PM to visit US national war cemetery

PM Tony Abbott is to visit the US National War Cemetery as his government considers its own version. Source: AAP

PRIME Minister Tony Abbott will visit the Arlington National Cemetery in Washington as his government considers creating a national war cemetery in Canberra to commemorate the Anzac centenary in 2015.

MR Abbott will lay a wreath on Friday at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and view the changing of the guards at the final resting place of more than 400,000 active-duty service members, veterans and their families.

He raised the idea of creating a similar cemetery in Australia in 2013 at Legacy's national conference in Brisbane, describing it as "Australians' Arlington".The concept would involve interring significant ex-soldiers.The prime minister, who will host the G20 summit in November, will also on Friday discuss financial and economic issues with US Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew and Federal Reserve chairwoman Janet Yellen.Mr Abbott will receive a military welcome when he visits the Pentagon for talks with Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Martin Dempsey.He will then head to Houston, where he will deliver a speech to the Asia Society.Liquefied natural gas is also likely to be discussed during Mr Abbott's visit, with the biggest project occupying the minds of LNG industry figures being the Panama Canal expansion.It will allow massive Post-Panamax ships to take American LNG to the booming markets of Asia to compete against the Australian product.

13.23 | 0 komentar | Read More

Oil firm should fund Indon study: lawyers

AN independent investigation into potential damage in Indonesia from the Montara oil spill is long overdue, and should be funded by the company responsible, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) says.

THE Indonesian government this week gave its support to a West Timor-based advocacy group to negotiate with the Australian government and Thai company PTTEP for a study into a string of complaints in Timor Sea communities.

PTTEP Australasia says it has always cooperated with the Indonesian government and will continue to do so.An ALA delegation last year travelled to West Timor where they met people who witnessed oil and dispersant in their seas following the 2009 disaster.Spokeswoman Emily Mitchell says that in some communities annual income from the fishing and seaweed industries is less than one per cent of what it was before the spill.Families dependant on the sea are destitute and some people are suffering from health complaints that emerged after the spill.The ALA says the evidence is strong enough to require a full and transparent study.Following the Montara Commission of Inquiry, there has been no effort made to follow the oil," Ms Mitchell said."Now is the time for the oil company responsible to fund an appropriate study."How much oil flowed into the sea over the 10-week emergency, and how much entered Indonesian waters, is debated.PTTEP Australasia says it was 4.5 million litres and points to research that found 98 per cent of Montara oil stayed in Australian waters.Other estimates put the quantity of oil as high as 20 million litres, and the Montara Commission of Inquiry found that oil entered Indonesia and East Timor waters to a "significant degree".Indonesia's transport minister and leaders of an East Timor community are behind the new push for research led by the West Timor Care Foundation, which hopes to meet with the Australian government soon.

13.23 | 0 komentar | Read More

Sydney backpacker stabber jailed

A MAN who can't explain why he "went crazy" and stabbed three backpackers with a piece of glass in Sydney has been sentenced to at least nine years in jail.

TIMOTHY Kelly, 37, viciously attacked two 19-year-old German men and a 24-year-old Irish woman outside a hostel in the city's CBD early on the morning of October 3 last year.

He was handed a maximum sentence of 12 years on Friday after pleading guilty to six charges, including two counts of wounding a person with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.Downing Centre District Court heard Kelly had been staying at the Cosy Private Hotel on Pitt Street in the months following his May release from 8-months in prison.One night he woke about 2am, smashed a window in his room and filled a sock with the broken glass.He then went outside to where the trio of backpackers were sitting on the front steps of next door's Westend Backpackers hostel.The then 36-year-old approached and stabbed German, Christoph Leibrecht, in his left forearm and tried to pierce his right thigh through his jeans.Kelly then grabbed his companion Lukas Kofink from behind and jabbed him in the neck five times, just missing his carotid artery and causing substantial blood loss.Irish woman Aifric Butler-Rees was slashed through her upper lip, cutting it in half.The frenzied assault only stopped after a quick-thinking Thai backpacker stepped in.The 29-year-old leapt to the group's defence receiving a cut to his arm and torso in the process but prompting the glass-wielding Kelly to chase four or five other people down Pitt Street.He was eventually detained by a security guard at a nearby pub until police arrived.Kelly, who represented himself, told the court he did not contest any of the charges but could not explain his behaviour."It is just crazy you know, absolutely crazy," he told Judge Reginald Blanch.Kelly said he had been addicted to heroin and morphine for about a decade but declined Judge Blanch's offer for legal representation so he could get psychiatric and psychological assessments."He was released as a lost soul into the community without any support," Judge Blanch said.Kelly will be eligible for parole in October 2022.

