Extra perks for WA pollies

WA politicians, including Premier Colin Barnett, will be able to claim thousands in extra electoral, car and travel allowances. Source: The Sunday Times

WA politicians will be rewarded with tens of thousands of extra dollars in perks that will take some annual packages to more than $300,000.

The Salaries and Allowances Tribunal has decided to top up several of the funds that politicians can dip into, including electoral, car and travel allowances.

In its decision the SAT said Premier Colin Barnett had specifically requested extra money to help cover "attendance fees" to conferences and workshops under the Imprest Travel Allowance.

"This was a matter raised in particular by the Premier," the SAT said.

"By providing for reimbursement of fees to attend conference, seminars and short courses the tribunal intends that Members should have a greater capacity to keep abreast of current issues and be involved in informed debate on important policy matters."

The increases to perks comes on top of a decision in June to increase base pay for a politician by 2.6 per cent to $148,638.

The Sunday Times can also reveal that more than $160,000 was spent on artwork for Mr Barnett's new office at the re-designed $26 million Hale House.

But a spokeswoman for Mr Barnett said the art costs for Hale House dubbed the "Emperor's Palace" by the Opposition were not exorbitant.

Yesterday the State Opposition attacked the Government for spending more than $60,000 buying and hiring plants and flowers over a three-month period earlier this year for government ministers, departments and agencies.

A review of the SAT decision on allowances shows:

The Imprest Travel Allowance, paid over four years, rose 10 per cent from $24,534 to $27,000.
Car allowances rose 10.4 per cent from $22,650 a year to $25,000
Yearly electoral allowances rose 8.1 per cent from $61,895 to $67,000
Accommodation allowances rose 2.6 per cent from $31,920 to $32,760.
In addition to those increases, electoral allowances for country MPs were boosted.

For example, a Mining and Pastoral Region MP will be paid $48,300 a year in transport allowances instead of $46,500.

The increases come after a horror State Budget in which public transport users, car owners, first homebuyers and investment property owners were big losers.

Treasurer Troy Buswell revealed State debt would balloon to $28.4 billion within three years as the Barnett Government strove to meet big-ticket election promises and dealt with WA's surging population.

Electricity prices, which have risen 4 per cent this year, are tipped to go up by 7 per cent each year from 2014 to 2016.

This will take the average annual family power bill from $963 to $1998 under Mr Barnett's reign, despite his promise during the March state election campaign to keep electricity prices "at or around the rate of inflation", which is now 2.5 per cent.

Defending the pay increases, the SAT said: "The tribunal is conscious of the position of parliamentarians in our democratic system that the remuneration of Members should not preclude people from all walks of life from aspiring to enter Parliament."
 

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Early Sunday trading in store

Shoppers queue to enter Ikea Innaloo just before 11am on a Sunday Morning. Picture: Kerris Berrington Source: PerthNow

PERTH shops would be able to open from 9am on Sundays under a plan being considered by the Barnett Government.

Commerce Minister Michael Mischin confirmed to The Sunday Times that a strategy to scrap the ban on shops opening before 11am was being reviewed.

Changes could be introduced as early as next year. Mr Mischin said he was preparing to make a decision soon.

Do you think shops should be able to open at 9am on Sundays? Have your say on Twitter #sundaytrading

Shopping Centre Council of Australia executive director Milton Cockburn said it didn't make sense that people were left "sitting around" waiting until 11am to enter a store.

"One of the problems is in a lot of the big shopping centres you will often find customers are congregating in the centres well before 11am," he said.

Mr Mischin said he was looking to introduce a number of "incremental" changes to Sunday trading laws as early as next year.

"I'm not looking at radical reform, but if there are ways of facilitating commerce and people's ability to purchase goods that they need from time to time then I am prepared to entertain that," he said.

"So far as extending the hours on Sundays, it's one of a number of options that, of course, I will consider."

Mr Mischin said he could not discuss all changes being considered, but confirmed controversial hardware exemptions that allowed Bunnings to open longer hours than its rival Masters were also up for review.

Mr Mischin said Sunday trading laws, introduced by the Government on August 26 last year, had been a big success.

"It's resulted, from the information I have, in increased convenience for consumers," he said.

"It's increased competition among retailers and it's provided more employment opportunities, especially for those seeking casual jobs."

Mr Cockburn said shops should be able to open from 8am-5pm on a Sunday, as they can on a Saturday. Most retailers can only open 11am-5pm, with the exception of small and speciality stores, which can open 6am-11.30pm.

WA Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief executive James Pearson said Sunday trading had created 1000 additional jobs and attracted investment from overseas.

"We know that some major brands were not attracted to opening in WA because of the unreasonable restrictions on retail trading," he said.

"Since the big step was taken and Sunday trading was brought in a year ago it's no coincidence that we have seen major redevelopments of shopping centres announced."

Mr Pearson said removing trading-hour restrictions was the "logical next step".

Premier Colin Barnett said last year that further deregulation would not be necessary.

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Elder: Take at-risk kids away

Albany Nyoongar elder Carol Pettersen says aboriginal children must be taken from dysfunctional families. Picture: Theo Fakos Source: PerthNow

ABORIGINAL children must be taken from dysfunctional families across Australia to save yet another generation being irreparably damaged, a prominent elder has warned.

Carol Pettersen, an Albany Nyoongar who was national elder of the year in 2008, says whoever wins the federal election has to overcome fears of a re-run of the stolen generation, or allow another "lost'" generation to be created.

But Ms Pettersen, 72, stressed that at-risk Aboriginal children would only really be saved by also rehabilitating troubled parents and communities, to solve issues.

Ken Wyatt wants indigenous issues tackled

The long-standing champion of Aboriginal social justice who suffered domestic violence in her first marriage and knew, "first-hand", "the fear and broken bones", said helping "dysfunctional" people and communities might necessitate an "academy out in the bush" or a "city out in the desert".

She said the program should be a federal initiative, but should be designed and led by Aboriginal people, and that both major parties needed to act, because there was a moral responsibility to ensure the safety of all Australian children.

Ms Pettersen, who helped negotiate the recent $1.3 billion native title deal with the WA Government, said the work had to be done by contracted, experienced Aboriginal case workers, not bureaucrats, who would try "dragging people into the office".

"We Aboriginal people have to stand up and take action, and responsibility for ourselves," she said.

"The children must be taken, "they have to be taken away (from dysfunctional families), because there is a risk there . . . rape and alcohol, and violence, and the trauma."

She said some dysfunctional parents, especially drug takers, could not be rehabilitated at home because of pressure not change by those around them, and whole communities might need help.

"Whether it's an academy out in the bush somewhere (or) a city out in the desert ... they've got to get away from the environment," she said.

But she said it was also pivotal children were placed with Aboriginal families and were not denied all contact with parents, because that would "break their spirit", making it difficult to motivate change.

She said fears about creating another stolen generation had to be overcome because "if they're going to leave the children in that situation are they ... the Government, going to be liable for this generation of children ... leaving them in that abusive situation?"

Ms Pettersen said she hated to blame past oppression, including the Stolen Generation, for the dysfunction that stopped many Aborigines from living well, but it was largely responsible.

"If you put a dog in a cage and put a blanket over him, and poke sticks at it all of the time, that thing's going to turn into a savage animal, and that's what they've done with Aboriginal people," she said.

She said previous programs failing was "not a failure of our people" but a "failure of the programs", and that helping Aborigines out of dysfunction was an investment that would also save cash in areas including health, policing and social security.

Federal Labor Perth candidate Alannah MacTiernan said much could be done with early intervention before the "last resort'' of removal, but Ms Pettersen's idea was "a direction we should be looking at" because "there are some families where the parents just don't have the capacity to raise these kids and it is dangerous leave those children with them".

"The Stolen Generation has impacted this, people in many cases just actually lost the knowledge and understanding, and what becomes for many of us an intuition about how you raise children, this learning has been lost," she said.

But she said it had to be acknowledged there were "fantastic" Aboriginal families, which was a "miracle" given what their people had endured.

Deputy federal Liberal leader Julie Bishop said: "If elected to government the Coalition has announced that Warren Mundine will chair a new indigenous advisory council, and I am certain that the council would be keen to hear all ideas about ways to solve the problem of child abuse.

"The Federal Coalition has acted in the past to protect Aboriginal children, and responded to horrifying reports about child sexual abuse with the Northern Territory intervention in 2007.

"In Western Australia, child protection is a State Government responsibility and I urge Carol Pettersen to work with Aboriginal communities and the Barnett government to find ways of better protecting children at risk of abuse."
 

