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Poll tightens in SA election

Written By Unknown on Sabtu, 15 Maret 2014 | 12.22

About one million people are set to cast their ballots to decide the next state government of SA. Source: AAP

SOUTH Australians are facing the possibility of a hung parliament with the latest opinion polls suggesting the vote was tightening as ballots were cast in the state election.

The Liberals need to win six seats to govern in their own right and end 12 years of Labor rule.

But as little as three seats could allow the opposition to form a minority government, with the support of three independents.

The latest Newspoll quizzed 1602 voters late this week and put the Liberals ahead 52.3 per cent to 47.7 per cent on a two-party preferred basis.

However, Premier Jay Weatherill held a six-point lead over Opposition Leader Steven Marshall as preferred premier.

Labor would also be buoyed by the fact that it held onto power in 2010 with just 48 per cent of the statewide vote.

Mr Weatherill cast his ballot at a local primary school in his electorate early on Saturday and said he remained focussed on forming a majority government and had not begun discussions with any of the independents.

At least one of those, Don Pegler in Mt Gambier, also faces strong challenge from the Liberals to hold his seat.

Once the counting began, the premier said the focus would be on a number of electorates, including the six the party held on a margin of less than three per cent.

"Obviously there are a range of seats that are going to be battleground seats. A large number of them this time," he said.

But the premier said he was relaxed and satisfied with Labor's campaign.

"I couldn't imagine being able to do more to present our case. It's now up to the people of South Australia to make a judgment about that."

Mr Weatherill again refused to comment on his won future should Labor lose.

Mr Marshall also cast his vote a primary school, after taking his teenage daughter to a rowing event at 7.30am (CST), before hitting the hustings again.

The opposition leader again refused to rule out doing a deal with the independents if there was a hung parliament, despite also criticising the political landscape in Canberra following the 2010 federal election when Julia Gillard formed a minority government.

"I've never ruled that out but I do say that it would be great for a government to govern in their own right here in South Australia," Mr Marshall said.

"We have seen a very messy situation in Canberra. I don't think it would be good for South Australia."

Mr Marshall was also wary of Labor's ability to campaign in a tight contest after the government was returned to office at the last election by sandbagging key marginal seats.

"Obviously Labor are a very capable marginal seat campaigning machine but I think this time we've had some excellent candidates, we've been well resourced, we've run a good quality marginal seat campaign ourselves," he said.

Just over 1.1 million South Australians were enrolled to vote with about 70,000 of those casting their ballots early at voting centres across the state.

About 86,000 people were also expected to lodge postal votes.


12.22 | 0 komentar | Read More

Vic earthquakes not unusual: seismologist

MELBURNIANS who woke to the feeling of a large truck passing their homes were just experiencing a tiny earthquake, not unusual in Victoria's southeast, a seismologist says.

The 2.2-magnitude earthquake shook residents in outer southeast Melbourne at 12.41am (AEDT) on Saturday.

Geoscience Australia duty seismologist Marco Maldoni said about 40 reports had been made from suburbs including Frankston, Cranbourne, Mt Eliza and Carrum Downs.

The earthquake was relatively tiny but residents living within a few kilometres would have felt like a large truck was passing their homes, Dr Maldoni said.

Most of Victoria's earthquakes occur in the state's southeast with minor fault lines toward the Peninsula and Gippsland regions, Dr Maldoni said.

He said a search of past earthquakes within 100 kilometres of Saturday's earthquake revealed that in the past 30 years there have been about 300 minor quakes.

"There's a history of very tiny earth tremors, so today's earthquake was nothing unusual," Dr Maldoni said.

The last earthquake in the area was in January 2014 with a magnitude of 2.4, Geoscience Australia says.


12.22 | 0 komentar | Read More

Gas leak forces evacuations in Bondi

Written By Unknown on Jumat, 14 Maret 2014 | 12.21

A GAS leak at a Bondi construction site has forced the evacuation of 15 people from neighbouring buildings.

Crews were called to Old South Head Road, near Curlewis St, about 1pm (AEDT).

A NSW Fire and Rescue spokeswoman told AAP the leak appears to be coming from a busted gas main at the construction site.

Crews are conducting atmospheric testing at the site.

Emergency services have closed Old South Head Rd between Warners Avenue and O'Sullivan Rd.

Route 386 and 387 buses are diverting away from the area and may face delays.

There are no reports of injuries.

At 3.30 pm (AEDT) Old South Head Road was reopened and people were allowed to return to evacuated buildings.

"The incident has been shut down," NSW Fire and Rescue superintendent Ian Krimmer said.


12.21 | 0 komentar | Read More

Vic police search for gangland murder gun

POLICE searching for a gun linked to Melbourne gangland murders 14 years ago have located an "item of interest".

Police scoured the Yarra River and a rural property on Friday after tip-offs about the 1999 murder of Dimitrios Belias and the disappearance days later of his business partner Milorad Dapcevic.

After conceding the possibility of finding a gun in the Yarra River 14 years later was remote, police found an "item of interest" at 1pm, but would not say what it was.

Spent ammunition of various calibres was found at Strath Creek.

Detective Inspector Ken Ashworth said police had been looking for a gun, shells and any other firearm-related items.

He said police had received calls with valuable leads since going public with Mr Dapcevic's disappearance, which led to the search of the Yarra.

"We have no proof of life and we're treating (Mr Dapcevic's disappearance) as a possible second homicide," he said.

Mr Belias was lured to an underground St Kilda Rd car park on September 9, 1999, and murdered with a single shot to the head.

Police believe Mr Belias arranged to meet his killer as he told several people about the appointment and seemed comfortable about it.

A routine review of the case led police to seek to interview Mr Dapcevic, only to find he hadn't been seen since giving a statement days after the murder.

