Police pelted by brawling Vic youths

BRAWLERS pelted police with glass bottles in Melbourne as they tried to break up a large street fracas, sparking fears of drunken violence marring Australia Day festivities.

Officers had been confronted by a huge crowd of aggressive youths after being called to Springvale in the city's southeast just before midnight on Friday.

At least 80 people were already fighting in the street when a glass bottle was thrown at one of the police.

Acting Senior Sergeant Anita Brens says police had to spray down four men in the crowd with capsicum foam to try to break up the brawl.

While the group slowly left the suburban street, they continued pelting police with a barrage of glass bottles.

"They continued to be abusive towards police and fight amongst themselves," she said.

No one was arrested and the police all escaped injury.

Victorian Premier Denis Napthine said he was disgusted by the group's behaviour and praised police for being able to handle such a volatile situation.

"That is absolutely inappropriate, that is wrong, it is disgusting behaviour," he said.

"It is not the sort of behaviour we want in Melbourne or Victoria."

The melee came only a day after senior police warned of drunken violence occurring over the Australia Day long weekend.

Deputy Commissioner Tim Cartwright said the assault rate on January 26 has been skyrocketing in recent years, largely due to open-air events, alcohol and large gatherings of people.

"We have lots of public events, lots of occasions, but it's still our worst day," he said.

Patrols will be stepped up in city hotspots and around public transport hubs to deal with the expected surge in violence.

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Sydney Harbour to launch Australia Day

WHETHER you're into sheep shearing, whip cracking, fireworks or surfing, there is something for everyone this Australia Day.

And a 100-year-old Iraqi-born grandmother and a two-year-old Indian boy are among nearly 3600 people from 113 countries to become citizens across the state on Sunday.

The largest ceremonies in NSW will take place at Sutherland and Blacktown.

Meanwhile in Sydney, an indigenous ceremony will welcome in Australia Day with a ritual fire at the Opera House at 7.30am.

The fire, along with offerings from around the world will then be carried onboard a boat, before meeting bark canoes under the Harbour bridge for a smoking ceremony.

It will commemorate our past and future, with the national anthem to be sung in the Eora language.

Throughout the day, other free festivities include the popular race of Sydney's ferries, as well as the Australian army parachute display over Circular Quay.

In a new event, tug boats and 10 yachts will perform a "ballet" on the harbour.

Singers Mahalia Barnes and Prinnie Stevens will entertain with the sounds of motown in Darling Harbour from 6pm.

Ms Barnes said it is a great opportunity to celebrate and be grateful.

"We live in one of the most amazing countries in the world, we are very, very lucky," she told reporters on Saturday.

"The best thing about it is that everyone goes out and has a good time."

At 8.45pm, fireworks will mark the finale of the festivities on the harbour.

Meanwhile, face painting, an animal farm and a 3pm concert with The Wiggles will be rolled out at Hyde Park through the day to keep the kids entertained.

"Police have said that the crowd that comes to The Wiggles, Dorothy the Dinosaur and Peppa Pig are the best behaved crowds of the Australia Day weekend," Blue Wiggle, Anthony told reporters.

"It is a lovely, lovely day for families to come along, celebrate Australia and the multicultural society we live in."

Further west in Sydney's Olympic Park, about 6000 Sydneysiders are expected to head to Bicentennial Park for fireworks, sheep shearing, whip cracking and sheep dog trial shows.

Elsewhere in the state, more than 110 people are hoping to break a world record by riding the same wave at North Broulee Beach on the NSW south coast.

At Newcastle a national maritime festival will be held from 8am to 5pm.

Across the state, police are urging people to slow down after almost 800 speed infringement notices were issued on day one of the long weekend campaign.

"With 168 major crashes and one fatality, I'd like to again remind drivers to slow down, stay within the speed limit; no deadline is worth dying for," NSW Police Traffic and Highway Patrol Commander, Acting Assistant Commissioner Stuart Smith said in a statement.

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UK teacher tells of Kruger elephant attack

A BRITISH teacher who suffered a serious leg injury when an elephant tore through her car in South Africa has told how she desperately tried to drive away.

Sarah Brooks, who works at the Sir John Gleed School in Lincolnshire, and her South African fiance Jans de Klerk, were attacked by the elephant as they drove through the Kruger National Park on December 30.

The couple have now returned to England after Brooks spent more than a week recovering from a pelvis fracture and stitches to her right leg after the elephant's tusk pierced it.

The pair have received death threats since footage of the attack - which they say was heavily edited to make it look as if they drove towards the animal - went viral.

The 30-year-old science teacher told the Daily Mail she "completely freaked" as the elephant stormed towards them and in her panic was unable to find reverse in the hire car.

The couple then resorted to stopping, turning off the ignition and looking at the ground, but seconds later the elephant rammed into them.

"The next thing I heard was Jans screaming at me: 'Drive! Drive!'," Brooks said.

"I somehow managed to turn the engine on, Jans found reverse, but just as I got it going, the elephant tipped us up.

"Then he crushed the undercarriage by ramming it with his head, and the key snapped out of the ignition. 'I remember thinking, 'We're never going to be able to drive away now' - and the next thing I knew we were rolling.

"At that moment, your life flashes through your head. I thought, 'We've only been together a year-and-a-half, life's good. Why now? Why the hell now? It just isn't fair.' I didn't know if either of us would live."

She recalled how the bull elephant twice missed her when his tusks ripped through the car before one pierced her leg leaving her streaming with the blood.

De Klerk, who was left unhurt, managed to pull her across to his side of the car, from which the elephant finally walked away only after pushing it up against a tree and smashing the windscreen.

The incident was captured on film by tourists in a car behind, but they drove off after the attack believing the pair to be dead.

