Jackson doctor may testify in Aussie case

The doctor convicted of killing Michael Jackson could be a witness in an Australian legal battle. Source: AAP

THE doctor convicted of killing Michael Jackson could become a star witness in Australian dance choreographer Wade Robson's $US30 million ($A33.00 million) molestation legal battle with the King of Pop's estate.

It was Conrad Murray's recent headline-making interview with Australia's 60 Minutes that captured the attention of Robson's Los Angeles-based legal team.

Murray, when asked if he believed Jackson was a pedophile, paused for 15 seconds and then declined to answer.

"Wade wants Murray to speak to his lawyers because if he has vital information on Michael then it could be significant," the New York Daily News newspaper, quoting a source close to Robson, said.

"It is obvious the way he answered the question he has much more to tell and that could be dynamite for Wade's case."

Robson's pursuit of a large payday from Jackson's estate is set to go before a judge in Los Angeles on June 2.

Brisbane-born Robson, 31, who as a five-year-old dance prodigy befriended Jackson, had been one of Jackson's staunchest supporters and testified under oath at the King of Pop's 2005 molestation trial in California that Jackson never molested him.

Robson's evidence was key to Jackson's acquittal.

Robson, however, now says Jackson was a "monster" who brainwashed, manipulated and molested him.

"He performed sexual acts on me and forced me to perform sexual acts on him," Robson said in an interview on the US Today show in May.

Jackson's family and lawyers have branded Robson's delayed allegations "outrageous and pathetic".

Robson, who has worked with Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears and won an Emmy Award for the US version of TV competition So You Think You Can Dance, claims he was so traumatised by Jackson's abuse he can no longer dance, sing or write songs.

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Protests, frenzy in US holiday shopping

The busiest shopping day of the year in the US has drawn mass crowds, worker protests and violence. Source: AAP

THE busiest shopping day of the year in the US has drawn frenzied crowds, worker protests and a little violence as the holiday rush toward Christmas began.

The mad dash extended across the Atlantic, where a woman was injured in Northern Ireland as shoppers rushed to get their hands on deals during a day of sales modelled on what's known in the US as Black Friday.

In the United States, the crowds were mostly orderly, though a suburban Chicago police officer was dragged by a car driven by fleeing Thanksgiving Day shoplifting suspects, one of whom was charged with attempted murder.

Retailers have been pushing opening times earlier in recent years, so the early-morning Friday crowds now are seen the day before, on Thanksgiving night.

The name "Black Friday" comes from the period when retailers traditionally turn a profit, or move out of the red and into the black.

Some workers' rights groups had planned protests on both Thanksgiving and Black Friday because they opposed having retail employees miss family meals at home.

Some shoppers agreed, saying they believe the holiday is meant to be spent with family and friends.

That didn't stop others from showing up at stores well before dawn.

"We like to shop this time of night," said Rosanne Scrom as she left the Target store in New York state at 5am on Friday.

About 15,000 people waited for the flagship Macy's in New York City's Herald Square when it opened at 8pm on Thanksgiving.

It was the most ever, up from 11,000 last year.

In rural Virginia, a dispute in a parking lot turned violent, with one man throwing a punch and another cutting the man with a knife and brandishing a rifle.

The fight outside a Wal-Mart sent panicked shoppers scattering.

The mayhem in Belfast occurred at the British supermarket chain Asda - owned by Wal-Mart - which had been advertising its Black Friday deals throughout the UK.

The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service said it took a woman with an arm injury to the hospital.

In Seattle, Michael Wiggins stood in a crowd of shoppers trying to sell a $US2 ($A2.20) newspaper that supports the causes of homeless and low-income residents.

The 50-year-old once was homeless himself.

Wiggins said it was sad to see people spending to potentially put themselves in debt.

"How are you getting ahead?" Wiggins said.

"Why are you killing yourself for a pair of underwear?"

Last year, sales on Thanksgiving were $US810 million last year, an increase of 55 per cent from the previous year as more stores opened on the holiday, according to Chicago research firm ShopperTrak.

But sales dropped 1.8 per cent to $US11.2 billion on Black Friday, though it still was the biggest shopping day last year.

Sales figures for this year's Thanksgiving and Black Friday will trickle out in the next couple days, but some big chains already were saying early on Friday that the holiday shopping season had a successful start.

Store sales numbers won't be available until Saturday.

The National Retail Federation said 140 million people planned to shop during the four-day holiday weekend.

IBM Benchmark, which tracks e-commerce for 800 retailers, said online sales on Thanksgiving were up 19.7 per cent from last year.

Online sales on Black Friday rose 9 per cent, based on preliminary data.

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Stabbed woman hails cab to NSW hospital

A NSW woman mustered the strength to wave down a cab to rush herself to hospital after suffering critical stab wounds.

Police say a 42-year-old woman waved down a taxi driver on Villiers Street in South Grafton at 11.40pm (AEDT) on Friday and asked for help, saying she had been stabbed.

