NSW releases freight and port strategy

SHIFTING truck movements to off-peak periods is just one of the ways the NSW government is hoping to cope with increasing pressure on the state's transport network.

The NSW government released its first Freight and Ports Strategy on Saturday, with the hopes of planning for the growth of the state's economy for the next 20 years.

The government said 409 million tonnes of freight was moved on the NSW transport network in 2011.

This number is expected to grow to 794 million tonnes by 2031.

The strategy notes the competing needs of passengers and freight on the state's rail and road network.

It suggests one way the state could deal with this is by shifting truck movements to off-peak periods.

"Currently, most road freight movements take place during daylight hours on weekdays. This means that freight and passenger movements largely happen at the same time," the strategy says.

"Moving freight trips to times outside peak periods will contribute to reduced congestion and, more importantly, can improve freight access and reliability.

"This will potentially lead to lower transport costs for the entire community."

The strategy says opportunities also exist to shift more freight to rail.

Roads and Ports Minister Duncan Gay said the strategy was a milestone.

"With the efficient and effective freight network underpinning the strength of our exports and reducing the costs of everyday goods and services, the strategy will ensure that freight is at the forefront of our economy," he said in a statement.

The strategy coincides with the announcement of funds to fix roads in regional NSW.

The first $1.5 million under the Fixing Country Roads program will allow Forbes Shire Council in the Lachlan Valley to boost vehicle access to the GrainCorp Red Bend grain silos.

President of NSW Farmers Fiona Simson said transport in regional NSW had been overlooked for some time.

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First day of gay marriage in ACT

A WA Labor MP has married his male partner as ACT marriage laws came into effect at midnight. Source: AAP

THE bride wore white and so did her wife.

Corinna Peck and Stacey Cowen were among some 15 couples to tie the knot in Canberra on Saturday as Australia's first same-sex marriage law came into play.

But while the outfits were bright and newlywed smiles beamed across the nation's capital, a dark cloud was hanging over the future validity of the same-sex unions.

On Thursday the High Court will rule if the ACT's Marriage Equality Act, passed in October, is at odds with Commonwealth law and therefore invalid.

The threat didn't dampen the enthusiasm of groom Ivan Hinton who vowed to make partner Chris Teoh his "lawful wedded husband".

"There should never be any rule in this country that disrespects the commitment that two people like us wish to express to one another," Mr Hinton told reporters after his wedding.

Ceremonies kicked off at 12.01am (AEDT) with two couples rushing to become Australia's first legally-recognised "husbands".

Australian Marriage Equality director Rodney Croome attended Mr Hinton's marriage and afterwards highlighted the historic nature of Saturday's events.

"In years to come people will look back and think 'what an historic moment that was,' but also, 'why did it take us so long to recognise the wonderful ordinariness of the love, (the) commitment of same-sex relationships?'," Mr Croome said.

The Australian Christian Lobby has criticised the ACT law, claiming it damages the institution of marriage.

"We hear about equal love all the time but we don't hear about what it means for children," Lobby spokesman Lyle Shelton told Sky News.

"Same-sex marriage means same-sex parenting, that means necessarily taking a child from its biological mother or father and giving it to someone else."

ACT Chief Minister Katy Gallagher defended the law and sent a message to critics: "the world will go on".

"This doesn't effect those people who don't agree with it. It doesn't change their life, it doesn't change their relationships. This is all about making sure everyone is treated equally before the law," she said.

Ms Gallagher insisted that the community response, including from religious groups, had been overwhelmingly supportive.

Australian Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young congratulated the newlywed couples and thanked them for being part of an important first step to change.

"This is how laws change, it is how communities evolve, it is how social change happens, when individuals put themselves forward," she said.

"I think it's time that politics put aside the views of others and allowed couples right across this country to have their love celebrated and accepted and recognised."

The ACT government said 47 couple have registered an intent to marry under the new law.

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Abbott, Shorten to attend Mandela service

PM Tony Abbott and Opposition Leader Bill Shorten will attend a memorial service for Nelson Mandela. Source: AAP

PRIME Minister Tony Abbott and Opposition Leader Bill Shorten will present a united Australian front to honour and farewell Nelson Mandela.

The pair will this week fly to Johannesburg to join world leaders past and present, mourning the former South African president who died at his home on Thursday (local time) aged 95.

A huge memorial service is planned for the nation's first black leader on Tuesday, with US President Barack Obama already confirming his attendance.

On Saturday Mr Shorten's office said the Labor leader had accepted an invitation from Mr Abbott to accompany the prime minister to South Africa. Both men will miss most of the final 2013 parliamentary sitting week.

It is unknown how long the men will be out of Australia.

"There is a long bipartisan history of Australian support for South Africa and the campaign to abolish apartheid," Mr Abbott said, announcing his intention to attend the service.

After facing criticism for not lowering flags at the news of Mr Mandela's death, Mr Abbott said Australian flags will be set at half mast on the day of the official memorial.

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Urban, Lorde receive Grammy nominations

Keith Urban has been nominated for a Grammy Award in the category of Best Country Duo/Group. Source: AAP

VETERAN rapper Jay-Z topped nominees for the 2014 US Grammys with nine nods, while Taylor Swift and Daft Punk were among those in the running in major categories.

Australia's Keith Urban has been nominated for Best Country Duo/Group Performance category for his collaboration with Tim McGraw and Taylor Swift, called Highway Don't Care, while New Zealand teenager Lorde was nominated for four awards, mostly for her debut single Royals.

The 17-year-old schoolgirl, who performed live during the Los Angeles ceremony, is in the running for song of the year, record of the year, best pop solo performance and best pop vocal album for Pure Heroine.

In second place with seven nods apiece were California hip-hop star Kendrick Lamar and rapper Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, as well as Justin Timberlake and Pharrell Williams, while rapper Drake scored five.

The nominees in key categories were announced during an hour-long concert at the Nokia Theatre in downtown Los Angeles, including video-link performances by Swift from Australia and Katy Perry live from Canada.

In the coveted Album of the Year category, songstress Swift's Red will compete with French electro duo Daft Punk's Random Access Memories, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis's The Heist, Lamar's Good Kid, M.A.A.D City and Sara Bareilles' The Blessed Unrest.

Record of the Year candidates are Daft Punk and Williams' ubiquitous Get Lucky, Lorde's Royals, Radioactive by Imagine Dragons, Hawaiian crooner Bruno Mars' Locked Out Of Heaven and Robin Thicke's Blurred Lines, made infamous by Miley Cyrus' twerking at the MTV Video Music Awards show.

