Young on DSP to face work ability scrutiny

YOUNGER people on the disability support pension (DSP) are set to have their ability to work reviewed under a budget plan to rein in the rising cost of social security payments.

That's set to be announced in the budget on Tuesday, targeting some 30,000 DSP recipients aged under 35, media reports say.

This is in line with the report of the National Commission of Audit which said a risk-management approach should be taken in assessing those with the greatest potential for work.

"Examples could include younger people under the age of 35 and recipients who currently earn some employment income," the report said.

Liberal MP Alan Tudge, parliamentary secretary to Prime Minister Tony Abbott, said the DSP was growing rapidly with more than 800,000 current recipients and tens of thousands more assessed as disabled each year.

"What we would like to do is to ensure that those who are able to work are encouraged to do so," he told Sky News.

"At the moment the system tends to put a person on the disability support pension and then.... set and forget and leave them for a very long time, even though there might be a willingness, a desire and a capacity to at least make some contribution."

Labor frontbencher Matt Thistlethwaite said Labor in government had introduced a number of reforms designed to get those on the DSP into work.

He said that aimed to ensure there was support available for those who wanted to work and the necessary home support available through the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).

"The Commission of Audit recommendations are to slow down the rollout of the NDIS," he told Sky.

"If that is the approach the Abbott government is going to take, then that's not the way we should be supporting people with disabilities, particularly encouraging them into work."

In its report, the Commission of Audit said the DSP was costing $15.8 billion a year.

However, new disability assessment criteria introduced in 2012 only apply to new entrants, creating inequalities between the newcomers and existing DSP recipients, an anomaly which should be addressed.

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NRL star Inglis in third-party deal probe

An Aboriginal charity says NRL star Greg Inglis's work will continue amid a funds investigation. Source: AAP

NRL star Greg Inglis will continue his $50,000 a year job with an Aboriginal charity amid an investigation into the use of Medicare funds to pay him for his services.

Inglis signed a three-year deal with Redfern Aboriginal Medical Service (AMS) in December 2010, where South Sydney Rabbitohs fullback has been paid as much as $90,000 for doing promotional and ambassadorial work, according to Fairfax.

The contract was last year renewed at the reduced rate of $50,000.

But the federal Department of Health's own rules dictate that Medicare income at grant-funded Aboriginal medical services "must be used for primary health care services".

The department has confirmed it is investigating despite having already looked into allegations raised about the Inglis deal.

"The department has previously considered the specific allegations raised that Greg Inglis has been paid $90,000 a year by the AMS at least in part through Medicare billings income," a spokeswoman said.

"Our investigations have found no evidence that commonwealth health funding was being used inappropriately."

The department will now consider new information received from community contacts, the spokeswoman said.

The AMS says it received conflicting advice about how the income could be used and is seeking clarification from the government about the use of the funds.

However, a spokesman for the service said Mr Inglis's role will continue.

"His role is very important for the AMS," an AMS spokesman told AAP.

"He will continue in the role - there is no question about that in our perspective."

The spokesman said Inglis was an integral part of the AMS's health campaign.

The third-party deal between Inglis and the AMS was lodged with the NRL and there has been no suggestion of any salary cap breach.

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ANZ leaves rates unchanged

ANZ is keeping its home loan interest rates on hold for yet another month.

The bank's standard variable rate remains at 5.88 per cent per annum after its monthly rate meeting, which followed the Reserve Bank of Australia's decision to leave the cash rate at a record low of 2.5 per cent on Tuesday.

ANZ last changed its variable mortgage rate in August 2013, when it cut it by 25 basis points.

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Two arrested over insider trading scam

A MELBOURNE bank officer and a Canberra public servant have been arrested over an alleged $7 million insider trading operation.

Australian Federal Police allege the National Australia Bank employee obtained market sensitive information from the Australian Bureau of Statistics employee.

The banker used the information to predict fluctuations in the Australian dollar, the AFP says.

The activity - which generated about $7 million in profits - occurred between August last year and this month, AFP acting assistant commissioner Ian McCartney said.

The AFP executed eight search warrants and seized assets in Melbourne and Canberra on Friday.

MORE TO COME

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Council rates to rise in Melbourne

HOME owners in Melbourne's inner suburbs will bear the brunt of rate rises, thanks to rising property valuations.

