No power sell-off without mandate: Baird

New NSW Premier Mike Baird has signalled he won't move to sell off electricity poles and wires. Source: AAP

NEW NSW Premier Mike Baird has hosed down suggestions he is preparing to sell off the state's poles and wires.

Mr Baird told reporters on Saturday he believed that experience interstate showed electricity asset privatisation could lead to lower prices for households.

"But that is not a green light here," he said.

"Before the election we said there would be no sale and it would only be undertaken if there was a mandate.

"That position has not changed.

"The cabinet has not considered it, the party room has not considered it."

Mr Baird supported privatising the state's $30 billion worth of electricity infrastructure as treasurer.

NSW Opposition Leader John Robertson said Mr Baird appeared to have made up his mind already.

"Mike Baird has been an advocate for the sale of poles and wires for some time," Mr Robertson said.

"Even as treasurer, he was hawking himself around the boardrooms of Sydney and elsewhere saying how keen he was to sell off electricity poles and wires."

Mr Robertson said any electricity sell-off - along with a broadening of the GST, which News Corp Australia on Saturday reported had Mr Baird's support - would hurt vulnerable families.

"Mike Baird is someone who is out of touch with the ordinary, everyday struggles that families are having," Mr Robertson told reporters.

"The sale of electricity poles and wires will push household bills up."

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Row over pension age heats up

THE federal opposition has accused the Abbott government of breaking an election promise to pensioners amid reports it will push ahead with plans to lift the retirement age to 70.

In the lead-up to May's budget there has been ongoing speculation the eligibility age for the pension will be increased from 67.

The new retirement age could come into effect from 2029, and the federal government is also considering changes to pension indexation rates, The Australian reported on Saturday.

The changed pension age would affect every worker born since 1959, the paper said.

Labor families spokeswoman Jenny Macklin said pensioners had a right to be furious.

"No amount of weasel words can change the fact that the prime minister is planning to break the solemn promise he made to Australian pensioners on the eve of the election," she said in a statement.

Parliamentary secretary Simon Birmingham said it was reasonable for the government to look at the long term structure of the budget and ballooning costs, but he declined to confirm the report.

Any changes would be over the long term, he said.

"You can't just, if you're being sensible about it, say we're going to up pension age ... in the next couple of years and disrupt everybody's retirement plans," he told Sky News.

"You have to make decisions today that are about 20 or 30 years hence."

Labor MP Matt Thistlethwaite said it was unfair for blue collar workers.

"The brickie's labourer, the plumber, the carpenter, how are they going to physically be able to work until 70 years of age?" he told Sky News.

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Fancy a ride, William teases Kate

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have arrived in Queensland for a brief visit Source: AAP

ROYALS are routinely schooled in the art of entering and exiting limousines with grace, but a fighter jet is another matter entirely.

The Duchess of Cambridge proved her pedigree in Queensland on Saturday, when she accepted her husband's invitation to climb into the cockpit of a F/A-18F Super Hornet.

"Do you fancy jumping in the back," the duke, a former RAF officer, asked her.

But Prince William must have taken some pity on his wife, and climbed into the back himself, leaving Kate to slide, without incident, behind the controls from a flight of mobile stairs.

Commanding Officer Stephen Chappell remarked there was some "byplay between the two as to who was sitting in what seat".

The couple touched down at Australia's largest air force base at Amberley, west of Brisbane, about 11am, where they were greeted with an honour guard and fly over by the Super Hornets based there.

The couple chatted happily with dignitaries including Governor Penelope Wensley, Defence Minister David Johnston, Premier Campbell Newman and his wife Lisa, and the mayor of Ipswich Paul Pisasale, who last spent time with William as the city recovered from its devastating 2011 floods.

Later the couple bowed their heads in prayer at the dedication of the planting of a Plunkett Mallee tree in the base's memorial garden, which honours the service and sacrifice of members of the Royal Australian Air Force.

After the brief dedication service, two young girls, aged about eight and dressed in matching gold and silver frocks, stole the attention of the duchess.

The girls handed her posies of vibrant pink flowers, at times shyly staring at the ground but occasionally summoning the courage to meet her gaze, but just what they discussed remains between them, for now.

The couple then spent time with military personnel and met relatives of four Australian soldiers killed in the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq.

