Asbestos forces Fremantle police to move

HEALTH FEARS: The discovery of asbestos in the roof of Fremantle Police Complex has forced officers out. Source: PerthNow

ASBESTOS found in the roof at Fremantle Police Complex has forced officers to relocate.

Staff at the Fremantle Police Complex are moving to leased accommodation after proposed works to replace the air conditioning plant at the station identified asbestos in the roof structures.

While the asbestos does not pose an existing problem, staff cannot remain there during the removal process.

Commissioner Karl O'Callaghan said parts of the Fremantle Police Station were built in 1897 and heritage listing had prevented any major structural improvements to bring the facility up to modern standards.

He said the relocation was unavoidable but there would be no interruption to police services in the south metropolitan police district.

General duties officers and detectives will remain in the Fremantle CBD at leased premises in High Street and prosecuting officers will be located at the Queensgate Centre in William Street.

Forensic and traffic officers will move to nearby Bibra Lake and the South Metropolitan District Crime Team will investigate volume crime from Myaree.
 

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Six-star style for the rich at the Terrace

Model and actress Emma Booth will open the new $20m Terrace Hotel on Thursday. Source: PerthNow

THE rich and famous have a new place to land in Perth - the six-star, paparazzi-proof Terrace Hotel.

Dressed by red-carpet designer Aurelio Costarella, WA-born actor Emma Booth will launch the $20 million St Georges Tce hotel on Thursday.

She will sip French champagne with the city's elite, including Premier Colin Barnett, luxury real estate boss William Porteous, former owner of The Colonnade Wayne Teo, designer Zara Bryson, media personality Basil Zempilas and Lord Mayor Lisa Scaffidi.

Architect and stylist Jean-mic Perrine compared the hotel with the Raffles Hotel in Singapore and the Old Savoy in London.

He said a private entrance, high security and a secret exit would help attract celebrities.

"We know that a lot of people want to stay incognito - security is important so we've got strategies in place," he said.

Perrine said the calibre of hotel guests would enrich Perth.

"We're going to get a lot of artists, fashion people and business people who like luxury boutique hotels mixing with Perth's social and business community," he said.

"That's a fantastic dynamic, and a rare one in Perth. You don't usually share a space with George Michael or whoever."

The hotel is owned by Hospitality Inns' Chris Pye and another unnamed WA family.

Rooms in the 1890s heritage-listed building range from $480 to $1215 a night. It will open on November 5.

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Acid attack victim 'was shaking with pain'

A Merriwa man was doused with paint and acid by a man who broke into his house as he slept on his couch.

Acid attack victim Peter Nelson is being treated for chemical burns to his face and neck. Picture: Nine News Source: PerthNow

A 69-YEAR-old man who was doused with paint and acid by a man who broke into his Merriwa home overnight was asleep on his couch when he was attacked, it has been revealed.

Peter Nelson was sleeping in his Dunmore Circuit home at about 2.30am this morning when a man broke in and threw paint and phosphoric acid into his face.

The intruder escaped with the man's car keys but not his car, while Mr Nelson was left in extreme pain before he was rushed to Royal Perth Hospital for treatment on chemical burns to his neck and face.

Today, he told Nine News his glasses saved his eyes but the pain became excruciating: "The pain got worse and worse over the next 35, 40 minutes until I was shaking with the pain of it."

Mr Nelson said people were no longer safe in their own homes: "I'm sort of vulnerable in the fact that I'm older and weak and disabled."

Police who attended the break-in say the fumes caused by the acid and paint mixture were so strong that officers were overcome and had to go back outside to breathe.

Detective Senior Constable Jamie Paterson said: "The intruder has found the paint and the acid in the victim's carport  … armed himself with it, he's come into the house and found the man sleeping on his couch in the lounge room."

"He (the victim) has half woken up and the offender has just thrown this stuff onto him while he was still sitting in his chair.

"The homeowner didn't even get to confront him or say a word to him…it's an absolutely vicious and cowardly attack on a vulnerable person.

"He was in no position to defend himself."

Police are still hunting for the attacker who was seen heading towards Dalvik Park. He is described as dark-skinned, about 170cm tall, aged in his early 20s and was wearing dark clothing.

Anyone with information should call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

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Rock It needs to find new energy source

Headline act The Black Keys rocked the festival. PICTURE: Thomas Roy Photography 2012 / www.facebook.com/trpmedia Source: PerthNow

Concertgoers braved the weather to enjoy the Rock-It festival. PICTURE: Thomas Roy Photography 2012 / www.facebook.com/trpmedia Source: PerthNow

FOR a festival that claims to be the "king-size, kong-size concert of the year" Rock It should probably pack a little more punch.