The Melbourne City Council budget includes a 3.6 per cent rate rise, but revaluations across the city mean some suburbs will pay more.

Home values have increased by 11.1 per cent in North Melbourne and 10.8 per cent in Parkville, which will translate into higher rates for homeowners in those areas.

Apartment owners in Docklands and Port Melbourne look set to be the winners, with rates cut or limited to small rises.

Lord Mayor Robert Doyle said Melbourne was the fastest growing council area in the country, with 11,000 new residents in 2013.

"We have taken a responsible approach to implementing the second year of our vision for Melbourne as we prepare for the renewal of the Queen Victoria Market," Mr Doyle told reporters on Thursday.

The council will post an operating surplus of $24.7 million for 2014/15 on revenue of $398 million.

Mr Doyle said a Queen Victorian Market Renewal Fund had been set up to save money for the rebuilding of the tourist attraction.

He said $1 million had been put into the fund in 2014/15, with any future windfall revenue to also go into it.

Mr Doyle said a legal bill of more than $550,000 might never be recovered from fighting the Occupy Melbourne protesters in court.

"I despair at recovering any of that," he said.

Mr Doyle also said he was "disappointed" with the state government's decision not to build a rail station in Parkville.

He said he had spoken to Transport Minister Terry Mulder about significantly expanding the Royal Parade tram route instead.

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ICAC spurs Labor push for open diaries

NSW Labor leader John Robertson will introduce laws to expose lobbyists' influence in parliament. Source: AAP

NSW politicians will have to open their diaries and declare the financial interests of spouses and dependants every month under a bill to be introduced by Labor.

The mooted laws come after twin Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) investigations led two NSW ministers and a premier to resign, and forced another three Liberal MPs onto parliament's crossbenches.

Opposition leader John Robertson says the legislation he will unveil on Thursday will create a new standard for MPs.

"The public needs to look at the members of this parliament and know that each of us is here to serve the community, not ourselves," Mr Robertson said.

"In light of the continued revelations in ICAC, the people of NSW are understandably disillusioned ... the people of NSW deserve to know who their elected representatives are meeting with, and which interests may be influencing ministers."

Under the bill, all NSW MPs would have to declare their full taxable income, including investments, trusts and outside business interests, spouses' and dependants' pecuniary interests, and any state government contracts held by family members.

The bill also requires ministers to publish monthly online diaries of all meetings, phone conversations or other interactions with lobbyists, private companies or MPs relating to commercial transactions or decisions.

The bill's introduction will come as upper house MP Marie Ficarra prepares to give evidence in ICAC's cash-for-favours probe.

She is accused of soliciting a $5000 donation from property developer Tony Merhi, who is also expected to appear in the witness box.

Property developers have since 2009 been barred from making political donations in NSW.

Mr Robertson gave notice of the proposed legislation in March, before the latest ICAC probes kicked off.

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US circus acrobat wants to return to ring

Eight acrobats remain hospitalised in the US after an accident sent them falling to the ground. Source: AAP

ONE of eight circus acrobats who plummeted about six metres to the ground during a hair-hanging stunt says she's thankful she's alive and wants to return to the ring.

"I'm hoping to join back up with the tour and show the world that I'm OK, and I'm hoping some of the other girls will do the same," Samantha Pitard said on Tuesday after she was released from a hospital.

Pitard and seven other acrobats were in an act described as a "human chandelier", in which they were hanging from an apparatus by their hair.

They were injured during a Sunday performance of the Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey circus when a clip at the top of the chandelier-like apparatus snapped, dropping them to the ground.

The other women who are from the US, Brazil, Bulgaria and Ukraine are still hospitalised.

Pitard, 23, an American, said she is the only one of the troupe who can walk on her own. The others need assistance or have not tried to walk because they are still undergoing operations. But she said the others are expected to fully recover and everyone is in good spirits.

"Every single one of us in the troupe, every single circus performer, knows that they are risking their lives every time they go out there to perform or practice," she said.

"We hope it doesn't happen, but we know that we are taking that risk, and we love it enough to take that risk every day to make people happy."

Pitard said it was a normal day and normal performance on Sunday. The curtain dropped to reveal the eight women suspended in the air, but it went wrong as soon as they did their third leg position.