The distressed couple, who feared attacks from other animals, waited for help after phoning de Klerk's brother but it was 25 minutes before a helicopter landed.

"They took me to a doctor, where I was patched up before being taken to a hospital to check for internal injuries," Brooks said.

"In the back of the ambulance, I said to Jans: 'I don't want ever to spend another day apart from you.' He said: 'Marry me then?' I said: 'Yes.'"

She told the newspaper that she pleaded with the tourists not to publish the footage, but days later an edited version went viral.

The male elephant, who was believed to be a risk to other tourists, was destroyed after the incident.

The animal had been "on musth", a periodic condition where testosterone levels rise and elephants become more aggressive, and had fought with another elephant earlier that day.

The couple said park rangers told them they were "just unlucky" and had done nothing wrong.

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Jury sides with Love in trial over tweet

A US jury has rejected a defamation case against Courtney Love over a Twitter post that suggested one of her lawyers had been "bought off" for not pursuing a lawsuit over her late husband's estate.

The verdict came after roughly three hours of deliberation in a case that spanned eight days and focused on the Hole frontwoman's postings on the social networking site.

The case centred on one 2010 post that suggested that San Diego lawyer Rhonda Holmes had been "bought off" and that was why she wasn't representing the singer anymore.

Love had hired Holmes to file a fraud case against the estate of her late husband, Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain. The lawyer contended during the trial that she was fired by Love and that the tweet and other statements the singer made against her have caused her substantial damage.

Love's tweet stated, "I was (expletive) devastated when Rhonda J Holmes Esq of san diego was bought off" in response to a question from user of the popular social media site.

The message was never meant to be public, Love told jurors. She said she meant for it to be sent as a direct message, which only the recipient would see, but it instead went public and was quickly deleted.

The swift verdict wasn't witnessed by Love, who had left court after closing arguments ended on Friday morning. She arrived just as the courthouse was closing down and met her lawyers, John Lawrence and Matthew Bures, in the hallway where she hugged them both.

Love praised her lawyers and the jury after the verdict. Asked about her social media presence, Love said she refrained from posting on Twitter during the trial. "I didn't tweet out of respect for the case," she said.

While the case was billed as the first "Twibel" trial in which Twitter and libel law intersected, Lawrence said it was tried by the same rules as traditional defamation cases.

Jurors determined that Love's tweet included false information, but the musician didn't know it wasn't true.

Holmes lawyer Mitchell Langberg said the jury's verdict meant the panel determined Love's statement was defamatory, but the singer couldn't be held liable for it. Holmes' side asked the panel to award $8 million in damages and send a message that false statements online had consequences.

Langberg said that while his client was disappointed with the verdict, her reputation was upheld and the world now knows that Love's statements were false.

"At the end of the day, her biggest asset in life is her reputation," Langberg said. "That she got back today."

Love's social media postings have gotten her into trouble several times.

In 2011, she agreed to pay $US430,000 to fashion designer Dawn Simorangkir over statements she posted on Twitter and Myspace.

Simorangkir sued Love again last year, alleging the musician libelled her when Love accused Simorangkir of theft on the Howard Stern's radio show and taunted her on the social media site Pinterest.

The case is pending, but Love said she's trying to be more careful about her online musings than she was when she tweeted about Holmes.

"I don't tweet like I did back then," Love said on Friday.

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Govt 'creating' welfare crisis: Labor

LABOR has accused the Abbott government of "manufacturing" a welfare crisis ahead of a planned crack down on young people claiming the disability pension.

Under federal government plans to overhaul the welfare system, young people who are deemed partially fit to work will no longer be able to claim disability welfare payments, News Corp Australia reports.

Social Services Minister Kevin Andrews said under the previous Labor government, young Australians were able to claim the disability pension despite their condition being minor.

Labor MP Matt Thistlethwaite rejected the claim, saying the number of people on the disability pension actually decreased between 2012 and 2013.

He said there was no need for a planned overhaul of the welfare system because Australia didn't have a welfare problem.

"They are creating and manufacturing a crisis to ensure they look like they are a government that is doing something," he told Sky News on Saturday.

The federal government is facing criticism for excluding aged pensioners, who make up the majority of the welfare expenditure, in its welfare payments review as it grapples with a budget deficit.

Finance Minister Mathias Corman said increasing workforce participation among younger people claiming the disability allowance was part of the government's agenda to reduce the budget bottom line.

"We don't think that people with temporary health conditions should be put onto the Disability Support Pension for the remainder of their working lives," he told Sky News.

"We want to help people who are able to work back into the workforce. We think that is good for them and it's obviously good for the country."

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United Airlines posts 4Q profit of $US140m

United Airlines posted a growth in fourth quarter earnings with an increase in passenger numbers. Source: AAP

THE parent of United Airlines has earned $US140 million ($A158.60 million) in the fourth quarter, as more passengers flew and paid more for their tickets.

The airline's fuel bill also shrank.

Net income at United Continental Holdings Inc was $US140 million, or 37 US cents per share. A year earlier it lost $US620 million, or $US1.87 per share.

Not counting special charges, United would have earned 78 US cents per share - well above the 66 US cents expected by analysts surveyed by FactSet.

Revenue rose more than seven per cent to $US9.33 billion, also higher than analysts had expected.

Passengers paid three per cent more per mile to fly compared to a year earlier. They paid more in add-on fees, too. United said so-called ancillary revenue, which covers items such as baggage fees, rose 15 per cent in the quarter to nearly $US21 per passenger.

Fuel expenses fell four per cent to $US2.97 billion for the quarter.

United said in November that it intends to cut $US2 billion in annual costs. The company is still working to integrate Continental after their 2010 merger. Although all the paint on the planes and the signs at the ticket counters read "United," the company still has to schedule flight crews and planes separately for the two airlines, reducing the savings from the merger.

