Australia grim, senator tells NZ Greens

Greens senator Scott Ludlam has told the NZ Green Party annual conference life in Australia is grim. Source: AAP

AUSTRALIAN Greens senator Scott Ludlam has given the New Zealand Green Party's annual conference a grim account of life in his country under Tony Abbott's government.

"I didn't come here for sympathy, but things are in a pretty bad way," Senator Ludlam said.

"Unfortunately, what you're hearing about Australia in the media is true."

The Western Australia Greens senator was guest speaker at the conference on Saturday, and was introduced as a hero.

He told 160 delegates the Australian government had cancelled funding for public transport projects, gutted funding for Aboriginal services and abandoned all the progress that had been made to achieve a clean energy economy.

"Immigration policy is toxic," he said.

"There are huge housing problems in Australia - and the government's answer to that is to blame families from Sri Lanka."

Senator Ludlam said the Australian Labor Party was floundering and divided, and he had some advice for his New Zealand brethren: "Try to pick a coalition partner that isn't entirely dysfunctional."

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UnionsWA backs asbestos compo review

The WA Law Reform Commission will examine compensation for asbestos disease and injury victims. Source: AAP

UNIONS have welcomed a West Australian government move to widen the ability of victims of asbestos-related illnesses and injuries to seek further compensation.

Attorney-General Michael Mischin announced on Saturday he had asked the state's Law Reform Commission to launch an inquiry into compensation for asbestos victims, including whether or not the "once and for all ruler" applied to personal injury claims should remain.

This would mean if a victim develops an injury or disease that differs or is more serious than the one they have already received compensation for, a court may be able to award further damages in some circumstances.

UnionsWA secretary Meredith Hammat described the announcement as "a welcome move".

"At present a victim of, for example, asbestosis who settled a compensation claim many years ago, cannot return to the court if another asbestos related disease such as mesothelioma subsequently results in care and other needs as a result of asbestos exposure," she said.

"WA's laws are well below the standard of those elsewhere.

"WA had a long and highly profitable history of asbestos mining that has left us with many suffering workers and their families."

But Ms Hammat said the WA government had recently failed to support a private member's bill that would have made the compensation process fairer.

"More years of indecision by government will mean victims will die while they and their families go without care needs being properly met," she said.

The WA Law Reform Commission will report back to Mr Mischin by June 30 next year.

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China fines eye-care companies on pricing

CHINA has fined Johnson & Johnson, Nikon Corp and five other makers of eyeglasses and contact lenses on price-fixing charges in its latest effort to use anti-monopoly law to control consumer prices.

Manufacturers were fined a total of 19 million yuan ($A3.35 million) for setting minimum prices for retailers and limiting their ability to offer discounts, the Cabinet's planning agency said on Thursday.

Other companies fined included Essilor International SA of France, Germany's Car Zeiss AG, Hoya Corp. and Bausch + Lomb, owned by Canada's Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc. One Chinese company was fined, Shanghai Weicon Optics Co.

Setting minimum prices is common in some markets to help companies maintain an image as a premium brand. But lawyers say Chinese regulators appear to regard such limits on distributors as illegal.

In August, six suppliers of baby formula were fined a total of $US109 million on similar charges.

Investigators have targeted contracts that set minimum retail prices as prohibited "vertical price-fixing" under China's 2008 anti-monopoly law. Most targets so far have been foreign-owned.

Officials and state media complain foreign suppliers of products from milk to luxury cars overcharge Chinese consumers. Automakers have rejected the accusation, saying higher prices in China are due to import taxes and distribution costs.

The latest investigation began in August after a complaint from the public, the National Development and Reform Commission said.

"Findings showed that some manufacturers had exerted price control on distributors and retailers, which violates anti-monopoly laws," the agency said on its website.

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Higher nickel prices help expansion plans

NICKEL miner Western Areas plans to expand its operations and pay down debt as higher nickel prices make marginal projects more viable.