A man who had been standing next to the woman fled while the taxi driver took her to Grafton Hospital, where she underwent emergency surgery for stab wounds to her stomach, upper chest area and neck.

Police believe the stabbing was related to a domestic incident and apprehended a 55-year-old man as he returned to a Villiers Street home in the early hours of Saturday.

He was taken to Grafton Police Station and charged with causing grievous bodily harm with intent to murder.

He will appear in court at a later date.

The woman remains in hospital in a critical but stable condition.

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Mother weeps as machete killers jailed

A SYDNEY mother who saw her son murdered with a machete held her hand to her chest and said "thank you" as the killers got lengthy jail sentences.

Mahdi Mir, 23, Mohammad Karimi, 25, and John Khoury, 33, were sentenced in the Sydney Supreme Court on Friday over the murder of Kesley Burgess and a string of home invasions.

Khoury, believed to be the leader of a gang called The United Brotherhood, got 32 years non-parole with a maximum of 40 years in prison.

Mir, who participated in the killing, got a minimum of 24 years and a maximum of 31, while his cousin Karimi received a 30-year non-parole period and a maximum of 37 years.

Tracey Burgess wept and was visibly shaking in court as Justice Peter Johnson delivered a three-hour sentencing.

Ms Burgess wept heavily and held a crucifix and a framed picture of her son as her other two sons sat on either side of her.

She was so distressed, she left the court for about an hour before returning to hear the men being sentenced.

"After they slaughtered my beautiful boy on our lounge room floor they deserve that and more," Ms Burgess told reporters outside court.

"Nothing will ever bring Kesley back but we have satisfaction that the judge was just brilliant.

"We never dreamt we'd get 30-something years.

"I really wanted the mothers of the boys who killed my boy to put themselves in my shoes for five minutes and just picture begging for their son's life.

"They left making sure he was going to die and I'll go to my grave believing that."

During the sentencing, Justice Johnson mentioned Ms Burgess' dignity throughout the trial and gave his condolences over the death of her 25-year-old son.

Four gang members broke into Mr Burgess' home at Lurnea in southwest Sydney on July 1, 2010, attacking him with machetes as his mother begged them to kill her instead.

Afghan-born Mir was among the four, while his cousin Karimi waited outside, the crown told the trial.

Khoury helped plan the attack and supplied weapons, making him part of a joint criminal enterprise to carry out home invasions.

Several other members of the gang pleaded guilty and were given varying jail terms.

Many of them gave evidence at the three-month long trial.

The United Brotherhood operated out of a premises they called "the compound" and carried out the home invasions in an attempt to "shut down" what they believed were drug dealers and take over the territory.

Justice Johnson said the men were "engaged in brutal and frightening activity".

"They have not demonstrated remorse or contrition."

Detective Sergeant Nicholas Sedgwick said it was a "harrowing case" and police were satisfied with the result.

"The investigation managed to successfully convict eight people with the one murder," Det Sgt Sedgwick told reporters outside court.

He also said police had stopped another murder.

"The telephone intercepts that were played in the court and tendered as part of our evidence captured the group openly discussing to kill a further person," Det Sgt Sedgwick said.

"This is after they'd already learnt of the death of Kesley Burgess.

"They weren't stopping at that point, they were on their way to murder someone who had simply wronged them at a party."

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Teeth filing dentist avoids jail

A SYDNEY dentist who "callously" exploited elderly nursing home residents by unnecessarily filing down their teeth to make extra money has avoided jail.

Andrew Istephan will instead serve his two-year sentence by way of an Intensive Correction Order.

The former Liberal deputy mayor of Hurstville was accused of performing unnecessary major dental surgery on 12 nursing home residents, some of whom had dementia.

A jury found him guilty last month of five counts of assault, but failed to agree on the other seven counts.

In sentencing the 34-year-old at Sydney's District Court on Friday, Judge David Frearson said he had engaged in the "deliberate, callous and systematic exploitation of the residents with the view of financial reward".

Motivated by greed, Istephan had been "arrogantly dismissive" of the fundamental human right for bodily integrity, the judge said.

"The frail and elderly have a right to be treated with dignity and respect," he said.

"It's wholly reprehensible to exploit the elderly for financial gain."

Istephan was contracted by an organisation, then named Elderlink, to undertake government-funded dental work at nursing homes.

Judge Frearson found Istephan had carried out unnecessary work, filing down the teeth of elderly patients in order to fit them for crowns they did not need.

He didn't use anaesthetic.

While the judge found that Istephan showed no remorse for his crimes, he said he had a good chance of rehabilitation and was unlikely to reoffend.

He also said the former deputy mayor would benefit from a dose of humility, which the correction order would afford.

The non-custodial order requires Istephan to meet a number of requirements, such as community service and reporting to police.

A family friend of one of the victims described the sentence as "disgusting".

"He has defrauded the government, the taxpayer and everyone else he seeks to represent," Joanne Goude told reporters outside court.

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Don't junk Qld helmet laws: cycling group

A new Queensland report has recommended helmet requirements be scrapped for public cycle schemes. Source: AAP

THE Queensland government is under pressure to ignore expert advice and retain laws requiring cyclists to wear helmets.