They include the family of Lance Corporal Stjepan Milosevic, who was among three Australians killed by a rogue Afghan soldier in 2012.

Kate's choice of dress for the occasion was a sympathetic nod to the importance of the poppy as a symbol of remembrance in the military community.

The royal couple will later head to Brisbane's South Bank for a civic reception.

Royal watchers are already gathering at the parkland precinct, hoping to steal a glimpse or perhaps a quick word with the couple during a public walk.

The couple will leave Brisbane to return to Sydney and Prince George just after 3pm.

The Ipswich mayor said he and Prince William had shared a laugh while remembering an amusing moment during his 2011 visit, just a month or so before he married Kate.

William had accompanied Mayor Pisasale to a flood evacuation centre, where he met an Ipswich woman who was due to walk down the aisle on the same day.

"Quick as a flash, William told her: 'If you invite me to yours, I'll invite you to mine," Mr Pisasale told AAP on Saturday.

"We had a laugh today when he said: 'She never did send me that invitation. Come to think of it, I didn't send her one either'."

The mayor said he again thanked William for his 2011 visit and for the comfort it brought his community at a time of great need.

"For me it was about saying thank you again. I call him the people's prince. He's just so easy to get on with."

He said the duchess gave a little chuckle when asked how she managed to play cricket so well in a pair of heels during the couple's New Zealand tour.

"She told me she tries anything. It was lovely to meet to her."

Mr Pisasale said the royal couple's time with the families of fallen diggers was hugely important, as was the focus their visit gave to Australia's military personnel.

"We enjoy our freedom because of defence force personnel. Sometimes we forget about it and complain about the aircraft noise, but it's the sound of freedom."

Police later said a small number of Aboriginal protesters had been moved on after trying to stage a demonstration at South Bank, ahead of the couple's arrival for a civic reception and public walk.

One activist was ushered away after going behind barricades meant to keep the royal route along Grey Street clear, outside the South Brisbane train station.

Police said no arrests had been made.

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Royals highlight of Easter Show

Big crowds have greeted Prince William and Kate at Sydney's Royal Easter Show. Source: AAP

A SECURITY guard collapsed. The smell of Dagwood Dogs wafted across the Royal Easter Show. Bertie Beetle's presence loomed large.

And a fully grown man stood in front of a haunted house screaming, "I love you William!"

It was just another ordinary day in the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's extraordinary tour Down Under.

The royals arrived at the Sydney Showground just before 11am (AEST) on Good Friday, the third day of their 10-day tour of Australia.

As at Sydney Opera House on Wednesday and the Blue Mountains on Thursday, Prince William and Kate were greeted by wild cheers and applause.

It was a Hollywood entrance but just a fleeting glimpse for many of the hundreds of well-wishers who gathered to see the royals.

The couple stepped out of their motorcade in front of the Hollywood Horrors haunted house ride before being whisked inside to see fruit and vegetable displays.

William wore a dark suit with a blue tie, and Kate dazzled in a white dress.

They waved happily. William gave his shy smile. The crowd went wild again.

The couple were greeted by the president of the Royal Agricultural Society of NSW, Glenn Dudley, and his wife, Jennifer, before being taken to look at a fresh food display in the main exhibition dome.

A female security guard collapsed just before the royals arrived and was loaded into an ambulance.

It might have been the bright sunshine. It might have been the royal effect. Australians have warmed to William and Kate this trip.

"They're such a lovely couple. They're so much in love," Margaret Bryant from Cowra told AAP.

She and her pals Margaret Wright and Marie Whiteman - all in their 80s - arrived in Sydney at 3am (AEST) to see the royals.

"I thought they were spectacular and I'm glad they've come," Ms Wright said.

The royals saw sheep shearing, vegetables, showbags, skateboarding and snakes.

They greeted more crowds next to a carousel.

Then it was back on the Australian tour merry-go-round as the royals were whisked off to Manly for their second engagement of the day.

The couple were due at Bear Cottage children's hospice before a visit to the beach to see a demonstration of surf lifesaving skills.

Just another day on the royals' wild ride around Australia.

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NSW cabinet decided over Easter break

NSW's new premier Mike Baird has pledged to clamp down on lobbyists and donations. Source: AAP

WHILE most of NSW enjoys a break from work, the state's new premier Mike Baird will spend the Easter weekend deciding on a cabinet he says will be based on merit.

