‘New leads’ expand MH370 hunt

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak says the movements of a missing plane were consistent with a deliberate act by someone who turned the jet back across Malaysia and onwards to the west. Sarah Toms reports.

• Search expands to 25 countries with new leads
• Captain was 'obsessive' supporter of Anwar Ibrahim
• Zaharie Shah's flight simulator at home seized
• Co-pilot also under fresh scrutiny

THE search for Flight MH370 is expanding after officials obtained new leads from their investigation into the missing plane.

Malaysia's Defence and Acting Transport Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said information released yesterday "has provided new leads, and given new direction to the search process".

At a press conference, he confirmed officers from the Royal Malaysia Police visited the home of Captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah.

They spoke to family members of the pilot and experts are examining the pilot's home-made flight simulator. They have dismantled and re-assembled it at another location.

Police raid Captain's private home for clues

The police said they also visited the home of the co-pilot, Fariq Ab Hamid.

"According to Malaysian Airlines, the pilot and co-pilot did not ask to fly together on MH370," he said.

New reports say investigators had already spent much of last week examining two laptops removed from Shah's home. One is believed to contain data from the simulator.

He also confirmed Prime Minister Najib Razak had contacted the leaders of more countries, asking them to become involved as the search "entered a new phase".

The search will now include 25 countries, a significant jump from the initial number of 14.

He said the search had become "more difficult", and had been expanded to include "large chunks of land, deep and remote oceans".

Mr Hussein confirmed they had contacted countries along the northern and southern corridors of the search about MH370.

The flight simulator seized ... from the private home of Malaysia Airlines pilot Captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah. Source: Facebook

These countries include: Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, China, Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Australia and France. Officials are requesting assistance from these countries.

"We are asking countries that have satellite assets, including the US, China and France amongst others, to provide further satellite data," he said.

"And we are contacting additional countries who may be able to contribute specific assets relevant to the search and rescue operation. Surveillance aircraft are required, and maritime vessels are needed, particularly for the southern corridor.

"We are currently discussing with all partners how best to deploy assets along the two search corridors. At this stage, both the northern and southern corridors are being treated with equal importance."

Malaysian Police Chief Khalid Abu Bakar also added that background checks on the entire passenger manifest was not complete yet.

"We have not yet received background checks on all passengers from all countries on flight," he said.

When asked if there was anything suspicious in the plane's cargo manifest, officials said there was nothing hazardous.

The latest developments in the investigation come as FBI investigators also said the disappearance of MH370 may have been "an act of piracy" and that the possibility that its hundreds of passengers are being held at an unknown location has not been ruled out.

AL-QAEDA PROBE AFTER LINK TO MALAYSIAN TERROR PLOT

As police probe how Flight MH370 was possibly hijacked, British media are speculating the plane's disappearance could also be linked to al-Qaeda.

A plot created by Malaysian Islamists to hijack the Malaysia Airlines plane in a 9/11-style attack is being investigated, The UK's Daily Telegraph reports.

Malaysian terror plot claims ... made by al-Qaeda informant Saajid Badat. Source: AP

It comes after al-Qaeda informant Saajid Badat, a British-born Muslim from Gloucester, told a court that a group of Malaysian men had been planning to take control of a plane, using a bomb hidden in a shoe to blow open the cockpit door.

Security experts said his evidence was "credible".

Badat said that he had met the Malaysian jihadists – one of whom was a pilot – in Afghanistan and given them a shoe bomb to use to take control of an aircraft.

In giving evidence at the trial in New York of Sulaiman Abu Ghaith, Osama bin Laden's son-in-law, Badat said: "I gave one of my shoes to the Malaysians. I think it was to access the cockpit."

Badat, who spoke via video link, said the Malaysian plot was being masterminded by Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, who was behind the 9/11 attack in the US in 2001.

The alleged links to al-Qaeda come as Prime Minister Razak said the Royal Malaysia Police are investigating all crew and passengers on board MH370, as well as engineers who may have had contact with the aircraft before take-off.

The latest information about the search comes after India suspended its search for the plane around the remote Andaman and Nicobar Islands and in the Bay of Bengal until they got fresh instructions.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott said that two RAAF aircraft helping search for the missing Malaysian airliner will also shift their focus to the Indian Ocean.

Mr Abbott also said that Australia is also prepared to provide any more assistance the Malaysian government might seek.

''If the Malaysians want additional help, we certainly stand ready to supply it,'' he said.

Mr Abbott added there was strong security at Australian airports.

''I am certainly very satisfied with the security arrangements we currently have."

FLIGHT MH370 CAPTAIN AND CO-PILOTS INVESTIGATED

Meanwhile, the pilot and co-pilot of missing Flight MH370 are being newly investigated after Malaysia's Prime Minister confirmed "deliberate actions" are behind the plane's disappearance.