13.23 | 0 komentar | Read More

At least 15,000 at Vic budget protest

Thousands of people have marched through Melbourne in protest against tough federal budget cuts. Source: AAP

AT least 15,000 people brought central Melbourne to a standstill, demanding an end to the federal government's budget cuts.

Construction workers and unionists rallied outside Trades Hall in Carlton before leading a "Bust the Budget" march through the city to parliament house on Thursday.

Trades Hall Council estimates put the crowd at almost 40,000 but police, who turned out in large numbers, say the crowd was closer to 15,000. There were no arrests.

ACTU secretary Dave Oliver said the budget was cruel and an attack on ordinary people and the Australian way of life.

"Generations of Australians have fought hard to establish working conditions and dignity at work. They have struggled hard to build a better life and a decent society, to educate our children and to care for our sick and to look after our elderly," he said.

"But now we have a prime minister that is keen to keep the billionaires happy, and he is willing to pull all that down regardless of the cost to workers and their families.

"Why should the people who can least afford it be forced to take the hit?"

Rally organisers said the column of marchers who arrived outside parliament house stretched back to Bourke Street, almost one kilometre away.

Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union national secretary Michael O'Connor said the federal government was attacking jobs.

"We have never before seen a government try to destroy the jobs of Australians like this government has," he told the crowd.

"They are trying to change our commitment to a fair go, our commitment to justice, our democratic right to organise. They think they are going to get away with it. We say they ain't."

United Voice Victorian secretary Jess Walsh said workers were angry.

"We're angry at a government that wants to make us work harder and work longer for less money and we are here today because we deserve better, and we are here on the streets with you today because we are ready to fight," she said.

Rally organisers pledged to hold further protests.

13.24 | 0 komentar | Read More

Sydney among most expensive to visit

SYDNEY is one of the most expensive city destinations in the world, a survey reveals.

The NSW capital came in 10th on a city cost-of-touring table compiled by TripAdvisor, with London the most expensive destination for visitors.

A meal with wine for two, plus pre-meal cocktails, two short taxi journeys and a one-night stay at a four-star hotel in Sydney costs on average $404.

The package cost $561 in London, $550 in second-placed Paris, followed by New York at $540 and Stockholm with $516.

The rest of the 10 most-expensive cities were Oslo, Zurich, Copenhagen, Helsinki, Toronto and Sydney.

The world's best-value destination surveyed was Hanoi in Vietnam, which came in at an average of $165.

While a four-star hotel in Sydney was priced more reasonably than London, Paris and New York at $211 a night, Sydney ranked the third most expensive city in the world for a meal at $140 for two with wine, behind Stockholm and Oslo, respectively.

TripAdvisor spokesman Scott Wegener said the results showed that Asian destinations were still the most affordable, while European destinations continued to top the most expensive list.

"However, eastern European countries such as Bulgaria and the Czech Republic seem to be bucking this trend, so may serve as the alternative places for Australian travellers looking for a city break in Europe."

The TripIndex Cities study compares the cost of an evening out in 48 key tourist cities.

13.24 | 0 komentar | Read More

Chief magistrate appointed Qld's top judge

Chief Magistrate Tim Carmody QC is believed to be the front runner to be Queensland's Chief Justice. Source: AAP

TIM Carmody's ascension from chief magistrate to become the state's top judge has finally been confirmed.

AFTER months of speculation and a public spat between the judiciary, Premier Campbell Newman made the announcement at the Supreme Court library on Thursday.

