Policeman charged with domestic violence

A NSW police officer has been stood down after being charged with a domestic violence offence. Source: AAP

A NSW police officer has been stood down after being charged with a domestic violence offence.

THE male sergeant, attached to a corporate services command, was involved in an incident while off duty on Friday night, police say.

He's been charged with stalking or intimidating intending to cause fear or physical harm.He's due to appear in Burwood Local Court on June 27.No one was injured during the incident.

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GM could face another fine

AN old email from a General Motors employee warning of a "serious safety problem" could help trigger another government fine against the automaker.

THE email, dated August 30, 2005, surfaced Wednesday during a House subcommittee hearing on GM's delayed recall of 2.6 million small cars with ignition switch problem. This email outlined a similar issue with a larger car.

Employee Laura Andres wrote that she was driving a 2006 Chevrolet Impala home from work when she hit a bump and the engine stalled on a busy road near Detroit. The car behind her had to swerve to avoid a crash. A GM mechanic told her the cause was likely a faulty ignition switch."I think this is a serious safety problem ... I'm thinking big recall," Andres wrote in an email to 11 GM colleagues.Yet it wasn't until Monday that GM recalled the Impalas, Buick LaCrosses and other models with the same switch, almost nine years after Andres' email. Safety regulators received dozens of similar complaints about the cars during that time.GM said that excess weight on a keychain could cause the ignition switch to move out of the "run" position if the car is jarred, like when it hits a pothole. The engine stalls, and the drivers loses power steering and power brakes.Under federal law, automakers must notify the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration within five business days of determining a safety defect exists. A maximum $35 million fine is possible if the agency finds an automaker took too long to report a problem.GM paid a $35 million fine last month for its 11-year delay in reporting defective ignition switches in the Chevrolet Cobalt and other small cars.Multiple fines are not without precedent. From 2010 through 2012, NHTSA fined Toyota Motor Corp. four times for a total of $66 million due to safety-related violations.GM wouldn't comment Thursday on the possibility of another fine. NHTSA also wouldn't comment on the Impala case, but said it reviews all recalls to make sure they comply with the notification law and it takes "appropriate action" when it finds problems.Andres's e-mail alone isn't enough to trigger the five-day rule, because it only suggests the ignitions are unsafe. But it's proof that some GM employees knew about a potential problem for almost a decade. GM has not yet submitted a required timeline to NHTSA that will say when it officially determined the Impala switches were defective.Andres, who still works for GM in design and engineering, could not be reached for comment. But in her 2005 email, she urged engineers to build a "stronger" switch.Andres' warning was brushed off by GM engineer Ray DeGiorgio, who replied that he had recently driven a 2006 Impala and "did not experience this condition." He also noted that the Impala had "a completely different column/ignition switch" than the one that was causing problems in GM's small cars.DeGiorgio is a central figure in the small-car recall saga. GM says he approved using the switches even though they failed to meet company specifications, and then took actions that hid the defect for years.Andres's email wasn't the only indication of problems. NHTSA's Web site lists more than 100 complaints about stalling for 2006-2009 Impalas alone. Those are complaints GM would have had access to.In one 2012 complaint, an Impala stalled in the middle of a large intersection. The owner took it to a dealer four times but couldn't get it repaired."I'm fearful I will be the one causing a fatal pile-up," the driver wrote.

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Mantra shares hit the ASX

SHARES in Australia's second largest hotel and resort operator have fallen since it listed on the Australian Securities Exchange on Friday.

MANTRA Group shares began trading on the Australian share market at $1.80 each at 1200 AEST, valuing the company at $449 million.