The US intelligence community is leaning towards the theory that "those in the cockpit" - pilot Captain Zaharie Shah and his co-pilot Fariq Abdul - were deliberately responsible for whatever happened to the plane, a US official told CNN.

FAMILIES CLING TO HIJACK THEORY

PILOT SUICIDE MOST LIKELY, EXPERTS SAY

According to British media reports, police are investigating the possibility that Captain Shah hijacked his own aircraft in a political protest.

The pilot was a political fanatic and "obsessive" supporter of Malaysia's opposition leader, Anwar Ibrahim, The Mail on Sunday says.

Looking for clues ... police have searched the home of pilot Zaharie Ahmad Shah. Source: Facebook

Hours before Flight MH370 left Kuala Lumpur, the pilot is said to have attended a controversial trial in which Ibrahim - who has been harassed and jailed on successive charges of homosexuality and sodomy - was jailed for five years.

Police sources say Captain Shah was a political activist and fear that the court decision left him profoundly upset.

Whoever took control of the plane and deliberately flew it off course had an extensive knowledge of aircraft systems – and in all likelihood no one on board had as much expertise as Captain Shah.

A self-declared "aviation geek", Captain Shah, 53, even had his own flight simulator at home and flew remote-controlled planes as a hobby.

The record and personal life of 27-year-old co-pilot Fariq Abdul Hamid have already come under scrutiny after it was revealed he invited a Melbourne tourist and her friend into the cockpit on a previous international flight.

Co-pilot ... Fariq Abdul Hamid is under investigation. Source: Supplied

In a worrying lapse of security, Fariq smoked, took photos and entertained passengers Jonti Roos and Jaan Maree in the cabin on a one-hour flight from Phuket to Kuala Lumpur.

The son of a high-ranking official in the public works department of a Malaysian state, Fariq joined Malaysia Airlines when he was 20.

He is a mild-mannered "good boy'' who regularly visited his neighbourhood mosque outside Kuala Lumpur, said the mosque's imam, or spiritual leader.

The far more seasoned Zaharie joined MAS in 1981 and had logged 18,365 hours of flying time.

Malaysian media reports quoted colleagues calling Zaharie a "superb pilot'', who also served as an examiner, authorised by the Malaysian Civil Aviation Department, to conduct simulator tests for pilots.

Revelation ... Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, centre says investigators believe the missing Malaysian airliner's communications were deliberately disabled. Source: AP

MALAYSIA'S PM CONFIRMS 'DELIBERATE INTERVENTION'

Prime Minister Najib Razak last night made the startling revelation that the last communication with the Malaysia Airlines flight was at 8.11am last Saturday - seven hours later than originally thought. At that point, the plane may have run out of fuel, he said.

The transponder of MH370 was switched off around the time analysts said it would have reached its cruising altitude, when pilots often emerge to take a bathroom or coffee break.

Luxury residence ... journalists outside the house of missing Malaysia Airlines pilot Zaharie Ahmad Shah. Source: AP

Satellite and radar data clearly showed the plane's communications systems were disabled one after another, and it changed course away from its intended path and flew on for hours, he said.

"These movements are consistent with deliberate action by someone on the plane," he said.

Paul Yap, an aviation lecturer at Temasek Polytechnic in Singapore, said in his view there were "only a few scenarios'' likely to explain what happened if a hijacking occurred.

"First the people involved in the deliberate actions are the pilots, one of them or both of them in cahoots.

"Then we have a scenario where terrorists make the pilots change course and switch off the transponders under duress, maybe threatening to kill passengers,'' Yap said.

Authorities have widened the search - and are now hunting for the plane in two separate corridors, including one in the Indian Ocean off the Western Australian coast.

Perth wife tells: I ran out into yard screaming

The missing faces of MH370

Mr Najib said the plane's precise location remained unclear but had been narrowed down to two areas - a northern corridor stretching approximately from the border of Kazakhstan and Turkestan into northern Thailand and a southern corridor stretching approximately from Indonesia to the southern Indian Ocean, including off the WA.

However, authorities stopped short of saying the plane was hijacked.

"Despite media reports that the plane was hijacked I wish to be very clear we are still investigating all possibilities as to what caused MH370 to deviate from its original flight path," Mr Najib said.

Searching for answers ... a Chinese relative of a passenger on board the missing plane at a press conference at a hotel in Beijing. Source: AP

PUBLIC BACKLASH AS OFFICIALS WITHOLD INFORMATION

Chinese relatives of missing passengers reacted in anger to confirmation that the plane had flown on for seven hours after communication systems were switched off.

And China slammed Malaysia for taking seven days to make the information public, ratcheted up its criticism in news commentary saying either a "dereliction of duty or reluctance to share information" was to blame.

Malaysia Airlines said it had not gone public with information that the plane continued to fly for hours after last contact because it needed time to confirm the satellite data.