Shortlisted for Song of the Year - for songwriters, as opposed to performers - were Just Give Me A Reason sung by Pink Featuring Nate Ruess; Locked Out Of Heaven sung by Bruno Mars; Roar sung by Katy Perry; Royals sung by Lorde, and Same Love sung by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis.

Macklemore and Ryan Lewis was also nominated for Best New Artist, up against James Blake, Kendrick Lamar, Kacey Musgraves and Ed Sheeran.

While big-hitters Jay-Z and Timberlake scored lots of nods, they were mostly in rap and pop/R&B categories respectively. Neither the rapper's heavily marketed Magna Carta ... Holy Grail, nor Timberlake's The 20/20 Experience made it onto the Best Album shortlist.

The 56th annual Grammys show - music's version of the Oscars - will be held on January 26 at the Staples Center.

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Crews monitor Sunshine Coast blaze

At Sippy Downs. The buildings are University of Sunshine Coast. Picture: Kaye Keioskie Source: Supplied

FIRE crews are asking Sunshine Coast residents to avoid an out-of-control grass fire near Mountain Creek.

7.45pm: CREWS are still monitoring the fire at Kawana Waters which is burning in containment lines.

There are still two urban crews and nine rural crews at the scene.

They are likely to stay on scene for several more hours.
 

Sinead Duncan took photographs of the fires from Buderim and closer to Kawana Way. "We're just trying to get out of Brightwater at the moment .... it's getting bad." Reader picture: Sinead Duncan

3.50pm: Sinead Duncan took photographs of the fires from Buderim and closer to Kawana Way.

"We're just trying to get out of Brightwater at the moment because we've been visiting friends," she said.

"The smoke is still thick and billowing, but thankfully the wind is keeping most of the smoke away from the houses."

The grass fire near Mountain Creek. Picture: QPS/Sara Matulich

GALLERY: Reader pictures of Sunshine Coast blaze

Jackie Clark said aerial support was trying to control the situation.

"It's getting bad," she said.

Resident Nadine Brooks took these pictures from her vantage point at nearby Grand Pde, Parrearra. Reader picture: Nadine Brooks

"Police, fire and ambulance have set up on Kawana Way."
 

GALLERY: Reader pictures of Sunshine Coast blaze

Resident Nadine Brooks took these pictures from her vantage point at nearby Grand Pde, Parrearra. Reader picture: Nadine Brooks

3.30pm:  Resident Nadine Brooks said there seemed to be two or three different blazes from her vantage point at nearby Grand Pde, Parrearra.

"It looks like they are moving north," she said.

"We are lucky the smoke is not coming (our) way."

3pm: TRAFFIC is heavy along the Sunshine Coast Motorway thanks to a large grass fire.

Motorists are reporting congestion from the Dixon Rd turnoff to Mountain Creek.

Kawana Way has been closed as 16 fire crews battle the blaze.

GALLERY: Reader pictures of Sunshine Coast blaze

1pm: The fire at Kawana Way, near Brightwater Estate, was first reported at 11.20am.

Helicopters are currently water bombing the fire between Brightwater Estate and the Chancellor Park area, and 16 fire crews are battling the blaze.

No property is under threat, but a large smoke haze has settled over Mountain Creek and neighbouring suburbs.

Residents have been advised to close windows and doors, with reports of ash the size of fingernails falling on the area.

Motorists using Kawana Way have been urged to drive to conditions.

GALLERY: Reader pictures of Sunshine Coast blaze

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Barnett won't be rushed on new WA laws

WEST Australian Premier Colin Barnett has defended the state government's efficiency at passing legislation, saying parliamentarians shouldn't be rushed to vote on bills.

The state government has come under fire for not introducing by the end of this year a planned law that would send violent home invaders straight to jail.

It was the first election pledge by the Liberals in February before they convincingly won a second term.

And parliamentary debate over some of the bills that have been introduced has become bogged down, with a proposed law to increase regulation of the taxi industry descending into filibustering.

But Mr Barnett said he wasn't going to rush, reintroducing bills when necessary.

"Given there was a significant number of new members, I was not going to simply reinstate legislation at the stage it was before the election," he told reporters on Friday.

"That would have meant you would have had a significant number of members of parliament voting or conceding, if you like, on legislation that they hadn't had the chance to see.

"So I said we would actually go back and reintroduce legislation that had not finished its passage.

"I think that was a very proper thing to do."

Mr Barnett said he hoped bills on workplace reform, amalgamation of port operators, and the merger of utilities Verve and Synergy would be passed through the upper house next week.

Thursday was the last sitting day of the year for the Legislative Assembly but the Legislative Council has another week.

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DFAT confirms Dili embassy protest

FEDERAL authorities have confirmed a protest was held outside Australia's embassy in East Timor amid a spying row between the two countries.

About 100 protesters in East Timor's capital Dili reportedly threw rocks at the Australian embassy on Thursday, with police responding by using tear gas.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) on Friday confirmed a protest had taken place outside the embassy.

"The Australian Embassy in Dili has advised that a small-scale protest was held outside the embassy on 5 December," DFAT told AAP in a statement.

More details on the protest are being sought from DFAT.

A spokeswoman for East Timor said the protest was small and non-violent. Further details are being sought.

The protesters, mostly students and young Timorese rights activists, carried banners reading "Australia is a thief" and "Australia has no morals", Agence France-Presse reported.

The protest comes after East Timor expressed outrage over reports that Australia secretly bugged ministerial deliberations in Dili in 2004 to gain leverage in negotiations on an oil and gas revenue-sharing deal.

On Tuesday, Australian intelligence agents raided the Canberra office of a lawyer representing East Timor in an arbitration case at The Hague over the deal.

East Timor says it won't be deterred from challenging the multi-billion dollar oil and gas treaty with Australia despite the raid.

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Brooks 'agreed to buy William snap'

A court has heard Rebekah Brooks agreed to pay an armed forces member for pics of Prince Harry. Source: AAP

FORMER News International executive Rebekah Brooks sanctioned a payment of STG4000 ($A7,300) to a public official for a picture of Prince William dressed as a Bond girl in a bikini at a Sandhurst party, a UK jury has heard.

The Old Bailey heard that Brooks, then editor of the Sun and known as Rebekah Wade, was asked for her opinion on paying a member of the armed forces for the story.

