Bali pair's tragic final hours

Yvana Bischoff and her mother Noelene died in Bali after suspected food poisoning. Source: CourierMail

WHEN teenager Yvana Bischoff collapsed and passed away in a Bali medical centre she had no idea that her beloved mother Noelene had also died earlier that night.

Emergency Putu Ardana which treated the couple told News Corporation of the final tragic hours of the Sunshine Coast pair, who died in the early hours of Saturday.

Mr Ardana told how he and other medical professionals at the Penta Medica Clinic fought to save 54-year-old Noelene's life but there was nothing they could do.

He then rode in an ambulance with 14-year-old Yvana, telling her that he would take care of her and urging her to breathe deeply to control her unstable breath, trying to help stem her panic.

Mr Ardana says he couldn't and didn't tell her that her mother was gone.

HAPPY, SMILING BEFORE BALI DEATHS

DID TOXIC FISH KILL MUM AND DAUGHTER?

"She was conscious and talking. She told us she felt panicked because something was in her throat and breathing was very uncomfortable. She looked very panicked when it was difficult to breath even though we gave her a high concentration of oxygen.

"I told her to take deep breaths, to concentrate on normal breathing. I told her, you are just fine with us in the ambulance. I was trying to calm her down. We tried to encourage her to communicate," Mr Putu said.

Bali Police check all the things belong to Noelene Gaye Bischoff and her daughter Yvana Jean Yuri Bischoff at the scene in Padangbai Beach Resort. Noelene and Yvana died at the hotel yesterday. Source: CourierMail

Within hours Yvana too was gone and police are now investigating whether the couple died from poison toxins in fish they ate. They have ruled out foul play and an autopsy is expected as soon as today.

The tragic deaths came just 12 hours after the pair had been laughing and joking together over a seafood lunch at the Warung Dewa Malen restaurant, near Ubud.

Staff there told News Corporation the pair were animated and happy as they shared a lunch of mixed seafood, including tuna, at a restaurant overlooking rice paddies in Bali.

The Hayes family from Adelaide - Danielle Hayes, her son Connor and husband Tony - saw the mother and daughter at dinner before their tragic deaths. Source: DailyTelegraph

Later that same day the pair checked into a hotel in East Bali and that night ate another dinner consisting of seafood - this time mahi mahi fish at the hotel's restaurant.

AUSTRALIANS STILL DYING IN BALI

Staff and management at both restaurants say other patrons and staff ate the same seafood meals from the same fish as the Australians and there have been no reports of anyone else being sick from either place.

Twelve hours after eating a seafood lunch, Noelene Bischoff and her daughter Yvana were struck down. Source: News Limited

Noelene and Yvana had lunch at table number 16, arriving about 1pm on Friday.

Waitress Gusti Ayu Mentari Dewi served the couple and said they were cheerful and happy throughout the meal. She could not remember if they shared the meals but says they ate everything.

"They talked a lot together. They were happy and smiling," Ms Dewi said. "When we cleared up the table they said the food was delicious."

She remembered the pair had shared a private laugh and joke while watching a nearby table order a mountain of food and then devour it.

Waitress Gusti Ayu Mentari Dewi served the mother and daughter and said they were cheerful and happy throughout the meal. Source: Supplied

Another waitress Desak Novi remembers the pair. "Both of them were so happy, talking a lot to each other," she said.

But just 12 hours later the pair was mysteriously struck down.

Mr Ardana, one of the first medical professionals on the scene, says he suspected at the time the couple may have had allergic reactions because Yvana had initially responded to adrenaline.

He also said the shortness of breath and tightness in the throat was consistent with allergic reactions he had witnessed in other patients.

Supervisor Wayan Bagia and chef Dewa Seken were in charge of the Dewa Malen Restaurant. Source: Supplied

Noelene's brother Malcolm Bischoff said the pair did not have any known allergies.

"There is a bit of speculation about food allergies or seafood allergies which I don't believe is true because I've had seafood with my sister on a number of occasions,'' Mr Bischoff said.

"The thing we are sort of questioning is that from when they actually appeared to get sick they were both dead within five hours."

