'Bitterness' behind brutal murders: court

Lian Xie's "bitterness" was behind his murder of five members of the Lin family a court has heard. Source: AAP

NINE-YEAR-OLD Terry Lin was alive for up to two hours after he was allegedly asphyxiated and bashed by his uncle in the boy's family home in Sydney, a court has heard.

The graphic details of the boy's death and that of his four family members were revealed during the crown's opening address at Lian Bin "Robert" Xie's trial on Friday.

Xie is accused of murdering his wife's brother Min "Norman" Lin, 45, Mr Lin's wife, Yun "Lily" Li Lin, 44 and their sons Henry, 12, and Terry, 9 in the early hours of July 18, 2009.

He is also alleged to have killed Lily's sister, Yun Bin "Irene" Yin, 39.

He has pleaded not guilty.

In outlining the crown case, prosecutor Mark Tedeschi QC said Xie was "motivated by bitterness" when he went to their North Epping home on the "particularly dark night" and turned off its electricity.

Without waking anyone, it is alleged Xie went into Min and Lily's bedroom first and murdered them in their beds.

He then killed the third adult, Irene.

These attacks, Mr Tedeschi said, involved numerous blows with a "hammer-like object" and likely happened while they were sleeping or "at most" while they were waking up.

Having killed those that represented the largest "threat", the crown says Xie then went into the bedroom the two boys Henry and Terry shared.

But here a struggle did break out.

Both boys, the crown said, showed signs of defensive wounds, with the crime scene indicating they had moved around their room.

Terry's injuries were consistent with that of a "furious struggle" and the nine-year-old survived for approximately one to two hours after the attack, the court heard.

Everyone except Irene showed signs they were asphyxiated.

None of the Lin family's neighbours heard a thing.

After slaying the family, it is alleged Xie would have been "covered in blood" when he walked the 300 metres back to his own home.

Xie then placed something on his garage floor and "unbeknown to him ... left a small area of blood smear that contained a mixture of three, four or five of the deceased persons," Mr Tedeschi told the jury.

When he cleaned his garage floor the following morning, this spot remained.

The court heard that Xie and his wife Kathy had gone to her brother's home on the morning of the 18th, after Min failed to turn up to work.

After discovering the crime scene, the court heard Kathy "pleaded" with Xie to stay, saying she was scared.

But Xie knowing "he himself was responsible for their deaths" left before eventually driving to Merrylands to pick up Kathy's parents, Mr Tedeschi said.

It is alleged that "many, many months" after the murders, Xie told a prisoner at Long Bay Jail that he had disposed of the murder weapon during this trip.

He is alleged to have also confided that he believed Kathy wouldn't be a danger to him as she had been sedated on the night her family died.

The trial continues.

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AWH boss denies favours from NSW Lib MP

AWH boss Nick Di Girolamo says he never received political favours in exchange for payments. Source: AAP

A NOTORIOUS infrastructure company's largesse towards NSW Liberals translated to "gold-edged service" including a favourable press release from a shadow minister, a corruption inquiry has heard.

The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) is investigating suspect political donations that allegedly flowed through a slush fund founded by Tim Koelma, an ex-staffer to former NSW minister Chris Hartcher.

Australian Water Holdings (AWH) is alleged to have paid $183,000 to the "sham" company, EightByFive.

Former AWH boss Nick Di Girolamo on Friday was shown emails and phone records suggesting he had input into a media release that was sent out by Mr Hartcher in 2010, when he was a shadow minister, and which urged further development of greenfield sites in Sydney's northwest.

At the time, AWH was pushing for a $1 billion public-private partnership to provide water infrastructure in the region.

"Very good media release," Mr Di Girolamo wrote after Mr Koelma showed him the release.

The inquiry heard Mr Hartcher put questions on notice to parliament that asked whether Sydney Water's general manager "may be providing preferential commercial arrangements for a significant contractor".

"That is gold-edged service that your getting, isn't it?" junior counsel assisting Greg O'Mahoney said to Mr Di Girolamo.

The parliamentary questions came as AWH was locked in a commercial dispute with Sydney Water.

At the time, Mr Koelma allegedly arranged for false anonymous corruption allegations against senior Sydney Water executives Ron Quill and Kerry Schott to be sent to the ICAC.

But Mr Di Girolamo denied his company had received any preferential treatment.

"Regardless of what political donations I made, regardless of the EightByFive retainer, I don't believe I ever received any preferential or any biased favours from, at this point in time the opposition, nor from the government, when it came into parliament," he said.

"You were getting the service you were from this political office in the context of Mr Koelma dealing with it extensively," Mr O'Mahoney said.