Less than 10 minutes after she was sent an email by a Sun news editor saying the military contact who was offering the picture wanted STG4000, she responded by saying "OK", the jury heard on Thursday.

It led to a page seven exclusive in The Sun in September 2006 with the headline "Willy in a Bikini" together with a mocked-up picture of the prince wearing a green swimsuit and Hawaiian-style flowers.

The article claimed that "Prince William caused a stir at a Sandhurst 007 bash by dressing as a Bond Girl" and said his girlfriend Kate Middleton dressed in a wetsuit.

The court heard that a payment dated June 16, 2006 and headed "Prince William wearing a bikini exclusive" for the amount of STG4000, to be collected by the wife of the member of the armed forces, was made at a Thomas Cook branch in Slough in Berkshire.

The Sun reporter who was working on the story told his superior in the email later forwarded to Brooks that the picture had come via his "best contact at Sandhurst".

He claimed that although STG4000 "sounds like a lot", it would "open the door for future exclusives and info", the jury heard.

"I'm worried if we don't meet his demands, this opportunity will pass," he said.

Brooks denies conspiring with others to hack phones between October 3 2000 and August 9, 2006.

The trial was adjourned until Monday.

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Smog at hazardous levels in Shanghai

SHANGHAI authorities have ordered schoolchildren indoors and halted all construction as China's financial hub suffered one its worst bouts of air pollution, bringing visibility down to a few dozen metres and obscuring the city's spectacular skyline.

The financial district on Friday was shrouded in a yellow haze and noticeably fewer people walked the city's streets. Vehicle traffic also was thinner, as authorities pulled 30 per cent of government vehicles from the roads. They also banned fireworks and stopped all public sporting events.

Protective masks and air purifiers were selling briskly at local stores.

"I feel like I'm living in clouds of smog," said Zheng Qiaoyun, a local resident who kept her six-month-old son at home. "I have a headache, I'm coughing, and it's hard to breathe on my way to my office."

Shanghai's concentration of tiny, harmful PM 2.5 particles was 602.5 micrograms per cubic metre on Friday afternoon, an extremely hazardous level that was the highest since the city began recording such data last December. That compares with the World Health Organisation's safety guideline of 25 micrograms.

The dirty air that has gripped Shanghai and its neighbouring provinces for days is attributed to coal burning, car exhaust, factory pollution and weather patterns, and is a stark reminder that pollution is a serious challenge in China.

Beijing, the capital, has seen extremely high smog several times over the past year. In the far northeastern city of Harbin, some monitoring sites reported PM 2.5 rates up to 1000 micrograms per cubic metre in October, when the winter heating season kicked off.

As a coastal city, Shanghai usually has mild to modest air pollution, but recent weather patterns have left the city's air stagnant.

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Apple guides shoppers with iBeacon

GPS will tell you how to get to the nearest Apple store. With iBeacon, Apple hopes to guide you around once you're inside.

On Friday, Apple will begin using the technology at its 254 US stores to send you messages tailored to where you are inside, provided you have downloaded the Apple Store app and have given Apple permission to track you.

The company demonstrated the technology in New York this week.

One day, commuters might get information on subway delays as they stand on the platform, while museum visitors might get details on the painting they are standing in front of.

In-store location technology does raise privacy concerns, though many shoppers have shown a willingness to be tracked for discounts.

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Vic PSOs may be given new powers

Victoria's transport police may be given new powers after incorrectly issuing infringement notices. Source: AAP

VICTORIA Police are open to granting new powers to the state's public transport protectors, after it was discovered they issued hundreds of infringement notices without having the authority to hand them out.

The notices have had to be withdrawn after an internal police audit found Protective Services Officers (PSOs) had been acting outside their authority.

Assistant Commissioner Chris O'Neill blamed a misinterpretation of the legislation for the bungle, but said Victoria Police would be open to granting PSOs those powers.

"We'd be more than happy to have the conversation with the DOJ (Department of Justice)," he said on Thursday.

The PSOs incorrectly issued 338 infringement notices from February 2012, until the audit caught the mistake in late August this year.

Most of the infringements were for traffic offences under the Road Safety Act, but there were also seven incorrect notices issued under the Liquor Control Reform Act.

Letters had been sent to those affected by the mistake, and all fines and demerits points will be refunded.

Victorian Premier Denis Napthine said the government would consider granting the PSOs new powers.

"If the Victoria Police as a result of this investigation determine they want further powers provided to PSOs ... then we'll have a look at that," he said.

The error applies to around two per cent of the overall number of infringements issued by PSOs since their deployment.

Mr O'Neill said PSO training had been reviewed and changed to ensure it complies with the current legislation.

"This is not an error on their behalf, they were doing their job the way they had been trained and unfortunately the information provided to them was wrong," he said.

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Aussie prisoner numbers hit record high

Official data shows the number of prisoners in Australian jails hit a record 30,775 in 2013. Source: AAP

MORE prisoners are doing time in Australian jails than ever, official data shows.

The number of inmates in Australian jails hit a record 30,775 in 2013, up five per cent from 2012, Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) data released on Thursday shows.

The nation's rate of imprisonment is also up, at 170 prisoners for every 100,000 adults, from 157 for every 100,000 adults in 2003.

The Northern Territory has the highest imprisonment rate this year, with 821 adults in prison for every 100,000 adults.

Western Australia, with 256 prisoners for every 100,000 adults, is second, followed by NSW, Queensland and South Australia. The ACT has the lowest imprisonment rate.

Of the male inmate population, 20 per cent was jailed for acts intended to cause injury, 15 per cent for sexual assault, and another 15 per cent for unlawful entry with intent.

Women, meanwhile, were commonly jailed for drug offences (18 per cent), acts intended to cause injury (17 per cent) and unlawful entry with intent (10 per cent).

Most prisoners were born in Australia (81 per cent), followed by New Zealand at three per cent.

Two per cent of the local prison population was born in Vietnam, with another two per cent born in the UK.

Indigenous Australians comprise 27 per cent of the prisoner population, the ABS data shows.

The average age of Australian male inmates is 40, while for females it is 34.

Fifty-eight per cent of all prisoners are reoffenders.

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Banned Gay asks for management right

Former chairman of Gunns John Gay wants part of his penalty for insider trading overturned. Source: AAP

FORMER chairman John Gay of failed Tasmanian timber company Gunns is asking a court to allow him to manage two companies after he was banned from doing so.

Gay's conviction for insider trading prevents him managing a company for five years.

