Study exposes teenage weight fears

A UK study's found one in 10 teenage girls have extreme levels of fear about gaining weight. Source: AAP

ONE in 10 teenage girls have "extreme levels of fear" about gaining weight, a UK study suggests.

Eleven per cent of 13-year-old girls suffer intense worry about getting fat compared with 4.7 per cent of boys the same age.

Researchers from the University College London Institute of Child Health and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine also discovered that most teenage girls worry about gaining weight.

They also found that a third of girls and one in five boys are upset or distressed about their weight and shape.

Examining data concerning 7000 children, who are part of the University of Bristol's Children of the 90s study, the authors found that 26 per cent of girls and one in seven boys had restricted their food intake by fasting, skipping meals or throwing away food.

And 53 per cent of girls and 41 per cent of boys had avoided fatty foods.

The authors cautioned that eating problems had an impact on children's mental health and their social, personal and family life.

"We have found that behaviours typical of an eating disorder are more common in early adolescence than previously thought. Not just in girls but also in boys," said lead author Dr Nadia Micali.

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Pact Group makes shaky share market debut

SHARES in packaging manufacturer Pact Group finished more than 12 per cent lower in a lacklustre share market debut.

The company was formed in June 2002 and sells rigid and metal packaging products in Australia, New Zealand and Asia.

Pact raised $649 million by issuing shares at $3.80 each in a public offer that valued the company at $1.1 billion.

The shares began trading at 1215 AEDT on Tuesday, and fell by as much as 10.8 per cent in early trade.

They finished 48 cents, or 12.63 per cent, at $3.32.

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Researchers discover 'small dog syndrome'

SMALL dogs may suffer from a canine equivalent of short man syndrome, researchers believe, making them more aggressive and prone to mount people and objects.

Regardless of breed, the smaller the dog is, the more likely it is to be unruly, aggressive, noisy and prone to "humping", according to a study by the University of Sydney.

"Our research shows that certain physical characteristics in dogs are consistently associated with certain types of behaviour," said Professor Paul McGreevy from the Faculty of Veterinary Science.

"Essentially, the shorter the dogs the less controllable their behaviour is for their owners.

"Undesirable behaviours such as owner aggression, or mounting, occur more often among small dogs."

The study, published in journal PLOS One, examined owners' reports of 8000 dogs from across 80 breeds. It found that 33 of 36 undesirable behaviours in dogs could be associated with height, body weight and skull shape.

"When average body weight decreased, excitability and hyperactivity increased," said Professor McGreevy.

Further studies will address whether these bad behaviours seen in small dogs are a result of nature or nurture.

"This suggests that, in small dogs, these behaviours are tolerated more than they would be in larger dogs where such behaviours are more unwelcome and even dangerous."

"Equally, such behaviours in small dogs may be a result of their being overindulged and over-protected," he said.

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Aurizon to cut rail fleet, cancel project

FREIGHT and coal haulage operator Aurizon will take a hit of almost $200 million as it cuts the size of its rail fleet and cancels a major Queensland project.

The company, previously known as QR National, is reducing its locomotive fleet by 28 per cent and cutting the number of wagons by 12 per cent in a bid to bring down fuel and maintenance costs.

Aurizon's downsizing will appear as an asset impairment expense of $130 million to $150 million in its accounts for the first half of the 2013/14 financial year.

The company will also incur a $47 million impairment on recent changes to several projects, including Glencore Xstrata's decision to stop the Wandoan project because of weakening thermal coal prices.

Aurizon had proposed a 210 kilometre Surat Basin rail corridor from the Wandoan mine in a joint venture with the Swiss multinational.

"There's not any job losses that are related to that," chief executive Lance Hockridge told reporters on Monday.

In July, Aurizon launched a second voluntary redundancy program in a bid to save $230 million by 2015.

Some 248 voluntary redundancies have since been accepted.

"I think the bulk of it is done," Mr Hockridge said.

More than 2,000 employees have left the company since it was privatised by the former Queensland Labor government in 2010.

Mr Hockridge said he was "cautious but confident" about the thermal coal sector, as well as the future of projects in Queensland's Galilee Basin, where Aurizon has agreed to develop a rail project for the GVK-Hancock joint venture involving billionaire Gina Rinehart.

Aurizon shares dropped two cents to $4.68.

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Kiwi extends gains over Aussie dollar

THE New Zealand dollar has extended its rally against its trans-Tasman counterpart as the divergence between the neighbouring economies makes New Zealand interest rates more attractive.

The kiwi rose as high as 92.49 Australian cents on Monday, the highest since October 2008, trading at 92.40 cents at 5pm in Wellington from 92.26 cents on Friday in New York.

The NZ dollar traded at 82.78 cents from 82.56 cents at 8am and 82.63 cents on Friday in New York.