"We heard a huge crack, huge noise, and then we were just plummeting to the ground," she said. "It was very fast. I remember everything."

The 160-kilogram chandelier fell on top of them. She said the rescue crews got to them quickly to free them from the apparatus, then give them medical attention.

"I was sitting up, and once I caught my breath, I was looking at all the girls," she said. "I wanted to know that everybody was OK. I saw my troupe leader (Viktoriya Medeiros), she was right next to me, and I heard her say that she couldn't feel her legs."

The paramedics instructed her to lie down.

Pitard described her injuries, including fractures on her spine, a cut on her head that required three stitches and a badly bitten tongue, as minor.

Local investigators have completed an initial probe into the circus accident and are turning over the broken clip and other material to federal workplace safety investigators.

Fire investigator Paul Doughty said investigators have narrowed down the cause of the broken clip to two possibilities: a manufacturing defect or improper use.

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Police to interview Packer, Gyngell

POLICE investigating the public brawl between billionaire James Packer and Nine boss David Gyngell have reportedly requested formal interviews with both men.

Police are investigating after footage was published of the stoush between the long-time friends outside Mr Packer's Bondi home on Sunday, which shows three men trying to restrain the pair.

"There's been an approach to both Mr Gyngell and Mr Packer through their solicitors and we're waiting to hear back from their solicitors as to their availability," Eastern Suburbs crime manager Ana Loughman told News Corp Australia.

"They may express that they are not available at all and don't wish to make any statement.

"You can't be forced to be interviewed."

She said witnesses would be interviewed throughout Wednesday.

On Wednesday morning Brendan Beirne, the photographer who captured the images of the stoush, gave a statement at Bondi police station.

It is understood he will hand over photos of the fight to assist with the investigation.

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Westpac's Kelly backs tough love budget

WESTPAC chief executive Gail Kelly says Australia needs tough spending cuts to deal with a rising deficit.

Unlike ANZ boss Mike Smith, who last week criticised a proposed new tax or deficit reduction levy he said would damage confidence and entrepreneurialism, Mrs Kelly would not comment on proposed government policies.

However she rejected the suggestion that any budget upheaval, whether it be taxes on workers earning about $80,000 or cuts to nearly all government agencies, would hurt an already fragile economic recovery.

"We all know it's going to be a tough budget, it has been well flagged and it needs to be a tough budget," Ms Kelly told reporters on Monday.

"The fiscal deficit issue we have is proving to be quite intractable."

In relation to confidence, budget measures tended to have medium-term element to being rolled out, giving people time to absorb them and deal them into the economy, she said.

Ms Kelly said she liked the Business Council of Australia's Jennifer Westacott's view that budgets should contain four planks to deliver: economic growth; efficient expenditure and revenue and good social policy including skills training.

"Ultimately if the economy grows, that is good for us all so what can the budget do that takes away road blocks?

"You really do want to make sure our youth have appropriate skills training for jobs into the future."

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New Qld trials help brain cancer patients

WHEN Helen Easton gazes lovingly into her great-granddaughter Halle's piercing blue eyes, she knows how close she came to never seeing them at all.

The 76-year-old woman was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumour in 2011 and given six months to live.

But thanks to a world-first clinical trial in Brisbane, Mrs Easton has been able to beat the notoriously aggressive brain cancer glioblastoma multiforme (GBM).

Mrs Easton joined the QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute trial in 2012 after already enduring two surgeries and seeing her cancer return.

Study leader Professor Rajiv Khanna says despite only 10 per cent of patients usually surviving more than five years, Mrs Easton was in the majority of patients now exceeding expectations.

The trial trains immune system cells to attack cytomegalovirus (CMV) cells found within the brain tumour.

It works on half the population, given that about one in two Australians have the virus, despite usually showing no symptoms.

Prof Khanna says the process, called immunotherapy, involves modifying patients' T-cells in a laboratory and putting them back into their bodies.

"So basically it's like taking a lay person and then training that person to become an army person," he told reporters.

"It's like taking those cells and infusing them back into the patient to be able to very specifically target the cancer cells."

Prof Khanna said the process had little negative side-effects, which he considered the 'Holy Grail' for cancer treatment.

