Cambridges wow a stunning Sydney

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will join thousands of Australians at the Royal Easter show. Source: AAP

IT'S been a very Good Friday for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and for their host - Sydney.

The bright young stars of the British royal family have attracted thousands to every event they've had since arriving in Australia on Wednesday, and this perfect, autumn day was no different.

From their visit to the Royal Easter Show to stepping onto the famous sands of Manly beach, there was no let up in the enthusiasm.

Kate wowed by wearing a white cotton lace dress by Australian designer sisters, Nicole and Simone Zimmermann to Friday's events.

But it wasn't just about cheering crowds. The royal couple also spent an hour with sick children and their families at the Bear Cottage hospice in Manly, one of only two such hospices in Australia and a cause very close to Kate's heart.

The duchess, who is royal patron of the East Anglia Children's Hospice in the UK and has also visited children's hospices in Malaysia and New Zealand.

In her first speech of the Australian visit, the duchess told parents, staff and kids, it was "wonderful to be here today".

"The haven that you have created here is inspirational, and there is so much that you can share with each other as you continue to support and nurture those in your care," the duchess told the packed room that included Prime Minister Tony Abbott and NSW Premier Mike Baird.

She also used the opportunity to thank Australia for their welcome.

"To be here together as a family has been very special and we will always remember it with fond and happy memories," she said.

"Thank you for inviting us here and for such a generous welcome."

Everyone who has had the chance to say hello to Kate or William - or just catch a glimpse of them - has been delighted.

Sophie Martyr, 16, was still shaking after making the presentation to the royal pair at Bear Cottage.

"It was amazing, it was unforgettable," she told AAP.

At the show, Margaret Bryant and her pals Margaret Wright and Marie Whiteman - all in their 80s - arrived in Sydney from Cowra at 3am (AEST) to see the Cambridges.

"They're such a lovely couple. They're so much in love," Ms Bryant from Cowra told AAP.

"I thought they were spectacular and I'm glad they've come," Ms Wright said.

Kate and William took in some displays at the show, with Kate light-heartedly ribbing her husband when inspecting a display featuring alpaca wool.

"The princess said (the Duke) should put some on his head," said Lyn Cregan, 67, from Glen Innes.

"She pointed at him and said 'You need it more than me.' He laughed."

However, like many eight-month-olds, Prince George was deemed too young to see the show - but it didn't mean he was forgotten.

A trolley was brought to cope with number of presents being offered by the crowds - including books, Possum Magic and Peppa Pig toys and bouquets.

At Manly, there was barely room to move behind the cordoned-off areas. The royal couple were delighted with the late afternoon surf lifesaving display. There was also another present for George - a surfboard.

Kate told former world ironwoman champion Naomi Flood that she was loving being in Australia.

Prince William chimed in: "We are just trying to see more."

That will happen on Saturday, when for the first time they head interstate to Amberley RAAF base and Brisbane.

On Sunday, they'll visit Taronga's Zoo before moving camp to Canberra. Next week, Uluru and Adelaide are on the itinerary.

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Good Friday processions in Jerusalem

The crucifixion of Jesus is being remembered in prayers and processions throughout Jerusalem. Source: AAP

CHRISTIANS in the Holy Land are commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus Christ in Good Friday prayers and processions through Jerusalem's Old City.

Thousands of Christian pilgrims filled the cobblestone alleyways of the Old City on Friday along the Via Dolorosa, Latin for the "Way of Suffering."

They are carrying wooden crosses and following the 14 stations ending at the ancient Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Tradition says the church was built on the site where Jesus was crucified, buried and resurrected.

The Easter holiday and Jewish Passover coincide this year.

According to the Gospels, Jesus ate his last supper - a Passover meal - hours before he was betrayed. Christians believe Jesus was crucified on Good Friday and resurrected on Easter Sunday.

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Kate delights kids during hospice visit

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have visited Bear Cottage as part of their visit to Sydney. Source: AAP

IT was the simple things that the Duchess of Cambridge did that made the difference. A personal greeting and chat, a smile, singing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star alongside small children facing the biggest fight.