He applied to the Tasmanian Supreme Court in November to be allowed to manage two firms, his timber business Specialty Veneers Pty Ltd, and another company, JEG Management Pty Ltd.

The Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) is opposing the application.

The parties have agreed to file court documents for a hearing no earlier than March 10.

Gay was fined $50,000 in August for trading about $3 million worth of Gunns shares with information not available to the market.

The Australian Shareholders' Association slammed the fine as too lenient when Justice David Porter handed it down in the Tasmanian Supreme Court.

Gay had faced a maximum penalty of five years' jail or a $220,000 fine.

In October it was revealed the Australian Federal Police was considering whether to investigate pursuing Gay over the profits of his insider trading.

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Top cop, silk join Qld corruption watchdog

Australia's former top cop Mick Keelty will join Queensland's Crime and Misconduct Commission. Source: AAP

AUSTRALIA'S former top cop and a barrister have been appointed as acting commissioners of Queensland's corruption watchdog.

The state's government has named former Australian Federal Police commissioner Mick Keelty and barrister Sydney Williams QC as part-time acting commissioners on the Crime and Misconduct Commission (CMC).

Attorney-General Jarrod Bleijie says they will fill recent vacancies and assist acting chairman Dr Ken Levy while the CMC goes through a period of change.

"Mick Keelty and Sydney Williams' credentials and experience are impeccable," Mr Bleijie said in a statement on Thursday.

"Mick Keelty's integrity and professionalism is known worldwide.

"Sydney Williams QC is one of Queensland's most experienced barristers."

The appointments come at a time when Dr Levy is being intensely scrutinised over his alleged contact with the government before he wrote an opinion piece praising its anti-bikie laws.

He was accused of pro-government bias and members of the Parliamentary Crime and Misconduct Committee (PCMC), which oversees the CMC, called for his resignation.

The Liberal National Party government then sacked the PCMC, accusing it of bias itself, against Mr Levy.

Some PCMC members and Dr Levy are still being investigated by the new Select Ethics Committee.

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China bars banks from handling bitcoins

BITCOINS have suffered a new setback after China barred its banks from handling the virtual currency.

The Chinese central bank said on Thursday that bitcoins did not qualify as a currency. But it said private individuals still are allowed to trade them at their own risk.

Bitcoins are created and authenticated independently of any bank or government. Atlanta-based BitPay handles transactions for more than 4,500 companies, taking payments in bitcoins and forwarding the cash equivalent to the vendor.

A Chinese central bank statement says, "Bitcoins are virtual goods that have no legal status or monetary equivalent and should not be used as currency."

It says, "Ordinary people are free to participate in transactions at their own risk."

Thailand banned bitcoins for most uses in July.

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O'Neill turns Senate into classroom

NEW Labor senator Deb O'Neill wants visitation rights to her old chamber for a good cause - to increase awareness of the effort to close the gap on Aboriginal disadvantage.

During her first Senate speech on Wednesday, in which she read from a centuries-old John Donne poem, the former lower house MP flagged her desire to see a joint sitting of federal parliament when the prime minister and the opposition leader provide the yearly Closing the Gap report card.

"Until we overcome the 20-year life-expectancy gap, we cannot turn our heads away," she told the Senate.

Senator O'Neill lost her marginal lower house Central Coast NSW seat of Robertson at the September 7 election but has moved to the upper house, filling the vacancy left by Bob Carr, who resigned six weeks after being re-elected.

The former teacher gave the Senate an impromptu literature lesson, reading an extract from a 1669 poem, A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning, by John Donne.

She said the poem explained how strong the love at home bound people, despite great distances - which rang true for politicians' families.

"My dear family, you can always be assured that my heart is with you, and when my work is done I'll be home, hang in there with me," Senator O'Neill said as her three adult children, Caitlin, Brianna and Noah, watched from the public gallery.

Senator O'Neill explained what she believed constituted quality teaching and learning in Australian schools and how the Gonski needs-based funding model was long overdue.

"In our hearts we know the power of a great teacher to effect great learning ... we know education is an investment worth making," Senator O'Neill said.

"Money is part of the answer."

She pleaded for the "war of words" on school funding to end, otherwise students would be the ultimate casualties.

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Video shows Vic premier desperate: Oppn

Victorian Premier Denis Napthine has released a video ruling out changes to abortion laws. Source: AAP

THE release of a video by Victorian Premier Denis Napthine ruling out laws that would restrict a woman's right to choose to have an abortion was a move by a rattled and desperate premier, the opposition says.

Independent MP Geoff Shaw, who holds the balance of power in the parliament, has reportedly approached Dr Napthine wanting to overhaul the state's abortion laws.

A motion was passed at the Victorian Liberal Party state conference on Sunday backing changes to abortion laws.

Dr Napthine released a video message on Tuesday night ruling out changes.

"As premier, neither I nor my government have any intention of introducing legislation that would reduce a woman's right to choose," he said.

"This issue was vigorously debated in the community and settled in the parliament in 2008.

"Let me again be crystal-clear about this - I have no intention whatsoever of introducing or supporting legislation that would reduce a woman's right to choose."

Acting opposition leader James Merlino said the premier was rattled.

"The premier released a video yesterday which can only be described as a move by a rattled and desperate premier," he told reporters.

"The fact of the matter is the only way that this issue will be debated in the parliament next year is if Premier Napthine has made a deal with Geoff Shaw."

Mr Merlino said it was clear Mr Shaw wanted a debate on the issue and it would be up to Dr Napthine to decide whether to give it the green light.

A Victorian government spokesman said Mr Merlino's comments were a lie.

"James Merlino has been in parliament long enough to know that any member of the upper house can directly introduce a private member's bill," the spokesman said.

"This includes Labor members."

Mr Merlino was asked by a reporter earlier on Wednesday about a possible move by Labor MP Christine Campbell, who wants a section of abortion law reformed, bringing a private member's bill in the upper house.

"At the end of the day it is the government that controls the debate in parliament," he said.

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Ex Qld transport head won't be charged

No criminal charges will be laid against Queensland's former transport head Michael Caltabiano. Source: AAP

FORMER Queensland transport department head Michael Caltabiano will not be charged over allegations he gave a minister's son a leg up.

The premier's hand-picked director-general was sacked in February amid allegations there was official misconduct over the hiring of the son of former arts minister Ros Bates, Ben Gommers, to a senior position in his department.

After an investigation spanning more than a year, the state's Crime and Misconduct Commission (CMC) announced on Wednesday it will not lay criminal charges.