It was around 1am on Saturday that Yvana ran from the couple's room at the Padang Bai Beach Resort, begging for help from security, saying that she and her mother were ill in their room.

The hotel called the medical centre and Mr Ardana said by the time they arrived Noelene had collapsed.

She was taken by ambulance to the clinic but her heart had stopped beating and attempts to revive her were futile.

"The mother's condition was very bad when we arrived. We did resuscitation in the ambulance on the way to the clinic and in the clinic and we tried to intubate but we couldn't," he said.

At this stage Yvana was still conscious and told of suffering shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting.

He said that Yvana told them her mother had suffered the same symptoms, which had begun about two hours before the clinic was called.

At the clinic Yvana was given adrenalin and oxygen and she appeared to rally.

Mr Ardana said that Yvana was taken by ambulance to the Bali International Medical Centre near Kuta and that he was with her on the 35 minute drive.

He said she had also complained of nausea in the ambulance but had not vomited on the journey.

AT the BIMC, Yvana was treated in the emergency section. She told the doctor she had had seafood for dinner but didn't know what kind.

Within 15 minutes of arriving there Yvana's blood pressure was dropping to dangerously low levels and she too collapsed and died.

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'Bloody sickening' footage of schoolgirl attack

This video of a group of teenagers bashing a 14 year old girl was uploaded to the Facebook page 'Only Kiwis Will Get This'.

A crowd of teenagers swarm to pitch in during the fight. Source: Facebook

The teen is dragged by two girls alongside a road before being punched and kicked. Source: Facebook

THE mother of a 14-year-old girl who was brutally bashed by a crowd of teenagers has described the attack as "bloody sickening" and her attackers as "rude low-lives".

On Saturday, the 14-year-old received a text from a friend asking to meet at a school in Christchurch, New Zealand, but was instead met by a group of girls who chased her outside of the grounds.

She was then dragged by the neck alongside a busy road and met by a larger crowd, where she was repeatedly punched, kicked and verbally abused until she was left, collapsed on the ground.

"After that my friend had ran up from across the field to stop it all, and I collapsed on the footpath unable to breathe properly," she said.

The teenager cowers as she is punched from behind. Source: Facebook

As she tries to escape the mob of teens chase her. Source: Facebook

The footage was captured on a mobile phone and uploaded to a Facebook page, Only Kiwis Will Get This , previously known as Aussies Are Sh*t. So far the video has had more than 1000 shares.

The victim told The Press the fight was over a boy and that despite the trauma, she was "all right".

She suffered "a few cuts, a sore head, and a bruised nose".

A friend comes to the victim's aid as she collapses to the ground. Source: Facebook

According to her mother the offending attackers posted the video to humiliate her daughter.

"[She is] doing just fine bar a lot of briuses (sic). Just a f**ked up situation that turned pear shaped, kids not knowing when to stop and taking it to far," she said on Facebook.

"She was absolutely hysterical. As a parent, it's bloody sickening".

Local authorities have been in touch with the victim and her mother. Both have provided formal statements.

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Govt 'botched' shark catch-kill tender

The shark drum line and kill tender was not advertised properly and could open the WA Government to a legal challenge, the Greens say.

The Greens say the shark drum line and kill tender was not advertised properly and could open the WA government to a legal challenge. Source: News Limited

THE shark drum line and kill tender was not advertised properly and could open the WA Government to a legal challenge, the Greens say.

The State Government plans baited drum lines to catch and kill sharks longer than three metres, and has advertised a tender for professional fishers to deploy, manage and maintain them.

Greens MLC Lynn MacLaren said under the State Supply Commission policy on open and effective competition, a tender where the procurement would cost more than $150,000 must be advertised for at least 10 working days.

But Ms MacLaren said the $1 million contract had been advertised for only six working days from December 23 to January 3.

"Further, the government made a series of significant changes to the tender in an addendum on 30 December - halfway through the advertising period," she said.

"It's an environmentally irresponsible policy that won't save lives, so instead of proceeding with this rushed, botched tender process, we should spend the money on actions that do not kill threatened marine species, and protect people using the water."

