Anguish at never-ending MH370 search

A campaign video has been released promising a whistleblower reward in an attempt to find the truth, the plane and the passengers. Courtesy: YouTube/Sunny Min

THE messages were from a 10-year-old girl's breaking heart.

"Mummy, are you o.k? Mummy, wish you is o.k in MH370 aeroplane. I wish you would come back my home. We are waiting you to come home. Remember to reply me. I am your daughter."

It was 10 days after MH370 vanished completely without trace and Foong Wai Yueng's 10-year-old daughter was desperately missing her mother.

On her equally heartbroken father's mobile phone she sent a series of messages to her mother, begging her to come home.

Hoping against hope, Lee Khim Fatt, also sent his wife, a fight steward, a message three days after the plane went missing: "Dear, what time is ur arrival? Call me when u arrived, I c u at gate 8".

Devoted mum ... MH370 flight steward Foong Wai Yueng and her daughter. Source: Supplied

Sunday marks 100 days since MH370 went missing and Foong and the 238 others on board MH370 have still not come home.

No-one knows where they are, what happened to them or why they, along with the Boeing 777-200 aircraft they were on, disappeared without trace.

Authorities say they are sure the Malaysian Airlines plane plunged into the Southern Indian Ocean, somewhere along a massive arc that covers 60,000 square kilometres of inhospitable and freezing ocean. But, it seems, they have no idea where in that vast section of ocean, the plane is resting with so many souls on board.

MH370: No accident, say authors

Families are now in a dreadful limbo. They can't hold memorial services because they don't know what happened, they are heartbroken and as they reach 100 days of anguish, hoping and waiting they are becoming increasingly angry with authorities. They want answers and they want briefings and most of all they want transparency.

Happy couple ... Foong Wai Yueng and her husband Lee Khim Fatt Source: Supplied

One group of families, fed up with what they say is a lack of transparency, has set up a public fundraising drive to raise $5 million to pay for a whistleblower and an investigator. If authorities can't find anything and won't tell them anything, they will do it themselves, says Sarch Bjac, whose soulmate Philip Wood was a passenger.

Back in April searchers were confident that four pings, detected by an underwater search vehicle, about 1600km off Perth, were coming from the plane's black box and were equally confident they were searching in the right place.

Perth mother of two, Danica Weeks, thought it was only a matter of time, probably weeks, before the plane was found.

She started preparing herself emotionally, sorting through photos and memorabilia, getting things ready to hold a memorial service for her beloved husband, whom she calls Paulie.

Still hopeful ... Danica Weeks is still waiting for physical evidence that her husband, Paul, is gone. Picture: 60 Minutes Source: Supplied

As she readied herself for what would be a heartbreaking day of goodbyes, she was hit by a tonne of bricks — on May 29, 83 days into the search, authorities announced the pings they heard were not from the black box. They were no closer to finding the plane and indeed were further away. The next phase of the intensive undersea search is not due to begin until August.

Mrs Weeks has put plans for the memorial on hold.

"I just can't do it. I am not prepared until they find something," she says. "I wont be moving on until I have something concrete."

And she intends, through her grief, to ensure that authorities keep working to find out the truth. Anything less would disrespect Paul, a mining engineer who was on his way to a job in Mongolia, and all the others on board.

"I am not giving up on him until we have piece of evidence and I won't be going away until they tell the truth, until someone starts talking. At first I thought they were totally incompetent, now I think they are hiding something."

Looking for wreckage ... Co-pilot and Squadron Leader Brett McKenzie of the Royal New Zealand Airforce (RNZAF) helps to look for MH370. Picture: Greg Wood Source: Getty Images

All Ms Weeks and the other families want is some certainty, to know what the investigators know.

They begged for the release of the Inmarsat satellite data, which was used to calculate that the plane continued flying for six hours, after it was last detected on radar, and ended in the southern Indian Ocean.

It was finally released on May 27 but families say it is 47 pages of figures and doesn't include everything they need to have it independently analysed by their own experts.

Malaysia's Defence and acting Transport Minister Hishamuddin Hussein, who has become the public face of the search, did not respond to News Corporation's repeated requests this week for an interview.

No sign ... Malaysia's Minister of Transport Hishamuddin Hussein takes questions about the missing Malaysia Airlines jetliner MH370. Picture: Wong Maye-E Source: AP

What is known is that after MH370 took off from Kuala Lumpur airport at 12.41am on Saturday March 8 it flew towards its Beijing destination with 239 on board, from 12 nations, included 12 crew.

At 1.19am, as the plane was leaving Malaysian air space and about to enter that of Vietnam, the last words from the cockpit were "Good night, Malaysian 370."

After this the plane's transponder was turned off or went off and at 1.22am MH370 disappeared from civilian radar. It turned around and flew back across Malaysia and at 2.22am it was detected on military radar, flying northwest of Penang. The Malaysian military classified it as commercial, non-enemy and leaving their airspace and took no further action.

Authorities now believe that after the final radar detection that MH370 continued to fly for a further six hours, way off course, across the top of Indonesia and down into the ocean several thousand kilometres off Perth.

Calculations, which authorities say have been done by Inmarsat itself and separately by UK air safety investigators, show that after disappearing from the military radar, that it was detected by seven "handshakes" with an Inmarsat communications satellite, normally used for telephone and data services.

The handshakes were hourly, along seven arcs, until one at 8.11am and another shortly afterwards at 8.19am. It is believed that at 8.19am the plane's communications equipment automatically powered up, using a turbine, after it ran out of fuel. By 8.19am it is believed to have been descending into the ocean.

But it is impossible to tell exactly where. All authorities can say is that somewhere on the seventh arc, is where the plane probably ran out of fuel and crashed. That arc covers almost 60,000 square kilometres of ocean and will take a year to search.

Enormous task ... Phoenix Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) Bluefin-21 is craned over the side of Australian Defence Vessel Ocean Shield in the search for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370. Picture: Lt Kelli Lunt/Australia Department of Defence Source: Getty Images

The head of Malaysia's Civil Aviation Department, Azharuddin Abdul Rahman, told News Corporation this week in Kuala Lumpur there was "no doubt" the plane was somewhere on that arc.

Families want to know why there is no doubt.

"We are staring down the barrel of 12 months of waiting to see if its there. If you (authorities) are confident (its there) then tell us why, prove to us why you are so confident," Mrs Weeks says.

"I have listened enough and I have trusted enough and now I need to know for myself. Everyone needs to know before they start this new phase of the search that you are confident this is the right place."

Three-year-old Lincoln was his dad's little shadow.

"He knows Dad's gone but there's no more to tell because I don't know. I don't need to burden him with any more at this stage, he is too young to comprehend it all. He helps me (to cope) and I help him."

Jack is only 13 months old. He turned one after his father went missing and is too young to understand his mother's tears.

"I am just a wife looking for a husband. He walked out and that's as far as I know about what's happened to him."

Waiting for daddy ... Danica Weeks with sons Lincoln and Jack. Picture: 60 Minutes Source: Supplied

Back in Kuala Lumpur, spouses want action.

Last week families were promised meetings with the country's Prime Minister Najib Razak "in due time".

Jacquita Gonzales wants to know what does that mean, in due time — is it next week, next month or next year. Or never. She wants a meeting now. Her husband of 29 years was the MH370 In Flight Supervisor — a 34-year veteran of Malaysian Airlines.

The pair was childhood sweethearts, first meeting when she was 12. They married when Jacquita was 22. They have four children.