After being voted leader of the NSW Liberal Party unopposed on Thursday, Mike Baird spent a busy Good Friday rushing between meetings, church and media engagements.

His new title also gave him a ticket to meet the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge when they visited Manly on Friday afternoon.

Speaking to reporters, Mr Baird, who's still shocked by his predecessor Barry O'Farrell's resignation, said no final decision on the line-up of his new cabinet had been made.

"We're considering that over this weekend," he said at Manly Wharf in his Northern Beaches electorate.

"The team that we take will be a team that's experienced, it will be a team that's visionary and it will be a team that is up for the fight."

The former treasurer, who supports the sale of the state's $30 billion "poles and wires" electricity infrastructure, said decisions to liquidate government assets would be "done with a mandate".

"In terms of our asset recycle program, we are considering potential other options in the lead-up to the election but it will be done with a mandate and it will be done with the full endorsement of cabinet and the party room."

Mr Baird will also decide whether, as premier, he keeps the portfolio of Western Sydney, as Mr O'Farrell did in office.

He supported Mr O'Farrell's decision to stay in his seat and reconsider his position at the next election.

Mr O'Farrell resigned after giving misleading evidence to the corruption watchdog about a gift of a $3000 bottle of wine.

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Road toll claims more lives in WA

THREE fatalities on West Australian roads and the death of a Chinese tourist in Tasmania have taken the Easter holiday road toll to four.

A 17-year-old boy died on Thursday after being thrown from a car which rolled several times on the Gnaraloo-Quobba Road near the WA town of Carnarvon.

Police said the East Carnarvon boy was a passenger in a Nissan Patrol when the driver lost control of the vehicle on Thursday afternoon.

People who had been following the vehicle stopped and performed CPR on the boy until ambulance crews arrived. He was taken to Carnarvon Regional Hospital but was unable to be revived.

The 17-year-old male driver was treated for cuts and bruises.

Hours later, a 20-year-old man was killed when a Ford Falcon ute he was driving hit a tree on the Collie-Williams Road near Collie at about 3pm (WST). His passenger, a 22-year-old man from Bunbury, was knocked unconscious and taken to hospital after a passing motorist pulled him from the burning wreckage.

Also on Thursday evening, a 19-year-old Bruce Rock man died after his car hit a large tree on Narembeen Rd near Bruce Rock east of Perth.

A tourist died in Tasmania on Thursday afternoon after a head-on collision between a Hyundai delivery van and a Volkswagen hatchback on the Bass Highway, west of Port Latta.

Two Chinese nationals in the hatchback, a 30-year-old male driver and his 32-year-old wife, were taken to the North West Regional Hospital, where the woman died. The man has undergone multiple surgeries and is in a serious condition.

A 31-year-old Burnie man who was driving the van suffered minor injuries but has been released.

(EDS: The Easter road toll figures are for the period 0001 April 17 to 2359 April 21)

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Mike Baird set to become NSW premier

Mike Baird (pic) looks set to become NSW Premier, with Gladys Berejiklian to stand for deputy. Source: AAP

NSW Treasurer Mike Baird is expected to replace Barry O'Farrell as premier.

The Liberal Party room will meet at 3pm on Thursday when it is expected Mr Baird will be elected unopposed as the state's 44th premier.

After Mr O'Farrell on Wednesday spectacularly announced his resignation from the top job, Mr Baird and Transport Minister Gladys Berejiklian emerged as favourites to replace him.

Liberal sources said Ms Berejiklian had the slight edge over her rival in the party room, but in the end, she decided to run for deputy leader on a joint ticket with Mr Baird.

Her decision avoids a messy factional fight between the party's left, who are strongly backing Ms Berejiklian, and the right, who were lining up behind Mr Baird.

Health Minister Jillian Skinner and western Sydney MP Stuart Ayres have publicly thrown their support behind the Baird/Berejiklian ticket.

Community Services Minister Pru Goward pulled out of the running for the deputy position, only hours after saying she would nominate.

At Thursday's meeting, Liberal MPs will formally accept Mr O'Farrell's resignation and confirm the new premier.

If Mr Baird is successful, he will become the state's sixth premier in almost 10 years.

Mr Baird said earlier that maintaining party unity was important.