Nickel prices have more than doubled since the depths of the global financial crisis, allowing the West Australian miner to consider adding to its Forrestania operations in the state's south west.

Chief executive Dan Lougher said the favourable price environment had given the company a boost and allowed it to think beyond its two high grade underground mines, Spotted Quoll and Flying Fox.

"Fundamentally we'll finish off this year quite strongly, probably well above guidance in terms of completing fiscal 2014," Mr Lougher told AAP.

But the Perth-based company is still finalising its mine plans and costs and development requirements for the full year 2015 budget.

Western Areas is continuing to drill for the stainless steel ingredient around its New Morning resource which is located between its two existing mines.

"That's certainly an area that we're interested in getting across the line and into a production project," Mr Lougher said.

The 320,000 tonne New Morning resource would require a 2.5 kilometre access tunnel from the Spotted Quoll mine at a price tag of around $20 million to $25 million.

Meanwhile, the company's lower grade Diggers South project, which has been on the drawing board for many years, would require the nickel price to be sustained at around $US10 per pound.

"There's more drilling to do there before we finalise anything and say how many nickel tonnes we've got but they are the areas we're reviewing and in a rising nickel price those reviews become a bit easier," he said.

Nickel is trading around $US8.50 per pound following price weakness in recent years.

Mr Lougher said the company, which employs around 500 people, would produce significantly more cash if prices reached nine to ten dollars, giving it the ability to boost its $15 million exploration budget next year.

"We'll certainly be seeing $US8.50 a pound by the end of the year and it looks like we'll see $US9 in 2015," Mr Lougher said.

He said there were signs of demand improving in European stainless steel markets.

In addition, China, which uses half of the world's nickel, was continuing to grow as the Indonesian ban remained in place.

"It all stacks up to be positive upward momentum," he said.

The company, which has accumulated 900 square kilometres of land in the Forrestania region, is also keen to team up with some junior companies to fund joint venture exploration projects.

Western Areas shares were two cents, or 0.43 per cent, lower at 1435 AEST.

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MP shows off home state art

A MYSTERIOUS face stares across Teresa Gambaro's parliamentary office, looming out of a canvas covered in crosshatches.

The character, drawn by Vernon Ah Kee, will greet visitors to the Liberal MP's digs in Parliament House until September as part of her "shamelessly parochial" bid to promote Queensland artists.

Tired of seeing the same artworks from the official collection, Ms Gambaro approached the Institute of Modern Art in her Brisbane electorate.

The result is Officework in Canberra, an exhibition that showcases modern and emerging artists with works changing about every four months.

As the chairwoman of the foreign affairs committee, Ms Gambaro often hosts national and international visitors, who will now get a taste of Queensland's artistic offerings.

The first six works on show have already been a big talking point, her spokesman told AAP.

Ms Gambaro hopes to inspire other politicians to host similar office art exhibitions.

Officework in Canberra will officially open in mid-July.

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Qld cracks down on Uber taxi service

QUEENSLAND has followed in NSW's footsteps by banning start-up taxi company Uber.

The government issued a cease-and-desist notice last week to the web-based driver hire company, which allows non-taxi drivers to offer a taxi service.

Uber's ride-sharing service, which started in Brisbane last month, is limited to licensed drivers aged at least 24 whose vehicle has at least four doors and was made after 2005.

Transport Minister Scott Emerson says the company needs to meet existing taxi service laws, such as driver accreditation and vehicle standards.

"The department is working with Uber to outline what safety regulations it needs to meet in order to operate in Queensland, including driver authorisation, which includes detailed criminal history checks, vehicle standards and taxi licences," he said.

Premier Campbell Newman expressed concern that the service might not be as safe as traditional taxis, and said he wouldn't want his daughters to use it.

"I do have some concerns over the whole thing," the premier said.