A Department of Premier and Cabinet spokesperson said the shark tender was exempted from the minimum 10-day advertising period because of public safety.

"Under the State procurement policy, an exemption can be authorised where a state of urgency substantiated by the public authority renders the required time limit impracticable," the spokesperson said.

"The department authorised an exemption based on a public safety test."

The State Government announced its shark mitigation strategy last month after six fatal attacks in WA waters in two years. It includes baited drum lines a kilometre off the coast from September to April, and two monitored zones covering metropolitan beaches and parts of the South West.

The tender request said great white sharks, tiger sharks and bull sharks longer than three metres would be "humanely destroyed" while others would be released "where possible".

About 4000 people gathered at Cottesloe beach on Saturday to protest against the policy, which they call a shark cull.

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SW holiday housing market stirring

Demand for housing in popular South West holiday towns has been strong this year off the back of a bumper Perth sales year. Picture: File image Source: News Limited

DEMAND for housing in popular South West holiday towns has been strong this year off the back of a bumper Perth sales year.

Sales volumes increased over the year throughout the region and local agents have reported a stronger, earlier start to the summer sales season than usual.

Price growth is still patchy for the region, which was hit hard by the GFC, but a number of spots had median house price growth over the year to September including Busselton (4.2 per cent), Albany (4 per cent) and Margaret River (0.7 per cent), RP Data figures showed.

The median house price fell in other areas including Augusta (16.2 per cent), Dunsborough (6.8 per cent), and Denmark (5.3 per cent).

More WA Real Estate

Local agents said the key buyers were owner occupiers from the city, first home buyers and semi-retirees.

"The market is totally different to 12 months ago," Stocker Preston Dunsborough director Peter De Chiera said.

"There have been more sales and more inquiries."

Mr De Chiera said the market was slowly moving up with a few sales in the upper end but the bulk of inquiry had been for houses up to $600,000 or $700,000.

He said if the Perth market and the Western suburbs in particular did well, it usually boosted the Dunsborough market.

Local agents said investors had returned to the South West markets, but those looking for fixed-term rentals were more prevalent than holiday home hunters.

Dunsborough was the only area where agents reported a noticeable return in people looking for holiday homes.

"Back in 07/08 everyone had to have a holiday home in Dunsborough," Garry Morris, director of Professionals South West Dunsborough said.

"They're starting to see it as a good chance to buy again."

Mr Morris also said Dunsborough agents were starting to price houses slightly higher as the existing stock on the market was snapped up.

First National Real Estate Margaret River director Maureen Fowler said demand in Margaret River town had been strong for the past six to nine months but holiday home buyers were not as prevalent as they were before the GFC.

"People are moving in to stay," Ms Fowler said.

Prices for holiday homes were still up to 20 - 25 per cent off their peak in some areas, she said.

Busselton agent and LJ Hooker Geographe Bay principal Carl Wilde said there had been a few holiday home sales in Busselton and Margaret River resorts again, but most sales had been to owner-occupiers or investors looking for fixed term rentals.

Mr Wilde said sales had almost doubled in the town and attributed it to low interest rates and the many projects on the cards for Busselton.

He predicted a busy year ahead for the region off the back of this year's growth.

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'This should not be allowed to happen again'

The father of the woman raped by Cameron Graham, who alegedly escaped while being allowed Christmas privileges, says Graham should get the maximum penalty.

The bogged and abandoned Toyota Kluger, which was allegedly stolen, found 39km north of Mullewa. Picture: Nine News Perth Source: Supplied

Cameron John Graham, 22. Source: Supplied

CONVICTED rapist Cameron John Graham, who allegedly escaped from custody while being allowed Christmas privileges, should face the "maximum sentence" possible over the incident, his rape victim's father says.

Graham, 22, sentenced to 11 years jail for raping the woman in her Beeliar home in January 2013, allegedly escaped from custody on Friday after being flown from Perth to Geraldton to be closer to his family for Christmas.