A committee tasked with looking at cyclist safety has made a raft of recommendations, including trialling a requirement for motorists to stay at least a metre away from riders.

But it's also said there's insufficient evidence about safety benefits to justify the current law requiring riders to always wear helmets.

It has recommended a two-year trial giving riders aged 16 and over the freedom to chose whether to wear helmets in parks, on foot and bike paths, and on roads where the speed limit is 60km/h or less.

The Amy Gillett Foundation, which campaigns on cycling safety issues, has welcomed the government's pledge to trial the one-metre rule.

But it says the government should reject any watering down of laws about helmets.

"While implementing the proposed safety measures we recommend the Queensland government uphold current helmet laws to avoid taking one step backwards for safety at the same time we are taking a step forward," the foundation's chief executive Tracey Gaudry said in a statement on Friday.

Government MP Bruce Flegg, who is also a doctor, says the one-metre trial represents great progress but he's worried about the suggestion on helmets.

"We should think long and hard before relaxing helmet laws. Helmet laws potentially prevent significant brain injuries," Dr Flegg said in a statement.

"Any relaxation, such as on bike paths, should be seen as the exception rather than the rule."

Transport Minister Scott Emerson is yet to say if he's likely to accept that recommendation.

But he has already committed to some others, including the one-metre trial, and allowing motorists to cross unbroken lines to overtake riders when it's safe to do so.

The Amy Gillett Foundation was formed after the cyclist was killed by an out-of-control driver while training with her Australian cycling teammates in July 2005.

But Queensland's peak motoring group, the RACQ, says the one-metre overtaking rule, and a proposal to let riders treat stop signs as give-way signs, could actually increase aggression between cyclists and other road users.

RACQ safety policy spokesman Steve Spalding says motorists must give cyclists at least that amount of space as a buffer, but it should only be used as a guideline.

"Education around safe passing distances will be far more effective and actually lead to a safer and more courteous road sharing environment," he said in a statement.

"The fact is, in order for our transport system to work, we all have to share the road. Changing laws and increasing fines make for good headlines, but without enforcement it's a waste of time."

The committee has also recommended increasing fines for cyclists who do the wrong thing on the roads, so they match those that apply to motorists.

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Doctors urged to take fractures seriously

PEOPLE with osteoporosis could be put at risk by medical practices that do not take their fractures seriously, according to Australian scientists.

They say most people with osteoporosis who suffer a fracture should be given bone-strengthening drugs.

However, this is common practice only for hip and vertebra fractures, say Associate Professor Jackie Center and Dr Dana Bliuc from the Garvan Institute of Medical Research.

Their study shows any fracture can be dangerous to a person with osteoporosis, potentially shortening their life or leading to secondary fractures.

A third of Australian men and half of women over the age of 65 will have at least one fracture as a result of osteoporosis, according to the institute.

About half of fractures are to a hip or vertebra, and these patients are more likely to be given bone-strengthening drugs than for other types of fracture, which tend to be taken less seriously.

But only about 20 per cent of women and 10 per cent of men receive effective treatment.

There is a sliding scale of severity, with hip fractures the most serious, according to the report published online in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism.

Those close to the body, such as rib or pelvic fractures, could be as serious as vertebral fractures and have the potential to shorten life, said Dr Bliuc.

Wrist or ankle fractures did not in themselves shorten life, although they doubled the risk of new fractures elsewhere in the body, according to the scientists who analysed data from the Dubbo Osteoporosis Epidemiology Study, the world's longest-running large-scale study of osteoporotic bone fractures.

"For people over 75, the risk of having a subsequent fracture is the same, no matter what the initial fracture type. This is important to know, because the second fracture could be a hip or vertebral fracture," said Dr Bliuc.

Prof Center said most osteoporotic fractures should be treated with drugs to reduce the risk of further fracture.

"Most doctors know it is wise to treat hip and vertebral fractures, but many do not take the other fracture types as seriously.

"There are several drugs that are well tolerated and proven to be effective in reducing risk of fractures and offering people a better quality of life for longer."

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Construction worker suicide rates higher

ALARMING suicide rates within the building industry have sparked a NSW program aimed at shattering the stigma associated with men reaching out for help.

The Mates in Construction program, launched on Thursday, is seeking to connect workers with mental health professionals and offer support to those deemed at risk.

With suicide rates for the occupation close to twice the national average for men, NSW Minister for Mental Health Kevin Humphries said something needed to be done to challenge the statistics.

"Throughout the construction industry, perhaps more than any other, there is still a stigma around mental illness and around blokes reaching out for help when they need it most," he said in a statement.

"This program aims to shatter that stigma and promote the message that the more people know about mental health and suicide prevention and are comfortable talking about it at work, the more people will seek help when they need it."

Mr Humphries said in Queensland, where the program originated, it had been credited with preventing up to two suicides a week in the state's construction industry.

