Severe storm warning for NSW

Thunderstorms may cause heavy rain and flash flooding over large parts of NSW, forecasters warn. Source: AAP

THE Bureau of Meteorology has issued a severe thunderstorm warning for large parts of NSW, with emergency authorities urging residents to be prepared for flash flooding and damaging winds.

The warnings, issued at 2.06pm (AEDT) on Tuesday are for the central tablelands, parts of the mid-north coast, the Hunter region, northwest slopes and plains, central west slopes and plains and the lower western, upper western and northern tablelands forecast districts.

Thunderstorms are likely to produce heavy rainfall that may lead to flash flooding and damaging winds over the next several hours, the bureau said.

Locations which may be affected include Scone, Orange, Mudgee, Bathurst, Katoomba, Tamworth, Gunnedah, Narrabri, Dubbo, Parkes, Nyngan, Wilcannia and Cobar.

The State Emergency Service (SES) is advising people to move cars under cover and away from trees, secure loose items around dwellings, keep clear of fallen power lines, creeks and storm drains, and to call triple zero if trapped by flash flooding.

People are also being urged to avoid using phones during storms, to unplug computers and appliances and to stay indoors and away from windows.

A strong wind warning has also been issued for NSW coastal waters between Yamba and Crowdy Head.

Winds are north-easterly, then tending southeast to south-westerly and increasing up to 30 knots by Wednesday morning, with combined sea and swell increasing up to three metres.

But the bureau noted that wind gusts could be 40 per cent stronger than the averages given, with maximum waves up to twice the quoted heights.

For emergency help in floods and storms in NSW and the ACT, ring the SES on 132 500.

A spokesman for the NSW State Emergency Service (SES) said about 50 calls for help had been received by 3.30pm.

He told AAP many calls were for minor damage to property caused by high winds.

Calls were fairly widespread but many were from Sydney's northern suburbs and from Bathurst, in the state's west, the spokesman said.

No serious incidents or injuries had been reported.

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Melbourne celebrates sunny Christmas

MELBOURNE'S tricky weather took a Christmas Day holiday this year when the sunshine arrived just in time for lunches and church services.

Torrential storms lashed Victoria on Christmas Day last year with strong winds, flash flooding, and hail the size of golf balls triggering 3000 distress calls.

But in 2012 there was no repeat of the terrible weather.

The weather bureau is forecasting mostly sunny conditions with a south-westerly breeze to continue across the state until after Boxing Day.

It was just what those heading to beaches, family get-togethers, or charitable events had been wishing for.

Claudia Kaster was one of the many self-proclaimed Christmas orphans at Federation Square on Tuesday afternoon for a community picnic.

"I love to be outside," said Ms Kaster, who lost her partner two years ago and didn't want to stay home alone.

"It's really great for people to come together."

Co-organiser Joe Norster said the annual "Orphans and Exiles" picnic, which saw the square adorned with 250 plastic pines, was designed to ensure everyone had somewhere to spend Christmas, providing "a sense of community".

Thousands also attended church services. Both Anglican and Catholic church leaders in Melbourne used their Christmas Day sermons to preach messages of peace and love and urge people to remember the less fortunate.

Sick children were greeted by Santa Claus who gave them presents at the Royal Children's Hospital first thing on Tuesday morning.

The jolly man was joined by firefighters as he visited patients and their families before heading to Monash Children's Hospital.

John Hutson, a professor of surgery at the hospital, said he was thrilled to be at the annual event for the 32nd time.

"It's for the children. Kids are stuck in hospital and it's cruel to be in hospital on Christmas Day," he said.

Many others, however, were still at work on the public holiday, including paramedics, police officers and veterinarians.

Emergency services reported no major incidents across the state on Tuesday, until a distress call came in late in the afternoon.

Police responded to a report of a capsized boat near Venus Bay, southeast of Melbourne but further details were not immediately available.

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Qld firies battle blaze near Fraser Coast

FIREFIGHTERS are battling a bushfire close to homes near the Queensland south coast.

