LAX Air NZ flights resume after shooting

AIR New Zealand flights out of Los Angeles International Airport are returning to normal after being grounded when a gunman opened fire.

One security officer was killed and at least six other people were injured in the shooting at LAX about 9.30am on Friday (local time).

The shooter came into terminal three, pulled an assault rifle out of a bag and opened fire.

He then went into the screening area and continued shooting, LAX police chief Patrick Gannon said.

All flights destined for LAX which had not left their origins were grounded.

Air New Zealand said this had been lifted and its operations in and out of Los Angeles were beginning to return to normal.

Air New Zealand flight NZ6 from Auckland touched down at LAX about 11.30am (local time) on Friday. It spent several hours parked on the tarmac before the 356 passengers on board were processed through customs.

Passengers on flight NZ2 had also been processed and new passengers were being checked in before the flight continued to London at 7pm, two hours late, Air New Zealand said.

Air New Zealand uses terminal two at LAX, which was evacuated.

Travellers were forced to hide in terminals or flee to the tarmac before authorities were able to locate and "neutralise" the shooter, alleged to be 23-year-old Paul Anthony Ciancia.

Witnesses said the man, wearing camouflage clothing, shot his way through the terminal three security checkpoint and entered the terminal where travellers were waiting for flights.

The Transportation Security Administration, which employs screeners and guards at airports, confirmed one of its employees had died.

Ciancia was wounded in a shootout with police and taken into custody.

US authorities allege he was holding an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle and was loaded up with ammunition.

"There were more than 100 rounds that could have literally killed everybody in that terminal today," Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said.

Ciancia is recovering from multiple gunshot wounds to the chest under guard in a nearby hospital.

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NSW accepts defence fire clean-up offer

NSW has accepted a Defence Force offer of 80 army personnel to help with the massive recovery effort in the fire-affected Blue Mountains.

The Defence Force offer of assistance follows its apology for starting a bushfire through explosive training exercises at the Marrangaroo army base last month.

The State Mine Fire burned through 50,000 hectares and destroyed at least three homes.

In a statement on Saturday, Defence Minister David Johnston and Justice Minister Michael Keenan confirmed the NSW government had accepted The Defence offer to help with the community recovery.

Up to 80 personnel armed with dump trucks, bulldozers and chain saws are getting to work in the region to make safe structures damaged or destroyed in the bushfires.

The work began on Saturday in Springwood where the NSW government indicated the greatest need was.

Blue Mountains Emergency Recovery Co-ordinator Phil Koperberg told ABC Radio there would be at least 14 days work for Defence.

"The priority will be to identify all of those hazards that could injure people if left unattended to," he said.

NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell has indicated he will ask Prime Minister Tony Abbott about commonwealth compensation for bushfire victims following the army's apology.

Most of the major bushfires that initially threatened homes in NSW are now under control or being contained.

Smoke blanketed Sydney on Saturday as firefighters worked to contain fires in the Blue Mountains and the Hawkesbury region.

The Rural Fire Service says crews are trying to control the fires before the return of hot and windy weather on Sunday.

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Labor playing games on carbon: Cormann

Finance Minister Mathias Cormann says the coalition is committed to scrapping the carbon tax. Source: AAP

FINANCE Minister Mathias Cormann says the coalition will do "whatever we need to do" to scrap the carbon tax, but stopped short of threatening a double dissolution election if Labor blocks its repeal legislation.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten on Friday announced Labor would back a bill to scrap the carbon tax, but only if the government supported amendments to introduce an emissions trading scheme in its place.

But Senator Cormann dismissed the offer as Labor "playing games".

"Whether it is a fixed price carbon tax or floating price carbon tax, our commitment is crystal clear, the carbon tax must go," he told Sky News on Saturday morning.

"Bill Shorten and the Labor Party are in denial about the election result. The Australian people overwhelmingly voted to get rid of the carbon tax. The Labor Party's thumbing their nose at the Australian people."