"It is important that we all come together, clearly unity has been a hallmark of what we have been about in the past few years," he told the Seven Network.

Mr O'Farrell has previously named Ms Berejiklian as the best candidate to succeed him.

But Mr Baird has the backing of right faction MPs, who have been impressed with his aggressive push to privatise the state's assets.

Mr Baird is the son of Bruce Baird, who was a lower house federal MP in John Howard's government, and represents the northern beaches electorate of Manly.

Ms Berejiklian is the daughter of Armenian immigrants and holds the north shore electorate of Willoughby.

After the ballot, a ministerial reshuffle will be on the cards.

But, in line with a coalition agreement, the role of deputy premier will still be held by Nationals MP Andrew Stoner.

Mr O'Farrell resigned after giving misleading evidence to the Independent Commission Against Corruption about a $3000 bottle of wine.

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Clive Palmer's mother dies

Clive Palmer's mother Nancy, who was in her 90s, has died, the MP has announced on Twitter. Source: AAP

FEDERAL MP Clive Palmer has paid tribute to his "incredible" mother who has died.

The mining magnate used social media to announce that his mother Nancy, who was in her 90s, had died peacefully late on Wednesday night.

"She was an incredible lady, loved by all her children and grandchildren #blessourmothers," Mr Palmer tweeted on Thursday.

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Adelaide Zoo welcomes endangered baby

A critically endangered white-cheeked gibbon has become the third born at Adelaide Zoo in 130 years. Source: AAP

ADELAIDE Zoo is celebrating the birth of a critically endangered white-cheeked gibbon.

The baby, whose sex is not yet known, was born on April 13 to proud parents Viet and Remus.

The newcomer is one of only three white-cheeked gibbons born at the zoo in its 130-year history.

A zoo spokeswoman said the infant was very important to the genetic diversity of the Australasian population, as there were only 18 of them in five zoos throughout the region.

The primate species is in serious decline in its natural habitat of Laos, Vietnam and Southern China due to deforestation and poaching for the wildlife trade.

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O'Farrell's demise complete at ICAC

BARRY O'Farrell was supposed to be rubbing shoulders with royalty on Sydney harbour and basking in the glow of another major infrastructure win for NSW.

Instead, a $3000 bottle of wine has led to his shock resignation as NSW premier on Wednesday.

And to cap off his horrible day, he was then forced to return to the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) to correct the record.

Mr O'Farrell on Tuesday told ICAC he could not recall receiving a bottle of vintage Grange bought by Liberal fundraiser Nick Di Girolamo and apparently couriered to his home just after the 2011 state election.

"What I do know is if I had received a bottle of 1959 Penfolds Grange I would have known about it and I did not receive a bottle of Penfolds Grange," he said.

But on Wednesday morning, he called a press conference and revealed the corruption watchdog's investigators had located a "thank you" letter signed by him and addressed to Mr Di Girolamo.

"I still can't recall the receipt of a gift of a bottle of 1959 Grange," a stony-faced Mr O'Farrell said.

"I can't explain what happened to that bottle of wine. But I do accept there is a thank you note signed by me, and as someone who believes in accountability, in responsibility, I accept the consequences of my action."

The outgoing premier expects to formally resign next week, when his replacement will be announced.

Anyone found to have wilfully given false or misleading evidence to the commission can be jailed for up to five years.

But Mr O'Farrell insists he didn't lie, but had a "massive memory fail".

He later old ICAC he was sorry for giving "inaccurate" information to the corruption hearing but maintained he didn't remember the infamous bottle of red.

"It is a matter that I deeply regret as someone who has always defended this institution," he said.

Mr O'Farrell has been a vocal supporter of ICAC.

Now he's the second NSW premier to fall at its hands after Liberal Nick Greiner resigned in 1992 after being found to have acted corruptly over the Terry Metherell affair.

Mr O'Farrell was meant to be at a press conference alongside Prime Minister Tony Abbott on Wednesday morning to announce $2.9 billion worth of federal funding for western Sydney roads to support the new Badgerys Creek airport.

Instead, Mr O'Farrell sent a text message to Mr Abbott to tell him what was going to happen.

"I have enormous respect and admiration for Barry O'Farrell," Mr Abbott said.

"He innocently, inadvertently misled ICAC yesterday and he has taken the utterly honourable decision."