The kiwi has been making fresh five-year highs against its Australian counterpart as the slowing economy in Australia and burgeoning local recovery underline the different stages of the interest rate cycle each nation's central bank is in.

New Zealand's Reserve Bank is keen on hiking rates next year, while Australia's is sitting on record-low rates to keep the stimulus coming.

Investors will be looking to see any hint of an easing bias when the minutes to this month's Reserve Bank of Australia policy meeting are released on Tuesday.

"Their central bank is quite determined to get the Aussie dollar lower to get a more sustainable mix in their economy," said Dan Bell, head of corporate sales at HiFX in Auckland.

"It looks like the kiwi/Aussie could get up to the 95 cent level" over the next month before it "runs out of puff," he said.

The kiwi fell to 85.04 yen at 5pm in Wellington from 85.31 yen on Friday in New York, and was little changed at 60.16 euro cents from 60.19 cents.

The trade-weighted index was steady at 77.92 from 77.90.

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Wesfarmers sells underwriting operations

DIVERSIFIED conglomerate Wesfarmers is selling its Australasian insurance underwriting operations to Insurance Australia Group (IAG) for about $1.85 billion - its biggest ever divestment.

Wesfarmers managing director Richard Goyder said the sale followed approaches by a number of parties that were interested in the underwriting business.

Wesfarmers had spent a lot of money in recent years getting the Australian and New Zealand insurance underwriting business into much better shape.

"But it hasn't delivered satisfactory returns on average over the last five years to Wesfarmers," Mr Goyder told reporters.

"And over a period of time, if any of our businesses don't generate satisfactory returns, we'll look and see what we do with it."

Mr Goyder said the sale of the insurance underwriting business also reduced some of the risk in Wesfarmers' portfolio of industrial, mining, retail and financial businesses.

There was inherent volatility in the insurance business because of catastrophic events like earthquakes in New Zealand, and Cyclone Yasi.

The sale does not include the insurance division's broking operations in Australia, New Zealand and the UK, and its Australian and New Zealand premium funding businesses which will remain part of Wesfarmers.

Wesfarmers expects a pre-tax profit of about $700 million to $750 million from the transaction, which will be included in the financial results for the second half of the 2014 financial year.

Mr Goyder said Wesfarmers had not yet decided what to do with the proceeds from the sale.

The sale is subject to regulatory approval, which is expected to take several months.

The acquisition comprises Wesfarmers' underwriting companies trading under the WFI and Lumley Insurance brands, and a 10-year distribution agreement with Coles.

IAG chief executive Mike Wilkins said the acquisition was a compelling strategic fit for IAG.

"Acquiring these businesses supports the group's strategic priorities of accelerating profitable growth in Australia and sustaining our market-leading position in New Zealand, and we expect attractive EPS (earnings per share) accretion," Mr Wilkins said.

IAG expects the acquisition will lift earnings per share by a modest amount in the first full year of ownership and by at least five per cent in the second year.

The acquisition will be partly funded from a $1.2 billion placement of shares to institutional investors, at $5.47 per share.

The integration of Wesfarmers' underwriting businesses is expected to generate pre-tax net benefits of about $140 million a year, with a significant proportion derived from reinsurance.

The integration process is expected to be substantially complete within two years, with pre-tax integration costs of $120 million.

Shares in Wesfarmers were 20.5 cents higher at $41.51 at 1515 AEDT. IAG shares are in a trading halt until the start of trading on Wednesday, December 18. They last traded at $5.70.

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I don't expect marriage bill, says Abbott

PRIME Minister Tony Abbott says he does not expect gay marriage legislation to come before parliament, despite a senior colleague saying it is "likely" coalition MPs will be allowed a conscience vote on the issue.

As attention shifts from the High Court's decision to strike down ACT gay marriage laws, Liberal MP Malcolm Turnbull said if he were given a free vote "I will certainly vote in favour of a marriage equality bill".

Legislation to allow gay marriage was voted down in the last parliament, with then opposition leader Tony Abbott refusing to allow his party a conscience vote.

But Mr Turnbull, a supporter of gay marriage, believed that could change if the issue is revisited in the next three years.

"I think it is likely that we will (have a free vote), but as Tony Abbott has said, it is a decision for the party room, not for him," he told Sky News on Sunday.

Mr Turnbull said it was too early to predict whether the new parliament would back same-sex marriage legislation, but added that Australia was lagging behind other countries such as New Zealand, the UK, Canada and the United States.

"So people of the same sex can get married in Auckland and Wellington, Toronto and Ottawa and Vancouver, in New York and Los Angeles, and Baltimore, in Cape Town, but not Australia," Mr Turnbull said.

"It does start to look as if we're the ones out of step."