"Our goals for 2014 are to provide even more reliable operations, great customer service and materially better financial performance," chairman and chief executive Jeff Smisek said in a written statement on Thursday.

For the full year, United earned $US571 million, after losing $US723 million in 2012.

Shares of Chicago-based United Continental fell 3.4 per cent in premarket trading to $US47.50. They set a new 52-week high on Wednesday at $US49.20.

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Melb wheel to turn again after shutdown

MELBOURNE'S troubled observation wheel is expected to turn again on Saturday after it shut down just weeks after reopening.

A software problem caused the Melbourne Star to close on Friday.

Technicians are now conducting final tests on the wheel and it is expected to reopen by 10am (AEDT) on Saturday, but it could even be open as early as Friday night.

Chris Kelly from the Melbourne Star Management Group said the wheel would be open for the Australia Day long weekend.

"Since opening on December 23 last year, Melbourne Star has welcomed in excess of 40,000 guests and we apologise sincerely for any inconveniences caused to our guests today," Mr Kelly said in a statement.

The 120-metre high Melbourne Star initially closed in January 2009 when a three-day heatwave caused the brace and supports to buckle and crack only a month after it opened.

Mr Kelly insisted in December the wheel was not a rebuild of the troubled former wheel, but a completely new wheel.

Just days after it reopened, one of the big wheel's 21 cabins was taken out of service while Victoria's workplace safety authority investigated a safety complaint.

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Alcohol and drugs body slams funding cut

ADCA says recent alcohol-related violence highlights the need for government funding. Source: AAP

THE federal government's decision to defund the Alcohol and Other Drugs Council of Australia is "short-sighted" at a time when Australia is "wallowing" in alcohol abuse, the council says.

The funding withdrawal in November had "destroyed" the organisation, ADCA says in a submission to a Senate committee on the government's commission of audit that calls for funding to be restored.

The non-government organisation was caught unawares by the government's decision because it had been previously promised funding, it says.

"This was disingenuous to say the least," the council said.

"The government's decision will ultimately prove to be short-sighted and ill-considered."

ADCA says the recent spate of alcohol-related violence over the holiday period highlighted the seriousness of the government's funding cut.

"There is no clearer example of the need for an organisation like ADCA than the current situation in which Australia finds itself - a nation wallowing in alcohol with a failure of leadership to address the critical issues of price, accessibility and advertising of alcohol products."

ADCA is calling on the government to review its decision and restore funding until after the commission of audit is completed.

The council has operated since 1966, providing research and advocacy relating to the health, economic and social harm caused by alcohol and other drugs.

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Starbucks profit jumps, sales growth slows

Starbucks says its quarterly profit is up 25 per cent, following stronger sales around the world. Source: AAP

STARBUCKS says its quarterly profit is up 25 per cent, thanks to lower coffee costs and stronger sales around the world.

The Seattle-based coffee company says global sales rose five per cent at established locations. That was slower than the increase in the previous quarter, however, and total sales were shy of Wall Street expectations.

Troy Alstead, the company's chief financial officer, on Thursday said the slower growth for the final three months of the year was the result of the shift toward online shopping during the Christmas shopping season, rather than heading out to stores.

"The impact to us is that there are fewer people out and about in the weeks leading up to Christmas," Alstead said.

But in a conference call with analysts, CEO Howard Schultz downplayed the impact that trend would have on sales growth going forward, saying that Starbucks' advantage was that its offerings can't be replicated online and that its loyalty card business is growing.

Starbucks, meanwhile, has been employing various strategies to drive up sales at its ubiquitous cafes, such as revamping its sandwiches and baked goods so people are more likely to get something to eat when they come in for a drink. Alstead said that croissant sales had doubled at locations where new recipes were rolled out.

New options such as boxed salads are intended to get people to visit throughout the day, not just during the morning rush hour.

Starbucks, which has about 20,000 locations around the world, is also eyeing a new front: tea. The company last year opened its first tea cafe in New York City, saying it plans to popularise tea culture in the US the way it did with coffee culture.

For the quarter, sales at established locations rose five per cent in both the US and the region encompassing Europe, where Starbucks had been struggling.

In the China and Asia Pacific region, the figure rose eight per cent.

For the three months ending December 29, it earned $US540.7 million ($A618.90 million), or 71 US cents per share. That was more than the 69 US cents per share analysts expected.

A year ago, it earned $US432.2 million, or 57 US cents per share.

Revenue rose to $US4.24 billion, shy of the $US4.3 billion Wall Street expected.

The company stood by its guidance of for sales at established locations to grow in the mid-single digits globally in the year ahead. Earnings per share are expected to be in the range of $US2.59 to $US2.67, up from the previous $US2.55 to $US2.65.

Shares of Starbucks edged up 38 US cents to $US73.77.

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Church official amends commission evidence

A Catholic church official has revised his evidence to the Royal Commission on Child Sex Abuse. Source: AAP

A SENIOR church official has revised his evidence to the Royal Commission on Child Sex Abuse following a flurry of late night emails with a law firm representing the Catholic Church.

Michael Salmon, director of the Catholic Church's NSW/ACT Professional Standards Office, said on Friday he wanted to submit a supplementary statement to assist the commission.

He was contacted on Thursday evening by law firm Gilbert + Tobin and asked to clarify statements he made about a mediation session with an abuse victim who had concerns the Marist Brothers knew of and did nothing about abuse at a Cairns college.

A string of emails between the law firm and Mr Salmon, which culminated in him agreeing to a revised statement at about 9pm (AEDT) on Thursday night, were examined by the commission on Friday.

During a public hearing into Towards Healing, the internal church process for dealing with abuse complaints, it became an issue whether a Marist brother lied at a mediation session for a man referred to as DK about what he knew about a brother who has since been jailed.