Police believe Mr Dapcevic was most likely killed after giving the statement.

The pair both had criminal records, underworld links and owed money in a business deal.

Mr Belias was jailed in 1994 for his part in a $330,000 property titles scam but police said that did not offer a motive for his murder.

Mr Dapcevic had served time in jail for armed robbery.


12.21 | 0 komentar | Read More

Abbott excludes SA premier from event

Written By Unknown on Kamis, 13 Maret 2014 | 12.21

The Prime Minister (R) has defended a decision to exclude the SA Premier (L) from an event. Source: AAP

PRIME Minister Tony Abbott has defended a decision to exclude South Australian Premier Jay Weatherill from an announcement that the state is set to be the base for a squadron of high-tech surveillance aircraft.

The project, which is expected to provide a $100 million boost to the South Australian economy, was announced on Thursday, just days ahead of Saturday's state election, inside a hangar at the Edinburgh RAAF base in front of military personnel, as well state opposition leader Steven Marshall.

However, Mr Weatherill was not invited despite Mr Abbott conceding after making his announcement that both the premier and opposition leader would normally be invited to such an event.

"Well, we are in an election campaign and in an election campaign the caretaker conventions dictate that the premier and the alternative premier are of equal status," Mr Abbott said.

"But there is one of the two who wants to work constructively with the commonwealth, the other of the two wants to fight with the commonwealth."

The prime minister rejected suggestions that it was, in fact, him that was picking a fight, insisting that he wanted to work constructively with all premiers and chief ministers regardless of their political persuasion.

"The incumbent premier thinks that his role is to fight with the commonwealth," Mr Abbott said.

"I think the South Australian people want better than that. They expect their leaders, their state leader and the national leader, to work constructively together like adults."

Mr Weatherill said he was not surprised to be excluded from the event, adding that "it's what you'd expect from Tony Abbott".

"Usual protocols would dictate that I would be invited to such a thing but it's a bit of petty politics," Mr Weatherill said.

Mr Weatherill said his government had already done a lot of work in terms of securing the drone project.

"This is the work that is being done through Defence SA led by General Cosgrove and now Air Vice Marshall Houston. Defence SA has been working on this for some time," Mr Weatherill said.

He said there was a clear choice for voters in Saturday's election, which the latest polls suggest will see Labor's 12-year rule come to an end.

"You can have Steven Marshall working hand in hand with Tony Abbott him on his cuts to penalty rates, on his cuts to Medicare and his cuts to education, and we'll stand up to for South Australia against all of that," Mr Weatherill said.

In addition to the $100 million boost expected to come from the drone project, the federal government has said it would add another $20 million in economic spin-offs.

It is expected to create about 100 jobs.


12.21 | 0 komentar | Read More

Real estate agent murdered outside office

Sydney real estate agent, Vissa Esan, 48, has been stabbed to death on the way to work. Source: AAP

A SYDNEY real estate agent whose wife is expecting their first child has been stabbed to death just metres from his office.

Vissa Esan, 48, was attacked in a back alley off Pendle Way in Pendle Hills, in western Sydney, at about 7.45am on Thursday.

It's understood Mr Esan, whose wife is expecting their first baby, had just parked his car and was walking to his office when he was attacked.

The owner of Aussie Unity Real Estate, on Pendle Way, was stabbed at least once in the chest and died at Westmead Hospital a short time later.

His attacker fled the scene.

A 34-year-old man was arrested a short time later at a local business after a police chase.

He remains in custody and is likely to be charged with murder.

Police say nobody else is being sought over the attack but would not comment on speculation the pair were business rivals.

"We don't have any motive at this stage," acting Superintendent Ian Casha told AAP.

A large crowd of local business people, residents and Mr Esan's distraught colleagues gathered near the crime scene.

They said the Sri Lankan-born businessmen migrated to Australia about 20-years-ago and lived in Kellyville.

"It is very worrying that a man can die like this, so violently, in broad daylight," one businessman told AAP.

The back alley remained sealed-off as police gathered evidence.

Police have urged anyone with information on the attack to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.


12.21 | 0 komentar | Read More

Housing construction set to strengthen

Written By Unknown on Rabu, 12 Maret 2014 | 12.21

The number of home loans approved in January was virtually unchanged, official figures show. Source: AAP

HOUSING finance failed to grow for a second straight month in January, but economists are encouraged by a rise in the number of loans approved for construction of new homes.

The number of home loans approved in January was 51,054, almost unchanged from 51,045 approvals in December, the Australian Bureau of Statistics said on Wednesday.

JP Morgan economist Tom Kennedy said a 5.8 per cent rise in loan approvals for the construction of new homes in January was encouraging.

"From a growth perspective that's what you want to see because you want construction activity picking up, which is what really matters for the overall GDP (gross domestic product) picture," he said.

"Construction activity will have a knock on affect for employment, not just in the construction sector, it's broader than that it's quite a large component of the Australian economy."

Mr Kennedy said the Reserve Bank of Australia would like to see construction activity pick up and purchases of established dwellings fall.

"That would take some heat away from house prices," he said.

National Australia Bank senior economist Spiros Papadopoulos was also not too concerned about the flat result for total housing finance in January.

"We have seen a strong upward trend over the past year and given low interest rates will be around for most of this year, we expect these series to bounce back in coming months," he said.

"It's encouraging that we have seen small growth in the first home buyers, their ratio of owner occupier approvals has risen to 13.2 per cent from 12.7 per cent.

"That had been trending lower."

St George Bank senior economist Jo Horton said low interest rates were helping to boost demand for housing.

"The broader picture points to solid owner-occupier demand, at least among upgraders," she said.

"Meanwhile, investor demand remains very strong, despite a weaker month in January.