Up to 12 rural and urban crews were working to protect houses and put in firebreaks and backburns to contain the blaze near the Fraser Coast on Tuesday.

They were trying to stop the blaze reaching a nearby state forest, Queensland Fire & Rescue Service spokeswoman Nicole Dobbin told AAP.

Changeable winds had not made it easy for firefighters but by about 4pm (AEST) they had the fire "pretty much contained", reducing the threat to homes on Honeyeater Drive, she said.

Residents had hoses out and were moving animals to safety, Ms Dobbin said.

They have been advised to close doors and windows, and motorists are urged to exercise caution because of low visibility.

The fire had grown considerably since it broke out before noon (AEST) on Tuesday, on Maryborough Hervey Bay Road.

Part of the road has been closed and a smoke hazard warning has been issued.

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WA bushfire warning as temperatures rise

WITH a tough bushfire season ahead for Western Australia this summer and soaring temperatures predicted over the Christmas week, emergency service authorities are reminding people to be vigilant and prepared for a bushfire threat.

Research conducted by the Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) earlier this year found many people who live in high risk areas underestimated the destructive nature of bushfires and thought it wouldn't happen to them.

The results have been incorporated into the latest edition of the bushfire guide Prepare. Act. Survive.

DFES director of community engagement Suellen Shea said the findings highlighted the importance of household planning.

"Many people are underestimating the ferocious nature of bushfires and, as a result, they aren't putting in place the necessary preparations to ensure their survival," she said.

"If you live in or near bush, developing and using a bushfire survival plan is critical.

"Having a plan to follow will help you avoid last minute decisions that could cost lives."

The guide incorporates the latest research and information about what to do when a threat happens.

DFES deputy commissioner of operations Lloyd Bailey urged people to keep safe over Christmas by having a bushfire survival plan.

"This week we will see temperatures soar, which means bushfires will be more likely and more dangerous," he said.

"If you live in a high risk area, suburban or rural, you really need to take responsibility for yourself and your family and have a bushfire survival plan."

Mr Bailey also warned those wanting to stay and defend their properties not to underestimate the power of a bushfire and the destruction it could cause.

"If your plan is to stay and actively defend, you cannot do that with a few buckets and a garden hose," he said.

"You will need to have protective clothing that covers as much of your skin as possible, firefighting equipment and an independent water supply of at least 20,000 litres.

"Defending your home is no joke, it's not easy and to be quite frank, unless you have the equipment and experience your safest option is to leave early."

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Awning death man was property developer

PROPERTY developer Chris Walton has been identified as the man who died when an awning collapsed on the Gold Coast.

Mr Walton, who developed the $50 million Currumbin Eco Village with business partner Kerry Shepherd, was crushed on Sunday when the awning of a shop on Burleigh Heads James Street collapsed on him.

Some eyewitness reports are suggesting Mr Walton, 54, pushed other passers-by out of the way as the awning fell.

Paramedics attempted to revive Mr Walton but he died at the scene while three women were taken to Gold Coast Hospital with minor injuries.

Mr Walton is survived by a wife and one son.

Workplace Health and Safety Queensland officers are investigating the collapse and are believed to be returning to the scene later on Monday.

Gold Coast acting mayor Cameron Caldwell said the pre-Christmas tragedy was shocking news for his loved ones.

"This tragic loss will no doubt be felt by his family and friends for many years to come," Cr Caldwell said in a statement on Monday.

"On behalf of council, I pass on our condolences to his family and also pass on our thoughts to those injured in this incident."

Cr Caldwell said council would assist authorities fully with their investigations.

Local business owner Deilene Smith said the tragic accident will mean other businesses will be checking the structural safety of their own buildings.

"I imagine it will make people a little bit more wary," Ms Smith told ABC radio.

Ms Shepherd said she'd been told by witnesses Mr Walton had pushed three people to safety as the awning fell.

She said the Burleigh community had offered "incredible" support in the wake of the tragedy.

"I have 40 or 50 people streaming through my home to look after me and my 13-year-old son," she told the Brisbane Times website.

"Some of them slept over last night just to make sure that we are safe ... it is a pretty incredible place."