"The reason he was dealing with it extensively was wholly and solely because of the payments that you were making to EightByFive."

"I don't accept that," Mr Di Girolamo said.

He is due back in the witness box on Monday.

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Govt releases climate action draft bill

The federal government is seeking public comment on laws backing up its emissions reduction fund. Source: AAP

PUTTING in energy-efficient light bulbs and cutting gas in coalmines could be eligible for taxpayer funding under the federal government's climate policy.

There could also be scope for international carbon emission permits to be counted, despite the government saying they wouldn't be part of its emissions cuts.

Environment Minister Greg Hunt released draft legislation on Friday for the emissions reduction fund, which will replace Labor's carbon tax and carbon farming initiative.

Both major parties are committed to cutting carbon emissions by five per cent below 2000 levels by 2020.

Improving the energy efficiency of homes and factories, capturing landfill and mine gas, improving farm soil and upgrading vehicles will qualify for funding.

Those seeking funding, for projects lasting up to 15 years, will need to pass a new "fit and proper person" test.

And any project for which funding is sought would have to be something not likely to have occurred "under normal business conditions".

The Clean Energy Regulator (CER) would be responsible for registering projects and issuing Australian carbon credit units for verified emissions reductions.

The CER would buy emissions reductions at the lowest available cost, generally through reverse auctions.

The draft bill does not set out the rules for a new safeguard mechanism, which would ensure emissions reductions paid for by the fund were not displaced by a rise in emissions elsewhere.

The safeguard, due to start on July 1, 2015, will be the subject of a separate bill.

Climate Institute chief John Connor said the draft laws were well short of a credible alternative to the current carbon pricing scheme.

The policy could put Australian emissions on track to rise by 30 per cent by 2030, he said.

Mr Connor said the draft laws left the door open for the purchase of international permits.

The CER's new powers would enable it to use almost any process it wanted to buy emissions reduction, undermining the claim to be a market mechanism.

"This draft legislation is still well short of a package that can credibly reduce pollution, let alone reduce pollution enough to help avoid costly climate disruption," Mr Connor said.

"Parliament should instead stay with the current laws, which price and limit pollution and can reduce emissions by up to 25 per cent by 2020 with deeper reductions thereafter."

Submissions on the emissions reduction fund draft bill close on May 23.

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Graffiti tag link to school chook killers

A GRAFFITI tag that appears to say "Siko" is a lead in a police investigation into the killing of 14 pet chickens at a Perth primary school.

The principal and assistant principal of St Brigid's Primary School in Middle Swan were shocked to find the birds bashed to death earlier this week.

The RSPCA and WA Police are investigating the incident.

Police are seeking help from the public to identify the person who left a graffiti tag at the scene.

RSPCA spokesman Tim Mayne said a similar incident occurred at Calista Primary School in Kwinana last month.

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Vic govt must do more on abuse: victims

The Victorian government will remove time limits that stop some child abuse cases going to court. Source: AAP

VICTORIAN child abuse victims will no longer be constrained by time limits in seeking compensation from the organisations that harboured their abusers, but another hurdle remains.

Premier Denis Napthine says organisations will no longer be able to hide behind the statute of limitations for victims who want to take civil action.

Victims advocacy group Broken Rites said removing time limits was an important step for victims, as it could take 20 or 30 years for some to come to terms with their childhood abuse.

"For victims who are still looking for justice and felt justice was denied that's an important turnaround that they can now bring their claim forward without that time limit that was there previously," spokeswoman Chris MacIsaac said.

But some child sex abuse survivors given a "bubble of hope" by the sweeping reforms from a Victorian parliamentary inquiry now fear it will burst if the government doesn't enact all of the recommendations.

"If these failed to materialise then the bubble would burst and suicides and premature deaths would rise," said the advocacy group, Ballarat and District Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse.

It says removing time limits is a good move, but for it to be effective the government also must enact reforms requiring non-government organisations to be incorporated and insured so they can be sued.

"The Ellis defence can still be used and leaves victims with no other option but to go back to the institution that abused them and beg for help," the group said.

Dr Napthine said the government wanted to protect children and was continuing to examine options for reform.

"We as a government are committed to ensuring organisations cannot hide behind statutory time limits in order to avoid the liability they have for harm they have caused to victims of child abuse," he said on Thursday.

Religious ministers will have to undergo working with children checks, while there will be mandatory reporting to a central body and minimum child safety standards for organisations dealing with children.

The government has already made it a crime to fail to report suspected abuse to police.

Dr Napthine said the government believed it "got the balance right" by making an exemption for anyone in a situation where they fear reporting abuse would put themselves and the child at greater risk.