There were no airs and graces, just a young mother bringing smiles to sick young children being cared for at Bear Cottage in Manly, one of only two children's hospices in Australia.

The palliative care of sick children is a cause close to Kate's heart, as she is the royal patron of East Anglia's Children's Hospices in the UK and has visited similar centres in Malaysia and New Zealand.

While Kate toured the centre's playroom, quiet room and music therapy garden, meeting with children some of whom were wheelchair bound or confined to stretchers, Prince William met privately with families.

Wearing a cream lace Zimmermann dress, Kate sat on a wooden garden bench and played a drum, singing the nursery rhyme with the children taking part in music therapy.

During an informal afternoon tea attended by families and centre staff as well as NSW Premier Mike Baird and Prime Minister Tony Abbott, the duchess made her first speech of the visit.

"It really is wonderful to be here today - having the chance to meet you all and to see the incredible work of Bear Cottage," the duchess said.

"The haven that you have created here is inspirational, and there is so much that you can share with each other as you continue to support and nurture those in your care."

There was a special moment for 16-year-old Daniel Howarth, who suffers from a lung disease and had a Union Jack flag strapped to his wheelchair.

"Very nice to meet you, Daniel," Kate said.

His dad Adam, 44, said it was amazing for Daniel to meet the duchess.

"We explained to Kate that Daniel's got chronic lung disease and cerebral palsy and we've been coming here for 10 years after major surgery," said Mr Howarth, who was at the centre with his wife Deborah, 43, Daniel, and 10-year-old son Lachlan.

"Daniel likes sport, Chelsea, so she was asking us all about sport and telling us her husband supports Aston Villa, and we talked a little about the English Premier League. She's so natural, engaging and friendly."

Sophie Martyr, 16, wearing a red bandanna after undergoing cancer treatment, was still shaking after presenting the couple with an artwork painted by Bear Cottage kids.

"It was amazing, it was just unforgettable," Ms Martyr told AAP.

"He (William) asked me about how I'm going and how I'm feeling."

Bear Cottage nurse Philly Smith, 44, talked with the duke in the garden.

"I think he made the families feel very special," Ms Smith said.

"One of the children is a similar age to his so he talked about that."

The royals then left - 20 minutes late - but before getting in the royal motorcade, Kate thrilled the crowd by meeting a number of fans and receiving flowers and a toy footy.

On his way out, Mr Abbott said it was a "fabulous afternoon for Bear Cottage".

"These are magnificent people here. There are some very special and brave kids here," Mr Abbott told AAP.

"To get this visit from Prince William and the duchess is just extraordinary."

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Easter road toll stands at four lives lost

AUSTRALIA'S Easter road toll now stands at four after a tragic opening to the holiday long weekend in both Western Australia and Tasmania.

Young men aged 17 to 20 account for three of the deaths, all in WA, and the fourth fatal crash involved a Chinese woman who was on holiday in Tasmania.

All of the fatal crashes occurred on Thursday and authorities have not reported a road death on Good Friday.

On Thursday afternoon, a 17-year-old boy died after being thrown from a car which rolled several times on the Gnaraloo-Quobba Road near the WA town of Carnarvon.

Police said the East Carnarvon boy was a passenger in a Nissan Patrol when the driver lost control of the vehicle.

People who had been following the vehicle stopped and performed CPR on the boy until ambulance crews arrived. He was taken to Carnarvon Regional Hospital but was unable to be revived.

The 17-year-old male driver was treated for cuts and bruises.

Hours later, a 20-year-old man was killed when a Ford Falcon ute he was driving hit a tree on the Collie-Williams Road near Collie at about 3pm (WST).

His passenger, a 22-year-old man from Bunbury, was knocked unconscious and taken to hospital after a passing motorist pulled him from the burning wreckage.

On Thursday evening and again in WA, a 19-year-old Bruce Rock man died after his car hit a large tree on Narembeen Rd near Bruce Rock east of Perth.

In Tasmania, the 32-year-old Chinese woman was a passenger in a vehicle being driven by her 30-year-old husband, also a Chinese national.