Asked if the government would call a double dissolution election if Labor blocked its carbon tax repeal laws, Senator Cormann would only say: "We will do whatever we need to do to deliver on our commitment to scrap the carbon tax".

"Obviously our preference is for the parliament to respect our mandate, to respect the will of the Australian people, to let the government get on with what we promised we would do during the election," he said.

But Labor's Matt Thistlethwaite said Labor had a long-standing policy supporting an emissions trading scheme.

"We're not going to roll over for cynical political means," he told Sky News.

"We need a policy that will be able to cap emissions, guarantee that we'll be able to reduce emissions in time in a cheap and cost effective manner.

"The government should seriously consider ... looking at the amendments that Labor will put forward, they will be sensible amendments that will work in the long term."

Deputy federal Labor leader Tanya Plibersek also defended her party's insistence on an emissions trading scheme, saying the Abbott government's push to scrap the carbon tax "defies science".

"The vast majority of scientists internationally say that climate change is happening, that it's caused by carbon pollution," Ms Plibersek told reporters on the sidelines of the West Australian Labor party conference in Perth.

"We say that we must act and indeed Tony Abbott says that we must act, but he's proposing a system where you take taxpayer dollars and give them to big polluters.

"We're proposing a system where you take taxpayer dollars from big polluters and use that in helping ordinary Australia cope with climate change.

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Cash rate about as low as it will go

THE chances of interest rates getting any lower are very slim, following a recent surge in the housing sector and improved confidence in the Australian economy.

Eight out of 12 economists surveyed by AAP say the Reserve Bank of Australia won't reduce the cash rate in the foreseeable future, and most say it will raise it in late 2014 or early 2015.

A Melbourne Cup day cash rate cut is a non-starter for all of the those surveyed.

But four forecast a reduction in the first half of next year.

The RBA has slashed the cash rate by two per cent to a record low of 2.5 per cent in a series of reductions over the past two years.

HSBC chief economist Paul Bloxham says he thinks improved business and consumer confidence, as well as strong rises in house prices means the RBA has finished its rate cutting cycle.

"The RBA is unlikely to deliver any more rate cuts for fear of over inflating the housing market," he said.

"Housing price growth has risen and timely auction market data suggest these trends have continued in recent weekends, despite a pickup in supply on the market.

"The upswing in the housing construction cycle also appears to be accelerating, with building approvals for new construction rising in September to their highest level since 2010."

Mr Bloxham said the rebalancing of the Australian economy away from one dominated by investment in mining and resources seems to be going well.

"It appears to be broadening beyond just a pickup in the housing sector," he said.

The RBA November board meeting is the first one after the release of very low September quarter inflation figures on October 23.

Melbourne Cup Day has been a popular day for cash rate cuts because it closely follows the inflation figures but Commonwealth Bank economist Diana Mousina says there will be other factors at work besides low inflation.

"The case for further rate cuts is far from compelling," she said.

"There are clear signs that the non-mining economy is picking up at a time when the threat of a mining capital expenditure pothole appears less threatening.

"The Australian dollar is trading at a lower range and is expected to depreciate further."

Westpac is the only institution predicting two more rate cuts, both by a quarter of a percentage point in February and May.

Senior economist Matthew Hassan said the reductions would be needed because, he expects, the local rise in confidence will be short lived and investment in the non-mining parts of the economy will remain weak.

"Global conditions are expected to continue to disappoint. That, coupled with weakness domestically, coupled with a softening in consumer sentiment and business confidence and a weak labour market will see the bank move again," he said.

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Shares drop after radio duo quits

SOUTHERN Cross Media shares have plunged after controversial Sydney breakfast radio duo Kyle and Jackie O announced they are quitting their top-rating 2Day FM show.

The pair will leave the competitive breakfast slot at the end of November.

Shares in Southern Cross Media, which owns 2Day FM, were down 10 cents, or 5.29 per cent, at $1.79 at 1433 AEDT.

The controversial broadcasters released a statement on 2Day FM's website saying their decision was "mutual".