By 1400 AEST, its share price was down by seven cents, or 3.9 per cent, to $1.73.Lonsec senior client adviser Michael Heffernan says he's not expecting a rush of buyers for Mantra in light of a dip in consumer confidence linked to the May federal budget which signalled spending cuts and new taxes."Hotels are still in the consumer spending area and are susceptible to falls in consumer confidence," he said.Mantra chief executive Bob East said the reception from investors was positive."Our new shareholders include a strong representation of blue-chip Australian investment institutions and we are looking forward to welcoming many retail investors into ownership of the company," he said.The company operates 113 hotels, resorts and serviced apartments across Australia, New Zealand, and Indonesia, catering for about two million guests a year.Its network includes the Peppers and BreakFree chain of hotels and resorts.Mantra has sold slightly more than half of its shares to the public in a bid to reduce its debt.It made a profit of $24.6 million in 2012/13, and expects that to grow to $27.4 million in the current financial year.Mantra says it has a good quality portfolio of properties in a strong sector of the Australian economy, although it does acknowledge it is exposed to downturns in economic conditions, such as weak consumer confidence and fluctuating exchange rates.Confidence has been hampered by spending cuts announced in May's federal budget, with travel group Flight Centre recently warning its profit could be hit by a fall in holiday bookings since mid-April.Mr East has 20 years experience in tourism, and has led the company since 2007, while chairman Peter Bush is a former chairman of McDonald's Australia and Nine Entertainment.

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Vic building workers face drug tests

BUILDING workers on Victorian government projects will face random drug and alcohol testing from July 1.

VICTORIAN Finance Minister Robert Clark said requiring all building companies that tender for taxpayer-funded projects worth $10 million or more to test workers for drug and alcohol use among measures he said would cut substance abuse, intoxication and drug dealing on building sites.

Head contractors must perform a minimum number of random tests on workers each month and identify what methods they will use, Mr Clark said on Friday.Contractors will determine the level of intoxication they deem unsafe and how workers will be sanctioned if drugs or alcohol are detected in their systems, he said.Tenderers will have to list site security measures, which may include CCTV, a swipe card access system and photographic or biometric security systems in a bid to stamp out criminal activity."We believe this will save taxpayers' money and it will help ensure law-abiding workplaces," Mr Clark said."We are introducing these guidelines to ensure that every contractor that tenders for Victorian government construction projects needs to commit to have processes in place to guard against drug and alcohol abuse in their workplaces and also to ensure site security."When the guidelines were first announced, Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) Victorian secretary John Setka said the guidelines would unfairly single out construction workers."There is no epidemic of drug taking on construction sites," he said.

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Sunken Malaysia boat was overloaded: govt

THE boat that sank off Malaysia with 97 Indonesian illegal migrants was likely carrying three times more passengers than it could safely transport, authorities say as they expand a search for 26 still missing.

NINE bodies have been found after the vessel, overloaded with people heading home to Indonesia for the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, sank early on Wednesday not far from shore off western Malaysia.

Sixty-two people have been rescued and officials believe some of the 26 still missing made it to land and fled the area to avoid being apprehended by police.Authorities said the boat was believed to measure no more than nine metres long and two metres wide."The boat is too small to ferry 97 people. The boat must have been very cramped," said Mohamad Zuhri, spokesman for the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA).Mohamad said the capacity of a boat of such dimensions was about 30 passengers.On Thursday, divers were deployed, more vessels brought in and the search zone expanded along the coast in hope of finding more survivors, said Mohamad Hambali Yaakup, coordinator of the response for the MMEA."We have deployed divers and a total of 25 marine craft and a helicopter to sweep the coastal area for possible survivors," he said.The incident occurred at night near Port Klang, the country's main seaport.Hambali said the divers would try to determine what caused the boat to sink and to view any markings that would help identify the boat's owner and operator.The survivors include 49 men, 12 women and one child, he said.They have been detained by police and were not available to speak with the media.Large numbers of Indonesians return home annually from Malaysia for Ramadan, which this year begins around the end of June and will culminate in late July with Eid al-Fitr, Islam's biggest festival.Both Malaysia and Indonesia are Muslim-majority.Relatively affluent Malaysia is a magnet for migrant workers from poorer neighbours such as Indonesia, Bangladesh and Myanmar seeking low-paying plantation, construction, and factory work that is typically shunned by Malaysians.Around two million illegal immigrants - the vast majority of them Indonesian - are estimated to be working in the country.Accidents, however, are frequent as thousands risk the sea journey to and from Malaysia in rickety boats, often adding to the danger by travelling at night to avoid detection.

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Native title win for Kulkalgal people

THE Kulkalgal people have won native title rights to the uninhabited island of Zuizin in the Torres Strait.