Their Volkswagen hatchback was involved in a head-on collision with a Hyundai delivery van on the Bass Highway, west of Port Latta, on Thursday afternoon.

The couple were taken to the North West Regional Hospital, where the woman died. The man has undergone multiple surgeries and is in a serious condition.

A 31-year-old Burnie man who was driving the van suffered minor injuries but has been released.

(EDS: The Easter road toll figures are for the period 0001 April 17 to 2359 April 21)

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Cambridges help Blue Mountains recovery

The Blue Mountains is looking forward to the visit of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Source: AAP

THE words "I'm sorry" never sounded more sincere or consoling for victims of last year's Blue Mountains bushfires, than when spoken by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

Six months after suffering the worst firestorm in years, the community is still scarred and struggling to recover.

But a visit on Wednesday from William and Kate went a long way to raise their spirits and remind them again that people, including royalty, really cared.

"For them to come out all this way to say hello and say, 'I'm sorry this happened to you' ... it didn't seem like duty to them, it seemed like a pleasure," Eartha Odell, 47, said.

"They were very sincere in trying to understand our grief and very kind and warm and approachable to the children."

Ms O'Dell lives in Buena Vista Road, Winmalee - a street where almost half the homes were destroyed in the savage blaze one frightening afternoon in October last year.

Last spring, Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary of Denmark visited the region while the pain was still raw.

Wednesday's visit by the William and Kate was just as important because it reminded residents they hadn't been forgotten.

"People out there are still thinking of us, which is greatly appreciated, bloody oath it is," Adrian Harrison, who lost his house, said.

The royal couple was scheduled to meet with just two fire affected families in the street but they chose to talk to many more, stretching their visit by more than 20 minutes.

Shortly afterwards, they met with many of the fire fighters who had put their lives on the line to save houses and lives. And William was keen to show his respect.

"I want to shake as many hands as I can. Everyone," Prince William told the volunteers.

He asked about fire-fighting techniques and rebuilding.

"It must be wonderful being a part of a community that works together."

He singled out a 16-year-old who worked the communication lines when the bushfire came to town - while his house was burning.

"Wow what a baptism of fire you have had," William said.

Ten metres away, the Duchess was engrossed in the sheer dimensions of the disaster.

"To not have any loss of life is incredible," she said.

As an ongoing reminder for the locals and a symbol of growth for the area, the couple planted a West Australian flowering red gum tree out the front of the Winmalee Guides Hall in Yellow Rock.

After raising spirits, the royal couple played tourists, stunning natural beauty of the Blue Mountains.

Like many tourists before them, the royal couple visited Echo Point in Katoomba, taking in the iconic Three Sisters, Mt Solitary and the Jamison Valley.

"I pointed out Mt Solitary and Jamison Valley from the lookout. She said the view was beautiful - it was amazing how far you could see," Anthea Hammon, joint managing director of Scenic World said.

The visit will provide an enormous boost to tourism in the mountains, which has struggled since the bushfires.

"The economy has not recovered from the fires and we need to attract visitors back to the mountains ... This coverage will bring people back," Blue Mountains mayor Mark Greenhill told AAP earlier.

Thousands, including Sydney sisters Alexandra Witting, 12, and Sophia Witting, nine, and Ainslie Zakis, 12, of Wentworth Falls, had waited at Echo Point for the chance to meet or at least see the couple.

"It was a last minute decision to come up here today - but it was so worth it. I will never forget it," Alexandra said.

The Duke and Duchess' last stop on Thursday was Narrow Neck, a spectacular vertical cliff at Katoomba that plunges 100 metres to the lush bush below.

They met a group of local youth group demonstrating adventure sports.

William prompted gasps from onlookers as he stepped to the very edge of the cliff to watch some abseilers.

"He took a bit of a lunge and a few people held their breath, gasped and readied their hands to grab him," said Damien Cooper, manager of the Blue Mountains Youth Service.

"He was fine of course, he knew what he was doing. I think his military background prepared him well for it."

The royal couple then made their way to Katoomba Falls oval where they left the mountains in a Black Hawk army helicopter. William met privately with Prime Minister Tony Abbott at Admiralty House on Thursday afternoon.