The Kyle and Jackie O Show has been a top-rating FM show, and this year the pair was named "best on-air team" in the Australian Commercial Radio Awards (ACRAs).

However, the program has also attracted plenty of controversy and criticism, mainly for Sandilands' outspoken comments and stunts.

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Kyle and Jackie O quit breakfast show

Kyle Sandilands and Jackie O have announced they will leave their 2Day FM breakfast show this year. Source: AAP

KYLE Sandilands and Jackie O will leave their 2Day FM breakfast slot at the end of 2013 after more than a decade on air together.

The decision was "mutual", said a statement on 2Day FM's website on Friday morning, and had been made in consultation with Sandilands and Jackie O (real name Jacqueline Henderson).

"Our focus will now turn towards developing a fantastic new show for 2014 with further announcements in due course," said the 2Day FM statement.

The pair will quit their breakfasts chairs on Friday, November 29.

Jackie O said on Friday, "We are excited about the next chapter" - although it is unclear what the pair's next career move will be.

"I think we've always been adamant that we would leave 2Day FM at a time of our choosing," Jackie O told listeners.

The Kyle and Jackie O Show has been a top-rating FM show, and this year the pair was named "best on-air team" in the Australian Commercial Radio Awards (ACRAs).

However, the program has also attracted plenty of controversy and criticism, mainly for Sandilands' outspoken comments and stunts.

2Day FM promised "a month of fitting celebrations" to farewell the duo.

Southern Cross Austereo's head of content Craig Bruce said he was proud of his breakfast team.

"Kyle and Jackie have not only given Sydney radio audiences the most entertaining radio show ever, they have also raised millions of dollars for charities and those in need whilst also enthralling listeners with the world's hottest music artists and exclusive interviews with famous Hollywood celebrities.

"They have certainly lived up to their show mantra 'Breakfast with the Stars!' None of which could have happened without the strong and dedicated team working hard behind the scenes."

The pair thanked a lot of people who had contributed to their show, and also told listeners a bit about their relationship on air.

"We do share really deeply personal moments in our lives," Jackie O said.

"Sometimes a bit of oversharing happens," Sandilands added.

The news of the pair's departure came weeks after Southern Cross Austereo pulled the plug on its duo Matt Tilley and Jo Stanley's long-running Melbourne's breakfast show.

The pair will wrap up presenting the FoxFM Matt & Jo Show at the end of the year.

Last month Southern Cross Austereo also axed Triple M's Merrick Watts and The Highway Patrol, with Julian Schiller and Rachel Corbett. There was conjecture that had been done so the network could afford to keep Sandilands and Jackie O.

Southern Cross Media shares plunged after the news was released.

Shares in Southern Cross Media, which owns 2Day FM, were down 10 cents, or 5.29 per cent, at $1.79 at 1433 AEDT.

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Fitzgerald rounds on Newman again

CORRUPTION fighter Tony Fitzgerald has told the premier not to treat Queenslanders like fools, and says the crime and corruption watchdog is at risk of outliving its usefulness.

Mr Fitzgerald has reacted angrily after the premier drew parallels between his crackdown on bikie gangs and the corruption inquiry Mr Fitzgerald headed 25 years ago.

"I urge the premier and his supporters, including supposedly independent statutory office-holders, not to treat the community as fools," he said in a statement on Thursday.

Mr Fitzgerald also offered a warning to the state's crime and corruption watchdog, after its chairman Ken Levy backed the government's claims that new bikie and sex offender laws reflect the will of Queenslanders.

"The Crime and Misconduct Commission will have outlived its usefulness if it loses its independence," Mr Fitzgerald said.

He described the government's new laws as a short-sighted lunge for "redneck support".

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Hendra therapy set for human trial

AN antibody therapy for people exposed to the deadly Hendra virus will be formally trialled on humans for the first time.

The world-first trial is expected to be announced on Thursday afternoon.

The therapy has already been given to five people, including four Queenslanders, but has never been extensively tested on humans.

Queensland Health Minister Lawrence Springborg and NSW Primary Industries Minister Katrina Hodgkinson are meeting with University of Queensland professor Peter Gray on Thursday afternoon.