SITTING in the Thursday Island Magistrates Court, the Federal Court approved a consent determination on Thursday giving the Kulkalgal people exclusive rights and interests over the island.

The decision means there are now 22 native title determinations in the Torres Strait region, north of Queensland's Cape York Peninsula.Torres Strait Regional Authority chairman Joseph Elu, whose organisation legally represented the Kulkalgal people, described the decision as another important milestone."This comes just weeks after Mabo Day 2014 where we celebrated the High Court's historic decision in 1992, which inspired Torres Strait Islanders and Aboriginals to fight for Native Title rights," he said.Mr Elu said his office had negotiated more than 55 indigenous land use agreements in the Torres Straits.He said he expected all native title matters in the region to be finalised by the end of 2015.

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Former NSW premier lashes church on abuse

Barry O'Farrell has called for a Catholic bishop to be sacked for not reporting child sexual abuse. Source: AAP

FORMER NSW premier Barry O'Farrell has called for a high-ranking Catholic bishop to be sacked from a key leadership position for not reporting child sexual abuse to police.

MR O'Farrell in a speech to parliament on Tuesday night called for Father Brian Lucas, general secretary of the Catholic Bishops Conference, to be stood down.

The former leader made the comments while criticising the church's response to Commissioner Margaret Cunneen's damning report in late May into an alleged cover-up of child sexual abuse in the Catholic diocese of Maitland-Newcastle.Father Lucas gave evidence on Tuesday at the royal commission into institutional responses to child sexual abuse in Canberra."He is also a lawyer, which is a relevant fact because he, more than anyone involved in the sorry, squalid and scandalous saga, should have respected the law and reported illegal activities to police," Mr O'Farrell said."It is time the Catholic bishops took a strong stand against clergy abuse within the church, sent a clear message about the responsibility of all its religious (members) to report such crimes to police and extended to victims and their families every possible support and redress."Removing Father Lucas from his position as General Secretary to the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference would be a worthwhile first step.Mr O'Farrell also took aim at Maitland-Newcastle diocese head, Bishop William Wright, for his response to the report.The report made adverse findings against Father William Burston and Monsignor Allan Hart, and found senior church officials did have information relating to child sex abuse that would have assisted the police."On the day the report was made public, Bishop Wright issued a statement that suggested the report would be scrutinised, its findings taken on board and action taken," Mr O'Farrell said."Yet last week, despite the damning exposition by the commission of Monsignor Hart's lack of action in 1993, Bishop Wright simply stood him aside from advisory positions in the diocese."As a response to such a damning inquiry it was completely underwhelming, more a sign of spin."Mr O'Farrell said he agreed with calls from the Clergy Abused Network for Monsignor Hart to retire or to resign.Comment is being sought from Bishop Wright.

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WA MP's staffer in faux pot purchase

A POLITICIAN'S staffer was given cash and instructed to purchase synthetic cannabis to prove how easily accessible the drug is in Western Australia.

MP Phil Edman said he was appalled his staffer was able to buy $70 worth of the synthetic drugs at two shops in the Rockingham area, one of which is opposite a high school, and even given a receipt.

"I sent my staff down there on Monday with some cash and they quite simply bought some (synthetic) cannabis with ease," Mr Edman told Fairfax radio on Wednesday."They were actually told how to use it and you either use it in a cone or a bong or a pipe."But they made it very clear to start with (use) small amounts and build up in strength and quantity, and this is to help limit any adverse reaction to the chemicals as they're not sure what chemicals are in it."Mr Edman said the current WA legislation banning synthetic drugs could not keep up with manufacturers who continued to abuse a legal loophole in the law by altering a product's chemical composition, making it exempt from the ban."What I've asked the government is `why can't we look at broader legislation that completely stamps out synthetic cannabis with chemicals?'"These shops are preying on the weak minded and probably people with mental illness."I'm also concerned that minors might be able to purchase these dangerous products."When asked live on air by Fairfax radio, one of the shops denied selling synthetic cannabis.Mental Health Minister Helen Morton said an initial ban on 22 substances had held the government in good stead and legislation banning another 33 substances was three weeks away."It has been difficult to stay in front of the people who dream up these new substances," she said.Ms Morton said the government was working on legislation to ban any psychoactive substance unless there was a therapeutic use for it.