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Gran a lifesaver in Huntingdale crash

This image from the dashboard of the injured girl's family car shows the moment before impact. Police are keen to speak to any witnesses from surrounding vehicles. Picture: WA Police Source: PerthNow

The scene of the crash in Huntingdale. The white Commodore wagon (left) collided with the dark-coloured vehicle, which the 13-year-old girl was travelling in with her family. Picture: Supplied. Source: PerthNow

A GRANDMOTHER has been praised for helping save the life of a 13-year-old girl who suffered serious injuries when a stolen vehicle smashed into her family's car in Huntingdale.

Rosemarie Tierney, 63, revealed to The Sunday Times the horrifying moments after the crash on Huntingdale Rd, when the car in which the girl and her parents were travelling was hit by a stolen Holden Commodore, allegedly driven on the wrong side of the road about 5pm.

"I was just sitting in the lounge ready to watch the football then I heard this massive bang and I ran out to see what happened and then saw the two cars," she said.

"The dad of the little girl was calling out: 'Can someone please help us, help us'. The mum had already moved (the young girl from the car), so I just rolled her into the recovery position and just sat on the ground talking to her until the ambulance officers came. I was trying to keep her talking to keep her alert."

Other witnesses said the girl's father stopped the car and frantically flashed his lights at the stolen vehicle.

"The dad just kept saying, 'There was nothing I could do'," Ms Tierney, who works as a patient-care assistant in Murdoch, said.

A witness, who did not want to be named, said the girl's father hugged and thanked Mrs Tierney for helping save his daughter's life shortly before he was taken away in the ambulance.

The girl was taken to Royal Perth Hospital, where she is in a serious but stable condition. Her 50-year-old father was by her side.

The girl's 47-year-old mother was in Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital and being treated for minor injuries.

Resident Philip Gibbs, who was one of the first on the scene, said he heard what sounded "like an explosion".

Other residents, who were "shaken to the core" by the horror crash are preparing a petition to slow traffic on the notorious stretch of road.

Police allege 27-year-old Ashley Louise King was behind the wheel of the stolen vehicle. She has been charged with a number of offences, including three counts of aggravated dangerous driving occasioning bodily harm.

Ms King and a 40-year-old woman, believed to be a passenger, were both in hospital.

The 40-year-old is also expected to be summonsed on a charge of stealing a motor vehicle. Ms King is expected to appear in the Magistrates' Court on Monday.

Police have released a chilling photograph taken from the dashboard of the family car. They are keen to speak to the driver of a silver car which can be seen behind the Commodore as it collides with the family's car.

Witnesses should call Crime Stoppers on 1800333000.
 

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Abbott's $32k baby pay day for working mums

Charntelle Finch (due sept 30) stands to benefit. Picture: Bradley Hunter Source: News Limited

EVERY working woman in Australia will secure six months leave on full pay plus super for each baby born after July 1, 2015 under an Abbott government.

A woman on average weekly earnings of $65,000 per year would get about $32,500 during her 26 weeks' leave.

Tony Abbott will today unveil his big pitch to Australian families - a generous paid parental leave scheme that will also deliver fathers two weeks paternity leave at their actual salary and mothers up to 26 weeks leave on full pay.

For the first time, he will reveal the 2015 start date of his new scheme. Mr Abbott will also confirm that the Coalition's decision to also pay working women's superannuation entitlements while on baby leave will ensure women on average weekly earnings who have two children will be better off by $50,000 when they retire.

Women earning $65,000 a year would secure an extra $20,000 in cash payments under Mr Abbott's scheme compared to Labor's plan.

An exclusive Galaxy poll published today in The Sunday Telegraph suggests the policy is a winner, with 44 per cent of voters backing Mr Abbott's paid parental leave scheme compared to 36 per cent who preferred Labor's existing scheme.

The scheme, which has been fully costed by the independent Parliamentary Budget Office, will involve a net additional cost to taxpayers of $6.1 billion over the forward estimates. That's after Mr Abbott hits 3000 of Australia's largest companies with a 1.5 per cent tax levy to pay for the scheme.

In an exclusive interview, Mr Abbott said he made no apology for offering such a generous scheme to working women. The father of three confirmed he hoped it would deliver women more choice to have more kids.

"Every working mum is going to be better off under our policy,'' Mr Abbott said.

"It proves that the Coalition 'gets it' when it comes to the reality of the contemporary woman and contemporary families.

"The fact is very few families these days can survive on a single income. Just about every family needs more than one income to survive. So if we are serious about allowing women to have kids and a career we've got to have a fair dinkum paid parental leave scheme."

The Coalition's offer of six months on full pay compares with Labor's scheme which offers all working women 18 weeks pay at the minimum wage - a maximum of $11,200.

That compares with Mr Abbott's scheme which will offer women earning up to $150,000 six months off work on full pay to care for their baby. Women who earn over $150,000 will also get the maximum $75,000.

During the Howard Government, Mr Abbott famously said paid parental leave would happen "over this government's dead body, frankly".

Charntelle Finch (due sept 30) and Tracey Bahamondez (due Dec 15 with twins). Picture: Bradley Hunter Source: News Limited

COMMENT: SAMANTHA MAIDEN

TONY Abbott's big legacy for the women of Australia if he is elected Prime Minister will be one very generous paid maternity scheme.

But big business will pick up the tab with every company in Australia with a turnover of more than $5 million a year slapped with a new 1.5 per cent levy from 2015.

Offering women six months off work on their full wage, the Liberal leader hopes it will encourage couples to have more kids but also act as an incentive for women to stay in the workforce and boost Australia's productivity.

Naturally, mums can choose to take the cash and take it over a year at half pay too. But it's just for working women. Stay at home mums will still get the baby bonus unless they meet the work test. Part-time if fine, as long as you have worked for 330 hours - just over one day a week - in the 10 months leading up to the birth of your child.

The Liberal leader has told us plenty about what he doesn't want - the carbon tax, the mining tax, the chaos of the Rudd-Gillard years.

Finally, he's talking about what he wants to do as Prime Minister and it is a big, big reform. Tony Abbott has resisted stiff internal pressure to dump or amend the scheme. It really is his baby.

"I know there are some people who say this is an odd policy for a conservative to have,'' Mr Abbott says.

"The policies that conservatives adopt should be the best way to reflect conservative views in modern circumstances. Being pro family is a conservative position. Being pro children is a conservative position. And if you want to be pro family and pro child in the modern era I reckon you need to have a paid parental leave policy."

But he admits that the ultimate goal of dumping the levy on business is a long, long time down the track. Perhaps never.

"Given the budgetary position we are in I don't expect that to happen anytime soon,'' he says.

According the Parliamentary Budget Office the scheme will cost over $5 billion a year when it is fully up and running. But that cost will be offset by abolishing Labor's existing paid parental leave scheme that pays women 18 weeks leave at the minimum wage. There's also some savings around Family Tax Benefit A and B payments that would not occur if women were on baby leave.

There would be no double dipping by public servants who already have access to existing schemes and that would save money too. So once those savings are made the scheme would cost around $3.5 billion a year. That cost would be fully accounted for according to Mr Abbott by a levy on big business to pay for the scheme.

The big criticism is that it will offer big windfalls to a small group of high income women. A woman earning $150,000 for example can get $75,000 from taxpayers to care for a baby.

But in key battleground seats the majority of women don't earn that. Most earn somewhere between the minimum wage and $65,000 and they will be much better off under Tony Abbott's scheme than Labor's more modest offering.

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Road-train killer due for release

Douglas John Edwin Crabbe could be released within days. Picture: Archive News Ltd Source: PerthNow

ONE of Australia's most notorious mass murderers could be released into the WA community within days.

Douglas John Edwin Crabbe, 66, killed five people and injured 16 others when he ploughed his road-train into a crowded Ayres Rock pub after he was kicked out for anti-social behaviour on August 18, 1983.

He was originally sentenced to serve the rest of his life in an Alice Springs prison but had it changed after the Northern Territory changed its laws in 2004.

He was instead given a 30-year non-parole period for the crimes.

A year later, Crabbe was moved to WA after he applied for a transfer to be closer to his family.

He is due for his first statutory review this Sunday – exactly three decades after the horrific atrocity.

PerthNow understands the WA Prisoners Review Board has already carried out its review of Crabbe.

But because of the gravity of his crimes, a final decision over whether to release the 66-year-old rests with WA Attorney-General Michael Mischin.

A spokeswoman for the Attorney-General confirmed the board is due to submit a report with its recommendation either on or around Crabbe's statutory review date of August 18.

She said once the report had been submitted, the Attorney General would then "consider and make a decision".

One of Crabbe's victims Lydia Hannah, who now lives in Queensland, told PerthNow she did not believe Crabbe should be granted freedom.

Ms Hannah was knocked unconscious during the incident but then spent the next two years recovering from her injuries.

She also lost four friends that night. Helen Fuller, 22, David Seng, 24, Leslie McKay-Ramsey, 35, and 21-year-old Adrian Durin.

