan for the tax exemption on pension earnings from superannuation accounts to be capped at $100,000, with anything above that taxed at 15 per cent.

It will affect about 16,000 people who have super assets worth more than $2 million.

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