Abbott should act on PNG

FORMER prime minister Malcolm Fraser has called on Tony Abbott to act on corruption allegations levelled at his Papua New Guinea counterpart, Peter O'Neill.

POLICE in PNG last week issued an arrest warrant for Mr O'Neill to answer questions about an ongoing corruption investigation.

Mr O'Neill responded by dismissing the warrant as politically motivated, and then sacking his attorney general and deputy police commissioner as well as shutting down the anti corruption watchdog, Task Force Sweep.Sweep Chairman Sam Koim appeared on the ABC on Monday to ask Australia to withdraw its support for Mr O'Neill and demand he respect the rule of law."Abbott urged to act on PNG allegations," Mr Fraser tweeted on Tuesday."He should."Mr Abbott has previously said the political situation in PNG is an internal matter.But Mr Koim says Australia should keep a close eye on what's going on because the country spends about $500 million in aid on PNG each year."Part of that money is spent to develop the rule of law in our country," Mr Koim told ABC's 7.30 Report on Monday."Right now what's happening is not a political situation, it is the enforcement of the rule of law."The institutions of government are trying to uphold the rule of law and one person is using his position and power to undermine the rule of law."Mr Koim is in Canberra to meet with foreign minister Julie Bishop."This kind of political volatility does not assist PNG in advancing the interests of their citizens," Ms Bishop told Sky News on Tuesday.Mr O'Neill last week sacked attorney-general Kerenga Kua and deputy police commissioner Simon Kauba.Ms Bishop has also spoken to her PNG counterpart to register Canberra's concerns.She emphasised PNG was "a dear friend" to Australia."Political instability certainly does not help that transition to a more prosperous and stable nation," she said.Mr O'Neill has faced calls to step aside and answer questions over the past week, including from Sir Michael Somare, PNG's first prime minister.Former PNG PM Pias Wingti has backed Mr O'Neill.Meanwhile, a crowd of about 800 people have gathered in Port Moresby to demand Mr O'Neill front police.

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Greste family weighs bid for pardon

The family of Australian journalist Peter Greste may seek a pardon from Egypt's new president. Source: AAP

THE family of Australian journalist Peter Greste may seek a pardon from Egypt's new president, fearing a legal appeal could take too long.

LOIS and Juris Greste have told of their despair after a Cairo court sentenced their son to seven years in jail for reporting on the aftermath of the 2013 coup that ousted Islamist president Mohamed Morsi.

Greste and some of his Al Jazeera colleagues were jailed for reporting false news in the wake of the coup, and supporting Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood, which has been declared a terrorist organisation.His Brisbane-based parents have vowed they'll never stop fighting to free their son.Mrs Greste on Tuesday said that seeking a pardon from new President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi was "probably the very first thing" the family would consider."Absolutely," she told reporters in Brisbane."It's one of the options. We're not going to talk any further about it."A legal appeal is also an option, but there are fears that process could be very lengthy.Mr Greste said the conditions his son was enduring in jail weighed heavily on him."Where he is being held, certainly by Australian standards, would be considered conditions of severe punishment," he said."I'm depressed at that, the thought that he might have to stay in a place like that for the duration of the appeals processes, which can last sometimes months - many months."Mr Greste said his son had been jailed for upholding the principles of free speech, and that fight must never end."There will always be people, governments, and institutions wanting to limit the speaking of one's mind and telling the way we see," he said."To us, it is not just affecting the Greste family. It is also a slap in the face and a kick in the groin to Australia, as well as all fair-minded people around the world."Mrs Greste said Peter's two brothers, who are in Cairo, had not been able to see him since the verdict and sentence.She became emotional when asked about her son's mental state."This will be a hard time for him, but I know he'll get through it. He'll be okay."Mr Greste said the Egyptian government had given them hope, but that was ripped away with Monday's court result."The message we got from Egyptian authorities did give us great confidence for everything other than this outcome," he said.The couple said Foreign Minister Julie Bishop had assured them the Australian government would continue lobbying Egypt to free their son.Ms Bishop earlier said she'd been advised that no appeal for clemency or a presidential pardon could occur until all legal proceedings had concluded, including any appeal.

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Alleged gang rape disgusting: NSW police

Police are hunting six men involved in the alleged rape of a 16-year-old girl in Sydney's west. Source: AAP

THE gang rape of a 16-year-old girl in a Western Sydney car park stairwell has disgusted police.

THE girl was in the Liverpool library forecourt on Saturday night after using the council's free wi-fi internet when six men approached her and invited her to meet a mutual friend.

She was then allegedly sexually assaulted by two of the men in the stairwell of a nearby car park while the other men failed to stop the attack, police say.The teenage girl is traumatised says Superintendent Peter Gillam, but she is helping police with their inquires."(I'm) obviously very disgusted," he told reporters in Liverpool on Tuesday."It's something that shouldn't happen in Liverpool or anywhere."After the assault, the girl returned to the library forecourt and told a bystander, who called the police.The men, described as African in appearance and aged in their 20s, were last seen walking toward a Macquarie Street shopping centre.Supt Gillam stressed that the attack appeared to be a one-off, random incident and had nothing to do with any race-related issue.Detectives are calling for anyone with information to come forward.The attack follows two similar assaults in Sydney's west this year.In February, a girl was allegedly the victim of a pack rape in a Doonside park.Four teenagers were charged over the alleged attack.Two months later, two teenage girls were coaxed off a Sydney train and raped in a Fairfield park.

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Blizzards, damaging winds forecast for NSW

DAMAGING winds and blizzard conditions are forecast for parts of NSW as a strong frontal system crosses the state.

THE Bureau of Meteorology is predicting strong northwesterly winds, affecting the Snowy Mountains, Southern Tablelands, South West Slopes and the ACT on Monday.

They are expected to intensify throughout Monday with snowfall in the west of the Snowy Mountains.Blizzards are expected on the South West Slopes and higher peaks of the ACT ranges on Tuesday.Damaging winds up to 80km/h with gusts up to 110 km/h are expected to extend to the coast and Central Ranges by Tuesday afternoon.The SES advises residents in these areas to move vehicles away from trees and secure loose outdoor items.

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Heavy rains in China kill 26

26 people are dead and three are missing in southern China after five days of rainstorms. Source: AAP

FIVE days of rainstorms in southern China have left 26 people dead and another three missing.

IT has also led to direct economic losses of 4 billion yuan ($A703.27 million), according to the country's Ministry of Civil Affairs.

A total of 337,000 people have been evacuated from the areas and 115,000 are in urgent need of relief supplies as a result of the rainstorms that started on Wednesday, the ministry said in a statement on Sunday.Eleven of the fatalities occurred in Hunan province, where another two people are missing, the ministry said. The five other provinces where people have died included Jiangxi and Fujian.The rainstorms across nine provinces have led to floods and landslides, and toppled more than 8700 houses, damaged another 66,000 and left 42,000 hectares of crops unusable, the statement said.

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Win for endangered woylie efforts

BOUNDING away in the blink of an eye, releasing a woylie into the wild is a challenging task for Department of Parks and Wildlife officers.

BUT their efforts have been rewarded, having recently achieved the largest translocation of the critically endangered species ever undertaken in Western Australia.

Woylies are small kangaroo-like marsupials that were once widespread across Australia.But due to the threat of predators like foxes and feral cats, they are now found in only a handful of locations in WA, South Australia and western NSW.In June, 181 woylies were captured in the Perup Sanctuary near Manjimup and relocated to two separate sites in nearby state forest that are regularly baited and monitored for introduced predators.The 420ha fenced-off sanctuary supports the most genetically diverse woylie population in WA, with numbers increasing from 41 to about 600 over the past four years.Environment Minister Albert Jacob said it was becoming increasingly important to translocate some of the woylies into areas outside the enclosure as the sanctuary neared capacity.It was also important to introduce new woylies to ensure ongoing genetic diversity and population health among the species, Mr Jacob said.It is believed the woylie population peaked a decade ago at more than 250,000, but numbers have since declined by about 90 per cent.In September 2013, woylies were classified as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, meaning they are on the brink of extinction in the wild.

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Hobart's nude swim doubles in size

More than 500 have taken the brisk plunge into the River Derwent for Hobart's second nude swim. Source: AAP

THERE was a time when getting your tackle out at dawn in Hobart meant trying to bag a few flathead.

BUT more than 500 brave souls have taken the brisk plunge into the River Derwent for Hobart's second winter solstice nude swim, which is part of the Dark MOFO arts festival.

That more than doubled last year's inaugural swim, which saw 230 embracing the midwinter.Temperatures were kinder too, with the air around 7C on a clear morning and the water a relative bath at 11C."You get your gear off and you're all the same," swimmer David Day said on Sunday."You're just people, you're beings and all just sharing it together."Summoned by the beats of a Buddhist drum, participants clad only in their souvenir red swimming caps took the plunge at sunrise, exactly 7.42am.Plenty of screams were audible but surf life savers reported no problems as the swimmers made for a row of buoys around 50 metres off Long Beach at Sandy Bay.After a controversial lead-up last year which resulted in the swim being moved from a different location, police are now describing it as a "very well organised event".A small group patrolled the area, while officers also waited offshore in a police boat.The event looks like remaining an annual fixture and Hobart Lord Mayor Damon Davies, who swam last year, is embracing the potential for the island capital to become a nude swim destination."I think it could become one of the special events of the year and this whole beach will be taken over," he said.Organisers, who were asked to cap the numbers in 2013, now say they expect the event to grow again in 2015."We have a philosophy that anyone that wants to swim can swim," Dark MOFO's Kate Gould said."It's a nice problem to have if everybody wants to swim."Dark MOFO, the Museum of Old and New Art (MONA)'s winter festival, has taken Hobart by storm with tourists and locals flocking to its concerts, exhibitions and waterfront feast.Organisers are confident of bettering last year's attendance figure of 128,000.

