Mayor wants double the pay

Perth's Lord Mayor Lisa Scaffidi, in her office at Council House November 2, 2012, wants an increase in her $60,000 a year salary. Source: News Limited

LISA Scaffidi believes the position of Perth Lord Mayor is severely undervalued and warrants a 200 per cent pay rise.

The outspoken Ms Scaffidi, who has been Lord Mayor for six years, believes the salary should triple to match the pay of  her counterparts in the larger cities of Melbourne and Sydney.

Ms Scaffidi, who also gets thousands in allowances and a chauffeur, argues her $60,000 salary should increase to about $180,000.

"The lord mayoral position, given it's more than a full-time requirement to undertake the role professionally, should be treated similarly to the salaried levels of lord mayors of Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney,'' Ms Scaffidi said.  

But trying to head off a backlash, Ms Scaffidi last night used Twitter to tell supporters she didn't "instigate'' the pay push and that it "should not be belittled and all about me''. 

Earlier, she told The Sunday Times "to not pay makes running for this type of role somewhat elitist and not accessible'', adding that a pay rise would "therefore in itself be more democratic''. 

Ms Scaffidi said "I have never made an issue of this in my role'' but "I am pleased'' it is being looked at "after such a long time''.

WA Local Government Association president Troy Pickard, who wants a pay rise for everyone in local government, predicted ratepayers would initially react badly.

"While I expect the initial reaction from some in the community would be to oppose any increase ... if they thought it through they would agree that it is not fair that WA lags behind other states,'' Mr Pickard said. 

The Salaries and Allowances Tribunal is currently reviewing the pay structures for councillors and mayors and will recommend changes, to take effect from July 1.

On top of her $60,000-a-year salary, Ms Scaffidi  receives $14,000 in "meeting fees'' every 12 months. 

She is also entitled to claim up to $13,000 in expenses and has a chauffeur for council duties.

The Sydney Lord Mayor can earn an annual salary up to $221,200. Mr Pickard said the state's council representatives were short-changed compared with their eastern states counterparts.

WA councillors were paid a paltry $7000 a year, with some earning only $2400. Their colleagues in other states can receive up to $126,000 a year.

Mr Pickard said serving on a local council required a "significant time commitment'' and involved an  increasingly complex role that was "way in excess of attending meetings''.

"But it is true that not all councils have the same  demands or same levels of decision-making and that is why WALGA has suggested the inclusion of a specific system of bands,'' he said.

In other states, such as NSW and Queensland, councillors' pay is based on a series of bands of maximum and minimum pay rates. Councils are put into a specific band based on factors such as population and revenue. 

In WA all local government councils are treated the same. In WALGA's submission to the SAT review, the association argues that the salary of the lord mayor of capital cities such as Ms Scaffidi should receive special consideration to recognise the significance of the role.

"The association's view is that the City of Perth should be included in the top band to recognise the importance of the capital city and the role of lord mayor,'' the submission says.

The WALGA submission says one metropolitan mayor recently resigned after one term to find employment with higher earnings.

"This is not surprising given that the maximum allowance payable to a mayor or president in WA is less than average full-time earnings,'' the submission said.

A tribunal spokesman said it had been eight years since fees, expenses and allowances paid to mayors and councillors had been adjusted.

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Doctors urge baby gender secrecy

Doctors want to stop gender-based abortion by banning parents from knowing whether they're expecting a boy or a girl until it is too late to end the pregnancy. Picture: Thinkstock Source: Supplied

OBSTETRICIANS want parents to be kept in the dark about the gender of their unborn babies to stop couples demanding abortions to choose a boy over a girl.

The Sunday Times can reveal that couples in Australia are asking doctors to terminate pregnancies because they are unhappy with the sex of their unborn child.

Doctors want to stop the practice by banning parents from knowing the gender until it is too late to end the pregnancy.

The National Association of Specialist Obstetricians and Gynaecologists has suggested that laboratories performing publicly funded chromosomal tests during pregnancy be banned from revealing the sex of the embryo until after 20 weeks, except in cases of gender-based diseases such as haemophilia.

"You don't keep the test results secret, you just keep the sex secret," association president Andrew Foote said.

He said while he had no first-hand knowledge of gender-based abortion "I think it does happen".

"The view among my colleagues is they're definitely against it," he said.

"But if (patients) were of a view they must have a baby of a particular sex, they could turn up at a termination clinic and say it is for social reasons."

One of Australia's biggest abortion clinics has revealed that parents have requested abortions on gender grounds though it is "extremely rare" and always refused.

But The Sunday Times discovered a couple aborted their baby after discovering at 19 weeks they were having a girl when they wanted a boy.

The couple's GP, Dr Mark Hobart, refused to give them a referral to an abortion clinic and reported the specialist who later terminated the pregnancy to the Medical Board.

"The parents were upfront and told me that was the reason for the abortion," Dr Hobart told The Sunday Times yesterday. "I was dumbfounded.

"To get a request for an abortion for that reason (having a girl when they wanted a boy), I just couldn't believe it. It was the husband who did all the talking he was so insistent."

Despite being refused a referral by Dr Hobart, the mother had an abortion a few days later.

The Medical Board told Dr Hobart on Friday it would not pursue the matter because Victorian doctors are allowed to terminate pregnancies of up to 24 weeks.

A Senate committee is inquiring into draft legislation prepared by "pro-life" Democratic Labor Party senator John Madigan, which would ban Medicare rebates for gender-selective abortions.

The inquiry is also investigating "the prevalence of gender selection with preference for a male child among some ethnic groups".

Senator Madigan yesterday said that "we do know there are cultures where a boy is preferred over a girl", though he did not have statistics on the prevalence in Australia.

Dr Foote said that keeping the baby's sex secret until 20 weeks would be a "reasonable safeguard".

But Australian Medical Association president Steve Hambleton said women had the right to know everything about their pregnancy.

The Fertility Control Clinic Victoria's biggest abortion provider told the Senate inquiry that 96 per cent of abortions were performed before 12 weeks' gestation, when it was too early to know the sex.

"It is extremely rare for us to receive requests for gender- selection abortion and we do not acquiesce to such requests," the clinic's submission states.

The clinic's psychologist, Dr Susie Allanson, said patients requested gender-based abortions "once in a blue moon".

"It's very rare, and we have to say (to the patient) we don't provide abortion on the basis of gender," she said.

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Call for more prisoners to work on streets

More prisoners would work in the community to "repay their debt" to society, under a plan before the Barnett Government. File picture.
Source: PerthNow

MORE prisoners - including people smugglers - would be put to work in the community to "repay their debt" to society, under a plan before the Barnett Government.

A review of the state's prison system has revealed taxpayer-funded work camps are operating below 70 per cent capacity, despite nearly 100 prisoners being identified as fit for work.

Work camp prisoners perform community duties, from painting local churches, to general maintenance in hospital grounds and cemetery landscaping.

The camps also provide training and skills development, including how to operate heavy machinery and administer first-aid.

Inspector of Custodial Services Neil Morgan said the underuse of work camps was "unacceptable".

"They have involved a high level of public investment and need to be full or close to capacity to repay that investment," he said.

Mr Morgan said the department could increase the pool of prisoners in work camps by allowing Indonesian prisoners subject to deportation to work in the community.

There should also be more Aboriginal prisoners in work camps, he said.

Just 66 prisoners are working in four camps in Wyndham, Warburton, Walpole and Dowerin. At least 80 more are suitable for work, but have not been given placements. The review also highlighted an "alarming" number of Aboriginal prisoners being housed in WA's toughest jails, while non-Aboriginal prisoners were gaining minimum security ratings.

Mr Morgan said it "beggared belief" that Aboriginal prisoners weren't being given equal opportunities for rehabilitation.

"Aboriginal people constitute over 40 per cent of our prison population," he said. "If they are not accessing minimum security in sufficient numbers, the benefits of these facilities are not reaching a priority target group and public investment is not being maximised."

The number of non-Aboriginal people shifted to minimum security increased 62 per cent in the past three years.

For Aboriginal prisoners the rise was less than 5 per cent.

Opposition corrective services spokesman Paul Papalia said it was "scandalous" work camps were a quarter empty.

"Work camps are a successful tool for re-integrating people and preparing them to go back into society," Mr Papalia said.

"The Barnett Government has turned our prison system into complete shambles. You're putting relatively low-risk prisoners in with hardened criminals and you'll be teaching them how to become a proper criminal. It's creating crime universities."

Corrective Services Minister Joe Francis and the Department of Corrective Services declined to comment.

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Daredevil cave divers exploring depths

Cave diver John Vanderleest explores the underwater caverns of WA's Nullarbor. Picture: http://lizrogersphotography.com Source: Supplied

DAREDEVIL divers are exploring remote underground caves across the Nullarbor Plain, swimming below millions of tonnes of rock where one mistake can prove fatal.

But they say taking the ultimate risk is worth it to pioneer a world most of us will never see, in water so stunningly clear that it is "the closest you can come to being an astronaut on Earth".

Their view backs up Lonely Planet's list of top dive spots which shows WA's Nullarbor ahead of the Great Barrier Reef.

While that outraged tourism bosses in Queensland, a hard-core club of about 50 WA cave divers say Lonely Planet was right to name Cocklebiddy Cave, 1150km east of Perth, as one of the world's top-10 dive locations.

"You shine your light and it is so magnificently clear it makes a swimming pool seem murky," Nullarbor veteran and Cave Divers Association of Australia director John Vanderleest said.

"You can't articulate how crystal clear it is. You're floating in a giant cave that's so crystal clear you don't even realise you're underwater. It's like you're floating in space."

And it's almost as dangerous as a trip to outer space.

More than 90m below ground, divers are beneath millions of tonnes of rock. And at 6.5km long, Cocklebiddy Cave is the longest underwater passage in the country, up to several hundred metres wide, along a fault line in the biggest slab of limestone on the planet.

