Sailor killed in Darwin car crash named

DEFENCE has named a naval officer killed in a car crash in Darwin as Lieutenant Scott Jarman.

ANOTHER officer was injured in the three-car pile-up in the Darwin suburb of Woolner on Thursday afternoon.

His name has not been released."On behalf of all navy members, the Chief of Navy, Vice-Admiral Ray Griggs, extends his deepest condolences to Scott's family as they come to terms with their loss," Defence said in a brief statement.It said the accident was under investigation by local authorities and it could not comment further.

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Two bodies found in west Sydney home

THE body of a man and a woman have been found in a home west of Sydney.

POLICE were called to the Leonay home, near Penrith, after concerns were raised.

About 11am on Saturday police discovered the bodies.It is believed the pair are in their 60s.Police say they are investigating the deaths but are not looking for an offender.

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Expert questions rushing woman's syndrome

A MENTAL health expert has dismissed the "medical condition" that Lisa Curry says played a role in her break-up with Grant Kenny.

IN an interview with A Current Affair, the former swimming star says she suffered from "rushing woman's syndrome", which created tension in her marriage by turning her into "an absolute bitch".

"I had days where I felt completely out of control," she told the Nine Network program on Thursday night."I was moody, I would cry for no reason, I wanted to kill the world."The 52-year-old said she was able to treat the condition with a "natural" hormone treatment, which she is endorsing as part of her 10-week online weight-loss program.Rushing woman's syndrome is the subject of a book by Sydney-based biochemist and "holistic nutrition specialist" Libby Weaver.Weaver says the syndrome can cause hormonal imbalances that are making women depressed, overweight and in some cases infertile.According to her website, women who want to benefit from the "Dr Libby method" can arrange a 90-minute consultation with her for $600.A search of the medical literature by AAP failed to find any published reference to the disorder.Psychologist Dr Janine Clarke of the Black Dog Institute said it was not a recognised condition and described the hormonal explanation as simplistic and undermining."There's no such diagnosis," she told AAP."There are vulnerable people who are willing to pay almost anything for an answer."But they should talk to someone close to them if they can. Or they can also see a GP, who might refer them to a mental health professional as opposed to a biochemistry expert."The syndrome was also ridiculed on Twitter."Rushing Woman's Syndrome....really? I'm sure these 'news' articles will help sell a certain book," one user tweeted.Former ironman Grant Kenny split from Curry in 2009 and is dating TV personality Fifi Box.

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Fuel excise plan stands: Hockey

Joe Hockey is sticking with plan to reinstate fuel excise indexation despite a surge in oil prices. Source: AAP

MOTORISTS could face higher petrol prices in the next few weeks if the surge in world oil prices driven by turmoil in Iraq continues.

BUT this will not deter Treasurer Joe Hockey from going ahead with a budget measure to reinstate the indexation of fuel excise.

"You can't make long-term policy on the basis of day-to-day spikes or falls in oil prices. If you did that, you'd be ripping your hair out," Mr Hockey told reporters in Cairns on Friday.From August 1, fuel excise will rise twice a year in line with inflation, after being locked at 38.1 cents since the Howard coalition government froze automatic indexation in 2001.World oil prices have leapt to their highest level in nearly nine months on rising concerns that turmoil in Iraq will disrupt Middle East supplies.

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At least 15,000 at Vic budget protest

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

United Voice Victorian secretary Jess Walsh said workers were angry.

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

Rally organisers pledged to hold further protests.

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Sydney among most expensive to visit

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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NBN fixed wireless network in regional SA

THE Coorong has become the first district in regional South Australia to connect to NBN's fixed wireless network, a move some locals hope will help tourism.

More than 975 farms, homes and businesses in parts of Tailem Bend, Meningie, Naracoorte North, Coonalpyn and Tintinara can now switch on the National Broadband Network.

"NBN Co's fixed wireless service is designed to deliver internet speeds to regional South Australia that are today taken for granted in the cities," spokesman Joe Dennis said on Wednesday.