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Qld ministers meeting in Palmer's seat

QUEENSLAND cabinet ministers are meeting in Clive Palmer's Sunshine Coast electorate only days after the mining magnate confirmed he would be suing the deputy premier.

MINISTERS and department heads are holding a community forum, with approved participants, at Maroochydore on Sunday afternoon followed by a cabinet meeting in the same beachside suburb on Monday, at the Mike Ahern Centre.

Maroochydore is within Mr Palmer's federal electorate of Fairfax.The cabinet meeting would also be held just three days after Mr Palmer lodged a defamation writ against Deputy Premier Jeff Seeney in the Supreme Court.Mr Palmer is suing Mr Seeney for defamation over an ABC television interview where he alleged the mining tycoon sought special favours for his Waratah Coal interests in the Galilee Basin in 2012.The federal MP is also suing Premier Campbell Newman for defamation after the premier claimed that he tried to "buy" the Queensland government.A spokesman for Mr Newman denied there was any symbolism with a community cabinet being held in Mr Palmer's seat."No symbolism there," he told AAP, adding community cabinets had been held across regional Queensland in Bowen, Cooktown and Townsville."Don't read too much into it."Opposition Leader Annastacia Palaszczuk said the premier had not held a media conference during the past week, which included the governor's approval of controversial chief justice pick Tim Carmody."The premier has been in hiding now for over a week, afraid to front the music, afraid to talk to people in this state," she told reporters in Brisbane on Sunday.

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NSW teenager survives 80m cliff fall

A TEENAGER'S survival from an 80-metre cliff plunge in NSW's Hunter Valley is "mind-boggling".

THE 17-year-old and a group of friends were trying to get into a dance party in Watagan State Forest, 20 kilometres west of Lake Macquarie, on Saturday night when he fell down the sheer rock face about 10.30pm on Saturday.

Emergency services and local volunteers abseiled down the cliff about 4am and spent the rest of the night with the injured teenager.He was winched to safety about 10.30am and flown to Newcastle's John Hunter Hospital with broken bones and suspected internal injuries and is in a serious but stable condition."I don't know how he has survived, and the doctors and the paramedics are saying the same thing," said a spokesman for the Westpac Rescue Helicopter.Acting Superintendent Murray Lundberg said the teenager's survival was "mind boggling"."I haven't got words to describe his fortunate luck," he said.He said the teenager and his mates were camping in the forest when they came across the dance party and were denied entry.The youth apparently thought he could get into the function from around the back, through the bush, with no lights and no knowledge of the terrain, "and he's just fallen off the side of a cliff".A number of trees had to be chopped down before the teen could be winched aboard the helicopter.It's understood the boy was trying to get into Solstium Shadows - A Winter Solstice Bush Gathering.The two-day rave was being held at a site off Rope Road, in the heart of the forest.

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Murdered man's car found on Gold Coast

A MISSING car belonging to a suspected murder victim has been found on the Gold Coast.

SHAUN Barker was reported missing by his family in January, having last been seen at a service station in the Gold Coast suburb of Broadbeach on December 10.

Forestry workers found a skull off Cooloola Coast Road in Tin Can Bay - about 300km north of the Sunshine Coast - on April 10 and forensic examinations identified it as Mr Barker's.Police announced on Saturday they have since made a breakthrough in the case, finding Mr Barker's missing vehicle.After a tip-off, it was found during a foot search on a track at Pacific Pines, about 20km from where he was last seen.Investigations are continuing and police are appealing for information about Mr Barker's movements around December 10.

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US and NZ unite in climate change fight

Barack Obama has praised NZ PM John Key as a key ally in his efforts to tackle climate change. Source: AAP

US President Barack Obama has praised New Zealand Prime Minister John Key as a key ally in his crusade to tackle climate change.

WHILE Australia may have dropped off as a partner with the election of Tony Abbott as prime minister, Obama says the US and New Zealand will work closely together ahead of next year's climate change conference in Paris where the world's first global agreement could be hammered out.

The Kiwi prime minister visited the White House on Friday, a little over a week after Abbott met the president in the Oval Office.Obama and Key were so cosy the president announced he'd visit New Zealand, possibly later this year."I would love to come to New Zealand because I hear it is really nice," Obama said."I know the people are nice because I've had a chance to meet them."We are going to be working with my schedule to see what I can come up with if not this year but certainly before the end of my presidency."Obama and Key discussed a range of issues, including the ongoing negotiations for the 12-nation trade Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), North Korea, China and the world economy.On the environment, Obama said the two nations would robustly work together ahead of Paris."We had a good conversation about climate change where New Zealand has been an excellent partner with us and other economies recognising that this is a threat that none of us can solve individually and we are going to have to work on together," Obama said."So we discussed our plans for putting forward robust action in 2015 with the upcoming Paris conference."Key made headlines at a US Chamber of Commerce event in Washington DC on Thursday when he said Japan should be cut out of the TPP trade talks if it doesn't open up its markets to more farm imports.Other potential TPP members are Australia, Canada, Peru, Malaysia, Singapore, Chile, Brunei, Vietnam and Mexico.Obama had made a deadline for the TPP to be negotiated by the end of 2013, but now he hopes to have a deal close to being signed in November."We discussed a timeline where by before the end of the year we are able to get a document that can create jobs both in New Zealand and the United States and the other countries that are participating and expand wealth for all parties concerned," Obama said."Our hope is by the time we see each other again in November, when I travel to Asia, we should have something that we have consulted with Congress about, that the public can take a look at and we can make a forceable argument to go ahead and close the deal."But, we have a lot of work to do between now and then."Key was also upbeat."New Zealand and the United States have been the two partners, I think, in the Trans Pacific Partnership who have always believed in a high-quality, comprehensive deal," Key said."I think that can be achieved."There's more work to be done, but the prize at the end of those negotiations is well worth it for both of our economies and the other 10 partners that will join us."

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Great white shark numbers are surging

Great white shark numbers are surging in the western North Atlantic, a study shows. Source: AAP

GREAT white shark numbers are surging in the western North Atlantic after decades of decline.

A NEW study by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration scientists says great white abundance in the area has climbed since about 2000.

The scientists report the shark's growing numbers are due to conservation efforts and greater availability of prey.The Journal PLOS ONE published the study on Friday.It adds recent unpublished data to previously published records to create a dataset of 649 confirmed white shark sightings from 1800 to 2010.Study author Cami McCandless says the data reveal "the species appears to be recovering".The reports says white shark abundance in the western North Atlantic collapsed in the 1970s and '80s and is now down more than 30 per cent from its historical high estimate in 1961.

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Aussie food growers hurt by poor labelling

Misleading labels on supermarket shelves are hurting Australian food manufacturers, inquiry told. Source: AAP

AUSTRALIAN food growers and producers are being hurt by confusing food labelling crowding supermarket shelves, an inquiry has heard.

REPRESENTATIVES from SPC Ardmona, which sources 97 per cent of its produce from Australian growers, say consumers want to buy locally grown and processed foods but unclear or misleading labelling is making it difficult.

SPC's sales jumped after reports that the company's future was under threat put its Victorian cannery workers on the front page of newspapers, an inquiry into food labelling heard on Friday.But the company says increasingly complicated chains of production were difficult to represent simply on food packaging, to the detriment of genuine local producers."'Australian Made', it just doesn't mean anything to people any more," SPC strategy manager Shalini Valecha told the hearing in Melbourne.SPC sales manager Steve Mickan said those who wanted to make choices based on their food's country of origin faced a sea of labels, including "Product of Australia", "Proudly Australian" and "Manufactured in Australia"."Most people and consumers want to know where their food is manufactured," Mr Mickan said."Consumers are being misled by the use of iconic Australian symbols and images that give consumers a false impression a product is Australian when in fact it's not."Australian Manufacturing Workers Union division secretary Tom Hale said the value of locally made and produced food was so potent, the publicity surrounding SPC prompted major supermarkets to emphasise their local credentials in their advertising."Woolworths and Coles, particularly since SPC, have been making a big deal about the fact 'we sell Australian products'," Mr Hale said."The labelling gives these manufacturers who are genuinely producing in Australia an advantage in the marketplace."He said those that weren't using Australian labour and produce shouldn't be given that advantage.The House of Representatives standing committee on agriculture and industry is investigating country-of-origin food labelling.Mr Hale said SPC sales had jumped by as much as 50 per cent after the publicity surrounding the threat to local jobs.The company confirmed sales growth."We've seen categories that were either in decline or static go into growth and in some retailers significant growth," Mr Mickan said.

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Doctors overlooking post-op delirium

Doctors are regularly failing to recognise bouts of delirium after patients undergo anaesthesia. Source: AAP

DOCTORS are regularly failing to recognise bouts of delirium after patients undergo anaesthesia, an intensive care physician warns.