She knows Patrick would be proud of the stand she has taken. He and the rest of the crew must not be forgotten. Mrs Gonzales and many of the other flight crew families are not happy about their treatment from Malaysian Airlines and the authorities. Most found out the plane was missing from the media, not the airline.

Childhood sweethearts ... Patrick Gomes on his wedding day to Jacquita Gonzales. Source: Supplied

In April, on the spur of the moment, Mrs Gonzales made up a sign on a large piece of cardboard. Then she stood in the blazing sun and later rain, holding it up, waiting for a black car to drive past.

"Barack Obama the most POWERFUL man in the world! PLEASE help me find my husband Patrick Gomes on MH370!"

She stood on the route of Obama's motorcade and as his black car cruised past held it up. She has no idea if Obama, on an official visit to Kuala Lumpur, saw the sign. But she wanted him to feel the family's pain and for the US to do something to help search for MH370.

Then she went to the hotel where Obama was staying in a bid to hold the sign there as well. But Malaysian police took her sign away and moved her on.

"He took my poster away. By that time I started crying, I was so emotional. What can me and my poster do to that car? Then the CIA came up and said I understand what you are trying to do, if you were in my country you would be able to stand here. They refused to give me back my poster," she says now.

After that Mrs Gonzales learned, for the first time, how to use to Twitter and sent a message to the US President's Twitter account, begging him to help find her beloved Patrick.

Plea for help ... Jacquita Gonzales holds a placard for President Obama during his visit to Malaysia. Picture: Joshua Paul Source: News Corp Australia

Three-year-old Raphael is Patrick's only grandchild. The pair was inseparable. Every trip brought treats and gifts for the little boy who was his shadow.

Patrick is due to turn 55 next month and he had already decided to keep working as a flight crew until he was 60 to ensure he could provide for Raphael and his mother, Nicolette, 29.

Raphael, with his shock of curly dark hair, keeps asking why his Granpa is taking so long to come home from this trip.

"I just tell him Granpa has gone on a long flight," Nicolette says now of her son's innocent questions.

Waiting for Granpa ... Raphael and Nicolette Gomes, the grandson and daughter of MH370 in-flight supervisor Patrick Gomes. Source: News Corp Australia

Patrick's seat, at the 12-seater family dining table, has been empty for 100 days. Mrs Gonzales said she and her husband bought the big dining table and each of the couple's four children and partners, had to buy and bring their own chairs.

On his last night, before catching the plane, the family was all there for dinner, sitting in their chairs. Patrick was in his with Raphael on his lap when he got a call that the airline transport was not available to take him to the airport.

"So he bribed us, 'I will pay anyone 120 Ringgit to take me to the airport' and we all said no. So he called a taxi," Mrs Gonzales says, before he voice trails off.

"The would haves, the could have and the should have"

Family man ... Patrick Gomes, with his son Enrique (left) and grandson Raphael. Source: Supplied

That night was like any other night. For their whole married life, Patrick went to work on a plane and always came home with his suitcase laden with goodies for the family. Initially it was for his wife, then when the children came they got the most. Then Raphael got everything.

It would have been the same on this routine trip to Beijing and back again. When he returned Raphael would be standing at the door with toys, or two racquets, begging Patrick to play with him before he was even out of his uniform.

The family hasn't told Raphael what happened but his child's instincts somehow know something is wrong.

"When we say our goodnight prayers he says 'I will pray for Granpa", Mrs Gonzales says.

Fighting for answers ... Raphael and Nicolette Gomes with Jacquita Gonzales. Source: News Corp Australia

Relatives of many of those on board will never stop praying for a miracle, for the safe return of their loved ones.

One of them is Zainab Arifin, the mother of steward Mohd Hazrin Hasnan. He was the only boy among her seven children, a gift from God and she is not ready to let him go just yet.

Last month his wife, Intan Maizura Othaman, gave birth to their son. Her husband, whom she describes as the "best husband and Papa I could ever ask for", was not with her.

Tiny Muhammad will never know his Dad. His sister Iman is four and like all the other children, she too wants to know when Daddy is coming back.

Intan has told her that her Papa's plane had a problem. The day after authorities announced that MH370 had ended in the ocean, Intan wrote to her beloved, telling him she would need to be a "bionic woman" to get through the trial. This week she said she believes she has indeed been a bionic woman.

'Bionic woman' ... Intan Maizura Othaman, wife of steward Mohd Hazrin Hasnan, with their 20-day old son Muhammad. Source: News Corp Australia

Everyone copes in their own way.

Lee Khim Fatt still calls his wife's mobile phone and leaves messages for her. He can't accept yet that she's gone. He sends her Facebook messages telling her how much he loves her.

"I didn't even know that I loved her so much until this happened," Lee says. The tears fall and he sits silently thinking about the love of his life. "Up until now I haven't thought about how to live without her."

Grieving ... Lee Khim Fatt's wife Foong Wai Yueng, was a steward on Flight MH370. Source: News Corp Australia

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Skype’s the limit for WA inmates

Corrective Services Minister Joe Francis is looking to Skype video calls to reduce the number of prisoner visits. Source: News Limited

SKYPE video calls might replace hundreds of inter-prison visits each year, saving taxpayers a fortune in future.

The practice of allowing Perth-based prisoners to visit friends and family members incarcerated in other metropolitan jails is under review.

Corrective Services Minister Joe Francis said there was "a real opportunity to reduce prisoner movement costs" as part of the review, being conducted by his department.

"The department is increasing access to video conferencing, such as Skype, to allow prisoners to have contact with family members in other prisons without the need for them to be moved," Mr Francis said.

The number of inter-prison visits increased from 471 in 2011-12 to 521 in 2012-13. In the last half of 2013 there were 307 such trips. But "non-essential prisoner movements" were stopped after the embarrassing escape of notorious rapist Cameron John Graham at Geraldton Airport on January 3, and only 88 inter-prison visits have occurred since.

Cameron John Graham, 22, who escaped from a prison van in Geraldton. Source: Supplied

WA's Homicide Victims Support Group convener Ellen Rowe, whose husband Bill was bashed to death with a cricket bat on a Geraldton beach in 2007, said she had been unaware of the jail-to-jail visits and questioned why they occurred at all.

"Inter-prison visits are disrespectful to victims in that more effort and resources seem to be directed into solidifying family/social ties of offenders, whereas victims often become isolated from families and friends due to lack of services and support in dealing with trauma as a result of crime," she said.

"Victims of serious interpersonal crime feel continually let down by inadequate recognition and funds to resource much-needed specialist support services.

"Inter-prison visits normalise the situation of criminality within the offender's immediate circle of family and friends, and it could be argued that it facilitates continuation of some criminal associations where those persons would be better off kept separated. Every prisoner transport poses a risk of escape, an experience that is ... very traumatic for victims."

Under the Prisons Act 1981 "a prisoner may be permitted by the designated Superintendent to receive visits from a friend or relation who is confined in another prison".

If prisoners are declined permission they can appeal to the State Ombudsman. The Ombudsman's office would not reveal how many appeals had been considered or upheld. In promotional material, it states it has assisted inmates denied inter-prison visits.

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Doctor fury over chemists’ jab plan

Would you be happy getting an injection in a pharmacy instead of a doctor's? Source: News Limited

WA pharmacists are moving to vaccinate customers under a plan the top doctors group warns would have people immunised next to "jelly beans and sanitary pads".

The Pharmacy Guild of WA has asked Curtin University to make vaccination training part of its undergraduate pharmacy course.

It follows the start of a two-year pharmacy immunisation trial in Queensland and comes amid a national turf war over who should be able to administer the jabs.