Graham and another prisoner, Kelden Edward Fraser, 23, were recaptured in the Mullewa area near Geraldton just after 1am on Sunday. They have since been returned to Greenough Regional Prison.

The pair have been charged with escaping lawful custody, aggravated robbery and stealing a motor vehicle.

Graham and Fraser appeared in Geraldton Magistrates Court this afternoon and both were

remanded in custody to reappear in the same court on January 30 via video link.

Police say the aggravated robbery related to stealing the keys of a Toyota from a woman.

Today, the father of the woman who was raped by Graham said someone had to be held to account over the fiasco. He said as of 1.30pm today, he had not been contacted by Corrective Service Minister Joe Francis about the affair.

He questioned how Mr Francis did not know Graham was being transferred to Geraldton and said the maximum penalty had to be handed down to Graham over the incident.

The father, who cannot be named to protect his daughter's identity, told PerthNow: "He (Joe Francis) should have some accountability. He should be the man where the buck stops. It's under his watch that this has happened. He gets paid that lovely salary to be minister, why didn't he know that this was happening?"

"Who was responsible for granting these privileges? This should not be allowed to happen again."

The woman's father added the minister had spoken with his daughter's husband who was "ropeable" about the situation. They were forced to move overseas after the incident last Januray.

"I spoke with her (my daughter) this morning and she is obviously very relieved that he (Graham) has been caught," he said.

"But it's brought all of these emotions back to the surface again, she was just at the stage where she was moving on with her life and she was trying to move past all this. It's so frustrating.

"It's affected the whole family. There is not just one victim in this. I can no longer have my grandkids sit on my knee. They live in another country because of all of this."

The woman's father said he wanted to thank police for capturing the pair in the time that they did.

"The police have done an excellent job in capturing this guy again," he said.

He added: "This guy (Graham) should get the maximum sentence available and it should be added to his existing sentence. He has obviously not learnt his lesson."

On Saturday night Mr Francis told PerthNow he was "gobsmacked" to learn Graham had been flown from Perth to Greenough Regional Prison at taxpayers' expense to be closer to his family for Christmas.

In a press conference on Sunday he said he understood the van door was unlocked and the prisoners were not handcuffed.

Graham was only a month into his 11-year jail sentence for a crime a judge found "difficult for a reasonable human being to comprehend."

Mr Francis said he felt for Graham's victim.

When Graham broke into the woman's home on January 15 last year he threatened to murder her children.

He then forced her to undress before repeatedly raping her in her walk-in robe.

Afterwards he ordered her to drive to a nearby cash machine and withdraw $400.

"I am endeavouring to contact her and keep her informed and say I'm sorry for what happened," Mr Francis said on Saturday night.

"I was gobsmacked when I found out he (Graham) had been flown to Greenough.

"It wasn't until this happened that I even knew the department moves prisoners around the state to make things easier for their families to visit.

"The move for him to go to Geraldton wasn't sanctioned by me as minister or the Commissioner (prisons' boss James McMahon). Clearly the people who made the assessments on this got it wrong. I am led to believe it was some senior prison officers who made the decision. I am trying to find out (who)."

The escape has increased heat on Serco, the private company responsible for prisoner transfers.

In a thinly-veiled threat to the contractor, Mr Francis said: "Of course I am disappointed in Serco. They are skating on thin ice.''

In the wake of the security failure, Corrective Service Commissioner James McMahon ordered a review of the prisoner transfer process, as the State Opposition called for a parliamentary inquiry into the debacle.'

Mr McMahon said that as a result of the incident only prison transfers approved by him would go ahead.

Opposition spokesman for corrective services Paul Papalia said on Sunday Labor would move a motion calling for an inquiry into the debacle when parliament resumes next month.

Mr Papalia said Serco should be part of the inquiry.

"Serco has had a series of failures in the past few months,'' Mr Papalia said.

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'Best friends' die in Bali tragedy

A Queensland mother and her 14-year-old daughter have died in Bali, just hours after checking into their hotel.

A MOTHER and daughter who tragically died while holidaying in Bali have been described as "best friends" who did everything together by their family.

