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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