Pharmacy Guild of WA branch committee member Paul Rees said the body had held early discussions with the university about launching an accredited training program.

He said a "lack of convenience" was one of the main barriers to immunisation and chemists were well-placed to help improve vaccination rates in WA.

Latest figures show WA has the lowest vaccination rate in the country for children aged 2-5.

Curtin University School of Pharmacy associate professor Lynne Emmerton confirmed the plan was being considered.

"Curtin University has been contacted by the Pharmacy Guild of WA regarding the possible introduction of a program to train pharmacists to administer vaccinations," she said.

Prof Emmerton said no formal agreement had yet been made.

The Australian Medical Association is vehemently opposed to in-pharmacy vaccinations.

"The income of pharmacists is under threat in many ways and they're looking for different ways to do things, but the AMA is concerned this is just not the right location to do it," WA state president Michael Gannon said.

Dr Gannon said a pharmacy shop front was "not a suitable place" for vaccination and pharmacists lacked appropriate training to deal with any adverse reactions.

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Speaker’s $26,000 hospitality bill

WA Parliament Speaker Michael Sutherland. Source: News Limited

WA Parliament's big-spending Speaker, Michael Sutherland, has racked up nearly $26,000 in taxpayer-funded dining costs since he took over the job just over a year ago.

Parliamentary documents show the Liberal MP is spending nearly $500 a week dining other politicians, parliamentary staff and community groups.

Mr Sutherland held 21 morning teas, nine afternoon teas, 23 standard working lunches and nine receptions from April 15 last year to May 21 this year at a cost of $25,857.

Examples of his entertainment costs include:

● A $500 LUNCH for his former colleagues from the City of Perth.

● THREE CHRISTMAS lunches totalling $3626 for Acting Speakers, Former Speakers and for Legislative Assembly staff.

● TWO RECEPTIONS for "discussion with members" totalling $1076.

● $1267 for a "Jewish Community/Montgomery Bible Presentation".

On one October day Mr Sutherland had morning tea with the Church of Latter-Day Saints costing $150 and then another morning tea with his political colleagues costing $33.50. He then had a $74.80 lunch with the "Australasian Safari Group and members".

Mr Sutherland landed the plum $246,000-a-year Speaker's job last April ahead of former police minister Rob Johnson.

He was criticised for organising taxpayer-paid trips for himself and MPs to Japan and South Korea and again for spending $27,000 on new furniture for his office.

He defended the overseas trips at the time as a "longstanding bipartisan practice" of the Speaker.

Martin Drum, a senior lecturer in politics and international relations at Notre Dame University, said Mr Sutherland's spending was not a "good look".

"We accept that you have to spend money on dignitaries, but it has to been in keeping with the overall state of the state's finances," he said. "I think he has to be mindful of the expenses given the loss of the AAA credit rating."

Mr Sutherland is spending more than former Nationals Speaker Grant Woodhams, who retired at the last election.

Parliamentary figures show that in 2009-10, Mr Woodhams spent $12,287.55. In 2010-11, he spent $16,543.30 and in 2011-12 he spent $20,417.65.

You have to go back to 2005-06, when former Labor Speaker Fred Riebeling spent $28,781.55, to find anyone who matched Mr Sutherland's spending.

Mr Sutherland yesterday defended the costs.

"Expenditure under my watch has been at or below the spending levels of a decade ago under a Labor Speaker," he told The Sunday Times.

"Taking into the account the inflationary effect over that time, this means that the current expenditure is lower in real terms than it was a decade ago."

He defended "extending hospitality" to other politicians "from time to time to discuss parliamentary matters".

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Family shock sets in over driveway death

Perth family devastated over death of toddler hit by mothers reversing car

Neighbour Navena Kotur Placing flowers and saying a prayer. Photo: Theo Fakos Source: News Corp Australia

ANDREEA Baliban crawled into bed with her parents on Friday morning. The Perth toddler wanted to cuddle, and told her mother: "I love you."

Hours later, this "little princess" with the cheeky smile and big brown eyes was gone.

The two-year-old had been behind mother Rebeca's car when she reversed it out of the driveway of their Holley Place home in Marangaroo.

Andreea was taken to Joondalup Health Campus but succumbed to critical head injuries soon after the accident.

"Our hearts are shattered and words cannot express what we are going through," Andreea's father Lucian said in a statement released late yesterday. "It'll never be the same again. We wait for the day when we will see our little princess again in heaven.

Andrea Baliban, 2, was struck by the car at the edge of the newly-paved driveway at the Holley Place home. Photo: Nine News Source: Channel 9

"We thank everyone whose hearts and thoughts are with us in this difficult time."

The tragedy has devastated the tight-knit community of the Romanian Pentecostal Church in Balga, which the Balibans attended.

Pastor Benjamin Fitui said Rebeca and Lucian were model parents and devoted to their three daughters.

He spent Friday grieving with them at the hospital, while the older two girls stayed with Lucian's family.

"All she said to me all day was 'It's my fault. I lost my daughter, my wonderful daughter'," Pastor Fitui said.

"She was saying, 'My baby, my baby, I did to you this thing, Mum didn't want to do this, Mum didn't want to do this'."

The family, including daughters Ruth, 7, and Lois, 5, were preparing to travel to Romania tomorrow to visit Rebeca's family. It would have been the first time Andreea had met her maternal grandparents.

Close family friend Emilia Lucaciu said Lucian was trying to support his shattered wife.

"No blame is going on," Mts Lucaciu said. "They are each just trying to help each other as much as they can. We are just in shock."

Andreea is the third WA child to die after being hit by a car reversing out of a driveway in six months. In March a 16-month-old girl was killed when she was hit by a reversing car in Bibra Lake, and in December a 14-month-old boy was killed when he was hit by a car in a drive in the Kimberley.

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Hospital abortion refusal a ‘glitch’

Artists impression of the St John of God Midland Public and Private hospital. Source: Supplied

PREMIER Colin Barnett says he did not know St John of God would not provide abortions at the new Midland Health Campus on religious grounds until the issue became public.

As first revealed by The Sunday Times in December, patients seeking family planning services at Midland Health Campus will be made to use a stand-alone clinic.

Mr Barnett told 6PR this morning it was "a glitch" in State Government planning and policy, saying that public hospitals must provide all services.

As a Catholic health care provider, St John of God refuses to offer pregnancy terminations or any sterilisation and contraception services.

The clinic will be fenced off, with its own car park and entrance away from the main hospital.

Seven months on from the launch of a market sounding exercise, the State Government has yet to find a provider to run the clinic.

"It has been an issue and I guess I felt a little bit behind the game (in) that I didn't know about this particular issue until it became public probably 12 months ago," Mr Barnett said.

"So I'm a little bit disappointed in that because it is a policy issue in terms of public health.

"However, having said that, I think that at the end of the day it will work fine. Big hospitals, like St Vincent's in Melbourne and Sydney, have similar arrangements.

"Most vasectomies and procedures, and even abortions, are done through clinics rather than general hospitals, so while there has been some debate about it, I'm quite confident that at the end of the day it'll be fine."

The Premier said he was more concerned about getting the public health policy right than the extra cost of having a separate clinic.

"We're not getting a lot of kickback from the public. I think it was something that was overlooked, perhaps not in the contract but in terms of Government-thinking about that issue," he said.

"When the hospital is completed and the clinic is up, it will be fine."

The Barnett Government last year awarded St John of God Health Care a $5 billion contract over 23 years to build and run the $360 million Midland Public Hospital.