But the Federation for Community Legal Centres says vulnerable women will still have to go to court to defend themselves.

"It is still an offence, potentially, for a woman in a family violence situation to fail to disclose but then there's a defence they can raise," the centre's senior policy adviser Dr Chris Atmore said.

The Catholic Church backed the government's reforms saying it would help to prevent further abuse while supporting victims.

Melbourne Archbishop Denis Hart said the inquiry was an important opportunity for victims to be heard and for the Church to face the truth.

"I believe that this inquiry, and the government's response to it, will assist the healing of those who have been abused and the prevention of abuse in the future," Archbishop Hart said on Thursday.

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Fears for missing Victorian delivery man

GRAVE fears are now held for an Indian student who went missing while on his delivery job in Melbourne a week ago.

Homicide detectives have taken over the investigation into the disappearance of Shiva Chauhan who didn't complete any of his bread deliveries last Friday.

His silver van was found parked normally near an empty field in Keysborough that afternoon with his wallet and other belongings left inside.

Mr Chauhan, 27, was last seen leaving his Dandenong South depot at 12.30am last Friday.

Homicide Squad Detective Inspector John Potter says there are concerns for Mr Chauhan who has no relatives in Australia.

He says Mr Chauhan is on a student visa but works delivering bread in Melbourne's south.

Police have run checks on his bank accounts.

"The very location, the fact that Mr Chauhan hasn't been since last Friday, leads us to believe that this may be suspicious, and as a result we have grave concerns for his welfare," Det Insp Potter said.

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Kurnell conversion on track: Caltex

Caltex says the conversion of Kurnell refinery into a fuel import terminal is on time and budget. Source: AAP

FUEL refiner and supplier Caltex's $270 million conversion of its Kurnell oil refinery in Sydney into a major import terminal is on time and on budget.

Kurnell is due to close as a refinery and open as Australia's largest fuel import terminal in the fourth quarter of this year.

"The conversion of the Kurnell refinery to a leading import terminal remains on time and on budget, with the refinery on track to cease operations in the final quarter of this year," Caltex chief executive Julian Segal told shareholders at the company's annual general meeting on Thursday.

After the closure of the Kurnell refinery is complete, the amount of crude oil imported by Caltex will halve - Caltex still operates the Lytton refinery in Brisbane - and imports of refined fuels will increase.

The refinery closure was expected to result in the loss of 330 jobs, with several hundred more contract jobs on the line.

To strengthen the fuel supply chain after the conversion of Kurnell, Caltex has established an Ampol-branded office in Singapore.

The role of Ampol Singapore, which is wholly owned by Caltex Australia, is to source refined fuels and related shipping to Australia.

On behalf of Caltex, Ampol has entered into a deal with Chevron to help procure and supply imported refined fuels.

Mr Segal said that in the first three months of 2014, Caltex had made an unaudited profit of $121 million, down from $190 million in the first quarter of 2013.

Using the company's preferred measure - replacement cost of sales operating profit - unaudited profit was $96 million, down from $146 million in the prior corresponding period.

In the first quarter, Caltex's marketing and distribution business continued to grow despite the sale of Caltex's bitumen business in 2013.

Higher sales of jet fuel and premium grades of petrol and diesel offset a long-term decline in demand for unleaded petrol.

External factors, including currency and crude oil price fluctuations, that affected Caltex's refining and supply business in the second half of 2013 had continued into 2014 and had resulted in the business posting an earnings loss.

Caltex's refiner margin was $US8.78 per barrel, down from $US13.60 in the prior corresponding period.

The Lytton refinery increased production.

Mr Segal said the outlook for the marketing business for the rest of the year was positive, and the full year outcome for refining and supply would depend largely on the level of the refiner margin.

Caltex shares were 42 cents higher at $22.22 at 1320 AEST.

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Mama panda shows off Canberra babies

Four-month-old twin red pandas are shown off for the first time at the National Zoo in Canberra. Source: AAP

IT'LL be a bittersweet Mother's Day for second-time mum Eilish.

The National Zoo's prized red panda lost one of her cubs the first time around - but now she's getting ready to show off her healthy new twins to Canberrans on Sunday.

Eilish's newborns are a special addition to a species whose numbers are low and declining.

Zookeepers are excited because the twins mark a successful breeding program of the threatened species.

"She had tough times with the first cub, and now for both of them to survive, we're very excited," National Zoo spokeswoman Bec Scott told AAP.

Visitors will be able to name the twins from a list compiled by keepers on the zoo's Facebook page.