PROFESSOR Yahya Shehabi will tell an Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists meeting in Sydney on Saturday that disordered and erratic thoughts, behavioural changes and self-harm go unrecognised despite potentially signalling other health problems.

Prof Shehabi said awareness of post-anaesthetic delirium was "a new comer to critical care" and better tools were needed to treat it, given it's associated with an increased risk of cognitive decline, accelerated dementia and death.Post-operative delirium occurs in one in five patients, but medical staff don't know how to diagnose an episode, which could last from hours to days, he said."For every day delirium occurs there is 35 days of impaired cognitive and executive function - people are unable to go back to their normal work," Prof Shehabi said in a statement."Post-operative delirium is not a benign phenomenon - it is a serious and malignant complication that heralds the onset of acute brain dysfunction."Prof Shehabi said said delirium was likely caused by several factors, including age, complex surgery, concurrent infection and the depth of anaesthesia.

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Guns, snakes, drugs found at Rebels' homes

Guns, snakes and drugs have been seized in Sydney's west as police target an outlaw bikie gang. Source: AAP

GUNS, snakes and drugs have been seized in Sydney's west as police target an outlaw bikie gang.

FOUR men were also arrested as Strike Force Raptor continued its investigation into the Rebels motorcycle gang, police say.

On Thursday morning, a 47-year-old life member of the Rebels was arrested in Macquarie Fields.He was charged with 16 offences including commercial drug supply, ongoing drug supply and possession of a knife in a public place.The man's arrest lead to four properties being searched - two in Macquarie Fields, one in Minto and another in Raby, police say.Weapons, ammunition, pythons and drugs were found at the several of the properties.Three Rebels associates, aged 33, 41 and 49, were arrested and charged with offences including possess drug and possess protected fauna.All four men will appear in Campbelltown Local Court on Friday.Police say a 64-year-old Rebels associate, who lives at the Raby property, will be issued with a Court Attendance Notice for firearm and weapon offences.

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Psychiatric drugs soar among Aussie kids

THE use of powerful psychiatric drugs is soaring among Australian children as young as 10, research shows.

THE number of prescriptions for antipsychotic drugs jumped 49 per cent among 10 to 14 year olds over a four-year period, according to a study of government subsidised prescriptions.

The number of prescriptions for antidepressants increased by more than a third in that age group, according to figures for 2009 to 2012 published in the latest issue of the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry.Among people of all age groups, the study shows a 26 per cent increase in ADHD medication, a 23 per cent increase in antipsychotics and a 16 per cent increase in antidepressants.There has been a 35 per cent jump in the use of the ADHD medication Ritalin.Part of the reason for this is an increase in the number of teenagers and adults using the medication.The study shows ADHD medication increased 71 per cent for 20 to 24 year olds and 37 per cent for people aged 25 and older.The rise was 26 per cent for children aged three to nine, 15 per cent for 10 to 14 year olds, 33 per cent for 15 to 19 year olds.Research leader Professor Iain McGregor called for a discussion about whether the benefits of medication outweigh the hazards, particularly in children and in those suffering mild to moderate distress."We need to have a national debate about what is driving this phenomenon."Why are we so reliant on meds for our mental wellbeing?"Clinical Psychologist Andrew Fuller described the study as "massively" concerning, but not surprising."We seem to have a growing proportion of young people showing signs of vulnerability in terms of mental health issues.Some of the prescriptions could be partly because of the agitation of the patient or their parent, or anxiety of the doctor who wants to resolve the issue as quickly as possible, he says."Often the medication is seen as the solution. ADHD medication is highly prescribed, but sadly very rarely given together with other forms of treatment."For depression, talk therapy is very powerful. So is exercise or meditation techniques."These could be used on their own or together with medication, he says. But they take longer than medication to kick in.

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Infratil selling Australian business

ENERGY, airport and transport investor Infratil says it has provided interested parties with a confidential information memorandum on its Infratil Energy Australia (IEA) business.

THE Wellington-based investor, which is managed by Morrison & Co, expects indicative offers for the assets by mid-July.

It flagged, with its results in May, that it had started a review of the Lumo and Direct Connect Australia units of IEA to determine whether to sell the businesses.Earnings at IEA fell to $78 million in the year ended March 31, from $97.7m a year earlier, with the decline inflated in the company's books by the effect of translating earnings back into a strong kiwi dollar.

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Vic Libs deny pre-poll talks with Rise Up

THE Liberals have not held preference discussions with the hard-right Rise Up Australia Party ahead of Victoria's election, a government minister says.

PASTOR Danny Nalliah, who leads the Christian Rise Up party, says he spoke to a Liberal candidate representing the party executive about preferences in the lead up to the November 29 poll.

His party plans to run lower house candidates in all marginal seats and two candidates for each upper house district."We had a discussion on the 6th June, we spoke on a few things," Mr Nalliah told Fairfax Radio on Thursday."(Preferences) will go to the person who will ideally stand with the values we stand for as Rise Up Australia Party ... to keep Australia Australian."We as a party very much oppose the concept of multiculturalism and we want to see an Australia which is multi-ethnic."Mr Nalliah, whose party wants to ban the Islamic face veil and has been critical of former prime minister Julia Gillard for living in sin, has also suggested the Black Saturday fires were caused by weakened abortion laws.Minister for Planning and Multicultural Affairs Matthew Guy says the only people authorised to determine preferences are the Liberal Party state president and director."I'm advised they haven't had any discussions coming into this election," he told reporters on Thursday."Obviously there are elements in their platform that certainly concern me as multicultural affairs minister."

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Govt to model impact of petrol tax

The Abbott government is facing internal questions about the return of regular petrol tax hikes. Source: AAP

THE federal government is to model the impact of fuel tax rises after concerns were raised in the coalition party room.

FUEL excise indexation is due to resume in August, following a decision made in the May federal budget.

Coalition MPs on Tuesday approved four pieces of legislation to allow it to go ahead.The laws will soon go to parliament for approval.Treasurer Joe Hockey was asked at Tuesday's meeting of the Nationals and Liberals in Canberra whether he could get his department to model what impact it would have on people in rural and regional areas.Another MP told the meeting it was important that the government clarify the main reason behind the tax change, which is to boost spending on roads.Mr Hockey said he would have the modelling done.Prime Minister Tony Abbott told the meeting that every measure in the budget was necessary, justifiable and important.He said the government's job was to be firm, stick together and stay the course.All the Labor opposition was offering was a "long despairing screech", he said.Facing criticism from the local government sector over budget cuts, Deputy Prime Minister Warren Truss told the meeting every level of government needed to bear its share of the burden.Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said the Labor Party had actively undermined the national interest by being critical of the prime minister's visit to North America.The Liberal Party will put forward Stephen Parry as its nominee to replace John Hogg as Senate president in July.Senator David Bushby will be chief Senate whip, while Senator Anne Ruston and Senator David Fawcett will be deputy whips.

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Vic premier encourages early Shaw apology

VICTORIAN Premier Denis Napthine is encouraging rogue MP Geoff Shaw to offer an early apology for misusing his entitlements.

THE balance-of-power MP has been ordered to apologise to the parliament by September 2 for misusing his parliamentary car and entitlements.

"I encourage him to apologise earlier than that," Dr Napthine told reporters on Tuesday."A general apology and then a specific apology in the parliament, I think, would be the appropriate thing."Last Friday, Mr Shaw apologised during a comedy show, just days after he was suspended from parliament and told to apologise and repay more than $6800.Dr Napthine says he has not spoken to the Frankston MP and has no plans to."He's done the wrong thing and he should show his remorse. He should apologise, he should accept the penalty, in terms of the financial payments, he should accept the penalty, in terms of his suspension from the parliament and he should genuinely be apologetic and remorseful for his wrongful behaviour."Dr Napthine said if Mr Shaw fails to apologise he will be showing his absolute contempt for the parliament, his constituents and all Victorians.The Liberal-turned-independent held the balance of power in the Legislative Assembly, so his suspension leaves the government and the opposition locked at 43 members each.

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Local vaccination objection rate doubles

THE number of Australian children formally registered each year as a vaccination objector has doubled in the past decade.

THERE were just over 2000 children whose parents registered them as vaccination objectors during 2002, ensuring they go without childhood immunisations, and in 2013 the figure was almost 4000.

There are "pockets" - such as coastal and hinterland NSW and Queensland - where around one in 10 children born in 2013 were registered as vaccine objectors.Nationally, the official vaccination objection rate increased from 1.1 per cent of all children to 2.0 per cent over the period."I wouldn't be alarmed by the increase overall for Australia," epidemiologist Brynley Hull, from the National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance, told AAP on Tuesday."But I would be alarmed by the high rates in particular regions of Australia, where we have high objection rates and consequently you get low coverage and susceptible children."If someone comes into these areas with a disease then it can spread a lot easier - that would be my take home message, these hotbeds of objection."These areas include the Richmond Valley in NSW, where the official vaccination objection rate in 2013 was 10.8 per cent. Noosa (7.2), Nambour (8.4) and NSW's Sunshine Coast hinterland (8.5) also figure highly.The study also found suburbs in the top 10 per cent of affluent post codes had higher rates of vaccination objection compared to poorer suburbs.Most families who lodge an objection notice do so when their child is less than two years old.The study took in Medicare-compiled data from the Australian Childhood Immunisation Register, to assess the number of families who lodge a vaccination objection notice each year.Mr Hull presented the data at a national immunisation conference in Melbourne.