"I've got daughters, 19 and 21, I would prefer them catching a cab because I know about all the safeguards, cameras, trained drivers, GPs locations of cabs real-time.

"Yes, [Uber] has safeguards in there as well, but I'd prefer to use a ridgy-didge cab."

Mr Newman had earlier said the government didn't believe in red tape and regulation unless it was absolutely necessary, but later updated his advice following advice from Mr Emerson's office.

Taxi Council Queensland CEO Benjamin Wash said it was only fair Uber complied with existing regulation.

"Companies that do not meet regulatory requirements jeopardise the industry's reputation, put lives at risk and hurt small business people who have invested heavily in meeting the regulations," he said.

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New technology keeps close eye on sky

NEW Australian flight-tracking technology is off the radar.

After a decade in the pipeline, Airservices Australia has revealed details of a surveillance system that checks the position of an aircraft twice per second.

The satellite-based technology supplies information to air traffic controllers and pilots without the need for conventional radar, Airservices said in a statement on Wednesday.

The system is considered a breakthrough for the monitoring of aircraft in remote areas not previously covered by radar.

Pinpointing aircraft will enable more traffic to use preferred flight routes and create more efficient diversions around bad weather and restricted areas.

The Automatic Dependant Surveillance Broadcast, or ADS-B, uses a network of 61 ground stations across the country, and has been mandated for use by domestic and international aircraft.

The Royal Flying Doctor Service has championed the technology, adding it is particularly useful during flights to remote parts of Australia.

An additional 15 ground stations are due to be added over the next three years, providing higher level coverage offshore.

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Indian Ocean rowing attempt imminent

A 36-YEAR-OLD Victorian policeman and his eight-man crew are preparing for a world record attempt to row 8500km across the Indian Ocean.

Tim Spiteri and his team expect to depart from Geraldton in Western Australia's Mid West region in coming days, weather permitting, with the aim of reaching Durban in South Africa in less than 57 days.

The epic journey could take as little as 50 days and as much as 70 days, the crew estimate.

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

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

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

He has so far raised more than $26,000.

Mr Spiteri completed an Atlantic Ocean crossing last year in 35 days, 12 hours and 41 seconds, which was the sixth fastest crossing in history.

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

Remarkably, Tuijn didn't require medical treatment and was rescued by the tanker LNG Sokoto.

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Rogerson treated like a dog: lawyer

ROGER Rogerson's lawyer says the disgraced former policeman has been "treated like a dog" after being forcibly taken from his Sydney home for questioning over the alleged murder of university student Jamie Gao.

"We're back to the Gestapo days now," a handcuffed Rogerson said as he was escorted by detectives through a media scrum outside his home in Sydney's southwest.

He was taken to Bankstown police station where he was later joined by his lawyer Paul Kenny.

Detective Inspector Mick Sheehy and Detective Inspector Russell Oxford, who were unable to track down Rogerson in Queensland on Monday, also arrived at the police station.

Rogerson was meeting with Mr Kenny on Tuesday morning when police swooped, banging on his door and surrounding his Padstow Heights home.

Mr Kenny said he would be calling NSW Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione to complain about his client's treatment.

"He was treated like a dog. I've never seen conduct like this by NSW police," Mr Kenny said.

"This is like something off a TV show, but a bad TV show."

Mr Kenny said Rogerson, 73, was just about to head off to a meeting with police when the officers arrived.

"Police starting smashing at the door and a number of them came into Mr Rogerson's office where we were having a legal conference to make arrangements to go into the city," he said.

"I was just about to call Superintendent (Luke) Moore to let him know we were on our way."

Mr Kenny said Rogerson would be defending any possible charges.

"It was just very distressing and disturbing ... just the way they spoke to Mr Rogerson, it's most unnecessary," he said.

But NSW Police said in a statement that they were not satisfied with Rogerson's arrangements and decided to arrest him.

Fellow former Sydney detective and self-titled whistleblower Glen McNamara was charged on Monday with Gao's murder.