It had referred a brief of evidence to the Director of Public Prosecutions in July.

The DPP has advised that any prosecution of Mr Caltabiano for alleged criminal offences would not have reasonable prospects of success, and therefore was not warranted.

"As such, the CMC will not take any further action in relation to Mr Caltabiano," a statement said.

Less than a fortnight ago, Mr Caltabiano was also cleared by the parliamentary Ethics Committee over allegations he lied about a prior business relationship with Mr Gommers.

Mr Caltabiano, a fellow councillor with Premier Campbell Newman when at the Brisbane City Council, had been on leave with pay for four months before he was sacked.

He made more money after he was sidelined from his position than when he actually worked, pocketing $652,947 for less than a year's on the job.

Comment has been sough from Premier Campbell Newman, but Ms Bates has declined to comment.

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Bieber gives injured Vic fan private show

EDS Att: Language in 7th par

Pop megastar Justin Bieber has performed a secret, intimate concert for a Melbourne fan whose dreams of seeing him perform were shattered, along with her spine, in a horrific car accident last month.

Friends of Melbourne teen Kate O'Neill launched a social media campaign to encourage the Canadian teen idol to visit Ms O'Neill who had saved thousands of dollars to be able to attend all of his Australian concerts.

The 19-year-old, whose Twitter account @BieberMelbourne has more than 29,000 followers, tweeted on Wednesday morning that it was the best day of her life, after she received a tweet from the official Justin Bieber account.

At the time, she had no idea of the surprise that lay ahead.

"Not even the amount of pain I am in right now can ruin this for me," Ms O'Neill wrote on Wednesday morning.

Ms O'Neill is still in hospital recovering from her injuries, which include broken ribs, a fractured spine, internal bleeding and lacerations to her kidney and liver.

"If I meet Justin I will hug him so tight IDGAF (I don't give a f**k) about my broken spike (spine) and broken ribs," she tweeted on Wednesday morning.

"I thought this was going to be the worst week of my life but Justin has made it the best! I can't believe this I am so happy!"

On Wednesday afternoon, a car transferred Ms O'Neill from hospital to a private studio where Bieber performed an impromptu acoustic set for her and 50 other fans.

After his performance, Bieber said he loved his "Beliebers" who do so much for him.

"It was so special to be able to give something back, especially to an amazing fan like Kate," Bieber said.

Then he asked Ms O'Neill to kiss him on the cheek.

Ms O'Neill was quoted in a release from Bieber's management as saying the concert had been amazing.

But it was on Twitter that she revealed her true excitement:

"AHWSJJDJEIDIEJHSJWSIYWUWOWODHJWIDIWBB BEST DAY OF MY LIFE I CANT BREATHE OMFG JUSTIN AND THE CREW ARE SO PERFECT SVSJJSDJJSJDJSDISIWJDJWJS," she wrote.

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Ken Reed to give $5.5m to Sydney Uni

Arts patron Kenneth Reed will give $5.5m and a collection of paintings to the University of Sydney. Source: AAP

RENOWNED arts patron Kenneth Reed will give $5.5 million and a collection of centuries-old paintings to the University of Sydney.

Mr Reed has donated $500,000 to fund scholarships for PhD students of English literature, the university announced on Wednesday.

The retired lawyer has also bequeathed 14 Dutch old master paintings to his alma mater, along with $5 million.

Of that, $4 million is earmarked for postdoctoral fellowships in English, and $1 million for the care and conservation of the paintings and other works in the university's collection.

It is not the first time the septuagenarian has made a significant donation.

He offered paintings, porcelain and pottery to the Art Gallery of NSW worth a total of almost $13 million, telling AAP in 2012 that his Sydney apartment had been getting "a bit crowded" with art.

A 2005 donation of $1 million to the Australian Ballet was the biggest one-off contribution in the ballet's history, the university says.

Mr Reed said fond memories of his university days inspired his latest act of philanthropy.

"My fondest memories were when I was doing English," he said in a statement on Wednesday.

"A degree in English or the arts equips you for any other field.

"People need a good basis and understanding of their own language and the history and literature of their own language."

Mr Reed graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in 1957 and a Bachelor of Laws in 1960.

Arts and Social Sciences dean Duncan Ivison said the gift was an enormous vote of confidence.

"It is a huge boost, both practically and morally, for the importance of the humanities, and in this case, in the study of English literature," he said.

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Palmer calls for thought revolution

Billionaire MP Clive Palmer is set to deliver his maiden speech in the lower house on Monday. Source: AAP

CLIVE Palmer has derided Australia's political system, offered a national economic solution and credited his party with the coalition government's election.

In a blustery first speech to parliament that finished five minutes under time, the member for Fairfax spoke with his usual breathlessness but sounded uncharacteristically shaky.

"Australia needs a revolution in the way we think, in the way we boost our wealth and economy for all our citizens," the millionaire businessman from Queensland spat at the chamber on Monday.

"Australians have lost hope in the future. Change is certain."

Prime Minister Tony Abbott and most of his government's frontbench were absent as Mr Palmer presented his credentials, including that his party outpolled the Nationals at the September election.

"The prime minister became prime minister because the coalition received Palmer United preferences."

He sent a message to those who thought backing his party signified a wasted vote: "now our party vote has solidified".

There was a swipe at the Australian Electoral Commission for losing ballot papers, costing his party an upper house position and sparking a second senate poll in Western Australia.

And a general criticism of party politics.

"The entrenchment of the two party system in this country not only threatens democracy, it destroys the creativity of the nation," Mr Palmer said.

It "robs from all of us the benefit of each other's ideas and innovation".

When it came to driving growth and increasing government revenue, Mr Palmer squeezed it into a paragraph, championing his idea of annual tax payments for companies which will channel billions of dollars back into the economy.

"Increased wealth and revenue means we can make Australians' lives better."

With no mention of his business ventures - which include a dinosaur park and plans to rebuild the Titanic - Mr Palmer flew a flag for regional Australia, slating the reintroduction of a zonal taxation system, and the need to boost the number of professionals in rural areas.

"We have to end the discrimination against rural industries allowing them to compete."

He tipped his hat to employment growth, marriage "integrity", Australian history, indigenous mortality rates, Tasmania's feeling of abandonment, defence personnel and a transparent public service.

"Our main concern needs to rest with how we can grow and expand our economy and create more wealth. Not wealth for the wealthy, but for all, even the least among us," he said.