One moment, Mrs Easton was watching a cricket match and started to feel ill.

Doctors were soon telling her to put her affairs in order.

Her grandson Daniel Reeves convinced her to take part in the trial during a hospital visit.

"Daniel just came up and said to me: 'Nan, you've got fight it, we're going to give you a great-grandchild," she said.

"So I had to fight it because I wanted to see that great-grandchild and now we have Halle and she's beautiful."

Prof Khanna's research was published on Monday in the prestigious US journal Cancer Research.

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Sheeran single Sing debuts at No.1

ED Sheeran's Sing has debuted at No.1 on the ARIA singles chart, edging out Brisbane band Sheppard after three weeks at the top.

Sheeran's recent promo tour, live appearances and Logies performance all helped to give the British singer-songwriter his first Australian No.1 single.

Sheeran's new song edges out Sheppard's Geronimo which is down to No.2, but holding steady at No.3 is Jason DeRulo with Wiggle.

Another new top 10 entrant is Ariana Grande with Iggy Azalea at No.4 with Problem (which samples Jay-Z's song 99 Problems).

David Guetta's new track Bad leaps up 16 spots to No.5 and also gives the song's guest Showtek their first Top 10 placing. After two weeks at No.2, Sia's Chandelier falls four places to No.6 and Rita Ora is also down a couple of places to No.7 with I Will Never Let You Down. Ora's boyfriend Calvin Harris is slides four places to No.8 with Summer.

The fourth new entry this week is local rapper Iggy Azalea, who leaps up eight places to No.9 with Fancy. Peking Duk's High featuring Nicole Millar falls two spots to No.10.

Disney's Frozen soundtrack is this week's No.1 album, climbing to the top after its 16th week within the top 10. The soundtrack's rise to the top spot has been aided by the film's release on DVD and Blu-Ray.

Entering at No.2 is Iggy Azalea's first album, The New Classic, which debuted at No.5 in the UK and No.3 in the US. Also new at No.3 is another debut, Meet the Vamps for UK band The Vamps.

After two weeks at No.1, Chet Faker's Built on Glass tumbles to No.4 while Michael Buble's former No.1 album, To Be Loved, leaps back up 70 places to No.5 on the back of his Australian tour.

INXS drops three places to No.6 with The Very Best and down a couple of positions to No.7 is L.O.V.E. for Harrison Craig. MKTO's self-titled album rockets up 35 spots to No.8 while Swedish supergroup ABBA has re-entered the top 10 at No.9 with their collection Abba Gold & More (Anniversary Edition). Jason DeRulo is up three places to claim No.10 with Tattoos.

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Greens say they're the party to fix NSW

THERE'S a smell wafting from the Labor and Liberal party rooms in NSW parliament, the Greens say.

Just days after police minister Mike Gallacher stepped aside following claims in front of the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) over illegal donations to the Liberal Party, Greens NSW MP John Kaye announced on Sunday his new upper house team for the March 2015 election.

Joining him on the ticket will be existing MP Mehreen Faruqi, as well as coal seam gas campaigner and political advisor Justin Field.

Mr Kaye said the team would be highlighting their credentials as an alternative to the major parties.

"NSW politics has been plunged into crisis, not just by the Labor party but also by the Liberal party's endemic addiction to collecting funds from tainted sources," he told AAP.

"This is the time for reform. This is the election campaign where politics needs to change."

Mr Field, who is third on the ticket, said he will be taking out the message of clean water, energy and politics out into the community.

"A stench of corruption now hangs over NSW parliament, but only the Greens are able to say they can clean up politics."

The announcement comes after the Labor party revealed on Sunday that a "record number" of their party's supporters had voted for former MP Verity Firth to be the next state candidate in the Sydney seat of Balmain.

She narrowly lost the marginal inner-city seat to Greens candidate Jamie Parker at the 2011 election.

Mr Parker said the Greens were confident that there needs to be change.

"It doesn't matter who the candidate is, we have seen before that he structure of Labor means they are silenced ... I stand for a different approach to politics," he told AAP.

He said one of the bills the Greens would be be introducing to parliament in the following months is a push to implement 2010 ICAC recommendations on lobbying in NSW.

This included a recommendation to set up an independent body to oversee the role of lobbyists.

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