St John of God Health Care has said it will provide all services outlined in its contract with the State.

Greens MLC Lynn MacLaren said the separation of services was "institutionalised discrimination towards women that have the right to choose".

"This state should be providing balanced and safe health care to those that need it, the fact that this facility is now entrenched in discrimination fuelled by religious beliefs will deter many women seeking this service," she said.

"I am outraged that the State Government awarded the health provider contract to a bidder that cannot properly deliver all services. Caving in to these discriminatory demands is an indicator that the Health Minister would rather deliver cheap health services instead of safe, secular health services."

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Police bust ‘truck trailer racket’

POLICE have busted what they say is a multi-million dollar stolen truck trailer rebirthing operation east of Perth.

It is reported a 4000-acre farming property near York, about 100km east of Perth, is allegedly at the centre of the clandestine rebirthing operation. Police estimate the stolen property is worth about $2 million.

Police raided the property on Monday, Seven News reported.

It's alleged some trailers were stolen off the side of the road and some were loaded with mining equipment that was bound for WA's north.

The police operation started earlier this year when an insurance investigator became suspicious and contacted police.

A prime mover seen around several trucking yards was reportedly a big clue for police in their investigation. Wheatbelt police investigating the theft of wool bales came across the alleged rebirthing racket, it was reported.

Two men have been charged with receiving stolen goods and will appear in court later this month.

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Priddis the anointed skipper: poll

Will Matt Priddis be considered as the Eagles' next skipper? Picture: Michael Dodge/Getty Images Source: Getty Images

TOUGH midfielders Matt Priddis and Scott Selwood are the favourites to takes over as West Coast captain, according to more than 4500 PerthNow readers.

In our PerthNow poll, we took the question on everybody's lips – who will replace Darren Glass as skipper – to the masses.

So far, Priddis leads the field with 36.16 per cent of the vote, followed by Scott Selwood (27.48 per cent), Shannon Hurn (15.57 per cent), Josh Kennedy (10.38 per cent), Nic Naitanui (7.1 per cent) and Luke Shuey (3.31 per cent).

Selwood is heir apparent to Glass, with the 24-year-old is being groomed to be full-time skipper as one of two vice-captains this year along with power forward Josh Kennedy. It had long been anticipated 2014 would be a swansong season for the courageous and highly regarded Glass.

But West Coast heavyweights should immediately implant nuggetty on-ball playmaker Matt Priddis as captain.

Priddis, 29, should be skipper for the rest of this season and through until he retires in two or three years.

West Coast and first-year coach Adam Simpson is in dire need of inspirational leadership on and off the field in the wake of the exit of Glass, who is impeccable in setting required standards of training ethics and cultural formation needed at the highest level.

Another genuine leader around the playing group in the important match-day adherence to operations and rules as well as day-to-day professionalism is tough defender Shannon Hurn.

Hurn, 26, is seldom referred to as a captaincy candidate, but the hard-nut backliner oozes leadership and is highly regarded by his peers and Eagles management for setting impeccable leadership standards.

An ultimate replacement for Glass though points directly to Priddis and Selwood, with Kennedy somewhat of an outside chance.

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It’s war: Essendon to fight drugs blitz

AFL 360 panellists Gerard Whateley and Dermott Brereton discuss the repercussions of the show-cause notices handed to Essendon by ASADA.

Fox Sports AFL correspondent Julian de Stoop discusses the processes involved for Essendon after reports emerged some players had been issued show cause notices by ASADA over the 2012 suuplements scandal.

Essendon players have been issued with show cause notices for doping, according to the Herald Sun, 16 months after the probe into the Bombers 2012 supplements program began.

The Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority served show-cause notices on Essendon players this afternoon over the club's 2012 supplements program. Source: News Limited

AFL boss Gillon Mclachlan is yet to speak about how the AFL intends to respond to the development. Picture: David Caird. Source: News Corp Australia

The Essendon Bombers' season appears in disarray after 34 players - yet were issued with show cause notices over the controversial 2012 drugs scandal. Picture: Toby Zerna Source: News Corp Australia

ESSENDON will launch a counter-attack against the AFL and ASADA after players were sensationally issued with legal notices on Thursday over football's doping scandal.

The Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority is informing 34 players they have a case to answer over the club's 2012 supplements program.

ASADA notified players by email and texts, detailing that they face "show cause'' notices and will now have to prove why they should not be cited for doping.

The dramatic move, which follows a 16-month probe, throws the AFL season into turmoil.

Essendon sources last night revealed the club will hit back, by seeking a Federal Court declaration that the joint AFL-ASADA investigation was unlawful.

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An application to the court, arguing the joint probe breached disclosure laws, could be launched by the Bombers as early as today. This would aim to stop ASADA's action, and any sanctions against players and club staff, in its tracks.

ASADA's case against the players is believed to centre on the use of the peptide thymosin beta 4, banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency.

Players would face bans of up to two years if they are found guilty of taking prohibited substances. Essendon chairman Paul Little was holding crisis talks with club officials last night. He is believed to be shattered by the latest development in the long-running saga.

The club would not comment.

Bombers legend Tim Watson, the father of club captain and 2012 Brownlow medallist Jobe Watson, said last night the players were "shocked".

Watson also indicated Essendon would launch a legal challenge.

"The new AFL CEO, Gill McLachlan, told the CEOs and presidents only last week that they should start preparing themselves for what could be a very bumpy ride," he said.

"Today's news, though, that the players have received show cause notices, would have been a real shock."

McLachlan told the Herald Sun: "I can't comment."

Any charges against Essendon players and officials will ultimately be heard by an AFL tribunal. Players and their lawyers will have 10 days to respond to the show cause notices.

They would do so by providing reasons why ASADA should not proceed.

ASADA has probed what club-appointed investigator Ziggy Switkowski said was "a disturbing picture of a pharmacologically experimental environment never adequately controlled or challenged or documented within the club".

Essendon has strongly indicated in recent weeks that it could challenge in the Federal Court the legality of ASADA's joint investigation with the AFL.

Co-operation between ASADA and AFL chiefs ceased last year after an interim report was used as the basis for heavy governance sanctions meted out to the club and officials, including suspended coach James Hird.

Little said in a statement on the club's website yesterday, before the show cause notices were issued: "I can confirm we are exploring all legal options for our players in the unlikely event they receive show cause letters from ASADA — we make no apologies for that."

ASADA has already issued a show cause notice to Essendon's former sports scientist, Stephen Dank, and could yet issue them against other support staff.

Essendon's legal challenges could include calling on ASADA to show its evidence supporting a doping violation.

Lawyers could argue a "no fault" or negligence defence, claiming players had no knowledge of substances administered in 2012.

The Essendon scandal erupted on February 5 last year, when the Bombers "self-reported" to the AFL and ASADA and asked to be investigated.

Betting giant TAB last night suspended betting on Essendon playing in the finals.

michael.warner@news.com.au

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Eagles skipper calls time on career

West Coast captain Darren Glass announces his retirement from AFL effectively immediately citing injuries as the reason behind his decision.

Darren Glass with wife Alicia, with children Mila (4), Zara (3) and Nixon (19 months) after announcing his retirement. Picture: Daniel Wilkins Source: News Corp Australia

WEST Coast skipper Darren Glass has played his last AFL game after announcing his immediate retirement.

The four-time All-Australian defender has fronted the media at Patersons Stadium this morning, flanked by the entire playing squad and club staff, to announce the decision.

The 270-game player has battled hip and ankle injuries this season and was unable to be convinced to play a farewell game.