"The strength of the housing market, and in particular investor demand, confirms that low interest rates are working to support the economy and supports our long held view that the RBA is done cutting rates in this cycle.

"Low interest rates should continue to support housing demand and housing activity well into this year."


12.21 | 0 komentar | Read More

Court action over Vic abortion protests

THE City of Melbourne says new 'move on' laws will help it deal with anti-abortion protesters, as the council faces legal action for failing to stop their harassment of patients.

The Fertility Control Clinic in East Melbourne says patients have been intimidated by protesters for decades, called murderers and whores and told they were going to hell as they tried to enter the clinic.

It is taking Supreme Court action against the City of Melbourne for failing to enforce laws that could stop the protests.

Susie Allanson, a psychologist at the clinic, said she has seen patients arrive shaking and in tears.

"We consider this not to be protest, we consider this to be chronic bullying and intimidation," Dr Allanson said on Wednesday.

Lawyer Elizabeth O'Shea said the council has shirked its responsibility and failed to take the problem seriously.

Lord Mayor Robert Doyle said City of Melbourne officers visited the clinic twice a week, but protesters were difficult to prosecute because they understood "how to play the game".

He said the move-on laws could be used against the anti-abortion protesters.

"Until the premier has put these laws in, they have been able to game the system," he said.

"That's why I'm delighted these move-on laws will apply to these protesters."

Ms O'Shea said move-on powers already exist and have not been used against anti-abortion protesters in the past.

"I would be surprised if the move-on powers were ever used on protesters out the front of the clinic," she said.

Tanya O'Brien, a spokeswoman for Helpers of God's Precious Infants, said the group may seek to appear in the court proceeding as a friend of the court.

"We would certainly like to challenge the lies that the clinic bring up in that court case," she told Fairfax Radio.

Ms O'Brien denied the group harasses people.

"We aren't there to fight, we are there to reach out in help," she said.


12.21 | 0 komentar | Read More

Palmer makes a pitch to WA voters

Written By Unknown on Selasa, 11 Maret 2014 | 12.21

Clive Palmer has posted a video online ahead of the re-run WA senate election. Source: AAP

CLIVE Palmer is trying to appeal to Western Australia's long-standing gripe about the state's GST share in the lead up to the re-run senate election.

The Palmer United Party (PUP) leader posted a video online on Tuesday with a pitch to WA voters.

Spruiking his own business connections to the state, Mr Palmer promised to "get Western Australia going again" if two of his members were elected to the senate in the April 5 poll.

Mr Palmer said WA had been carrying the rest of the country on its back for years.

"Most of Australia's real wealth is generated in Western Australia," he said.

In a speech that ran for almost three minutes, Mr Palmer also tried to appeal to the state's sensitivity about the GST share.

"Help me get a fair go and recognition for Western Australia," he said.

"Why should all the GST collected in Western Australia be sent to eastern states?"

Mr Palmer also criticised Prime Minister Tony Abbott for selling off national assets.

"He wants to sell off Australia to people only concerned with making money," he said.

"Is your children's future for sale?"

The September election delivered Dio Wang as the only PUP senator for WA before a recount saw him lose the spot.

But last year's election was declared void after the loss of 1375 votes and a re-run was ordered.

Mr Wang is PUP's number one candidate again, along with former AFL footballer Des Headland and academic Chamonix Terblanche.


12.21 | 0 komentar | Read More

David Jones CEO decides to stay on

David Jones chief executive Paul Zahra has decided not to resign, and will stay on at the retailer. Source: AAP

DAVID Jones chief executive Paul Zahra has reversed his decision to resign and will stay on at the retailer.

Mr Zahra announced in October 2013 he would step down once the company found someone to replace him.

But as the search dragged on, shareholders have been calling on Mr Zahra to stay.

There have also been major changes at David Jones in recent months.

In February, chairman Peter Mason announced his departure, following a controversial purchase of David Jones shares by two of the company's board members.

David Jones on Monday appointed a new chairman - former Westpac director Gordon Cairns - triggering Mr Mason's resignation.

The company has also received a $3 billion merger proposal from rival Myer, which David Jones is currently reviewing.

The company's sales have also improved, growing by almost five per cent in the three months to January 25.

"My commitment and loyalty has intensified in recent months given the changes and uncertainty that the business has experienced," Mr Zahra said in a statement on Tuesday.

"I am very grateful and humbled by the support I have received from our new chairman, the board, our shareholders and staff, and I feel a renewed sense of purpose and commitment to the business."

David Jones shares were down three cents at $3.35 at 1530 AEDT.

Mr Zahra announced in October 2013 he would step down once the company found someone to replace him.

But as the search dragged on, shareholders have been calling on Mr Zahra to stay.

There have also been major changes at David Jones in recent months.

In February, chairman Peter Mason announced his departure, following a controversial purchase of David Jones shares by two of the company's board members.

David Jones on Monday appointed a new chairman - former Westpac director Gordon Cairns - triggering Mr Mason's resignation.

The company has also received a $3 billion merger proposal from rival Myer, which David Jones is currently reviewing.

The company's sales have also improved, growing by almost five per cent in the three months to January 25.

"My commitment and loyalty has intensified in recent months given the changes and uncertainty that the business has experienced," Mr Zahra said in a statement on Tuesday.

"I am very grateful and humbled by the support I have received from our new chairman, the board, our shareholders and staff, and I feel a renewed sense of purpose and commitment to the business."

David Jones shares were down three cents at $3.35 at 1530 AEDT.


12.21 | 0 komentar | Read More

Don't stop travelling, PM tells Aussies

Written By Unknown on Senin, 10 Maret 2014 | 12.21

Tony Abbott is encouraging Australians to keep travelling despite the Malaysian Airlines disaster. Source: AAP

PRIME Minister Tony Abbott is encouraging Australians to keep travelling despite fears terrorists may have been behind the disappearance of a Malaysia Airlines plane.