Parliamentarians are charged with being the "last sentry at the gate" to protect Australians and their rights, Mr Palmer said.

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Interest rates weigh on US real estate

ONE look at the lacklustre gains of real estate mutual funds this year might give the impression that commercial property owners are struggling through a relapse of their post-financial crisis woes.

But demand for office, retail and other commercial real estate has been steadily improving along with the economy, boosting occupancy and rental rates for many owners. And many economists project more of the same next year.

Even so, a surge in interest rates and concern they could increase further next year has spooked investors, dampening the funds' returns. Real estate sector equity funds have delivered an average total return of 1.93 per cent so far this year, trailing only precious metals equity funds, according to Morningstar.

The funds, which are often comprised largely of real estate investment trusts holding commercial properties, are still up an average of nearly 6.1 percent from a year ago and have delivered an annualised return of 19.3 percent over the past five years.

Still, the slide in real estate funds represents a buying opportunity for investors who think that the market has already factored in a further rise in interest rates.

"REITs are finally looking fairly valued," said Abby Woodham, fund analyst at Morningstar.

"They could, of course, go down further, but the valuation is much more attractive now than it has been for quite some time, so it's not all doom and gloom."

What remains to be seen is how the market weighs the positive growth trends in commercial real estate against the risk of interest rates rising further.

Interest rates began rising in May on speculation that the Federal Reserve was preparing to pull back on its economic stimulus, which includes $US85 billion ($A93.41 billion) in monthly bond purchases to keep interest rates low.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury note rose from 1.63 per cent at the start of May to nearly 3 per cent by early September.

But the central bank surprised investors in mid-September when it said that it wanted to see more evidence of improvement in the economy, and it decided to maintain its bond purchases.

The central bank meets again in December, but most economists don't expect any changes in the bond program until March. The yield on the 10-year Treasury ended trading at 2.75 per cent on Friday.

Real estate funds tend to be popular among investors looking to diversify their portfolio with holdings that traditionally are not tied to the performance of the stock market.

REITs are attractive to investors seeking high yields because their tax structure requires them to pay out most of their income as distributions to shareholders.

But REITs also require a lot of money to operate. When interest rates rise, that drives the cost of borrowing up, which could translate into smaller dividends.

In addition, if Treasury pay higher interest rates, that makes REITs relatively less attractive to investors.

Still, as an industry, the outlook on commercial real estate remains positive. The National Association of Realtors projects a modest decline in the vacancy rate, and gains in average rents next year for apartments, as well as office, retail and industrial space.

That should benefit commercial property owners, though a further rise in interest rates could hurt property owners who tend to lock in tenants for leases of a decade or longer, such as medical labs. They have less flexibility to adjust pricing.

On the other end of the spectrum, REITs that own hotels, self-storage facilities and apartments typically rent out space for periods of a year or less and have the most flexibility to adjust prices.

The most liquid way to invest in the publicly traded commercial real estate market is through US exchange-traded funds, which are comprised entirely of REITs.

Woodham recommends Vanguard REIT ETF (VNQ). Its index is one of the broadest, with about 120 REITs. And it's among the most affordable, charging an expense ratio of 0.1 percent.

She also likes Schwab US REIT ETF (SCHH). It holds more than 80 REITs and is the cheapest among the exchange traded funds with an expense ratio of .07 per cent.

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PM defends work of intelligence agencies

Prime Minister Tony Abbott has defended Australia's intelligence agencies. Source: AAP

PRIME Minister Tony Abbott has defended Australia's intelligence agencies, saying their gathering of telephone and email metadata is within the law.

Documents leaked by fugitive US whistleblower Edward Snowden and published by Guardian Australia show the Defence Signals Directorate (DSD) discuss sharing "medical, legal or religious information" with foreign intelligence partners.

The DSD told US, Britain, Canada and New Zealand at a 2008 intelligence conference it could share material without some of the privacy restraints imposed in other countries.

In response to the leak, Mr Abbott said he was confident Australian intelligence agencies were acting within the law and that there were proper safeguards.

"We as an Australian government ... will always act to safeguard our national interest and to protect our citizens," he told reporters in Canberra on Monday.

"Our security organisations will always act in accordance with the law and they will always act with appropriate safeguards in place."

Mr Abbott was unaware of any illegality, saying if anyone had evidence to the contrary they should come forward.

The DSD, now the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD), suggested it could share "bulk, unselected, unminimised metadata as long as there is no intent to target an Australian national", according to the material leaked by Mr Snowden.

Metadata is information kept by telecommunications groups - like phone numbers, email addresses, and the dates, times, locations and duration of calls - but not their content.

AAP understands neither ASD nor the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) collects or shares metadata in bulk.

But some specific metadata is shared in investigations involving overseas agencies.

ASIO's metadata collection is in line with ministerial instructions and subject to internal checks, and it doesn't require a warrant to access the information from a telco.

If ASIO wanted to investigate the actual content, it requires a warrant from the Attorney-General.

ASD collects specific foreign intelligence metadata.

It can access information on Australian citizens if it has a "ministerial authorisation" and this would be signed off by the Attorney-General.

Authorisations have been granted in the past in relation to communications between terrorist organisations and Australians.

Australia's intelligence agencies are overseen by the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security and a federal parliamentary committee.

Attorney-General George Brandis said the documents cited by the Guardian "do not report or record any activity by any Australian intelligence agency".

The Australian Greens want an inquiry to reassure the public they are not being spied on.

"Last week and the week before there were revelations about spying on heads of state. This week, it is about everybody else, the rest of us," Greens senator Scott Ludlam said.

ASIO director-general David Irvine told a recent Senate estimates hearing the Snowden leaks were of "great concern".

The agency has conducted an audit of intelligence it has shared with foreign agencies to assess what sort of material Mr Snowden might have.

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Demolition of NZ cathedral to go ahead

A GROUP fighting to stop the partial demolition of the quake-damaged Christ Church Cathedral has lost its battle.

The Supreme Court denied the Great Christchurch Buildings Trust leave to appeal against the deconstruction of the landmark that was badly damaged in the February 2011 earthquake.

The Supreme Court also ordered the group pay $NZ2500 ($A2,256) costs to the Church Property Trustees, which is overseeing the deconstruction of the Anglican cathedral, in a decision released on Monday.

The group believes demolishing the cathedral is detrimental to the recovery of Christchurch.

The Supreme Court said it acknowledged the circumstances which prompted the appeal were of great general importance to Christchurch residents.