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Asthma sufferers urged to check inhalers

A voluntary recall of several batches of Ventolin and Asmol inhalers is under way due to a fault. Source: AAP

ASTHMA sufferers are being advised to check the label number on their inhalers following the recall of a faulty batch.

Drug manufacturing companies GlaxoSmithKline and Alphapharm, in consultation with the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), are voluntarily recalling several batches of Ventolin and Asmol inhalers due to a fault in the delivery mechanism of a small number of inhalers in each batch.

This can lead to less than the full dose being delivered for each puff.

The companies estimate about 25,000 to 50,000 inhalers from affected batches are involved in the recall, out of approximately 900,000 puffers distributed each month.

However, a TGA spokeswoman said users shouldn't be alarmed.

"At the same time they need to be aware that there is a possibility that their asthma relievers may not be supplying the correct dosage in each puff," she said.

"If relief is not obtained after taking the normal dose, consumers should take an additional one to two puffs to be on the safe side."

Anyone who continues to have difficulty breathing should contact their doctor for assistance.

The only Ventolin batch numbers affected are KN7170, KN7173, KN7178, and KN7179, whilst the Asmol batch numbers involved in the recall are KL6790, KL6795, KL6796, KL6797, KL6798, and KL6799.

Those with an inhaler from an affected batch can may return it to their pharmacy for replacement.

To find the batch number on the inhaler, remove the canister from the coloured tube to see it located on the bottom of the canister label.

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Morsi wins vote on Egypt's constitution

Voters have showed up in large numbers as the final round of a referendum is taking place in Egypt. Source: AAP

EGYPTIANS have approved an Islamist-backed constitution in a final round of voting in a contentious referendum.

Saturday's voting in 17 of Egypt's 27 provinces was the second and final round of the referendum.

Preliminary results released early on Sunday by Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood showed that 71.4 per cent of those who voted on Saturday said "yes" after 95.5 per cent of the ballots were counted.

Only about eight million of the 25 million Egyptians eligible to vote - a turnout of about 30 per cent - cast their ballots.

The Brotherhood has accurately predicted election results in the past by tallying results provided by its representatives at polling centres.

In the first round of voting, about 56 per cent said "yes" to the charter. The turnout then was about 32 per cent.

The results of the two rounds mean the referendum was approved by about 63 per cent.

The vote is a victory for Islamist President Mohammed Morsi, but a costly one.

The bruising battle has stripped away hope the long-awaited constitution would bring a national consensus on Egypt's path after shedding its autocratic ruler Hosni Mubarak nearly two years ago.

Morsi disillusioned many non-Islamists who had once backed him and has become more reliant on his core support in the Muslim Brotherhood and other Islamists.

Hard-liners in his camp are determined to implement provisions for stricter rule by Islamic law in the charter, which is likely to further fuel divisions.

Morsi's secular opposition now faces the task of trying to organise the significant portion of the population angered by what it sees as attempts by Morsi and the Brotherhood to gain a lock on political power.

The main opposition group, the National Salvation Front, said it would start rallying for elections for the law making, lower house of parliament, expected early next year.

"We feel more empowered because of the referendum. We proved that at least we are half of society (that) doesn't approve of all this. We will build on it," the Front's spokesman, Khaled Daoud, said.

He said there was "no appetite" at the moment for further street protests.

The new constitution will come into effect once the official count is announced.

Morsi is expected to call for the election of the lower chamber no more than two months later.

In a sign of disarray in Morsi's administration, his vice president resigned during Saturday's voting.

Vice President Mahmoud Mekki's resignation had been expected since his post is eliminated under the new constitution. But his resignation statement suggested it was linked to Morsi's policies.

"I have realised a while ago that the nature of politics don't suit my professional background as a judge," his resignation letter, read on state TV, said.

Mekki said he had first submitted his resignation last month but events forced him to stay on.

The status of Central Bank Governor Farouq el-Oqdah was murkier.

State TV first reported his resignation, then soon after reported the cabinet denied he has stepped down in a possible sign of confusion.