Six Australians and two New Zealanders are feared dead after the Boeing 777-200 went missing over the South China Sea on Saturday, during a six-hour flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.

Authorities are examining links to terrorism, after it was revealed two of the flight's 239 passengers were travelling on stolen passports.

Mr Abbott repeatedly refused to speculate on the possible terrorism link when asked about the issue on Monday.

"People should not jump to conclusions," he told reporters in Sydney on Monday.

He encouraged Australians to continue with any scheduled overseas travel plans.

"Australians are not a timid people. Never have been, never will be," he said.

"The last thing I would want to do is to discourage travel."

Mr Abbott said he doesn't want to "encourage a climate of fear".

Two RAAF AP-3C Orion have been deployed from Darwin to join the search and recovery efforts.


12.21 | 0 komentar | Read More

Abuse survivor shocked by Pell's response

A NSW hearing will examine the response of the Catholic Church to John Ellis's claim of child abuse. Source: AAP

A VICTIM of sex abuse says Archbishop George Pell "slammed a door in his face" when he tried to pursue a claim against the church.

An inquiry in Sydney has been told in the initial stages of a complaint against the Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney by abuse survivor John Ellis, Cardinal Pell wrote to him saying the case could not be resolved because the priest concerned was in no state to respond.

The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse is examining Mr Ellis' experiences when he went through the church's internal process Towards Healing and then civil litigation.

Mr Ellis, a lawyer, was sexually abused between 1974 and 1979 when he was between 13 and 17-years-old by Aidan Duggan a Catholic priest at Bass Hill, in Sydney's west.

Mr Ellis had been groomed by him while the priest was in Sydney on leave from an abbey in Scotland.

Fondling and touching turned to frequent serious assault.

The experience had a profound effect on his personal and professional life, the commission heard.

Mr Ellis approached the church's Professional Standards Office (PSO) in 2002 to avail of the pastoral and redress options available under Towards Healing.

An initial investigation resulted in a letter from the then archbishop, Cardinal Pell.

The letter which has been tabled at the inquiry said: "On the one hand there is your allegation and on the other, Father Duggan cannot respond, and we have no records of complaints of this kind against him".

It also said: "It is clear now that Father Duggan is in no state to respond to the charges against him and that the facts of the matter cannot be established".

Mr Ellis said when he received Cardinal Pell's letter he "thought a door had been slammed in my face".

He later wrote to the PSO expressing his shock at the letter, which arrived on Christmas eve.

A month after Cardinal Pell's letter, Mr Ellis' mother, who knew nothing about the abuse, had visited Fr Duggan and said she found the retired priest in good spirits.

His mother told him she found the priest "frail but in good spirits" and he had recognised his old friends from Bass Hill.

Mr Ellis said he was extremely upset and emotional about the letter.

He said at no time was he ever asked for corroborative evidence and felt his own details should have been assessed on merit.

He also thought Fr Duggan, who had dementia, was going through a lucid period and could have been interviewed.

Mr Ellis later attempted to sue Cardinal Pell and the trustees of the Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney but failed on both counts and the 2005 finding has been interpreted by some as creating a church immunity from prosecution over abuse.

In her opening address to the hearing Gail Furness SC, counsel advising the commission, on Monday outlined Mr Ellis' journey through Towards Healing and later the court cases.

"The manner in which this litigation was conducted caused harm and suffering to Mr Ellis. Concern for Mr Ellis' well being was not apparent at the time of litigation from either the Archdiocese or Cardinal Pell's chosen solicitors," she said.


12.21 | 0 komentar | Read More

Pilot̢۪s final call to missing plane

Written By Unknown on Minggu, 09 Maret 2014 | 12.21

Two Brisbane couples and another two Australians are among 239 people missing on a Malaysia Airlines flight.

Missing plane ... Malaysia Airlines flight 370 was bound for Beijing and has vanished. Source: Supplied

  • Beijing-bound flight from Kuala Lumpur
  • 239 passengers missing, including six Australians
  • DFAT hotline: 1300 555 135 or 02 6261 3305
  • See full passenger manifest
  • Two passengers 'boarded on stolen passports'

ANOTHER pilot who was flying ahead of the missing Malaysia Airlines plane has revealed he made contact with aircraft minutes after he was asked to do so by Vietnamese air traffic control.

The captain, who requested to remain anonymous, told Malaysian media outlets his plane, which was bound for Narita, Japan, was inVietnamese airspace when he was asked to contact the pilot flying the missing plane.

In using his plane's emergency frequency, he was asked to try and establish its position after authorities failed to make contact.

"We managed to establish contact with MH370 just after 1.30am and asked them if they have transferred into Vietnamese airspace," he told the New Straits Times.

"The voice on the other side could have been either Captain Zaharie or Fariq, but I was sure it was the co-pilot.

"There were a lot of interference... static... but I heard mumbling from the other end.

"That was the last time we heard from them, as we lost the connection," he said."

First officer Fariq ab Hamid ... who was on the missing aircraft. Source: Facebook

He said those on the same frequency at the time would have heard him, including vessels on the waters below.

He said he thought nothing of losing contact at first, as it was was normal, until the plane never landed in Beijing.

"If the plane was in trouble, we would have heard the pilot making the Mayday distress call. But I am sure that, like me, no one else up there heard it.

"Following the silence, a repeat request was made by the Vietnamese authorities to try establishing contact with them."

The new details come as the lcation of the plane remains a mystery.

Oil slicks were spotted today, which could possibly lead officials to where it landed.

As family and friends wait for news, a Malaysian aviation authority official told the media this morning their search had been unsuccessful so far.