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PNG top cop jailed, bailed and knighted

PAPUA New Guinea's police commissioner has been jailed, bailed and knighted in the space of a weekend.

AND in what could make for one of the most awkward knighting ceremonies in history, the judge who sentenced commissioner Tom Kulunga on Friday, Gibbs Salika, has also been knighted as part of the Queen's 2014 birthday honours list.

Mr Kulunga was sentenced on Friday to seven months hard labour after the national court found him guilty on three contempt charges for failing to follow through on an earlier court order to reinstate a sacked policeman.Port Moresby-based The Post Courier reports Mr Kulunga was released late on Friday night on $A4128 bail.On Saturday it was announced Mr Kulunga would become a Knight Bachelor for services to policing, while Justice Salika would become a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire for services to the judiciary.Despite his legal problems, Mr Kulunga's knighthood will stand until after his case reaches appeal, said Tipo Vuatha, official secretary to PNG governor-general Sir Michael Ogio."According to the chairman [of the honours committee], we cannot do much," Mr Vuatha told AAP."His case is still pending because of the appeal, so therefore what has been given will stand until the case is heard again."A knighthood ceremony is expected in Port Moresby in October, Mr Vuatha said.A spokesman for Mr Kulunga has not responded to questions from AAP.In making his judgement on Friday, Justice Salika noted Mr Kulunga's 40 years of service to PNG policing, but said he had no choice but to reinstate the sacked officer pursuant to the original 2012 court order.

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Melbourne tunnel gets mobile coverage

The mobile phone black spot in Melbourne's city loop train tunnel will be fixed by end of the year. Source: AAP

MELBOURNE train passengers will no longer have an excuse to get someone off the phone.

TELSTRA and Optus have joined with the state government to offer full mobile coverage through Melbourne's city loop tunnel.

Premier Denis Napthine said the black spot cost Melbourne millions of dollars in lost productivity."It's the 21st century, we need full connectivity," Dr Napthine told reporters on Monday.He said the cost was commercial-in-confidence, but 3G services would be delivered by the end of the year.

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Hong Kong tourist injured in Perth mugging

A 31-YEAR-OLD tourist is nursing a fractured eye socket after being mugged in the Perth CBD.

THE woman, who had just arrived from Hong Kong, was walking across from the Esplanade Bus Port on Sunday evening when she was approached by a man who engaged her in conversation.

He walked with her along Mounts Bay Road before seriously assaulting her and stealing her shopping bag.He ran off, leaving his victim with severe bruising and swelling to her eye, and fractures to her eye socket.The man is described as about 30 years old, 165cm to 170cm tall, with short blond hair, dark streaks and a rats tail at the back.He was wearing a t-shirt and a denim style jacket with no sleeves.Anyone who may have witnessed the incident or knows the identity of the man is asked to contact police.

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Qld chief justice critics told to shut up

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

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

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

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

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Four hospitalised in NT after taking drug

Four people were taken to hospital in Darwin after taking a new drug known as Snapchat. Source: AAP

FOUR people were taken to hospital in Darwin after taking a new drug known as Snapchat.

POLICE say they became aggressive and disoriented after ingesting the drug, which is named after the Snapchat phone messaging application.

Acting Superintendent Peter Schiller from Northern Territory Police said they were called to help paramedics at several locations on Friday night because the drug-takers were behaving in an "erratic and irrational" manner.One patient was admitted to intensive care and is still in hospital in a stable condition.The other three patients have since been discharged.The drug is sold in a pill that's either pink or blue with green speckles and has the logo of the Snapchat phone messaging application pressed on it."With a number of public events scheduled over the coming weeks our primary concern is that these contaminated pills will continue to be circulated," Acting Supt Schiller said in a statement."The reality is people have no idea what they are taking or worse, what affect it will have on them."The adverse and aggressive reactions people experience also places enormous pressure on emergency services."

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Firies cancer law not ruled out: Vic govt

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

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

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

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

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Time for clowning is over, Shaw told

THE time for "clown-like behaviour" is over, a Victorian government minister says, after suspended MP Geoff Shaw made an apology during a comedy event.

MR Shaw's first public appearance since his suspension from parliament, over the misuse of his parliamentary car and fuel card, was on a Melbourne stage opposite comedian Sammy J on Friday night.

In a wide-ranging Q&A session at the Wheeler Centre, Mr Shaw told the audience he was "exceptionally sorry" but also that he had been "screwed" by the parliament.Health Minister David Davis said it was time for Mr Shaw to take his suspension seriously, noting he had until September 2 to formally apologise and repay $6800 or face expulsion from parliament."I haven't heard the detail of what he's had to say, and I understand that a spokesperson of his has indicated this is not the apology he'll give to the parliament," Mr Davis told reporters in Melbourne on Saturday."Well, I think this is a serious and sober matter and the time for clown-like behaviour is over, and I think he'll need to provide that proper statement to the parliament."Mr Davis also said Premier Denis Napthine had taken strong and decisive action against the independent MP, and he denied Mr Shaw would continue to be a distraction until the November state election."The big story out of this was not Geoff Shaw," Mr Davis said."The key thing here is the parliament will get on with its work, the budget is through ... and the leadership of Denis Napthine to put in place the initiatives the state needs, I think those will shine through."Mr Shaw's suspension has left the Victorian government and opposition deadlocked on 43 votes apiece in the lower house, with the government requiring the Speaker's backing to pass legislation.

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Let's be energy superpower: Abbott

Prime Minister Tony Abbott says he wants Australia to become a global energy superpower. Source: AAP

AUSTRALIA should aim to be an affordable energy superpower, Prime Minister Tony Abbott says.

MR Abbott visited Houston - which is home to more than 100 Australian companies and 3700 energy firms - on Friday to announce a consulate-general would be established in the Texas city.

He said the permanent presence in the biggest exporting state in the US would allow Australia to "maximise the two-way trade and investment opportunities of the US energy revolution"."Australia should be an affordable energy superpower, using nature's gifts to the benefit of our own people and benefit of the wider world," Mr Abbott told the Asia Society dinner.More than 50 Fortune 500 companies have their headquarters in Texas, second only to New York.Australia is set to become the world's top exporter of liquefied natural gas and is already the largest exporter of black coal.Mr Abbott said he believed coal would continue to be an "affordable, dependable energy source" for many decades.Australia did not believe in "ostracising any particular fuel" or harming economic growth through a carbon tax, he said.But he said it was "prudent" to reduce emissions, which was why he would deliver a $2.55 billion direct action policy and encourage renewable energy such as wind, solar and geothermal.Chevron North America president Jeff Shellebarger, Australia's largest foreign investor, told the gathered chief executives that Australia was "setting the standard for resources policy".Chevron's Gorgon LNG project is Australia's single largest oil and gas investment.Ryan Lance, the chief executive of ConocoPhillips, said Australian resources were "important to the future of the world"."Your energy resources will power the region," he said.ConocoPhillips and Bechtel are building four of Australia's seven new LNG projects.Mr Abbott was later presented with a large Stetson cowboy hat.The prime minister, a Western movie fan, attracted laughter and applause when he cried out: "Yee ha!"

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Qld A-G had private dinner with Carmody

QUEENSLAND'S attorney-general had a private dinner at an upmarket Brisbane restaurant with Tim Carmody a week before he officially took over as chief magistrate.

MR Carmody, who this week was controversially appointed as the state's next chief justice, is being criticised for being too close to the government.

He was announced as Queensland's new chief magistrate on September 5 last year, and four days later he had a private dinner with Attorney-General Jarrod Bleijie at Urbane Restaurant, documents obtained by AAP show.The personal dinner between Mr Bleijie and Mr Carmody between 7pm and 8.30pm on September 9, which took place a week before he officially took over as chief magistrate, does not feature on the public diary of ministerial meetings.But Mr Bleijie told AAP through a spokesman that personal diary events were usually exempt from public reporting rules, adding the dinner with Mr Carmody was social."I do see various members of the judiciary socially from time to time," he said."That particular dinner was a congratulatory catch-up following his honour's appointment as chief magistrate."Premier Campbell Newman announced in November 2012 a policy whereby he and his cabinet would publicly release their diaries every month.Meanwhile, former solicitor-general Walter Sofronoff QC said Mr Carmody needed to reconsider his Supreme Court chief justice appointment."He shouldn't be chief justice. He should do the gracious thing and realise that all of this has been a horrible mistake and say that he wouldn't accept the appointment," he told ABC television."Judge Carmody is somebody who has, by his own actions, identified himself too closely with the government."As chief magistrate in late 2013, he angered the legal profession by issuing a directive that only he would deal with disputed bail applications made by alleged bikies.Mr Bleijie resisted calls at the time for Mr Carmody to step down as chief magistrate, while the Queensland Law Society and civil libertarians slammed Queensland's anti-bikie laws.The attorney-general's spokesman clarified that Mr Carmody's directive last year stipulated that bikie bail matters be heard in one court room.

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Girl killed by car in Perth's north

A CHILD has died after being hit by a car while walking in Perth's northern suburbs.