At one Sydney building site where the program is already in existence, Mr Humphries said nearly 200 workers had undertaken mental illness and suicide awareness training equipping them with skills to recognise the warning signs and support their colleagues.

"As more and more sites across NSW receive their accreditation and more and more workers undertake this training I expect we will start to see an increase in men putting their hand up to seek help," he said.

* Readers seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.

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UK expense scandal 'displacement activity'

BRITISH MPs fiddled their expenses as a "displacement activity" because parliament had become irrelevant and ineffective, Speaker John Bercow says.

Bercow suggested the 2009 scandal was as much a symptom of decades of decline as "malice or corruption" as he urged action to ensure Westminster kept up with the modern world.

A special commission will consider how to use the digital revolution to enhance democracy - including potentially bringing in e-voting.

Technology firms such as Google, Facebook, Apple, Twitter and Microsoft will be asked to give evidence, with a report due to be published before the general election in 2015.

In a speech to the Hansard Society, Bercow said after becoming Speaker in June 2009 he feared for the future of parliament, describing it as a "virtual corpse".

"The blunt truth is that the expenses debacle was a particularly embarrassing layer of icing on an especially unappetising cake," he said.

"The reality in 2009 is that the House of Commons as a meaningful political institution, an effective legislature, had been in decline for some decades and was close to reaching the point where it had become, to distort Walter Bagehot slightly, a dignified part of our constitution without much actual dignity.

"The House appeared to be little more than a cross between a rubber stamp and a talking shop which had taken to collective activity such as the imaginative interpretation of what might be a legitimate expense claim as much as an odd form of displacement activity as out of any shared sense of malice or corruption."

But an influx of new MPs in 2010, the novelty of coalition, and procedural changes such as forcing ministers to answer more urgent questions had sparked a revival.

"Far from being in the final twitches of our mortal life, the virtual corpse has staged an unexpected recovery," he said.

"It turns out that in the spirit of Dr Who, the parliament elected in 2010 has not been about death but about regeneration."

But although the Commons was in a "better place than four years ago", there was still a huge challenge to adapt to the digital age.

"I am announcing today the creation of a Speaker's Commission on Digital Democracy, the core membership of which will be assembled in the next few weeks, supplemented by a circle of around 30 expert commissioners and reinforced I hope by up to 60 million members of the public," Bercow said.

"This exercise will start in early 2014 and report in early 2015, a special year for parliament as it will be the 750th anniversary of the de Montfort parliament, along with the 800th anniversary of the Magna Carta, the document that set the scene for the 1265 Parliament to come later.

"Digital democracy will have some universal features but others which vary nation by nation.

"It is yet another change which pushes against formality and for flexibility.

"Its elements might include online voting, e-dialogue between representatives and those represented, increased interconnectedness between the functions of representation, scrutiny and legislation, multiple concepts of what is a constituency, flexibility about what is debated when and how, and a much more intense pace for invention and adaptation.

"What we are talking about here is nothing less than a parliament version 2.0."

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Retailers cashing in after solid year

WHO said Australian retailing was dead?

JB Hi-Fi and Harvey Norman have proved the naysayers wrong, with their share prices almost doubling this year.

And while people were writing off department stores David Jones and Myer 18 months ago, there appears to have been a rethink in values as traditional retailers embrace online shopping and focus on fashion.

Well-known players have significantly outperformed the overall sharemarket during 2013, however share prices are still around 2009/10 levels.

Among the lesser known consumer goods, sports and fashion brands, Super Retail Group, Specialty Fashion and Breville Group have all performed well in 2013.

The ASX200 index has rallied 15 per cent since the start of the year as consumer confidence builds and the busy Christmas trading season gets into full swing.

The buoyant mood has prompted electronics retailer Dick Smith to follow a recent string of successful floats as it looks to raise almost $345 million by listing on the share market on December 4.

Analysts say share price gains among the major retailers in 2013 are significant, but they need to be taken in context.

"The retailers have been the standouts this year," CommSec analyst Steven Daghlian told AAP.

"But putting that in perspective, they didn't do very well in the year's prior, in 2010/11 when consumers were very cautious to part with their dollars and while the Aussie dollar remained quite high."

Recent share market highs had boosted investor confidence and helped retailers like Harvey Norman, Myer and David Jones.

"We're seeing a bit of a recovery," Mr Daghlian said.

"They're just back to where they were five years ago."

If you bought shares in JB Hi-Fi this time last year you could now double your money.

And cashing in your Harvey Norman shares would deliver an 80 per cent premium on a 12 month investment.

Gains among David Jones and Myer have been more modest, but investors are still well ahead of the local index.

David Jones shares jumped 32 per cent this year while Myer shareholders are looking at a 27 per cent profit for 2013.

Sports and leisure retailer Super Retail is also in the money, putting on 37 per cent while electronic appliance maker Breville is up 29 per cent in the calendar year.

Despite several measures of consumer confidence and spending showing improvements since the September election, the big retailers remain cautious.

Harvey Norman CEO Gerry Harvey is the latest big retailer to say his business has not felt the benefits as he continues to complain about the GST exemption on foreign purchases less than $1000.