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"I'm not confident of playing any decent footy in the back half of the year," Glass said while sitting alongside coach Adam Simpson.

"With hindsight, I probably played a year too long.

"At the end of last season I was really confident I could play this year out, but it hasn't panned out that way.

"I've probably been chatting to Simmo for four or five weeks maybe, just saying I'm not sure I'm going to see the season out. I'm really comfortable it's the right choice.

"I'm not tempted (to have a farewell game at home). I feel like it's time to step aside and let someone else come in and have a go. That's just the way I feel. I don't sort of want to pinch a game off another player and I think it's time to move on.''

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Covert cops nab dozens of drivers

A uniformed officer writing a fine for a driver in today's police operation. Picture: Theo Fakos Source: News Corp Australia

PLAIN clothes police officers are pinging drivers across Perth as part of a new operation targeting inattention behind the wheel.

The never-before used police tactic, in full swing this morning, involves plain clothes officers "spotting" for offences at various intersections.

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BB star ‘broke and going blind’

Big Brother winner Reggie Sorensen reveals her secret battle with depression during an interview with A Current Affair. Courtesy Channel Nine/A Current Affair.

reggie Bird Tasmanian winner of Big Brother 2003 Source: News Corp Australia

SHE was once the most popular person in the country when she won Big Brother in 2003, but now Reggie Sorenson (formerly Bird) has revealed she is broke and almost blind.

Sorenson walked away with $250,000 prize money when she won the show 11 years ago but the mother of two told A Current Affair last night that she has "none, not a cent, zero" left and is struggling to make ends meet.

"Its hard being a single mum and living on a disability pension and you just live fortnight to fortnight," she said, "so there's not much left at the end of the day."

The former fish and chip shop owner from Tasmania said she spent her winnings paying off her ex-husband's $100,000 mortgage only for their marriage to end when he had an affair shortly after she left the Big Brother house.

Sorenson opened up about hitting rock bottom on A Current Affair last night. Source: Channel 9

"He was happy to have met someone else along the line so that was one of the big reasons why I walked away."

She also lost $40,000 to a con man who promised her her own TV show.

"Then I paid $20,000 in advance on my rent in Sydney and I was only in the unit for two months because that guy became a stalker psycho, so then I had to move out and the real estate wouldn't give me my money back."

Sorenson then got a job as an air hostess for Virgin, but quit seven months later when fellow crew members became jealous of the attention she received for her celebrity status.

Sorenson says she only has a few years of eyesight left. Source: Channel 9

After finding love with her second husband Dale, the pair had children Mia and Lucas, but her world was again rocked when she found out Lucas had cystic fibrosis.

"We both just cried our eyes out, it was awful," she said. "You just think the worst is going to happen. It's a horrible disease."

Sorenson, who is currently unemployed, is also struggling with her own health after being diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa ten years ago, a degenerative eye disease.

She says she won't have her eyesight for much longer and is close to losing it for good.

"It's like tunnel vision, it's like looking through a pinhole," she said.

Reggie Sorensen, known as Reggie Bird when she won Big Brother 10 years ago, with children Lucas Sorensen (4) and Mia Sorensen (6) in her Queensland home. Source: News Limited

"I want to see Mia grow up and get married and make sure she's got a good looking fella and I want to see Lucas get older."

Her tumultuous ride since leaving the house has also left her struggling with depression which she says at one point almost overwhelmed her.

"I didn't want to be here any more, just didn't want to be here, at all. I was having those thoughts of no one cares and no one will miss me, they'll get over it and they'll move on.

"I go through these phases, I get down and then I think 'gosh, there's people worse off in the world than me so snap out of it.'

Big Brother contestant & overall winner Regina "Reggie" Bird on stage with host Gretel Killeen at Dreamworld on the Gold Coast. Source: News Corp Australia

"Everyone knows who you are and you're so loved, but deep inside you're really lonely. It's a bizarre weird feeling."

But Sorenson says despite the hardship she's faced in her life, she doesn't regret appearing on Big Brother.

"Not at all, so much has happened over all this time but I'd go back in for sure, I'd do it all again, I really would. People might say I'm mad, crazy, but I'd do it again, no regrets."

Her next big challenge is to write a book.

Sorenson, outside her fish and chip shop in Tasmania in 2003. Source: News Corp Australia

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Perth ‘crazy’ for development blocks

Subdividing and building on a development block can be profitable but experts warn some areas in Perth are becoming overheated. Source: News Limited

THE Perth market has "gone crazy" for properties with development potential, causing prices to jump more than $250,000 in some areas in just two years, analysts say.

But investment experts warn prices for development blocks in areas such as Belmont and Joondalup have become overheated.

Many investors had been priced out of those areas and the potential returns were now too low to warrant the risk.

While development still remains a profit path of choice for many, like anything, it comes down to the sums.

• MORE WA REAL ESTATE NEWS

The latest development surge was sparked by zoning changes in 2010, which meant big blocks could be developed with multiple dwellings.

Investors Edge Real Estate director Jarrad Mahon Source: News Corp Australia

Investors Edge Real Estate director Jarrad Mahon said it took the market 18 months to realise the blocks' value.

"The zoning changes effectively made it possible to get approval to build seven to eight apartments on what is only an 800sq m duplex block," he said.

"With the extra density possible, it took returns from 15-20 per cent for doing a 'retain and subdivide' to fetching 35-45 per cent for a small group of apartments."

The resulting strong demand meant prices were boosted in areas such as Kalamunda, which had a zoning change around the town centre.

"I have seen development properties priced at $450,000 in 2012 go to $700,000 in today's market," Mr Mahon said.

"I think we all wish that we had bought more of these properties then.

"It is still possible to get 25-28 per cent returns for apartments and 15-20 per cent returns for a 'retain and subdivide' in the outer suburbs located 15-40km from Perth."

Mr Mahon said the Perth market's growing acceptance of higher density living over the past two years had also made it possible to readily sell apartments off the plan.

"This was essential for most investors to be able to get their finance to construct," he said.

Other areas where zoning changes have just been drafted, such as Coolbellup, have yet to be recognised by investors, Mr Mahon said.

The "holy grail" of development properties was 700sq m to 1000sq m in size, zoned at or above R30, near a train station and amenities.

Momentum Wealth managing director Damian Collins said level blocks with the right zoning, where most of the value was in the land, were highly sought.

"Proximity to public transport makes a development more desirable as it may be eligible for parking concessions," Mr Collins said.

"People favour corner sites also as it usually makes development easier."

Hegney Property Group chief executive Gavin Hegney's tip for buyers would to make sure they're buying real value not "hope" value.

"Lots of people bid the price of those sites up in expectation of gain," he said. "Then they need the market to rise to make a profit."

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Stats ace predicts World Cup carnage

The World Cup has provided a platform for football's biggest names to strut their stuff in front of goal and the likes of Maradona, Pele and Esteban Cambiasso have provided some of the most memorable strikes at the tournament over the years.

Nate Silver has spoken. We can all go home now. Source: Getty Images

NATE Silver's powers of prediction are unparalleled.

As the brain behind statistical analysis blog FiveThirtyEight, Silver has been forecasting results in political elections and sporting contests for years. During the last US presidential election, he correctly predicted the winner in all 50 states.

Now, Silver has turned his attention to the World Cup.

Don't let the glasses fool you. When it comes to sport, Silver knows what he's talking about. Source: Supplied

He has developed a predictive model called the Soccer Power Index (SPI), which harnesses reams of data to rate every team's chances on a match-by-match basis.