However, Mr Abbott gave no indication of allowing a free vote on same sex marriage, instead saying he did not expect legislation to come before the parliament.

"I'm not expecting any legislation to come before the parliament because when legislation came before the last parliament it was fairly decisively dealt with," the prime minister told reporters in Sydney.

"But if legislation comes before the parliament, it will be considered by our party room in the usual way.

"It is really up to individual members of parliament to propose private member's bills if that's what they want."

Deputy Labor leader Tanya Plibersek has announced she will introduce a private member's bill to legalise gay marriage, but only if Mr Abbott allows a conscience vote.

She has also called on Mr Turnbull to co-sponsor the legislation, but the eastern Sydney MP ruled out such a move.

"I can't co-sponsor a private member's bill because I'm a member of the cabinet," Mr Turnbull said.

Gay marriage advocate Rodney Croome said Mr Turnbull's comments reflected growing support within the coalition for a conscience vote and the principle of marriage equality.

"An increasing number of Australians feel embarrassed by the fact that marriage equality has moved forward in countries that are our closest friends and allies, including New Zealand, the UK, the US and Canada," Mr Croome said in a statement.

The Greens Sarah Hanson-Young last week introduced a same-sex marriage bill into the Senate.

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Cop punch victim gives statement

Video captures police officers apparently punching and kicking a man in Brisbane's Fortitude Valley. Courtesy Joe Smith

DETECTIVES from the Ethical Standards Command have interviewed the man at the centre of police brutality allegations.

Beau Hall said he provided a statement to detectives last night and was told he would receive a letter in a month informing him of the status of their investigation.

A statement released by police this afternoon said detectives were available to speak to anyone ``directly involved in this incident'' should they wish to lodge a formal complaint.

``At this time, no officer has been stood down or suspended from duty in relation to this incident,'' the statement said.

Beau Hall, 19, was filmed being punched and kicked by police in Fortitude Valley on Friday night. Picture: Adam Smith

Mr Hall, 19, told The Courier-Mail today he was unable to work last night because of soreness in his calf where he was allegedly kicked repeatedly by police outside a Fortitude Valley nightclub.

He will visit a doctor today to have his injuries assessed.

Mr Hall said he disagreed with comments from Queensland Police Union president Ian Leavers, who said the actions of the officers involved were ``entirely professional''.

Amateur video captures a man being punched and kicked by police in an apparently unprovoked attack in Fortitude Valley.

He said he does not know what caused the officers to become violent because his memory of the incident is ``hazy''.

``They can't say it was professional,'' he said. ``They could have chatted to me and sorted it out. They could have handcuffed me and that would have been it.

``I have talked to police in the past and never had a problem.''

Motorists watch as a man is punched and kicked by police in an apparently unprovoked attack in Fortitude Valley.

Earlier, Mr Hall said he was too drunk to fully recall the run-in with three officers but did not deserve the brutal treatment caught on camera.

"I'm shocked at what the police have done to me. It's been uncalled for," Mr Hall told The Sunday Mail yesterday.

HOW THE STORY BROKE ONLINE YESTERDAY

Amateur footage shows a man being punched and kicked by police in an apparently unprovoked attack in Fortitude Valley.

"You can clearly see I didn't provoke anything towards them.

"If I did say something to them, it shouldn't be the worst case scenario and physically attack me. They should have just handcuffed me."

Shocking video footage shows Mr Hall talking to police next to the Beat nightclub at 11.24pm Friday before an officer lashes out with a punch.

A second officer appears to kick Mr Hall as he is handcuffed and arrested.

Queensland Police Union president Ian Leavers said the officers would be "completely vindicated" when the facts emerged.

"Having spoken with police familiar with the incident, I can confirm all police involved acted in an entirely professional, appropriate and responsible manner and their actions will be vindicated and put in context when all the evidence of this matter becomes public," he said.

"I am informed the brief few seconds of footage that have been filmed by a bystander do not accurately portray or represent the entirety of the police interaction with the offender."

But Mr Hall says he will press charges after viewing the video of the arrest and is due to see a doctor today to assess injuries.

He had initially declined to make a complaint when internal investigators from Ethical Standards Command interviewed him at Roma St headquarters yesterday.

"I had no idea what the police officers did to me, but when I saw the footage on the news I rang them back up and said I want to press charges now," he said.

Mr Hall, a gaming attendant at a south Brisbane sports club, said it was his first run in with the law.

He was on a night out with a friend visiting town from Sydney and admits he had "too much to drink".

He was earlier kicked out of Ric's Bar and was walking along Ann St when he urinated near a bin outside the Beat nightclub.

A bouncer detained him until the three police officers arrived and took him into the adjoining alley.

He recalls the police "giving me a bit of lip" but does not remember doing anything that would have provoked an assault.