Police allege Mr Gao was killed last Tuesday after a drug deal went wrong.

Mr Kenny said earlier on Tuesday said that Rogerson was shocked at being linked to the murder.

He also appealed for calm, telling journalists Rogerson wanted to avoid any media hysteria.

"We don't want any OJ Simpson situation," he said.

Rogerson is one of the most infamous policemen in NSW history.

The highly-decorated detective was dismissed from the force in 1986 before being convicted of conspiring to pervert the course of justice.

His police career was later depicted in the ABC drama series Blue Murder.

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Shot Melbourne man stays silent

A MELBOURNE man who was shot in the groin is refusing to co-operate with police attempting to find who tried to kill him.

Police believe the 31-year-old man may know who shot him at close range with a shotgun.

The Keysborough man was visiting a friend at her St Kilda East home when he was shot on the afternoon of April 14, with two men seen fleeing from the flat.

Detective Sergeant Brett Kahan said the victim won't co-operate with police, refusing to identify the gunman or say if he knew him.

"There's many reasons why victims don't co-operate. Certainly fear is one of those factors," Det Sgt Kahan told reporters on Tuesday.

"Our investigations tend to suggest that he was shot with the intention of being killed."

Police suspect the shooting may have been drug-related.

Det Sgt Kahan said the victim is known to police.

The 31-year-old has undergone several surgeries and has been released from hospital.

"Anyone shot at such close range with a shotgun will suffer injuries consistently right through his life," Det Sgt Kahan said.

The woman who lives at the home has said she doesn't know who shot her friend.

Police believe the two men got into a car after leaving the unit block.

They believe someone will have seen them and have released CCTV footage of the men and a face image of the gunman.

One of the men wore a light-coloured T-shirt, the other wore dark-coloured track pants and a jumper with large words on the back.

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Vic fire aircraft resources were stretched

AUTHORITIES knew coal mines could come under threat as Victoria faced the worst bushfire conditions since Black Saturday but firefighting aircraft were needed elsewhere in the state, an inquiry has heard.

Fire Services Commissioner Craig Lapsley says firefighting aircraft requested to be in Gippsland for first light on February 9 did not arrive until late morning because they were needed in the state's west.

"We had to take into account the risk in the west of the state," Mr Lapsley told an inquiry into the Hazelwood coal mine fire on Monday.

"We did our darnedest to make sure the incident controller got what he needed and by reshuffling the state fleet we were able to do that.

"They weren't there until late morning or close to lunchtime."

The blaze in a disused section of the Hazelwood open-cut mine burned for 45 days and forced some residents to leave as it shrouded the nearby town of Morwell in smoke and ash for six weeks.

It started on Sunday February 9 when Victoria faced its worst bushfire conditions since the Black Saturday bushfires that killed 173 people in February 2009.

The cause is being examined as part of the inquiry but Mr Lapsley said it is believed to have been sparked by bushfires burning in the area.

Authorities knew on Saturday the Latrobe Valley mines could be affected by the fires, Mr Lapsley said.

He said authorities discussed on the Saturday morning that an existing bushfire, although contained, had potential.

"If it had bad conditions on the Sunday it had potential to move to Morwell and could impact on both the Morwell and Hazelwood mines," Mr Lapsley said.

The bushfire was under control until the Sunday, he said.

Counsel assisting the inquiry Melinda Richards asked if the Hazelwood fire was possibly caused by a hot spot within the mine.

Mr Lapsley said it was a possibility, but said it would have been an offence if mine operators GDF Suez had failed to report this.

"We've taken the assumption it has been spotting into the mine," Mr Lapsley said.

Mr Lapsley was also questioned about the use of water bombing at the mine after a 2005 review of a coal mine fire found the technique made that fire worse.

The inquiry heard there were four other fires at the mine in the past decade, all of which triggered reviews.