THE girl is believed to be aged about four.

The accident on Holley Place in Marangaroo was reported to police just after 10am (WST) on Friday.Major Crash investigators are at the scene.

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Teen batts victim's boss faces Qld court

THE employer of a teenager who died under the Rudd government's home insulation scheme has appeared in a Queensland court charged with perjury.

CHRISTOPHER Jackson, 51, is accused of lying to a coronial inquest that investigated the deaths of three insulation installers under the botched federal scheme.

The youngest victim was Rueben Barnes, 16, who was electrocuted while laying batts in the roof of a house at Stanwell, in central Queensland, on November 18, 2009.Jackson, his employer, is accused of falsely telling the Queensland inquest in March last year that he inspected Mr Barnes' work site on the morning of his death.Jackson appeared briefly in the Rockhampton Magistrates Court on Friday charged with giving false evidence.His case was adjourned until July 23.Fellow Queenslanders Matthew Fuller and Mitchell Sweeney, and Marcus Wilson from NSW, also lost their lives working under the Labor government's $2.8 billion stimulus program.A royal commission into the scheme is due to deliver its report by August 31.

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NSW funding back for city homeless, women

HOMELESS services in Sydney have been thrown a multimillion-dollar lifeline as the NSW government presses ahead with reforms to halt the "inner-city drift".

THE government had foreshadowed cuts to inner-city areas through its Going Home, Staying Home reforms, which aim to nip homelessness in the bud through a focus on early intervention in suburban, regional and rural areas.

The proposals prompted fears that specialist services, including refuges for women escaping domestic violence, would lose out.Community Services Minister Gabrielle Upton now agrees the cuts were too much, too fast.She has restored the $8.6 million in annual funding that was on the chopping block, including $2 million a year for inner-city women's services."I was concerned that the original proposal ran the risk of delivering too much change, too quickly," Ms Upton said on Friday."Let me be clear: the government was never planning to do away with women's specialist services, nor were there plans to have men and women sharing crisis accommodation."However, I have listened to the legitimate concerns of many inner-city providers and the right decision was to restore funding."She said next week's budget would include a record $148 million for NGOs delivering specialist homelessness, up from $135 million this year.It's the first tranche of a $515 million package that will be delivered over three years and will include $70 million in complementary programs.Communities in the Hunter-New England district, the mid-north coast, the Illawarra and Sydney's northern beaches will receive some of the biggest boosts."These reforms are about providing early-intervention services so that there won't be the crisis that we currently have, represented by people coming to the city in search of a safe and secure home," Ms Upton said.A new Service Support Fund will be set up so NGOs that missed out can apply for 18 months of extra assistance."This fund is all about ensuring that these very important reforms do not inadvertently create pockets of need for services previously met," Ms Upton said.The government would stand by the $515 million figure even if the federal government backed away from its National Partnership funding commitments in the next three years, Ms Upton said.The NSW opposition says the funding reprieve is a thin lifeline that comes too late for some organisations."These 60 services that have been told that they will be closing their doors are already doing so," deputy Labor leader Linda Burney told reporters."Many of them have already lost their buildings, lost their computers and lost their infrastructure."They cannot go through another tender process to prove that they're worthwhile ... The actions of Gabrielle Upton and the Baird government have caused this situation where homeless services in NSW are hanging on a thread."She said the changes created more instability for organisations catering to domestic violence victims at a time when demand was rising.

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Qantas pays off debt early

QANTAS has paid off $450 million in debt eight months early, leaving less debt to be repaid in the coming year.

The airline used the proceeds of a recent seven year loan from investors, in the form of unsecured notes, to repay the debt.

That leaves $281 million in debt to be repaid during the 2015/16 year, and $550 million in the following year.

Qantas had its credit rating downgraded to junk status in late 2013, which would increase the interest it pays on its loans.

It said it currently holds over $3 billion in cash and undrawn bank funding.

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Qld chief justice to be announced today

Chief Magistrate Tim Carmody QC is believed to be the front runner to be Queensland's Chief Justice. Source: AAP

QUEENSLAND'S premier will announce the state's next top judge on Thursday following months of speculation.

Campbell Newman has called a press conference for 2.30pm to reveal the successor to outgoing Supreme Court Chief Justice Paul de Jersey, who will become the state's next governor on July 7.

Chief Magistrate Tim Carmody QC is believed to be the front runner for the Chief Justice role.

But his potential elevation has divided Queensland's legal fraternity.

Several lawyers, including former Crown Solicitor Walter Sofronoff QC and former Supreme Court judge Richard Chesterman QC, have raised concerns over Mr Carmody's perceived closeness to the state's Liberal National government.

Earlier, Mr Newman refused to comment on whether Mr Carmody or not would be a good choice.

"There are very important things we have to take into account for the role," he said.

"We need someone who's obviously a great legal mind but we also need someone who's a terrific leader to lead our courts into the future."

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Thousands rally in Vic over federal budget

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

THOUSANDS of protesters have marched through the Melbourne city centre demanding the federal government abandon its tough budget cuts.

Led by unionists and construction workers, the crowd blocked traffic outside Trades Hall before marching to parliament house on Thursday morning.

They chanted "No ifs, no buts, we'll stop these budget cuts" as they marched.

"Comrades, we need to fight back from this budget. They say cut back, we say fight back," Maritime Union of Australia Victorian secretary Kevin Bracken said.

Rally organisers said the column of protesters that arrived at Spring Street, outside parliament house, stretched as far as Bourke Street, more than one kilometre away.

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

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

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

United Voice Victorian secretary Jess Walsh said workers were angry.

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

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Protecting reef should be priority: poll

A poll shows Australians want those in power to make protecting the Great Barrier Reef a priority. Source: AAP

MOST Australians want those in power to make protecting the Great Barrier Reef a priority, a new poll carried out on behalf of green groups shows.

Almost two thirds of the 1500 people polled nationally also said the reef had lost out to industrial development over the past few decades.

Two thirds of respondents also said the reef's World Heritage status made it more important to protect ecosystems, while a quarter said it made no difference.

But 15 per cent said Queensland's coal industry was vital to boosting the state's economy, even if it was at the expense of the reef's health.

The poll was conducted in April and May on behalf of WWF and the Australian Marine Conservation Society.

It comes less than a week before the World Heritage Committee discusses the reef's status as part of its annual meeting, which will be held in Qatar from June 15-25.

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Mazda SP25 a small car with lots of heart

It's been the formula for delivering smart performance machines virtually since Gottlieb Daimler first came up with the idea of whacking an internal combustion engine into his stagecoach 130 years ago.

There have been all manner of big-engined small cars over the years, some much better than others. More power doesn't always make a car better, after all. A V8-engined MG was one of the worst cars I've ever tested - while plonking a 3.2-litre V6 into Audi's pert little TT coupe turned out to be an exercise in getting less out of more.

But Mazda has generally hit the right balance with its SP25 - the pepped-up, bigger-engined version of its volume-selling 3 hatchback and sedan.

Effectively, it gives the car an extra 25 per cent engine capacity and a similar boost in power and torque outputs. Not a staggering departure but enough to set it nicely apart from its slightly lesser-powered siblings.

In many ways it's probably the best of all the 3 variants on offer to date. That's no feint praise as we were highly impressed by the garden-variety, 2-litre 3 we tested a few weeks back.

While there will likely be a turbo-charged MPS version at the top of the 3 range in due course, the SP25 is currently the performance benchmark - and it handles that task more than admirably.

Unlike some beefed-up small cars, the SP25 does not feel in any way overweight with an enlarged engine beneath the bonnet. If anything, it feels more sturdy and planted on the road - yet retains the nimble, agile handling characteristics we've come to expect from this model over the years.

The latest 3 not only matches and improves upon the model's great road manners - it is much, much quieter than any 3 model to go before it. The intrusive road noise that was once a bugbear of this model has all but disappeared.

The 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine is basically borrowed from the bigger Mazda6 sedan - but it mates happily with the smaller, lighter 3 hatchback and sedan configuration.

It's an impressively quiet and smooth powerplant, with mid-range torque and responsiveness particularly endearing.

That doesn't necessarily make this a particularly fast proposition - it's adequately quick without setting any benchmarks - but the added power does make the SP25 a noticeably easier, more enjoyable car to drive.

While the SkyActiv 2-litre engine of the entry-level 3 models is more than adequate, the additional torque and instant acceleration of the SP25 is a welcome addition. That torque, too, helped make the six-speed manual version we tested an easier proposition.

The SP25 also offers an upgraded level of specification at a still-accessible price - a tick over $25-grand for the entry-level variant. There's also an SP25 GT ($30,590) and flagship SP25 Astina ($36,190) - reviving a nameplate familiar to buyers of the old Mazda 323.

As it happens we drove the cheapest of the three SP25 models on offer, with an asking price of $25,890 for the six-speed manual (a six-speed dual-clutch auto is $2000 extra). Ours also came fitted with a $1500 "safety" option that adds blind-spot warning system, a frontal collision avoidance system and rear cross-traffic alert - all well worth the asking price.

Standard kit includes auto headlights and wipers, satellite navigation, cruise control, climate control airconditioning and a comprehensive electronic safety package.