"For the Coorong, it means local businesses can participate in the digital economy and maximise the tourism potential of the proposed Motor Sports Precinct in Tailem Bend.

"Residents will also gain improved access to services such as e-health, distance education and online entertainment through superior connectivity."

NBN Co has also begun construction of 15 additional fixed wireless installations in regional SA, meaning an extra 4,200 more premises will be able to connect to the NBN by the end of 2014.

Those areas include Cape Jervis, Moorak East, Second Valley and Yankalilla.

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Shark sighted near dead whale off WA

Farmer may have to 'walk off land'

THE line "it was the best of times, it was the worst of times'' from A Tale Of Two Cities aptly describes the current scene in rural NSW: Drought in the north, rain in the south.

Doctors cry for joy at 'miracle boy'

CURTIS Landers' transfer to The Children's Hospital at Westmead marks another milestone in his recovery from a broken neck.

Fair Go champ soars to new heights

WATCH the amazing video of $10,000 Fair Go For the West Young Achiever grant winner Ben Camua, 11, kicking the stuffing out of our reporter Matt Bamford.

Arts hub set to rise to the top

A $25 MILLION arts hub for dancers, musicians, actors, film makers and visual artists will be housed in Sydney's tallest residential tower in the heart of the CBD.

Law allows molester to escape jail

A MAGISTRATE was forced to allow a child molester to escape jail because of a dated law, despite the "catastrophic" impact on the victim.

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Scottish backpacker missing in Melb

WITH no passport, money or a place to stay, backpacker Jonathan Ansell was distressed when he called his mother back in Scotland two weeks ago.

The 27-year-old said he was in Melbourne and had lost his passport and mobile phone, before the call ended abruptly. He has been missing ever since.

"I think he must have been calling from a phone box and didn't have any more money and it just got cut off," Judith Ansell, who has travelled to Australia to search for her son, told reporters in Melbourne on Tuesday.

"He said he had run out of money, and was living rough."

Mr Ansell came to Australia on a work visa in April 2013 and was employed on Hamilton Island before hitting the road and visiting Sydney and Byron Bay.

In February, he met up with friends in Sydney, where his Scottish bank records indicate the last use of a credit card.

Victoria Police are checking to see if he had an Australian bank account that could shed more light on his movements.

Mr Ansell's work visa ran out in April 2014.

Mrs Ansell described her son as affable, but extremely quiet and he was unlikely to approach people to ask for help.

His sister Kate has started a social media campaign which has been shared more than 2000 times on Facebook.

A picture of Mr Ansell has been released and anyone with information is urged to contact police.

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Unemployment tipped to hit 5.9% in May

AUSTRALIA'S jobless rate is tipped to rise as the non-mining sector fails to pick up the slack from the wind down in mining investment.

Unemployment is expected to have reached 5.9 per cent in May, from 5.8 per cent in April, when the Australian Bureau of Statistics releases the latest jobs figures on Thursday.

The economy is expected to have added 10,000 jobs while the participation rate - those that have a job, are looking for work or are ready to start work - is expected to have remained steady at 64.7 per cent, an AAP survey of 13 economists found.

The problem is that while jobs are being shed following the end of the mining investment boom, businesses outside the resources sector remain too cautious to pick up the slack and hire people, JP Morgan chief economist Stephen Walters says.

There's also 16,500 jobs being cut from the public sector, as revealed in the federal government's May budget.

"The mining investment boom was very labour intensive but the export phase of the boom is much less intensive," Mr Walters said.

"So there's a lot of jobs, probably 40,000 or 50,000 jobs, being spun out of the mining investment boom and they need to be taken up somewhere else.

"But it doesn't seem like there's a lot of appetite out there for hiring, particularly in retail, manufacturing and finance."

Businesses are worried about consumer confidence, which recently took a hit from the tough spending cuts outlined in the May budget.

Consumer caution, along with the high Australian dollar and an increase to the minimum wage last week, are all disincentives for firms to hire people, Mr Walters said.