In 1972 and 1973, at least eight people died cave-diving in Australia, prompting the formation of the cave divers association and the introduction of a permits and a training system that has kept fatalities to two since then.

That record was almost ruined in 1988 when producer Andrew Wight led a Nullarbor cave-diving expedition and a freak storm caused the entrance to collapse, leaving 15 people trapped underground.

A rescue mission was mounted and everyone survived in a harrowing ordeal that inspired the movie Sanctum.

So mysterious are the world's giant, flooded underwater caverns, the Maya believed the entrances to them to be portals to the underworld.

"It's an unforgiving sport. You can't afford mistakes. If anything goes wrong, you have to deal with it underwater," Mr Vanderleest said.

He said the Nullarbor's six regularly dived caves were among the most popular in the country for Australia's small and highly trained group of cave divers, who number about 800, including up to 70 in WA.

Phenomenal visibility is the result of artesian basin water that has taken thousands of years to filter through the limestone surface layers, the cave divers association's scientific officer, Ian Lewis, said.

And exploring the underwater realm isn't cheap.

"A re-breather will be $12,000-$15,000, an underwater scooter $5000, but people don't mind the expense because when your life is reliant on equipment, you don't want an old VW, you want a Ferrari," Mr Vanderleest said.

Perth diver Craig Challen holds the "crown of Cocklebiddy" for going deeper than anyone to the end of the cave system, where it branches into several tight passages. Another Perth legend of the sport is Paul Hosie, who has mapped more than 15km of virgin cave-diving passages in the Nullarbor and elsewhere.

Fellow diver Geoff Paynter has tackled Cocklebiddy more than a dozen times since it was discovered in the '70s.

He said most West Australians had no idea that the treasure existed.

"People are literally driving over the top on their way to Perth or Adelaide and they don't realise what's below," he said.

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Police officers charged with criminal offences

WA Police Internal Affairs figures show 347 charges have been laid against 100 officers since 2008. Source: Supplied

WA police officers have been convicted of nearly 250 criminal offences over the past five years including sex crimes against children, serious assaults, burglary and dangerous driving.

Figures obtained by The Sunday Times from WA Police Internal Affairs show 347 charges have been laid against 100 officers after complaints from the public and internal investigations since 2008.

The database reveals 11 officers have been convicted of a string of offences in the 2012-13 financial year, including a senior sergeant failing to stop after a crash, dangerous driving, stealing as a public servant and aggravated assault.

More than half the criminal charges for the past five years were for misusing police computers, which includes illegally using the police database to uncover personal details.

Other charges included disorderly conduct in a police station, refusing a breath test, forgery and burglary. Some officers were penalised for failing to store their firearms properly.

WA Police Union president George Tilbury said the figures amounted to less than 2 per cent of the police workforce.

"Police officers are also members of our community and they are not immune from societal influences," he said.

"Police do a difficult, dangerous job and deal with stress and trauma that most people would never encounter in a lifetime. Criminal conduct is not condoned, but there are often mitigating factors and every case should be assessed in isolation."

Of the 68 officers convicted of 248 charges, five were handed prison sentences for their crimes, including dangerous driving causing death, stealing and unlawful use of police computers.

Another officer was jailed for 10 counts of indecent dealing and six of sexual penetration of a child under 16.

Acting Assistant Commissioner Allan Adams said WA Police had a strong focus on the "ethical health" of the agency.

He said it published information on charged officers when it was in the public interest.

"Any information that alleges misconduct by any police officer is thoroughly investigated and where evidence identifies criminal behaviour to the required standard the matter is progressed in line with the DPP Prosecution Guidelines," Insp Adams said.

"The public interest is always carefully considered in our endeavours to be open and accountable."

Release of the figures comes after a Bunbury police officer pleaded guilty this week to assaulting a man in a hotel carpark. The court was told the off-duty officer approached a man he believed was going to break into a car last month and forced him to the ground. He received a spent conviction and a $4500 fine.

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Driver, 82, banned over fatal crash

An 82-year-old Perth woman has been banned from driving for life for causing a fatal crash. Picture: Rob Leeson Source: PerthNow

AN elderly Perth woman banned from driving for life after causing the death of a man will be haunted with memories of the accident for the rest of her days, her son says.

Mary Bolgia, 82, has been convicted by a jury of dangerous driving causing the death of Jean-Pierre McEvoy, 71, outside a service station in February last year.

He died in hospital a month later from injuries sustained in the accident.

In handing down the disqualification period and a $5000 fine in Perth's District Court on Friday, Judge Jeremy Curthoys accepted that Bolgia had been driving slowly when she struck Mr McEvoy but then panicked and accelerated.

He said it had been a "harrowing'' experience for her and she was a low risk of reoffending.

Bolgia had co-operated with police and immediately surrendered her driver's licence, which demonstrated her remorse, the judge said.

"It falls, despite the tragic consequences, at the lower end of dangerous driving causing death,'' Judge Curthoys said.

He said his sentence did not take into consideration the value of Mr McEvoy's life.

Outside court, Bolgia's son Loyd told reporters the case had taken a toll on his mother, who had lost 5kg in the past few days.

Mr Bolgia said he was grateful that the judge was sympathetic to his mother's situation and accepted that it was an accident.

"Someone has died, which is tragic,'' he said.

"She's going to have to live with that for the rest of her life, basically, and maybe that was punishment enough for her.''

Mr Bolgia said his mother had never been in a traffic accident before and was now catching the bus to get around and visit her Alzheimer's-affected husband, who was being cared for in a home.

He said she would never recover from the trauma of the memory of the accident.

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Court tangles leave RSPCA in limbo

Unresolved court cases have left the RSPCA's Malaga shelter a full house. Picture: Stewart Allen Source: PerthNow

THE RSPCA's Perth shelter is in crisis, overwhelmed by an influx of seized animals and unable to move them on because of unresolved court cases.

The charity warned in February that it was at breaking point after an unprecedented number of neglected and mistreated animals were brought in.

More than 350 dogs, cats, birds, rabbits and livestock are currently housed at the Malaga site, which has room for only about 200 animals.

Some 300 animals were rescued from just three properties between late 2012 and early this year, including 132 taken from one suburban property in December.

Caring for the extra arrivals has cost the RSPCA about $175,000.

The RSPCA said rehoming animals was often held up by legal processes and people challenging their convictions under the Animal Welfare Act 2002.

But it uses foster carers and other programs to ensure the animals are as comfortable as possible until the cases are resolved in court, RSPCA WA chief executive David van Ooran said.

The RSPCA has been unable to take any cats for months because that part of the shelter is particularly overstretched.

"We're in a very busy holding pattern,'' Mr van Ooran said.

"The animals seized by RSPCA inspectors remain in the care of the RSPCA until court cases can be resolved.

"Once the court case has concluded, we are then able to put the animals through our rehoming process which involves micro-chipping, desexing and behavioural assessment to ensure the animals go to the right homes.''

Mr van Ooran said the RSPCA was grateful to local legal firms that had saved it hundreds of thousands of dollars a year in fees by working on the cases pro bono.

He also urged the public to donate clean blankets and towels to help keep the animals warm during the colder months.

The RSPCA's biggest fundraising event of the year, the Million Paws Walk, will be held on May 19 across the country.

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Jockey was pushed to her limit

Nikita McLean (left) with fellow jockey Michelle Payne after her five-month suspension was cut in half by the Racing Appeals and Disciplinary Board. Picture: Andrew Brownbill Source: Herald Sun

A SYMPATHETIC appeals board slashed in half a five-month suspension imposed by stewards on jockey Nikita McLean for the assault of her teenage sister, Jackie.

Racing Appeals and Disciplinary Board chairman Judge Russell Lewis was frank in his support of 27-year-old McLean, who pushed and punched 18-year-old Jackie Beriman at a recent race meeting at Hamilton.

"He (McLean's husband) had it off with her younger sister," Judge Lewis said.

"She's not a robot."

Earlier on the same day at Hamilton, McLean's estranged husband, jumps jockey Brad McLean, had tapped her on the behind with his whip, upsetting her and contributing to her later assault of her sister.

McLean told stewards at an earlier hearing the sight of her sister parading in front of her in the jockeys' room had also upset her; "a very provocative thing to do", according to Judge Lewis.

Judge Lewis added McLean was vulnerable at Hamilton because it was the first time she had shared a racecourse with her ex and Beriman since their August 2012 affair.

"There is no doubt this young woman has been drawn to the limits," he said.

In successfully arguing that the stewards' penalty of five months was "manifestly unjust", Patrick Whelahan, for Nikita McLean, said the circumstances of the assault were "extreme".

He said McLean had acted "very courteously and professionally" towards her sister since learning of the affair. Judge Lewis described the brief affair as a "gross betrayal".

Mr Whelahan said the five-month suspension would have robbed his client of about $70,000 in earnings; a penalty "completely out of step".

The board heard McLean, now living in Ballarat, shared ownership of a home in Warrnambool with her estranged husband, who lives there, but only Nikita McLean was making mortgage payments.

Board member Brian Forrest asked her if Brad McLean was a "freeloader", and she said "yes".

She later vowed to mend the fractured relationship with her sister and urged other jockeys to also forgive Beriman.

Racing Victoria and the jockeys' association intends to begin mediation and increase counselling for the sisters. Jackie Beriman had been ostracised by other jockeys since the affair.

Nikita McLean's suspension ends on June 30.

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Patients burn alive in hospital fire

A fire in a psychiatric hospital near the Russian capital Moscow has killed at least 38 people.

• 29 of the 38 were burnt alive and death toll also includes two doctors
• Many patients were sedated and did not wake up
• Patients at the facility ranged from 20-76 years old

A FIRE swept quickly through a psychiatric hospital outside Moscow early Friday, killing 38 people, most of them in their beds, officials said.