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Vic man in court over partner's murder

A man wanted over the fatal stabbing of his partner in a busy Melbourne street remains at large. Source: AAP

A MELBOURNE man allegedly murdered his partner after they'd been in court about a family violence order, a court has heard.

Craig McDermott, 38, is charged with murdering his de facto wife of 18 years, Fiona Joy Warzywoda, in a Sunshine shopping strip on Wednesday.

McDermott, of Sunshine North, briefly appeared in Melbourne Magistrates' Court on Thursday afternoon.

Ms Warzywoda was in Sunshine Magistrates Court on Wednesday morning over a family violence order in place against McDermott.

The mother of four left her solicitor's office just three minutes before she was killed, police said on Wednesday.

She was stabbed multiple times in front of lunchtime shoppers in Sunshine's busy Hampshire Road shopping district.

Passers-by performed CPR but could not save the 33-year-old Melton West woman.

McDermott handed himself in to police on Thursday morning.

Prosecutor Tim Bourbon said police would speak to a number of eyewitnesses and examine a significant amount of CCTV footage.

"The incident occurred in a public place," he told the Melbourne Magistrates Court.

"The CCTV footage covers the lead-up to the incident."

The footage may also include Ms Warzywoda's death, he said.

Magistrate Peter Reardon agreed to allow the media to publish the fact that there was a family violence order, saying it was in the public interest to highlight cases of domestic violence.

"The victim, or the affected family member, had attended Sunshine Magistrates Court," he said.

"Subsequently she was murdered.

"In light of recent events ... in these circumstances it is in the public interest and just."

McDermott appeared in the dock with his left hand heavily bandaged.

He was remanded in custody for a committal mention on August 7.

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Thai charges for Australian journalist

THAI authorities have charged an Australian journalist and his local colleague with defaming Thailand's navy in an online news report about the trafficking of refugees from Myanmar.

The English-language news website Phuketwan posted a story last July carrying excerpts from a report by the Reuters news agency alleging that members of the Thai military were involved in trafficking captured immigrants from Myanmar's beleaguered Rohingya ethnic minority.

The charges came several days after Reuters won a Pulitzer Prize in international reporting for its series on the violent persecution of the Rohingya - a Muslim minority that rights groups say has been subjected to systematic abuse and forced segregation.

Alan Morison, the website's Australian editor, and his Thai colleague, Chutima Sidasathien, appeared in a court on the southern island of Phuket to hear charges of defamation and violation of the 2007 Computer Crime Act. If found guilty, they could face up to seven years in prison and a fine of 100,000 baht ($A3223).

"To us, it's still very much a case that shouldn't be going to court, and sadly it's going to damage Thailand's reputation as a democracy because these kinds of cases shouldn't occur in any democracy," Morison said.

The navy filed the lawsuit against the pair in December. Human rights and press freedom groups have criticised the navy and urged that the charges be dropped.

The trial of Phuketwan's journalists was "unjustified and constitutes a dark stain on Thailand's record for respecting media freedom," Brad Adams, the Asia director of New York-based Human Right Watch, said in an email.

"The Thai navy should have debated these journalists publicly if they had concerns with the story rather than insisting on their prosecution under the draconian Computer Crimes Act and criminal libel statutes."

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Numbers man Baird vows to transform NSW

MIKE Baird has vowed to restore trust in the government and transform NSW after his sudden rise to premier replacing Barry O'Farrell.

The former banker, who had served as treasurer in the O'Farrell government, was elected Liberal leader unopposed on Thursday.

The top job was vacated following Mr O'Farrell's resignation for giving misleading evidence to the corruption watchdog about a $3000 bottle of wine.

The party room elected Transport Minister Gladys Berejiklian as deputy Liberal leader after ministers Pru Goward and Anthony Roberts pulled out of the running.

In his first media conference as incoming premier, Mr Baird said the community was "incredibly disappointed and shocked" by the events over the past 48 hours.

The committed Christian said he would be announcing a set of integrity measures in the coming days and weeks to restore trust.