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RSPCA seeks wandering peacock's owner

A peacock has been picked up from a Perth street by the RSPCA, which is now seeking its owner. Source: AAP

ONCE he was a colourful escapee, strutting his stuff proudly in suburban Perth. Now he's just a humble jailbird.

And the RSPCA wants the owner of the flighty individual, a juvenile peacock, to reclaim him.

A member of the public called to report the sighting of the bird in Westminster, and an inspector, who was in the area, immediately captured it.

It is being cared for at the RSPCA Animal Care Centre in Malaga until its owner is found.

"It's not every day that we are called out for a peacock, certainly not in suburbia," RSPCA chief inspector Amanda Swift said.

"People do need to ensure that they are adhering to local council laws in relation to the type of animal and housing that can be legally required when keeping animals such as a peacock, or more commonly, chickens. These animals do have specific space and husbandry needs."

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Qld corruption watchdog changes unveiled

QUEENSLAND'S attorney-general is amending a controversial proposal to overhaul the state's corruption watchdog.

The legislation originally gave the government free rein to choose the Crime and Misconduct Commission's chair, removing the need for bipartisan approval.

But after a public backlash and recommendations from a parliamentary legal affairs committee, Jarrod Bleijie says a parliamentary oversight committee will now be given veto powers.

That committee, however, is weighted with government MPs.

"Providing the committee with a right of veto is what most interstate jurisdictions have opted for, therefore the government accepts the recommendation," he told parliament.

Mr Bleijie says he would also amend his bill, so the CMC doesn't have to prioritise fighting crime over corruption.

"It is prudent to remove the reference to the commission's primary and secondary purpose."

The CMC has been under fire for more than a year, after releasing and shredding thousands of documents from the landmark late-1980s Fitzgerald inquiry, including highly confidential criminal files.

Mr Bleijie acknowledged that his changes had sparked great debate and controversy, but nevertheless weighed in with an unprecedented attack.

He argued that without his intervention, the CMC would have driven itself into the ground and had warped priorities.

"It oozed incompetence," he said.

"It had lost focus.

"It is the most unaccountable body in Australia, certainly Queensland.

"It's time to end the shenanigans occurring and the maladministration."

Opposition Leader Annastacia Palaszczuk said Premier Campbell Newman and his attorney-generally were arrogantly trashing Tony Fitzgerald's legacy.

"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it," she said.

"We cannot trust the LNP to appoint the commissioners."

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WA bid to end police suspect 'babysitting'

NEW legislation has been introduced to the West Australian parliament allowing arrested suspects to be detained in custody.

Now, suspects are "babysat" in police stations, Police Minister Liza Harvey said.

The proposed amendments to the Criminal Investigation Act would remove the requirement for an arrested suspect to be detained in the company of a police officer.

"This provision has created a substantial impost on frontline police availability," Mrs Harvey said.

"It has meant up to 46,000 frontline police hours are being spent each year guarding arrested suspects, often in inappropriate places like general work areas or offices at local police stations.

"This is equivalent to about 24 police officers a year who are not available to perform frontline police tasking duties because they are required to personally guard arrested suspects, for what can be protracted periods of time."

She said the requirement to guard arrested suspects also posed security risks for police.

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Jobless rate set to rise

MORE Australians might be about to join the jobless queue amid sluggish demand for workers.

The federal government's jobs indicator fell for a seventh straight month in May.

That's an indication employment will grow more slowly than its long-term trend of 1.2 per cent over coming months.

The index, released on Wednesday, anticipates movements in the growth cycle of employment, with a turning point confirmed after six consecutive monthly moves in the same direction.

It fell 0.063 index points in May to minus 0.600 points.

Economists expect the unemployment rate will rise marginally to 5.9 per cent when April data is released on Thursday.

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Corby shoves journalist on parole visit

Drug smuggler Schapelle Corby (left) has pushed a journalist while reporting for parole in Bali. Source: AAP

SCHAPELLE Corby has pushed a journalist while reporting for parole in Bali.

The convicted Australian drug smuggler again used a motorcycle helmet to obscure her face from the media during the monthly visit to authorities in Denpasar on Tuesday.

She pushed a waiting TV camera operator in her haste to get the visit over and done with, and was at the office for only about 15 minutes.

Her guidance officer says a spot visit to her Kuta home last month found Corby getting ready for work at her brother-in-law's shop.

Corby was last month cleared of a possible parole breach over a TV interview that angered Indonesian authorities with repeated claims by her sister Mercedes that she is innocent.

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Aussies spend $15b shopping online

Online retail sales are continuing to strengthen, with Australians spending more than $15 billion. Source: AAP

ONLINE retail sales are continuing to strengthen, with Australians spending more than $15 billion over the internet in the past year.