Returning to its home soil at Arena Joondalup after a three year hiatus, the all-ages event clearly still had a few kinks to iron out before it could be considered to stack up against the sizable buffet of music experiences now available to Perth punters.

For those familiar with the previous 10 instalments, the formula hasn't changed but perhaps now it needs to - it's one big name act supported by a day of quality Australian music, focused around one main stage with a simple to follow, laid-back timetable.

With its relatively relaxed vibe, free of the typically disrespectful festival crowds, it has all the makings of an enjoyable all-day event but in reality, despite some decent acts, it still seemed to fall underwhelmingly short of its potential.

Opening with the catchy tune Golden Revolver, Fremantle indie pop stars San Cisco delivered something of a lacklustre set.

The big stage seemed to swallow the talented youngsters and, vocally, they failed to hit the right notes as they made their way through their ever-appealing repertoire of songs including Lover, Fred Astaire, Rocket Ship and hit single Awkward.

As the band and their music are likable and full of potential, knowing drummer Scarlett Stevens was suffering a sore throat, and having seen them play a number of decent gigs throughout the year, I'd like to chalk this one up to an off day.

Next up on the main stage, Brisbane band Last Dinosaurs delivered an enjoyable set which included a well orchestrated Sophie Ellis Bexter cover amongst their own material, including song Sunday Night, while WA indie rock band Emperors delivered strong vocals and loud tunes over at Kongs Rock 'N' Roll Shack. 

Irritatingly, sounds were clashing all over the place – both that of the two stages and that of the recorded music playing in the Jack Daniel's White Rabbit Saloon, which would have otherwise been a cool concept.

As the miserable weather cleared off, Australian rockabilly chick Lanie Lane took to the stage oozing her jazz-blues vibe and owning her strong and unique vocals for a mesmerising slot that included The Devil Said and What Do I Do? 

Perth-born band The Panics were vocal about their enthusiasm for playing to a home crowd and, despite a few vocal hiccups, it seems the feeling was mutual.

The audience lapped up a string of songs from the pop rock exports such as the much-loved track Don't Fight It, older number Twin Sisters and Confess.

WA favourite and roots legends John Butler Trio brought a whole new energy to the main stage

Opening with an oldie but a goodie, Pickapart, the gifted instrumentalists tore through a set that included Don't Wanna See Your Face, Mystery Man and Treat Yo Mama.

Demonstrating more instrumental complexity than you'd typically expect from a three-piece, including a few amazing solos, charismatic Butler switched between electric guitar, acoustic guitar, banjo and slide guitar techniques throughout the set while bassist Byron Luiters also incorporated double bass and didgeridoo and drummer Nicky Bomba gave a thrashing performance.

The crowd chimed-in, clapped along and danced to favourite singles One Way Road, Better Than and, of course, Zebra.

The stage lighting really kicked-in as yet another proud WA export, Birds of Tokyo shook off the dust and delivered a super sleek and polished set for their first show after a quiet year in tour terms.

With sharp vocals and tight instrumentals the band made their way through songs including Plans, Silhouettic, Broken Bones and newbie This Fire.

At about 8.30pm, international headliners The Black Keys and their touring band finally made their way on stage exuding an electric energy and opening with hit Howlin' For You.

The talkative and animated American rock duo, comprised of vocalist/guitarist Dan Auerbach and drummer Patrick Carney, treated the enthusiastic crowd to an ear-burstingly loud set featuring guitar riffs that vibrated through the chest and impossibly fast-paced drum beats.

From older material such as Thickfreakness, Your Touch, I Got Mine and Girl is on My Mind to newer tunes Gold on the Ceiling, Dead and Gone, Little Black Submarines and Lonely Boy, the band kept the crowd involved, engaged and eager for more.

One of the only disappointments in their set was that there was no encore, preventing fans from squeezing a little extra time in with the band.

While it's great to see an independent, WA-owned and operated event with a focus on quality local music as well as keeping things simple and affordable, the organisers will likely need to bring something bigger and better to the table to keep punters interested in the future.

The day may not have been marred by any major flaws but there was also a lack of major highlights to help make it memorable.

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Shark brains similar to humans - scientists

Researchers say sharks have highly developed sensory systems and relatively large brains like humans. Source: PerthNow

SHARK brains share several features with human brains, which could help researchers working on a shark repellant, scientists at the University of Western Australia (UWA) say.

Researchers say sharks and other cartilaginous fish have highly developed sensory systems and relatively large brains.

A special edition of the journal Brain, Behaviour and Evolution focuses on research about the brains of sharks and other cartilaginous fish, including rays and sawfish.

Editor Kara Yopak from UWA's Oceans Institute said the studies suggested people may have more in common with sharks than previously thought.

Dr Yopak said sharks and their relatives represented the earliest jawed vertebrates.