"What is absolutely challenging for any government is when you lose the trust of the community," he told reporters, flanked by his wife and three children.

"My job, Gladys's job, the government's job, is to restore it," Mr Baird said.

He paid tribute to Mr O'Farrell, saying he was a man of integrity.

"We have made a great foundation," he said.

"But I don't want to just stabilise NSW - I want to transform it."

Mr Baird, who is a surf buddy with Prime Minister Tony Abbott on Sydney's northern beaches, said he looked forward to working with the federal leader.

"I have to say it's a pleasure to work alongside a prime minister such as Tony Abbott," Mr Baird said.

Mr Abbott said the new premier would make a fine leader.

"I have known Mike for many years and I know he will discharge his responsibilities with integrity and honour," the PM said.

Mr Baird, the son of former federal MP Bruce Baird, decided to run for premier following a family meeting on Wednesday night.

"We were all apprehensive about what it would mean and that it would be a tough few years ahead but we still said he should do it because we thought he would do a great job," Bruce Baird told Sky News.

But NSW opposition leader John Robertson said Mr Baird was an ideologue.

He said he must answer questions about the appointment of Nick Di Girolamo, who is at the centre of a corruption inquiry, to the board of State Water Corporation in mid-2012.

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Sydney boy aged four hit by car, dies

A YOUNG boy who was run over by a car in Sydney's west has died in hospital.

The four-year-old was crossing a residential road in Westmead on Tuesday afternoon with his mother and brother when he was hit, leaving him with serious head injuries, police said.

Paramedics tried to revive the child at the scene before taking him to Westmead Hospital, where he later died.

"The child's mother sustained minor injuries in the collision and was also taken to Westmead Hospital for treatment. The other child was not injured," police said.

The woman driver wasn't hurt and has been taken for mandatory blood and urine tests.

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Series of errors behind Top End blackout

A SERIES of human errors, outdated systems and an inadequate regulatory regime were behind a huge blackout in the Northern Territory that cut off power from Darwin to Katherine.

Some 140,000 people were affected by the power outage on March 21 when a circuit breaker failed and an "unnecessary" switching procedure to isolate it tripped transmission lines, disconnecting generating units across the Top End, according to a Utilities Commission report.

It shows that Power and Water Corporation (PWC) needs to undergo a major cultural change to break away from slack unionised work practices, Treasurer Dave Tollner said on Tuesday.

The procedure for re-booting the Darwin-Katherine power system, which spans more than 300km, had not been reviewed since May 2010, shortly after the last major blackout.

The report found that human error combined with the failure of back-start generators raised concerns "there may be a lack of adequate procedures, training and understanding of the potential impacts on power system security".

It said there was no apparent risk assessment or check to deal with the malfunctioning circuit breaker.

Mr Tollner said that had the 2010 recommendations been acted on, the blackout could have been avoided.

He slammed the Electrical Trades Union for "bullying" voters at Saturday's Blain by-election, and said he was considering referring its NT branch to the royal commission on union governance and corruption.

"I am very concerned about the union involvement in the PWC ... it seems to have been used as their plaything," he said.

But he stopped short of accusing the union of corruption.

"What this report indicates is this entrenched culture of cronyism and slack work practices of the corporation," Mr Tollner said.

The government should admit its cuts to PWC's repairs and maintenance budget contributed to poor power reliability, the opposition's essential services spokeswoman Nicole Manison said.

Mr Tollner said the NT's energy market would be far better governed by the Australian Energy Regulator, and said the report makes the case for the structural separation of power and water, the legislation of which will be debated next month.

The government denies the separation is preparation for privatising the two entities.

Mr Tollner said he would demand that PWC give monthly updates on how the Utilities Commission's recommendations will be implemented.

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Ita destroyed 90 per cent of sugar cane

Sugar canegrowers say cyclone Ita destroyed almost 90 per cent of Australia's crop. Source: AAP

ALMOST 90 per cent of Australia's sugar cane crop is thought to have been destroyed by cyclone Ita.

But Queensland's Community Recovery Minister David Crisafulli says it's up to the industry to seek government help.