They will announce groundbreaking research, expected to be the antibody therapy, which aims to provide extra protection against Hendra.

If the trial is successful, the antibody will be able to be routinely given to those exposed to the virus.

There's no known cure for Hendra, which kills about 60 per cent of those it infects.

A Hendra vaccine for horses was made available last November to break the cycle of transmission and prevent human deaths.

The Equivac HeV vaccine has been given to 150,000 horses across Australia.

Horses are believed to contract Hendra from feed contaminated by urine, saliva or birthing fluids from flying foxes.

Four people have died from the virus in Australia since 1994.

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Obeid paid in bundles of cash: ICAC

FORMER NSW Labor MP Eddie Obeid and his wife received bundles of cash from three Sydney properties in which his family had hidden interests, a corruption inquiry has heard.

Mr Obeid's eldest son Damian on Tuesday was giving evidence at the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC).

The watchdog is investigating allegations Eddie Obeid lobbied several state ministers to have leases renewed on government land where the Obeids owned two restaurants and a cafe, without going to tender after their expiration in August 2005.

The inquiry heard Ms Obeid was for several years paid a "housekeeping fee" of $1000 a week from takings at the cafe and restaurants.

"We actually borrowed against her house to purchase the shops ... so we agreed she should be entitled to a housekeeping fee," Damian Obeid told the inquiry.

Mr Obeid was then asked if he knew whether his father was regularly paid with takings from Circular Quay.

"I can't recall my father ever actually directly receiving anything," he said.

But counsel assisting the inquiry, Ian Temby, said Obeid business associate Paul Maroon had earlier told the inquiry Eddie Obeid did receive payments.

"He said that every week there was $1000 in cash bundled up and provided through one of the brothers to your mother," Mr Temby said.

"And he has said ... that for a shorter period, but not just a few weeks, there was in like manner $1000 in cash bundled up provided for your father."

Damian Obeid said he couldn't recall that and that Mr Maroon was "mixed up between mum and dad".

He was also questioned about the structure through which the Obeids controlled the Circular Quay properties.

The restaurants and cafe were owned by a company which was owned by an Obeid family trust.

Damian Obeid said his uncle, John Aboud, ran the Circular Quay enterprises and was "the face of the business".

"Your family was, I suggest, hidden from view," Mr Temby said.

"Possibly," Damian Obeid replied.

He said the family felt like targets after Eddie Obeid won a defamation action against the ABC and The Sydney Morning Herald.

"We did that just to protect ourselves from media scrutiny," he said.

He denied that part of the intention was "to hide from view the fact that (Eddie Obeid), a member of parliament, had through his family extensive and expanding business interests."

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Sex case employee denied workers comp

A PUBLIC servant has lost a six-year battle for workers compensation for being struck by a falling light while having vigorous sex in a motel during a work trip.

In a majority ruling, the High Court has found the woman was not engaged in a work activity at the time of the accident.

The decision clarifies an earlier one by the Federal Court, which seemed to view the employer liable for almost any injury suffered while absent from the usual place of work.

The case dates back to November 2007 when the unnamed woman, then in her late 30s and employed in the human relations section of a commonwealth government agency, was staying overnight in a motel room in Nowra, NSW, booked by her employer.

While there, she met a friend for dinner and they returned to her room for sex.

During sex, a glass light fitting above the bed was pulled from its mount.

"I think she was on her back when it happened but I was not paying attention because we are rolling around," her companion explained in a statement to the Federal Court.

The fitting struck her on the nose and mouth causing injuries, for which she was treated in hospital, and a subsequent psychological injury.

She initially applied to the federal workplace safety body Comcare for workers compensation.

It accepted but then revoked consideration of her case.

She then turned to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal and the case worked its way through the legal system right up to the High Court.

On Wednesday, the High Court allowed Comcare's appeal against the decision of the full bench of the Federal Court which approved unspecified compensation.

A majority of High Court judges ruled her employer had not induced or encouraged her to engage in sex.