Judge Carmody, QC, who was recruited as chief magistrate from the bar nine months ago, will replace long-running Supreme Court chief justice Paul de Jersey who becomes Governor next month.Mr Newman said the government consulted widely on the appointment, including within legal circles, and he made the decision on Wednesday."His honour has the keen legal knowledge, administrative skills and integrity that are essential qualities for the role of Chief Justice," he said.Judge Carmody humbly accepted the appointment."I will work hard every day to prove worthy of the public's trust in me," he said.His elevation has split the legal fraternity.Several lawyers, including former Crown Solicitor Walter Sofronoff QC and former Supreme Court judge Richard Chesterman QC, have raised concerns about Mr Carmody's perceived closeness to the Liberal National government and his backing of its controversial anti-bikie laws.Mr Sofronoff, who resigned as solicitor-general in March, also questioned Mr Carmody's experience.Judge Carmody served as Counsel Assisting in the Fitzgerald Inquiry into police corruption in the 1980s and became special prosecutor of official corruption arising from the landmark inquiry.From 1998 to 2002 he was Queensland's Crime Commissioner and was appointed a Judge of the Family Court in 2003, before returning to private practice in 2008.Before his appointment as District Court Judge and Chief Magistrate in September 2013, he served as Chairman of the Queensland Child Protection Commission of Inquiry.

13.23 | 0 komentar | Read More

World record rowing attempt begins in WA

A 36-YEAR-OLD Victorian policeman and seven other crew members have embarked on a world record attempt to row 8500 kilometres across the Indian Ocean.

Tim Spiteri and his team departed from Geraldton, in Western Australia's Mid West region, on Wednesday afternoon with the aim of reaching Durban in South Africa in less than 57 days.

They will be totally unsupported, with each rower manning the oars for two hours, followed by two hours of rest in a continuous shift cycle.

They say no rowing crew has ever made the crossing non-stop as most teams end their journey in Mauritius, about 1700km from mainland Africa.

Mr Spiteri, whose mother suffers from multiple sclerosis and is writing a children's book about the voyage, hopes to raise $250,000 for MS Australia.

He has so far raised more than $27,000.

While on their journey, the crew will consume just 5000 calories a day, but will burn at least 6000 calories.

The 1000-calorie deficit each day meant Tim had to put on more than 10kg before he began the journey to avoid losing too much weight.

The team will be consuming mainly dehydrated foods, some nuts, lollies and protein bars.

Mr Spiteri, who has been a policeman for 14 years, completed an Atlantic Ocean crossing last year in 35 days, 12 hours and 41 seconds - the sixth fastest crossing in history.

Last year, Dutch adventurer Ralph Tuijn was rowing solo across the Indian Ocean when a tanker struck him at night while he was some 2000km from Cocos Island and about 4600km from the Australian mainland.

Tuijn did not require medical treatment and was rescued by the tanker LNG Sokoto.

13.24 | 0 komentar | Read More

Consumers struggle to get over budget jolt

AUSTRALIANS are struggling to get over the potential hit to their hip pockets from the federal budget.

As the government tries to coerce the Senate into backing several contentious budget measures - including a $7 GP co-payment, changes to the dole and a rise in the pension age - consumer confidence remains in the doldrums.

Two separate readings of consumer sentiment failed to show much improvement after their budget-induced tumble.

One of them found that this budget was the most notable in the past 40 years. And not in a good way.

Treasurer Joe Hockey and Finance Minister Mathias Cormann resorted to penning an opinion piece on Wednesday, calling for the Senate to work with the government.

They point out that only two past Australian governments had held a majority in both the upper and lower houses.

But "almost every government has been able to pass major elements of its budget".

In the Senate, where the government does not have a majority, Labor and the Australian Greens - along with Clive Palmer's cohort of four senators from July 1 - have vowed to block certain measures.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten says this "rotten" budget is becoming more unpopular by the day and he has a message for Prime Minister Tony Abbott, who is in the United States after visiting Canada and Europe.

"It doesn't matter how many world leaders Tony Abbott meets, he still has problems back home," Mr Shorten told reporters in Sydney.

The Westpac-Melbourne Institute monthly consumer sentiment index rose just 0.2 per cent in June but is still down 6.6 per cent down from its pre-budget level.

Westpac senior economist Matthew Hassan said the result was disappointing given that a response to a budget can be an overreaction that is reversed in following months.

The survey found that 74 per cent of respondents recalled news about "budget and taxation" in the past three months, the highest percentage of people paying attention to those news topics since the survey began in the mid-1970s.

It's also more than when the GST was introduced in 2000.

The latest weekly ANZ-Roy Morgan consumer sentiment index was unchanged but 11 per cent down from when budget measures were first leaked in late April.