Noelene Gay Bischoff, 54, and Yvana Jeana Yuri Bischoff, 14, from Wurtulla on the Sunshine Coast, died after falling ill from suspected food poisoning early yesterday.

Noelene's mother Jean Bischoff said the pair were inseparable.

"They were so close, they lived for each other, they had a beautiful relationship," she said.

"Noelene worked so hard to make sure Yvana had everything she needed.

"Yvana was such a bright young lady, she was always getting As at school, she wanted to be a vet."

Overnight it was reported: A QUEENSLAND mother and her teenage daughter died yesterday in separate ambulances just one day after arriving in Bali on holiday.

Noelene Gay Bischoff and daughter Yvana Jeana Yuri Bischoff have tragically died in Bali.

Police say Noelene Gay Bischoff, 54, and Yvana Jeana Yuri Bischoff, 14, from Wurtulla on the Sunshine Coast, died after falling ill in the early hours of yesterday.

Australians still dying in Bali

The pair checked in to the Padang Bai Beach Resort in Karangasem, east Bali, on Friday for a two-day holiday.

Resort manager Vanni Bareato last night told The Sunday Mail the mother and daughter had spent the evening in Ubud before returning to the hotel at 8pm.

Five hours later a violently ill Yvana was desperately begging security staff for help, saying both she and her mother were ill in their room.

The mother was dead within 15 minutes, passing away en route to a nearby medical clinic. Yvana was taken in a separate ambulance to the Bali International medical clinic in Denpasar.

Police outside the room where the Australian mother and daughter were staying at Padang Bai Beach Resort.

Mr Bareato followed Yvana to hospital, where he spent time comforting her

"Don't worry, we are here, we are taking care of you, we are taking you to the hospital," he told the distraught teen.

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While at the hospital Mr Bareato was asked to return to the resort to collect the pair's passports.

"By the time I came back to get the passport I received a phone call that the mother was unfortunately deceased and the daughter was not on the right path," he said.

The teenager died a short time later.

"We run a small resort of 30 people and this has never happened," Mr Bareato said. "You cannot be prepared for something like this. It's unbelievable.

"We are shocked. Someone might have a heart attack or a stroke, but nothing like this."

Mr Bareato said the pair had told him they had both been vomiting but when he inspected their room looking for the passports he found no sign of any sickness.

"What we know from the taxi driver is they were already feeling sick," he said.

"This is what the taxi driver said to police.''

Noelene's niece and Yvana's cousin Grasienne Bischoff said the family were shattered by the deaths.

"Yvana and Aunty Noelene were very close, they did everything together. This was just another one of their adventures they had planned that wasn't supposed to end this way,'' she said.

"My immediate family are bitterly shocked by the trauma, we cannot believe it ourselves. We just ask for support from close family and friends at this time.''

Puts Darsana, manager at the Penta Medical Clinic in Karangasem, said the mother had died in the ambulance on the way to his clinic.

Police sources have told The Sunday Mail that Ms Bischoff and her daughter may have suffered a food allergy. Officers seized medicines, found in their hotel room, from Australia, which have been sent to the lab for analysis.

Late yesterday police arrived at Sanglah Hospital but autopsies are not expected to be conducted until tomorrow.

Padang Bai is a coastal resort on the eastern side of Bali, about 90 minutes' drive from Denpasar.

Additional reporting Leigh Van Den Broeke, Felicity Sheppard, Shaya Laughlin, Komang Ervian

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Suicide is WA's top teen killer

Dr Rosanna Capolingua. Picture: file image Source: News Limited

SUICIDE is now the most common cause of unexpected death among WA teenagers.

The revelation contained in a new report has already triggered a major investigation into youth suicide by the WA Ombudsman, The Sunday Times can reveal.

Eminent health experts say the fact that suicide now outranks car crashes and illness as the leading cause of sudden death among 13 to 17-year-olds was a cause for alarm.

Child death review data shows 39 per cent of youths from this age bracket who died suddenly between July 2009 and June 2013 took their own lives. This compares with 29 per cent from car crashes and 14 per cent from medical conditions.