Department store chain Myer is also cautious as it faces a challenging economic and consumer environment while David Jones is waiting for consistent consumer sentiment results.

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Three critical after Vic tank accident

THREE people are fighting for their lives and six others are injured after an industrial accident on a Victorian dairy farm.

The group was working inside a water tank on a rural property in Cloverlea, near Warragul in the state's east, when they became ill on Wednesday.

Ambulance Victoria's John Mullen said the group suffered a reaction to the contents of the tank, inhaling carbon dioxide.

"Nine patients are being treated on the scene after they suffered some sort of reaction to what was in the tank," Mr Mullen said.

Mr Mullen said the group was unable to breathe due to the fumes in the tank.

"They had breathing difficulty due to a lack of oxygen in the tank, they suffered from the fumes," he said.

The trio in a critical condition are being flown to Melbourne, with two taken to The Alfred Hospital and one to be taken to the Royal Melbourne Hospital.

Four people will be taken by ambulance to a nearby hospital in Warragul. They are in a serious but stable condition.

Another two people were driven privately to the Warragul hospital before the ambulance arrived.

The CFA rescued the group from the tank and will remain on the scene to decontaminate the area, Ambulance Victoria said.

Earlier reports had indicated that some people were trapped in the water tank.

SES, CFA, Ambulance Victoria and police are currently on scene.

Worksafe Victoria says it will investigate the incident and has sent crews to the site.

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Retailers cashing in after solid year

WHO said Australian retailing was dead?

JB Hi-Fi and Harvey Norman have proved the naysayers wrong, with their share prices almost doubling this year.

And while people were writing off department stores David Jones and Myer 18 months ago, there appears to have been a rethink in values as traditional retailers embrace online shopping and focus on fashion.

Well-known players have significantly outperformed the overall sharemarket during 2013, however share prices are still around 2009/10 levels.

Among the lesser known consumer goods, sports and fashion brands, Super Retail Group, Specialty Fashion and Breville Group have all performed well in 2013.

The ASX200 index has rallied 15 per cent since the start of the year as consumer confidence builds and the busy Christmas trading season gets into full swing.

The buoyant mood has prompted electronics retailer Dick Smith to follow a recent string of successful floats as it looks to raise almost $345 million by listing on the share market on December 4.

Analysts say share price gains among the major retailers in 2013 are significant, but they need to be taken in context.

"The retailers have been the standouts this year," CommSec analyst Steven Daghlian told AAP.

"But putting that in perspective, they didn't do very well in the year's prior, in 2010/11 when consumers were very cautious to part with their dollars and while the Aussie dollar remained quite high."

Recent share market highs had boosted investor confidence and helped retailers like Harvey Norman, Myer and David Jones.

"We're seeing a bit of a recovery," Mr Daghlian said.

"They're just back to where they were five years ago."

If you bought shares in JB Hi-Fi this time last year you could now double your money.

And cashing in your Harvey Norman shares would deliver an 80 per cent premium on a 12 month investment.

Gains among David Jones and Myer have been more modest, but investors are still well ahead of the local index.

David Jones shares jumped 32 per cent this year while Myer shareholders are looking at a 27 per cent profit for 2013.

Sports and leisure retailer Super Retail is also in the money, putting on 37 per cent while electronic appliance maker Breville is up 29 per cent in the calendar year.

Despite several measures of consumer confidence and spending showing improvements since the September election, the big retailers remain cautious.

Harvey Norman CEO Gerry Harvey is the latest big retailer to say his business has not felt the benefits as he continues to complain about the GST exemption on foreign purchases less than $1000.

Department store chain Myer is also cautious as it faces a challenging economic and consumer environment while David Jones is waiting for consistent consumer sentiment results.

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More beach monitoring after shark attack

A LARGE patrol vessel from Perth and aerial surveillance will continue in Western Australia's south west while school leavers are in the area after a fatal shark attack.

Police will be in control of a school leavers party at Meelup beach on Wednesday night but the Department of Fisheries will work with them to monitor the water.

Fisheries Shark Response Unit spokesman Tony Cappelluti said while people needed to be cautious, there was no suggestion that the event should be cancelled.

Chris Boyd, 35, was surfing at the popular surf break Umbies off Gracetown when a shark, believed to be a great white, bounced off another surfer's board and attacked him on Saturday morning.

Beaches were closed and authorities searched unsuccessfully for the shark, which was deemed an imminent risk, but the search was called off on Monday night and the beaches were re-opened.

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New "selfie stick" named after Zuckerburg

IT is the ultimate statement of 21st century self expression - with the selfie so ubiquitous it's even recognised by the Oxford English Dictionary.

Now Australian retailer Kogan is giving the selfie taker a helping hand, with a new tool named after Facebook founder Mark Zuckerburg.

The $19 "Selfie Stick" is an extendable pole with an attachment for phone or camera, a foam handle to stop dropped phones, and even a mirror to check the hair and make-up before taking the shot.