"I don't remember getting hit by the police officers because I was that intoxicated," he said.

"But … I'm seeing a doctor tomorrow to get a medical report against them.

"I don't have any bruising from it but my jaw's sore, my head's sore, the back of my calf where they repetitively kicked me is sore. I can't walk on it properly."

He was charged with public nuisance and spent six hours in the Roma St watch-house until being released on bail this morning.

Police have privately suggested Mr Hall may have spat at the officers but he was not charged with assaulting police or resisting arrest and he was not asked to submit to any medical tests.

Joe Ritson, who filmed the incident, said he watched in horror as the arrest escalated into violence.

"I had a feeling something Was going on, I don't know why I was filming," the 24-year-old said.

"He was just standing there, we were watching for a good minute or two, when it happened."

Police were out in force in a crackdown on alcohol-fuelled violence and anti-social behaviour in Queensland entertainment precincts and arrested 101 people.

Brisbane Region Acting Assistant Commissioner Allan McCarthy said policing could be dangerous but officers were trained to deal with difficult situations.

"It is important not to pre-empt the outcome, however the circumstances will be investigated thoroughly to determine if the officers have acted in accordance with the high expectations of the Service," he said.

Queensland Council for Civil Liberties president Terry O'Gorman said the incident showed police working on the beat should wear cameras at all times.

"We get a significant number of complaints from people that police spark the violence themselves," he said.

"There really is a problem with police violence on the street … the more that this police initiated violence becomes obvious, the less people will be prepared to cooperate which will impact their ability to clear up crime."

He said the discipline and complaint process did not deter police from acting violently towards members of the public.

"If police are behaving like that then they're not suitable for the difficulties of streetwork. I accept it is difficult but … they should be trained not to initiate violence."

He said the idea of police carrying cameras was not a radical idea, with the recent Bandido brawl on the Gold Coast showing officers already carried cameras into situations.

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Police officer stabbed in the neck

A 28-YEAR-OLD man has been charged with attempted murder after a north Queensland policeman was stabbed in the neck during a national crackdown on alcohol-fuelled violence.

The officer was stabbed with a knife at a Townsville bar about 12.30am (AEST) on Saturday and was rushed to hospital in a serious condition.

"His injuries were significant but luckily he is fit enough now to continue his recovery at home," a police spokesman told AAP on Sunday.

The 33-year-old officer was taking part in Operation Unite, a blitz on alcohol-related crime across Australia and New Zealand.

His alleged attacker was arrested at the scene.

Another officer sustained an injury to his hand during the incident.

A 28-year-old Townsville man has been charged with attempted murder, serious assault of police while armed, entering premises with intent to commit an indictable offence, possession of a knife in a public place and creating a disturbance in licensed premises.

He was also charged with two counts of obstructing police and is due to appear in the Townsville Magistrates Court on Monday.

Premier Campbell Newman said assaults of police attracted serious penalties.

"Assaults on police are totally unacceptable on all accounts," he told reporters on Sunday.

"People who assault police need to know there are significant penalties."

The maximum penalty for assaulting a police officer was increased from seven to 14 years and the murder of a police officer attracts a non-parole period of 25 years under tough penalties introduced by the Newman government last year.

A total of 430 arrests were made in Queensland during the crackdown on alcohol-fuelled assaults, anti-social behaviour and drink-driving across Australia and New Zealand since Friday night.

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Probe into alleged attack by Qld cops

POLICE have launched an investigation after footage emerged showing a police officer allegedly punching a man in the face outside a Brisbane nightclub.

The footage, taken by a member of the public, shows three uniformed police officers speaking to a man down an alleyway outside The Beat nightclub on Ann St about 11.30pm (AEST) on Friday.

Bank employee Joe Ritson says he filmed the scene while waiting for a taxi.

"I had a feeling something was going to happen so I started filming it and like three seconds later one of the cops punched him in the face and I was like 'holy crap that is full on'," Mr Ritson told Ninemsn.

"They punched him, pushed him up against the wall and then started kicking him.

"The ute (in the video) kind of obscures it but you can see one of the them kneed him in the back."

Mr Ritson told Ninemsn he doesn't why the police officers had approached the man.

The footage was uploaded to Youtube, but has since been taken down.

A statement from Queensland Police said they were aware of the video and had launched an investigation.

The Ethical Standards Command has also been informed.

Brisbane Region Acting Assistant Commissioner Allan McCarthy said although police were looking into the incident it didn't necessarily mean the officers were at fault.

"This does not mean any allegations or complaints about the officers have been substantiated," he said in a statement.

"It is important not to pre-empt the outcome, however the circumstances will be investigated thoroughly to determine if the officers have acted in accordance with the high expectations of the Service."

Mr McCarthy said all officers are expected to act professionally and ethically in accordance with the service's high standards.

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