"We have not been able to locate anything, see anything," he said.

Today, the Department of Civil Aviation will extend the search and rescue operation to the Straits of Malacca, as Malaysian authorities are now awaiting the latest satellite imagery for any signs of wreckage from flight MH370.

The airline also said one of its teams has already arrived in Beijing to meet with familes of the passengers. It will also set up a command center at Kota Bharu, Malaysia or Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam as soon as the location of the aircraft is established and "make the necessary arrangements".

Members of a special assistance team ... from Malaysia arrive at a hotel room prepared for relatives or friends of passengers. Picture: Andy Wong Source: AP

The FBI is also deploying agents and technical experts to assist and help review video from the Kuala Lumpur airport for images of departing passengers that can be checked in the bureau's vast counter-terrorism database.

At least three US citizens, and an infant who could be a US citizen, were on board the plane.

"This gives us entree'' to the case, the official said, speaking confidentially because the FBI investigation is just beginning. "But so far what happened is a mystery.''

US officials said they are looking at whether this could be terrorism, as they would with any plane crash until proved otherwise.

As Malaysian Airlines released more information about passengers on board the plane, it emerged that two passengers were travelling on stolen passports.

Luigi Maraldi, 27, was listed as the sole Italian national aboard the missing flight, but according to his father, was not on the plane.

"Luigi called us early this morning to reassure us he was fine, but we didn't know about the accident," Walter Maraldi told NBC News. "Thank God he heard about it before us."

The name of an Austrian citizen, Christian Kozel, 30, also appeared on the passenger manifest, but the European nation's foreign ministry stated that the man was safe back home, and that his passport had been stolen.

Officials from Italy and Austria confirmed that the travel documents of both men were reported stolen in Thailand.

EXPERTS EXAMINE: HOW COULD THIS PLANE DISAPPEAR?

AUSTRALIANS ON BOARD FLIGHT MH370

Six Australians including two couples from Queensland and one couple from New South Wales are missing and feared dead.

They are among the 239 people on board the Malaysia Airlines flight that has not been found yet.

Brisbane couples Rodney and Mary Burrows, and Catherine and Robert Lawton of Springfield Lakes are believed to be friends travelling together.

"Dad phoned this morning and said 'Bobby's plane's missing','' said Robert Lawton's brother David.

"I couldn't believe it. I still can't believe it.

"We just want to know where it is, where the plane's come down, if there's anything left."

Cathy and Bob Lawton are kindly neighbours, doting grandparents and adventurous spirits who have long roamed the world, according to friends and family of the Brisbane couple.

Family who had gathered at a Burrows family home yesterday waiting for news saidthey were too upset to speak.

The Burrows lived in the quiet Brisbane suburb of Middle Park, where neighbours last night described the tragic loss of two soul mates who always put family first.

"They are lovely people," said Don Stokes.

"They were excited about the trip.

Fellow neighbour Mandy Watt added: "They were all about the kids. The kids had moved on... they're all successful, all happy. This was their time."

The couple from Sydney have been identified as Li Yuan and Gu Naijun. Their last known address is a peaceful townhouse in a complex on the northern tip of the Sutherland Shire, where Boeings and Airbuses criss-cross in the skies above. Mr Li is believed to own the Metro petrol station in Miranda.

Perth-based father-of-two Paul Weeks, originally from New Zealand, was also among the 239 passengers and crew feared dead.

Perth-based father Paul Weeks, originally from New Zealand, is also missing. Source: Supplied

Mary and Rodney Burrows ... who were also on the Malaysia Airlines plane. Source: Supplied

The 39-year-old, who lives in Perth's north-eastern suburbs with his young family, was on his way to do his first shift as part of a fly in-fly out job in Mongolia.

It was meant to be the start of a dream job for the mechanical engineer.

Last night his wife Danica spoke to The Sunday Times from their home and said she was trying to come to grips with the tragic news.

The couple have a three-year-old son named Lincoln and a 10-month-old called Jack.

Mr Weeks is originally from New Zealand and moved to WA in 2011 to work in the mining industry.

According to his online job resume, he had been working with MTU Detroit Diesel Australia in WA.

He had previously worked for the New Zealand army for about six years.

Mr Weeks was listed as one of two New Zealand passengers despite his ties to Australia. The Sunday Times also understands the brother of a Perth woman was on the flight.

On board the flight ... Catherine and Robert Lawton of Springfield Lakes. Picture: Facebook Source: Facebook

Queensland Premier Campbell Newman said it was looking grim.

"But let's hold out hope for some sort of miracle," he said. "Our hearts and thoughts are with the families of all nationalities, but of course our Queensland friends.

"It doesn't look good."

Prime Minister Tony Abbott also said he would consider how we could assist with the search and rescue mission underway but would not speculate on the plane's disappearance.

Mr Abbott described the tragedy as a "horrible, horrible business''.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the passengers and their families on that ill-fated aircraft, particularly to the six Australian passengers and their families, that have now been confirmed to be on board,'' he told reporters in Adelaide.

"We're looking at ways in which we can help with the search and recovery operation.''

Opposition leader Bill Shorten echoed Mr Abbott's comments.

"I believe the Australian nation's thoughts go out to the families of those Australians and New Zealanders that are on this plane, and indeed the families of everyone,'' he said.

A spokesperson for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said the government "fears the worst" for those aboard the flight, and that they had so far confirmed the names of six Australians on the flight's passenger manifest.

"Our sympathies are with the families and friends of these Australians. We also extend our condolences to the families of the other passengers and to the governments of all those countries affected, in particular China, Indonesia and Malaysia who had significant numbers of nationals on this flight.