The National Australia Bank's online retail sales index grew 12.5 per cent in the year to March as Australians spent $15.2 billion shopping online.

Growth was strongest for groceries and liquor while department and variety stores and fashion also saw strong growth, the report said.

Media continued to trend downward while daily deals and personal and recreational goods also contracted.

Sales growth in traditional bricks and mortar retail had also improved in recent months, the report said.

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NT wants 2500 more Asian migrants per year

THE Northern Territory government hopes to welcome 2500 migrants from Asia to fill labour gaps as part of a proposal to develop northern Australia.

Chief Minister Adam Giles says he is in talks with Prime Minister Tony Abbott and federal Minister for Immigration Scott Morrison about putting in place a regional migration agreement, but admits it hasn't been easy.

"There are challenges in perceptions around the country about increasing migration to the Territory," he told reporters in Darwin on Tuesday.

He said the unemployment rate in the greater Darwin area was 1.3 per cent, posing problems for employers seeking labour, and plans haven't always come to fruition to bring up workers from Sydney and Melbourne, which have higher levels of unemployment.

"We are having a strategic advancement towards Asia; we believe that's the most positive move for the NT as a government and for northern Australia both on investment but also population and trade routes," Mr Giles said.

He said he is working on a trilateral agreement between the NT, East Timor and Indonesia, and still determining what a 2500 growth in migrant workers would mean for the workforce, housing and essential services.

The government is still negotiating the time frame over which the workers would migrate to the NT, which has a long history of welcoming migrant workers, particularly from Asia, and Mr Giles said he hoped that would continue.

"It's important we focus on migration from the northern neighbours when we can't fill those gaps from southern Australia," he said, but stressed the need to ensure the plan had the support from the wider Australian community.

The biggest challenge for workers migrating to Australia from the neighbouring region would be mastering English, said Pak Ade, Indonesia's consul to the NT.

"In Java they are more proficient in English but if you're looking in the eastern part (of the country) you need to encourage them to further their English proficiency," he said.

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PM's call puts Aust-Indon ties on track

A group of 20 asylum seekers claim they were turned back to Indonesia by Australian authorities. Source: AAP

INDONESIA'S president has told Prime Minister Tony Abbott he hopes the two countries can heal the rift left by last year's spying scandal by August.

Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's optimism came even as Australia sent a boatload of asylum seekers back to Indonesian territory with a new tactic that has added to Jakarta's concern over the border protection policy.

Dr Yuhoyono's office says he received a call from Mr Abbott on Tuesday afternoon, in which the prime minister conveyed his regret for having to miss a Bali forum, where the two were set to meet.

"President SBY stated that he could understand the reason for PM Abbott not attending in Bali regarding the discussion of budget in the parliament," the statement read.

The leaders discussed progress in the negotiations for a new code of conduct after revelations in 2013 that Australia had tapped the president's phone, his office says.

"President SBY stated that it is his hope for a code of conduct to have been agreed on at least by August 2014."

According to the statement, the leaders also set tentative dates to meet face-to-face.

Dr Yudhoyono welcomed Mr Abbott's suggestion he visit in June, and the president was invited to view the Indonesia-Australia Centre in Melbourne either during his remaining time in office or after.

Mr Abbott's office confirmed the warm exchange.

"In a very cordial conversation, both leaders agreed on the importance of the bilateral relationship between Australia and Indonesia," a spokesman said.

"They committed to continue the progress that has been made to resolve current issues and to strengthen the relationship further."

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Bad Neighbours wins box office battle

SETH Rogen and Aussie Rose Byrne fight an over-the-fence war against Zac Efron in Bad Neighbours but they've won a different battle in taking first place at Australian box office.

The new gross-out comedy debuted in No.1 with $2.631 million over the weekend, according to the Motion Picture Distributors Association of Australia.

Its appearance knocked Cameron Diaz comedy The Other Woman into second place and The Amazing Spider-Man 2: Rise of Electro into third, while Wes Anderson's The Grand Budapest Hotel remained steady in fourth.

Animated flick The Lego Movie dropped two spots to fifth, but its $766,662 in earnings brought its local box office total to $28.443 million in five weeks.

YA adaptation Divergent gained one spot to climb to sixth, while Johnny Depp thriller Transcendence and latest Marvel movie Captain America: The Winter Soldier both fell two spots to seventh and eighth.

Star Wars fans headed to the cinema to celebrate May the 4th, a play on the phrase "May the Force be with you", with movie marathons of Episode IV, V and VI taking ninth place on the chart with $367,160 - far more than episodes I, II and III got with $122,961 in 13th place.