In a dissenting decision, Justice Stephen Gageler said the woman was at a motel where her employer encouraged her to be and the overnight stay was within the overall work period.

"The particular activity in which the respondent was engaged at the time she was injured does not enter into the analysis," he said.

Employment Minister Eric Abetz is hailing the decision a victory for common sense.

He says workplaces need a form of mutual obligation where employees and employers work together and are prepared to accept personal responsibility.

"Instances such as this where an employee seeks to stretch the boundaries of entitlements are of great concern and the High Court's intervention is welcome," Senator Abetz said in a statement on Wednesday.

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Crown's casino push affordable: Packer

Crown chairman James Packer says the company's push to expand in Asia and Australia is affordable. Source: AAP

BILLIONAIRE James Packer says an ambitious program to expand the number of Crown's integrated hotel and casino resorts in Asia and Australia is affordable.

The Crown chairman told shareholders at the company's annual general meeting on Wednesday that Crown was at a very important stage of its development as it seeks to tap into the "incredible power" of the rising Chinese and other Asian middle classes, including India.

Mr Packer said the expansion of Crown's joint-venture interests in Asia would be "self-funding", and the company would increase its debt to expand in Australia and continue upgrading existing operations here.

"Asia is self-funding, and we're going to build Sydney (a proposed $1.5 billion resort and VIP-only casino at Barangaroo) and Perth (a new six-star hotel) out of increasing our debt a little bit but retaining some earnings," Mr Packer said.

Mr Packer said about half of Crown's value as a company was now in its joint-venture hotel-casino operations with Melco International in Macau.

He said the Melco Crown Entertainment (MCE) joint-venture funded all of its own projects and was now almost debt-free at a parent company level.

Independent financing was in place for MCE's Studio City hotel-casino development in Macau and MCE's hotel-casino project at Manila in the Philippines.

"So what we'll be looking to fund from Australia is Sydney and Crown Towers Perth," Mr Packer said.

Mr Packer added that a proposal to develop a joint-venture $US400 million casino-resort in Sri Lanka would not require "an earth-moving cheque".

He said the Macau business would look to start paying dividends next year, which would provide additional cash.

Crown holds a stake of 33.7 per cent in MCE.

Mr Packer said the cost of Crown's investment in MCE was $US600 million but that stake was now worth about $US6.2 billion.

Crown currently operates casinos in Melbourne and Perth and has been upgrading them to make them more competitive with new casino-resorts in Asia and attract more high-rolling gamblers from China.

Crown is also negotiating the development of a six-star casino-resort in Sydney and has expressed interest in developing a casino-resort in Brisbane.

MCE in Macau operates the City of Dreams casino-resort and is developing the Studio City casino-resort.

MCE also has an interest in a consortium to develop and operate the City of Dreams casino-resort in Manila.

This month, Crown confirmed that it was in talks with the Sri Lankan government to develop a $US400 million casino-resort in the Sri Lankan capital, Colombo.

Shares in Crown were 52 cents higher at $16.85 at 1453 AEDT.

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Administrators appointed to Vic council

A PANEL of administrators has been appointed at Wangaratta Rural City Council after its council was sacked for bullying, intimidation and wasting $1.5 million in ratepayers' money.

The panel will be chaired by farming leader Ailsa Fox and include former Wangaratta mayor Irene Grant and former council chief executive officer Rodney Roscholler.

Local Government Minister Jeanette Powell says the panel will begin on Thursday, leading the council until the 2016 municipal elections.

Ms Powell says one of its first tasks will be to appoint a new chief executive officer and to rebuild confidence in the council.

"This appointment is the next step in restoring stability and good governance to the people of Wangaratta," she said on Tuesday.

The Victorian parliament dismissed the council last month after months of infighting, the mass departure of senior management and councillors resigning or going on sick leave.

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WCB unaware of reason behind share trading

TAKEOVER target Warrnambool Cheese and Butter Factory (WCB) says it doesn't know why a large volume of its shares has been traded, pushing the share price up by around eight per cent.