Meanwhile, claims that a 35-year-old Uighur man from China's troubled autonomous Muslim province was on Flight MH370 may be looked at in a new light. The group claimed responsibility earlier this week but were dismissed as opportunitistic and not credible, but Malaysian reports now say the passenger had taken flight-simulator training in 2005.

More confusion as a woman writes on a board of messages dedicated to the plane's passengers and crew. Source: AP

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So who is running our State?

Premier Colin Barnett has had to deal with an increasing vaccuum at the top of WA's public service. Source: News Corp Australia

THE vacuum at the top of WA's public service is now crippling almost every arm of the State Government.

More than a dozen vital departments and commissions are without a permanent boss – affecting areas ranging from the state's finances to health, planning and the arts.

Unions and the Opposition are warning that the "extraordinary" number of senior vacancies is compromising future planning and has left many of the state's 150,000 public servants without direction.

The Barnett Government is searching for six directors-general, three commissioners, a chief scientist and an under-treasurer.

Two other senior jobs – heads of the Department of Child Protection and Family Support and the Corruption and Crime Commission – will also be vacant soon.

There could hardly be a worse time for all this, with the Barnett Government still reeling from the resignation of Troy Buswell as treasurer.

The role of Health Department boss, which comes with a $600,000 a year salary, has been vacant since Kim Snowball stepped down a year ago.

Premier Colin Barnett put the search for his replacement on hold last year, after a $122,000 recruitment drive proved fruitless.

Australian Medical Association WA president Richard Choong said that while acting director-general Bryant Stokes was doing a great job, the Government needed to find a full-time replacement urgently.

"The position is one of the most important in our state public service," Dr Choong said.

"It is vital that the very best person be found for this key role and that they be ready to seamlessly take over the reins from Professor Stokes.''

Opposition Leader Mark McGowan said the lack of permanent senior bureaucrats proved there was dysfunction "at the heart of Government''.

"It shows a lackadaisical attitude towards these important positions, because I think they need to be filled with urgency,'' he said.

This week, Mr Barnett was pressed in Parliament about the vacant position of chief scientist. He said he purposely left a "period of time" between appoint­ments.

But Mr McGowan said many of the vacant positions have been empty for months and in some cases years.

"To have firmness of direction and authority in decision- making you need to have a permanent appointee," he said. "Acting appointees don't have that authority.''

Mr McGowan said he would expect the recruitment process for the senior bureaucrats would take about three months.

Community and Public Sector Union/Civil Services Association WA secretary Toni Walkington said the public deserved to know why there were delays in filling jobs.

"They are all critical positions that must be filled to ensure the government agencies run properly and have direction,'' she said.

Ms Walkington said the Children's, Equal Opportunity and Corruption and Crime commissions needed permanent people in place to maintain their independence.

A spokeswoman for Mr Barnett said there was "nothing exceptional'' about the number of chief executive vacancies and app­ointments in several positions would be announced soon. "The Government is satisfied the vacancies aren't having an impact on public sector operations," she said.

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How I escaped Morcombe’s killer

FRIGHTENED: Melissa Bridges recalls her encounter with Brett Cowan. <b>Picture: ADAM HEAD</b> Source: News Corp Australia

CONVICTED murderer Brett Peter Cowan tried to rape a ­fellow church member before a social event in May 1998.

Melissa Bridges, 31, claims Cowan — who on Friday was jailed for murdering Queensland teenager Daniel Morcombe — grabbed her breasts and kissed her after he stepped from a shower covered only by a towel.

Decades before the disappearance of schoolboy Daniel Morcombe, his killer, Brett Peter Cowan was abducting and molesting children.

She said she was 15 at the time of the attack.

Mrs Bridges, who was unaware of Cowan's evil past until his highly publicised ­arrest in 2011, said she met him in the mid-1990s when he moved to the Sunshine Coast after a four-year prison term in Darwin.

Cowan's aunt and uncle had brought him into the church fold in the hope of aiding his rehabilitation.

Cowan, now 44, had arranged to pick up Mrs Bridges (then named Melissa Holman) on the way to a street-ministry soup kitchen and was to pick up another, older church member en route.

"But he turned up in a van, dressed in overalls and covered in paint, which I thought was a bit strange," Mrs Bridges recalled.

Murder victim Daniel Morcombe. Picture: Supplied Source: News Limited

"He said he had to go home first and have a shower, so drove me straight to his place ... in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by cane fields."

Mrs Bridges said when Cowan came out of the shower dressed only in a towel and reeking of cologne he lunged at her, pushed her against a computer table, kissed her, grabbed her breasts and clawed at her clothes, according to Mrs Bridges.

The frightened teen managed to raise her knee high enough to push Cowan off and darted through a door.

She called a school friend to come and collect her, she said.

Cowan was separately accused of abusing a young girl for several years and raping a 14-year-old girl he knew.

Boys, girls, teenagers, men, women. Cowan was driven by urges that defied age or gender.

And despite being jailed twice for random, brutal sex attacks on young boys, he appears to have roamed free afterwards with the barest of supervision.