Another woman, Patricia Slinn, 45, was also killed.

Ms Hannah told PerthNow she had written to the Attorney-General appealing for him to also consider the survivors.

"This guy killed five people and injured 16 others," she said. "He was never to be released. How do you go from never being able to be released to serving just 30 years?

"I just think it's crazy if he gets out. He has robbed all these other families of their loved ones. Why should he be free?"

She added: "People who say he has done his time, what exactly do they base that on? Were they there? Did they get injured? Did they lose a loved one?

"People that say that are generally people that have never lost someone in those circumstances.

"If it was their own child or someone in their family they wouldn't be saying that."
 

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Digger-attack soldier shot dead

Three Australians were seriously wounded in the attack by Mohammad Rozi. Source: News Limited

A WANTED Afghan soldier who wounded three Diggers in a 2011 unprovoked shooting has been tracked down and killed.

The Afghan Ministry of Defence said Mohammad Rozi was killed by Afghan commandoes on Wednesday morning in the north-eastern province of Takhar, about 400km from where he was last seen.

A provincial official said Rozi had travelled to Takhar at the request of his dying father who had asked to see his son for the last time.

Locals in the area reported a wild shoot-out early on Wednesday morning in which they said was the operation to detain Rozi.

It is the first time Afghan troops have successfully pursued an Afghan soldier responsible for attacks on Australian troops.

The hunt for Rozi came after he fired upon Australian and Afghan troops at a small patrol base about 30km from Australia's main base in the Uruzgan provincial capital of Tarin Kowt.

Three Australians were seriously wounded while two Afghan soldiers sustained minor injuries.

A well-prepared Rozi had packed a vehicle with weapons and supplies before fleeing after the sneak attack on the night of November 9, 2011. Until yesterday he had not been heard of since.

A member of Takhar's provincial council, Mujebur Rahman, said the operation on Wednesday morning was less than a kilometre from his house.

"We couldn't sleep because there were so many helicopters in the sky," he said.

"Then there was shooting and many grenades exploded."

Mr Rahman said neighbours of Rozi's father said the wanted soldier had returned recently to see his father because he was dying.

"His father was calling him and saying 'come and see me, I am very sick'," Mr Rahman said.

"From what I have been told he was with the Taliban in (neighbouring) Kunduz province and he came with a weapon and wouldn't surrender. He fought with the Afghan special forces and wounded three of them but then they used grenades and killed him. His face is completely destroyed and his father is in a coma."

In February last year, the Taliban posted a boastful 47-minute interview with Rozi in which he proudly spoke about shooting the Australians, falsely claiming he had killed 12 of them.

In the video, Rozi says; ''I had one mission on my mind - to kill foreigners and teach them a lesson. We are Muslims. We cannot accept foreigners.

"I prepared the grenade launcher and my gun with 200 bullets. Foreigners were sitting in a room. They were fire worshippers around a big fire. There were 12 of them. A soldier ran to me and asked me what I was doing. He suspected my motives. I told him that it was none of his business … I opened fire. When the bullets ran out it was time to use the rocket launcher.''

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Woosha reaches out to sacked Voss

West Coast coach John Worsfold reached out to Michael Voss yesterday after his sacking from the Lions. Picture: Chris Hyde Source: Getty Images

WEST Coast Eagles coach John Worsfold has not ruled out approaching sacked Brisbane counterpart Michael Voss to join his support staff.

The 2006 Eagles premiership coach is on the verge of an extension to his coaching tenure at West Coast and revealed he sent a personal message to Voss just hours after the Lions great was dumped yesterday.

Worsfold joked that Voss might actually still have a contractual commitment to West Coast after the Lions playing legend was appointed as an Eagles assistant late into 2008.

Voss reneged on his Eagles agreement when Brisbane triple premiership coach Leigh Matthews quit the Lions.

"I will check the terms of that contract. He may actually still be contracted here, because he only cut it to be a senior coach elsewhere," Worsfold quipped.

"We've got a lot of coaches here that are passionate, motivated and skilful. So we're not lacking in that area and we're not out there looking at the moment.

"Surprises are always around the corner."

West Coast management is currently conducting a full review of Worsfold's football operations, with changes expected in the support coaching staff.

Worsfold has retained a close association with Voss in the evolution of their relevant coaching times.

"I've had a pretty good relationship with Vossy for a long period of time," Worsfold elaborated.

"So as soon as I heard I sent him a message and he got back to me straight away.

"At some point in time I look forward to catching up with him."

Worsfold said it was too early to establish if formal discussions with Voss would be initiated.

"Not at this stage, because there's no role here," he said.

Worsfold confessed he is in discussions with the Eagles board of management and in particular chief executive Trevor Nisbett and club chairman Alan Cransberg on his future.

A highly anticipated blueprint presentation of his plans for next season and beyond has been put on hold by Eagles powerbrokers until September.

Worsfold is expected to win a two-year extension after 12 seasons already as Eagles coach, which have yielded eight finals campaigns in the past 11 years.

"The board had a meeting yesterday (Tuesday) and they've got another meeting in a month's time," Worsfold said.

"I talk regularly outside of board meeting with Trevor and Alan, so everything is going along pretty well.

"I'm very confident that my focus is on what's best for the footy club. What they need, what they're looking for and if I fit into that that will be great and if I don't other great things open up.

"Alan Cransberg has made it public that they're keen for me to coach on if I've got the passion and I've indicated that I'm keen to coach on.

"At this stage, things are starting to line up."

An extremely buoyant Worsfold revealed that he would consider coaching another AFL club if he was not extended at West Coast.

He declared that neither he nor his manager Reg Gillard had been approached by any of the current AFL outfits searching for a new head coach.

"Yeh of course I would. Absolutely I would," Worsfold said, further portraying his own enthusiasm to coach on.

West Coast is still an outside chance to make this year's finals if they could win at least two of their last three games against powerhouse outfits Geelong at home on Saturday, then Collingwood in Melbourne before rounding out home-and-away qualifying with Adelaide at home.

"There's a process that our board will go through I appointing anyone to this club and they'll go through that process, it's due diligence," Worsfold said.

"Part of that is sitting down and talking about terms of contract and all the others sorts of things that happen in making that appointment.

"We've got to make sure it's the right thing for the footy club and that process is under way."
 

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Abbott had beer goggles on: Latham

Former Labor leader Mark Latham has weighed into the Tony Abbott "sex appeal" controversy. Source: News Limited

COLOURFUL former Labor leader Mark Latham has leapt with both feet into the Tony Abbott "sex appeal" controversy, saying the Opposition Leader must have been drunk to think candidate Fiona Scott attractive.

"It showed very bad judgement and it shows he has low standards," Latham told Melbourne radio station 3AW of the comments.

Mr Abbott caused an uproar on Tuesday when he described politician Fiona Scott, his candidate for the seat of Lindsay, as having "a bit of sex appeal" when he was comparing her to former Liberal member Jackie Kelly.

The Oppostion Leader was accused earlier today of sexism by Kevin Rudd, but Mr Latham took his criticism further and in a suitably strange direction this afternoon.

"I had a good look at Fiona Scott on page eight ... and she doesn't have sex appeal at all.

"She's not that good of a sort."

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott caused controversy when he described candidate Fiona Scott as haivng "sex appeal". Source: News Limited

Interviewer Tom Elliot interrupted the one-time wannabe PM to tell him his comments were worse than the ones that landed Tony Abbott in hot water on the campaign trail yesterday.

"That's worse than what Tony Abbott said," radio announcer Tom Elliott said.

"You just can't call a woman plain like that."

But Latham was not to be dissuaded, accusing Mr Abbott of trying to win over male voters with the "daggy dad" moment.

"She's a rather plain ordinary-looking woman and Abbott has exaggerated massively to try and win her vote among the blokes ... "

"Tony had the beer goggles on and in politics they say it's showbiz for ugly people and I don't think she'll (Fiona) be out of place."

"He's gilding the lily here, he must have had the beer goggles on".

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Premier walks out of parliament

Premier Colin Barnett walked out of parliament today after coming under fire during budget reply speeches. Source: The Australian

THE West Australian government has come under fire from within its own party during budget reply speeches in parliament, prompting Premier Colin Barnett to momentarily walk out.

Maverick Liberal backbencher Rob Johnson - who has dogged Mr Barnett since he was axed as police minister in a cabinet reshuffle in June 2012 - was today highly critical of the 2013/14 budget handed down last week.

Mr Johnson said the Liberals had made promises before the March poll that it either knew, or should have known it could not afford to keep.

In light of mounting debt, he suggested the government rethink its $2 billion airport rail link project, which he said it had dreamt up after the opposition started its election campaign strongly with the MetroNet rail plan.