WCB shares were 65 cents, or 7.78 per cent, higher at $9.01 at 1355 AEDT on Tuesday, compared to Monday's close, with more than 5.3 million shares changing hands.

The company said, in a statement to the Australian Securities Exchange on Tuesday, that it noted that about four million shares had been traded on Tuesday at prices of around $9.25 per share.

"WCB is not aware of the reason for the unusual share trading," WCB said.

The company currently is subject to a takeover battle between three suitors: Bega Cheese, Murray Goulburn dairy co-operative and Canadian dairy giant Saputo.

Saputo leads the bidding, having raised its offer last week to $8.00 per WCB share, which values WCB at $449 million.

The WCB board has recommended that shareholders accept the revised Saputo bid in the absence of a superior proposal.

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Pedophile gave YMCA stepdad reference

A PEDOPHILE employed by the YMCA used a family member for a reference, while staff at the not-for-profit group failed to adequately carry out checks on his employment history, a Royal Commission has been told.

Child Care co-ordinator, now manager, Jacqui Barnat, told the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse the YMCA had not asked her to explain how Lord was hired.

Lord is serving a minimum of six years for abusing 12 children.

Council assisting the commission Gail Furness asked Ms Barnat if anyone had asked her to explain what led to Lord being hired.

"Yes, for the commission ..." Ms Barnat said, before being interrupted by Justice Peter McClellan.

"Before the commission came on the scene," Justice McClellan asked.

"I don't think so," Ms Barnat replied.

One of two references supplied by Lord was his stepfather, Charlie Yankos.

A second reference check was never committed to writing.

Mr Yankos' name was misspelled as Yankhurst on the form, while some questions on the form were left blank.

Ms Barnat, who was responsible for the Lord's supervision, said she was unaware at the time Mr Yankos was Lord's stepfather.

This is despite his mother, who shares the same surname his stepfather, being put as an emergency reference.

On another form it was noted Lord had no prior qualifications for working with children.

Ms Barnat said she thought the reference check was satisfactory.

When asked if she acknowledged her checks fell far below best standards and best practice, Ms Barnat replied: "I don't believe so."

"I did what I believe I needed to do."

It was not unusual for someone to be hired despite having no prior qualifications, Ms Barnat said.

The commission also heard there was no evidence Ms Barnat checked with Lord's previous employer, Camp America, who dismissed him after he was found emerging from a darkened bathroom with an eight-year-old boy.

Justice McClellan asked Ms Barnat if she thought she had done a satisfactory job in hiring Lord in light of the YMCA's employment policy, which asked to check on whether there had been an investigation from a former employer.

"If you had followed step three of the policy you would have to asked if he had been subject to an investigation by a former employer?" he asked.

"If you had made the inquiries you should have, you would have found he was terminated for his conduct with children?"

Ms Barnat answered: "When it's stated that way that's correct."

The hearing continues.

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Health clubs boost Ardent revenue

A SOLID performance from its expanded health clubs division has helped boost first quarter revenue and earnings for Ardent Leisure Group.

The leisure and entertainment provider, which operates health clubs, theme parks, bowling alleys, marinas and indoor family entertainment centres, on Monday released unaudited revenue and earnings figures for the three months to September 30.

Group revenue rose 19.8 per cent to $126.2 million, and earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) lifted 19.4 per cent to $32.3 million compared to the prior corresponding period.

The Goodlife health clubs chain generated a 51.6 per cent lift in revenue to $40.43 million.

In October 2012, Ardent strengthened its network of health clubs when it completed the $60.9 million acquisition of 11 fitness clubs, and one under development, operated by Fenix Fitness Clubs.

In August 2012, Ardent acquired six Fitness First clubs for $5.4 million.

"The first quarter has seen solid like-for-like growth in the clubs," group chief executive Greg Shaw said.

"The transition to fully outsourced personal trainers is now complete and this restructure has positively impacted operating margins."

The Main Event indoor entertainment centres in the United States, which include activities such as bowling, arcade games, rock climbing and mini golf, lifted revenue by 20.9 per cent to $US20.46 million.