When I fled an evil sex predator. Source: Supplied

Cowan revelled in his perversion, adopting the online username akin to "sexual deviant", in one of several profiles on dating and meet-up websites.

On gay dating website Gaydar, Cowan had three profiles, including one he was using from Perth just before his arrest.

The Sunday Mail discovered the profile, using a variation of his new name Shaddo N'unyah Hunter, remained open during his trial for the abduction and murder of Queensland teenager Daniel Morcombe 13-year-old Sunshine Coast schoolboy Daniel Morcombe in 2003.

Cowan sought out a long list of extreme sex acts and said he was open to meeting anyone up to the age of around mid-50s.

A former girlfriend told police she was once working on her computer and looked up to see Cowan having sex with a male friend he'd brought to their home.

Girlfriends separately told police Cowan commonly viewed online extreme pornography, including bestiality.

He subjected his girlfriends to brutal acts of sexual violence and forced them to role-play rape and kidnap scenarios. And he is said to have told friends he enjoyed inflicting pain.

At functions with family and friends, he secretly offered young boys money to perform sex acts on him.

LANGUAGE WARNING: See the interview in which police allege Cowan confessed to the murder of Daniel Morcombe.

Meanwhile, Cowan's defence team has revealed he will appeal against his convictions, his defence team has revealed.

He was found guilty on Thursday of murder, indecently dealing with a child and inter­fering with a corpse. He was sentenced on Friday to life in prison with a non-parole ­period of 20 years.

Bosscher Lawyers solicitor Tim Meehan said his client had instructed him to appeal against the convictions.

"We are going to seek advice from a Queen's Counsel as to all the grounds that need to be included," Mr Meehan said.

"We are fairly settled in what the appeal will contain and the basis of the appeal, but we only have one opportunity to do this so we will do it ­properly."

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Perth man paying killer $50 a month

Peter Littlejohn worked alongside Brett Cowan the Daniel Morcombe killer he is paying $50 a month in restitution to Cowan for an assault Source: News Corp Australia

Fingers are being pointed over why a serial and violent child rapist like Brett Cowan was ever released from jail.

A MAN who decked convicted child killer Brett Peter Cowan over a workplace dispute is still paying compensation to the serial paedophile — but he's glad he bashed him.

Peter Littlejohn was working with at a tree lopping Cowan in Perth in 2010, where the murderer had fled after murdering Daniel Morcombe on the Queensland Sunshine Coast in 2003.

Mr Littlejohn said that Cowan was a bully who picked on other employees including his brother in law, so one day he confronted him at the caravan park when he was living.

"I'd had enough of his stuff. I went around to confront him and he called me a dickhead and before I knew it, I just punched him," Mr Littlejohn said.

While Cowan may have been able to overpower little boys, but when he picked on someone his own size, it was a different story, Mr Littlejohn said.

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Ricciardo stripped of podium finish

Red Bull Racing's Daniel Ricciardo becomes the first Aussie to finish on the podium in Australia, finishing second at Albert Park

Daniel Ricciardo thunders his Red Bull racer around the street circuit. Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: News Corp Australia

Nico Rosberg leads Daniel Ricciardo during the Australian F1 Grand Prix. Source: News Corp Australia

DANIEL Ricciardo was last night stripped of becoming the first Australian to score a podium at the Australian Grand Prix with FIA stewards disqualifying him from the race in a midnight bombshell.

In an ugly aftermath to the best performance by an Australian at either Melbourne or former GP venue Adelaide, the nation's new sensation was a shattered man after learning his heroic and historic drive would be stricken from the record books.

FIA officials fronted the media soon before midnight and told them the new Red Bull Racing driver had been disqualified from the season-opening race for a fuel flow breach that saw the Australian exceed regulations.

HOW THE STEWARDS REACHED THEIR DECISION

Following a four-hour meeting prompted by claims the new V6 engine in the RB10 guzzled more than the 100kg/h allowed under the new Formula One rules, Ricciardo was sent from the penthouse to the outhouse with stewards dismissing a defence from Red Bull heavyweights Christian Horner and Adrian Newey.

Horner was extremely disappointed with the outcome and said the team would appeal the disqualification.

A confident Horner says they have a defendable case and believes they've been compliant to the rules. The timing of the appeal was not immediately known.

Red Bull boss Christian Horner chats with Daniel Ricciardo in pitlane late last night as the situation deteriorates with the team found guilty of exceeding fuel regulations. Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: News Corp Australia

The bombshell was dropped after Ricciardo became the Melbourne Messiah when he defied history by holding off a fast-finishing Kevin Magnussen.

The F1 paddock was sent into a frenzy about 8.30pm when an FIA official reported the team had breached official fuel flow regulations.

FIA technical delegate Jo Bauer said Ricciardo's RB10 had "exceeded consistently the maximum allowed fuel flow of 100kg/h".