The one-story brick-and-wood hospital building housed patients with severe mental disorders, Health Ministry officials said. An emergency ministry official said the fire started in a wooden annex and then spread to the main brick building which had wooden beams.

The patients were under sedatives and most of them did not wake up, Yuri Deshevykh of the emergency situations ministry told RIA Novosti.

At least 29 people were burned alive, said Irina Gumennaya, a spokeswoman for the Russian Investigative Committee.

Firefighters extinguishing fire in the burning psychiatric hospital where inmates were trapped inside behind barred windows. Picture: AFP PHOTO / MOSCOW REGION EMERGENCIES MINISTRY

Investigators said 38 people, including 36 patients and two doctors, have died. They said a nurse managed to escape and save one patients, while another patient got out on his own. The emergency services also posted a list of the patients indicating they ranged in age from 20 to 76. Gumennaya told Russian news agencies that most of the people died in their beds.

Moscow region governor Andrei Vorobyev said some of the hospital windows were barred. Gumennaya quoted testimony of the surviving nurse who said that doors inside the hospital were not locked.

Officials from the Russian Investigative Committee said they are looking at poor fire regulations and short circuit as possible causes for the blaze that engulfed the hospital in the Ramenskiy settlement, some 85 kilometers north of Moscow.

Police said the fire was caused by a short circuit. Picture: AP Photo/Pavel Sergeyev

Vadim Belovoshin of the emergency ministry said that it took fire fighters an hour to get to the hospital following an emergency call because a ferry across the canal was closed and the fire fighters had to make a detour.

Vorobyev told Russian state-television that the fire alarm seems to have worked but the fire spread too quickly.

Russia has a poor fire safety record, with about 12,000 deaths reported in 2012. In January, a fire in an underground parking lot killed 10 migrant workers from Tajikistan who were working and living there. In a similar incident in September, 14 Vietnamese workers were killed by fire at a clothing factory near Moscow.

Firefighters work at a site of the fire where 38 people including 36 patients and two doctors died. Picture: AP Photo/Pavel Sergeyev

In one of the most high-profile case of negligence, more than 150 people died in a night club in the city of Perm after a pyrotechnic show ignited a wooden ceiling.

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Geelong players a pair of Cat bunglers

Billie Smedts leaves Kardinia Park. Picture: Mike Dugdale Source: Herald Sun

BILLIE Smedts and Josh Caddy should stick to kicking a Sherrin, because as Cat burglars they make mighty fine footy players.

When the duo decided to play a prank on Jackson Thurlow, the "innocent fun" they decided on was a spot of housebreaking at their teammate's new digs.

But the concept of a fleet-footed Raffles doing a midnight flit across the rooftops without a trace eluded them.

For a start, it wasn't dark yet. On top of that, they got the wrong house.

So when a woman looked out her window and noticed two balaclava-clad men trying to force their way in, not unnaturally she called 000.

And soon after making their getaway back to Kardinia Park, the hapless pair found themselves staring down the barrels of guns levelled at them by five of Geelong's finest.

"Oh, mate, it was scary - very scary," a sheepish Smedts said.

Caddy said: "We are both sorry to that lady. In hindsight, we shouldn't have done it."

Josh Caddy says it was an ''innocent'' prank which went wrong. Picture: Mike Dugdale

Caddy said it was simply a prank gone wrong.

"It was just some innocent fun with me and Billie, which unfortunately scared people.

"We were just in the $2 shop and saw them (balaclavas) and thought it would be a bit of fun to scare young Thurlow at his new house he'd just moved into," Caddy said.

"We're a little bit embarrassed, but it's been dealt with."

Smedts added: "If (police) want us to go and apologise, we will. But it's all done and dusted, and they know it was a big prank and a big misunderstanding."

Inspector Gary Bruce said police had attended several burglaries in the South Geelong area in previous weeks and so responded swiftly to the call from Yarra St about 5pm on Wednesday.

He said the pair were given official cautions.

"They were extremely apologetic. It placed our members in danger in responding quickly to the call and caused potential danger, not only to our members but also those two."

He said police had spoken with club management.

Club media manager Kevin Diggerson said no further action would be taken.

"It was a misunderstanding and the boys hadn't done anything wrong," he said.

"There was no malice or attempt to cause any drama."

Asked whether Geelong players would be spoken to about pranks, he said: "We think our players are a mature group of people and will take out of it what they like."

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Man king-hit in Kwinana for defending daughter

A man is in a critical condition after being king-hit in Kwinana. Picture: Bohdan Warchomij Source: PerthNow

A MAN suffered serious head injuries after he was king-hit in front of his two daughters in Kwinana last night.

The attack happened just before 9pm when the 50-year-old man and his daughters were waiting for a taxi at a BP service station on Chisham Ave.

Police believe the man began arguing with a passenger in a vehicle after comments were made about his daughter.

The suspect then got out of the vehicle and punched the man in the back of the head, causing him to fall and hit his head on the ground.

He was taken to Royal Perth Hospital in a critical condition.

The attacker fled the scene in a small, dark hatchback.

He was described as fair-skinned, with black hair and a beard.

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

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Ten dumb things the bombers did

The FBI have released this footage of CCTV in Boston of the two suspects they believe they are searching for in relation to the Boston bombings.

This combination released by the FBI show images taken from surveillance video of what the FBI are calling suspect number 2 (Dzhokhar Tsarnaev) , left, in white cap,and suspect number 1 (Tamerlan) , right, in black cap, as they walk near each other through the crowd in Boston on Monday, April 15, 2013, before the explosions at the Boston Marathon. (AP Photo/FBI, File). Source: AP

TAMERLAN and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev carried out a devastating attack on the Boston Marathon.

Using improvised bombs made from pressure cookers bought at Macy's, the Russian-born brothers detonated two devices at the Boston Marathon, killing three people and wounding more than 250.

But their behaviour during the attack and after begs the question: What were they thinking?

Three days after the outrage, the pair were involved in a dramatic gun battle with police on the streets of Boston. Tamerlan was gunned down, then run over by his younger brother as he fled. The 26-year-old died at the scene.

Dzhokhar, 19, was found several hours later hiding in a boat in a suburban backyard. He allegedly tried to kill himself but failed.

He has since been charged with use of a Weapon of Mass Destruction and malicious destruction of property resulting in death.

Read the case against Dzhokhar Tsarnaev here

This dramatic footage of the blasts at the finishing line of the Boston Marathon was captured from the viewing area across the street. Credit: YouTube/Ryan Hoyme.

Investigators are unsure if the brothers - described by US Vice President Joe Biden as "two twisted, perverted, cowardly, knockoff jihadists" - were part of a wider terror cell in the US.

If their actions are anything to go by, they might also qualify as "strangest".

Here's 10 decisions they made that just didn't make sense.

1. Wear a baseball cap backwards and no sunglasses.

As CCTV footage shows, Dzhokhar made little effort to prevent cameras from capturing his face on the day of the bombings, making him easy to identify when the FBI released security camera images. Tamerlan, in contrast, wore dark glasses and had his cap on the correct way, partially concealing his face.

Dzhokhar Tsarnaev and TamerlanTsarnaev pictured at the Boston Marathon. Dzhokhar made no attempt to hide his identity from any cameras. (AP Photo/FBI) Source: AP

2. Not react to the explosions.

In the days after the bombings, investigators studied all available photos and surveillance videos of the blast area searching for abnormal reactions. The complaint filed in federal court this week specifically cites Dzhokhar's reaction to the first explosion as a giveaway.

"Approximately 30 seconds before the first explosion, Suspect 2 (Dhzokhar) lifts his phone to his ear as if he is speaking on his cell phone, and keeps it there for approximately 18 seconds," the FBI's complaint states.

"A few seconds after he finishes the call, the large crowd of people around him can be seen reacting to the first explosion. Virtually every head turns to the east (towards the finish line) and stares in that direction in apparent bewilderment and alarm.

"Bomber Two, virtually alone among the individuals... appears calm. He glances to the east and then calmly but rapidly begins moving to the west."

In this image from video provided by WBZ TV, a bomb explodes near the finish line of the Boston Marathon in Boston on Monday, April 15, 2013. (AP Photo/WBZTV) Source: AP

3. Leave their car at the repair shop, then go pick it up.

The Wall Street Journal reported that Dzhokhar stopped by a mechanic in Watertown on Tuesday to pick up the Mercedes he'd brought in for repairs.

"The younger brother was jittery, said Gilberto Junior, who works at the shop. "He was biting his nails, and when he was talking to me, his legs were like this," Mr. Junior said, shaking one leg. "He said, 'I need the car now. I need the car right now.' "

4. Stay in Boston.

The second bomb exploded at 2:49pm (Boston time) last Monday. It wasn't until 10.49pm Thursday (Boston time) that the brothers carjacked a Mercedes.

What did they do in the interim three days? Go to the gym, check in on their broken car, and, in Dzhokhar's case, go to a party on the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth campus.

During the three-day window in which their involvement was unknown, they made no attempt to flee, and when they did finally make a run for it, they stuffed it up.

CCTV of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev's movements before after the bombing has been outlined in the bed side hearing

5. Run out of cash.

When Dzhokhar carjacked the Mercedes on Thursday night (Boston time) and took their hostage, he and his brother needed cash badly.

Using their victim's ATM card and PIN number, they withdrew $800, before they reached the account limit. Holding up a stranger for money suggests no planning went into any getaway. The fact they hadn't budgeted and had to resort to such desperate measures helped alert them to the authorities.

This dramatic footage of the blasts at the finishing line of the Boston Marathon was captured from the viewing area across the street. Credit: YouTube/Ryan Hoyme.