"It's too early to just make a blanket statement to say industry x needs this and industry y needs that," he told reporters in Cairns on Tuesday.

"That's not the way it should be done."

Canegrowers said Ita destroyed 90 per cent of Australia's crop as it moved south along the Queensland coast.

The peak body representing sugar cane harvesters in cyclone-hit parts of Queensland said the destruction of 10 million tonnes of cane in the state's north also accounted for almost 30 per cent of Australia's sugar production.

Cane farmers in Tully and Innisfail and as far south as Proserpine and Mackay have been affected.

While Ita was downgraded from a cyclone to a tropical low on Monday night, the sugar cane farming town of Ingham north of Townsville was stranded as the swollen Herbert River cut off the Bruce Highway.

The weather bureau was expecting flood levels to continue falling on Tuesday.

Canegrowers chairman Paul Schembri said growers would not realise the full extent of flood damage until harvesting began in late June.

"Many of our sugar cane growers will have a tough time recovering from this blow," he said in a statement.

"We are going into damage control mode, focusing on the individual growers for whom Ita bought an immediate and severe economic loss."

Inspector Kevin Gutteridge, who will lead the recovery effort, said his main priority was getting access to affected communities.

He said apart from repairing infrastructure, it was also important to assess the human cost of the disaster.

"It's a great thing to sit there and say there's always someone worse off," he said.

"But if anyone needs help, please take the right steps to get the assistance you need ... because down the track things will get much harder."

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Vic govt to consider IBAC changes

VICTORIA'S corruption watchdog could be beefed up after complaining it can't investigate some claims.

The Victorian government says it will consider changes to the integrity regime after the year-old watchdog called for stronger investigative powers.

The Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC) says there are cases where it has felt unable to investigate corruption claims because the allegations do not meet a high enough threshold under the legislation.

The IBAC also wants parliament to consider making it mandatory for heads of public sector bodies and local councils to notify it of corrupt conduct, as is already the case in other states.

The change should apply at the very least for more serious matters within the public sector, IBAC says.

Victorian Attorney-General Robert Clark said the government would carefully consider the various recommendations and suggestions made by IBAC.

In its report on its first year of operation, IBAC says it has been hamstrung by restrictions in the legislation which set it up.

"There have been corrupt conduct allegations where IBAC has not felt able to commence investigations because of threshold restrictions in the IBAC Act," IBAC says in the report released Tuesday.

Not all the cases were suitable to be referred elsewhere and this may have undermined its objectives, it says.

IBAC also wants powers to investigate misconduct in public office, as is the case under other Australian integrity regimes.

In addition, it flagged the need for stronger protection for whistleblowers.

The watchdog says there are cases where people who have disclosed information appear not to qualify for whistleblower protection and this may deter whistleblowers coming forward with valuable information.

Mr Clark said the government has made clear it will monitor the IBAC legislation and take into account feedback from the IBAC commissioner about amendments.

"The government will now carefully consider the various recommendations and suggestions made by IBAC," he said.

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Body of woman found in SA

SA police hope tourists in a motorhome can help shed light on the disappearance of a Frenchwoman. Source: AAP

A BODY believed to be that of missing French tourist Aurelie Lhorme has been found at the base of a cliff on South Australia's far west coast, police say.

Ms Lhorme, 30, was last seen in her parked car near the Head of the Bight Whale Watching Centre, near the Nullarbor Plain, on Saturday night.

"Police can confirm that the body of a woman has been found at the base of a cliff near Head of Bight," police said in a statement on Monday evening.

"The body is yet to be formally identified."

Police Special Tasks and Rescue officers abseiled down the cliff on Monday and confirmed the body of a woman had been found.

Staff at the centre had spoken to her after she appeared to be sleeping in her car on an access road.

Her car was found in the same spot the following morning, along with her mobile phone, wallet and passport.

A search on Sunday, involving an Aboriginal tracker, failed to find the woman and resumed on Monday.

Police want to speak to the occupants of a Jayco motorhome, which was parked next to the whale watching centre on Saturday night, who may have had contact with Ms Lhorme.