"The Ombudsman (has) decided to undertake a major own-motion investigation into youth suicide," a spokeswoman for Ombudsman Chris Field said on Friday.

Responsibility for child death reviews was transferred to the WA Ombudsman in 2009. The state coroner is required by law to notify the Ombudsman of any unnatural, unexpected or violent deaths of children.

Of the 123 child death notifications for teenagers received by the Ombudsman since 2009, 48 involved children taking their own lives, including one child aged 13 and 18 children aged 14 or 15. Almost two-thirds were from the Perth metro area. One-third were Aboriginal.

Rosanna Capolingua, chair of the Governing Council for Child and Adolescent Health in WA, said she feared statistics for the second half of 2013 would be even worse.

"Something significant is happening to kids in that age group in WA and maybe across Australia for them to take their lives and we know that social media plays a big role in this," she said.

"I think parents are aware, doctors are aware, but sometimes we don't know what to do. As well as the bullying, social media encouraged children to dwell on negative emotions, such as pain and suffering. Suicide is heralded as a wonderful thing (on social media)."

She said early intervention was needed and we needed to "bust the myth" that talking about suicide would make the problem worse.

Michael Gannon, the AMA WA vice president. Source: News Limited

Australian Medical Association WA vice-president Michael Gannon said WA's mental health system was "collapsing."

"In the whole state we have got eight (mental health) beds available at PMH and another 12 beds available at Bentley and that's all we've got for adolescent patients," he said.

"Not only is there a reasonable amount of evidence that life just gets more stressful as every generation goes on and more difficult, these are also young people who unfortunately are increasingly exposed to illegal drugs which are extremely powerful in their effect on the brain and there is a higher rate of mental illness in people who are using illicit drugs."

Mental Health Minister Helen Morton said the causes were complex.

"We are working to ensure young people can access a dedicated youth-friendly stream of care and not fall in the gap between child and adolescent services and the adult system," she said.

Opposition Health Spokesman Roger Cook said he was "alarmed" by the figures, while Lifeline WA chief executive Fiona Kalaf said "families were often unsure about how to navigate the maze of mental health services."

Lifeline 13 11 14 (24-hour telephone service) crisischat.lifelinewa.org.au (online chat service)

Kids Help Line 1800 55 1800 (24-hour telephone service) www.kidshelp.com.au

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A hazy Sunday for Perth

Perth is shrouded in the smoke of a Denmark bushfire. Source: News Limited

Justin Gilbert was mussel gathering on the South Perth foreshore with the smoky Perth skyline in the background. Source: News Limited

Perth is shrouded in the smoke of a Denmark bushfire. Source: News Limited

Perth is shrouded in the smoke of a Denmark bushfire. Source: News Limited

Picture of the smoke haze across Perth. Picture: Kale Michael Heyes Source: Supplied

Picture of the smoke haze across Perth. Picture: Kerryn Briody Source: Supplied

Picture of the smoke haze across Perth. Picture: Ross Kirby Source: Supplied

PERTH'S lazy Sunday turned hazy this morning when a blanket of smoke covered the city.

The Department of Parks and Wildlife issued a smoke alert for areas from Walpole to Geraldton and inland to Toodyay and Mount Barker.

Did you take a snap of the smoke? Send it to us at readerpics@perthnow.com.au or tweet us - @perthnow

The smoke is from a bushfire that started in Mount Roe National Park, approximately 28km north-west of Denmark, on Friday.

The smoke is expected to clear by tomorrow morning.

If the smoke is thick, people should shut their doors and windows and turn off air-conditioners.

People with asthma and pre-existing respiratory, cardiovascular illnesses or diabetes should follow their pre-prepared treatment plan.

Smoke may reduce visibility on some roads and motorists should take care, turn on headlights and travel at appropriate speeds when travelling in these areas.

People with conditions exacerbated by smoke should take precautions in line with their medical advice for these circumstances.

More to come.

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Prisons minister points at Serco in escape fallout

Two prisoners who escaped at Geraldton Airport are violent and should not be approached, WA police say.