Mr O'Farrell, and his wife Rosemary, were due to greet Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince George on the tarmac at Sydney Airport on Wednesday afternoon. He was then due to spend time with the royals at a function at Sydney's Opera House.

Mr O'Farrell came to power in March 2011, pledging to rid NSW of the shady dealings that dogged Labor administrations.

No corruption allegations have been levelled against Mr O'Farrell.

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Big pickup in foreign home buyers

THE number of foreign home buyers has risen significantly during the March quarter.

Foreign buyers account for the purchase of about one in seven new properties and one in 10 established homes, the National Australia Bank (NAB) quarterly Australian residential property survey shows.

It says foreign buyers made up 13.5 per cent of total demand for new housing in the quarter, compared with 11 per cent in the December 2013 quarter.

NAB group chief economist Alan Oster said foreign buyers were especially active in Queensland.

"A big pickup in foreign buying activity was noted in the market for new property, especially in Queensland, and for established housing, especially in NSW," he said.

About 24.4 per cent bought new property in Queensland while 12.7 per cent bought established property in NSW.

The outlook for house prices has lifted in all states except Victoria, with price growth tipped to be the fastest in Queensland (3.5 per cent) and NSW (3.3 per cent).

NAB also sees house prices rising fastest in Brisbane (6.4 per cent) and Perth (5.6 per cent), while lagging in Adelaide (3.0 per cent) and Melbourne (4.3 per cent) in the year to March 2015.

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Qld corruption watchdog boss worried

A FAKE Tahitian prince and jailed former minister Gordon Nuttall may have escaped justice if a proposed overhaul to Queensland's corruption watchdog had been in place at the time.

Under the plan, the public will no longer be able make anonymous tip offs, except when their safety, property or career is threatened.

But it was secret tip-offs that resulted in the downfalls of the fake prince, former Queensland Health financial manager Joel Barlow, for stealing $16 million from taxpayers, and Nuttal, a former Labor health minister, for receiving corrupt payments.

Barlow was convicted in 2013 and is serving 14 years in jail. Nuttal, convicted in 2009, is serving seven years.

In recent years, about seven per cent of complaints to the Crime and Misconduct Commission (CMC) were anonymous, acting chairman Ken Levy says.

"The commission believes that the strict wording of this clause may inhibit the ability to efficiently investigate some complaints of serious corruption," Dr Levy told a public hearing into proposed legislation on Wednesday.

"Therefore some flexibility may be considered in this area."

Dr Levy found an ally in his predecessor, Ross Martin, QC, who asked for corruption reporting barriers to be removed.

"Imagine if an anonymous or detailed complaint came in, and it could do nothing about it and some time later the complain became public and it became known that the CMC had the complaint and couldn't act upon it," he said.

"The position would be manifestly absurd."

Attorney-General Jarrod Bleijie has argued statutory declarations are needed to ward off baseless, dishonest and vexatious complaints, which had overwhelmed the CMC.

More than 35 people and groups have made submissions to the Liberal National Party government's proposals.

Many were concerned that bipartisan support would no longer be needed for chief appointments.

A suite of reports leading up to the bill didn't recommend the change, and Mr Bleijie's director-general John Sosso didn't elaborate on motives.

"It was a policy decision of the government," he told the hearing.

Independent MP Peter Wellington alleged the government had no evidence to prove the existing system wasn't working.

"I have a concern (that it) enables the government to appoint people to the leadership team because they will do the government's bidding," he said.

Five former part-time commissioners, in a joint submission, also criticised the move: "We observe that is the bill is enacted in its present form, it will not be possible for executive government, or anyone else, to credibly claim the CMC is independent of government."

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Second Sydney airport slated for mid-2020s

Western Sydney residents want the federal government to hurry up and approve a second airport. Source: AAP

WORK is expected to start on a second Sydney airport at Badgerys Creek in 2016 after federal cabinet signed off on the site.

But Prime Minister Tony Abbott says western Sydney residents will see new roads built before work is completed on the $2.5 billion airport in the mid-2020s.

Planning and design work will begin immediately and the private sector will pick up the bulk of the cost.

The owner of Sydney's Kingsford-Smith Airport, Southern Cross Airports Corporation, will be given the right of first refusal to run the new airport.

"It's a long overdue decision which, to be honest, has been shirked and squibbed by successive governments for far too long," Mr Abbott told reporters in Canberra on Tuesday.