Mr Salmon facilitated the 2010 session with DK, who was sexually molested when he was a student at the St Augustine's Marist College in Cairns in 1976.

Evidence from Mr Salmon on Wednesday and Thursday suggested that the conversation DK had with former college principal Brother Gerald Burns and another clergy member covered what they knew of inappropriate behaviour by Ross Murrin in relation to DK and other boys.

Murrin was jailed in 2008 for offences against children at Sydney schools. He had been moved to Rome by the order in 2002 but voluntarily came back in 2007 to face charges.

In his evidence on Thursday, Br Burns told the commission DK never asked him about offences against other boys but only about his own situation.

Br Burns also said a file note from Mr Salmon written after the mediation session which suggested otherwise was inaccurate.

Commission chairman Justice Peter McClellan asked Mr Salmon if lawyers told him during the Thursday night exchanges whether there was an issue as to whether Br Burns had told DK the truth.

Mr Salmon said he had not been told that.

He said that he wracked his brains for further recollections of whether the discussion had been about just DK, or other students and could only remember the discussion was all about DK.

Justice McClellan reminded Mr Salmon that he had asked him twice during his original evidence about the context of the conversation between DK and the brothers.

"I put it to you it was beyond DK and you said 'Yes, Yes'," he said.

He said DK was also concerned that the brothers had not helped Murrin, who he saw as a sensitive person, and this was the context of his "beyond DK" responses.

Mr Salmon said he was aware DK had broader concerns about whether the brothers had knowledge of the abuse at the school but left it to him to raise it at the mediation meeting because DK had come to the session with detailed notes and was "not a shrinking violet".

DK had left the mediation happy and on good terms with the brothers, he said.

Mr Salmon told senior counsel assisting the commission Gail Furness he had taken the advice of the lawyers when they rejected his suggestions for amendments as not relevant to the statement because it did not alter what he was trying to say.

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'Asylum-seeker burns issue for Australia'

BRUTALITY claims levelled at the Australian navy by asylum seekers could go unquestioned, with both Australia and Indonesia seemingly reluctant to investigate.

The ABC this week broadcast footage of asylum seekers receiving treatment for burns they claim they suffered when Navy personnel forced them to hold hot engine pipes as they were towed back to Indonesia's Rote Island.

The images surfaced at the same time as non-government group Human Rights Watch criticised Australian government border policies as cruel and demonising.

The Australian government has rejected the claims of mistreatment, and offered to assist an Indonesian police investigation if it means the allegations can be quickly ruled out.

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop told reporters in Washington she didn't believe Australia's navy would behave in such a manner.

"But of course if there is any co-operation we can extend to ensure that these allegations are scotched then we'd be prepared to do it," she said.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott has also dismissed the claims, saying he would take the word of the Australian navy personnel over "people who were attempting to break Australian law".

The police investigation into the claims on Thursday night appeared to be in limbo.

East Nusa Tenggara provincial police say officers are investigating the smugglers, and the boat crew is still at large.

The claims against the Navy were handed to the Indonesian National Police, where spokesman Boy Rafli Amar argued it was really a matter for Australia.

"This case is related to Australia and the one to do the investigation should be Australia because it happened in their territory," he told AAP.

Boy confirmed his officers were co-ordinating with the Australian police attache and were in communication about whether they wanted to run the investigation.

Ms Bishop reiterated Australia's support for the probe on Thursday night, telling the ABC that although the government does not believe its armed forces are above being questioned, the claims go against the navy's reputation for professionalism.

The ground-level co-operation between the two police forces comes despite reports of escalating tensions between the neighbouring nations.

Australia has apologised to Indonesia for naval incursions into its territory but, on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Wednesday, Mr Abbott said stopping asylum-seeker vessels was a "matter of sovereignty" that Jakarta ought to understand.

Following Mr Abbott's comments, Djoko Suyanto, Indonesia's Co-ordinating Minister for Politics, Law and Security, said Indonesia would continue to bolster its security forces at sea, to prevent any future breaches.

He said it was also incumbent on Australia to "comprehend the meaning of Indonesia's sovereignty as well".

Ms Bishop told the ABC she and her Indonesian counterpart Marty Natalegawa had progressed to step "three or four" in the six-point plan put forward by Indonesia to restore bilateral relations following last year's spy furore and they were arranging a time to meet.

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I never meant to hurt anyone: mall gunman

THE gunman who sent Brisbane's central pedestrian mall into lockdown last year says he never meant to hurt anyone.

Lee Matthew Hillier, 35, told the Brisbane District Court he had no reason to cause fear to innocent bystanders when he took an unloaded semi-automatic pistol to the Queen Street mall on March 8, 2013.

Wearing a suit, the prisoner told his sentencing hearing on Thursday he had relapsed back into drug addiction following his last stint in prison and "things just spiralled out of control".

"I wasn't in there to harm anybody," he said from the dock during an at-times rambling statement.

"To stand there with an empty handgun and to have 30 police stand there with revolvers facing you is very, very confronting."

Hillier, who has remained in custody since the incident, said that leading up to the standoff his best friend "blew his own head off" in a siege but he wasn't going to "sit there and make excuses".

"I'd just like you to take into account that I am standing here and take responsibility for my own actions," he told Justice Terry Martin.

Workers and shoppers fled Queen Street when the heavily tattooed Hillier produced a gun, sending the mall and surrounding businesses into lockdown.

The 90-minute stand-off ended when police shot the shirtless gunman with a combination of non-lethal and live rounds.

Witness statements read to the court said during the stand-off Hillier had appeared agitated, had often pointed the gun at himself and seemed to be frothing at the mouth.

"Get away or I will kill myself," he yelled at one stage according to a witness statement read out by defence barrister Simon Hamlyn-Harris.