6. Not understand how ATMs work.

After reaching the daily withdrawal limit at one machine, the Tsarnaevs decided to try their luck at two different machines.  Did they not realise ATMs are part of an interconnected system? It was while they were hunting a working ATM that they ended up, coincidentally, at a 7-11 in Cambridge around the same time it was the scene of an armed robbery, and were spotted on the store security camera.

7. Confess to the hostage.

According to the FBI's complaint, when Dzhokhar got into the Mercedes, he immediately told the driver, "Did you hear about the Boston explosion? I did that." That meant the brothers' cover would be immediately blown if the driver escaped.  Guess what happened next ....

8. Stop for a snack and allow hostage to escape.

The Los Angeles Times reported that the hostage escaped after the brothers stopped at a petrol station to buy snacks. The unidentified driver fled to another petrol station to call police. He was able to describe his car, the number plate and his captors. From there, the manhunt was on in earnest.

9. Keep the hostage's phone.

Maybe they panicked, but for some reason, the brothers continued on in the carjacked Mercedes without their hostage. But they did have his phone, which allowed police to track their location via GPS, accordng to Time magazine.

Police with guns drawn during the dramatic manhunt for the Tsarnaev brothers three days after the Boston Marathon bombing. Picture: Mario Tama/Getty Images Source: Getty Images

10. Bring a BB gun.

Maybe not crucial to the case, but the weapons used by the two suspects were, according to police: a pressure-cooker bomb, seven improvised explosive devices (IEDs), an M4 carbine, two handguns, and a BB gun - which is an airgun originally sold as a toy in the US. Why bring a BB gun?

22.16 | 0 komentar | Read More

US ambassador: Stop pirating Game of Thrones

Emilia Clarke played Daenerys Targaryen in Game of Thrones. Picture: Supplied Source: news.com.au

Game of Thrones is one of the most pirated TV series. Supplied by Foxtel Source: news.com.au

•  Extraordinary plea: Aussie piracy out of control
• We're the world's worst Game of Thrones pirates
• No excuses for Aussies anymore: US official

THE top US official in Australia has taken the extraordinary step of pleading with us to stop pirating Game of Thrones.

Ambassador Jeffrey Bleich - who confesses to being a fan of the 'great epic' - says he is troubled with news we're one of the world's biggest pirates of the HBO fantasy series.

"Unfortunately, nearly as epic and devious as the drama, is its unprecedented theft by online viewers around the world," Mr Bleich wrote in a Facebook post.

"As the Ambassador here in Australia, it was especially troubling to find out that Australian fans were some of the worst offenders with among the highest piracy rates of Game of Thrones in the world."

He added that Australians can no longer use the excuse of the time delay between the series broadcast in the US and Australia to steal episodes.

"While some people here used to claim that they used pirate sites only because of a delay in getting new episodes here, the show is now available from legitimate sources within hours of its broadcast in the United States," Mr Bleich wrote.

Parents of young fans who refuse to pay for a subscription, or issues with copyright law are not valid excuses either, he said. "None of those reasons is an excuse - stealing is stealing."

US Ambassador to Australia Jeffrey Bleich. Picture: Ray Strange Source: News Limited

Downloading content illegally is not a victimless crime, he said, as artists like the Game of Thrones crew can only do their work if they can be paid for it.

If the four million people who watch Game of Thrones legally had been illegal downloaders, Mr Bleich writes, the latest hit season would never have been made.

"Buying a book in store costs more and takes longer than stealing it from your neighbour's house, but we all know it is the right thing to do and allows authors to make a living and write more books," Mr Bleich argued.

The series is understood to be one of the most expensive currently broadcast on television, with E! reporting the series costs around $6 million per episode.

One episode was illegally downloaded over four million times in 2012 according to BitTorrent trackers. That's the same number as the amount of people who watched it on TV.

Episodes are filmed on location in countries such as Malta, Iceland, Croatia and Morocco.

More than one million viewers illegally downloaded the debut episode of the third season, which went to air in the US on March 31 this year.

Ambassador Bleich was appointed US Ambassador to Australia by President Obama in November 2009.

Contact this reporter: Daniel.Piotrowski@news.com.au | @drpiotrowski
 

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Father and abducted daughter reunited

Camilla Ellefsen Lunetta and her daughter Reya. Picture: Today Tonight Source: Supplied

Reya age-progressed to 10. She was allegedly abducted by her mother, Camilla Lunetta. Picture: National Center for Missing and Exploited Children Source: Supplied

Camilla Ellefsen is believed to be living in Australia with her daughter Reya. Picture: Megan Slade Source: The Courier-Mail

Camilla Ellefsen Lunetta in 2002. Photo: Supplied. Source: Supplied

• Desperate dad reunited with abducted daughter
• Brozzi Lunetta trying to help ex-wife leave the country
• Trio plan to evade authorities until agreement struck

A DESPERATE dad has been reunited with his abducted daughter after his decade-long search for her ended near Sydney yesterday.

But in a bizarre twist, American father Brozzi Lunetta has gone into hiding with the ex-wife who stole her from him.

Camilla Ellefsen Lunetta abducted their daughter Reya from the United States in 2002 amid a bitter custody dispute.

"Today we're basically hiding from any kind of police action and trying to find some way to get them safely back to Norway and to get them into some sort of protection from the Norwegian Government," he told news.com.au this morning.

"Right now we're still in the Sydney area. They're safe and very close by.

"(Camilla) is a Norwegian citizen who we're trying to stop from going to prison in America (from where Reya was abducted) and have returned to her own country."

Brozzi Lunetta with daughter Reya before she was abducted. Picture: supplied. Source: Supplied

The 40-year-old father, now based in Norway, returned to Australia last week after news.com.au revealed that Ms Ellefsen Lunetta and Reya were living in Sydney's eastern suburbs.

Yesterday Mr Lunetta and a Today Tonight television crew confronted the pair at a property about an hour's drive from Sydney after receiving a tip-off.

The pair had reportedly been hiding there for more than a week.

In a strange twist, mother and daughter are now holed up with Mr Lunetta. News.com.au is not aware of their exact location.

"Camilla's very worried and fearful," he said.

"She wants to just disappear with her people and have them try to get her out (of Australia) on a fake passport or something.

"It's (been made) very clear to her that if she does a runner we'll have no choice but to call the police.

"There will be complete absolute police action if she disappears from the custody we have."

Camilla Ellefsen Lunetta in 2002. Photo: Supplied Source: Supplied

Mr Lunetta said his ex-wife could flee again.

"I'm close by but I'm not in the same room," he said.

"They have their own bedroom and a shared bed. They're together, they're safe."

Channel Seven, which has paid for Mr Lunetta's flights and accommodation during this trip, has not responded to questions from news.com.au about whether the television station is also paying for Ms Ellefsen Lunetta's accommodation.

"Nobody is being hidden, they are acting of their own free will," a Seven spokeswoman said.

"We are under no obligation to report this matter to the authorities.

"Both parents have indicated to us they want to deal solely with the Norwegian Embassy."

Camilla Ellefsen Lunetta and Reya in 2002. Photo: Supplied Source: Supplied

Mr Lunetta said they were trying to "keep very low key" until the consulate re-opened tomorrow.

"I'm absolutely completely hiding from (authorities) right now," he said.

"No one knows where I'm at except Today Tonight.

"We're praying the consulate will be open tomorrow because to hide for three or four days will be impossible."

Mr Lunetta said he hoped the trio could leave Australia within days.

"We just need to get through another 24 hours and tomorrow we can get the Norwegian Government and the Australian Government on the same page as to what's best for the child," he said.

"Hopefully by Saturday we can all be on a flight back to Norway.

"I've said all along, I don't want Camilla to go to jail and that's what she's facing now.

"There's an election coming up in Australia and does the government really want to see another kid taken away by the AFP screaming and crying? I don't think so."

An Australian Federal Police spokeswoman said they could not act on new information without orders from the Family Court.

The FBI recently confirmed its investigation was ongoing. A felony California state warrant was issued in 2002 for Camilla Lunetta for deprivation of child custody. A federal warrant for Unlawful Flight to Avoid Prosecution was issued in U.S. District Court (federal) in 2004 after the District Attorney requested assistance.

"Obviously, with good reason, Camilla's very scared of the authorities, she doesn't want to go to prison and she doesn't want to be separated from her daughter for years," Mr Lunetta said.

"I've offered her that if we can get them to Norway she will have primary custody.

"I don't want my daughter to see her mum taken away in handcuffs. That's what I'm trying to avoid."

Brozzi's search for his daughter Reya brought him to the Sunshine Coast in 2010. Picture: Megan Slade Source: The Courier-Mail

Ms Ellefsen Lunetta has been unlawfully in the country since 2003.

A NSW Police spokesperson said that under the Migration Act 1958 NSW Police Officers can detain an unlawful non-citizen.

"Police liaise with the Department of Immigration and Citizenship to determine whether or not a person is lawfully in Australia," they said.

A Department of Immigration spokeswoman said they could not discuss individual cases for privacy reasons.

"Any person found to be in the country without a valid visa may be subject to compliance action."

This morning Mr Lunetta updated his hundreds of Facebook followers.

"EVERYBODY PLEASE READ - I am with Camilla & Reya, literally hiding them from the potential arrest and extradition back to California for a prison sentence for felony kidnapping," he wrote.

"We have been trying for hours to get the Norwegian government to intervene, work with the Aussies to deport back to Norway for the visa violation. But the Norwegian Government has been unwilling to do a f***ing thing.

"If you are in Norway PLEASE put pressure on the authorities to Help This Child, my daughter. –Brozzi"

Mr Lunetta told news.com.au that his ex-wife was cooperating.

"Absolutely, as much as she is capable," he said.

"She's been running this show underground for the last 10 years.

"She thought she'd be able to get out of here without me finding her but I've found her.