"As this is not in compliance with Article 5.1.4 of the 2014 Formula One Technical Regulations, I am referring this matter to the stewards for their consideration."

Cars are not allowed to consumed more than 100kg's of fuel an hour under new rules introduced this year with the introduction of the 1.6 litre V6 turbo engine.

Daniel Ricciardo realises he's in for a restless night after being disqualified. Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: News Corp Australia

Ricciardo left the track about 11pm before knowing his fate and said he was proud of his effort regardless of the ruling after only Nico Rosberg and his red-hot Mercedes stopped Ricciardo from winning.

Regardless of the disqualification, Ricciardo's performance has assured his future in the sport.

The home crowd went wild as Ricciardo, 24, took his runner's up trophy following a stunning start the 2014 season, the roar reducing the winner's reception to a mere cheer.

Ricciardo is now our man, and he proved why he was given a seat next to world champion Sebastian Vettel in the all-conquering Red Bull Racing team.

"Wow…'' Ricciardo said.

"To be the first Aussie on the Aussie podium. I am just speechless. I'm tripping balls. This has been a remarkable turn around by the team from a few weeks ago and I am lost for words.''

Ricciardo was swamped on the line but blasted past Mercedes big gun and race favourite with a turn one lunge to steal second place.

In a difficult race with several struggling to survive with the new machinery, Riccardo hopelessly chased the flawless Rosberg, who proved uncatchable in his superior machinery after teammate Hamilton and Vettel bombed out.

Daniel Ricciardo celebrates with gusto his podium finish. Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: News Corp Australia

GALLERY: BEST PICS FROM GP SUNDAY AT ALBERT PARK

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Ricciardo was forced to show all his fight, determination and skill in the closing stages of the race as McLaren rookie Magnussen attacked.

His effort was made even grander given his team was predicted to struggle following a horror testing season in the new V6 turbo.

"If l look back to where we were three weeks ago it exceeds my expectations definitely," he said.

"We didn't have confidence we would see a checkered flag let alone a podium. The support has been crazy and being the only Aussie on the grid and the result has been more than I could have been expected.''

The Australian Grand Prix started with carnage off the mark and followed suit throughout the 57 laps

Even winner Rosberg acknowledged Ricciardo's stellar home race after beating him by almost 25 seconds.

"Daniel got a little more support than us but that was expected,'' Rosberg said.

"We all worked hard over the winter and it is amazing to have such a good Silver Arrow. They have done a remarkable job. I had a great start and after that the car was just really quick today. We had a really good engine and no problem with fuel consumption. It all worked perfectly.''

There was drama even before the start light ushered in the new area of Formula One with a stalled Marrussia forcing an aborted start on the formation lap.

With the flag set to drop on the Australian Grand Prix, Jules Bianchi forced a yellow to drop as he sat helpless on the grid.

The Brit joined his teammate Jules Bianchi in the pitlane after the French man earlier fell victim to the same problem.

Daniel Ricciardo powers his way around the Albert Park circuit. Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: Getty Images

Lotus driver Romain Grosjean further reduced the grid after being slapped with a pit-lane penalty for a pre-race blue.

Rosberg blasted his way to the front when the flag finally dropped with a lightening start rocketing him past Ricciardo and Lewis Hamilton.

Ricciardo recovered from a sluggish start to steal second place from Hamilton.

The carnage began behind instantly with Kamui Kobayashi locking up and taking out new Williams driver and Ferrari reject Felipe Massa.

Caterham driver Kamui Kobayashi runs off the track after a collision with Williams driver Felipe Massa. Source: AP

The drama continued when race favourite Hamilton was ordered to retire when his Mercedes dropped a cylinder.

"As soon as I left the line I had a lot less power. I didn't understand it and people came past. They asked me to come in and I think it was one of the cylinders that was not firing.''

Another bombshell was unleashed when reigning World Champion Sebastian Vettel became another high-profile causality of the all-new machinery.

Vettel's race was over on lap five.

"Second formation lap we lost power,'' Vettel said.

"We don't know why yet. It is going to be a long season. All of us expected cars to beach but unfortunately it was us.'

SEE HOW RACE DAY UNFOLDED IN OUR LIVE BLOG BELOW

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Nurse to Hames: Cuts risking lives

A nurse has written a heartfelt letter to Health Minister Kim Hames about the effect of budget cuts at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital. Picture: File image Source: News Limited

A NURSE has revealed in a heartfelt letter to Health Minister Kim Hames how budget cuts at one of WA's biggest hospitals are putting lives at risk and raising "ethical" concerns among staff.

The two-page letter, obtained by The Sunday Times, warns some of the state's most vulnerable patients are in the gravest danger.

The nurse tells Dr Hames one of Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital's most acute wards – responsible for patients with dementia, delirium and eating disorders – has been up to two nurses short for months.

It has also been forced to cut back on the use of agency nurses, who normally help cover gaps left by full-time staff. At the same time, the ward has taken on four extra beds.