"That importance arises from the history, function and iconic nature of the Cathedral.

"However, in this case nothing that has been raised on behalf of the applicant reaches the threshold of showing that the decisions of the courts below may be in error."

The group's bid was previously thrown out by the Court of Appeal and High Court, though it has been established that there must be a cathedral on the site.

In May, the Anglican church said over half of the more than 3700 submissions on three options for the future of the cathedral favoured a contemporary design which church leaders also backed.

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Investors troubled by debt debate: Hockey

THE federal government has begun preliminary talks with the Australian Greens in a bid to end the debt ceiling stand-off as Treasurer Joe Hockey again warned it was impacting international investor confidence.

The government wants to increase the ceiling by $200 billion to $500 billion but Labor and the Australian Greens joined forces in the Senate against the bill that is listed for debate on Tuesday.

The legislation was returned to the upper house after Mr Hockey rejected a Labor and Greens amendment proposed two weeks ago to limit the increase to $100 billion, for a cap of $400 billion.

The Greens later said they were prepared to discuss scrapping the ceiling altogether, as long as there was greater government transparency on what additional debt was used for.

A spokesperson for the Treasurer confirmed on Monday that talks have begun but said they were preliminary and involved officials.

Earlier Prime Minister Tony Abbott was challenged on how his conservative coalition could negotiate with a party he describes as "economic fringe dwellers".

"Our challenge as a government is to clean up Labor's mess," he told reporters on Monday.

"Part of cleaning up Labor's mess is to avoid the sort of problem which the United States had recently because they were running up against legislated debt ceilings."

Mr Hockey told parliament he had taken phone calls from international investors and global rating agencies concerned about Australia reaching its current $300 billion debt limit by December 12.

Government debt subject to the ceiling stood at $296.09 billion on Friday.

Mr Hockey said the former Labor government had budgeted for a debt peak of $370 billion but it didn't take into account the need for a $60 billion buffer in case of an emergency.

"This is unprecedented territory," he said.

"If the Labor party is going to prevent us from trying to fix the problem they created they will wear this."

Greens leader Christine Milne rejects the government's depiction of the stalemate as threatening the economy and confidence.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten warned that the government was asking the Greens to give it a "blank cheque" to increase debt.

"These guys are desperate to do whatever they want, regardless of the consequences," he said.

Treasury Secretary Martin Parkinson recently told a senate committee one option was to scrap the debt ceiling, introduced by Labor in 2008.

Nationals senator John Williams backs scrapping the ceiling.

"We don't want to go down the road of America where we're having a deadlock of actually keeping our public sector going," he said.

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Political violence shakes Thai capital

One protester has been killed after an attack on a bus carrying government's supporters in Bangkok. Source: AAP

THAI police have fired tear gas and a water cannon at protesters trying to storm the government headquarters to overthrow Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, after violence in the capital left three dead and dozens wounded.

The bloodshed on Saturday is the latest in a series of outbreaks of civil strife in the kingdom since royalist generals ousted billionaire tycoon-turned-premier Thaksin Shinawatra, Yingluck's brother, seven years ago.

The street rallies, aimed at replacing Yingluck's government with an unelected "people's council", are the biggest since mass pro-Thaksin protests in Bangkok three years ago left dozens dead in a military crackdown.

Police fired several tear gas cannisters as well as water cannon after protesters tried to breach barricades and cut barbed wire protecting Government House, which was heavily guarded by security forces including unarmed soldiers, according to an AFP reporter.

Yingluck was not present at the time. The government denied rumours that she had fled the country but her whereabouts were unknown. Tear gas was also fired at protesters near the metropolitan police headquarters several kilometres away.

Demonstrators also marched on major television stations while several large shopping malls, including one that was set ablaze during political unrest in 2010, were closed as a precaution.

Violence broke out late Saturday in the area around a suburban stadium where tens of thousands of pro-government "Red Shirts" had gathered in support of Yingluck, who has faced weeks of street protests.

One student and two Red Shirt supporters were killed, deputy national police chief Worapong Siewpreecha told AFP. More than 50 people were wounded.

The dead and injured suffered a range of wounds including gunshots and stabbings. The circumstances were unclear but the violence came after an anti-government mob attacked Red Shirts arriving to join the rally in Ramkhamhaeng district.

They were the first deaths since the mostly peaceful demonstrations began a month ago. Both sides blamed each other for attacking their supporters.

The violence prompted Red Shirt leaders to end their rally, which had drawn tens of thousands of mainly rural poor in support of Yingluck and her brother Thaksin, who lives in self-imposed exile but remains a hugely divisive figure in Thailand.

While the protesters' numbers have fallen sharply since an estimated crowd of up to 180,000 people joined an opposition rally on November 24, they have increasingly sought out high profile targets in what experts believe could be an attempt to provoke a military coup.

The kingdom has seen 18 actual or attempted coups since 1932, most recently with Thaksin's overthrow in 2006, but the military has appeared reluctant to intervene in the current standoff.

In a sign of potential discord between the different branches of the security forces, the army chief urged the police to stop firing gas cannisters.

"I have contacted the national police chief and asked the police to stop firing tear gas," General Prayut Chan-O-Cha told AFP. "Both sides must stop."

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PM stands by election schools promise

PM Tony Abbott has denied the government is breaking its pre-election schools funding promise. Source: AAP

PRIME Minister Tony Abbott insists the government will keep the promise it made on school funding before the election - not the promise some people think it made.

But the Opposition's education spokeswoman Kate Ellis says that's just "clever words".

And she hasn't ruled out backing any industrial action by teachers angry at the coalition reneging on school funding deals struck between the former Labor government and a majority of the states and territories.

Before the September election, the coalition said schools would receive the same amount of funding as under the so-called Gonski model.

"We are going to keep the promise that we made, not the promise that some people thought we made or the promise that some people would like us to make. We are going to keep the promise that we actually made," Mr Abbott told Network Ten on Sunday.

The prime minister refused to repeat the promise word for word, but said schools will get "the same quantum of funding over the four years that they would have under Labor".

The coalition will fund schools as planned for 2014 before introducing a new scheme from 2015, which Education Minister Christopher Pyne is trying to nut out with state and territory counterparts.

Labor says the coalition is making excuses.

"The government is clearly determined to break their word - that's what's happening," Labor senator Penny Wong told ABC TV.

"They aren't the government they said they'd be before the election."

Ms Ellis says there's no way the government can justify its move.

"A promise is a promise," she told Network Ten.