"Australian consular officials are in urgent and ongoing contact with Malaysia Airlines. Malaysia Airlines has advised that it is contacting relatives of the passengers on the flight."

The airline has established a call centre – phone +60 37884 1234 – for those seeking more information.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's 24 hour Consular Emergency Centre is contactable on 1300 555 135, or +61 2 6261 3305 (if calling from overseas).

MORE: TIMELINE OF HOW THE PLANE VANISHED

WHO ELSE WAS ON BOARD AS PLANE LOST CONTACT

The Beijing-bound Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, a Boeing 777-200 aircraft, lost contact with Subang Air Traffic Control at 5.40am (AEST).

"The flight was carrying 227 passengers (including two infants), 12 crew members," the airline said in a statement.

Malaysia Airlines said the passengers were from 14 different countries and has released the full passenger list with the names, nationalities and ages of those on board.

A total of 153 passengers were Chinese nationals. The airline also reported 38 passengers from Malaysia, 12 from Indonesia, three from France, two from New Zealand, four from the USA, two from Ukraine, two Canadians, two Russians, one Italian, one from Taiwan, one from the Netherlands and one from Austria.

However two passengers on the plane appear to have used stolen Austrian and Italian passports to board.

Waiting for news ... Chrisman Siregar, right, shows a portrait of his son Firman who was one of the passengers on board the Malaysia Airlines plane. Picture: AP Source: AP

Today, a Texas-based semiconductor firm said that 20 of its employees were confirmed passengers on board.

A total of 12 people from Malaysia and another eight from China were on the flight, Freescale Semiconductor president and CEO Gregg Lowe said.

"At present, we are solely focused on our employees and their families," he added in a statement. "Our thoughts and prayers are with those affected by this tragic event.

"The entire Freescale Semiconductor community is deeply saddened by this news. The company is continuing to monitor the situation and will provide more information as it becomes available," the Austin, Texas-based firm said.

After being unable to locate the plane for more than 24 hours, Malaysia Airlines has released a statement saying: "Immediate families of passengers are advised to gather at Kuala Lumpur International Airport. Travel arrangements and expenses will be borne by Malaysia Airlines. Once, the whereabouts of the aircraft is determined, Malaysia Airlines will fly members of the family to the location.

"Our sole priority now is to provide all assistance to the families of the passengers and our staff. "We are also working closely with the concerned authorities in the search and rescue operation. "The families may contact +603 7884 1234."

OIL SLICKS DETECTED PROVIDE POSSIBLE CLUE

Vietnamese air force planes have spotted two large oil slicks that authorities suspect are from the missing Malaysian jetliner.

The slicks were spotted off the southern tip of Vietnam, a government statement says.

The slicks were each between 10km and 15km long.

The statement says the slicks are consistent with the kinds that would be left by fuel from a crashed jetliner.

Hours after Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 disappeared from radar screens en route to Beijing, the rumour mill was swirling.

Officials were forced to deny reports that the plane had landed in southern China, saying they were simply untrue.

The Vietnamese air force have spotted two large oil slicks that authorities suspect are from a missing jet.

PLANE CRASH THEORIES CONTINUE

They also said reports that the plane had crashed of the South Vietnamese coast had not been confirmed, nor could they rule out a terrorist attack or a complete loss of fuel.

The Vietnamese Navy claimed its military radar had recorded the plane crashing into the sea about 250km south of Phu Quoc Island, a popular Vietnamese tourist resort near Cambodia. That, too, remained unconfirmed.

Another report claimed the plane had suddenly plunged 200m and changed course shortly before all contact was lost. Aviation experts say this could have been due to a catastrophic engine failure, the pilots taking evasive action to avoid another aircraft, or an explosion.

But late into the night airline officials were still saying they simply did not know what had happened.

Raw ... in Beijing, a woman in tears is helped by airport workers to a bus waiting for relatives of the missing passengers. Picture: Han Guan Ng Source: AP

What is known is that three hours and 40 minutes afte takeoff the flight ceased all contact with air traffic control near Ca Mau province in southern Vietnam.

Since then, no emergency message nor distress beacon has been heard.

"Normally, with a situation on a flight, they have time to check systems, activate emergency beacons, talk to other aircraft nearby and air traffic control," Adam Susz from the the Australian and International Pilots Association said.

"The thing about this type of incident is it seems to happen instantly.

"That's probably the last thing we want to hear is that it is a very sudden and unexpected sign."

Mr Susz said aircrafts were normally in constant communication with air traffic control, typically every 30 to 60 minutes, either by satellite or VHF.

Chinese and Thai authorities said the Boeing 777-200 did not enter their airspace.

The world waits ... A spokesperson, right, from the Malaysia Airlines speaks to the media at a hotel in Beijing. Picture: Andy Wong Source: AP

FRIENDS, RELATIVES LASH OUT AT AIRLINE

Tearful and angry, the friends and relatives of passengers on board missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 have lashed out at the company as journalists besieged them in a Beijing hotel.

Many were taken there by the airline after going to the Chinese capital's airport to meet the flight, scheduled to land at around 6.30am.

A press conference was expected at the same location, and when others arrived later, they had to run the gauntlet of scores of Chinese and international reporters shoving microphones and cameras in their faces.

"They should have told us something before now," said one visibly distressed man in his 30s, from the Chinese city of Tianjin.

A man in his 20s struggled to help a grieving older woman, possibly his mother, into a quiet room as journalists shouted questions at her.

Some Chinese relatives of the passengers on board a Malaysian Airlines flight that went missing off of Vietnam are angry over what they say was the airline's initial lack of response. Mana Rabiee reports.

"They are useless," he said of the airline. "I don't know why they haven't released any information. We waited for four hours and all they told us was the very few details they released at the media conference."