"Despite broad divergence, there are a number of common features of the brain that evolved at least as early as cartilaginous fishes and persist across all vertebrates," she said.

"For instance, one of the papers shows that with great white sharks, the area of the brain that receives visual input is quite large, and suggests the relative importance of vision in these animals is quite high.

"This information may direct researchers' efforts towards targeting the visual system when developing repellants for sharks."

Another paper suggested the cerebellum - which controlled motor movement and appeared first in early sharks - was an important evolutionary advancement that led to aspects of higher neural function in vertebrates including humans, Dr Yopak said.

AAP anr/rlm/nl

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Terror fears for schoolies on Bali

THE Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has issued a warning to schoolie revellers heading to overseas hot spots in spite of terror alerts.

Tens of thousands are making the pilgrimage to Bali, Fiji and Thailand this year despite concerns for their safety.

Last year's end-of-school-year revelry led the Government to be called in to help 24 teens: 11 were locked up by police, seven arrested, one assaulted, one died and four were taken to hospital.

DFAT is now alerting youngsters to exercise a "high degree of caution" in Bali and Thailand due to the "high threat of terrorist attack".

Fiji has also become a popular destination and DFAT cautions partygoers to also show a "high degree of caution" in Suva because of crime and the potential for civil unrest.

Teens have been told to "consider the kinds of places known to be terrorist targets and the level of security provided", including shopping malls, public transport, markets, hotels, restaurants, bars, nightclubs and resorts.

Schoolies are choosing to party overseas, with the price of alcohol and accommodation cheaper there than the usual haunts.

"We continue to receive information that indicates that terrorists may be planning attacks in Indonesia, which could take place at any time," DFAT said on its schoolies' bulletin.

"Police have stated publicly that terrorist suspects remain at large and that they may seek to attack Western targets. We cannot rule out the possibility of another attack."

Patrick Low, spokesman for Foreign Minister Bob Carr, urged travellers to take warnings seriously because they "were not made lightly".

Mr Low said drugs were another major concern for authorities and warned that penalties included years behind bars and even the death penalty.

"Authorities are well aware of schoolies coming to their destinations and are well aware of drugs being consumed and will be on watch," he said.

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English porn star opens up about Perth men

Ex-porn star Lianne Young has given Aussie men the thumbs down. Source: PerthNow

BRITAIN'S former queen of porn, Lianne Young, has given Aussie men the thumbs down.

"I'm yet to be blown away by Australian men," said Young, who claims Europeans are the best between the sheets.

Since moving from England to Perth two years ago, the 38-year-old mother of two has dated "a variety" of men.

"I'm like a box of chocolates. I like variety. I can't just have one bar,'' she said.

But she's yet to satisfy her sweet tooth.

Young says that Perth men, in particular, need some help.

"They're too vanilla," she said.

"And it just makes me laugh that so many men think they are capable.

"They think they're good just because they've got a big d***.''

But fear not fellas. Ms Young has some tips.

"Be more adventurous and more open,'' she said.

"Remember it's not all about you.

"Don't wear thongs to dinner, don't offer the lady a pint and stop saying 'bloody oath'."

Ms Young was a probation officer in England until she was exposed for appearing in a porn.

After starring in over 100 adult movies, Ms Young became a UK TV "Sexpert" and appeared on reality shows including an X-rated version of Big Brother.

Now a personal trainer, Ms Young said she delays telling suitors of her porn-star past.

"I kind of don't tell them at first and they think I'm just really glamorous for an English woman," she said.

"But then if we go to the bedroom, I'm pretty good in bed.''

So much so, that she says men are devastated when she dumps them.

"Because they're not going to get it like I've given it to them," she said.

Ms Young said she didn't do porn for the money but because she loves sex.

And although she left the industry 10 years ago, she doesn't regret her past.

"It was the only job that I could sleep my way to the top and not feel guilty about it,'' she said.

"I've slept with all my managers nearly.

"I'm a sex kitten. I can't help it."

Despite admitting to not always wearing protection on set, Ms Young said she didn't compromise her health during her career.

"I was tested for HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases every 14-24 days,'' she said.

"And you never had sex with anyone whose test is less than seven days old.

"So it's actually safer to have sex with someone in the industry than it is someone out of the industry.''

Ms Young is planning to release a book of her memoirs, next year, titled Wicked : The Mother, the Housewife, the Porn Star.

"It's been compared to be more than Belle de Jour: Diary of a London Call Girl and 50 Shades of Grey, but much more graphic,'' she said.

Ms Young is also penning a sex-tip manual.

"Everybody can improve in bed,'' she said.

"I'm sure I could too...not.''