Mr Hamlyn-Harris said his client had been at "rock bottom" that day and submitted a psychiatric report that detailed Hillier's disadvantaged background and psychological factors.

Prosecutor Belinda Merrin outlined a lengthy criminal history that included several convictions for weapon and drug possession and a string of traffic offences.

Less than two months before the siege he had blown some of his own fingers off with a homemade shotgun.

The prosecutor said Hillier's propensity for carrying weapons in public meant he was a serious danger to community safety.

Hillier pleaded guilty to a dozen serious charges including assaulting police while armed, going armed to cause fear, and dangerous conduct with a weapon.

Some charges related to the earlier incident when he blew his fingers off.

He also pleaded guilty to a string of traffic offences and breaching bail conditions.

Justice Martin is due to pass sentence on Friday morning.

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Problems pile up for security contractor

THE list of embarrassments besetting security contractor Serco is growing on a daily basis, including prisoners and asylum seekers breaking out of custody under their officers' watch.

It emerged on Thursday that a shackled prisoner was left unguarded at Royal Perth Hospital after one guard went to the toilet and another left the room because he didn't want to be alone with the inmate.

That came hours after a young Vietnamese asylum seeker escaped from the same hospital and was recaptured after a city-wide manhunt that lasted about two hours.

And on Monday, four male Vietnamese asylum seekers escaped from the Yongah Hill Immigration Detention Centre at Northam, east of Perth, but were quickly recaptured.

It was the fourth break out from the facility since mid-August.

Two of the 14 detainees that have broken out during this period are still on the run.

Immigration Minister Scott Morrison has made his displeasure at Serco clear and on Wednesday revealed he had asked for a reassessment of Yongah Hill detainees so that those at high risk of escaping were placed at a different facility.

A spokeswoman for Mr Morrison said the latest incident involving the young Vietnamese man would "be added to those issues already being reviewed by the government as a result of previous instances of escape".

Earlier this month, rapist Cameron John Graham and fellow inmate Kelden Edward Fraser managed to abscond from Serco's custody by kicking out the door of a prison van at Geraldton airport as they were being transferred to Perth.

They were found 72 hours later at a bush camp near Mullewa.

And on Friday, burglar Bradley John McIntosh-Narrier escaped from Joondalup Health Campus while under Serco's watch.

Guards had removed his handcuffs when he asked to use the toilet, where he ripped a towel rail from the wall to threaten them with before smashing up the room and climbing out through the ceiling.

The Community and Public Sector Union says the WA government needs to reassess its contracts with Serco, which it says does not have enough staff to properly undertake them.

"We are seeing the company saying yes to a raft of different government contracts, getting the money but then failing to deliver," branch secretary Toni Walkington said.

"They are taking on these services that were handled competently by public servants and are then being stretched to the limit and don't have enough staff to get the job done because they are trying to do them as cheap as possible."

In a statement on Thursday, Serco said the officer who left the prisoner unsupervised in hospital while his colleague went to the toilet has been suspended and might be sacked.

The company is investigating the incident, which came to light after complaints from hospital staff last weekend.

"At least two officers are assigned to each hospital sit, which allows for each of them to take comfort and refreshment breaks while the other remains with the prisoner," it said.

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Bushfire downgraded but threat remains

A bushfire continues to burn out of control in the City of Kwinana, threatening lives and homes. Source: AAP

THE danger from a bushfire in Perth's southern suburbs has been downgraded but authorities warn there is still a threat to lives and homes with conditions expected to change.

The Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) downgraded the emergency warning for Medina, Calista and Leda in the City of Kwinana to a watch-and-act alert at 5.45pm (WST).

While it has been downgraded, DFES says people need to leave the area or prepare to "actively defend their homes" from a fire that has burnt through about 49 hectares.

The blaze is moving northwest and is out of control and dangerous.

"There is a possible threat to lives and homes as a fire is approaching the area and conditions are changing," DFES warns.

"Burning embers are likely to be blown around your home. Spot fires are starting up to 100 metres ahead of the fire."

People who have left the area should not return and those staying to protect their homes shouldn't rely on mains water as pressure may be affected.

"Close all doors and windows, and turn off evaporative air conditioners, but keep water running through the system if possible," DFES advises.

A watch-and-act alert has also been issued for people in Kwinana Beach, east of Rockingham Road and Patterson Road to the railway line in the City of Kwinana.

A bushfire advisory has been issued for people in Orelia, Kwinana Town Centre and Parmelia.

Aerial support has been sent to assist ground crews.

The cause of the fire is unknown.

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Govt helping the ACCC, Billson says

THE federal government is working with the competition watchdog to try and fix its dire financial position.

The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) revealed late last year that it would run out of money in April.

Minister for Small Business Bill Billson said in a brief statement on Thursday that the federal government was actively working with ACCC chairman Rod Sims to remedy its financial predicament.

Mr Billson did not give details.

Mr Sims told a senate hearing late last year the commission's reserves had been run down over the past three years and it was being asked to do more as the economy grows.

He said the ACCC had undertaken voluntary redundancies and reduced travel and costs.

One of the federal government's plans is to give the ACCC extra powers and funding to ensure price cuts from the carbon tax repeal are passed to consumers.

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Big issues to deal with in Aust: Buttrose

AUSTRALIA has come a long way since Federation, but there are still many important issues to resolve, outgoing Australian of the Year Ita Buttrose says.

Attitudes towards the elderly, Aborigines, refugees and those suffering dementia could be improved, as could education, social reform and opportunities for women to make Australia a better and fairer nation, Ms Buttrose said during a half-hour speech on Tuesday in Sydney.

Australia should celebrate its development as a society and "the great social policies of which we should be so proud", she told a packed auditorium at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music.

Ms Buttrose was optimistic about the future but she also expressed some worries during the 18th Australia Day address.