And in a cheeky move, Kogan boss Ruslan Kogan sent one of the stick's to the man it was named after, in a bid to get him to post a first-ever selfie on the social media platform he created.

"I've done a bit of Facebook stalking, and was horrified to see that you haven't posted a Facebook selfie yourself," Mr Kogan wrote in an open letter.

"We know that selfies would not exist if it weren't for your entrepreneurial achievements. So, we thought wed name the product after you."

Mr Kogan said if Mr Zuckerburg declined his offer, then he had a plan B.

"If Zuckerberg refuses to do it, Kogan will change the official name of the product to the Kardashian selfie stick," Mr Kogan said.

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Vic policeman burnt during siege

A MAN threw a flaming object at police during a siege in Melbourne, injuring an officer.

Police responded to reports a man was threatening self harm inside his Parkdale home on Tuesday afternoon.

The man threw a flaming object at one of the officers, police say.

The injured policeman was taken to hospital with burns to his leg.

Police are still attempting to talk down the man inside the house.

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Drugs arrests kick off WA schoolies week

SCHOOLIES week in Western Australia has started with arrests of several teenagers allegedly caught with cocaine, ecstasy and cannabis at a holiday house in Busselton.

Police carried out a search warrant at a holiday village in the town, seized the drugs and paraphernalia, and arrested a group of 17-year-old school leavers.

They will appear in court next month, a WA police spokeswoman said.

Official leavers' celebrations began in WA on Monday, with up to 10,000 expected to descend on Leavers' Zones in Dunsborough and Rottnest Island.

Police have already warned leavers they will be in force during the week, with a large police operation being conducted including traffic operations, drug detection dogs and water police.

Police confirmed later that 12 youths, all aged 17 and all from Perth's northern suburbs, have been charged.

Regional WA Commander Murray Smalpage cited the arrests as a timely warning to any leavers considering selling or supplying prohibited drugs.

"We want to ensure that all leavers have a fantastic time; however we make no apology for taking appropriate actions against leavers, if required; and we will do so swiftly," Commander Smalpage said.

"Parents and guardians can expect a call at any time of the day or night if their leaver breaks the law."

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BHP to replace two shiploaders

BHP Billiton will replace two shiploaders at Port Hedland at a cost of more than $300 million.

The global miner said the $US301 million ($A329.02 million) Nelson Point investment would increase the reliability of the company's inner harbour port facilities.

Each shiploader has a loading capacity of 12,500 tonnes per hour compared to the existing 40 year-old shiploaders which load iron ore at a rate of 10,000 tonnes per hour.

"This investment will also create additional port capacity that can be utilised," BHP said in a statement.

Commissioning of the two replacement shiploaders is scheduled for the second half of next year.

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Vaccination sceptic forced to change name

THE Australian medical community has welcomed a decision to force a sceptical vaccination organisation to change its "misleading" name.

The Administrative Decisions Tribunal on Monday upheld a decision by Fair Trading, which called on the Australian Vaccination Network (AVN) to change its name as it was misleading.

In handing down her decision on the network's appeal, Magistrate Nancy Hennessy said that while the network couldn't be classified as strictly "anti" vaccination, its main objective was to highlight the risks of vaccinations.

"Without any information, other than the name, an ordinary member of the public would be likely to be misled into thinking that one of AVN's objectives is to give a pro-vaccination message or, at least, to provide comprehensive information about vaccination," she found.

"That is not the case."

The network should consider using a name that included "risk" or "sceptic", she suggested.

President of the Australian Medical Association, AMA NSW Professor Brian Owler welcomed the decision, saying AVN's name incorrectly suggests to parents that they are accessing comprehensive, independent health advice.

"The importance of vaccination cannot be understated in helping to keep children free from harm. Ultimately, your family GP is your best source of advice about vaccination."

Minister for Fair Trading Anthony Roberts said it was about being "open and upfront about what you stand for, not hiding behind a name".

He said Fair Trading reserved the right to pursue costs associated with any ongoing legal action undertaken by AVN.

The network has hit back at the decision saying it "exemplified the current climate of government-sanctioned abuse and hatred of anyone who steps away from mainstream medical dogma".

In a statement released by the AVN, it said the case was not about its name but about a government wanting to waste millions in trying to close it down, but not researching the health effects of vaccination.

"It's about a government that would rather abuse its power to censor opposition and criticism by a legitimate health consumer group than to actually address the issues involved."

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Budget still in crisis says Cormann

Finance Minister Mathias Cormann says the federal budget is still in crisis. Source: AAP

FINANCE Minister Mathias Cormann says the federal budget is still in crisis and the magnitude of the problem will be spelled out in the mid-year economic and fiscal outlook (MYEFO) before Christmas.

Senator Cormann said that would reveal the full state of the budget after taking into account all the hidden problems discovered since the election.

Under Labor, Senator Cormann said the budget was in a state of emergency, with declining revenue and a growing deficit.

Asked if there was still a budget emergency, he said yes.