Mr Shaw said the introduction of full-service casual dining at the centres had boosted the amount spent by customers.

Revenue from the theme park division, the marinas, and the bowling alleys was largely in line with the prior corresponding period.

Shares in Ardent Leisure were 4.5 cents higher at $2.015 at 1327 AEDT.

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Has Loch Ness monster migrated to Nth Qld?

COULD a North Queensland tropical island have its very own Loch Ness monster?

Some beachgoers at Magnetic Island, off Townsville, seem to think so after seeing a distinctive long, curved "neck" bobbing up and down off the coast on Friday.

But marine biologists who've seen the picture say the unidentified marine object is probably a piece of a tree or boat.

And a man who has dedicated his life studying mythical animals is also unconvinced it's a "Nessie".

The strange sea sighting has created quite a buzz on the island, with locals desperate to know: just what is lurking in the water?

One of them is marriage celebrant David "Crusty" Herron, who photographed it from a beach about 200 metres away.

"It was bobbing up and down in the water and at first I thought 'what's that'?" Mr Herron told AAP.

"Someone yelled out 'it looks like a Loch Ness monster'.

"I've never seen anything like it - it could be anything. We are all wanting to know what it is."

James Cook University biology professor Glen Chilton says while new and old creatures are constantly being discovered, even near the Great Barrier Reef, it's unlikely to be a strange aquatic beast.

"It's probably a piece of a tree or piece of a boat which has somehow broken away," he told AAP.

Australian cryptozoologist and self-proclaimed "yowie man" Rex Gilroy is keeping an open mind.

"It's hard to say from the photo," he said.

Mr Gilroy, who has authored books on mythical creatures, says he's aware of about 800 sightings of reptilian creatures with long necks and football shaped heads.

Some of those were from the Magnetic Island and Townsville area, he said.

The most recent was in October last year when a fisherman saw a creature with a large grey coloured body protruding from waters off Magnetic Island, he said.

While Mr Gilroy is keeping an open mind about Friday's sighting, he says it could very well be a dragon boat which sunk off Townsville last week.

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Giles holds historic Vietnamese meeting

THE Northern Territory's chief minister and the Vietnamese prime minister have met to discuss expanding trade ties, in the first such meeting between the two jurisdictions.

The NT's Chief Minister Adam Giles met the Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, Nguyen Tan Dung, and the Vietnamese ministers for trade, and industry and agriculture, in Hanoi on Monday.

The relationship between the Territory and Vietnam has improved since the live cattle trade resumed in 2010, with Vietnam an emerging market for Territory live cattle exporters.

The NT has exported 16 shipments of live cattle to Vietnam so far this year, worth $24 million.

"Live cattle exports from the Territory to Vietnam have increased 10-fold in nine months and there is huge opportunity to grow the Vietnamese market even further," Mr Giles said in a statement.

He said the government was helping Territory exporters and Vietnamese importers to meet the requirements of the live export supply chain quality control system that came into force in Vietnam earlier this year.

The chief minister is on a 12-day visit to Vietnam, China and Japan to encourage foreign investment, particularly in the NT's energy and agricultural sectors.

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Jewish community reps condemn Sydney brawl

AN anti-semitic fuelled brawl in Sydney's east has highlighted the need for effective criminal laws addressing racial attacks, the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies believes.

Four men, 66, 48, 39, 27, and a 62-year-old woman were taken to hospital after a melee broke out on Blair Street in Bondi early on Saturday morning.

NSW Police say it received reports the group walked past eight men who made anti-semitic comments to them.

The eight males also allegedly assaulted the group.

Fairfax Media reported the five adults had been returning from a Jewish Sabbath dinner.

NSW Jewish Board of Deputies president Yair Miller said while Australia was a peaceful country, there were some people motivated by hatred and racism.

"...which has no place in our society and the attack in Bondi is the worst incident of anti-semitic violence in Sydney for many years," he said in a statement.