"Given the situation she's in she knows she doesn't have the leverage she used to have."

Camilla Ellefsen Lunetta and Reya on April 24, 2013. Picture: Today Tonight. Source: Supplied

He said his daughter was doing well considering her confusing ordeal.

"She's OK. By bed time last night she was cool," he said.

"For Reya it's overwhelming. She's not scared of me so I can tell there's been no vilification.

"The possibility that my daughter will be with me in Norway in a month … this could have such a happy ending if we could just get off the rocks."

Both mother and child remain listed as missing on the Family Court of Australia website.

Email kristin.shorten@news.com.au or follow @itsKShort on Twitter

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100,000 turn out for Anzac Day

The Anzac Day parade along St Georges Terrace in Perth. Picture: Theo Fakos Source: PerthNow

A PLEA for the next generation to keep the Anzac spirit alive was heard in the west, as tens of thousands gathered in Perth to honour diggers past and present.

An unprecedented 45,000 people had set their alarms to attend the dawn service at Perth's King's Park - making it the largest in the country - and an estimated 100,000 then lined the streets to honour more than 7000 marching through the city.

Regional areas from Albany to Exmouth also reported record numbers at services and marches.

Army Lieutenant Colonel Bruce Willis, whose grandfather Robert Lowson was one of the Anzacs to land at Gallipoli in 1915, led WA's main Anzac Day march on a new route.

Former POW Eric Roediger, who turned 103 yesterday and was the oldest to march, turned out with the 2/3 Australian Machine Gun Battalion.

With a focus on serving personnel and the future of the Anzac tradition, WA's Returned Services League also used the occasion to encourage new members.

Vietnam veteran, former state and federal politician and now RSLWA president Graham Edwards said the best way to honour the sacrifice of servicemen and women down the years was to live by their code every day.

"Perhaps we ought better honour our Anzacs in our daily lives with those same qualities of humour, honour, sacrifice, mateship and a fair go for all,'' Mr Edwards said.

"Indeed if those same qualities were practised by all of us, including our nation's political, corporate, and civic leaders, then we could give surely give truth and meaning to the saying - we will remember them.''

A leaflet urging ex-service personnel and family to join the RSL was handed out at the commemorative service.

Eighteen-year-old RSLWA Youth Ambassador Angela Gazey urged her generation to study the experiences of their forebears.

"Our freedom came at a cost, and it is important we learn about these events and learn about our past,'' Ms Gazey said.

Wing Commander Dave Turner, of RAAF Pearce, told those gathered at Perth's dawn service it would be a "national disgrace'' if Australians ever became cynical about Anzac Day.

"It is as relevant to Australian society today as ever before,'' Commander Turner said. Todd Gordon brought his family, giving daughters Laura, 4, and Claire, 2, an early lesson in the Anzac spirit - with Laura proud to say she was already learning about Anzac Day in school.

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Hundreds vie for Best Job in World

Cameron Ernst aka "Party Pants" is one of the finalists for The Best Job In The World.

TOURISM Australia has been swamped with videos from people from everywhere from Afghanistan to Latvia dying to work Down Under as part of its Best Jobs in the World competition.

More than 45,000 videos were received in the competition, which have been narrowed down to 150 short-listed applicants - 25 for each of the six state or territory jobs on offer - which went online this morning.

Tourism Australia managing director Andrew McEvoy said the quality of the number of videos received had exceeded expectations.

They include a spoof 007 video for the park ranger job offered in Queensland, an applicant for the taste master job in Western Australia singing for his supper and a video for the chief funster role in NSW delivered in rap.

Tourism Australia's "Six Best Jobs in the World" campaign has received thousands of applicants.

They also include an applicant for the wildlife caretaker in South Australia swimming in a freezing pond in England.

Other jobs include an Outback adventurer in the Northern Territory and a lifestyle photographer for TimeOut magazine in Melbourne, Victoria.

Most of the short-listed applicants came from the US, followed by the UK, Australia, France, Canada and Italy.

Chris Henschel from Canada is one of the finalists for The Best Job In The World.

Mr McEvoy said judging the videos had been a big job.

A team of around 20 people made up of current and former Tourism Australia staff and people brought in from creative and media agencies watched the video applications after undergoing rigorous training.

Entries were judged against a comprehensive selection criteria, including English language proficiency, creativity and originality.

Eileen Street from America is one of the finalists for The Best Job In The World.

"I probably watched 300 or so," Mr McEvoy said.

"The quality is outstanding."

Mr McEvoy said the ultimate aim was to get more people to come to Australia for a working holiday and around 40 per cent of applicants had also signed up to receive offers through partners such as STA Travel and Virgin Australia.

Christian Wagner from Germany is one of the finalists for The Best Job In The World.

A Facebook page promoting working holidays in Australia also shot from around 50,000 fans to more than 400,000 since the competition was launched.

"STA are already telling us that the level of inquiries for working holidays in Australia from around the world has never been bigger," he said.

"They have seen 50 per cent, 60 per cent and 70 per cent increases."

Arianna Spagnolo from Italy is one of the finalists for The Best Job In The World.

The short-listed candidates now have two weeks to submit references to support their application.

Judges from each state and territory tourism board will decide the 18 finalists - three for each job - who will be invited to Australia in June to take part in formal interviews, tests and challenges.

The winners will be announced on June 21.

Hsin-Hsuan Hsieh from Taiwan is one of the finalists for The Best Job In The World.

The short-listed videos can be viewed here.

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'The moment I found the Boston bomber'

David Henneberry, the man who found the second Boston Marathon bomb suspect. Photo: WCVB.com Source: Supplied

THE man who found one of the Boston Marathon bomb suspects hiding in his boat in his backyard has told of how he discovered him during the manhunt.

David Henneberry went to check on his boat at his Watertown home after the lockdown order was lifted in Boston.

Earlier in the day, when he was holed up inside, Mr Henneberry noticed that two of the pads he puts near the boat to prevent chaffing were out of place.

"It was really windy, so I didn't think twice about it," told local station WCVB.

US police have released thermal image pictures that they said helped to track the Boston bomber suspect.

When he went to adjust the pads, he found a strap was a lot "looser" than it normally would be on the boat.

"So I went out in the yard and felt the freedom that everyone is Watertown was feeling.

"When I pulled the strap, it was a lot looser than it usually is. But again, the wind could have loosened things up,' he told WCVB.

Police release new thermal imaging video of Boston suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev lying in a boat as a flash bang grenade explodes near him. Rough Cut (no reporter narration)

He saw what he described as "a good amount" of blood on the inside of the cabin.

At first he thought it may have been from a previous incident where he might have cut himself.

"And I looked back and forth a couple of times and my eyes went to the engine block and there was a body," he said.

He then ran back to his house and called the police, who immediately rushed to the scene.

Mr Henneberry and his wife are still unable to return to their home while investigators are searching the area for more evidence.

He has dismissed claims that he is a national hero, saying that if anything, he is an "incidental hero".

"It makes me feel wonderful that people that are thinking like that, but it is my boat. People lost lives and lost limbs," Mr Henneberry said.

"I am lucky I am alive. These other people were killed. Sometimes, I just sit and say, "Wow,"' he said.

Today, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev has admitted to planting the explosives. The women closest to the Boston bomb suspects have told of their shock.

The American wife of Tamerlan Tsarnaev is co-operating with authorities probing the attack, her lawyers say.

Katherine Russell, 24, who married Tamerlan Tsarnaev in June 2010 and has a three-year-old daughter with him, is "doing everything she can to assist (the) ongoing investigation'', her lawyers said today in a media statement.

And the suspects' sisters - who live in New Jersey - have expressed their sadness over the "callous acts" of the Tsarnaev brothers.

The Boston Globe reported that Tsarnaev admitted to planting the bombs and killing MIT police officer Sean Collier with his brother Tamerlan Tsarnaev, who was killed in a police shoot-out.

The Boston Marathon attack left three dead and at least 264 people wounded.

Tsarnaev reportedly told authorities on Sunday that he and his brother were behind the attacks, and said his brother had become radicalised in part because of US action in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The statement from the Russell family said news that the two brothers may have been behind the carnage came as an "absolute shock'' to Tsarnaev's wife and her family.

"As a mother, a sister, a daughter, a wife, Katie deeply mourns the pain and loss to innocent victims, students, law enforcement, families and our community,'' it said.

"In the aftermath of this tragedy, she, her daughter and her family are trying to come to terms with these events.''

Watch Mr Henneberry's interview with WCVB here.

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Police probe fatal Mandurah taxi crash

A crash on the Kwinana Freeway has claimed the life of one person. Picture: Seven News/Facebook Source: PerthNow

TWO passengers who exited a taxi before a crash that killed the driver are being sought by police as they investigate the fatality.

Police said a white Swan Taxis 'maxi taxi' was between driven on Mandurah Road between 10am and 10.30am when it suddenly swerved into Rouse Road and struck what is believed to be a removalist van.

The truck left the scene and police believe the driver of the truck may not have known the taxi had hit his vehicle.

The 67-year-old male driver of the taxi died at the scene and a passenger in the taxi is assisting major crash officer with their investigation.

Police are seeking to speak with two other passengers, who they believe exited the taxi somewhere along Mandurah Road before the crash.

Anyone with information or who witnessed the crash is asked to contact CrimeStoppers.

One killed in Kwinana Freeway crash

Up to six cars may have been involved in a crash on Kwinana Freeway that claimed the life of one man and saw another person airlifted to hospital.

Freeway lanes northbound between Safety Bay Road and Mundijong Road in Baldivis have now been reopened after being shut for much of the afternoon.

The RAC Rescue chopper transported one person to Royal Perth Hospital, while fire and rescue crews helped free several people trapped after the crash.

The age and gender of the man has yet to be released.