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Stocks to watch at close on Monday

STOCKS to watch on the Australian stock exchange at the close on Monday:

API - AUSTRALIAN PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRIES - in trading halt, last traded at 56.5 cents

Drugs wholesaler and pharmacies operator Australian Pharmaceutical Industries is set to make an announcement about the carrying value of its assets.

BRL - BATHURST RESOURCES - in trading halt, last traded at seven cents

Bathurst Resources, which has cut jobs and delayed the start to its controversial Escarpment open-cut coal mine on New Zealand's Denniston Plateau, may raise up to $NZ6.87 million ($A6.41 million) in a discounted share placement.

ELD - ELDERS - down 0.5 cents, or 4.55 per cent, at 10.5 cents

Agribusiness Elders has appointed two more non-executive directors who it says will add to the depth of financial management and agricultural experience on the board.

WDC - WESTFIELD GROUP - down 13 cents, or 1.2 per cent, at $10.44

WRT - WESTFIELD RETAIL TRUST - down two cents, or 0.65 per cent, at $3.04

Shopping centre group Westfield's split of its Australian and New Zealand assets from its international operations has been backed by financial services firm KPMG.

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Woolworths in breach of ACCC agreement

Retailer Woolworths has breached an agreement it had with the ACCC over its fuel shopper dockets. Source: AAP

MOTORISTS will still be able to get big fuel discounts by combining supermarket and petrol fuel discounts offered by retail giants Coles and Woolworths, a court has found.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) had argued that a Coles petrol discount of 14 cents breached undertakings the company had agreed with the consumer watchdog.

The undertaking prevented Coles from offering a discount of more than four cents, when it was contingent on a supermarket purchase.

But Justice Alan Robertson on Monday found that Coles' 14 cent discount was not in breach of that agreement.

He said that although the total discount that customers were able to get at the fuel pump was well above the four cents, the full offer was not linked to supermarket purchases.

"In my opinion, four cents per litre of the offer only was contingent on supermarket purchases and 10 cents per litre of the offer only was contingent on an acquisition of goods or services from Coles Express," he said.

ACCC Chairman Rod Sims said he was disappointed by the decision.

"We will carefully consider the judgment and its implications for competition in fuel markets and any detrimental price impact on fuel consumers," he said.

Justice Robertson did, however, find that Woolworths had breached the ACCC undertakings in its eight cents discount.

Customers were able to obtain an eight cent per litre discount on fuel if they spent at least $30 in a Woolworths supermarket as well as $5 or more at a petrol station.

The consumer watchdog had argued this was in breach of its undertaking with the retailer because the discount was only available to customers who made a supermarket purchase.

A Woolworths spokeswoman welcomed the decision, saying it provided it with clarity.

"We said at the time when we sought a declaration from the Federal Court that we accepted we needed to make our discounts independent of each other, and this change was implemented some time ago," she said in a statement.

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Man charged with murder of elderly woman

A MAN who allegedly beat an elderly woman to death has been charged with murder.

Police found the 61-year-old woman with severe head injuries when they were called to a Redfern home on Friday night on reports she was being assaulted.

"She was taken to St Vincent's Hospital where she died a short time later," police said in a statement.

They arrested a man, 38, at the scene and took him to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital.

He was under police guard until he was released on Monday afternoon, taken to Redfern police station and charged with murder.

Bail was refused and he's due before Central Local Court on Tuesday.

Investigations are continuing and police have asked for any witnesses to come forward.

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Greens call for Vic clean energy fund

THE Greens want the Victorian government to establish a state-based clean energy fund to make solar panels more affordable.

Australian Greens Leader Christine Milne call for the creation of a Victorian Solar Fund to help homes and businesses deal with the upfront costs of solar panels.

Senator Milne said the fund would make money for the state and reduce power bills.

"Australia is a leader in solar science but is underinvested in solar power, depriving us of jobs that the community is calling out for," she said on Sunday.

"We can create the financial incentives to put solar panels on roofs, for no money down, delivering immediate savings on electricity bills."