"I do recognise that there was no easy way to deal with the budget cuts to the hospital, however, what concerns me, and the staff of (the ward), much more than this, is how it will affect the patients on the ward," the letter says.

"Since December 2013 the staff of (the ward) have been instructed to effect changes which resulted in (the ward) being deprived of assistants in nursing.

"This reform has been applied to several wards across SCGH."

The author goes on to say staff are no longer allowed to call in casual staff to look after patients requiring one-on-one care.

"Anorexic patients on the ward are there for extended periods of time (1-3 months) and during this time require a 1:1 Nurse Special (NS)," it says.

"Taking away the 1:1 NS has proved detrimental to their health due to the inability to prevent self-harm."

A plan to strip 250 full-time jobs from the hospital was uncovered by The Sunday Times in October.

Two weeks ago this newspaper also revealed at least 48 of the hospital's 615 beds would be cut.

Speaking to The Sunday Times this week, the nurse said she wrote the letter because she feared patients would die.

"I care about my patients and I cannot tolerate seeing them suffer," she said.

"I don't think the people of Perth actually realise what's going on and what might happen to their families when they come into SCGH."

Opposition Health Spokesman Roger Cook said the letter provided a clear insight into "how damaging" the cuts were to WA hospitals.

"It is clear that the Barnett Government and their dysfunctional decisions in health are putting patient safety at risk," he said.

"Staff are being asked to do more and more with less and less and the Barnett Government's cuts to healthcare are driving staff to the brink."

Health Minister Kim Hames said changes at the particular ward referred to by the nurse were not related to the decision to cut 250 full-time jobs.

"They relate to a decision to realign beds to better match inpatient bed demand and improve timely patient access to inpatient wards from the emergency department through this realignment," Dr Hames said.

"Realignment of beds to better match inpatient bed demand aims to responsibly deliver high quality health care within staffing levels consistent with those utilised by similar hospitals.

"Staffing of the ward is in line with other Perth hospitals with a similar patient mix as the staffing is guided by the Nursing Hours per Patient Day targets."

Australian Nursing Federation WA state secretary Mark Olson said the Government could not keep ripping money and resources from the health system without "potentially deadly consequences."

"We call on the minister to act on this desperate plea from frontline workers for more staff, because they know what West Australians need when they are at their most vulnerable, not the bureaucrats who are trying to save money before the budget, seemingly without regard for patient safety," he said.

22.16 | 0 komentar | Read More

What to expect from The Stones

Mick Jagger and The Rolling Stones will perform in Perth on Wednesday. Picture: Getty Images Source: Getty Images

A STUDY of set list pictures posted by The Rolling Stones on social media and the band's official website give a clear indication of what Perth fans can expect at the start of the band's Australian tour on Wednesday night.

It also allows admirers who weren't lucky enough to get tickets to the Perth Arena show a chance to play at home.

Having kicked off the "14 On Fire" world tour with their first show in Abu Dhabi last month, The Rolling Stones have been keeping the set list fairly consistent.

■ IS THIS WA'S BIGGEST STONES FAN?

Typically performing 19 songs, with the exception of a 20-song concert on their first night in Tokyo, the Stones have invariably been including their back catalogue staples, such as the 1968 single Jumpin' Jack Flash and Tumbling Dice from the 1972 classic album Exile on Main St.

The Brit rock gods have also been encouraging fans to vote for their favourite song in an online poll prior to each performance through RollingStones.com and the band's official app, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Google+, Instagram, Tumblr and Pinterest pages.

Gimme Shelter, from the band's 1969 album Let It Bleed, was voted the United Arab Emirate's favourite Rolling Stones song. It has subsequently been included at five more shows.

The song is a shoo-in for the Perth show and likely to appear towards the end of the set.

China's Macao voted in Get Off Of My Cloud, which the Stones have churned out three times on the tour so far.

The Sunday Times is predicting the song will make the cut for the Perth show too.

While the 1969 hit song Honky Tonk Woman, which features sexual lyrics, was banned from the Shanghai show, where Street Flighting Man was voted in, it's almost certain to reappear in Perth, having been played at the other five Stones shows.

The 1966 gem Ruby Tuesday has only made two shows this year, but we're predicting it may be back for Australia.

The 1973 acoustic number Angie is another classic that has only been played twice so far but, having peaked at No. 1 in Australia, might be included.

Despite variations to the set list, the encore has repeatedly featured You Can't Always Get What You Want and (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction. This is unlikely to change.

With Mick Jagger having said it was likely the Stones would shake up the set list on tour, it remains to be seen whether the song list from last night's Singapore or the upcoming Perth show will hold any surprises.