Barnett 'flexible' on super councils

Mr Johnson suggested a public debate be held on what public transport infrastructure the state truly needed and could afford.

It's the second time in three days he has publicly lambasted his own party.

On Monday, he took to talkback radio to slam the state government's plan to halve the tariff rate for households that feed in surplus solar power to the grid. Moments later, the plan was reversed amid a strong public backlash, prompting an apology from Mr Barnett.

The premier walked out of the chamber when Mr Johnson began speaking today, but returned later, only to be heckled by Labor member for Collie-Preston Mick Murray.

Mr Murray said the budget was "the worst" and mocked the government for describing its election commitments earlier this year as fully funded and costed.

"I don't know how to take this government because (of) its deception and the lies that were told before the election," he said.

"It must have had some inkling of where the whole budgetary process was going, but I think they just went out there and pulled the blind down, and said 'let's go for it - we'll deal with it when we get there'."
 

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Satterley snaps up a $17.5m bargain

Home buyers are being urged to be realistic and look further afield when hunting for a new home.

Nigel Satterley has paid $17.5 million for Chiritta in Peppermint Grove. Picture: Supplied Source: PerthNow

MILLIONAIRE Perth property developer Nigel Satterley has snapped up a $17.5 million bargain, buying one of Western Australia's most historic and prestigious homes for well below the listed price.

The prestigious Peppermint Grove property of Chiritta, which dates back to the late 1890s, was bought by Mr Satterley today for one of the highest prices ever paid for a property in WA.

But it was a lot less than originally hoped for by the owners Ann and Denis Cullity, founders of Channel 9 Perth, after it was listed earlier this year for $25 million.

GALLERY: See photos inside Nigel Satterley's Peppermint Grove home Chiritta

The property was originally built by Augustus Roe, the former police magistrate of Western Australia and the son of John Septimus Roe, WA's original surveyor-general and one of Perth's founding fathers.

Chiritta in Peppermint Grove boasts amazing views of the Swan River. Source: PerthNow

The 4080 square metre property boasts seven bedrooms, including an attic room, six bathrooms and two studies.

But it is the blue-chip location of Peppermint Grove on the edge of the Swan River that makes it one of the most expensive houses in Perth's history.

In 2009, a Mosman Park property sold for $57.5 million - the highest price ever paid for a house in Australia at the time. And in 2007, a home in leafy Claremont sold for $23 million.

Chiritta also features grand formal drawing and dining rooms, a study, two offices, a sunroom, a family room, an informal dining room and a five-car garage.

Nigel Satterley has paid $17.5 million for historic Chiritta in Peppermint Grove. Picture: Supplied. Source: PerthNow

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Maggie now a little less radical

Maggie Gyllenhaal attends the "White House Down" premiere party in New York. Picture: Evan Agostini Source: AP

ASK Maggie Gyllenhaal what topic gets a good airing around the dinner table at the Brooklyn, New York, home she shares with her husband, fellow actor Peter Sarsgaard, and she smiles.

"It's all about the logistics."

Since becoming a mother to six-year-old Ramona and 15-month-old Gloria Ray, she says: "That's all we talk about. We do a lot of talking about how we're going to manage."

And, like families the world over, things don't always go to plan.

"We try to arrange our schedules so one of us is home while the other is working, but it doesn't always work out that way," says Gyllenhaal.

"For Peter and I, it's just really hard. We're working it out all the time."

On screen, though, Gyllenhaal seems to be working it out just fine. In her latest film, the blockbuster White House Down, she plays Carol Finnerty, a high-ranking Secret Service operative.

When an old and unreliable flame (Channing Tatum) comes calling at the White House about a possible job protecting the president (played with brilliant humour by Jamie Foxx), she turns him away.

But events take a different course when the president finds himself the target of domestic terrorists, with only one person around to protect him - Tatum's John Cale.

Let's be clear here.

White House Down won't win any Oscars; it's a feel-good flick, an excellent date movie very much in the tradition of Die Hard, where the flawed hero tries to make amends for past personal and professional transgressions - Bruce Willis's John McClane has become Tatum's Cale.

Cast members, from left, Joey King, Channing Tatum, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Jamie Foxx and Garcelle Beauvais attend the "White House Down" premiere at the Ziegfeld Theatre in New York. Picture: Evan Agostini Source: AP

White House Down is not Gyllenhaal's usual fare. Although she appeared in the 2008 Batman film The Dark Knight, she's not really the blockbuster type. Indeed, before the doe-eyed Zooey Deschanel came along, Gyllenhaal was the reigning indie movie queen, who first came to notice in 2002's sadomasochistic Secretary.

As such, she's pretty honest when asked about her motivations for taking on such a mainstream role.

"I guess, in a way, there's something exciting about being in a movie that many people will see," she says, adding that "it didn't hurt working with Channing".

"There are a lot of movies I've made that I think are great, but really don't reach very many people, so it's kind of interesting for me to be a part of something that's such a bigmachine. I'm used to working on films that have no budget, and here we were treated very well. I have a small baby, and the crew were very gracious about allowing me breaks to breastfeed, so it helps having a nice trailer."

Gyllenhaal was also happy that her character was "a powerful, capable, smart woman" - a rarity in films of this genre.

More interestingly, she's "vulnerable, exhausted, confused and scared - like me and every woman I know".

When you speak to the 35-year-old, she's passionate and engaging. Her answers don't seem as if she's reeling them off by rote, and there's a real sense of back and forth with her - which is incredibly rare in celebrity interviews.

In fact, Gyllenhaal has never been shy about expressing her own political views. She has been an outspoken advocate against the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq, has supported infamous whistleblowers Bradley Manning and Edward Snowden, while also being heavily involved in the American Civil Liberties Union, an organisation her entire family supports.

Hollywood, of course, usually doesn't want its stars to be too political (a little is fine).

Jane Fonda, Richard Gere, Tim Robbins and Susan Sarandon have all suffered over the years for their non-populist views, and who can forget documentary-maker Michael Moore being booed at the 2003 Oscars for trashing then president George W. Bush?

Maggie Gyllenhaal with Jeff Bridges in a scene from 2010 film 'Crazy Heart'. Gyllenhaal was nominated for an Oscar for best supporting actress for her role in the film. Source: AP

Gyllenhaal, though, says she's less worried these days about speaking out on political issues now than she was her earlier years, when she was afraid her opinions would damage her career.

"There was a time when I got scared by the kind of reaction to some things I would say," she says, adding that another reason she was drawn to White House Down was because "I would never be involved in a movie like this that subtly said things I didn't believe in, and this movie subtly says things I do believe in."

She grew up in a political family (her parents divorced in 2009 after 32 years of marriage), and discussions around the dinner table were certainly encouraged.

"My mom has always been very political and my dad, too. My dad has gotten more political as he's gotten older," she says. "My mom was always political and radical, particularly when she was in college. When she got older, she became less radical, but my family is still very left of centre, so that's just how I grew up."

Her family, of course, is also entrenched in the entertainment business. Her father, Stephen, is a film director and her mother, Naomi, a screenwriter - and we all know who her brother, Jake, is.

She grew up around women such as Jamie Lee Curtis and Emma Thompson, both close friends of the family.

Gyllenhaal says it was priceless having access to women who could encourage and advise her.

"It's incredibly helpful to have role models who are a bit older and have a little more experience," she says of Curtis and Thompson.

"And who you admire how they've lived their lives as an artist and a woman - I mean, that's a gift to anybody."

Growing up with a brother who wanted to follow the same career path was advantageous, too.

"We've never really competed," says Gyllenhaal, who played Jake's on-screen sister in the cult classic Donnie Darko.

While the two enjoy a healthy dose of sibling rivalry, it's more about wanting to push each other on rather than any genuine feelings of envy.

"Jake and I can always tell each other what we really think, and he will challenge me and question me, but he also supports me endlessly," she says, adding that "he's an incredible uncle to the girls".

For his part, Jake has said that he and his sister "love each other's work more than anyone else".

But Gyllenhaal insists it's her husband of four years (they've been together 11) who's had the greatest impact on her career.

"The benefits for me are more with Peter," she explains. "He really understands what I'm doing when I go to work. Our taste is almost exactly the same; we like very similar things. When I'm working, he has this innate understanding about what's going on with me, and I really appreciate that. And he knows how to help me when I'm having a hard time."

Maggie Gyllenhaal in a scene from the 2009 film 'Away We Go'. Picture: Universal Studios. Source: Supplied

She's open about her own foibles and insecurities, and knows she can't be everything to everyone - whether that be her friends, family or children - even though she might try.

"I put lots of pressure on myself, which I now try to have some objectivity about," she says.

"There's a part of me that's kind of at war - that goes, 'I like what I like, I am who I am'. And as I get older, I get more in touch with that. Then there's another part of me that feels hurt and disappointed when everybody doesn't agree with me or see me, but that's where I am right now at 35.