"We express our concern for the welfare of the family who were assaulted and are grateful to the NSW police for their swift and comprehensive response."

Mr Miller said the brawl highlighted the need for "effective criminal law" against racial incitements as current legislation has proved unworkable.

The NSW Anti-Discrimination Board president Stepan Kerkyasharian confirmed the body would investigate the attack.

"There's been severe racial vilification here, that's a term under the legislation, and I think we should look at taking action," he told Channel Seven.

Federal MP for Wentworth, which encompasses Bondi, Malcolm Turnbull said "we should have zero tolerance".

"Violence of this kind and in particular racist violence, anti-semitic violence, is completely unacceptable in our society," he told the Nine Network.

All five adults were injured during the brawl, suffering concussion, a fractured cheekbone, possible broken nose, lacerations and bruising.

They were taken to St Vincent's Hospital.

Two 17-year-old males were charged with affray and breach of bail.

They were refused bail to appear at children's court on Sunday.

A 23-year-old man was charged with affray.

He was granted bail to at Waverley Local Court on December 3.

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Direct Action won't meet targets: Labor

LABOR is pushing the Abbott government to reveal more details about its climate change strategy, claiming Direct Action will fail to deliver Australia's promised cuts to carbon emissions.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott has demanded the opposition stand aside and let the carbon tax repeal legislation pass through the Senate. But Labor is remaining tight lipped about its intentions.

Instead it's trying to thrust the spotlight on the coalition's Direct Action policy and its ability to meet the bipartisan target of slashing emissions by five per cent by 2020.

Opposition climate change spokesman Mark Butler said the "glaring deficiency" of Direct Action was that it removed the absolute cap on Australia's carbon pollution promised under Labor's emissions trading scheme (ETS).

He said by walking away from that firm limit, Mr Abbott was putting the five per cent target in jeopardy.

"He'd relegate that to a mere aspiration, rather than a firm legal limit on carbon pollution," Mr Butler told Sky News on Sunday.

He said Labor hadn't made a decision on the repeal laws but stood by its view that an ETS and a firm limit on emissions was more likely to achieve the target than the government's "carbon slush fund".

Shadow Treasurer Chris Bowen said both sides of politics agreed the carbon tax needed to go but Labor believed it was economically sensible to have a market-based mechanism for combating climate change.

He said more details were needed about how Direct Action would work to ensure Australia met its unconditional commitments to reduce pollution.

"There's not a scientist or an economist I have seen who believes Direct Action could achieve the carbon reduction emissions targets," he told Network Ten on Sunday.

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Govt must justify $9b RBA payment: Bowen

LABOR is demanding Treasurer Joe Hockey justify his reasons for giving the Reserve Bank nearly $9 billion in what it's calling a bid to score "expensive political points".

The federal government this week announced it would make an $8.8 billion payment to the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) to ensure it was in the best shape to face the financial challenges ahead.

Mr Hockey said RBA governor Glenn Stevens had written to him indicating the bank wanted to boost its reserve funds, which had been depleted in recent years by the high dollar and "extraordinary" dividend withdrawals by the former Labor government.

Shadow Treasurer Chris Bowen called on Mr Hockey to publicly release this letter, saying the government was trying to score "expensive political points" instead of justifying its decision.

"If he can't, then he's got something to hide," he told Network Ten on Sunday.

There was a case for allowing the RBA to build up its reserve funds but Mr Hockey had come nowhere near justifying how this payment was necessary, he added.

Mr Bowen said at no point did he or former treasurer Wayne Swan receive advice from the RBA or Treasury suggesting it would be appropriate for such a payment to be made.

"On the contrary, the former Treasurer received explicit advice that that would be a retrograde step," he said.

Labor has also questioned Mr Hockey's other decision this week to seek parliamentary approval to raise the debt ceiling to $500 billion.

Mr Bowen said the treasurer would have to release the midyear economic forecast before putting the legislation to raise the cap to a vote in parliament.

"I don't believe he's come anywhere near yet justifying that extraordinary increase to the debt limit," he said.

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