"We inherited a budget in very bad shape from the Labor Party, a $30 billion deficit at the time of the election and deteriorating, net debt heading for $200 billion, gross debt heading well beyond $300 billion," he told the Ten Network.

In opposition, Senator Cormann declared the budget in crisis but Labor now says the coalition government isn't behaving as if there was any problem.

Senator Cormann said that was because the coalition wasn't responding in a panicked fashion as Labor would have.

"Yes we are dealing with a budget emergency but we are dealing with it in a methodical, orderly, purposeful fashion," he said.

Senator Cormann said the government was now working through the figures for MYEFO.

"We are keen to ensure that the revenue data in particular is as accurate as possible, which is why we want the September national accounts data reflected in MYEFO. That will come out in early December," he said.

Senator Cormann would not say whether MYEFO would contain any harsh measures such as cuts to services.

He said the government was implementing promised saving measures and scrutinising Labor's pre-election discretionary grants spending.

The commission of audit would also identify opportunities for structural efficiencies.

It will deliver its interim report by the end of January and the final report by the end of March with recommendations reflected in the 2014-15 budget.

"The MYEFO will clearly articulate the problem that we have inherited with Labor's last budget. The first coalition budget will be our plan to fix the budget emergency," he said.

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Harry prepares for Antarctic trek

PRINCE Harry has been getting used to life in the sub-zero conditions of the Antarctic ahead of his charity trek with wounded servicemen and women.

The 29-year-old made some final adjustments to the kit he will be taking with him on the 320km expedition and took part in some skiing training to acclimatise.

Harry and the teams removed any non-essential items from the sleds they will haul to make them as light as possible.

Each person's kit has now been weighed ahead of their flight to the second base camp at 87 degrees south, which they hope to take tomorrow, weather permitting.

The Walking With The Wounded South Pole Allied Challenge 2013, of which Harry is patron, will see the participants race across three degrees to the South Pole.

All 12 injured service personnel from Britain, America, Canada and Australia have overcome life-changing injuries and undertaken challenging training programs to prepare themselves for the conditions they will face in Antarctica.

Trekking around 15km to 20km per day, the teams will endure temperatures as low as minus 45C and 80km/h winds as they pull their 70kg sleds, known as pulks, towards the southern-most point on the globe.

They hope to reach the geographic South Pole by December 16.

The UK Team Glenfiddich have been joined by Harry, Team Soldier On from the Commonwealth counts actor Dominic West among their number, while the US Team Noom Coach lines up alongside actor Alexander Skarsgard.

Each team also has a mentor and a polar guide.

Each team will represent and raise funds for military charities from the constituent nations: Soldier On from Canada, Soldier On from Australia, Soldiers to Summits from the US and Walking With The Wounded from the UK.

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Storm warning as hail hits the Gabba

NT residents are being urged to make final preparations as tropical Cyclone Alessia heads for the coast.

STORMS are hitting Brisbane, bringing hail and damaging winds.

Places in the firing line are Brisbane, Logan, Ipswich, Somerset and the Redlands.

The Weather Bureau warns that storms have built up in the Lake Manchester area, west of Brisbane.

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They are forecast to affect Wacol and Archerfield by 2.05 pm and Slacks Creek, Tingalpa Reservoir and Camp Hill by 2.35pm.

At least one home has been destroyed by a tornado that whipped through northern NSW.

Damaging winds and large hailstones are likely.

Storms have stopped play at the Gabba about 2pm.

Residents in the Wide Bay and Burnett, southeast coast and parts of the Central Highlands and Coalfields, Capricornia, Maranoa and Warrego and Darling Downs and Granite Belt also should prepare.

Places likely to see some activity include Maroochydore, Gympie, Kingaroy, Noosa and Biloela.

Storms roll over Brisbane, as seen from Kangaroo Point Cliffs. Pic: Adam Smith

Earlier, The Courier-Mail reported sunny conditions are forecast for the first cricket Test at the Gabba on Monday while in the north graziers are bracing for storms and showers as the first cyclone of the season pushes moisture inland over the drought-hit Gulf of Carpentaria.

It follows a weekend of storms that started in the Maranoa and Warrego yesterday before sweeping southeast, roughing up the Inglewood, Warwick, Lockyer Valley, Laidley, Rosewood and Ipswich districts.

Weather Bureau forecaster Michael Knepp said there would be little chance of rain saving England at the Gabba.

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Storms roll over Brisbane, as seen from Kangaroo Point Cliffs. Pic: Adam Smith

"Of course we still might get a storm or showers today,'' he said. "But after that, the whole week should be okay," he said.

"The next round of activity won't be until late Friday or Saturday when a trough comes through.

"There's very little chance of any interruptions with the cricket tomorrow.''

Mr Knepp said Cyclone Alessia was moving east towards Queensland at 20km/hr and - despite being a long way away - its moisture-laden winds were expected to bring showers and storms to the Gulf and northern parts.

Storms roll over Brisbane, as seen from Kangaroo Point Cliffs. Pic: Adam Smith

The cyclone was 100km off the coast at 9am and flood warnings had been issued for the NT.