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Woodside rejects 'moral obligation' claim

Woodside chairman Michael Chaney says green groups had 'zero' influence in the board's decision not to go ahead with James Price Point. Source: The Sunday Times

WOODSIDE Petroleum has ruled out making ex-gratia payments to traditional owners who signed up to a $1.5 billion social benefits package for the now-shelved Browse gas project.

The communities stand to miss out on all but a small part of the package as it was conditional on the company and its joint venture partners deciding to proceed with an onshore processing hub at James Price Point, north of Broome, in Western Australia's Kimberley region.

Woodside shelved that $45 billion proposal almost a fortnight ago, saying it would not deliver the returns needed.

While traditional owners said the joint venture had a moral obligation to deliver the package regardless of whether the project proceeded, Woodside chief executive Peter Coleman said only $18 million in native title payments would still be made.

"The agreement was very clear,'' Mr Coleman told reporters after the energy giant's annual general meeting in Perth today.

"It was based upon the successful final investment decision at James Price Point.

"We don't expect to be making ex-gratia payments to them.''

Financial market analysts have said a flood of LNG exports to Asia from North America's shale gas boom was a factor in the company's decision to shelve Browse.

Mr Coleman said he expected LNG demand would remain strong for the next three or four years, particularly for cargoes sold on the spot market.

He believes the resources sector as a whole is going through a natural correction after a long commodities cycle.

And while green groups claimed victory after often heated protests at James Price Point, Woodside's chairman Michael Chaney insisted the dissent had "zero'' influence on the board's decision.

22.16 | 0 komentar | Read More

Son charged over couple's death

Wangaratta couple Bill and Pauline Thomas were a quiet and loving couple well-regarded in the local community. Picture: Supplied Source: Supplied

THE son of a couple found dead in their home has been charged with murder.

Ian David Thomas, 35, of Western Australia, faced an out-of-sessions court hearing charged with the murders of Bill and Pauline Thomas.

Plain-clothes detectives arrested Mr Thomas in Meredith, between Ballarat and Geelong, on Tuesday.

The bodies of the devoted couple were found in their home outside Wangaratta on Monday night.

Ian Thomas has been arrested over the deaths of his parents.

A barefoot Mr Thomas, in a blue jumpsuit, asked for bail, saying: "I am absolutely no threat to anyone's livelihood whatsoever."

He appeared calm, but had an injury to his face that he said occurred when a police officer "stomped" on him as he was arrested.

The hearing was told investigations into the cause of the couple's deaths, some time between Sunday afternoon and Monday morning, were continuing.

Detectives have arrested a 35-year-old man after the discovery of two bodies at a home in country Victoria.

Mr Thomas was remanded to face Melbourne Magistrates' Court on Friday.

Family of the couple, who'd been married for 40 years, said they were in disbelief at the tragic deaths.

Mr Thomas's brother, Alan, said: "We're all just totally shellshocked. We're absolutely gobsmacked."

Police outside a house in Wangaratta where two bodies were found. Picture: Rob Leeson

The dead couple's other children, who live in Queensland and Western Australia, planned to gather at Alan Thomas's Undera home.

"Nobody knows what to do. We're all dumbfounded," Mr Thomas said.

He said the last time he saw his brother was at his mother's funeral in January, when the family gathered.

Police outside a house in Wangaratta where two bodies were found. Picture: Rob Leeson

"They were a very quiet couple, kept to themselves, and when they weren't working they were inseparable.

"They would help anybody," he said.

Meredith resident Courtney Young said news of the arrest had been a shock.

"Everyone's been talking about it and we have seen the police around town," she said. "It's such a quiet kind of place normally - not something you expect to hear about."

wayne.flower@news.com.au

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Australia's sexiest jobs revealed

Women who work in sport and recreation are considered the most attractive. Picture: Thinkstock Source: Supplied

• Survey finds the sexiest men are soldiers
• Hottest women work in sport and recreation
• No love for insurance workers or telemarketers

WOMEN dig Diggers and men can't keep their eyes off the yoga teacher.

That's the verdict of a new national survey, commissioned by 'infidelity site' VictoriaMilan.com.au, which asked 1,000 Australians from the population at large to name the professions that get them drooling.

It turns out that girls really do love a man in uniform. Soldiers topped the list of hunky heartthrobs, and emergency service personnel weren't far behind.

"Wars aren't sexy but fighters are and that's why Aussie women dig Diggers," said VictoriaMilan founder Sigurd Vedal.

There are some surprising results as well. For instance, 'unemployment' was voted a sexier profession than sales, science, HR, IT and a bunch of other perfectly respectable careers. Figure that one out.

We've used the results to put together a list of the five sexiest professions for both men and women, along with the five least alluring jobs.

Did the survey get it wrong? Leave a comment below. Tell us where your partner works ... and where you'd like them to work.

Look at that jawline. He can put you in his sights any day. Picture: Thinkstock Source:

Hot hunks

Soldiers

He's fighting fit, resourceful and brave to boot. He has all the muscles of a gym junkie but none of the insufferable vanity. That soldier boyfriend will keep you safe and satisfied.

Emergency Service Personnel

What could be sexier than a man who devotes his life to saving the lives of others? Whether your beau is a fireman, a cop or an ambulance officer, his selfless attitude will blow you away. And don't forget the appeal of a man in uniform.

Tradesmen/Construction Workers

They don't call these guys handymen for nothing. All of those mundane household tasks which would stump most fancy-pants businessmen are a breeze for any tradie. Of course, those strong hands have other uses.

Sportsmen

Talk about window shopping. Weekend television is a virtual catalogue of sporty hunks. Are you a woman who likes her men to be seriously built? League's the sport for you. Or would you rather have a lean man with a great reach? Turn on the AFL and start drooling.

Doctors

It's nice to know that your boyfriend has a noble job. It's even better when that job makes him loads of money. Men in medicine represent the perfect blend of brains, responsibility and fun, and expensive holidays.

Lawyers can be sexy. And as an added benefit, they can keep you out of prison. Picture: Thinkstock Source:

Bewitching babes

Sport/Recreation

Some men go to the gym to admire themselves in the mirror. Others prefer to admire the female company. Women working in sport and recreation are fit and energetic. They're also willing to roll around in the backyard with a footy after work.

Medical Workers

We all put on a brave face, but every man secretly wants to be cared for. That's why doctors and nurses are so appealing; it's their job to care for people. Of course, the skimpy nurse costumes which surface around Halloween also have something to do with it.

Hospitality/Tourism

Men love to eat and drink. They also enjoy travelling to exotic places. So naturally, they'd love to date a woman whose job connects her with food, drink or travel.

Students

Men find students sexy. Ok, you could easily use that fact to accuse blokes of being creepy cradle-snatchers. Having said that, students are curious, idealistic and intelligent. They could remind men of their younger days in more ways than one.

Lawyers

Women who work in law are hardworking and super-intelligent. They tend to be excellent conversationalists as well. You wouldn't know it from walking into a pub, but many men do want to discuss the weightier issues of the day with their partners.

She's sad because she's lonely. Picture: Thinkstock Source:

Unlucky in love

Insurance

These poor folks really do struggle to make a good first impression. They pick up the phone, introduce themselves and then spend an hour tussling over different interpretations of the fine print. You don't win friends, or lovers, by denying them a desperately needed payout.

Manufacturing

It's not entirely clear what manufacturers have done to be rejected so callously. Perhaps, as the manufacturing industry inexorably declines across the first world, sexy singles would rather jump on a love boat which isn't slowly sinking.

Community Services

Ok, this one just isn't fair. Seriously Australia, what is so awful about people who work in community services? They're caring, conscientious and they love the community. The community should really start loving them back.

Call Centres and Customer Service

They have no trouble retrieving hotties' numbers, but no matter how many times they try, call centre workers just can't get anyone to pick up the phone.

Consulting and Strategy

When you tell other people how to do their jobs for a living, you shouldn't be surprised when nobody wants to share their innermost secrets with you. Potential partners are probably scared that every dinner conversation will end with a pointed suggestion for self-improvement.

So there you have it. Is the survey wrong? Which professions make you hot under the collar? Leave your preferences below and you might even meet your match.

Or continue the conversation on Twitter @SamClench | @newscomauHQ

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$2 coffees would send Bocelli broke

Leo Agnello, pictured with Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli in 2008, says serving coffees for $2 would put him out of business. Source: PerthNow

THE owner of Perth's most popular cafe says he would go broke if he sold $2 coffees.

Leo Agnello, whose Forrest Place cafe Bocelli's Espresso was voted the city's best coffee shop by customers during the Eat Drink Perth month, says his trade is doing fine, despite the competitive push to lower prices, as he serves up long blacks for $3.80 to the tune of hundreds a day .

"Five cafes around me have closed up in the past seven or eight months,'' he said.

"It is really hard to make a living when you have to pay exhorbitant rents and high wages.

"On Anzac day I will be paying $4,600 in wages because I have to pay double time.''

Even if his customers are lured elsewhere to cafes like Bar 399 ($2 coffees) and Five Bar, which PerthNow revealed on the weekend was offering $2.50 coffees, Agnello said he will always have a faithful customer in blind tenor Andrea Bocelli, who stops in for an espresso whenever he is in Perth.

Agnello, a classical music lover, was ridiculed by friends and family when he named his cafe, owned with his brother Francesco, after Bocelli in 1989.

Then one day in 2002, he served a coffee to Bocelli's manager who was in Perth with his boss on tour. He was so taken with Agnello's personal blend of hazelnut, guatemalan and ethiopian beans that the manager brought Andrea back the next day.

"Bocelli said he could feel something special about the place and was so touched that I named the cafe after him that he gave me tickets to the show,'' Agnello said.

"He has been back twice since then and each time he has come in. I am hoping that he will tour again at the end of this year and drop in again.''