And last, but not least, was new entry Fading Gigolo to round out the top 10.

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Abuse not seen as a crime, inquiry told

Senior Christian Brothers will give evidence to the royal commission into child sex abuse this week. Source: AAP

THE Christian Brothers regarded the physical and sexual abuse of children as abhorrent and a moral failing but not a criminal offence, a royal commission has been told.

The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse has also heard double jeopardy laws prevented other men from coming forward to tell of their abuse at the hands of a Brother Dick, who was sentenced to three and a half years after confessing to abusing five "unknown" children.

Allegations of child sex abuse were not passed on to police because the order did not see them as a criminal matter.

"All I can assume, understand, is that there was a mindset that didn't see this first and foremost as a crime; that it was something of a moral failing, contributing to the corruption of the child," Brother Anthony Shanahan, the order's former provincial leader for WA and SA, said on Monday.

"I think they saw it as something that was abhorrent, harmful, although I don't think they understood it as harmful in the way we would now, in terms of consequences for the victim."

The commission last week heard from 11 men physically and sexually abused at four WA Christian Brothers residences at Tardun, Bindoon, Clontarf and Castledare between 1947 and 1968.

Justice McClellan asked Br Shanahan if he thought it extraordinary that the order did not view sex abuse as a criminal offence.

"Yes," he replied.

"Can you explain how the order would have brought themselves intellectually to that position?" Justice McClellan asked.

"No, I can't explain it," Br Shanahan said.

Br Shanahan said there existed a pattern where an accused brother would be transferred.

Christian Brothers who were accused of sexual abuse were still allowed to work with children by being sent to day schools where there would be less opportunity to offend.

"There was a pattern, I think - not completely in 100 per cent of cases, but I think it's a pattern where there was a complaint the person would be transferred to a day school and not a residential school," he said.

When asked by Council assisting the commission Gail Furness if Br Shanahan's predecessors knew of the underlying conduct that led to the transfer, he replied: "Probably, yes."

The commission also heard a series of documented sex abuse allegations dating back to 1919, some against brothers who were shifted to other schools around the country.

Last week an abuse survivor, Edward Delaney, said after he told the superior at Bindoon, Brother Bruno Doyle, of his abuse at the hands of a Brother Parker, he was informed the man had been transferred to Tasmania and was told not to talk about it.

Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Bruno Fiannaca told the commission the 1994 conviction of Br Dick prohibited others from coming forward in the courts.

The hearings continue.

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Indonesia in dark over Abbott no-show

Indonesia has received no explanation for PM Tony Abbott postponing a meeting with the president. Source: AAP

INDONESIA has received no explanation for Prime Minister Tony Abbott postponing a meeting with the president, nor any indication that asylum seekers are being sent back to its territory, a government spokesman says.

Mr Abbott was invited to attend a forum in Bali on Tuesday, which was also a chance to meet President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

The relationship has been on ice since last year's revelations that Australia had spied on Dr Yudhoyono and his wife, a bombshell that saw Indonesia halt co-operation pending a new code of conduct.

Talks on the code have crawled, but the Bali meeting could have provided a breakthrough.

Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa revealed the offer to Mr Abbott on April 7, when he told AAP the talks had taken a more positive turn.

Days before the Open Government Partnership forum was due to start, Mr Abbott's attendance hadn't been confirmed and he didn't state a reason for postponing the trip late on Friday.

"The attempt to make a trip to Indonesia has been postponed, but we are hopeful of finding another date soon," a spokesman said.

It's understood the prime minister postponed the trip because Australian officials were in the process of turning an asylum-seeker boat back to Indonesia.

On Saturday, Dr Yudhoyono's spokesman told AAP he only knew of the decision through media reports.

Agus Barnas, spokesman for Indonesia's Coordinating Ministry for Politics, Law and Security, said he checked with the foreign ministry on Monday and it had no explanation for Mr Abbott's no-show.

"They said that they were not told either about the reason for him not coming," he told AAP.

Indonesia has also received no notice of a boat turnback.

Mr Barnas said he read Australian opposition and Greens criticism of Mr Abbott's change of heart and agreed it was a missed opportunity.

"If I was going to take a negative view it would be that Abbott's reason was just that he did not want to meet President SBY in person," he said.

"It's a pity ... this was actually a good opportunity for both leaders to meet in person, eye to eye."

A spokeswoman for Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said she won't be representing the prime minister on this occasion.

Australia will be represented at official level, she said.