"Technically speaking, SPI is two ratings systems rolled into one," Silver says. "One based solely on a national team's play, and one that reflects a composite of player ratings for what SPI projects to be a team's top line-up."

If you want to know how the index works in excruciating detail, you can read more about it here. Otherwise, you can see its predictions for every World Cup group below.

Which team will hold that trophy aloft at the end of the tournament? Source: Getty Images

GROUP A: Brazil, Cameroon, Croatia, Mexico

The SPI gives Brazil a 99.4 per cent chance of progressing, and a 94.8 per cent chance of topping the group.

"Brazil would really have to blow it to not pass through the group stage with relative ease," Silver says.

Mexico (39.7 per cent) is a slight favourite over Croatia (36.6 per cent) to join the host nation in the knockout phase.

Pretty much a done deal already for Brazil. Source: AP

GROUP B: Australia, Chile, Holland, Spain

According to Silver's model, the Socceroos are practically guaranteed to crash out (92.2 per cent). Their best chance to grab a win (15 per cent) is against the Netherlands.

"This group — not the one the United States is in — is the "Group of Death", with three teams ranked in the SPI top 10," Silver writes.

"That's unfortunate for Australia, which is the odd team out and has less chance than any other squad of advancing to the knockout stage.

"Instead the questions are, first, whether the Netherlands or Chile is superior, and second, whether both might be strong enough to deny Spain a place in the knockout stage."

Holland made it to the final of the last World Cup, but the SPI predicts an early finish for the Dutch this time, with Chile progressing.

The Socceroos DO have a 1.7 per cent chance of topping their group. Source: Getty Images

GROUP C: Colombia, Greece, Ivory Coast, Japan

No one is particularly excited about this group. According to Silver, Colombia should finish in first position (51.4 per cent), with the Ivory Coast in second.

"This is one of the weaker groups and sets up nicely for Colombia," he says. "It's a flawed group of opponents, although Colombia has sometimes lost or drawn against flawed opponents."

Colombia seems to be fired up. Source: AFP

GROUP D: Costa Rica, England, Italy, Uruguay

Uruguay, led by striker Luis Suarez, is the most likely to progress (64.1 per cent). The SPI also expects England to make it through, leaving 2006 world champion Italy languishing in third with a 53.4 per cent chance of getting knocked out.

"England, Italy and Uruguay are the sort of teams that might be able to entertain championship dreams in a World Cup with more parity, but not in one where they would have to overcome Brazil, Argentina, Germany or Spain at some point," Silver says.

Wayne Rooney kind of smiling? The world is on its head. Source: AP

GROUP E: Ecuador, France, Honduras, Switzerland

According to FIFA's official rankings, Switzerland is the world's sixth best team, but Silver's model gives Ecuador (55.4 per cent) a better chance of making it to the knockout phase.

In any case, the French should dominate this group ... assuming they actually show up.

"France has arguably as much player talent as any team but Brazil, Germany, Spain or Argentina, but its national team results have been inconsistent for a long while," Silver writes.

Which France will show up? Source: AFP

GROUP F: Argentina, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Iran, Nigeria

Essentially, Lionel Messi has been given three warm up games to help him hit his stride. Argentina (92.5 per cent) will progress, and Bosnia-Herzegovina should join it in the top two (58.1 per cent).

"It would be a major upset if Argentina failed to advance to the knockout stage," Silver says. "Still, Bosnia-Herzegovina, playing in its first World Cup under that flag, is the 13th best team in the world according to SPI."

This group won't be too Messi. Source: AFP

GROUP G: Germany, Ghana, Portugal, United States

Germany and Ronaldo — sorry, Portugal — are clearly the better teams, but this could turn into an interesting group anyway. The Germans have an 88.9 per cent chance of making it through, while the US (34.5 per cent) is Portugal's biggest threat.

"Germany? Well, they're really good. But as an offence-minded squad, the team might be ever so slightly prone towards letting in a soft goal and drawing (although probably not losing) a game that it shouldn't," Silver says.

Germany should score plenty of goals in Group G. Source: Getty Images

GROUP H: Algeria, Belgium, Russia, South Korea

An uninspiring quartet fills the final group. Belgium (77.3 per cent) and Russia (64.8 per cent) should progress without much trouble.

"This is the weakest group in the field by some margin just about any way you slice and dice it," Silver says. "It has both the worst best team (Belgium) and the worst worst team (Algeria).

Belgium will try to build momentum in the Group of Boredom. Source: AP

SO, WHO WILL WIN THE WORLD CUP?

"Argentina, Germany and Spain, like Brazil, are wonderful soccer teams. You could perhaps debate which of the four would be favoured if the World Cup were played on a hastily constructed soccer pitch somewhere in the middle of the desert," Silver writes.

"But this World Cup is being played in Brazil. No country has beaten Brazil on its home turf in almost 12 years."

That loss, in a friendly against Paraguay back in 2002, barely counts. Brazil didn't take the game seriously, and substituted most of its star players well before full-time. According to Silver, Brazil's last home defeat in a match that actually mattered was in 1975.

With home ground advantage factored in, alongside all the other data, Silver's Soccer Power Index gives Brazil a 45.2 per cent chance of winning the World Cup, ahead of Argentina (12.8 per cent), Germany (10.9 per cent), Spain (7.6 per cent) and Chile (4.2 per cent).

Get the victory parade ready, Brazil. Source: Getty Images

You can see the SPI's predictions here, and read Nate Silver's full analysis here.

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WA minimum wage up by $20pw

THE WA Industrial Relations Commission has decided to increase the full time adult minimum wage and state awards by $20 per week.

This means the minimum full time wage in the state will increase to $665.90 per week from July 1. All state award wage rates will also increase by $20 per week.

The decision comes after last week's three per cent increase to the national minimum wage by the Fair Work Commission to $640.90 per week.

UnionsWA secretary Meredith Hammat said decent minimum wages and award pay put a floor beneath growing inequality, which was a big problem in WA.

Unions WA Secretary Meredith Hammat Source: News Limited

Ms Hammat said the decision clashed with the WA Premier Colin Barnett's comment yesterday that he had spoken briefly to Attorney-General Michael Mischin about remedying a situation where small businesses were disadvantaged by award structures.

Mr Barnett said small businesses should be able to do the same as larger employers, such as Coles and Woolworths, which often negotiated enterprise agreements with unions to compensate lower weekend and night penalty rates with higher hourly rates during the week.

"A cut to weekend pay is just a pay cut," Ms Hammat said today.

"Weekend and after-hours pay help to protect particularly low paid and vulnerable workers from long, unsociable hours of work intruding on time with family, in study or in the community."

But Mr Barnett asked why people with a second job or students working part-time over a weekend got dramatically higher rates than people whose whole career was working in the retail or hospitality sector, for instance.

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Serco slammed again as detainee flees airport

AUTHORITIES are searching for a Vietnamese man who escaped Serco guards at Perth Airport this morning.

A VIETNAMESE man who escaped Serco guards at Perth Airport yesterday while he was being deported is still on the run.

An intensive search involving officers from the Australian Federal Police and WA Police from three stations, backed up by the dog squad, failed to locate the man.

The missing detainee, who is not known to be a threat to the public, was described by officials as "an illegal maritime arrival".

An AFP spokeswoman said the man escaped while under escort in the international departures terminal.

"At about 9.15am local time a Vietnamese national absconded while on escort at the departures check-in area within the Perth International Airport," he said about 6pm.

"AFP and WA Police were advised and police assisted Serco in the search for the individual. The man has yet to be located.