A NOTORIOUS rapist allowed privileges at Christmas and another fugitive were captured overnight as Corrective Services Minister Joe Francis was last night trying to contact the rape victim to apologise for the debacle.

The shambolic escape also resulted in Corrective Services chief James McMahon yesterday cancelling all non-essential prison transfers.

Cameron John Graham, 22, sentenced in November to 11 years jail for brutally raping a mother, escaped from custody after being flown from his Perth prison cell to Geraldton to be close to his family for Christmas.

Graham and another prisoner, Kelden Edward Fraser, 23, were captured after police used a plane to find their bush camp in the Mullewa area, near Geraldton.

Officers were deployed to the camp where they arrested Graham and Fraser just after 1am this morning.

The men were taken to Geraldton Police Station and have been returned to Greenough Regional Prison. Police say charges will be laid in "due course" and the pair will appear in Geraldton Magistrates Court later this week.

Mr Francis told The Sunday Times that he was "gobsmacked" to learn notorious rapist Cameron John Graham had been flown from Perth to Greenough Regional Prison at taxpayers' expense to be closer to his family for Christmas.

In a press conference today, Mr Francis said he understood the van door was unlocked and the prisoners were not handcuffed.

He also said he had not yet received a formal briefing on the incident, but that he was certain that would happen this week.

The brutal rapist was only a month into his 11-year jail sentence for a crime a judge found "difficult for a reasonable human being to comprehend."

Mr Francis said he felt for Graham's victim, who has subsequently left the country following the ordeal.

When Graham broke into the woman's home on January 15 last year he threatened to murder her children.

He then forced her to undress before repeatedly raping his terrified victim in her walk-in robe.

Afterwards he ordered her to drive to a nearby cash machine and withdraw $400.

"I am endeavouring to contact her and keep her informed and say I'm sorry for what happened," he said.

"I was gobsmacked when I found out he (Graham) had been flown to Greenough.''

"It wasn't until this happened that I even knew the department moves prisoners around the state to make things easier for their families to visit.

"The move for him to go to Geraldton wasn't sanctioned by me as minister or the Commissioner (prisons' boss James McMahon). Clearly the people who made the assessments on this got it wrong. I am led to believe it was some senior prison officers who made the decision. I am trying to find out (who)."

Mr Francis denied he had been missing in action yesterday as the fallout from the scandal continued. The Sunday Times understands he was moving house.

Earlier, acting-Premier Kim Hames appeared curious earlier in the day about his colleague's whereabouts when he was left to face questions from the media.

Dr Hames said: "I don't know where he is. He is not my responsibility."

"I don't know the circumstances behind Joe not being able to talk today. The Minister has a full understanding of the implications of his responsibilities as a Minister. It's up to him to make those decisions and up to the Premier to make judgments on whether those decisions are accurate or not."

The escape has increased heat on Serco, the private company responsible for prisoner transfer.

In a thinly-veiled threat to the contractor, Corrective Services Minister Joe Francis told The Sunday Times last night: "Of course I am disappointed in Serco. They are skating on thin ice.''

He also said today that if the company were good 'corporate citizens', they would foot the bill of the manhunt.

In the wake of the security failure, Commissioner McMahon also ordered a review of the prisoner transfer process, as the State Opposition called for a parliamentary inquiry into the debacle.'

Mr McMahon said that as a result of the incident only prison transfers approved by him would go ahead.

"At the department we take this very seriously. Our ultimate job is to provide safety to the community," he said. "We failed. The ultimate responsibility for that is me. Let me very clear about that."

He added: "I think it is an outrage. I am going to get to the bottom of it."

Mr McMahon also put Serco on notice. Serco was transporting the escapees.

"There have been a number of incidents that have come across my desk that have involved Serco," he said.

"Do I have concerns? Absolutely I do. And I am reviewing that in its entirety.

"I will be making my point very strongly and clearly to Serco that the minimum requirement I require of any organisation that are trans-porting people from a custodial perspective is that it needs to be done securely."

Opposition spokesman for corrective services Paul Papalia said yesterday Labor would move a motion calling for the inquiry when parliament resumes next month.