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NSW donation scandal crosses party lines

ICAC's Operation Spicer will call Darren Williams into the witness box after a spectacular week. Source: AAP

FORMER coal mogul Nathan Tinkler made tens of thousands of dollars in secret donations so NSW politicians would "bend to his will", the state's corruption watchdog has heard.

The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) has heard Mr Tinkler's development firm Buildev funnelled $66,000 in donations via his stud farm Patinack and then through EightByFive, a "sham" company set up by ex-Liberal minister Chris Hartcher's former staffer.

The unfolding cash-for-favours scandal has engulfed the NSW Liberal Party and there were claims on Monday that Buildev executive Darren Williams had arranged donations to the NSW Nationals before the 2011 election.

"As discussed we are delighted to accept support for our state election campaign as long as it is not from prohibited donors," then-Nationals NSW director Ben Franklin told Mr Williams in an email.

Mr Williams in turn wrote to Patinack director Troy Palmer: "Mate need $20(k) in here to help these guys, Nats will be running ports. Do you know any one that can help?????"

At the time, Buildev was lobbying for a $1 billion coal loader to be built on the Newcastle foreshore.

Under NSW electoral funding laws Mr Tinkler is barred from making political donations but counsel assisting, Geoffrey Watson SC, said ICAC investigators had uncovered evidence that four of his employees had each made $5000 payments to the National Party.

Days after the coalition swept to power in NSW in 2011, Tinkler Group CFO Troy Palmer passed on a "positive" news article about the lucrative coal loader to his boss - but Mr Tinkler was unimpressed.

The embattled businessman fired off this reply: "this is just to pacify me because I donated to the nats and they are doing f*** all about it. willy (Mr Williams) and govt trying to tell me it is moving forward but i dont see it and the whole thing is being held up in bureaucracy ... we had a bunch of deadbeats before and now we have a bunch of p****s scared to make a decision".

Mr Watson said it showed Mr Tinkler believed he could buy political support.

"That's what was operating down at the old Tinkler Group," Mr Watson put to Mr Palmer.

"Payments made to political parties to get the decision-makers to bend to Nathan Tinkler's will, isn't that right?"

"No, no," Mr Palmer replied.

Although the NSW coalition has featured prominently in ICAC's Operation Spicer, which led to last week's sensational resignation of police minister Mike Gallacher, it is alleged Mr Tinkler was not averse to crossing the floor.

He has been accused of working with former NSW Labor minister Joe Tripodi to depose former Newcastle member Jodi McKay after she refused to accept a bribe.

Mr Watson has indicated that on Wednesday morning he will ask that the inquiry be adjourned to allow further investigations.

The witness list has been shuffled to include Liberal fundraiser Nick Di Girolamo.

He was at the centre of the ICAC's last inquiry, Operation Credo, and his gift of a $3000 bottle of wine led to former NSW premier Barry O'Farrell's demise.

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$15m boost to Vic mental health

Victoria will allocate an extra $15 million to mental health resources to reduce pressure on police. Source: AAP

MENTAL health services will get a $15 million boost in the Victorian budget to help change the way specialist, police and ambulance services respond to people with mental illness.

The investment, over four years, will create a new locally based, co-ordinated mental health crisis response.

Mental health workers will work with police and ambulance workers to tailor responses to someone needing urgent support.

The budget allocation also aims to reduce pressure on police, ambulance and emergency department resources.

Mental Health Minister Mary Wooldridge says the initiative draws on previous trials, which brought together mental health workers and police to respond to a crisis to avoid it escalating and involving an emergency department.

The trials found people suffering a mental illness episode were less likely to end up in the local emergency department and police units could be released to other duties more quickly, she said.

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Firefighter bravery recognised

FIREFIGHTERS who attended a fuel spill with the potential to ignite and threaten a Sydney peninsula faced a choice.

Leave the two million litre tank to leak, evacuate the peninsula around Banksmeadow on Botany Bay and wait for a catastrophic explosion.

Or volunteer to wade through the fuel pool and repair the leaking valve.

NSW Fire and Rescue (NSWFR) station officer Ron Morasso looked at his colleagues and made his choice.

"I said to him, 'what was going through your mind'?" NSWFR commissioner Greg Mullins told AAP after presenting Mr Morasso with the fire service's highest bravery award.

"[Mr Morasso] said to me, 'I looked at my crew and thought - he has two young kids, his wife is pregnant, he is only young...it's got to be me'."

Mr Mullins said even a spark from a car passing the Caltex fuel terminal would have risked an explosion with enough ferocity to close Sydney airport and any subsequent fire might have taken days to extinguish.

Mr Morasso, who has since retired, was presented with the NSWFR medal for conspicuous bravery on Saturday.