For an additional $4700 the SP25 GT adds daytime LED running lamps, adaptive bi-Xenon headlights, headed power mirrors, leather trim, power front seats and premium Bose audio system.

At the top of the range is the relaunched Astina nameplate - offering the SP25 mechanical package along with a full suite of technology and luxury items (including radar cruise control, sunroof, blind spot monitoring, forward obstruction warning, lane departure warning and city-braking system) for its substantial asking price.

Against that background, basic SP25 test machine seems like a nice place to get into the range - blending strong mechanicals with a generous amount of kit.

Like its big-brother Mazda6, the 3 is a fetching machine with glorious lines and perfect proportions. Inside, too, it's thoughtfully laid out with a minimalist approach to dials and controls. Nothing particularly fancy, it just works with an absolute minimum of fuss.

Finishes are first class, too - with the possible exception of the instrument panel which drew our criticism when we drove the standard Mazda3 as well. It's a bit small and pokey in our view.

The SP25 is a little thirstier than the regular 3, too - 6.5L/100km in manual guise or 6L/100km for the dual-clutch auto, compared to 5.8 for the 2-Litre SkyActive - although that's a small impost for the substantial extra performance. Those numbers are enhanced by Mazda's clever i-Stop system which shuts down the engine while idling at traffic lights.

One feature of the 3 that didn't win our admiration was the "enhanced" smart-key system that recognises the proximity of the driver and unlocks the doors with a "beep" each time you approach the car.

I'm not sure how "enhanced" the system is - having fallen foul of it by locking my keys in the car.

In what must surely be a design fault, the system recognised the smart key in my bag as I approached the vehicle and unlocked the rear hatch. However when I absent-mindedly threw my bag into the back and slammed the hatch, the car automatically re-locked itself with disastrous results.

It's a flaw Mazda would do well to investigate and eliminate.

Happily, though, the incident gave us the chance to test first-hand Mazda's roadside assist service. Despite it being on a Sunday afternoon, our distress call was answered immediately and a roadside service man arrived barely 15 minutes later. Five minutes after that we were on our way.

That helped ensure the incident didn't sour our week in the SP25 - which would have been a pity given how much we otherwise enjoyed the car.

Small car. Big engine. Maximum enjoyment.

MAZDA3 SP25

DETAILS: Five-door, five-seat small hatchback with four-cylinder petrol engine and six-speed manual transmission.

TECH STUFF: 2.5-litre, four-cylinder direct injection engine, 16-valve double overhead-camshaft with i-Stop fuel-saving system; produces 138kW@5700rpm, 250Nm@3250rpm; six-speed manual transmission, front-wheel-drive.

FEATURES: Front, side and curtain airbags (six in all), Dynamic Stability Control, ABS with brakeforce distribution and brake assist; frontal-collision avoidance system, blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert; 7-inch colour monitor with satellite navigation; Bluetooth connectivity with audio streaming; alloy wheels, electric mirrors and windows, dual-zone climate control, automatic headlights and wipers.

THIRST: 6.5L/100km (combined average); dual-clutch auto transmission 6L/100km.

VERDICT: Better than a 3 - but not quite a 10.

BOTTOM LINE: $25,890 (plus on road costs); as tested $27,390 (including $1500 safety package).

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Green groups facing off against Rinehart

Green groups are challenging Gina Rinehart in a Queensland court in a bid to stop a mega coal mine. Source: AAP

GREEN groups are challenging billionaire Gina Rinehart in Queensland's highest court in a bid to stop a mega coal mine.

Ms Rinehart's Hancock Coal and Indian mining giant GVK was given conditional approval in April to develop the multi-billion dollar Alpha coal mine in the Galilee Basin.

The Land Court recommended the state government either refuse the project or allow it to proceed with strict groundwater conditions.

But green group Coast and Country Association of Queensland has taken the matter to the Supreme Court.

The Environmental Defenders Office (EDO) of Queensland, which is handling the case, is seeking a judicial review of that Land Court decision, arguing the proposal should be rejected outright on climate change and groundwater grounds.

"It affects how all these future mines should be assessed in relation to the climate change impacts," EDO senior solicitor Sean Ryan told AAP.

The EDO is facing off against the GVK-Hancock consortium at a directions hearing in Brisbane on Wednesday.

The Alpha project, 360km south-west of Mackay in central Queensland, is 79 per cent owned by GVK and 21 per cent owned by Ms Rinehart's Hancock Coal.

Justice Philip McMurdo adjourned the case until October 13 for a trial.

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Man dies after car rolls in Hunter region

A 38-YEAR-OLD man has died at the scene after his car rolled and he was thrown onto the road in NSW's Hunter region.

Emergency services were called to Oakey Creek Road, Pokolbin, just after 1am on Tuesday following reports of an accident, police say.

The driver, the only occupant of the car, was apparently not wearing a seatbelt.

A report is being prepared for the Coroner.

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Female breadwinners on the rise

THE number of women who see themselves as a main breadwinner has grown to just under 40 per cent.

Six years ago, just 29 per cent of married women and those in de facto relationships said they earnt more than their partner, according to research carried out for National Australia Bank.

But men aren't letting go of the idea of being the key earner, with 85 per cent still saying they bring home the greater share of cash.

NAB says the figures show women are becoming more economically powerful.

"However there is still a way to go," NAB business executive general manager Angela Mentis said.

"A young woman of 25 today will still earn on average almost 50 per cent less over her lifetime than a young man of the same age."

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Don't sweat Johnson speculation: Barnett

IT'S unlikely there will be moves to oust maverick West Australian Liberal backbencher Rob Johnson from the party, Premier Colin Barnett says.

Mr Johnson has been an outspoken critic of the state government since he was deposed as police minister during a cabinet reshuffle in June 2012.

Recent media reports have suggested MLC Phil Edman, the government whip, has been trying to secure support for a motion to expel Mr Johnson from the party.

The reports speculated Mr Edman would make the move at a party room meeting on Tuesday.

But Mr Barnett told reporters before the meeting that was unlikely.

"Don't sweat the small stuff," he said.

Mr Johnson recently stormed out of a caucus meeting after disgraced former state treasurer Troy Buswell was applauded on his return to parliament after a mental breakdown and car crash controversy.

Mr Johnson revealed in August that he hadn't spoken privately with Mr Barnett since being pushed to the backbench, with their conversations limited to within the party room.

"I'm a Liberal and I will remain a Liberal," Mr Johnson said at the time.

He was being sought for comment.

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Aust shares expected to open higher

THE Australian share market is expected to open in positive territory on Tuesday in the absence of any significant data in the US.

AMP Capital Investments chief economist Shane Oliver said strength on US markets on Friday would most likely provide a lead for local shares despite signs of continued weakness in China.

"The best guess is we'll probably see the market up as it catches up to the gains on Wall Street on Friday but against a long weekend there's more uncertainty than normal," Mr Oliver said.

Australian markets are shut for Queen's birthday on Monday.

Local futures are up 18 points after the Dow and the S&P 500 again powered to record highs on Friday.

It followed the release of a US Labor Department employment report showing solid jobs growth for May.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped 88.17 points (0.52 per cent) to 16,924.28 on Friday, notching its second record high in a row.

The S&P 500 gained 8.98 (0.46 per cent) at 1,949.44, its third straight record close.

Still, Mr Oliver predicts the local market will continue to be affected by uncertainty in China.

"That's acting as a bit of a counter weight," he said.

Mr Oliver said the copper price had fallen on Friday night amid worries about financing in some ports in China.

Meanwhile, Europe's main stock markets advanced on Friday, as traders welcomed data that showed the US economy has recovered to a pre-crisis jobs level.

But data released over the weekend showed China's trade surplus surged in May as exports rose and imports showed a surprise fall.

Exports increased seven per cent to $US195.47 billion ($A211.49 billion) year-on-year, the General Administration of Customs announced on Sunday, while imports declined 1.6 per cent to $US159.55 billion, resulting in a surplus of $US35.92 billion - a 74.9 per cent jump from the year before.

On Friday the Australian share market closed 0.5 per cent higher in the wake of the European Central Bank's economic stimulus measures.

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Police hunt sex attacker in central Qld

A WOMAN has been sexually assaulted by a man who broke into her central Queensland farmhouse.

Police want to hear from anyone who saw anything suspicious in the Finch Hatton area, near Mackay, where the attack happened about 7.50am on Friday.

The woman had to be taken to hospital for treatment.

The man is described as slim and about 170cm tall.

He was wearing trousers and a dark hooded jacket at the time of the assault.

Anyone with information is urged to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

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Muir struggles during rare interview

LESS than a month before he becomes one of the most powerful players in Australian politics, senator-elect Ricky Muir has admitted in to easily getting flustered when talking about an issue that should be close to his heart.

The Motoring Enthusiasts Party senator, who will be part of a balance-of-power bloc along with the Palmer United Party (PUP) when he begins his six-year term from July, fumbled his way through a rare media interview on Sunday evening.

Asked to explain what he meant by the "after-market" automobile industry the South Australian stumbled with his answer and before taking a break.

"There's the after-market industry which can be supported ... people that are losing their jobs ... sorry ... can we start that question again?" he says to the Seven Network's Mike Willesee.

"There's the after-market industry ... which ... um ... sorry, can we go to another question? I've got myself into a fluster."