Badgerys Creek, 56km from Sydney's CBD, was identified as a potential site in 1969 and a 1700ha site was bought by the federal government in the late 1980s.

Further announcements on roads funding will be made in "coming days", Mr Abbott says.

While the initial construction phase is expected to generate about 4000 jobs, the airport development is expected to create 35,000 jobs by 2035, increasing to 60,000 jobs over time.

By 2060, the new airport has the potential to drive an increase in Australian gross domestic product of almost $24 billion.

Mr Abbott made it clear he wants to see a curfew-free airport, saying noise will not be as much of an issue as it is in Mascot.

"We are certainly not saying that there will be a curfew," he said.

Western Sydney's population is set to grow from two million to three million people during the next two decades.

The existing airport, which accounts for 40 per cent of the nation's international arrivals and 50 per cent of international air freight, is at risk of reaching capacity.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten previously has spoken in favour of the Badgerys Creek site, but western Sydney MPs are concerned about congestion and noise coming from a 24-hour-a-day operation.

Congestion could be cut by including in the government's planning a rail link from Badgerys Creek to the Sydney rail network, Tourism and Transport Forum chief Ken Morrison says.

The airport would be not only good for Sydney but the more than 540,000 Australians involved in the tourism industry, he said.

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Rolling Stones reveal Australia tour dates

THE Rolling Stones have confirmed the rescheduled dates for the Australian and New Zealand leg of their 14 On Fire world tour.

The Stones have also announced the addition of two shows - one at Perth Arena and the other at Hope Estate in the Hunter Valley.

Earlier this month Frontier Touring confirmed the band would return between October 25 and November 22 but didn't reveal the concert dates.

The Stones will kick off the rescheduled tour at the revamped Adelaide Oval on October 25 instead of Perth, a statement released by Mushroom Promotions on Tuesday confirmed.

The band was originally set to start the tour in Perth.

The veteran British rockers touched down in Australia on March 17 for their 14 On Fire tour only to leave three days later following the death of Mick Jagger's girlfriend L'Wren Scott.

Their Australian six-date tour was postponed as a result.

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Aussie/NZ drunk violence blitz for Easter

POLICE want you to have a good time this Easter, but not if you're a drunken lout intent on causing trouble.

Australian and New Zealand police will again run their Operation Unite blitz on drunken violence over the Easter holiday period.

Australia New Zealand Policing Advisory Agency (ANZPAA) CEO Jon White said incidents such as one-punch hits showed the operation, which began in 2009, was still necessary.

"The recent media attention and public focus on one-punch hits, glassings, thuggery and aggression fuelled by alcohol highlights the continuing need for police operations like Unite," he said on Tuesday.

He said there are still too many people who drink to get drunk and cause harm to those around them and themselves.

"The operation is not about restricting people from having a good time. It is about raising awareness in the community about risky drinking behaviours."

Operation Unite Victorian commander Assistant Commissioner Jack Blayney said intelligence suggested Melbourne's CBD, Geelong and Mildura had a higher incidence of public order offending, with police to target those areas on Saturday night.

"Alcohol-related violence and anti-social behaviour is not acceptable at any time of the year," he said.

"We know people may be heading out to let their hair down or head away for a break over the long weekend and we will be out in force to detect and deter any public order offences."

West Australian police will have specialist strike teams made up of liquor enforcement officers and the regional operations group.

Commissioner Karl O'Callaghan said the three strike teams would spot the problem patrons at licensed venues before they spilled onto the streets.

Mr O'Callaghan - a vocal campaigner against alcohol-fuelled violence and drink driving - said police would also target venues breaching the Liquor Control Act and not serving alcohol responsibly.

It wasn't about restricting people from having a good time, but raising community awareness about the dangers and impact of "determined drunkenness", Mr O'Callaghan said.

The Easter long weekend will also see WA police crackdown on people using their mobile phones while driving and running red lights, with double demerit penalties in place.

Mr O'Callaghan has told officers to charge motorists who commit any other misdemeanour while using a mobile phone, such as not staying within their lane.

Double demerits already apply to drink and drug driving, speeding and not using seatbelts.

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Aussies worried about foreign firms: Joyce

Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce says Australians are concerned about overseas investments. Source: AAP

AUSTRALIANS are naturally concerned about foreign government-owned firms buying local assets, Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce says.