Perth coffee drinkers have been vocal against soaring coffee prices ever since PerthNow revealed earlier this month that a Scarborough cafe was charging $7.25 for a cappucino in a mug.

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Two men found guilty of shooting murder

Jeremia Iskander was shot in the chest while at a mate's place in Wanneroo. Picture: Supplied. Source: PerthNow

A PERTH jury has found two men guilty of murdering a 21-year-old man over a drug debt by shooting him in the chest at close range.

A Supreme Court jury deliberated for more than a day before convicting Damien Phillip Mathews and Hayden Shane Wayne Joseph of murdering Jeremia Iskander, who was fatally shot on December 2, 2011.

Prosecutor Amanda Forrester had argued Mathews fired the fatal shot, but Joseph was involved in its planning and was therefore equally culpable.

The court heard during the four-week trial that Mr Iskander had been friends with Joseph for several years, but they had fallen out because Joseph owed him money.

Iskander stole two of Joseph's cars to force him to pay his debt. However, Joseph and Mathews confronted Mr Iskander in a driveway where he was shot, the court heard. Colin Lovitt, representing Mathews, alleged it was Mr Iskander who had a gun and that a shot was fired accidentally.

Matthews and Joseph will be sentenced on May 31.

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Footy numbers net Morley man a million

A YOUNG Morley man has his favorite AFL players to thank for bagging a million-dollar Lotto win last week.

The footy fan said he had been playing the numbers only for the past five months but they have already delivered him Division 1 Lotto luck.

"After the first few Lotto draws I thought the numbers were a bit useless but I had this feeling that I had to keep playing them," he said.

"It was definitely worth sticking with them because faith in your numbers pays off."

The Morley man said the million-dollar win would set him up for life and he now plans to buy his first home and jet off travelling.

"I can now buy something closer to my dream home, I never imagined I would be in this position," he said.

$70 million worth of jackpots this week!

WA Lotto players will have two chances to win big this week, with tonight's $20 million OZ Lotto draw and Thursday night's $50 million Powerball draw.

Tickets are available from Lotterywest retailers across WA or from Play Online at lotterywest.wa.gov.au

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Who was Boston's naked man?

Police have not identified the 'Naked Man' - fuelling conspiracy theories. Source: news.com.au

IT'S one of the enduring mysteries of the chaos in Boston last week. Just who was the naked man law enforcement authorities paraded in front of the cameras?

After the shooting of a police officer at MIT and the high-speed chase through Watertown that followed, the Boston Police arrested and questioned a man and ordered him to strip. CNN broadcast footage of the nude man being escorted by police to a waiting wagon.

It was a riveting moment in the foggy TV coverage of the issue, where it (wrongly) seemed like there was resolution to the case.

But days later the naked man has yet to come forward, and the Watertown police department has not clarified the man's identity – fuelling conspiracy theories about the man's identity.

Several online conspiracy theorists claim the world is being hoodwinked by Boston law enforcement and that the naked man was one of the terrorists who caused the chaos, Tamerlan Tsarnaev.

The claims, fuelled by an interview that aired on US television where Tsarnaev's aunt identified the naked man as "100 per cent" Tamerlan, were today rubbished by the Watertown police department.

Official accounts of the incident said Tamerlan died after a lengthy shootout with law enforcement agents. Doctors said Tsarnaev's body was riddled with massive penetrating injuries. He immediately went into cardiac arrest upon arrival at hospital and was later pronounced dead.

A man who was caught up in the case when the Tsarnaev brothers hijacked his SUV has yet to publicly speak about the case.

Law enforcement officials told The New York Times that this man was released, uninjured, at a gas station and he then called the police.

The Naked Man mystery continues. But he has become an object of a different kind of fascination, too. Author Michael Patrick said on Twitter he was "an inspiration to all of us to get back to the gym", adding that a similar situation could happen to you.

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'This is the Jahar I knew'

A video from Boston bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev's wrestling days has been posted online by friends who are still struggling to understand what drove a seemingly normal 19-year-old college student to terrorism

Dzhokhar Tsarnaev Source: Supplied

• Bombing suspect's friend releases video 
• 'Jahar' filmed dancing, wrestling, goofing around 
• "He really loves his brother, looks up to him." 

WHILE the world waits to find out what drove two brothers to terrorism, devastated friends are just as clueless about what motivated a seemingly normal college kid to carry out the Boston bombings.

So determined are they to show the "normal" side of their lives, footage has been released of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev goofing around, like a normal high school student. 

Dzhokhar, known as Jahar among friends, is the younger of the two brothers, aged 19 and 26, accused of plotting the Boston Marathon bombing and killing an MIT police officer last weekend.

The video shows Jahar wrestling with his high school buddies, dancing, and goofing around - as kids his age do.

It was released by Yushun Tsou, a mate of Jahar's from his high school, the Cambridge Rindge and Latin School.

A sophomore at the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth, he attended class every day after the attack until the FBI released photos of the accused brothers late Thursday, CNN reports.

He attended a dorm party and even discussed the bombings at the gym with friends.

"He was like, 'Yeah, tragedies happen like this all the time and it's sad'," Zach Bettencourt said.

An eyewitness says friends joked about the resemblance of the FBI photo, but they couldn't believe it.

"We made a joke like - that could be Dzhokhar," said a 22-year-old resident dorm assistant where he lived. 

"But then we thought it just couldn't be him. Dzhokhar? Never.'

As news broke on Jahar, friends immediately took to Twitter to argue in disbelief at what they were seeing.

Jahar's Twitter account paints a picture of your average college teen; banal musings about Game of Thrones and the television show, Breaking Bad. There's talk of smoking marijuana with his "bros", of parties, music, and musings about life.

Meanwhile, A Boston Globe journalist has recalled in heartbreaking detail a friendship with the bomber "that would last to our senior years".

"The Dzhokhar I knew was a young man who spent all night looking in his car for a new phone I clumsily lost. He left work early just to help me retrace my steps," he wrote.

"He was a young man who proudly shook my hand after I told him I was hired at the Boston Globe. 

"He was a captain on the Cambridge Ringe and Latin wrestling team, he was in the National Honor Society, he earned a scholarship to a four-year university. It seemed no one ever had a problem with Dzhokhar."

The older brother, Tamerlan, died after a police shoot-out on Friday (AEST). Jahar is in hospital in a serious condition, and authorities are waiting to question him.

At the weekend, the brothers' uncle suggested the older brother has been influenced by radicals and that he in turn influenced the younger brother.

An old school friend of Jahar's said: "He really loves his brother, looks up to him."

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New low as coffee war heats up

Small bar 399 is dropping the price of its coffee by 50 per cent but it will only be available after 3pm. Source: Herald Sun

THE coffee war has escalated today with another Perth business slashing the price of its caffeine hit to just $2.

But eager coffee drinkers will have to wait until 3pm for their fix.

Peter Palmer, who recently purchased William Street small bar 399, told PerthNow he decided to drop the price of coffee by 50 per cent to give something back to his customers.

It comes after Five Bar in Mt Lawley claimed to being 'bringing the reality back to coffee' putting its cheapest cup at $2.50.

"We posted a photo of our blackboard displaying our coffee prices and Facebook went berserk. Within an hour we had over 500 likes, and 150 shares," Five Bar general manager Andrew McIntyre said today.

Five Bar's operator Gary Beadle said the change in coffee price coincides with the update to its menu.

Mr Palmer said he wouldn't be profiting on the $2 coffee but would keep the price there until "the war is over".

"There's a reason things cost a lot money in Perth," he said. "The rent and wages are a lot higher and the population base in Melbourne is five times the size of Perth."

Adding to the problem, he said, was the disposable incomes of many Perth residents attached to the mining industry - who didn't care about the extra 50 cents or $1 on a coffee.

"When people who have never had money before actually start making a lot of money they are actually very wasteful with it," he said.

"So they walk into a street to buy a house and they like to throw around money to impress people, so they don't worry about negotiating on that last $40,000 on the house - suddenly the street has become $40,000 more expensive than what the market is because someone has been fragrantly wasteful with their money.

"And I think this is happening with food and coffee as well."

"I feel sorry for the 97 per cent of people in Perth who aren't involved in the mining industry," he said.

But the WA businessman said there were definitely some restaurants and cafes selling coffee for "outrageous" prices.

"The people who are profiting, selling coffee for $7 or $9 - they're the ones that give a bad name to the industry," he said.

"There's a different between a profiteer and someone that's trying to make ends meet."

The businessman said coffee could reasonably be sold between $3.80 and $4.20 for a medium cup using quality beans, such as Five Senses.

"You can make money honourably without screwing people over," he said.

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Man's body washes up at Quinns Rock

GRIM DISCOVERY: Water Police at Quinns Rock. File picture: Kerris Berrington Source: News Limited

CLARKSON detectives and the Water Police are investigating the death of a man after a body washed up at Quinns Rock.

Police are treating the case as suspicious.

Police divers have been at the scene since the body was found about 2pm.

Water Police retrieved the body from late this afternoon.

Police do not believe the man is missing swimmer Martyn Tann, a 24-year-old from NSW who was last seen swimming at Mullaloo Beach three weeks ago.

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Cops baffled by latest US shooting

The scene of the shootings in Federal Way, Washington. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) Source: AP

FIVE people were shot dead when gunfire erupted at an apartment complex in a city south of Seattle and police are unsure if their fire caused the death of one armed man, or if he had been shot by someone else.

They also fear that a woman killed in the bloodbath may have been an innocent bystander hit by a stray bullet.

Officers responding to an emergency call at the apartments in Federal Way encountered a chaotic scene, with bullets flying.

"When officers arrived there were still shots being fired," said police spokeswoman Cathy Schrock.