"The after-market industry is the industry that is ... can I go out for a minute?"

After a short break, Mr Muir returns, and Willesee advises him to answer questions as if he's talking to someone at a pub.

Mr Muir, who has maintained his job at a timber mill ahead of the move to Canberra, also struggles to explain what it means to hold the balance of power in the Senate.

"Yes, it's the potential if, aah, say in this case Labor and the Greens, umm, it's the power to vote down legislation in the right circumstances," he said.

PUP leader and businessman Clive Palmer on Monday attacked the Sunday Night program's story as "biased and churlish".

"Mike Willesee recorded about an hour of a really serious interview with me about political things and other things but he didn't show any of that," he told ABC radio.

"He doesn't show you all of the footage. Just selective pieces."

Mr Palmer described Mr Muir as an "ordinary" Australian.

"He's there because people think he's more in contact with the real world," the Queensland lower house MP said.

The interview with Mr Muir was part of a broader story on the PUP with which Mr Muir, a father-of-five from the Gippsland town of Heyfield, will join forces from next month when the Senate changes over.

Jacqui Lambie, a former soldier and the PUP's Tasmanian senator-elect, doesn't hesitate when asked about her favourite weapon.

"Definitely M60 (submachine gun). Its massive firepower. Yeah, when you've got it in your hands," she said.

WA senator-elect Dio Wang said he would vote with his heart even if that means crossing Mr Palmer.

Asked if he had stood up to Mr Palmer in the past, Mr Wang replied: "Not yet, because he has been always right so far."

"He is already a great leader."

Come July 1, there will be three PUP senators, including Glenn 'The Brick with Eyes' Lazarus.

Mr Muir was elected after securing 0.01 per cent of the primary vote.

Mr Palmer is threatening to use his Senate team to block some of the federal coalition government's budget measures.

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Plibersek says PM embarrassing

Labor slams Prime Minister Abbott as embarrassing for cancelling meetings with finance officials. Source: AAP

LABOR'S slammed Prime Minister Tony Abbott as embarrassing but his office has denied he's cancelled meetings with the world's top finance officials during his visit to the United States.

A spokeswoman says Mr Abbott's scheduled to meet US treasury secretary Jack Lew and Janet Yellen, chair of the Board of Governors of the US Federal Reserve.

It follows a report from political columnist Laurie Oakes yesterday that Mr Abbott had cancelled long-planned meetings with Mr Lew, International Monetary Fund head Christine Lagarde and World Bank president Jim Yong Kim.

Deputy opposition leader Tanya Plibersek has labelled Mr Abbott an embarrassment, and has questioned how he could be cancelling meetings with top economic officials just a few months before Australia hosts world leaders for the November G20 summit.

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Reunion for child found wandering Sydney

A SMALL child found wandering the streets of western Sydney alone during the night will be reunited with his parents.

Police say the child, aged three or four, was found knocking on doors in Fairfield's Francis Street about 4.15am on Sunday.

The toddler's long black hair initially had police thinking the child was a girl, but the mistake was realised and the boy's family were found nearly five hours after he was first discovered by neighbours.

"The exact circumstances of how he went missing are still not clear," a NSW Police spokesman said, but no further police action is expected.

The boy had only made it a block away from his home.

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Budget could still get through: Govt

Mathias Cormann warns against about assumptions which government budget measures will be blocked. Source: AAP

THE government is still confident it can get its toughest budget measures through the upper house, despite rumblings they'll be blocked.

A $7 GP co-payment, changes to the dole and a raised pension age have proved difficult to sell, and Labor, the Australian Greens and the Palmer United Party have vowed to oppose the measures.

But Finance Minister Mathias Cormann warned against making assumptions about blocks to budget measures, saying his experience in the Senate had shown him not to take any initial opposition as gospel.

Labor had opposed the tax on higher income earners, or deficit levy, but had since decided to support it, he said.

"Immediately in the days and weeks following the budget, all sorts of people say all sorts of things," he told Sky News on Sunday.

"And then on reflection ... people progressively change their mind."

Senator Cormann said the government would not consider watering down measures before presenting them to the parliament.

The main hurdle for the government will be Clive Palmer, whose party will be key to getting the budget through the Senate after July.

Senator Cormann said he would be happy to sit down and have a meal with Mr Palmer in the "appropriate circumstances".

"Clearly we will engage with him in the battle of ideas," he said.

Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull caused controversy in recent weeks for having a "social" dinner with Mr Palmer.

Senator-elect David Leyonhjelm doubts Palmer United Party members will vote together in the long term.

The three incoming PUP senators, plus Australian Motoring Enthusiast Party member Ricky Muir, don't have a "common ideology" or "anything that binds them together", Mr Leyonhjelm told Channel Ten.

"On that basis, there's no strong reason, other than a fear of outsiders I suppose, for them to work together," he said.

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Brisbane's Eagle Farm to get $22m upgrade

A LONG-AWAITED upgrade of Brisbane's Eagle Farm racecourse is off and racing with a $22 million refurbishment to be complete ahead of next year's winter carnival.

The makeover, the first since 1972, includes the reconstruction of the racing surface and will open up the area inside the track for stabling and training facilities.

The Queensland government announced the project on the city's biggest race day, Stradbroke Day.

"This long overdue refurbishment of the Eagle Farm track will stimulate wagering growth on the venue, which provides more funding for the industry as a whole, and will get more patrons to the track for race days," Treasurer Tim Nicholls said on Saturday.

The upgrade is part of the government's $110 million pledge to improve racing infrastructure across the state.

Construction is due to begin in early August.

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US stabbing victim, 12, out of hospital

A 12-YEAR-OLD girl who US police say was repeatedly stabbed by two classmates trying to curry favour with a fictional horror character has been released from the hospital, the victim's parents say.

The girl narrowly survived being stabbed 19 times. A spokeswoman for the girl's family issued a statement on Friday saying the girl was released from Waukesha Memorial Hospital.

"She is excited to be out of the hospital, see her pets and continue along the road to recovery. Our family is extremely grateful for the outpouring of support and love from not only the local community, but from around the nation, and the world," the statement said.

The two 12-year-old girls have been charged as adults with first-degree attempted homicide in the stabbing. Police say the girls told detectives they wanted to kill the other girl in hopes of pleasing Slender Man, a spooky character they read about on a horror website.

Police say that after stabbing the victim, the girls left her lying in the woods. The victim crawled to a road where a cyclist found her lying on the footpath.

In their statement, the victim's parents said they have kept their discussions with their daughter about the May 31 stabbing short. But they said they have asked her girl how she found the strength to crawl out of the woods.

"Her response was simple: 'I wanted to live,"' the statement said.

Doctors previously told police the victim was lucky to be alive because the knife just missed a major artery.

Police have not identified the victim, and her parents have asked friends to keep her name secret.

Anthony Cotton, a lawyer for one of the girls charged in the stabbing, has said he will push to get the girl's case transferred to juvenile court, where more social services and mental health treatment would be available for her.

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Hertz to review years of financial results

HERTZ Global Holdings Inc says it has to review and correct its financial reports from the past three years after an audit by the car rental company found accounting errors.

The announcement, made in a government filing on Friday, sent Hertz shares down nearly 10 per cent in morning trading.

The New Jersey company said it will restate financial statements from 2011 and will correct and possibly restate statements from 2012 and 2013.

"Financial statements for 2011 should no longer be relied upon," the company said in the filing.

"It will take time to complete this process, and previously reported information is likely to change."

The errors were related to the depreciation of some of its non-fleet assets and an allowance for doubtful accounts in Brazil, among other items, it said.

Hertz is also delaying the release of its first-quarter earnings report again.

In May, it pushed the release date to June 9.

Now, the company expects to release it when it amends its past full-year results.

Its first-quarter results will be hurt by costs associated with the accounting review, the company said.

It said it is implementing new procedures to strengthen its accounting and finance departments.

Shares of Hertz fell $2.60, or 8.5 per cent, to $27.89 in morning trading Friday.

Its shares had risen 6.5 per cent so far this year through to Thursday's close.

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Science treads water in naming WA spider

HUNDREDS of newly discovered animals remain unclassified due to an international shortage of taxonomists.

Head of the West Australian Musuem's department of terrestrial zoology, Mark Harvey, said there's not enough taxonomists to describe and document all of the new species discovered.

The shortage is delaying the naming of a spotted wolf spider found last week in WA's Kimberley region during a Bush Blitz expedition, which is part of Australia's largest nature discovery project.

The expedition also discovered several other species believed to be completely new to science including a rainbow fish, a pseudoscorpion and a butterfly.

Dr Harvey said the spider was found once before during a 2012 Bush Blitz expedition to the Northern Territory's Pungalina reserve, but was not scientifically classified because of the taxonomist shortage.

"There has been a steady decline across the country and internationally (of taxonomists) as scientific research has focused on other disciplines," Dr Harvey said.

"There are hundreds of new spider species waiting to be described and named in the scientific literature, and each description can take days to complete and prepare for publication."

Dr Harvey said the discovery of the new spider was significant because it walked on water but was not a water spider.

"This particular spider species appears to be a new species of wolf spider that has been recorded from the edges of pools in the Northern Territory and north-western WA," he said.

"Some species of wolf spiders have the ability to run on the surface of ponds and puddles, where they hunt small aquatic insects for their prey.