"At least I'm aware, I guess, of both of those wars within myself. We're all a little bit

strong and a little bit weak."

Having children has brought about other, more significant changes. "I have changed in that I think I've become more solidly a woman as opposed to a girl in the years since I've had my first daughter," she states.

"I went from being 28 to 35, and that's a big change."

She's also honest about the fact that motherhood has humbled her. "It's such a complicated relationship, but it has completely brought me down to earth - and down to my knees," she says, with a snort.

"They've just ripped open the spectrum of feeling in my life - both the very best and the very worst of feelings. I've seen the very best and the very worst of myself. I cannot recommend it more and at the same time, it's the hardest thing I've ever done."

Having children hasn't changed the roles she's drawn to, but it has affected where she's willing to travel for filming (there's that word, logistics, again).

"My daughter's just starting second grade, and I can maybe justify taking her out of second grade for three weeks, to go on location, but I can't really fly her all the way around the world the way I used to," she says. "And I have to keep in mind that I have a 15-month-old baby, for whom being at home and in her room and in her bed is very important."

She's a style icon who has the quirky Brooklyn look down pat, but she admits motherhood has impacted her clothing choices.

"Even though I love clothes in my work, in my life - and even the wardrobe for a character is really important to me - at the moment, I'm dressing for comfort.

"At the same time, I'm always aware of expressing something in the way that I dress, but it's got to be super-easy now. It's got to be, 'OK, I'm going to grab one of these three pairs of pants and a T-shirt, and they're going to make me feel like I'm me, and it's OK if they get dirty.' You

know, if I happen to get photographed by the paparazzi, I'm not going to be terribly embarrassed about it."

Maggie Gyllenhaal attends "White House Down" Washington DC Premiere Picture: Larry French Source: Supplied

She's a fan of Céline ("even though I own none"), Dior, Alexander McQueen, Chloé and Dries Van Noten, who designed her wedding dress.

"I've always loved Dries Van Noten, and any time a stylist does pull clothes for me, I'm always drawn to his pieces."

However, there are practical fashion considerations she needs to heed, including the challenge of wearing heels when you're 1.75m.

"I have to wear them for my work and I can manage in them just," she says, laughing, "but I'm much more interested in being comfortable in my shoes than I am in basically anything else."

Although she has a keen eye for fashion, Gyllenhaal employs a stylist, because "otherwise I'd spend my whole day thinking about clothes, and there are a whole lot of other things I need to be thinking about. I need to have a stylist, because I need that help."

She admits her relationship with her stylist is "a very specific thing", adding that she split with her long-time stylist a while ago and tried a few others to varying degrees of success, before settling on her latest.

"I just found this woman I love who really sees me and gets me."

One of the benefits of the intense global press tour she's been on for White House Down is that she's enjoying getting dressed up again after recently being able to fit back into her clothes, post-baby.

"I don't want to wear a plain, nothing thing. I want to wear something kind of spectacular and I want it to make me feel beautiful," she says.

"I want to take the opportunity to put on one of these amazing works of art. I feel like it's so rare that any of us get to really dress up. I mean, who doesn't want to wear a pretty dress?"

White House Down is in cinemas on September 5.

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22.17 | 0 komentar | Read More

Daily Show rips apart Aussie MPs

Our own federal election has caught the attention of US political comedy show, The Daily Show.

IF only they had waited another day they could have celebrated Liberal candidate Fiona Scott's "sex appeal".

American political comedy juggernaut The Daily Show has celebrated the brevity of the Australian election campaign, marvelling at how we squeeze so much action into a month-long campaign.

The show, currently hosted by British comedian John Oliver while usual host Jon Stewart is on leave, today did a whole segment on "Down-Undercision2013" which focused on bumbling Liberal candidate Jaymes Diaz, disgraced QLD "sexting" minister Peter Dowling and ex-One Nation candidate Stephanie Banister, branding them Australia's own Rick Perry, Anthony Weiner and Sarah Palin.

"So in just four weeks Australia already has a Rick Perry and an Anthony Weiner ... of course the real test is does it have an under-informed, right wing woman thrust into a national political spotlight she's not only unprepared for but at times seems to barely comprehend," Oliver says, before describing Banister as "a turbo-Palin."

The Daily Show with Jon Stewart airs weeknights direct from the US at 7pm on The Comedy Channel.

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Bombers say they'll clear names

Essendon coach James Hird with assistant Mark Thompson. Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: HeraldSun

Essendon coach James Hird arrives at Windy Hill. Picture: Michael Klein Source: HeraldSun

Essendon coach James Hird leaves his Toorak home this morning. Source: Getty Images

Essendon coach James Hird remains defiant amid speculation the AFL could hand down its findings in the coming hours.

ESSENDON faces being wiped from the finals after the club was sensationally charged by the AFL with bringing the game into disrepute.

Coach James Hird was also charged with conduct unbecoming over the club's 2011-12 supplements program.

The same charge was slapped on club doctor Bruce Reid, assistant coach Mark Thompson, and football boss Danny Corcoran.

But the four told the Herald Sun they would vigorously fight to clear their names.

As Essendon figures gathered at Hird's Toorak mansion last night, the coach declared: "Our football club is going to fight these charges."

Reid added: "I am not going to stand aside and let my reputation of 40 years go down the drain. I will fight."

Earlier, AFL general counsel Andrew Dillon announced: "I have reviewed the evidence, carefully considered the matter and have come to the view that the parties have a case to answer.

"They are all charged with conduct that is unbecoming, or likely to prejudice the interests or reputation of the Australian Football League or to bring the game of football into disrepute, contrary to AFL Rule 1.6."

SCROLL DOWN FOR LIVE UPDATES AND TO HAVE YOUR SAY

News+ subscribers can see the Essendon drugs story unfold LIVE here on Fox Sports News

Poster boy a man of steel

But Dillon said that on current evidence no players would receive infraction notices for doping.

JOIN THE LIVE CHAT WITH JON ANDERSON FROM 9am BELOW:

"Although WADA has declared AOD-9604 a banned substance, on the information currently before the AFL, there's no specific anti-doping regulation violation attributed to any individual player for the use of AOD-9604 or any other prohibited substance."

The AFL Commission will hear the charges on August 26.

The AFL can suspend officials, impose large fines and strip the club of premiership points and draft picks. If Essendon were stripped of points, another team - possibly Carlton, West Coast or even North Melbourne - could sneak into the final eight.

AFL general counsel Andrew Dillon announces charges against Essendon and James Hird. Source: Getty Images

The Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority continues to probe the Bombers, and the league said it could not rule out further charges if new information came to hand.

Bombers will fight charges

Essendon chairman Paul Little said the charged club leaders would all continue in their respective roles.

"To do otherwise before these matters are finalised would be to effectively impose a penalty in advance of a fair hearing and represent a denial of natural justice," Little said.

"Essendon welcomes the news that no infraction notices have been issued against any of its players and the AFL's statement that, on current evidence, no notices will be issued.

We feel vindicated: Watson

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"We have maintained that no player has taken a performance-enhancing substance and that there was no breach of the AFL anti-doping code.

"We stand by this," he said.

"It is also important to be very clear that there is no doubt the club and individuals have made mistakes, and that our governance and people management had significant gaps."

The AFL has formally charged Essendon for bringing the game into disrepute in relation to the club's 2011/12 supplements program.

Club captain Jobe Watson, speaking on the players' behalf, said they felt vindicated.

Essendon players including Dustin Fletcher during a closed training session at Windy Hill this morning. Picture: Nicole Garmston Source: HeraldSun

"None of us believed we'd done anything wrong in relation to the 2012 supplements program," Watson said. "The last six months have been an extremely tough time for us and our families and friends.

What was Hird reading?

Matthews says Hird a 'scapegoat'

"And, while we've stayed focused on our footy, the speculation and innuendo has had an impact in some way on all of us," he said.

Watson previously stunned TV viewers by admitting in an interview he took a contentious anti-obesity drug after signing a consent form.

Essendon assistant coach Mark Thompson reveals just how much of a toll the ASADA investigation is taking on him and head coach James Hird.

Tim Watson last night said he expects the Bombers to "go down swinging'' and take the AFL to court over the charges.

"I think they've been defiant up to this point of time. I think that they are going to go down swinging,'' Watson told Channel 7.

I don't want this on my tombstone

Why I'm standing by Hird

"I don't think that they're going to be complicit in what the AFL may want in all this.

"I think they've gone this far, they'll want to go further.

"These fellows may want to challenge the AFL in another forum and that is there prerogative as well, and I can see that playing out.''

Reid left Hird's at 10.40pm and said "it's been a long day".