El-Oqdah, in his post since 2003, has reportedly been seeking to step down but the administration was trying to convince him to stay on.

The confusion over el-Oqdah's status comes at a time when the government is eager to show some stability in the economy as the Egyptian pound has been sliding and a much-needed $US4.8 billion ($A4.6 billion) loan from the IMF has been postponed.

Over the past month, seven of Morsi's 17 top advisers and the one Christian among his top four aides resigned.

Like Mekki, they said they had never been consulted in advance on any of the president's moves, including his November 22 decrees, since rescinded, that granted himself near absolute powers.

Those decrees sparked large street protests by hundreds of thousands of people around the country, bringing counter-rallies by Islamists.

The turmoil was further fuelled with a Constituent Assembly almost entirely made up of Islamists finalised the constitution draft in the dead of night amid a boycott by liberals and Christians.

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US town in mourning inundated with gifts

Funerals are still being held at the Connecticut town where a gunman killed 20 children. Source: AAP

NEWTOWN'S children have been showered with gifts - tens of thousands of teddy bears, Barbie dolls, soccer balls and board games - and those are only some of the tokens of support from around the world for the Connecticut town in mourning.

Just a little over a week ago, 20 children and six school employees were gunned down at Sandy Hook Elementary School. Twenty-year-old Adam Lanza killed his mother, attacked the school, then killed himself. Police don't know what set off the massacre.

Days before Christmas, funerals were still being held on Saturday, the last of those whose schedules were made public, according to the Connecticut Funeral Directors Association. A service was held in Ogden, Utah, for six-year-old Emilie Parker. Others were held in Connecticut for Josephine Gay, seven, and Ana Marquez-Greene, six.

A horse-drawn carriage brought the miniature coffin of Ana to The First Cathedral church in Bloomfield, Connecticut, where 1000 mourners gathered to bid goodbye.

The service included a performance by Harry Connick Jr, who has played with the girl's jazz saxophonist father, Jimmy Greene, the Connecticut Post reported.

Also in Newtown, dozens of emergency responders paid their respects at the start of the service for Josephine at St Rose of Lima Catholic Church, walking through the church and up to the altar.

In Ogden, people tied pink ribbons around trees and utility poles in memory of Emilie.

Her father, Robert Parker, was one of the first parents to publicly talk about his loss and he expressed no animosity for the gunman.

Meanwhile, all of Newtown's children were invited to Edmond Town Hall, where they could choose a toy.

Bobbi Veach, who was fielding donations at the building, reflected on the outpouring of gifts from toy stores, organisations and individuals around the world.

"It's their way of grieving," Veach said. "They say, 'I feel so bad, I just want to do something to reach out.' That's why we accommodate everybody we can."

The United Way of Western Connecticut said the official fund for donations had $US2.8 million ($A2.68 million) on Saturday.

Others sent envelopes stuffed with cash to pay for coffee at the general store, and a shipment of cupcakes arrived from a gourmet bakery in Beverly Hills, California.

The Postal Service reported a six-fold increase in mail in the town and set up a unique post office box to handle it. The parcels come decorated with rainbows and hearts drawn by children.

Some letters arrived in packs of 26 identical envelopes - one for each family of the children and staff killed or addressed to the "First Responders" or just "The People of Newtown". One card arrived from Georgia addressed to "The families of 6 amazing women and 20 beloved angels." Many contained cheques.

"This is just the proof of the love that's in this country," postmaster Cathy Zieff said.

At the town hall building, the basement resembled a toy store, with piles of stuffed penguins, dolls, games, and other gifts. All the toys were inspected and examined by bomb-sniffing dogs before being sorted and put on card tables.

Jugglers entertained the children, a dunk tank was set up outside and the crowd of several hundred parents and children sang an enthusiastic rendition of "Happy Birthday" to one child.

A man dressed as Santa Claus was in attendance and high school students were offering arts and crafts such as face painting and caricatures.

Many people have placed flowers, candles and stuffed animals at makeshift memorials that have popped up all over town.

Others are stopping by the Edmond Town Hall to drop off food, toys or cash. About 60,000 teddy bears were donated, said Ann Benoure, a social services caseworker who was working at the town hall.