"I worry that our preoccupation with balanced budgets will lead to the chipping away of the things which protect the most vulnerable."

"As one of the wealthiest nations in the world, this would be unforgivable."

Ms Buttrose, the first female editor of a major metropolitan newspaper and the first woman director of News Limited Australia, reiterated her support for a legislated "quota system" to ensure a fairer representation of women on company boards.

A law should be introduced in Australia, similar to that passed in Norway in 2003, requiring companies to have women comprise at least 40 per cent of their senior executive, she said.

A passionate advocate against ageism and discrimination against dementia sufferers, Ms Buttrose said she would continue her work despite losing the "influential platform" of being Australian of the Year.

"I've never not found a way to make my point of view heard," she told reporters after the speech.

"It's very handy if you're on television. It's also handy if you're able to write for a living."

And after a busy year with formal duties and a busy media schedule, Ms Buttrose isn't slowing down.

She's working on a new book, but wasn't letting any details slip.

"No author worth their salt reveals their book beforehand," she said.

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Aust marks 60 years in refugee convention

AUSTRALIA will have been part of the United Nations refugee convention for six decades this week.

The Menzies government acceded to the refugee convention on January 22, 1954, enabling it to officially come into force internationally.

The convention focuses on the process of granting asylum to people fleeing persecution.

In the past 60 years Australia has given some form of protection to about 620,000 refugees, the Refugee Council of Australia says.

However, only about 64,000 of these were granted asylum in Australia.

Most came to Australia via resettlement programs.

Earlier this month the UN's refugee agency warned Australia could in breach of its obligations under the convention if the navy pushed asylum-seeker boats back to Indonesia.

There was speculation in late 2013 the government might pull out of the convention in its efforts to stop the boats but Immigration Minister Scott Morrison said that option was not under consideration.

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St Vincent's Hospital welcomes lockouts

A PROMINENT Sydney neurosurgeon has welcomed Premier Barry O'Farrell's proposed restrictions on trading hours for licensed venues in an effort to combat drunken violence.

St Vincent's Hospital neurosurgeon Dr Mark Winder has in recent weeks treated victims of king-hits - unexpected single blows that can result in death.

"For every hour we see a reduction in alcohol trading in the Kings Cross and CBD area, we are confident of seeing a major reduction in the amount of alcohol-related presentations that will come through our emergency department doors," Dr Winder said in a statement.

"We welcome the NSW government's decision to introduce 1.30am lockouts and 3am closures around the city.

"This will go a long way to reducing some of the horrific injuries that I, and many of my surgical colleagues, have had to contend with in recent times."

St Vincent's Hospital treated one-punch victims Thomas Kelly and Daniel Christie, who died in separate incidents in nearby Kings Cross.

Mr O'Farrell on Tuesday announced a legislative package aimed at curbing alcohol-fuelled assaults on Sydney streets and beyond.

Laws would include mandatory minimum jail terms for serious alcohol and drug-related assaults, forced drug and alcohol testing, earlier closing times for bottle shops and early-morning lockouts for big inner Sydney bars.

The Salvation Army has welcomed the measures proposed by the government, but wants alcohol promotion to be reformed.

Pricing off booze, particularly from bottlos, must also be examined, the Salvation Army's director of recovery services, Gerard Byrne, said.

"While mandatory closing times for bottle shops is a positive step, it still won't stop young people from stocking up on cheap drinks and getting drunk well before heading out to the clubs and pubs," he said in a statement.

"The message young people seem to receive when it comes to alcohol is one of glamour and not the negative side-effects which come as a result of binge drinking."

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Iran sends warships to Atlantic Ocean

TWO Iranian warships have set sail for the Atlantic Ocean on their navy's first-ever mission there, state TV has reported.

The voyage comes amid an ongoing push by Iran to demonstrate the ability to project power across the Middle East and beyond.

The report said that the destroyer Sabalan and the logistic helicopter carrier Khark will be dispatched on a three-month voyage.

"The warships will have task of securing shipping routes as well as training new personnel," the semi-official Fars news agency quoted Iran's navy chief Admiral Habibollah Sayyari as saying.

It said the ships, carrying some 30 navy academy cadets for training along with their regular crews, left the southern Iranian port of Bandar Abbas. It did not mention any ports of call.

Iran has regularly deployed warships to the Gulf of Aden off the eastern coast of Africa to fight piracy and protect commercial ships.

The recent Iranian naval surge is also a response to US naval deployment near the Islamic Republic's coasts in the Persian Gulf. The US Navy's 5th fleet is based in Bahrain - across the gulf from Iran.

It has also sent its warships to Syrian waters in recent years.

In 2012, Iran said it aims to put warships in international waters off the US coast within the next few years, and extend its reach as far as Antarctica.

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Teen charged over attempted home invasion

A TEENAGER accused of threatening a middle-aged couple with a shotgun during an alleged attempted home invasion on the NSW south coast has been charged.

The 16-year-old allegedly pointed the gun at a man, 54, and a woman, 53, when they answered his knock on their Wollongong door in the early hours of Saturday.

"The male tried to gain entry, however, the occupants managed to close the door," police said in a statement.

On Tuesday police arrested the teenager at a Wollongong home.

He was charged with offences including special aggravated break and enter.

Bail has been refused for the teenager, who is due before Port Kembla Children's Court in late February.

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US man speaks to reporters in N Korea

Jailed US missionary Kenneth Bae (R) is appealing to the US government to secure his release. Source: AAP

A US missionary who has been jailed in North Korea for more than a year has appeared before reporters and is appealing to the US government to do its best to secure his release.

The missionary, Kenneth Bae, made the comments on Monday at what he called a press conference held at his own request.

Bae was arrested in November 2012 while leading a tour group.