"Efforts to relocate the individual will continue to be made by the Department of Immigration and Border Protection."

This afternoon, the AFP spokeswoman said they continued with normal duties at Perth Airport once the search for the escaped detainee moved away from the airport precinct.

In a statement this afternoon, a spokesman for Immigration and Border Protection Minister Scott Morrison said: "Relevant authorities, including the AFP and WA Police, were quickly notified of the incident. The Minister is advised that the individual is not known to be a threat to the public.

"The department's detention services provider will investigate the details of the incident."

The spokesman said the minister was concerned about the incident and has requested regular updates of the search progress.

"The department's contract with Serco contains clauses regarding underperformance, which may include financial abatements," he said.

"Following the investigation the department will consider under the contract provisions what further action should be taken."

Serco last night and today refused to comment and referred all inquiries to the department.

Australian Federal Police officers at Perth International Airport. Source: News Corp Australia

Opposition leader Mark McGowan today said: "Clearly it's not acceptable when people are escaping when they're supposed to be in custody, but I think it's also not acceptable how close the State Government's relationship is with Serco."

About 2pm yesterday, Kensington Police tweeted: "Sorry 4 the lack of tweets 2day. Kenso, @BelmontPol and @CanningtonPol assisting with a five hour search. Can't disclose too much right now."

Yesterday's escape was the latest in a spate of embarrassing blunders by Serco.

Two maximum-security prisoners, including a violent rapist, kicked their way out of a prison van at Geraldton Airport on January 3.

The escape prompted a 36-hour manhunt, which resulted in the private contractor having to pay more than $720,000 towards the search and to upgrade its prison van fleet.

The high-profile incident prompted the WA Prison Officers' Union to call for Serco to be stripped of its prisoner transport contract.

The Opposition also called for Corrective Services Minister Joe Francis to be dumped from the portfolio because of "his appalling management and string of failures".

At the time, Mr Francis said he had had a "very open, firm and frank" conversation with the company's Asia Pacific boss where he said Serco should foot the bill for the massive manhunt.

Two weeks later, a dangerous prisoner escaped from Serco's custody while being treated at Joondalup Health Campus.

And just a few days later, a Vietnamese detainee, under the watch of Serco guards, escaped while receiving medical treatment at Royal Perth Hospital, leading police on a two-hour manhunt across the CBD.

Last month, Serco was embroiled in another embarrassing escape when a convicted armed robber slipped away from two guards during a routine hospital visit.

Darren John Goldsworthy, 22, was handcuffed but still managed to outrun Serco staff, who had escorted to a radiology appointment at Royal Perth Hospital.

Goldsworthy was arrested about an hour later.

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Civilian police beat roles flagged

A Police Community Support Officer in London. Photo: Getty Images Source: Getty Images

CIVILIANS could be put on the frontline to walk the beat under a proposal that one of WA's top cops says needs to be looked at.

Documents obtained by The Sunday Times reveal that Deputy Police Commissioner Stephen Brown wants the force to consider introducing Police Community Support Officers, which do not have powers of arrest.

It's just one of the ideas Mr Brown brought back from a study trip to the UK in advance of Frontline 2020, the major reform program to make the force "leaner" and operate "more efficiently" as WA's population swells.

The Sunday Times obtained Mr Brown's comprehensive notes, in the form of emails, from his meetings last year with officials and senior officers across England.

They show British cops raved about the value of PCSOs and told him they were "the face of policing" and "the community love them".

Deputy Police Commissioner Stephen Brown Source: Supplied

In one email, Mr Brown – considered one of the favourites to become the next Police Commissioner – writes "we really need to look at this model of PCSO". The force's head of operations then asks: "Would we convert our auxiliary officers into PCSOs?"

WA Police's auxiliary officers currently only support officers with backroom functions, such as custody and forensics.

The PCSOs in the UK were mocked as "plastic policemen" when introduced more than a decade ago, but there are now more than 15,000 of them. PCSOs wear similar uniforms to police, but are civilian staff with only limited powers, such as issuing fines for minor infringements.

They get less training and pay than regular officers, but their foot patrols on the frontline free up police time and provide a highly visible presence on the streets.

In his notes, Mr Brown says Britons have accepted the need for belt-tightening, but warns that too many West Australians still think the "economy is booming". He also says some in the force won't "be able to cope" with the overhaul needed to take policing into the future.

Other UK initiatives raised by the Deputy Commissioner in his notes include:

● BETTER use of mobile technology, such as body-worn cameras, to keep officers on the street.

● OUTSOURCING some functions such as holding cells and call handling to the private sector.

● RATIONALISING the police estate through station closures and relocations.

He told The Sunday Times: "Community Support Officers have proven successful in other jurisdictions and may prove an additional resource to frontline officers."

But he said WA Police was not "currently" considering introducing this measure as part of Frontline 2020. He pointed to the Kimberley, where the force recently introduced community liaison officers who have limited powers and work with agencies on social issues.

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Schools to hire heads under new plan

Education Minister Peter Collier Source: News Limited

WA Secondary School Executives Association president Janette Gee Source: News Corp Australia

PUBLIC schools would be run like businesses with boards given the power to hire principals, under a bold new plan being considered by WA Education Minister Peter Collier.

Mr Collier has flagged a "second wave of reform" to the Independent Public Schools program, which gives schools the authority to manage their own budgets and hire their own staff – but not senior administrators.

Currently, the Education Department has total control over the appointment of public school principals, but a community representative usually sits on the selection panel.

Under a new plan put to Mr Collier by principals, school boards would be empowered to choose the best candidate.

Mr Collier has already asked the Education Department to investigate changes, and expects to start a formal consultation phase next year with a view to making changes as early as 2016.

Dianella Heights Primary School principal Greg Sullivan said "it seems like a natural progression for me that we move towards boards selecting their own principals".

"I think the school board know the school better than anybody… and they are best placed to make the decision as to who can do that for their school," he said.

Mr Collier said he wanted school boards and parent bodies to have a greater say over who they want running their school, but warned the department would retain an oversight role. He also envisages giving independent public schools even more financial independence.

"If there are ways in which the parent body and the board can become more involved in the decision-making of the school, I'd be very keen to hear about it from parents and school communities," he told The Sunday Times.

"That's what I will be doing over the next 12 months.

"As Education Minister and the architect of IPS, I just want to get to a point whereby every school does have that flexibility and autonomy to cater for the individual needs of students in an increasingly complex society. That can only come about if we have a hands-off approach.

"Having said that, I am mindful of the fact that they are state schools, they are run by state money and we still must have that rigour and a degree of governance from a central body. We will always have a Department of Education.

"Schools should not feel hamstrung by the fact that they have to seek permission from head office every time they need to make a decision. Schools are at the coalface – they know what's best for their students. Having said that, we don't want to get to a situation where there is a potential maverick school or maverick board that don't make appropriate decisions and there's no governance or across-the-board overseeing of responsibility. The department will always be there."

One-third of WA's almost 800 public schools are now operating independently, and another 231 schools are currently taking part in a new development program to become independent. The program started with 34 schools in 2010.

WA Secondary School Executives Association president Janette Gee said she would be interested to see how any proposed changes to principal appointments would work.

"There are processes in place at the moment that ensure there is representation from all interested parties, and there is room within the current process to allow more or less representation from each party," she said. "It is important to have a panel with a diverse range of skills and expertise, including educators and community members."

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Forget that fat rise in your pay

Nine per cent of bosses have no plans to increase salaries at all. Source: News Corp Australia

ONLY a handful of West Australians can expect a decent pay rise from tight-fisted bosses come July 1.