And the Nationals MP says he will make a case to block any sales that aren't in the national interest.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott has flagged easier access for Chinese state-owned enterprises investing in Australia on a recent visit to Shanghai.

He has floated the idea of raising the cap on Chinese investments from $248 million to $1 billion before it came under investment scrutiny.

But there would be limits on agribusiness buyouts of $15 million before it came up for the Foreign Investment Review Board's scrutiny.

However, Mr Joyce said Australians were naturally cautious about foreign government-owned firms buying local assets because they held the interests of their own governments.

It would be arrogant of politicians to disavow people of those concerns.

"I'm always going to stand up for where I believe our national interest needs protection or where there are sensitivities that should be taken on board," he told Sky News on Sunday.

Unsurprisingly, the Nationals MP had reservations about foreign state-owned firms buying prime agricultural farmland.

"That's where I think you have to be guided by a sense of pragmatism," he said.

Mr Joyce said the prime minister's comments were general proposals that would be discussed further in cabinet.

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US stabbing suspect's mental state 'key'

A US boy accused of stabbing 21 fellow students should be treated as a juvenile, his lawyer says. Source: AAP

THE legal fate of the 16-year-old US boy accused of stabbing or slashing 21 fellow students and a security guard at his high school will probably pivot more on his mental state than his tender age, lawyers say.

The sheer number of victims won't preclude him from being treated as a juvenile, something that would assure his freedom by age 21, according to lawyers.

Alex Hribal's lawyer is seeking a psychiatric evaluation and will seek to have his client transferred to juvenile court.

To get the case moved, the lawyer will have to show Hribal has a better chance of rehabilitation in the juvenile system than in adult court.

"Now once it's determined what his mental health issues are, if any, that'll go a long way in determining, I would assume, what a judge would do here," said the lawyer, Patrick Thomassey.

"Why would a 16-year-old who has no history of anything just take two knives from a drawer and go to school and start stabbing people?"

Authorities say Hribal took the knives to the 1200-student Franklin Regional High School in Murrysville, east of Pittsburgh, on Wednesday and randomly attacked other students in a crowded hallway just before the start of classes.

The rampage stopped when an assistant principal tackled him.

Hribal is charged as an adult with four counts of attempted homicide and 21 counts of aggravated assault and could face decades in prison if convicted as an adult.

Five students remained hospitalised on Saturday, including four in critical condition, hospital officials said.

The boy's family is just as puzzled as police about what triggered the attack, Thomassey has said.

No evidence has surfaced that he was targeting any particular individual or that he was bullied.

He doesn't appear to have a history of misbehaviour or any known mental problems.

But lawyers agree his mental health is likely to be central to the case.

Westmoreland County prosecutor John Peck said he doesn't know what arguments his defence lawyer plans to make. But, he said, "generally, mental health issues can play a large role in having the case remanded to juvenile court."

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Retirement age of 70 on radar: Hockey

Generation X Australians should be prepared to work until age 70, Treasurer Joe Hockey says. Source: AAP

GENERATION X Australians should be prepared to work until age 70.

In a strong indication that the nation's workers face an increased retirement age, Treasurer Joe Hockey, 48, admits his contemporaries will likely have to keep working until they reach their eighth decade.

"It may be the case that my generation has to work for an extra three years," Mr Hockey told ABC TV on Sunday.

The previous Labor government raised the retirement age from 65 to 67 from 2023, but the treasurer said other countries, including the United Kingdom, are already eyeing later retirement.

"It will affect my generation. This doesn't happen overnight."

As life expectancy continues to grow so too must time at work to provide financial security in retirement while not draining the country's coffers, Mr Hockey said.

He again called for a sensible discussion about funding the future quality of life for Australians as the government looks at a redesign of systems.

Opposition finance spokesman Tony Burke said blue-collar workers would be hit hardest if they are forced to work for longer.

A shift in the retirement age would be a "very big deal" for pensioners required to do physical labour for longer while sitting on small super savings.

Mr Burke told Sky News on Sunday the Abbott government faced harsh judgment if it raised the pension age, breaching a pre-election promise.

However, asked to provide the opposition's solution to the problem, Mr Burke said it was not for Labor to provide an alternative as it awaited the government's first budget.

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