The Rolling Stones will be performing in Perth on Wednesday. Picture: Getty Images Source: Getty Images

THE LIKELY SET LIST

1 Start Me Up

2 It's Only Rock 'n' Roll (But I Like It)

3 You Got Me Rocking

4 Tumbling Dice

5 Get Off My Cloud

6 Doom and Gloom

7 Ruby Tuesday

8 Honky Tonk Women

9 Slipping Away

10 Angie

11 Midnight Rambler

12 Miss You

13 Paint it Black

14 Gimme Shelter

15 Jumpin' Jack Flash

16 Sympathy For The Devil

17 Brown Sugar

Encore:

18 You Can't Always Get What You Want (with the Al Khubairat Singers)

19 (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction

As predicted by The Sunday Times

THE STONES BY NUMBERS:

● The Rolling Stones first visited Australia in 1965 and played three shows in Perth at the Capitol Theatre.

● Although Perth was included on the 1966 and 1973 Australasian Tours, we missed out on the Licks Tour in 2003 and A Bigger Bang Tour in 2006.

● It has been almost 20 years since the Stones were in Perth, having last played at Perry Lakes Stadium as part of the Voodoo Lounge Tour in 1995.

● The band's international touring party is made up of 117 people.

● They are playing one night only at each stop including Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Hanging Rock and Auckland, New Zealand.

● Adelaide Premier, Jay Weatherill, confirmed taxpayers had spent $450,000 to lure the rockers to officially open the remodelled Adelaide Oval.

● Ticket prices for the sold-out Perth Arena show range from $200.95-$580.45, with packages starting at $575 and going up to $1275 for the VIP Tongue Pit Package, which includes early venue entry, a limited edition tour lithograph and a gift bag.

● There are more 50 listings on Gumtree for tickets to the Perth show with people asking up to $2500 for two seated tickets.

● Mick Taylor, who played with the Stones from 1969 to 1974, will be a guest at the shows.

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Buswell debacle ruins Barnett’s exit plan

It's understood Colin Barnett had been preparing to announce he would step down as Premier next year until Troy Buswell's latest crisis. Source: News Corp Australia

COLIN Barnett had been preparing to announce he would step down as Premier next year until Troy Buswell's latest crisis, The Sunday Times understands.

A well-placed Liberal source this week claimed the Premier had made up his mind in January that he would not be contesting the 2017 election.

He wanted to remain as Premier into next year – but would step down before 2016 to serve out the remainder of his political career as a Liberal backbencher.

The insider said Mr Barnett believed Mr Buswell could lead the party to the next election. But he was content to let the party choose his successor.

He was going to tell the public about his plans in the middle of this year. According to the influential Liberal, Mr Barnett's wife Lyn, his chief of staff Brian Pontifex and his confidante Narelle Cant all supported his decision to retire before 2017, telling him he "had nothing left to prove".

But Mr Buswell's resignation on Sunday – prompted by his mental breakdown and drink-driving allegations – had now scrambled the situation.

"In 2013 Barnett was cranky,'' the informed source said. "People were trying to get him to commit to run in another election and he felt pressured to do so.

"He was worried there was not a natural successor, although Troy was a backstop.

"Barnett was saying, 'I can't just leave everyone in the lurch'. He spoke to Narelle and Brian about his future towards the end of last year and told them he would think about his future over the summer break. They basically told him, 'You have served the party well for many years and there is no obligation to hang around if you don't want to'."

The source said Lyn Barnett had urged her husband to retire: "She told me he did not have anything more to prove – to anyone."

The source said Mr Pontifex had been approached by several global energy companies about a senior executive role.

Ms Cant was contemplating a role outside of politics that would allow more time with her family.

It is also understood Mr Barnett's promotion of long-feted Alfred Cove MP Dean Nalder to the Cabinet ahead of colleague Andrea Mitchell was done in the hope he would quickly become a contender for the leadership.

"A lot of people are going to be watching Dean's performance. He has only been a member of parliament for a few months, so now it will be interesting to see how he performs as a minister," a senior Liberal MP said yesterday.

"But yes, it is now out of him and Liza Harvey in regards to who will take over as leader, now that Troy is gone."

Liberal MPs close to Mr Buswell said yesterday it was "very likely" the Vasse MLA would not return to a position on the backbench.

"Troy may not want to come back," a Liberal source said. "There's no incentive for him to come back."

Mr Barnett yesterday dismissed claims he was planning to announce he would step down as Premier next year.

"I have consistently said that I would make a decision about my future one year before the next election," he said.

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Chief begged Buswell to stop drinking

Troy Buswell, Russell Gibbs, Vince Salpietro, Brett McCarthy and Michael Anghie at the February 22 wedding reception. Source: Supplied

THE chief-of-staff to former treasurer Troy Buswell begged her boss to stop drinking just hours before he allegedly had a series of prangs while driving home drunk from a wedding.

Insiders say Rachael Turnseck refused to watch her boss ruin his career at the February 22 event that led to his downfall, and left about 11pm.

Another source said they had regular "fierce fights'' about his drinking.