"They were very specific in their words before the election ... a promise they have now walked away from."

Ms Ellis said teachers and parents across Australia had a right to be angry about the government's decision and didn't rule out backing industrial action.

"I would certainly support ... us fighting to make sure these huge and important reforms are not tossed aside," she said.

State and territory leaders will get the chance to eyeball the prime minister about school funding at a Council of Australian Governments (COAG) meeting on December 13.

"It will absolutely be an agenda item," Tasmanian Premier Lara Giddings said on Sunday.

"This Gonski reform is one of the top issues."

South Australian Premier Jay Weatherill, who faces a state election in 2014, said the school funding issue may filter through to be an influencing factor.

"(The government) know that they can't be seen to break a promise so that's why they're pretending that they haven't broken a promise," Mr Weatherill said.

The Australian Education Union accused the prime minister of spinning a line on school funding.

"No school worse off over four years, promised Tony Abbott," Union deputy president Correna Haythorpe said in a statement.

"It's an insult to parents and teachers to hear the prime minister now say that this clear, unambiguous commitment from the Coalition is something 'some people' thought he said, or 'some people' would like him to have said."

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Call to benchmark drugs to overseas costs

A THINK tank has called on the federal government to benchmark local drug prices with those paid overseas to drive down the cost to local consumers.

The Grattan Institute says the government's "price disclosure" system has failed to lower prices in Australia, which are on average 14 times higher than in the UK.

The price disclosure system takes note of the discounts manufacturers and wholesalers offer pharmacies, and cuts prices accordingly.

However, the Grattan Institute says Australians still paid significantly higher prices than people in the UK, New Zealand and Canada.

"On average, Australian prices remain almost 16 times higher than the best price in these three places," a new report from the think tank said.

Grattan Institute director Stephen Duckett said price disclosure was working, "but it is not working well enough".

Instead, he said the government should benchmark Australian prices against international drug prices.

"In the end, what's happening is the prices that the Australian government is paying are way above what comparable countries pay," Dr Duckett told AAP.

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Flume, Sebastian early winners at ARIAs

Singer Guy Sebastian is an early winner at the ARIA awards in Sydney taking out best pop release. Source: AAP

ELECTRONIC wunderkind Flume has taken out his first ARIA award after being named Breakthrough Artist of the Year.

The 22-year-old producer/remixer, whose real name is Harley Streten, is up for six more awards on Sunday night.

"Jesus. Wow. Thank you," he said as he accepted the award.

"It's kind of funny that this Flume thing started as a house project.

"I never thought much of it. It wasn't until Chris, my friend, he suggested that I sign onto future classic and I did that and it's kind of taken off and it's been a whirlwind."

Guy Sebastian won best pop release for his album Armageddon, outgunning Empire Of The Sun, San Cisco, The Preatures and Vance Joy.

Sebastian missed out on picking up the award as he was running late but it was reannounced later so he could accept it.

He thanked his pregnant wife Jules and son Hudson who he said had inspired him.

"(This award) is very unexpected. I can say that because I think I've been nominated for twenty something (awards) and I haven't won yet and here I am," he said.

Five piece Perth band Karnivool won Best Hard Rock/Heavy Metal album with Asymmetry.

"First up thanks aria for the 'bogan' award," guitarist and founding member Andrew Goddard said.

"There's a lot more to heavy music ... it can even be intellectual, believe it or not.

"Let's face it it's the best f***ing genre here tonight."

Veterans Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds' album Push The Sky Away took out the award for Best Adult Contemporary Album, just moments after it was named Best Independent Release.

Cave, who wasn't in Australia to receive the award, accepted the gongs via video.

Country crooners Kasey Chambers and Shane Nicholson have won the award for Country Album at the ARIA awards in Sydney.

The duo, who have released two number one albums, took out the award with one of them, Wreck and Ruin, a warts-and-all look at married life.

The couple is no longer together.

Asked if it was a breakup album, he said: "If it is, it was some kind of fortune telling, like a future ... I find I don't really listen to albums once they're made but I've gone back and heard this record since... And that did occur to me.

"There were so many moments on that record that were signalling things that came further down the road."

X Factor winner Samantha Jade won best video for Firestarter.

"I'm shaking wow. This is very unexpected," she said.

"The video was classic. It was black and white... I guess that connected with people."

Best Blues and Roots Album was won by Sharkmouth by Russell Morris, who said he felt like "Moses coming out of the wilderness" with his first ARIA award.

He accepted the award in memory of his mother Helen.

Seventies soft rockers Air Supply were inducted to the ARIA Hall of Fame received a lifetime achievement award.

Graham Russell and Russell Hitchcock thanked everyone who knocked their "drippy love songs".

"Thank you very much from the bottom of my heart," Lead guitarist Graham Russell said.

"Without you we never would have learned how to get up and fight back."

The audience was played a video montage tribute to the duo behind the hits lost In Love and All Out Of Love.

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VC winner joins fight against bushfires

Victoria Cross recipient Ben Roberts-Smith is urging Australians to be prepared to fight bushfires. Source: AAP

VICTORIA Cross recipient Ben Roberts-Smith knows something about preparing for a fight.

Now the West Australian war hero has urged residents across his home state to get ready to battle bushfires this summer, with warnings of an horrendous fire season to come.

An unusually wet winter has increased growth of fuel in bushfire-prone areas in WA, with only 45,000 hectares of the state's prescribed burn target of 200,000 hectares carried out.

On the first day of the summer, the campaign headed by Roberts-Smith - taglined 'Are You Ready?' - was launched in Perth.

"He is a very dignified, significant achiever in the Australian community and people know when he talks he is something worth listening to," said emergency services minister Joe Francis.

"We are basically in the hands of the lottery that is handed out by mother nature. So there is going to be a number of significant challenges this season.

"So we are urging people to make sure their property is as fire-ready as possible."

That preparedness includes clearing around properties, ensuring insurance is up to date, making a proper survival plan, and investing in a generator and an independent water supply to defend homes.

The state government spruiked its own readiness with the state's aerial water bombing fleet consisting of 22 helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft.

Electricity provider Western Power is spending $250 million on bushfire mitigation to prepare for the fire season, including $180 million on pole replacements and vegetation management.

But the state's Fire Commissioner Wayne Gregson has already said councils were failing to properly train and resource volunteer fire brigades.

The opposition have claimed the government's call for "shared responsibility" is really about shifting responsibility from a government which hasn't done enough preparation themselves.

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