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NZ burglar battered by chip shop vent

A NEW Zealand man's plan to burgle a fish and chip shop has come embarrassingly unstuck.

THE man decided the best way to break into the store in suburban Papanui, north of Christchurch's CBD, was through an extractor fan vent.

But he was left red-faced when he become wedged in the vent and unable to get himself out, Inspector Rick Jury of police communications says."Someone heard him calling for help, and the Fire Service was needed to free him," he told AAP.The man, who was covered in oil from the vent, was taken to hospital as a precautionary measure, but he's now helping police with inquiries.

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Govt defends bikie boss visa cancellation

IMMIGRATION Minister Scott Morrison has defended cancelling the visa of the Rebels bikie gang leader, who was visiting his native Malta when the decision was made.

THE Rebels motorcycle club national president Alex Vella had his visa cancelled last Friday under character provisions in the Migration Act.

Mr Morrison would not elaborate on what prompted the visa cancellation, only to say it was his duty to respond to the work of state and federal law enforcement."When something is asked of me in this area, it is my duty to respond," he told Fairfax Radio on Tuesday.Mr Morrison said he had received briefings about activities of the Rebels club.It is not the first time an Australian government has tried to keep Mr Vella, who does not have citizenship, from coming into the country.In 2007, when he went to Japan to watch his boxer son Adam Vella in a fight, Mr Vella struggled to return after his visa expired.He returned to Australia three weeks later after police failed to provide evidence for revoking his visa on character grounds.In 1995, he was convicted of possessing a trafficable quantity of cannabis.His property was later raided by police who seized and froze $3 million worth of his assets.Mr Vella clawed his assets back after paying a $650,000 settlement to the NSW Crime Commission.Friends and supporters have leapt to Mr Vella's defence, claiming the 60-year-old club leader has contributed more to Australia than most will in a lifetime."Much to their surprise, this man actually goes to church every week and is always willing to lend a helping hand, unlike the hypocrites that sit in government," Motorcycle Clubs Australia posted on Facebook."What has he done to deserve what they have been doing to him for so many years."Everyone has a hobby in life and his is riding motorcycles."Mr Vella told Fairfax Media on Tuesday he was a innocent man."We are not a criminal organisation despite what the police continue to say about us," he said."We are simply easy targets."

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Greens fail to make tax hike permanent

AN attempt by the Australian Greens to make the federal government's debt levy on the rich permanent has failed to get parliamentary support.

THE minor party on Monday tried to rally support in the Senate to make the government's proposed temporary tax hike on high income earners a permanent impost.

But the amendment failed to lift off, with just independent senator Nick Xenophon joining the nine Greens senators in backing the idea.It was overwhelmingly defeated by the government and Labor, which supports the debt levy proposal.Under the legislation, the top tax rate applying to income earned over $180,000 would be increased from 45 per cent to 47 per cent.The tax hike would take effect from July and last three years.Debate has adjourned on the Tax Laws Amendment (Temporary Budget Repair Levy) Bill 2014.

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Cleaner Vic coal plant a distraction: ALP

100 jobs will be created in a $119 million coal plant development in Victoria's Latrobe Valley. Source: AAP

A $119 million demonstration coal plant in regional Victoria has been labelled a "distraction", as conservation groups vow to oppose it.

THE state and federal governments have given Chinese giant Shanghai Electric $25 million towards developing the plant at Loy Yang A power station in Morwell.

Energy and Resources Minister Russell Northe said the plant would upgrade brown coal, generating fewer emissions and making potential export more likely."Victoria is home to one of the world's largest brown coal reserves and this joint investment will enable the development of new smarter, cleaner and sustainable uses for this important resource," Mr Northe said on Monday.He said more than 100 jobs could be created during construction of the $119 million plant, and up to 40 jobs during the project's operation.But Deputy Opposition Leader James Merlino said the plant was a distraction from Morwell's problems following the 45-day Hazelwood coal mine fire."There are roofs full of ash, there are children still sick, the community's still hurting," Mr Merlino said."This is a demonstration plant. Any benefit for the Latrobe Valley and the Victorian community is years away."Friends of the Earth spokesman Shaun Murray said using public money to attempt to establish a brown coal export industry was "perverse"."We will blockade coal trains if necessary to stop this dangerous and unnecessary industry from proceeding," Mr Murray said.Wendy Farmer, President of Voices of the Valley, said public money should not go to an international company when people in Morwell were suffering from the effects of the blaze."It's quite bewildering that our state and federal governments think that funding these new projects is a higher priority - we feel betrayed and abandoned," Ms Farmer said.