He was accused of crimes against the state and sentenced to 15 years of hard labour.

He was moved to a hospital last northern summer in poor health.

He is the longest-serving US detainee in North Korea in recent years.

Bae expressed hope that the US government will do its best to secure his release.

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NSW govt to cancel mining licences

A COAL company embroiled in an ICAC inquiry has reacted angrily to plans by Premier Barry O'Farrell to introduce legislation to cancel coal mine exploration licences for Doyles Creek, Mt Penny and Glendon Brook.

Cascade Coal said in a statement on Monday night it will take "all steps available" to protect its assets and the interests of its shareholders, and said the "grossly unjust" decision will raise significant questions about sovereign risk.

"This latest announcement is a further example of the lack of procedural fairness and the denial of legal rights that has characterised the whole ICAC process," the statement said.

"This politically expedient decision further underlines the difficulties of doing business in NSW."

Mr O'Farrell made the announcement on Monday following recommendations from the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC).

He said no compensation would be provided for the cancellation of the licences and the legislation would indemnify taxpayers from any possible claims relating to the issuing or cancellation of the licences.

Coal companies embroiled in the ICAC inquiry into the corrupt dealings around the granting of the licences had asked the state government not to strike out their mining licences.

"This draws a line under this sorry saga of Labor politics and corruption in NSW," Mr O'Farrell's office said in a statement.

"There is no intention to immediately re-release the affected areas but any future process for issuing licences will be consistent with the NSW government's implementation of the ICAC's recommendations on probity."

ICAC recommended in December that the licences be cancelled.

The recommendation came months after it handed down corruption findings against former Labor MP Eddie Obeid, former mining minister Ian Macdonald and union official John Maitland.

Following the findings, Mr O'Farrell gave current holders of the mining licences a month to convince the government not to cancel them.

Cascade Coal, which has the Mount Penny and Glendon Brook licences, has launched a Supreme Court bid to have the ICAC report annulled.

The Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy union said the "grubs" who held the licences should be prohibited from doing any further business in the NSW coal industry.

"Those individuals found by the ICAC to have acted corruptly should be sent to the sin bin," president Tony Maher said in a statement.

"The mining industry is too important to risk the taint of corruption."

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Perth Hills on fire again

A new bushfire has erupted near the scene of the blaze that destroyed 50 homes in the Perth hills. Source: AAP

A NEW bushfire has erupted just minutes from the scene of the disastrous blaze that destroyed more than 50 homes in the Perth hills.

A watch and act alert has been issued for the western part of Parkerville and the eastern part of Hovea in the Shire of Mundaring.

There is a possible threat to lives and homes as a fire is approaching the area and conditions are changing.

It is burning towards Wooroloo Regional Park, moving slowly in a westerly direction.

The fire is out of control and unpredictable.

Several roads have been closed at the following intersections: Riley Road and Seaborne Road, Byfield Road and Owen Road, Owen Road and Falls Road, and Brooking Road and Carawantha Road.

Firefighters are on the scene and aerial support has been sent to assist ground crews.

The Shire of Mundaring is managing the fire.

Firefighters had only on Monday declared safe the area where the homes of 56 families in Parkerville and Stoneville were destroyed in the fire, which has been concluded was sparked by a privately-owned power pole falling in catastrophic weather conditions.

As the clean-up continues, law firm Slater and Gordon said it was investigating the legal rights of residents and property owners following the firestorm.

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SA fires continue, but Barossa gets Tour

Firefighters are continuing to battle SA blazes, which have destroyed 16 homes and 33 buildings. Source: AAP

FIREFIGHTERS are still battling blazes across South Australia, which have been estimated to have caused $10 million worth of property damage.

But the Country Fire Service (CFS) says that only the Bangor fire in the Southern Flinders Ranges remains subject to a watch and act alert.

Premier Jay Weatherill on Monday afternoon visited the firegrounds at Eden Valley in the Barossa.

After being briefed by the CFS, he told journalists that property losses included 16 homes, 33 other buildings, about 18 vehicles, kilometres and kilometres of fencing and about 1700 head of stock.

Preliminary estimates put the damage loss at around $10 million, the premier said.

State forest loss in the state's mid-north was in the order of $7 million, he added.

The government was providing assistance and support to people at the 200 affected farm properties.

He repeated his thanks to the volunteer firefighters, saying their extraordinary and courageous effort meant many losses were averted in the face of a very frightening fire.

"There have been some incredible saves, but also some tragic losses," Mr Weatherill said.

Tour Down Under organisers earlier confirmed that stage one of the race would go ahead after earlier fears it might have to be cancelled due to the bushfires.

The two races are in the Barossa region and will finish at Angaston.

The premier said this was great news for people in the Barossa who had put up with a "very frightening and, in some cases, damaging experience" and who would now get to celebrate the race.

"It would have been a cruel thing if it was taken off them, just at a time when it was going to bring a lot of money into the economy," he said.

The race also would give them something happy to focus on, he added.

More than 445,000 hectares of grass, scrub, forest and bushlands has been burnt since fires started last Tuesday.

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Cameras found in SA Tour toilets: police

SECRET cameras have been found in the female and male toilets at the Tour Down Under village in central Adelaide.

A member of the public found what he believed to be a hidden camera in the Victoria Square male toilets late on Monday afternoon, police say.

The black device resembled a double towel hook and was mounted on the wall.

Police removed the device, which was off and not transmitting at the time.

A second device was found in the female toilets.

Police said any images captured appeared to be stored on SD cards which also have been seized.

The other toilets at Victoria Square have been checked, but no other devices have been found.

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More Qld babies named Oliver, Charlotte

Oliver and Charlotte top the list of favourite baby names in Queensland. Source: AAP

OLIVER and Charlotte are the most popular baby names in Queensland.