Fighting back tears, a 20-year-old woman who had gone to the airport to meet a college friend said the passenger's family still had not been told by the airline she was on board.

Scores of family members spoke to airline officials in small groups in a room on the hotel's second floor.

Security at times struggled to hold back the huge throng of reporters crowding outside the door and making it difficult for relatives to enter or exit.

One woman in her twenties entered the room frantically crying, ignoring questions from the horde.

A man in his 60s wiped tears from his eyes with a handkerchief as he entered the room.

He hit a cameraman in the face who tried to film him as he walked by, as a security guard shouted "Don't you all have families?"

Grim news ... Malaysian Airlines Group CEO Ahmad Jauhari Yahya addresses the media near Kuala Lumpur International Airport. Picture: Manan Vatsyayana Source: AFP

Pham Hien, a Vietnamese search and rescue official, said the last signal detected from the plane was 120 nautical miles (225 kilometers) southwest of Vietnam's southernmost Ca Mau province, which is close to where the South China Sea meets the Gulf of Thailand.

Lai Xuan Thanh, director of Vietnam's civil aviation authority, said air traffic officials in the country never made contact with the plane.

The plane "lost all contact and radar signal one minute before it entered Vietnam's air traffic control,'' Lt. Gen. Vo Van Tuan, deputy chief of staff of the Vietnamese army, said in a statement issued by the government.

THE SEARCH AND RESCUE MISSION FOR MH370

As darkness fell and a major search and rescue operation was still under way off the Vietnamese coast.

An airline spokesman said: "We are still trying to locate the current location of the flight based on the last known position of the aircraft.

"We are working with the International search and rescue teams in trying to locate the aircraft.

"So far, we have not received any emergency signals or distress messages from MH370.

"We are working with authorities and assure that all sources are deployed to assist with the search and rescue mission."

Malaysia and Vietnam have launched searches for a missing Malaysia Airlines jet.

The South China Sea is a tense region with competing territorial claims that have led to several low-level conflicts, particularly between China and the Philippines. That antipathy briefly faded as nations of the region rushed to aid in the search, with China dispatching two maritime rescue ships and the Philippines deploying three air force planes and three navy patrol ships to help.

"In times of emergencies like this, we have to show unity of efforts that transcends boundaries and issues,'' said Lt. Gen. Roy Deveraturda, commander of the Philippine military's Western Command.

The ministry launched a rescue effort to find the plane, working in coordination with Malaysian and Chinese officials, the statement added.

Malaysian authorities dispatched a plane, two helicopters and four vessels to search seas off its east coast in the South China Sea, said Faridah Shuib, a spokeswoman for the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency.

The Philippines said it was sending three navy patrol boats and a surveillance plane to help efforts.

Yahoo News quoted local newspaper reports that the Vietnamese Navy said the plane went down into the sea about 153 miles south of Phu Quoc Island, just off the coast of the Vietnamese / Cambodian border.

Other media outlets reported that the Chinese Navy had deployed two vessels to the South China Sea to search for the missing plane.

The Pentagon has dispatched a naval destroyer and a surveillance plane to aid in the search for a Malaysia Airlines jet that has disappeared in waters off Vietnam.

US military officials said in a statement that the destroyer, the USS Pinckney, is currently en route to the southern coast of Vietnam to help search for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370.

The vessel carries two helicopters which can be equipped for search and rescue, the Pentagon said.

The Pinckney already was conducting training and maritime security operations in international waters of the South China Sea.

It said the vessel could arrive in the area near where the missing aircraft is thought to have gone down within about 24 hours.

The US military statement said a P-3C Orion reconnaissance plane also will depart shortly from Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan aiding the effort with additional long-range search, radar and communications capabilities.

Whatever happened to the flight, Indonesia-based independent aviation analyst Gerry Soejatman said the clock was ticking on a "24-hour golden window'' for search and rescue efforts.

"You can't assume that there are no survivors, and if there are any, it is absolutely crucial that they are picked up within a day, or the chances of survival drops significantly,'' he said.

Search and rescue under way ... a map of the Malaysia Airlines flight's approximate flight path to Beijing. Source: Supplied

China's state news agency reported that the Malaysia Airlines aircraft lost contact over Vietnam while an unconfirmed report on a flight tracking website said the aircraft had plunged 200m and changed course shortly before all contact was lost.

The route would have taken the plane across the Malaysian mainland in a north easterly direction and then across the Gulf of Thailand.

Grief ... A possible relative cries at the Beijing Airport. Picture: Mark Ralston Source: AFP

Chinese news agency Xinhua quoted Chinese aviation authorities saying the plane did not enter China's air traffic control sphere.

China's foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang said in a statement: "We are very concerned learning this news."

"We are contacting relevant authorities and are trying to confirm relevant information.''

The vice president of Malaysia Airlines told CNN that the missing plane had enough fuel for seven hours.

Mr Yahya said in a statement: "We deeply regret that we have lost all contacts with flight MH370 which departed Kuala Lumpur at 12.41am earlier this morning bound for Beijing."

MORE: PLANE CRASHES THAT CHANGED AVIATION HISTORY

MORE: MAJOR AIR DISASTERS SINCE 2009

In shock ... A woman, center, surrounded by media covers her mouth on her arrival at a hotel which is prepared for relatives or friends of passengers aboard the missing plane, in Beijing. Picture: Andy Wong Source: AP

Recording the grief ... media hover over a possible relative of a passenger on the Malaysia Airlines flight. Picture: Mark Ralston Source: AFP

THE PILOT WHO WAS FLYING MH370

The pilot was 53 year old captain Zahari Ahmad Shah, who joined the airline in 1981 and had over 18,000 flying hours.

"Malaysia Airlines is currently working with the authorities who have activated their Search and Rescue team to locate the aircraft," Mr Yahya said..