Other data suggested the labour market will bring little cheer in coming months with the government's leading jobs index falling for an eighth straight month.

Economists expect Thursday's labour force report for May will show the unemployment rate rising to 5.9 per cent from 5.8 per cent in the previous two months.

13.24 | 0 komentar | Read More

Harbour crossing may start in three years

Labor is ramping up its attacks on NSW's planned power sale, branding the premier's proposals a con. Source: AAP

WORK on Sydney's second harbour rail crossing could start in two or three years if the NSW government wins the next election.

But the government has stopped short of saying how much the Sydney Rapid Transit project will cost.

Premier Mike Baird says he is confident $20 billion raised from selling off the state's electricity network poles and wires will be enough to contribute to the rail extension and other infrastructure across NSW.

"The difference between this plan and previous plans is we have announced the funding to go with it," he said of the rail project on Wednesday.

Forty nine per cent of the state's poles and wires will be sold on 99-year leases under a policy approved by Liberal and Nationals MPs following heated party room meetings on Tuesday.

The coalition will take the sale to the March 2015 election and if it wins approval, Mr Baird said he anticipates the transaction being completed by the end of 2016.

A second harbour rail crossing would be created with proceeds from the sale, extending the North West Rail Link through the CBD and on to Bankstown.

There will be new stations in the CBD, including at Pitt Street, and the government is also looking at a station at Barangaroo.

Mr Baird said the cost of the rail project was close to being finalised, with some money also drawn from government transport funds.

"We will also be inviting the private sector to participate, just as they are in the North West Rail Link," the Premier told reporters at Bankstown train station.

Transport Minister Gladys Berejiklian said before the asset sale announcement, the rail extension would not have been able to go ahead until the North West Rail Link project was finished.

"Because of yesterday's announcement and if we get a mandate at the next election I am hoping we are able to start construction on the next two to three years on this project," she said.

Meanwhile, the NSW opposition is ramping up its attacks on the state's planned power sell-off and accused Premier Mike Baird of trying to "con" the public.

"Mike Baird has simply put forward an infrastructure mirage that will come at the cost of every family across NSW through their electricity bills," opposition leader John Robertson added.

The mud slinging continued with Treasurer Andrew Constance calling Mr Robertson fiscally illiterate and accusing him of deliberately seeking to confuse debate.

He pointed to an Ernst & Young report commissioned by the NSW treasury department showing network costs had declined in states where power was privatised.

13.24 | 0 komentar | Read More

Corruption watchdog given Palmer papers

Clive Palmer allegedly demanded mining control to stop his attacks on the Newman government. Source: AAP

ALL dealings Clive Palmer has had with the Newman government will be forwarded to the state's corruption watchdog.

Deputy Premier Jeff Seeney hasn't made a formal complaint and says it will be up to the Crime and Misconduct Commission (CMC) to assess if the federal politician acted inappropriately.

Mr Seeney said the mining magnate sought preferential treatment for his coal projects in 2012, which were rejected.

Newly released documents suggesting that in early 2013, Mr Palmer offered to drop three legal cases against the government if it approved his rail line in the untapped Galilee Basin.

"That's just crazy stuff and I told him so," Mr Seeney said.

He says staff were gathering all correspondence his office and the government have had with the businessman and will be giving it all to the CMC.

The deputy premier may have breached laws by sitting on a possible claim of official misconduct for so long.

"At the time, we were a new government, we were about creating jobs for Queenslanders," he said.

"I conceded that (that I had an obligation to report).

"With the benefit of hindsight given the way Clive Palmer has gone, it probably would have been better not to try to deal with him."

Labor's Yvette D'Ath says if the allegations are genuine, the government was required report to the CMC any suspicions of misconduct at the time.

"They need to come out and say why they are now coming out and doing it two years later," Ms D'Ath said.

Mr Palmer says Mr Seeney and Premier Campbell Newman have made up the allegations, and want to hurt him because he's suing the premier for defamation.

He warned Mr Seeney's deceitful actions could land him in legal hot water.

"It's a criminal act to refer an allegation to the CMC which you know to be untrue," Mr Palmer told AAP on Tuesday.

"The sooner he's thrown out of parliament the better."

Mr Palmer declared all out war with LNP not long after Mr Newman became premier, and he threw in his life membership in November 2012.

13.24 | 0 komentar | Read More