"There's so much stuff coming in," Mahoney said. "To be honest, it's a bit overwhelming; you just want to close the doors and turn the phone off."

Mahoney said the town of some 27,000 with a median household income of more than $US111,000 plans to donate whatever is left over to shelters or other charities.

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Women's car insurance hike under fire

New EU rules that raise women's car insurance have come under criticism. Source: AAP

NEW EU rules which raise women's car insurance costs have been slammed as "gender equality for gender equality's sake".

London MEP (Member of the European Parliament) Marina Yannakoudakis said: "Only in the EU could penalising both women and men be seen as a kind of fairness."

Ms Yannakoudakis, Tory spokesman in the European Parliament on women's rights, hit out on the day that new "gender-neutral" pricing rules came into force.

The rules follow a European Court verdict on sex discrimination and affect areas where different standards apply to the sexes - notably car insurance and pension ages.

Applying equality rules means that men are likely to get lower pension annuities, while women will pay more for car insurance where traditionally they are considered safer drivers and therefore pay lower premiums than men.

Ms Yannakoudakis said women drivers could face a 40 per cent rise in their car insurance premiums, with female drivers under 30 set to be hit hardest. Male pensioners could be left up to 10,000 worse off in retirement.

She said: "This ruling is gender equality for gender equality's sake.

"It flies in the face both of common sense and the overwhelming evidence that women drivers represent a lower risk to insurers.

"Women drivers who have not already changed their policies should shop around to ensure that they get the best deal."

It was in March last year that European Court of Justice judges in Luxembourg rewrote the rule book for insurance companies by banning risk assessment based on gender.

Using differences between men and women as a risk factor in setting premiums for car and medical insurance and pension schemes breaches EU rules on equality, declared the judges.

The verdict forced changes in the current standard practice across Europe of basing insurance rates on statistics about differing life expectancies or road accident records of the sexes.

The Association of British Insurers estimated that the decision will actually reinforce price discrimination, with women drivers under 26 in the UK facing at least a 26 per cent rise in car insurance rates, with a 10 per cent drop in rates for men.

Up until now, discrimination in setting insurance rates was explicitly permitted under EU equal treatment rules, which stated that discrimination was permissible "if sex is a determining risk factor ... substantiated by relevant and accurate actuarial and statistical data".

But the judges decreed that equality provisions set out in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the Lisbon Treaty took precedence.

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Queen's chaplain 'victim of racism'

A chaplain to Queen Elizabeth (pic) says she is a victim of racism within the Church of England. Source: AAP

A CHAPLAIN to Queen Elizabeth tipped as a possible contender to be one of the first women bishops claims she is a victim of racism within the Church of England.

The Rev Rose Hudson-Wilkin, who became the first black female chaplain to the House of Commons, has also asked why there were not more people of minority ethnic backgrounds in leadership roles within the church, which she said was "still struggling with institutional racism".

In an interview with The Times on Friday, Ms Hudson-Wilkin, who was born and brought up in Montego Bay, Jamaica, said: "I've had people who did not want me to do a funeral. I can smile because it's their sheer ignorance - I feel sorry for them. I know that it's not about me, it's about them.

"We have been encouraging people to stand and people have been putting themselves forward and have not been elected. I think there is a level of racism around that."

Ms Hudson-Wilkin, who is vicar to two inner-city parishes in Hackney, east London, said she thought racism was a more pressing issue than homosexuality.

"The church has always been obsessed with sex, I really don't understand it," she told the paper.

"I have known some decent gay people who are in faithful monogamous relationships and who are hugely committed to each other.

"I'm deeply saddened that parts of the church continue to be obsessed by this whole business. There are so many more important things."

Ms Hudson-Wilkin was one of a number of prominent female clergy tipped as possible contenders should the Church of England's national assembly give final approval to legislation introducing the first women bishops.

The draft legislation was carried in a vote by the houses of bishops and clergy in the General Synod last month but failed by six votes to gain the necessary two-thirds majority among lay members.

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