"Focus of the airline is to work with the emergency responders and authorities and mobilise its full support.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with all affected passengers and crew and their family members."

Fearing the worst ... Chinese police stand beside the arrival board showing the flight MH370 (top red) at Beijing Airport. Picture: Mark Ralston Source: AFP

Follow Malaysia Airlines on the incident on Facebook

Fuad Sharuji, Malaysian Airlines' vice president of operations control, told CNN that the plane was flying at an altitude of 10,670 metres and that the pilots had reported no problem with the aircraft.

Finding planes that disappear over the ocean can be very difficult. Aeroplane "black boxes'' - the flight data and cockpit voice recorders - are equipped with "pingers'' that emit ultrasonic signals that can be detected underwater.

Under good conditions, the signals can be detected from several hundred kilometres away, said John Goglia, a former member of the US National Transportation Safety Board. If the boxes are trapped inside the wreckage, the sound may not travel as far, he said. If the boxes are at the bottom of an underwater trench, that also hinders how far the sound can travel. The signals also weaken over time.

Air France Flight 447, with 228 people on board, disappeared over the Atlantic Ocean en route from Rio de Janiero to Paris on June 1, 2009. Some wreckage and bodies were recovered over the next two weeks, but it took nearly two years for the main wreckage of the Airbus 330 and its black boxes to be located and recovered.

The Malaysia Airlines plane, registration 9M MRO, is thought to have been a regular on routes to Melbourne, Sydney, Perth and Auckland.

A flight tracking website shows images of the plane descending at Kingsford-Smith airport in Sydney in 2010.

Showing the strain ... a Malaysian policeman stands guard outside a reception centre for family and friends at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport. Picture: Manan Vatsyayana Source: AFP

THE MISSING MALAYSIA AIRLINES AIRCRAFT

Malaysia Airlines is the national carrier of Malaysia and one of Asia's largest, flying nearly 37,000 passengers daily to some 80 destinations worldwide.

Malaysia Airlines has 15 777 planes in the fleet and is an experienced operator of this type of aircraft.

Aviation Week reported that the missing plane was a 777-2H6ER with tail number 9M-MRO and serial number 28420. It had been built in 2002 and had been used by Malaysian Airlines since that time.

Fearing bad news ... a woman talks on the phone at a reception centre for families and friends of passengers at Kuala Lumpur International Airport. Picture: Manan Vatsyayana. Source: AFP

The last major crash of Malaysia Airlines flight was in 1995, when a Fokker 50 (9M-MGH) crashed during approach in Tawau, Sabah, Malaysia, killing 34 people.

In 1977, a Malaysia Airlines flight was hijacked and crashed in Tanjung Kupang, Johor, Malaysia, killing all 100 people aboard.

The crash represents one of the biggest passenger losses in recent time and the second fatal accident involving a Boeing 777 in less than a year after an almost spotless record.

Last year, an Asiana Airlines Boeing 777 crash landed in San Francisco, killing three passengers with 200 people taken to hospital.

In 2005, during a flight from Perth to Kuala Lumpur the crew received a "stall warning" forcing the pilot to turn back.

Boeing said it was "monitoring" the situation.

Other accidents involving Malaysia Airlines planes include a fatal crash last October in Borneo Island, which claimed the lives of a copilot and passenger.

In 1977, a jet crashed in southern Malaysia, killing all 93 passengers and seven crew.

Commercial flight missing ... The image from @flightaware shows the last known track of flight MH370 over southern Asia. Picture: Flightaware.com Source: Supplied


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Happy leads singles chart for ninth week

Pharrell Williams' hit Happy holds the top spot in both the ARIA singles and albums charts. Source: AAP

IT didn't win the Oscar but Pharrell Williams' hit Happy still holds the top spot on the ARIA singles chart.

Williams' single, which features in the animated film Despicable Me 2, lost the Best Original Song Academy Award to Let It Go, from the movie Frozen, last Sunday, but Happy is in its ninth week at No.1.

Close behind the catchy tune is Clean Bandit and Jess Glynne's Rather Be, which remains in second place.

Sara Bareilles continued her rise on the charts, with her song Brave climbing three places to No.3, while David Guetta's Shot Me Down made its top 10 debut at No.4.

The French DJ's track, which features American singer-songwriter Skylar Grey, jumped up a whopping 23 places.

Say Something by A Great Big World and Undressed by Kim Cesarion each fell down a place to No.5 and No.6 respectively.

Sydney pop-punk quartet 5 Seconds of Summer's hit She Looks So Perfect also moved down the charts, falling four places to seventh place.

Cash Cash's Take Me Home remains in eighth place, while Swing by Melburnian Joel Fletcher fell two spots to No.9.

John Legend's All of Me slipped a place to round out the top 10.

On the ARIA albums chart, Aussie rockers INXS remain at No.1 for the fourth consecutive week with their collection The Very Best.

Pharrell Williams' new album G I R L, which the American rapper said was inspired by and is dedicated to women, made its top 10 debut at No.2, while Prism by Katy Perry, who was in Australia earlier in March, jumped up six places to No.3.

The pop singer was in town to promote her Prismatic World Tour, which kicks off in Australia on November 7 in Perth.

The Frozen soundtrack remains in fourth place, while Unorthodox Jukebox by Bruno Mars, who is currently touring the country, jumped up 19 places to No.5.

Also making significant leaps up the chart are Rudimental's Home, which climbed five places to seventh place, and Avicii's True, which rose eight places to No.8.

Robbie Williams' Swing Both Ways fell four places to No.6, while Australian church group Hillsong United made its top 10 debut with its new The White Album at No.9.

Eminem's The Marshall Mathers LP2 fell three places to round out the top 10 on the albums chart.


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