Other crew members who responded to the spill in July 2013 also received commendations.

Meanwhile, two firefighters who rushed to the aid of a man on fire after a petrol tanker crash on Sydney's northern beaches were also recognised.

Mosman crew members Lloyd Mulder and George Cheeke stayed with the man, who crawled from his car after it burst into flames, until he died at the roadside last October.

Witnesses Andrew Cochran and Maria Tosone also received commendations for trying to pull the man and another person from the car on Mona Vale Road.

And 12 firefighters who responded to a fire at a unit complex in Bankstown in the city's west, where two women attempted to escape by jumping from a fifth floor window, were also among commendation recipients.

Mr Mullins said the blaze was so intense that firefighters' uniforms caught fire and helmets melted.

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Vic govt to unveil infrastructure spend

Tuesday's Victorian state budget is expected to contain a number of major infrastructure projects. Source: AAP

MELBOURNE'S East West Link tunnel will get more funding and light will be shed on plans for a Melbourne airport rail link in Tuesday's state budget.

Victoria is expected to remain in the black with the state on track to reach its net surplus target in a budget that will focus on major infrastructure projects six months out from an election.

State funds will flow for the second stage of the $18 billion East West Link road project, including $1.5 billion from the Commonwealth, while details of a plan to link Melbourne's CBD by rail to the Tullamarine airport will be unveiled for the first time.

Treasurer Michael O'Brien says that in contrast to the federal budget, which is expected to include significant spending cuts and possible tax increases to cut the deficit, Victorians can expect strong surpluses over the next few years.

Net debt will also fall over the forward estimates and there will be a focus on major infrastructure projects which create jobs, he says.

"The Victorian budget is in a very different position to the federal budget," Mr O'Brien told reporters on Friday.

"We're in surplus here in Victoria and we're going to have strong surpluses across the forward estimates."

Mr O'Brien says the government will be delivering the major infrastructure projects Victorians want to see to improve their quality of life, thanks to good economic management.

"We're funding major job creating infrastructure through strong surpluses, through good economic management and through asset recycling," he said.

The budget is expected to contain more money to progress the Melbourne Metro Rail project, a $10 billion underground cross-city tunnel designed take on thousands of extra passengers and connect the Dandenong and Sunshine rail corridors.

A swag of pre-budget announcements have been made, so far including: more than $1 billion to remove eight level crossings across Melbourne; $190 million to cut elective surgery waiting lists; a $220 million project to upgrade country rail and build a standardised rail link between Mildura and Geelong.

Mr O'Brien says the public service is safe from further cuts this budget, but it is yet to be seen what further pain may be in store for Victorians.

The government has already blamed a cut in the state's GST revenue from 90 cents in the dollar to 88 cents in 2014-15 for a $32 hike in car registrations and an increase in vehicle stamp duty.

The government says the extra charges would fund major transport infrastructure in the budget.

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Greens say they're the party to fix NSW

The Greens have announced their upper house line-up for the upcoming March 2015 NSW state election. Source: AAP

THERE'S a smell wafting from the Labor and Liberal party rooms in NSW parliament, the Greens say.

Just days after police minister Mike Gallacher stepped aside following claims in front of the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) over illegal donations to the Liberal Party, Greens NSW MP John Kaye announced on Sunday his new upper house team for the March 2015 election.

Joining him on the ticket will be existing MP Mehreen Faruqi, as well as coal seam gas campaigner and political advisor Justin Field.

Mr Kaye said the team would be highlighting their credentials as an alternative to the major parties.

"NSW politics has been plunged into crisis, not just by the Labor party but also by the Liberal party's endemic addiction to collecting funds from tainted sources," he told AAP.

"This is the time for reform. This is the election campaign where politics needs to change."

Mr Field, who is third on the ticket, said he will be taking out the message of clean water, energy and politics out into the community.

"A stench of corruption now hangs over NSW parliament, but only the Greens are able to say they can clean up politics."

The announcement comes after the Labor party revealed on Sunday that a "record number" of their party's supporters had voted for former MP Verity Firth to be the next state candidate in the Sydney seat of Balmain.

She narrowly lost the marginal inner-city seat to Greens candidate Jamie Parker at the 2011 election.

Mr Parker said the Greens were confident that there needs to be change.

"It doesn't matter who the candidate is, we have seen before that he structure of Labor means they are silenced ... I stand for a different approach to politics," he told AAP.

He said one of the bills the Greens would be be introducing to parliament in the following months is a push to implement 2010 ICAC recommendations on lobbying in NSW.

This included a recommendation to set up an independent body to oversee the role of lobbyists.

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