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Vic govt to build Melbourne Airport rail

PASSENGERS for the Melbourne Airport service from Southern Cross Station could be waiting several years for their train to arrive, but they have been told it is on its way.

Victorian Premier Denis Napthine says his government will build the long-awaited airport rail link, with a promise of a 25-minute service from the city.

The premier says the electric trains will be high-capacity, affordable and run every 10 minutes during peak times.

Dr Napthine was scarce with precise details when announcing the pledge at the Victorian Liberal Party conference, saying the time and cost of the project will be revealed in the state budget next month.

He said the project was long overdue.

"This project has been on the books for over 40 years," Dr Napthine told the conference on Sunday.

"It is time this rail link was built."

Melbourne airport attracts 30 million passengers a year, and this was expected to double in 20 years, he said.

"This is an enormous step forward for Melbourne Airport, for Melbourne and Victoria," Dr Napthine later told reporters.

"It's absolutely essential that Melbourne and Victoria has a rail link to the airport."

The link will use the existing Albion-Jacana goods rail corridor between the city's west and north.

Dr Napthine says the project will be publicly run but private involvement would be sought.

Deputy Opposition Leader James Merlino said the state had higher public transport priorities.

"This won't fix train congestion, this won't fix delays, this won't fix level crossings," he told reporters.

Mr Merlino said he was doubtful the government would fulfil the pledge.

"Denis Napthine and the Liberal Party promised rail links to Avalon, to Doncaster, to Rowville. None of them have been delivered," he said.

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Man who stole Sydney cab charged

IT'S hard to find a free cab on the weekend but one drunk Sydney man may have gone too far.

When a taxi driver stopped to break up an argument on a Bondi road in the early hours of Sunday morning, one of the men involved slid behind the wheel and took off.

He was tracked to a Randwick street by the cab's GPS unit, but when police tried to stop him, he sped away.

Police caught the 26-year-old a short time later and breath tested him.

He allegedly blew 0.189 and was charged with high-rang drink driving, taking a car without consent, resisting police and failing to stop.

Bail was granted and he's due before Waverley Local Court in May.

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Ita heading south as category one

Cyclone Ita will menace the Queensland coast for at least another day bringing torrential rain. Source: AAP

QUEENSLAND - cyclone one day, sunshine the next.

Premier Campbell Newman is pleading with southerners not to cancel their Easter breaks, as the far north dries out and cleans up after Cyclone Ita.

"The sun, by the way, is shining again," he said.

"You're bound to have a great time."

On Sunday, the premier choppered into Hope Vale and Cooktown, which bore the brunt of Ita when it crossed the coast as a category four storm on Friday night.

He predicted it would take about eight to 12 weeks to "really crack the back of the recovery task".

"It's good that there is no loss of life but I can't stress enough (that) people have got to sit tight."

About 50 buildings were damaged in Cooktown and another five written off.

The town's water supply was critically low and it's hoped power can be restored to the water treatment plant by Sunday night.

In Hope Vale, the banana farm which sustains the local economy was razed.

While the sun was shining in the towns on Sunday as well as in Cairns, the danger is not over yet.

Cyclone Ita is expected to remain its category one status until late on Monday as it weaves on and off the coast south to central Queensland.

Up to 15,000 homes are without power and regional towns are flooding.

On Sunday evening, the popular tourist destinations of Airlie Beach and the Whitsundays were being lashed by 90km/h winds, and up to 400mm of rain could soak some areas.

Just north, Bowen copped 200mm in a short period of time, overloading the storm water system.

While there has been no reports of property damage as of yet, Mr Newman says the situation is worsening.

"There is an issue where the Don River is rising very fast and expected to peak at 9pm, and that may well cause flooding problems again," Mr Newman said.

On Monday morning, the premier will travel to Ingham where sugar cane crops have been flattened. The town is cut in two by a swollen creek and the Bruce Highway remain closed to its south.

Mayor Rodger Bow warned locals there was raw sewerage in the water and people risked disease if they ventured out.

"We had severe rain, about 300mm, and I don't know what kilometre an hour winds, but we have trees blown down," Cr Bow said.

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