Mr Papalia said it was "inconceivable" that one month after starting his jail term Graham would be transferred from maximum security at a Perth prison - believed to be Hakea - to medium-security Greenough Regional Prison to be closer to his family for Christmas.

Mr Papalia said that Graham did not deserve the festive season perk and the "risks were too high''.

Mr Papalia said: " Corrective Services minister Joe Francis needs to provide the community a full explanation as to why this perk was allowed.

"When parliament resumes we will attempt to have this investigated and (we) want the government's support.

"In this case, it would appear the prisoner was transferred to Greenough so that his family could go and see him in prison - just one month after he was sentenced.

"This is a guy (Mr Francis) who chases publicity for self promotion and spin but is shy when there is an issue. I will be writing to the Minister and asking him for the specific process that occurs for transfers of Mr McMahon said a detailed investigation was also being conducted by Serco.

Mr Papalia said Serco should also be part of the inquiry.

"Serco has had a series of failures in the past few months,'' Mr Papalia said.

Graham was being transferred back to Perth on Friday when he kicked the door out of a prison van at Geraldton airport and stole a rental car at 1pm.

Fraser, 23, on remand at Greenough for alleged armed robbery, also escaped with him.

The car allegedly stolen by the pair was found bogged 39km north of Mullewa.

Police officers had resumed the search at first light yesterday after reports the escapees were seen refuelling at a BP service station in Cue, 651km northeast of Perth, about 8.30pm on Friday.

They were seen by police travelling along Great Northern Highway but disappeared 15km north of Mount Magnet.

About 2.30am, police spotted the car on the Geraldton-Mount Magnet Rd heading east. A car chase ensued but officers lost them.

Police last night used helicopters and night-vision equipment to locate the men.

Serco declined to comment.

Corrective Services Commissioner James McMahon faces the media today. Source: News Limited

CCTV from BP Cue petrol station showing escapee Cameron John Graham wearing orange cap and dark T shirt with "LA" in large letters on the front. Source: Supplied

Kelden Edward Fraser, 23, who escaped from a prison van in Geraldton. Source: Supplied

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Hewitt beats Federer in Brisbane final

Lleyton Hewitt in action against Roger Federer at the Brisbane International. Picture: Peter Wallis Source: News Limited

LLEYTON Hewitt has caused a major upset by beating Roger Federer to claim the Brisbane International title.

The Australian, ranked 60th, made a surprising early jump on world No.6 Federer and then capitalised for a 6-1 4-6 6-3 win in a final lasting two hours and eight minutes.

Federer had an uncharacteristically poor first set in which he committed 22 unforced errors to Hewitt's three.

Hewitt shocked the 17-time Grand Slam champion - and the packed stands at Pat Rafter Arena - when he jumped out to a 4-1 lead.

Federer fought off four break points in the seventh game but when the Australian converted the fifth, he claimed the first set, lasting just 27 minutes.

Federer grabbed his first break point of the match in the fifth game of the second set, but Hewitt saved it with a superb lunging volley and he went on to hold serve.

Federer fought off a break point for 4-4 and, with Hewitt 40-0 up in the next game, the Swiss player clawed his way back to make the decisive break before holding comfortably to claim the set.

Hewitt saved four break points to open the third set and then broke his opponent for 3-1 when Federer sent a forehand wide.

Federer failed to convert three more break points along the way and Hewitt served for the match, claiming the trophy when Federer netted a backhand.

Hewitt's impressive performance followed his gruelling three-set semi-final upset of Japanese world No.17 Kei Nishikori over two-and-a-half hours in brutal heat on Saturday.

Federer also had played a three setter, but he dispensed French semi-final opponent Jeremy Chardy in less than two hours once temperatures had eased a little.

In a battle of 32-year-olds, their 27th meeting, Hewitt secured his ninth victory over Federer and first since winning the final in Halle in 2010.

The win could send Hewitt into the Australian Open as the nation's No.1 by lifting his ranking into the 40s, while world No.51 Bernard Tomic must defend championship points in Sydney this week.

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