He did not comment on the charges against him but said he planned to "read some reports" tomorrow as the club plotted their response.

Has AFL legend and Essendon coach James Hird's reputation been tarnished forever?

We'll take Bombers' finals spot

Essendon saga: The story so far

AFL 360 look at Leigh Matthews' strong views on Essendon and the weight they may carry

With the possibility of Essendon being ruled out of September, the race is on for ninth spot

The drugs at the centre of the saga

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New parole hope for Corby

Schapelle Corby inside Kerobokan Prison, Indonesia / Pic: AFP Source: News Limited

Schapelle Corby's hopes of being granted parole in almost a decade in a Balinese prison have taken a huge leap forward.

Indonesian judicial officials today visited her in her cell in Kerobokan Prison and also inspected the home of her sister Mercedes.

If Schapelle, now 36, becomes the first foreigner in Bali to be granted bail she will have to live with Mercedes and her Balinese husband Wayan Widyartha in the traditional compound home they share with their three children and his extended family in the heart of the Balinese tourist mecca of Kuta.

Schapelle Corby's hopes of being granted parole after more than a decade in a Balinese prison have taken a huge leap forward. Courtesy: Channel 7

GALLERY - SCHAPELLE CORBY'S LIFE

Sources close to the family said three female government officials today first talked to Schapelle in her cell in the overcrowded and violent prison.

One of the three women who visited her this week will become Schapelle's parole officer if she is granted parole.

The trio of female officials then travelled to Mercedes and Wayan's Kuta home to inspect it and decide if it was a suitable place for Schapelle to serve her parole.

Convicted drug smuggler Schapelle Corby eats in her room at the Sanglah Hospital in Bali in 2008. Source: News Limited

INSIDE SCHAPELLE CORBY'S JAIL HELL

Schapelle was sentenced to 20 years jail in the notorious Kerobokan prison for smuggling 4.2 kilograms of marijuana into Indonesia in 2004. She still denies she knew the marijuana was in her body board bag and says she was an unwitting mule.

An important part of Schapelle's parole bid under intricate Indonesian parole laws, is the promise that Mercedes and Wayan would help her financially and with her "morale", and to "oversee her education as a responsible citizen.

It is understood Schapelle has not yet officially lodged her bid for parole.

Convicted drug smuggler Schapelle Corby. Source: News Limited

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Another health chief quits

Another health chief has quit their post in WA. Picture: Supplied Source: Supplied

THE head of seven major WA public hospitals, including the $2 billion Fiona Stanley Hospital, has quit.

South Metropolitan Health Service chief executive Nicole Feely resigned this week -- in a further blow to public health, following WA Health Department director-general Kim Snowball's resignation in December and departure in March.

This comes amid claims from Government insiders that the cost of the already delayed Fiona Stanley would exceed $2 billion and possibly blow out to "up to $3 billion" by the time it was fully operational in 2015.

Ms Feely's resignation means acting appointees are now in two of public health's top jobs: the WA Health Department director-general and the WA Country Health Service chief executive.

This is because Ms Feely -- whose health service also oversees the Royal Perth and Fremantle hospitals -- has been replaced by former Country Health chief executive Ian Smith, but his role has not been permanently filled.

Acting WA Health Department director-general Bryant Stokes said Ms Feely's resignation would be effective from next Thursday.

"Ms Feely recently decided to return to the east coast for family reasons," he said.

The resignation comes after The Sunday Times and PerthNow revealed last week that Ms Feely had gone on indefinite "extended leave'' two months ago.

Government insiders said a recent "high level health meeting" discussed that the cost of getting FSH fully operational could be "up to $3 billion".

The bureaucrats said costs included "construction, building variations, information technology, fit out, medical equipment, the already-in-place bureaucracy, and paying (private facilities contractor) Serco".

This week's WA Budget papers said: "There is a significant risk that approved expenditure on service reconfiguration and commissioning activities at FSH, including costs under the (Serco) facilities management contract, are under-stated in 2013-14 and 2014-15 (budget figures)."

Health Minister Kim Hames would not rule out that the final cost of the hospital would exceed $2 billion, but rejected claims that it would be up to $3 billion.

"A clear distinction needs to made between the costs of construction, the costs of clinical commissioning, and a hospital's operating costs when commissioned," he said.

He said this week's Budget showed the current approved cost for the ``construction'' of Fiona Stanley and the State Rehabilitation Centre was $1.8 billion.

"This is lower than previously reported approved capital expenditure because components of the original construction budget (e.g. for furniture and fixtures) are now being delivered through the facilities management contract, requiring adjustments to the capital and operating expenditure components of WA Health's budget," he said.

Dr Hames said ``construction'' of Fiona Stanley and the rehabilitation centre would be completed on time and within the budget identified in the 2013/14 Budget Statements.

But Opposition health spokesman Roger Cook said Dr Hames was trying to hide the true cost of getting Fiona Stanley fully operational, by splitting costs between construction and commissioning, and between accounts, such as the privatised Serco contract, when taxpayers would still pay for all of it.

Mr Cook also said Ms Feely's departure and the director-general not yet being replaced showed the mismanagement and lack of stability in public health under Dr Hames and his Government.

The Australian Nursing Federation said the WA Government had to resolve the ongoing director-general vacancy, "or risk long term damage to WA's health system".

Dr Hames also said commissioning the new hospital was a "complex task" and "in recognition of this, $60 million was allocated over 4 years in the 2012/13 Budget to support clinical commissioning and service reconfiguration across South Metropolitan Health Service".

"A component of this funding will also be used to transition services from Princess Margaret Hospital to the New Children's Hospital when completed," he said.

"When operational, Fiona Stanley Hospital and the State Rehabilitation Service will be funded on the basis of the activity they deliver, as is the case with all other metropolitan public hospitals."
 

22.16 | 0 komentar | Read More

The mystery surrounding cabin 5281

Kristen Schroder and Paul Rossington - the couple missing from the Carnival Spirit cruise ship. Source: News Limited

A CAMERA captured the first images even before they'd boarded, the cruise ship's resident photographer snapping cheesy portraits beside the gangway.

As days slipped by aboard the Carnival Spirit, glossy prints multiplied on the onboard gallery shelves. Cuddling on a jetty among grass-skirted locals against the azure backdrop of an island stopover. Posing casually with her brother, sister and parents.

The ship's roving video crew filmed them relaxing in the sought-after sun pods and hammocks of the adult-only Serenity Deck, away from squealing kids wired from abusing their bottomless soft-drink deal.

Slip mystery surrounds missing cruise couple

Security cameras guarding the pokies and roulette wheels captured other vision: a dispute in the casino on the last day at sea, and a retreat to the apricot decor of cabin 5281.

Thermal cameras caught the fuzzy outlines of their falling bodies as they tumbled, separately, from the wooden balcony rail into the fizzing, inky water below.

Paul Rossington and Kristen Schroder - the couple missing from the Carnival Cruise ship.

Many hours later, back at Sydney Harbour, more cameras flashed as police moved methodically among fingerprint dust collecting clues to help explain the mystery of two young lovers forever lost at sea.

THE Fun Times newsletter dropped by a cabin steward on the bed each night - along with a square of chocolate and towels twisted into exotic animal shapes - directs the ebb and flow of life aboard the Carnival Spirit.

Activities range from five-game bingo and arthritis seminars to hairy chest contests and a bawdy hypnotist show.

All guests assemble for a mandatory safety briefing at 5pm the first night, though some barely listen and rush off at the first chance to their balconies or the decks to wave farewell to reality - and get stuck into the food.

Dining options abound. Snags at Fat Jimmy's barbecue. Freshly cooked slices from the 24/7 pizza stand. Ginger ale and plain biscuits for queasy stomachs. Three-course dinners in the Empire room, where spontaneous renditions of the nutbush from cheery staff mask their homesickness after months straight at sea earning money to send home.

Plastic passes carried by each passenger act as room key and credit card, allowing purchases from a coffee to $3000 in casino chips to be charged back to rooms.

Early risers who are not invigorated by the sunrises or yoga sessions can enjoy screwdrivers and bloody Marys before lunch, and $2 blackjack hands from 8am until noon.

Bathers and resort wear are the dominant dress for days by the pool or on shore excursions. Two nights deemed "elegant" see guests don their finest. Another night, guests mingle in white terry-towelling for a "bathrobe bash".

On Caribbean theme night, grown men compete with children to dress as pirates, complete with eye patches and parrots, for prizes.

Guests are as diverse as the cities they come from. New parents on their first getaway with a toddler. A bride in a white gypsy dress, celebrating her nuptials at the early dinner sitting. Retirees on their second marriages and their fourth cruise. Women celebrating recent divorces with scented massages at the day spa. Forty-something school friends on the prowl in the multi-level disco for the few eligible singles aboard. Adult families looking for a cheap and easy way to see the world together.