Figures released by ANZ on Tuesday showed the number of job advertisements had fallen for the first time in five months in May.

AMP Capital chief economist Shane Oliver said jobs growth would dip after a strong start to the year but bounce back later in 2014.

"The main thing business needs to see is stronger demand, which has been given a boost by low interest rates and the decline in the Aussie dollar from 2011 levels," he said.

"At some point, confidence will bounce back after the hit from the budget, which was a short-term risk to the economy and the unemployment rate.

"Basically what businesses want to see is increased demand and I think as the year proceeds, we will start to see that."

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Ski season opens with no snow

THE official opening of the ski season has come and gone but fields in Australia's alpine regions remain largely bare.

A scan of the webcams dotted around the various resorts in NSW and Victoria confirm there is little or no snow to speak of, with conditions unlikely to greatly improve anytime soon.

The Bureau of Meteorology says there is potential for "a little more than snow dust" to arrive this Friday with snow expected above 1200 metres.

The bureau has blamed the lack of snow on unusually warm weather with Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide recording their longest stretch of warm autumn days on record.

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Perth man charged over motorised esky-pade

IT probably seemed like harmless fun at the time.

But for one young man in Perth, riding a motorised esky loaded with alcohol down a busy street has led to trouble with the law.

Police said they were patrolling the Hilarys area on Friday night when they saw the 22-year-old man riding the esky down the middle of West Coast Drive.

The Sorrento man has been charged with driving under the influence and will appear in court on a date yet to be set.

It's not the first time a drunken reveller has been pinged for an esky-pade.

In March, a drunken 38-year-old man from Scarness, Queensland was charged with drink driving after he was caught riding a motorised esky crammed with beer, cask wine and bourbon pre-mix drinks on a bike path.

In August 2011, a drunken 23-year-old man was fined $500 and was disqualified from driving for nine months for taking his four-strike "extreme cooler" for a "test drive" on a main road in Noosa Heads, Queensland "for a bit of a giggle".

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Man dies in cliff fall south of Sydney

A MAN has died after falling over a cliff in the Royal National Park south of Sydney.

It's believed the man was with a group of walkers when he fell about 10 metres down the cliff, north of Little Marley Beach, about 10.30am on Sunday.

Police say the operation to retrieve the body will take several hours.

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WA woman's death due to 'misadventure'

A WOMAN who died after a case of misdiagnosis still may not have survived if doctors had correctly identified her ailments sooner, a West Australian coroner has found.

Julissa Teresa Gilbert, 57, was an obese smoker with a history of hypertension, arthritis, asthma and chronic obstructive airways disease.

On September 17, 2008, she ate a hotdog for lunch, felt abdominal pain and vomited that night.

She visited Geraldton Regional Hospital and had an appendectomy the next morning.

The doctor who saw Ms Gilbert after her surgery believed her subsequent hypotension was due to septic shock and ordered more fluids with increased Aramine infusions.

But Ms Gilbert died a little over two hours later from an intra-abdominal haemorrhage.

In her findings, Deputy State Coroner Evelyn Vicker noted that because the doctor determined Ms Gilbert was suffering from septic shock rather than an internal haemorrhage, he considered it a medical problem rather than a surgical or anaesthetic problem.

As a result, he did not consult the surgeon or an anaesthetist, who may have offered a different perspective, Ms Vicker said.

"This may have presented an alternative view for the deceased's deterioration, but may still have been too late to have altered the outcome," she said.

The coroner noted there was some doubt about whether there would have been enough time to supply Ms Gilbert with sufficient blood products and return her to surgery to stem the bleed and save her.

Given how rapidly her condition deteriorated, it was impossible to predict whether a correct diagnosis earlier would have saved her, Ms Vicker said.

"The deceased needed blood or blood products in sufficient quantities to replace the loss and provide appropriate perfusion, and surgery to correct the source of the blood loss, if it could be located," she said.

Ms Vicker noted there had been changes made to medical practices since 2008, including improvements in the management of deteriorating patients.

She concluded that Ms Gilbert died due to misadventure.

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