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Sharks, weather play havoc with beachgoers

Lightning closed several Perth beaches this afternoon. Picture: Alex Coppel Source: Herald Sun

SEVERAL beaches were closed across Perth due to severe lightning this afternoon as thunderstorms threatened the metropolitan area.

Surf Life Saving WA's Facebook page said City Beach, Hillarys, Floreat, North Cottesloe and Sorrento beaches were currently closed due to lightning.

The Bureau of Meteorology warned of a possible thunderstorm this afternoon.

Earlier this morning the official Perth temperature climbed to 36.2C just before 11.30am.

As of 12.30pm it had dropped to 27.4C.

SHARK SIGHTINGS ACROSS PERTH

Meanwhile, there have been at least four shark sightings and detections across Perth today.

A tagged great white shark was detected through an acoustic receiver at Ocean Reef beach about 6.40am this morning.

A shark estimated to be up to 2.5m long was spotted by a surfer about 300 to 400m south of the Secret Harbour surf club just after 10am this morning.

Another shark was sighted at Wedge Island, the scene of WA's latest shark fatality several months ago, just before 11am this morning.

It's also been confirmed that a shark, estimated to be about 3m in length, was spotted just before noon by the Westpac Rescue Helicopter about 200m north of Catherine Bay off Rottnest Island.

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Bunbury player wins entire $4m Lotto pool

IT'S a sign of good things to come for WA in this Tuesday's $70 million OZ Lotto jackpot, after one local Lotto player picked up the entire $4 million Division 1 prize pool in Saturday night's Lotto draw.

The winning ticket worth $4,007,803.25 was sold in country WA, in the South West town of Bunbury at Crosslands Newsagency.

It's the second Division 1 Lotto ticket the outlet has sold this year, following a $851,790 Saturday Lotto ticket sold there in March which was claimed by a Bunbury couple.

Crosslands Newsagency owner Mark Dennis said it was a great feeling to know he had made a positive difference to someone's life and delivered another local multi-millionaire.

"Word has already started to spread amongst the town and there is going to be excitement and a buzz in the air tomorrow. It' great news for our community," he said.

Lotterywest said it was hoping Lotto luck would strike WA again on Tuesday night when OZ Lotto's incredible $70 million jackpot was offered.

It's the second largest prize to be offered in the game's history and has jackpotted to this multi-million dollar amount after no one in the nation was able to match the game's seven winning numbers in eight weeks.

It will make national history as the largest Lotto prize won if one player takes home the Division 1 prize.

Lotterywest spokesperson Pina Compagnone said WA players were getting behind the big jackpot, which was creating excitement across the State.

"We expect about one in two WA adults to pick up a ticket in the jackpot draw and if the weekend's local win is anything to by, it's the perfect time to buy a ticket," Ms Compagnone said.

Tickets for the $70 million OZ Lotto jackpot are available until 5pm on Tuesday.

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Flight before fight a dream for Kalin

Kalin Foley, 13, who has a rare tumour, gets ready for take-off in a helicopter. PICTURE: Bohdan Warchomij Source: PerthNow

Kalin Foley, 13, who has a rare tumour, gets ready for take-off in a helicopter. PICTURE: Bohdan Warchomij Source: PerthNow

Kalin Foley, 13, who has a rare tumour, gets ready for take-off with Stefan Hildebrandt of Westralia Helicopters. PICTURE: Bohdan Warchomij Source: PerthNow

A PERTH teenager diagnosed with a rare form of cancer was granted one of his all time wishes today – a ride in a helicopter.

Kalin Foley, 13, was diagnosed in June this year with Alveola Rhabdomysarcoma, a soft tissue cell form of cancer, which started in his pelvis.

He has already undergone two rounds of chemotherapy and is about to undergo a third cycle soon.

But this morning the Wanneroo teen could not wipe the smile from his face as he was given the chance to ride in a helicopter thanks to Stefan Hildebrandt of Westralia Helicopters.

Kalin's mum Bridget said the day had been a joyous occasion for her son.

"He's always had a fascination with flying," Bridget said.

"The smile on his face was priceless."

In September Kalin was also lucky enough to attend the AFL Grand Final along with his dad and brother thanks to some last minute string pulling from the Sydney Swans and after the brave teenager was given the all clear from his doctors to travel to Melbourne for the big game.

"It was the highlight of his life really," Bridget said.

Bridget said doctors were also amazed at Kalin's progress in recent weeks.

"At the beginning they said we needed a miracle," she said.

"Just two weeks ago he came back with some clear scans … really all that they are treating at the moment are the microscopic (cancer) cells that are left.

"They are absolutely amazed at how he has gone with his treatment … he is going in the right direction now which is good."

Mr Hildebrandt said he was thrilled to help Kalin and his family out with the helicopter ride.

"Those are the moments you cherish in your life," he said.

"I am feeling really good."

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