Kristen Schroder and Paul Rossington - the couple missing from the Carnival Spirit cruise ship.

TWO months before her Pacific Island cruise, Kristen Dennis had chucked in her Sydney real estate career and packed up her beloved pets and belongings to live with Paul Rossington, a paramedic based at Barraba in NSW, near Tamworth.

Since they'd been dating, Kristen, 27, and Paul, 30, had lived apart, with only snatched weekends together when his hectic shiftwork allowed.

She dubbed the March moving date "dream day" and her belongings were barely unpacked when she declared to friends she was happier than ever. "Progress used to mean lower vacancies, less arrears, higher returns," she wrote.

"Now it means ... my amazing man snoozing beside me on the couch. This 'progress' is most important, the progress to peace, comfort, real contentment and happiness. None of the other crap was ever important to me, this is what counts."

Occasionally, Kristen's sunny social media posts darkened.

Two people are believed to have fallen off a cruise ship docked in circular quay - the Carnival Spirit. Picture: Robert Barker

In early January she asked friends if they could recommend a family law solicitor for an opinion, but when pressed for information said it was too personal to discuss.

Her frustration with former husband Matt Schroder was evident back in 2011, as she readied the house for Christmas. The tree was up, and bells on the door. But the man she married in 2007 wasn't there. While Kristen packed for a holiday to Europe, she bemoaned the heavy furniture blocking her from reaching the winter woollies she'd need: "And he is not home again (anyone surprised??) Why am I married to a man who is NEVER around?"

The navy pilot was often posted afar, including a tour to the Persian Gulf.

Guests at their wedding at HMAS Creswell on the shores of Jervis Bay, south of Sydney, remember the unusual cake. A smiling bride sat atop it, with a sailor in dress uniform scaling a ladder up the side, hands outstretched to her.

But the cake was cut long ago, and now, so were their ties. With a divorce and a change back to her maiden name, Kristen was more than ready to move on.

A room believed to be the cabin of Kristen Schroder and Paul Rossington on the Carnival Spirit crusie liner. Picture: Adam Taylor

In January, Paul gave her an impressive ring, which she wore on her middle finger. "Just a little spoilt," she crowed to friends when she showed off the sparkler. She'd given him a promise ring, too. She wanted the world to know how happy they were, and that she loved him "beyond reason".

Paramedic Paul had wrangled time off his intense roster only with the promise to do extra days on his return to the ambulance station where he'd worked almost two years. A passionate surfer and fisherman, he'd been on cruises with his own family before, but was looking forward to spending time with the Dennis clan as he cemented his life with Kristen.

As much as they were anticipating the holiday, animal lover Kristen feared she'd miss their "babies".

The devoted pet owner fretted about leaving the couple's combined menagerie, all rescued from animal shelters - an adult cat, two recently acquired kittens, and three dogs.

The move from the city to Barraba meant Kristen couldn't continue her volunteer "pound round" duties, walking or sometimes just sitting with dogs facing death row. But she continued helping as best she could from her new home, posting frequent social media urgings for others to adopt or foster and give unwanted animals a chance at life.

The day before they left for the cruise, Paul popped home for lunch to cuddle their pets and to offer his opinion on the shoes and formal wear Kristen should pack.

Like most other things, her excitement at the thought of time away with Paul, her mum Roxene and dad Reg, younger brother Aaron and his partner, and pregnant sister Dee and her husband Sascha, spilled on to Facebook: "It's going to be awesome to have the most important people in my world around me for 10 days."

THAT final night, home was tantalisingly close. The Carnival Spirit was in party mode as it sliced through the waters off the NSW coast, about nine hours before the expected arrival back in Sydney. Sauvignon blanc and Jack Daniel's - the most popular drinks aboard - flowed freely.

Throughout the voyage, cruise director Stu Dunn had exhorted passengers to have the time of their lives, a time they'd never forget, and most were. Kristen and Paul - who on land was often the last one to leave a party and the first one up in the morning for a surf - didn't want any more entertainment.

They'd retreated to their cabin after an earlier spat in the casino, skipping dinner with the others. After the sun set, the halo from the ship's lights illuminated the surrounding ocean for about 30 metres. Beyond that glow, the Tasman Sea was black.

Memorial service for Paul Rossington. Picture: Cameron Richardson

Kristen and Paul's balcony cabin was on deck five, at the rear of the ship.

Four decks up, directly above them, chilled-out drinkers were enjoying cocktails, though the darkness limited the 270-degree views.

Down below, on deck three, those seated by the windows for the late sitting at the Empire dining room had finished delicate salmon mains and were contemplating the chocolate melting cake for dessert.

Security staff patrolled the ship, and monitored a bank of CCTV cameras, though at that time of night most attention was focused on high-traffic areas such as the casino and bars. Only later, on recorded footage, did staff see Kristen and Paul's plunge from the ship about 8.50pm, off a wooden balcony rail just wide enough to stand on and about mid-torso high.

One after the other they tumbled, some seconds apart. The position of their cabin meant, with no alarm raised, in less than 30 seconds the ship had passed them by.

A room believed to be the cabin of Kristen Schroder and Paul Rossington on the Carnival Spirit crusie liner. Picture: Adam Taylor

The hunt for them began only after Italian captain Adriano Binacchi's final cheery "ciao ciao" over the loudspeaker. When all other passengers disembarked, the couple's luggage remained uncollected. Checks revealed two passengers hadn't swiped off the ship with their "sail and sign" cards.

What could possibly have happened to them?

By the time an extensive air and sea search started, they'd been missing about 15 hours.

As word leaked out, people puzzled at how two people could tumble and then vanish into the ocean. Were they imitating a scene from the movie Titanic? Was it foul play? A suicide pact? Across the nation, people pondered the most pressing question: could they still be alive?

SARAH Kirby is proof you can fall from a moving cruise ship in the middle of the ocean and survive.

Kristen Schroder and Paul Rossington - the couple missing from the Carnival Spirit cruise ship.

The birthday girl was aboard a Carnival Destiny cruise from Miami to Jamaica in October last year when she drunkenly toppled overboard about midnight. She describes her survival as "an absolute miracle".

The American women fell further than Paul and Kristen - dropping two storeys, hitting a lifeboat, then tumbling five more. Her injuries included fractured bones and ribs, hypothermia, blood clots, and severe bruising. That was the least of her problems. Alone in the black water, she watched, with rising panic, as the ship sped away.

Unable to see lights after a while, she realised she was bleeding into the water, and feared a shark attack was imminent. "Please don't let me die, please don't let something eat me," she whimpered repeatedly.

She swam until she ran out of energy, then floated face-up to catch her breath. Waves crashed into her face, and the more saltwater she swallowed, the more she coughed and threw up.

When they couldn't find her aboard, her friend and partner begged staff to turn the vessel around to find her. They did. Almost two hours after Sarah fell, a crew member in a life boat approached and helped her aboard. After a week in intensive care, and three more weeks in hospital, she was home. Lawyers have filed a lawsuit against Carnival in the US. It is set for trial early next year. But such survival tales are rare.

Memorial service for Paul Rossington - his mother Christeen and his father Richard. Picture: Cameron Richardson

Victorian Trevor Gready knows the flipside of a man overboard. His son Andrew, 24, jumped off the Pacific Sky about 6km off the coast of Queensland on the last night of a cruise with his family in 2005.

Another son, Chris, and other passengers frantically threw chairs, tables and lifebuoys to mark the spot and to give Andrew something to cling to.

Trevor says Chris was so distraught at his brother's plight, he felt an overwhelming urge to jump in.

"He wanted to save him. A family friend stopped him," Trevor says. "It's a good thing, or they would have been trying to find two of them."

He and his wife heard the alarms go off, but didn't realise at first it was for an incident involving their son.

Soon a ship officer knocked on Trevor's cabin door to inform him, assuring "don't worry, we'll get him back". But, though the ship turned around, the rescue bid failed. Trevor says his son, who'd been drinking, had talked throughout the cruise about jumping from an upper deck for an adrenaline rush. "He was a thrill seeker. He'd go and jump off cliffs into the ocean and stuff," he says.

His family remain badly affected by their loss. "None of us have handled it very well," he says. "We miss him every day. The worst part is we never found him. There's no one to bring home."

ON the Carnival Spirit, as cabin stewards did their rounds to make guest cabins feel like home for their final night - turning down beds, switching on soft lamps - Paul and Kristen were in the casino, between the main lobby and a sports bar on deck two. They hadn't had much, if anything, to drink all day and had skipped dinner with the family.

Guests gravitate to the gambling hub, where one of the security supervisors is a dead ringer for rugby league identity Paul "Fatty" Vautin and the croupiers smile between gritted teeth, thinking of the money they're missing because Aussies don't tip as well as Americans.