And unless you're in a high-demand profession, your pay rise is probably going to be less than a 3 per cent increase in the new financial year – roughly in line with inflation.

That's the verdict from recruiting giant Hays in its annual salary guide, released this week.

Low pay rises in the private sector compare to more generous public sector pay packets, with nurses winning a 14 per cent increase last year and police currently fighting a State Government-imposed cost-saving measure limiting pay rises to the inflation rate.

Hays says slim profit margins and cost pressures in the private sector mean most employers will again be tight-fisted when it comes to pay rises in the new financial year.

The salary guide, based on trends for more than 1000 different jobs and surveys of 2500 employers, found two thirds of bosses are planning salary increases of 3 per cent or lower.

And there are few examples of employer generosity, with only three in 100 planning to give staff a 6 per cent or greater pay rise in their next review – down from four in 100 who gave a 6 per cent or more pay rise in their last pay review.

Nine per cent of bosses have no plans to increase salaries at all, while 12 per cent did not award any increases in their last review.

Pay rises will be clamped despite two thirds of bosses saying they expect business activity to increase, according to the research.

The most generous employers can be found in professional services, where 40 per cent plan to increase salaries by 3 per cent or more.

That's closely followed by financial services (39 per cent), advertising and media (30 per cent) and IT and telecommunications (30 per cent).

At the other end of the scale, 84 per cent of retail, 81 per cent of hospitality, travel and entertainment, and 80 per cent of resources and mining employers will increase pay by less than 3 per cent or give no increases at all.

"Employers are attempting to do more with less," said Hays managing director Nick Deligiannis.

"They are still under pressure to manage costs and the ceiling for salary increases has lowered.

"That's not to say there aren't some cases of more generous salary increases – many employers are still offering higher packages to attract and retain top talent. But in general, salary increases are more conservative."

Last financial year, mayors and councillors across WA got a massive pay rise after the Salaries and Allowance Tribunal determined they should receive up to $30,000 per year – a fourfold increase.

But politicians, judges, magistrates and senior public servants were only granted a 2.6 per cent pay rise.

The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry said pay rises were not a right and workers should be expected to earn any increase in salary.

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Families’ $5m whistleblower hunt

Families of those aboard Flight MH370 are hoping to raise a reward for information on the missing jet.

So sad ... families of the MH370 crew came together to pay tribute at a dinner in Kuala Lumpur. Source: News Corp Australia

LEE Khim Fatt's voice choked with emotion as he told of calling his wife's mobile phone every day but hearing nothing except an agonising silence.

"We searched the skies, we searched the land, we searched the seas. It came to nought. We still find you not … This fateful journey vanishing to nowhere. So so tragic. You were on it. This nightmare, this dream, this madness."

Mr Fatt was overcome as he read the poem, called "My Beloved" which he penned in the three months since his wife disappeared on board MH370.

Foong Wai Hung never answers her husband's desperate calls. She was one of the 10 flight stewards on board the Malaysian Airlines jetliner which disappeared without a trace on March 8.

Vanished three months ago ... the Malaysia Airlines jet. Picture: AP/Laurent Errera Source: AP

On the weekend the families of the MH370 crew came together to salute and mourn their loved ones at a special tribute dinner in Kuala Lumpur organised by the National Union on of Flight Attendants.

The emotional outpouring came as a group of families of passengers on board launch a public campaign to raise $US5million to pay for a whistleblower to come forward with new information about what happened to the plane and to pay for a private investigator.

SACKED OVER 'BURNING MH370' REPORT: Oil rig worker speaks

The group includes Perth woman Danica Weeks, whose husband Paul was on board, Frenchman Ghislain Wattrelos — whose wife and two teenage children are lost — and Sarah Bajc, who lost her partner Philip Wood. They believe that someone out there knows something which can solve the baffling mystery of MH370.

The 10 crew members on board were hailed as the Heroes of Flight MH370.

As Mr Fatt broke down reading his heartbreaking poem and the crew families openly wept and comforted each other, a tiny baby, just 20 days old, slept soundly in his mother's arms, unaware that he was the star of the night.

Unaware of his special place ... baby Muhammad, son of steward Mohd Hazrin Hasnan, slumbers. Source: News Corp Australia

A symbol of hope, Muhammad was born on May 19. His father, Mohd Hazrin Hasnan, was a flight steward on board the missing plane.

As his mother, Intan Maizura Othman, hugged him tenderly, tears rolling down her cheeks, his aunt read a letter which Intan wrote to her darling husband the day after authorities announced that MH370 had ended in the Southern Indian Ocean.

"Indeed I have to be a bionic woman to face reality today. I will gradually tell Iman (the couple's four-year-old daughter) that she has lost her Papa and Muhammad (their then unborn son) will be my pillar to move on. You are the best husband and Papa I could ever ask for."

Workers, friends and family of the crew of flight MH370 held a tribute night in Malaysia.

Jacquita Gonzales' husband Patrick Gomes was the in-flight supervisor. She spoke on behalf of the spouses of all the flight crew — all senior staff with 15 to 34 years' service to the airline.

"We must examine all the facts behind the tragedy and we cannot and will not be passive in the face of such a tragedy. If this tragedy prompts reflections and debates, as it should, let's make sure its worthy of those we have lost on board MH370," she told the tribute dinner.

Her daughter Nicolette Gomes read a poem, Dedicated to MH370 Global Family.

"You took off from KLIA towards Beijing you flew. Suddenly you were not there. Two hundred thirty-nine in the air. Silence and tragedy side by side. You flew off to eternity."

Hope for the future ... little Muhammad in his mother's arms. Source: News Corp Australia

Monday marks 94 days since the Boeing 777-200, flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, diverted radically from its flight path and authorities believe disappeared somewhere in the depths of the southern Indian Ocean off Perth.

Massive land, air and sea searches have so far found no trace of the plane and an operation to map the sea bed of the ocean is now underway in advance of an intensive underwater search due to begin in August.

The passengers' and crew members' families want answers and a fresh set of eyes.

Beijing-based Sarah Bajc, who is spearheading the fundraising campaign said: "Without a new tactic, the truth and the plane will never be found. Governments and agencies have given it their best shot but have failed to turn up a single shred of evidence, either because of a faulty approach or due to intentional misdirection by one or more individuals. It is time we took a look at this mystery with a fresh set of eyes."

We searched for you ... Lee Khim Fatt reads a poem he wrote to his wife, MH370 steward Foong Wai Hung, at the dinner. Source: News Corp Australia

Perth mother-of-two Danica Weeks, whose husband Paul was on the doomed flight, said her family's lives had been tormented "24/7" by not knowing what happened three months ago. She said she and other families were fed up with the investigation and could not sit and wait for information without doing anything themselves.

"We just have to keep fighting to find out what happened and we'll keep doing that," she told Ten News Perth.

"We've been cut off so many times at the gate that we're now having to take things into our own hands, think outside the box and just try to do something to find this plane.

"We just think someone knows something. There's been so much contradicting information coming from the investigation.

"We just have to try something, we can't just sit around and twiddle our thumbs and just wait for something to happen."

Frenchman Ghislain Wattrelos lost his two teenage children, Hadrian and Amber, and his wife Laurence, who were returning from a holiday in Malaysia.

"How could this happen? In this age of constant connection and pervasive surveillance, a giant plane has been allowed to just disappear. That cannot be an accident. My family deserves to be found."

Lights that will never go out ... a tribute at the dinner. Source: News Corp Australia

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