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Qld chief justice critics told to shut up

Queensland science minister has lashed out at critics of Tim Carmody's appointment to chief justice. Source: AAP

A QUEENSLAND government minister has lashed out at critics of Chief Magistrate Tim Carmody's appointment to chief justice, saying they should "shut up".

SCIENCE Minister Ian Walker, a former lawyer, says the "war of words" over Mr Carmody's promotion to chief justice of Queensland has got to stop.

"People have got to put a sock in it, they've got to shut up, and they've got to let Justice Carmody get on with the job," he told reporters in Brisbane on Sunday."He deserves a fair go at the job, the debate should stop and Justice Carmody should be allowed to get on with the job that he's been appointed to do."Mr Walker's comments follow calls for Attorney-General Jarrod Bleijie to step down over the appointment, which has caused great unrest in legal circles.Bar Association of Queensland president Peter Davis quit on Friday saying private discussions with Mr Bleijie in which he didn't recommend Mr Carmody for the job were leaked to others, including Mr Carmody.Australian Bar Association president Mark Livesey said it was accepted practice that consultation before any appointment is kept confidential."The Attorney-General of Queensland must consider whether the breakdown in trust can be repaired," Mr Livesey told The Sunday Mail."If confidentiality in the judicial appointment process cannot be assured he must reconsider whether he can continue in his position."State Opposition leader Annastacia Palaszczuk said Mr Bleijie couldn't be trusted and wasn't fit to hold office.Mr Carmody's appointment has been criticised by senior Queensland legal figures who question his experience and say he's too close to the government.It's been revealed that days after Mr Carmody was appointed chief magistrate in September 2013, he and Mr Bleijie had a private dinner at an upmarket Brisbane restaurant.The attorney-general has described the meeting as a social catch-up.

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Firies cancer law not ruled out: Vic govt

Volunteer firefighters rally in Melbourne for access to compensation for cancer contracted at work. Source: AAP

THE Victorian government says it hasn't ruled out changing the way firefighters access cancer compensation as hundreds rallied in Melbourne to try to break down barriers to claims.

THE government says it simplified cancer claims for firefighters and encouraged both career and volunteer firefighters to lodge a claim if they believe they had contracted cancer as a result of their duties.

"The Victorian government is not ruling out presumptive legislation and will continue to consider new medical and scientific evidence as it becomes available," a government spokesperson said.Volunteer Fire Brigades president Bill Watson said firefighters wanted a law that lists the 12 typical "firefighter" cancers and presumes them to be work-related, providing the firefighter has enough years of service behind him or her and relevant risk exposure.Mr Watson said there is plenty of evidence firefighters are more likely to suffer certain cancers, but it can be difficult to prove which fire or chemical incident caused their illness."It's not like a broken bone where you know exactly when and where it happened," Mr Watson said."The burning car or house fire you attended today may cause a cancer that doesn't show up for decades, which makes it nearly impossible to prove it was work related."The federal government introduced presumptive legislation in 2011.Tasmania, Western Australia and South Australia also have laws that recognise the link between firefighting and cancer.Mr Watson said any legislation would have to include eligibility guidelines."We're not after a free ride," he said."We just want to make sure they're looked after if they get sick."The Victorian government has been under pressure to make changes to the way compensation is accessed after a 2012 report found firefighters who trained at the CFA Fiskville site had been exposed to dangerous chemicals going as far back as the 1970s.Last year they introduced a review panel to assist both volunteer and career firefighters seeking compensation for cancer caused by their work.Opposition leader Daniel Andrews said Labor would introduce the legislation if elected in November."I have committed to the introduction of presumptive rights," Mr Andrews said.

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