"Documenting the many new species of spiders that we have discovered is important to understand where these spiders are found and what their habitat preferences are."

The Bush Blitz is a three-year multi-million dollar partnership between the federal government, BHP Billiton and Earthwatch Australia to document species in properties across the National Reserve System, which covers more than 11 per cent of the continent.

Since its launch in 2010, more than 700 new species have been discovered including 272 species of true bugs, 130 species of spiders and scorpions, 36 species of bees and 11 species of vascular plants.

Australia is home to more than 560,000 native species, many of which are not found anywhere else on earth, but it is believed only one-quarter of them have been scientifically documented.

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Clavell's ex denies causing SA road death

THE ex-girlfriend of dead fugitive Rodney Clavell has been ordered to stand trial over the hit-and-run death of a cyclist who was a leading Adelaide midwife.

Samantha Magdaleine Farrer, 37, of Queensland, pleaded not guilty on Friday to three charges in the Adelaide Magistrates Court, just around the corner from where her former boyfriend shot himself dead in a brothel after a 13-hour siege on Thursday.

She denied causing the death of Kathleen Heraghty, 48, by dangerous driving in December at Inman Valley Road, near Victor Harbor.

Farrer also pleaded not guilty to an aggravated count of driving without due care and to failing to stop at the scene of a fatal accident.

Mr Heraghty's obstetrician husband was cycling several minutes behind her and was one of the first people on the scene.

Farrer was ordered to stand trial in the District Court and the matter was adjourned to July 7.

Clavell accompanied her to an earlier court appearance in March, months before he became South Australia's most wanted man.

Farrer left court wearing dark glasses and a cap pulled down over her face and did not respond to media questions about her ex-boyfriend.

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NZ's North Island rattled by 5.1 quake

NEW Zealand's central North Island has been rattled by a 5.1 magnitude quake.

The 76km deep earthquake was centred 20km west of Ohakune, in the Tongariro National Park, just before 4pm on Friday.

Thousands reported feeling the moderate quake on the GeoNet site, with people as far afield as Central Otago town Palmerston reporting a shake.

The GeoNet website is run by the Earthquake Commission and GNS Science.

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Union takes fashion labels to court

23 clothing labels are being taken to court in Melbourne for breaching laws protecting outworkers. Source: AAP

FASHION labels including Very Very, Mariana Hardwick and Arthur Galan are breaching laws protecting outworkers, the textile union will allege in the Federal Court in Melbourne on Thursday.

The Textile Clothing and Footwear Union of Australia will allege 23 companies have breached important outwork and other provisions of the awards.

The companies will join more than 170 others already taken to court by the union for failing to meet minimum legal standards in the clothing industry.

Michele O'Neil, the union's national secretary, said outworkers were particularly vulnerable to exploitation, given the hidden nature of their work and their isolation.

"TCF outworkers, almost uniformly migrant women, labour at home at the end of long and complex supply chains," she said.

"Despite their high level of skill, most are forced to work long hours for very low wages, some for as little as $5-$6 an hour."

She said the TCF award provisions imposed obligations on the whole supply chain to make transparent where the work was being done, who had done it and under what conditions.

Ms O'Neil said without the transparency, it was impossible to identify the sweatshops and where the outworkers were, how much workers were being paid and whether other labour standards were being complied with.

"The award breaches alleged by the union go directly to this issue," she said.

"To put it simply, the award outwork provisions are critical to ensuring that sweatshop workers and outworkers receive their minimum legal wages and entitlements."

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Qld govt to absorb fed pension cuts

The Queensland government will absorb all federal concession cuts to pensioners and seniors. Source: AAP

THE Queensland government will absorb all concession cuts to pensioners and seniors dished out by the federal government.

Two days after the state budget ruled out the move, Premier Campbell Newman backflipped after the grey army took the state government to task on talk-back radio.

Mr Newman says he's listened.

"We're not only listening to Queenslanders, but we're acting within the space of two days to reinstate the full level of pensioner and senior concessions," he told parliament.

"Queensland seniors and pensioners will not be worse off because of the Commonwealth cuts."

The federal budget, handed down in May, cut $223.2 million over four years meant to fund pensioner and senior concessions for electricity, rates and transport.

Mr Newman told parliament the state budget had raised pensioner and senior concessions by almost $26 million in the next financial year to help compensate.

But he's since realised seniors and pensioners can't fill the gap and would stump up the remaining 15 per cent.

"We will be continuing to send a clear message to the Commonwealth that Queenslanders won't stand for these kinds of cuts," he said.

Opposition Leader Annastacia Palaszczuk supported the move but said the government needed to show where it was getting the extra funding from.

Ms Palaszczuk said the premier's attack on Queensland pensioners' household budgets would not be quickly forgotten.

"The ink isn't even dry on this budget and the premier has scrambled to save his own political skin following a crisis of his own making," she said.

"He made a choice in his budget where he could help Queensland pensioners or hurt them.

"He chose to hurt them."

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Newman to defend Palmer court action

Queensland Premier Campbell Newman (pic) will defend a defamation suit taken by Clive Palmer. Source: AAP

QUEENSLAND Premier Campbell Newman has stood by claims Clive Palmer tried to buy his government, saying the public deserved to know how the businessman-turned-politician operates.

Mr Newman's lawyers on Wednesday lodged a defence against a statement of claim for defamation the Palmer United Party leader made against him last month, seeking $1.1 million in damages.

Mr Palmer alleges the premier has damaged his reputation by describing him in a press conference in April as "a guy who tried to buy ... my government".

But in the defence claim, Mr Newman's lawyers say the comment was in the public interest.

"The public had an interest in receiving information that might lead them to ask (how Mr Palmer) ... in his capacity as a businessman sought to influence government decision making in relation to his business interests," the defence documents read.

It goes on to detail a meeting with Deputy Premier Jeff Seeney in 2012 where Mr Palmer wanted him to allow the development of "Port Palmer" at Abbot Point and give him exclusive access to a rail corridor to the Galilee Basin.

"(He said) he had paid substantial sums to the LNP to have the LNP elected and that he had a lot more money to support the LNP in the future," it read, adding Mr Seeney refused the offer.

Mr Newman's lawyers also claimed former Liberal National Party MPs Carl Judge and Alex Douglas received "substantial gifts" from Mr Palmer and his companies to switch allegiances.

The premier said Mr Palmer didn't complain to the police or Crime and Misconduct Commission about his comments or even seek an apology.

Mr Palmer has denied claims he offered donations to the LNP for favourable treatment.

"Campbell Newman is simply telling untruths or he has been told lies by Deputy Premier Jeff Seeney and is using them to try and defend the defamation action," Mr Palmer said in a statement on Thursday.

"This is nothing more than a desperate attempt by desperate people to discredit me."

Mr Newman said his last donation to the LNP was in 2010 - two years before the Newman government was elected.

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Jet hitch for Abbott before trade trip

An aircraft breakdown has delayed the start of Prime Minister Tony Abbott's trade and security trip. Source: AAP

PRIME Minister Tony Abbott has had an inauspicious start to his four-nation trade and security mission, with his plane suffering technical issues on the tarmac.

Mr Abbott is due to meet Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Batam Island later on Wednesday to improve relations damaged by spying revelations and asylum seeker policies.

But his departure from Canberra was delayed several hours due to technical problems with his RAAF jet.

A replacement jet had to be brought in.

After Indonesia, the prime minister will travel to France with other world leaders for the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings. He will also meet with president Francois Hollande in Paris.

He will then head to Ottawa for meetings with business leaders and Prime Minister Stephen Harper, followed by talks with US President Barack Obama in Washington DC.

"It will be another opportunity for me to demonstrate that Australia is open for business," Mr Abbott said before leaving.

"It will be a further opportunity for me to bolster Australia's economic and national security."

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten said Mr Abbott should use his time overseas to think about how to make the federal budget fairer.

"This rotten budget is still here festering and it will still be here when you come back," Mr Shorten said of the trip.

Mr Abbott dismissed suggestions he should remain in Australia to get his first budget through a hostile parliament.

"It's always good to be improving Australia's international relations," he said.

Asked about the jet breakdown, Defence Minister David Johnston said it was probably not a good look for the Royal Australian Air Force.

"But we do have a back-up plane for exactly that reason," he said.

"I'm determined to fix it very quickly.

"These aircraft are very old, they're well maintained, they're very serviceable but there are some issues with age and we've got to deal with them and we need to trade out of them."

A 20-member business delegation will accompany Mr Abbott to New York and Houston.

The US is Australia's largest source of foreign investment and is the top destination for Australian investment abroad.

Canadian pension funds are being wooed to invest in Australian roads, energy utilities, airports and ports.

Defence Minister David Johnston said the Rudd government had given the coalition a "hospital handball" by renewing the contract on the current fleet just before the 2013 election.

The fleet includes two leased Boeing Business Jets and three Bombardier Challengers operated by the RAAF's 34 Squadron and based at Canberra International Airport.

"I was very unhappy about that," Senator Johnston said of the contract renewal, adding the aircraft were old and required increased maintenance.

The coalition had been willing to give bipartisan support for a new VIP aircraft fleet, but now was left with "significant costs" if it wanted to cut short the lease.

"There is a program we are working on now," Senator Johnston said.

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