Despite a history that includes scandals such as chair-sniffing and bra snapping, Mr Buswell, 48, was considered one of the Liberal Party's best fundraisers, and Ms Turnseck would often chaperone him.

But at the wedding soiree of wine baron Vince Salpietro and Meme Luong, Ms Turnseck's worst fears came true.

The Vasse MP stayed to enjoy the lavish food and wine, and guests said he was in "good form'' among some of the state's most influential people.

This included property mogul Nigel Satterley and Mineral Resources chair Chris Ellison, Hawaiian property group chief executive and West Coast Eagles board member Russell Gibbs, former Eagles coach and captain John Worsfold and Australian cricket legend Adam Gilchrist.

The editor of The West Australian, Brett McCarthy, was joined by Seven West Media director Peter Gammel, Bankwest chief executive Rob de Luca and Ernst & Young managing partner Michael Anghie.

Some – such as Mr Satterley and McCarthy – were also at a 2011 Christmas party where Mr Buswell's former lover Adele Carles accused him of drunken behaviour.

On the night of the wedding, guests took in spectacular Swan River views from historic Mt Eliza House at Kings Park.

The wine was excellent and plentiful, courtesy of Mr Salpietro who owns and runs Grand Cru Wineshop and Cellars.

Mr Buswell celebrated late into the night.

He was seen outside the venue in the early hours of the morning, when he decided to get behind the wheel of his Government-issued Caprice for the 2km trip to his Subiaco home.

More than five parked cars on the route were found damaged and Mr Buswell's car was also damaged in an incident that triggered a mental breakdown.

Mr Buswell was hospitalised for 10 days before resigning from Cabinet last Sunday, and a police investigation is ongoing.

McCarthy said he was at the wedding with Buswell but he "didn't see anything that would lead me to suspect what would happen".

He said he was at the 2011 Christmas party too, but left before the alleged incident.

Mr Ellison and Mr Gibbs declined to comment.

Gilchrist and Worsfold could not be reached, while Mr Satterley said: "It was just a private wedding ... It was a beautiful wedding and, you know, that's it.''

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Murdered mum predicted own death

Selina Bello with her son. Picture: Channel 9 Source: Supplied

COMO hairdresser Angela Ferullo had a premonition that her ex-husband would end her life, telling her daughter: "He's going to kill me."

Selina Bello, the 24-year-old daughter Ms Ferullo died protecting along with her unborn grandchild, reveals this in speaking about the events that led to her 43-year-old mother's murder on June 24 last year.

Ms Bello was stabbed repeatedly in the att­ack and was told of her mother's death as she fought in hospital for her life and that of her unborn child.

"There were times when she did sort of say 'He's gonna kill me' or 'He's going to hurt me, Selina'," Ms Bello has told Channel 9's A Current Affair in her first in-depth interview.

Ms Bello, who worked as a hairdresser with her mother, was doing the hair of 67-year-old Peggy Kew when Ms Ferullo's ex-husband James Bill Payet walked in.

Selina Bello talks about the day her mother Angela Ferullo was murdered and she was stabbed at their Como hair salon. Picture: Channel 9

"I seen him out the corner of my eye as he walked past the window and my heart dropped because I just thought 'This isn't going to be good'," Ms Bello, who was five months pregnant at the time, said.

She tried to protect her mother, who was working in the back of the salon, by telling the knife-wielding Payet she did not know where she was. As Payet turned on her, Ms Ferullo ran in from the back of the salon and threw herself across her daughter. She was stabbed to death.

A Current Affair host Tracy Grimshaw said Ms Bello wanted to draw attention to the scourge of domestic violence. , who flew to Perth to interview Ms Bello, said she wanted to do the interview herself because it would help draw attention to the scourge of domestic violence in Australia. It will go to air tomorrow night.

"This is more than a story about a violent man and the tragic death of a WA woman," Grimshaw said.

Angela Ferullo, who was murdered in her Como hair salon in June 2013.

"It's a broader story of domestic abuse and domestic violence in this country. It happens behind closed doors most of the time."

Ms Bello hadn't seen the knives in Payet's hand when he walked into the salon.

"She knew that he was angry and posed a risk," Grimshaw said. "She knew he was going to hurt her mother so she said she didn't know where mum is.

"So he picked up Selina by her throat and threw her across the salon and then began attacking her. And her mother came out. It's a hell of an ordeal."

Ms Bello was stabbed five times, including in the stomach, and underwent emergency surgery.

Ms Kew, a grandmother of 10, was stabbed in the shoulder and chest as she tried to fight Payet off with a chair.

Almost nine months after the attack Ms Bello is now the mother of baby son Emilio and has returned to the salon.

Payet pleaded guilty in February to the murder of Ms Ferullo and other charges.

He is due to be sentenced in the Supreme Court in Perth in May.

● See the full interview on A Current Affair with Tracy Grimshaw on Channel 9 at 7pm tomorrow (Monday).

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