They had found two injured men on the ground in a parking lot. One of the men had reached for a gun as police moved in to assist the two, she said.

At that point, had officers opened fire. The suspect died but police said it wasn't immediately clear if it was from their gunfire.

The other man on the ground and a third man in the parking lot were found dead.

In a search of the complex, police found a fourth man dead in one apartment and a slain woman in another unit. Schrock said police were trying to determine if the woman was accidentally hit by gunfire.

A total of eight officers fired their weapons, Schrock said. All have been placed on administrative leave, as per standard policy, as the investigation continues.

There was no immediate word on what set off the shooting.

"We're gonna continue to go door to door in hopes that we can find some additional witnesses, and hopefully we won't be finding any more victims." Schrock said. "We still don't have any idea what started this disturbance tonight."

After police flooded the area and carried out searches, authorities said they were confident there were no more casualties from the shooting. They said they did not think another shooter was on the loose or that there was an immediate threat to the public.

There were no reports of any officers being injured, and the names of the five people who were killed were not immediately available.

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Tributes for Chrissy Amphlett

Lead singer of legendary Aussie band Divinyls, Chrissy Amphlett, has lost her battle with breast cancer at age 53.

AUSTRALIAN rock singer Chrissy Amphlett has been remembered as a musical pioneer.

Amphlett, 53, passed away in her adopted home of New York after fighting dual battles with breast cancer and multiple sclerosis.

Her cousin, Patricia `Little Pattie' Thompson and family were with the singer, who fronted rock band Divinyls.

Her husband, musician Charley Drayton, who was due to support Aerosmith in Australia with the band Dead Daisies, cancelled the trip to be with his wife.

The family's statement read: "Our beloved Chrissy peacefully made her transition this morning. Christine Joy Amphlett succumbed to the effects of breast cancer and multiple sclerosis, diseases she vigorously fought with exceptional bravery and dignity. She passed gently, in her sleep, surrounded by close friends and family, including husband of fourteen years, musician Charley Drayton, her sister, Leigh, nephew, Matt, and cousin Patricia Thompson.

"Chrissy's light burns so very brightly. Hers was a life of passion and creativity; she always lived it to the fullest. With her force of character and vocal strength she paved the way for strong, sexy, outspoken women. Best remembered as the lead singer of the ARIA Hall of Fame inductee, Divinyls, last month she was named one of Australia's top ten singers of all time. Chrissy expressed hope that her worldwide hit I Touch Myself would remind women to perform annual breast examinations. Chrissy was a true pioneer and a treasure to all whose lives her music and spirit touched."

Singer Chrissy Amphlett, who has passed away after losing her battle with breast cancer. Photo: Supplied by the Amphlett Family

Countdown host Ian `Molly' Meldrum was a friend of Amphlett and Drayton.

"It's devastating news," Meldrum said yesterday.

" Chrissy was just such a wonderful person and so, so talented. It's incredibly sad news."

"She broke ground for women in Australian music, she was amazing and fearless," Meldrum said.

"Divinyls were an incredible band, they helped open the doors for Australian acts to tour America in the '80s.

"I absolutely adored her. And she terrified me. But right at the start, around Boys in Town, I remember going to see them at the Prince of Wales and Chrissy did this whole thing on stage of looking me straight in the eye and lifting her skirt. We became good friends after that. I became friends with her mother as well. Chrissie was really into football, so we'd occasionally have fights over that.

"She was a wonderful person, and so, so talented it didn't matter. She had such a powerful voice and wrote such great songs with Mark (McEntee) in the Divinyls, some real classics that have stood the test of time. And Chrissy was one of the best on stage performers Australia has produced.

"She'd come around to my house with her husband Charley and she'd go and make herself a cup of tea. It was just odd to see Chrissy Amphlett from the Divinyls in my kitchen, making tea. Because she had that wild persona.

"I remember once I said to her 'Chrissie, you had this amazing persona with the Divinyls, you use to frighten the hell out of me. How can you go from that to playing Judy Garland in The Boy From Oz?' And she said 'They're both the same character Molly'."

Her death brought sadness to the local music industry. Her peers voted her the No.9 best Australian singer of all time in a News Limited poll last month.

The Australian music legend and Divinyls lead singer Chrissy Amphlett has died, aged 53.

Melbourne singer Kate Ceberano said Amphlett was her all-time favourite singer, songwriter and performing artist, and a huge influence on her career.

"The news about Chrissy has hit me like a punch in the chest," Ceberano said yesterday.

"She was such a high-voltage Amazon that it's hard for me to imagine that she's gone. I remember sitting side of stage watching her as a teenager and was attracted and frightened in equal measure, as one minute she would spit on the crowd and in the very next minute turn them all on. She was a masterclass in womanhood. I absolutely worshipped her."

Icehouse's Iva Davies remembered Amphlett as a pioneer and a great spirit.

"Chrissy and the Divinyls played with us on scores and scores of occasions and I was always a great admirer of her as both a writer and a performer," Davies said. "Chrissy did me the great honour of recording her version of one of my songs, Love in Motion, in the early nineties. She made the song distinctively hers, with her own smoking, seductive and unmistakable style. I was recently asked to nominate my choice of the Top 10 Australian singers of all time. Chrissy was among my choices, of course."

Divinyls' breakthrough hit Boys in Town made No.8 in 1982. A string of hits followed, including Science Fiction, The Good Die Young, Pleasure and Pain, Sleeping Beauty, Back to the Wall and I'm Jealous. Their biggest hit, 1990's I Touch Myself, made No.1 in Australia, No.4 in America and No.10 in the UK.

Amphlett was inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame in 2006 with Divinyls band mate Mark McEntee. The band, who had split acrimoniously in 1997, reformed for a tour in 2007 before finally disbanding in 2009.

Amphlett flew into Melbourne in 2009 to induct her cousin Little Pattie into the ARIA Hall of Fame.

"I think Divinyls is done," she said at the time. "Mark (McEntee) isn't into playing and Divinyls is Mark and I. It's about time I did something on my own."

The singer was working on new music in New York, where she was receiving medical treatment.

Last month Amphlett took to her Facebook page to update fans on her health.

"Unfortunately the last 18 months have been a real challenge for me having breast cancer and MS and all the new places that will take you. You become sadly a patient in a world of waiting rooms, waiting sometimes hours for a result or an appointment and you spend a lot time in cold machines like MRI, CT machines,hospital beds,on your knees praying for miracles, operating rooms, tests after tests, looking at healthy people skip down the street like you once did and you took it all for granted and now wish you could do that."

The singer said she still planned to make a return to music and had been working with songwriter Kraig Jarret.

"My illnesses have really exhausted this little body of mine that I have thrown from one end of a stage to another and performed thousands of shows that's sadly some of you missed. With that said I am getting stronger but there is still some fine tuning and work to be done on myself. It's a different self but my voice is strong and not affected by the MS as some reviewers have cruelly reported. I can walk although sometimes I wobble but try to wobble with the beat. I look after myself and my husband has been through this with me every part of the way and I cannot imagine what I would have done without him and his kindness. I did something right.

Hoodoo Gurus singer Dave Faulkner referred to Amphlett as "the Divine Miss A" and a "musical force of nature".

In tribute, ABC-TV has broadcast an episode of the musical quiz show Spicks & Specks featuring the late star.

During the show, Amphlett, who also suffered from multiple sclerosis, was helped to and from the microphone by comedienne Denise Scott.

The episode, on ABC 2, had Amphlett as a contestant on the team of Scott and Myf Warhurst.

On the show, Amphlett talks of being "shy" and "vulnerable" before her legendary performances on stage in a school uniform and fishnet stockings.

Amphlett had declared herself cancer-free two years ago, telling fans "I was given a chance to reflect on my own mortality; given a chance to choose life over the fear of death. Thank you to those who have given their support and love. Now let's celebrate Life!!!!!!"

The singer was diagnosed with MS in 1998 and would appear on stage with a cane. She revealed her battle with MS in 2007, and in 2011 announced she was also fighting breast cancer.

Amphlett was inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame in 2006 with Divinyls band mate Mark McEntee

Her was documented by Channel 7's Sunday Night program in which she revealed she would be a "warrior" and not a victim.

The Divinyls hits include I Touch Myself, Pleasure and Pain and Boys in Town.

Tributes have already begun flooding social media networks.

 Other celebrities and fans have also posted their tributes online.

Back in 2012, Amphlett kept her Facebook fans informed of her struggles with cancer and MS. She was always honest and open about what she was facing.

A Facebook message to fans sent by Chrissy Amphlett in 2012. Photo: Facebook Source: Supplied

Born in October, 1959, Chrissy Amphlett will be best-remembered for her hit single I Touch Myself and for singing on stage dressed in a school uniform and fishnet stockings.

Released in 1991, I Touch Myself reached Number 1 in Australia, 10 in the UK and 4 in the US.

Her skill as a songwriter is underlined by Science Fiction, which the Australian Performing Rights Association (APRA) selected in 2001 as one of the top Australian songs of all time.

Amphlett wrote the song with Divinyls front man Mark McEntee, with whom she had a volatile relationship over the 16 year life of the band.

The cousin of 1960s Australian pop icon, Patricia "Little Pattie" Amphlett, Chrissy Amphlett was a hugely talented, if untamed free spirit who started out young on the road and had occasional brushes with the law, once ending up in jail in Europe for singing on the streets.

In 1999, Chrissy married drummer Charley Drayton, who played on the Divinyls' eponymous album and who now plays with Cold Chisel.

Amphlett moved to New York, where she concentrated on a solo career and writing her autobiography Pleasure and Pain: My Life.

In 2007, she revealed she was suffering from multiple sclerosis.

Three years later, she announced she had been diagnosed with breast cancer, but was thought to have since beaten the disease.

Listen to Chrissy Amphlett's famous hits here:

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