The monsoon trough is expected to drift south through the week, allowing monsoon rain areas to extend from the Gulf Country to Queensland's east north coast and Tablelands.

It will see scattered showers and thunderstorms from the northern interior across to the central coast.

Rollingstone just north of Townsville had 120mm overnight, the highest falls recorded in the state in the 24 hours to 9am.

Storm clouds north of Moonie, Western Darling Downs, Saturday afternoon. Pic: Jeff Higgins. Higgins Storm Chasing

"There have been falls of 50mm to 60mm around Normanton, Kowanyama had 28mm, Miranda Downs 30mm but it's likely there were heavier falls around that that,'' he said.

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"We don't have a lot of rain gauges out there in the Gulf so we just don't know.

"How much we get up there is highly dependent on the movement of the tropical cyclone. If it moves towards the NT-Queensland border as a low, we could get quite a lot of rainfall.''

Top of Bunya Mountains looking west out over the Darling Downs. Things are really brewing up out here today! Picture courtesy: Jeff Higgins / Higgins Storm Chasing

Some cumulative rainfall totals over the past week include Bowen 295.3mm, Georgetown 74mm, Richmond 44.8mm and Charters Towers 53.6mm.

Overnight in the southeast, Junction View, southeast of Toowoomba, had 69mm, Nanango 62mm, nearby Brooklands 72mm, Amberley 52mm, Churchill 55mm, Coolangatta 26mm, Currumbin Creek 42mm, North Stradbroke Island 37mm, O'Reilly's 36mm, Tallebudgera Creek Dam 41mm.

Goondiwindi had 31mm while in the north Mareeba had 79mm, Chillagoe 50mm, Ingham 58mm and Coen on Cape York 67mm. Falls around Brisbane were mostly in the teens.

By tomorrow, the monsoon trough should extend from the northwest, across the tropical interior and south to the Fraser Island area with showers and thunderstorms contracting to its north.

Bowen certainly has copped some rain!! Thankfully tide was out bit still water is still through some houses and cars. Picture: Tash Edwards

A drier air mass should dominate to the south.

Last night, forecasters said the line of storms that barrelled through the southeast corner had started to weaken by 10.30pm and were likely to reach the Sunshine Coast by 1am.

"They have weakened over the past hour but we are still seeing some intense bursts of rainfall and the odd significant wind gust," said Bureau of Meteorology senior forecaster Brett Harrison.

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Bowen certainly has copped some rain!! Thankfully tide was out bit still water is still through some houses and cars. Picture: Tash Edwards

Early reports suggested one house was completely demolished and up to 30 other homes were reportedly damaged in the Rosewood and Pine Mountain area near Ipswich, although this could not be confirmed by emergency services.

"We have dodged three big storms lately, but we really copped it tonight,'' said Ipswich Mayor Paul Pisasale late on Saturday.

"One has collapsed completely and 25 to 30 have got damage at various degrees.

"No-one has been injured so far as we know.''

Bowen certainly has copped some rain!! Thankfully tide was out bit still water is still through some houses and cars. Picture: Tash Edwards

On Saturday night, the heaviest falls were recorded at Junction View, south of Gatton, with up to 62mm of rain dumped in just over an hour.

Wind gusts of up to 92km/h were recorded at Amberley at the height of the storm.

Golf ball-size hail was dropped near Inglewood, Ipswich and Warwick, but senior forecaster Brett Harrison said there had been no reports since 5.30pm Saturday.

Energex reported more than 5000 homes across the southeast were without power at around 10pm.

More showers and thunderstorms are expected to brew on Sunday, with the activity likely to be closer to the southeast coast.

Mr Harrison said November had certainly made up for a late start to the storm season.

"This time of year is when we expect there to be a large number of severe thunderstorms," he said.

"The main trigger is the upper trough."

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A severe thunderstorm warning had been issued at 10.58pm for damaging wind and heavy rainfall in the Sunshine Coast and Cherbourg Shire areas and for parts of the Gympie, Moreton Bay, Somerset, South Burnett and Toowoomba areas.

Damaging winds and heavy rainfall that may lead to flash flooding were likely, the Bureau of Meteorology warned.

The warning came after several thunderstorms rolled across southern Queensland throughout Saturday.

Residents reported seeing hail stones, lightning strikes, strong winds and heavy rain across the area.

By 9.15pm, the State Emergency Services had received 47 requests for help through the Rosewood, Hatton Vale, Marburg, Amberley, Ipswich and Brisbane CBD areas.

A spokeswoman said the requests related to structural damage to homes, fallen trees and general storm and flood damage.

"There was significant roof damage to houses in Lower Mt Walker, near Laidley," she said.

A 92 km/h wind gust was recorded at Amberley Airport at 7.45pm, an 87 km/h wind gust was recorded at Gold Coast Seaway at 8.30pm and a 79 km/h wind gust was recorded at Inner Beacon (Moreton Bay) at 8:55pm.

Wild weather also battered northern NSW on Saturday, with a twister destroying at least one home.

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- additional reporting by Kate McKenna

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