Of more than 63,000 babies born in Queensland in 2013, Oliver was the most popular boy name, beating Jack and Cooper.

For girls, Charlotte has moved from second place in 2012 to first, after Ruby and Sophie alternated as the favourites during the past few years.

Acting Minister for Justice and Attorney-General David Crisafulli says there are distinct name preferences depending on where parents live in Queensland.

"Up north, Lachlan stole the show in Townsville, and tied with Jack for first in the Cairns and Fitzroy regions," he said.

"Cooper proved the most popular boys' name in Ipswich, while Hunter topped the list in the Wide Bay region."

He said Mia was the most popular name on the Gold and Sunshine coasts, while Olivia claimed first spot in Ipswich and Ruby reigned in Cairns.

George did not make the top 10 in 2013; however, the recent birth of Prince George might have an influence in 2014, he added.

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Conditions ease for SA firefighters

Firefighters in S.A. continue to battle fires across the state but easing conditions have helped. Source: AAP

FIREFIGHTERS in South Australia continue to battle fires across the state but easing conditions have helped.

Only one fire remains subject to a watch and act alert.

The Bangor fire in the southern Flinders Ranges has destroyed six homes and burnt more than 19,000 hectares of grassland.

The SA Country Fire Service (CFS) says while the fire has not grown significantly on Sunday, it is still not controlled.

Residents in the area are urged not to return as the fire is still burning in steep terrain with conditions changing continually.

However, the Horrocks Highway is now reopened to general traffic, with drivers warned to remain vigilant since fire crews are still working in the area.

A blaze in Eden Valley that has burnt through more than 24,000 hectares has been downgraded to advice level.

Gusty conditions are expected on Sunday afternoon.

The CFS says people in Truro, Keyneton, Towitta, Moculta, Eden Valley, Sanderston and surrounding areas should remain vigilant.

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Bushfire threat passes for NSW Hunter

AN emergency warning for a bushfire in the NSW Hunter Valley has been downgraded.

The Hebden Road fire, near Singleton, has been downgraded to "advice", the lowest level of alert.

Earlier several fast-moving grassfires were threatening homes in the area.

But the threat had passed at 9pm (AEDT), the Rural Fire Service (RFS) said.

"Around 40 firefighters are now on scene, assisted by aircraft, are now controlling these fires," the RFS said on its website.

Several rural properties are also under threat from a 120-hectare bushfire in the Dog Rocks State Forest, south of Bathurst.

The RFS has issued an emergency warning for the area.

Watch and act alerts remain in place for the Hells Hole fire, near Bathurst, at Minimbah, near Wagga Wagga, Minjary, between Canberra and Wagga Wagga, and Redbank, near Bathurst.

Three homes were destroyed in the Minimbah fire on Sunday, with firefighters to check for further damage when it is safe to do so.

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Perth prison escapee caught in another car

WA police have caught a 27-year-old prisoner who escaped security officers at a Perth hospital. Source: AAP

A 27-YEAR-OLD prisoner who escaped from security officers while getting medical treatment at a Perth hospital, then stole two cars and shaved his hair, has been arrested.

Bradley John McIntosh-Narrier had been taken to the Joondalup Health Campus for medical treatment to an injured hand on Friday afternoon when he escaped.

He stole a black 2002 Toyota RAV4 from two women, but the vehicle was found on Saturday morning in Balcatta and taken for forensic testing.

McIntosh-Narrier then stole a 2009 maroon Subaru Liberty from a home in Kelmscott on Sunday morning and led police on a short chase through Armadale.

He was caught about 1pm (WST) in Redross Court in Armadale.

Security company Serco said McIntosh-Narrier ripped a metal rail off a wall and threatened staff at the hospital on Friday, so the guards shut him in a bathroom.

It is believed he climbed through the ceiling to escape.

Serco said its staff had followed proper procedures in escorting and restraining the prisoner.

Corrective Services Minister Joe Francis defended the guards.

"I don't know what else the guards could have done," he told AAP.

"In my opinion, they made the right judgment call."

The Department of Corrective Services will investigate the incident.

Corrective Services Commissioner James McMahon has issued a directive that extra restraints be used, such as shackling a prisoner to a guard when they use toilets.

Premier Colin Barnett has ruled out ending the prison transport contract with Serco despite three escapes in the past two weeks.

Rapist Cameron John Graham and alleged armed robber Kelden Edward Fraser kicked out a prison van door at Geraldton airport two weeks ago.

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Hundreds gather at Phil Everly memorial

ABOUT 200 people have listened to songs and tributes at a memorial service for Phil Everly in Kentucky.

Several singers including country musician Marty Brown performed songs by the Everly Brothers with a band, and others gave tribute speeches.

Phil Everly died on January 3 at age 74. With his brother, Don Everly, the duo had 19 Top 40 hits between 1957 and 1962. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986 and are members of the Country Music Hall of Fame.

Before the memorial, Diana Sue Taylor, a cousin of Everly's, perused memorabilia from the duo's career.

"I'm so happy to see so many family, friends and fans of my cousins come together for such a joyous occasion. Looking at all the memorabilia brings back so many fond memories," she said.

Carol and Phil Brammer, two fans and memorabilia collectors from St Louis, also came to the service. They were donating 12 posters to the Muhlenberg County Music Museum, which is dedicated to musicians who have ties to the area.

"I'm just such a big fan of the Everly Brothers and have been collecting their stuff for many years," Carol Brammer said.

"As I get older I want it to be somewhere that it will be cherished and loved."

The memorial service was held at the Merle Travis Music Centre in Powderly near Central City, where the Everly Brothers entertained for years at a homecoming benefit. Their family had deep ties to the area.

The Everly Brothers began the homecoming concerts in 1988 and continued through 2001 to help raise scholarship money and funds for other projects.

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