Staff make a peculiar air-kiss noise to attract attention instead of shouting out. Kristen and Paul weren't quite shouting, but they weren't kissing either as they had a spat on the gaming floor.

Make: CanonModel: Canon EOS-1D XDate/Time: 2013:05:09 16:00:11

Another of the ship's 600 CCTV cameras caught them mucking around as they passed through the heart of the ship, the copper-toned Spirit Atrium with its marble-topped bar, elaborate staircase leading up to the photo gallery, and glass lifts.

Up to level five they went. Down the corridor. Tenth door on the left. They were inside cabin 5281 by about 8.30pm. Only two people truly know what happened in the next 20 minutes.

Though police are preparing a brief for the NSW Coroner, and an inquest might flush out more detail, those who loved Kristen and Paul already know in their hearts the tragic mystery can never really be solved, at least not completely. Facts suggest one of them hit deck three before plunging into the water. Thermal images show a short gap between one and the other tumbling.

Carnival Australia says nothing is more important than the safety of guests and crew, and that the company consistently exceeds regulatory requirements and actively pursues further safety improvements.

The families speculate that she climbed up on the balcony rail for innocent reasons, lost her grip and slipped overboard. They believe that, instinctively and immediately, Paul jumped in to save her - half-brave, half-crazy but devoted to her safety and happiness until his last breath.

Two people are believed to have fallen off a cruise ship docked in circular quay - the Carnival Spirit. Picture: Robert Barker

For all the speculation, so many questions remain. United in grief, two families console themselves that two souls so devoted to each other, and so committed to protecting and rescuing, had each other for company in the swirling sea.

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Bondi Vet collapses in City2Surf drama

Bondi Vet Dr Chris Brown needed medical assistance after collapsing during the City2Surf. Source: Supplied

CELEBRITY TV vet Chris Brown is recovering after collapsing during the City2Surf run in Sydney.

Dr Brown, or The Bondi Vet as he is known from the popular TV show of the same name, was one of seven people transported to hospital after the annual fun run from Hyde Park to Bondi.

Dr Brown said he required medical assistance at the 12km mark of the 14km race.

He was treated by first aid officers on site and taken to St Vincent's Hospital for observation.

Dr Brown, who was running to raise money for the Westpac rescue helicopter, said he had been suffering from a respiratory virus and wasn't feeling "100 per cent''.

"In hindsight, I shouldn't have participated in today's race,'' he said in the statement.

"By the 12km mark I was feeling very unwell and sought assistance. I was taken to hospital for observation.''

He had since returned home and was feeling "much better'', he said.

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Fury over power bill shock

PerthNow and Sunday Times readers have vented their anger as it was revealed that electricity bills could reach an average of $2000 a year by 2016. Picture: Thinkstock Source: The Courier-Mail

PERTH residents have vented outrage that their power bills will increase to an average of $2000 within three years.

The Sunday Times today revealed families will be slugged an average of $2000 a year for electricity by 2016.

Have your say – how will the electricity price increases affect you?

State Budget papers reveal yearly "approved increases" of 7 per cent for electricity prices from 2014 through to at least 2016-17. They have already gone up 4 per cent this year.

This will take the average annual family power bill from $963 to $1998 under Mr Barnett's reign, despite his promise during the March state election campaign to keep electricity prices "at or around the rate of inflation"  which is now 2.5 per cent.

PerthNow readers were outraged, voicing their comments this morning.

"Well it is about time the people of Perth show some kind of public voice about electricity prices," Andrew Jones commented. "Enough is enough and any government should be able to manage the cost of electricity better than what we see in this state."

Commenter Another rip off said the increases was one of the reasons they were 'leaving Perth'.

"What about when the electricity goes out because it rains heavy or when the poles catch fire because of the old and out of date why the electric is supplies to houses? Nothing is being done about improving electricity supplies."

Some commenters, however, disagreed saying the increases were necessary.

"Electricity is still far too cheap. Consequently we continue to build absurdly energy inefficient and oversized homes," Poiter posted.

"The fact is we take electricity for granted, like other services our government provides. The government has to balance its books to provide services for all," Jack Frost of Perth said.

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Economy dominates leadership debate

THE first showdown of the election campaign was dominated by the state of the economy, Labor's GST scare campaign and a decision on a second airport for Sydney.

Laying out his pitch to the electorate, Kevin Rudd appealed for three more years to show ''new way" while Tony Abbott spoke directly to voters on the economy and border protection.

At the debate at the National Press Club in Canberra,  the Prime Minister made a pitch to young voters and then moved straight to economic management.

He said Labor had kept interests rates low, had abolished Work Choices, had introduced DisabilityCare and the NBN and he said there was more to be done.

Mr Rudd warned the mining boom was over but said Labor could deliver a bright new future and "a new way of positive politics in this country."

In a bid to turn the first leader's debate in favour of the government, he also pledged a vote on gay marriage with Labor MPs to act according to their conscience

Tony Abbott and Kevin Rudd have  faced off in the first federal election debate. Picture: Stefan Postles

Mr Abbott said the Coalition party room would reconsider its position on gay marriage after the election.

On a controversial note, Mr Rudd was accused of breaching the rules by reading notes.

The debate's moderator, Sky News political editor David Speers, revealed following the debate that Mr Rudd had used the notes and that was not allowed.

According to the rules issued by the National Press Club on Friday, both Mr Abbott and Mr Rudd were prohibited from having the help with their memory.

"The leaders may have a pen and paper on the lectern and no other documentation or props,'' the rules stated.

The National Press Club of Australia Leaders' Debate

In the debate wrap up following, Speers said: "Kevin Rudd had notes. That wasn't allowed under the rules.''

Labor figure Graham Richardson said: "If I was Kevin Rudd, I would sack whoever wrote them."

Looking down the camera lens during the debate, Mr Abbott appealed directly to voters, telling them under a Coalition government the carbon tax would be scrapped, with compensation and tax cuts to stay, and boats arrivals would be stemmed.

"We can make your life better," he said.

He promised he would "make a decision" in his first term, if he won the election, on a second airport for Sydney but said the existing gateway to the city could be used more efficiently.

The National Press Club of Australia Leaders' Debate

Mr Rudd did not match the pledge.

Mr Abbott said a Coalition government would not raise the GST, could ease cost of living pressures and protect jobs and he listed infrastructure projects he has promised to help fund.

They included funding for the West Connex in Sydney, the East West Link in Melbourne, duplication of the Pacific Highway and an upgrade of the Bruce Highway in Queensland.

He focused on government failures throughout the debate, including the disastrous home insulation scheme which was linked to four deaths, the boat influx and 1000 deaths at sea, the NBN blowing its budget and the carbon price forecast of $38 a tonne by 2020.

The National Press Club of Australia Leaders' Debate

"Mr Rudd talks about a new way, well if you want a new way you have got to choose a new government," he said.

One of Mr Rudd's weakest points was when he was questioned on why Labor's spending is higher than under the Howard Government and over forecasts tens of thousands of people are will lose their jobs over coming months as unemployment rises.

Mr Rudd responded that the government had staved off recession during the Global Financial Crisis and created around one million jobs.

Mr Abbott's point of weakness emerged over how the Coalition will pay for its promises with Labor claiming there was a $70 billion black hole - a claim Mr Abbott called a "fantasy."

He did not articulate last night what cuts would be made to fulfil spending promises but said there had been "an enormous amount of waste over the past six years" and that the Coalition had already identified $17 billion in savings, which includes the axing of the Schoolkids bonus.

Debate erupted over the GST with Mr Rudd claiming it was "legitimate to raise questions about the future of the GST" in light of the Coalition's promises and a tax review the Opposition planned if it won government.

"The GST doesn't change under the Coalition," Mr Abbott shot back."The people watching this deserve better than a scare campaign from the Prime Minister of this country."

RELIVE THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE DEBATE ON OUR BLOG

He said the campaign over the GST was "a little embarrassing to have the Prime Minister of this country, who had three years in power himself, he voted for the carbon tax...he was part of the surplus that never happened."

When asked if he had said the mining boom was coming to an end to cover over the budget problems after the government revealed a $30.1 billion deficit this financial year, Mr Rudd said the mining boom investment phase "was coming to a close."

Mr Abbott described Mr Rudd's explanation for his rhetoric as "waffle" and claimed if the boom was over it was because Labor had "killed it" with the mining tax and red tape.

The two leaders managed to agree on the debate format after weeks of argy bargy about the details.

Mr Rudd's first challenge was issued in the press conference he held after snatching back the Prime Ministership, but Mr Abbott always insisted any debate should be held during the campaign proper.

The debate was moderated by Sky News presenter David Speers and questions asked by a panel of journalists from the ABC, Fairfax and News Corp Australia.

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