Mr Lapsley said different aircraft were used in this year's blaze.

He said what came out of the reviews around 2005/2006 was about rotary aircraft that had tanks.

"It's a different machine, it's a different helicopter, it's got different equipment," he said of aircraft used to fight the fire over February and March.

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Man burned in Sydney gas main fire

A MAN has serious burns and about 150 people have been moved to safety after a large fire broke out in a busy northern Sydney shopping plaza.

The fire started after a gas main caught alight on Monday afternoon at the front of a shop in Lane Cove, Ian Krimmer from NSW Fire and Rescue said.

A man in his early 20s suffered serious burns to his lower body and was taken to Royal North Shore Hospital, an ambulance spokesman told AAP.

About 150 people were moved out of surrounding shops and offices amid concerns the fire could spread to the adjoining buildings.

As the gas was being shut off, six fire crews were protecting buildings but not trying to extinguish the flames, saying it was safer to allow the gas to burn.

Longueville Road remained closed to all traffic.

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We won't compromise on co-payment: Hockey

Treasurer Joe Hockey has all but ruled out compromise on a GP co-payment. Source: AAP

TREASURER Joe Hockey has all but ruled out compromise on a GP co-payment, as Labor finally confirmed it would not block the government's deficit levy for the rich.

A bullish Mr Hockey on Sunday said the government would be willing to negotiate with senators on the budget, but warned against outright opposition to every measure.

"If the immediate answer of everyone in the Senate is no, then I think the Australian people have a low, low tolerance for that," he told Sky News on Sunday.

Labor, the Greens and cross-benchers have said they will oppose many of the unpopular changes in Mr Hockey's first budget, including the $7 Medicare co-payment.

But Mr Hockey said he did not think the government should compromise on the payment, $5 of which will go into a new medical research future fund.

"If the independents and the Labor party want to have a medical research future fund, there has to be a co-payment," Mr Hockey said.

"You cannot have both."

Health Minister Peter Dutton also signalled an unwillingness to negotiate on the $7 co-payment.

"As people realise that this package really is about strengthening Medicare ... I think that will bring pressure to bear on the senators," he told the Ten Network.

"Some people advocated that we get rid of bulk billing altogether, but we haven't."

Labor Senate leader Penny Wong revealed her party would not stand in the way of the proposed deficit levy for those earning more than $180,000, after weeks of hinting it may support the new tax.

However, the opposition was "not for moving" on changes to pensions and Medicare, or cuts to health and education funding, she said.

Senator Wong ruled out negotiation on plans for university deregulation, which will allow them to charge higher student fees.

Labor's opposition to the Medicare co-payment was also non-negotiable, she said.

"If Tony Abbott wants to do that he's going to have to come through us in the Senate," she told ABC Television.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott has said he won't surrender his government's budget commitments to the Senate, and has hinted a double dissolution election isn't out of the question if negotiations fail.

But Greens leader Christine Milne labelled Mr Abbott untrustworthy and incapable of negotiating with the senators.

Mr Abbott was leading a "lame duck government", she said.

The prime minister said the government's tough budget was "absolutely necessary" to rein in the country's debt and deficit.

"We need to take action now or an even greater burden will fall on our kids' generation," Mr Abbott said in a brief statement.

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New prison unit for dangerous Vic crims

THE Victorian government will build a maximum security prison wing to house a growing number of underworld figures, bikies and violent offenders.

The new unit of 40 cells will be built adjacent to Barwon Prison, near Geelong.

A spokesman from Corrections Victoria said the wing was needed to house the state's growing prisoner population.

"It will build on the prison system's capacity to manage an increasingly complex prisoner population, including outlaw motorcycle gang members, underworld figures and violent prisoners," he told AAP.

The Banksia Unit - used to house protected prisoners - will also be upgraded, he said.

The spokesman said the government was seeking expressions of interest from contractors to build the unit, which is expected to be built by the middle of 2016.

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