Family shocked as death driver walks free

A WEST Australian family has greeted with shock the suspended jail term handed over to a young P-plate driver who killed their elderly relative.

Christopher Ryan Caddick, 24, was convicted of causing the death of wheelchair-bound Joan Woodcock, 81, when his Holden Commodore careered into the back of a Mercedes van last March at Ocean Reef in Perth.

Mrs Woodcock, a passenger in the van, was thrown through its side window onto the road.

Caddick had a blood alcohol level of 0.036 at the time - over the limit for a probationary driver - and had five previous convictions for drink-driving.

Despite the convictions and being suspended from driving at the time of the accident, Judge Ronald Birmingham said he would still impose a suspended jail term.

As he walked free from court, Mrs Woodcock's daughter Joanne attempted to make sense of the sentence.

"We can't ever have her back. The decision he made that day took my mum's life, she did not have a choice in the matter," Ms Woodcock said.

"When do you start to grow up, and learn that life can be snuffed out by a decision you take in a split second?"

The trial last year heard Caddick had drunk two cans of pre-mixed vodka before attempting to overtake three vehicles on Ocean Reef Road north of Perth, colliding with Mrs Woodcock's vehicle on the wrong side of the road when it tried to turn right at an intersection.

While Caddick was not speeding, and the alcohol in his system was not said to have been a contributory factor in the crash, the jury still found his dangerous driving caused Mrs Woodcock's death.

Caddick was not entitled to drive at the time because of non-payment of fines, while having also admitted to a drink-driving offence two months earlier.

He was awaiting sentence, and a mandatory disqualification, when he ploughed into Mrs Woodcock's vehicle.

He was sentenced to 15 months in prison, suspended for two years.

He was also fined a total of $1700, and disqualified from driving for two years and three months, to run concurrently with his previous three-year disqualification.

Caddick's suspended sentence is conditional on his completing courses on driver training and alcohol. He was also disqualified from driving for three years.

He refused to comment outside court.

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US, China in Pakistan naval drills

THE United States and China have begun naval drills in the Arabian Sea with Pakistan and other countries, the Pakistani navy said, in a show of strength against terrorism and piracy.

The AMAN-13 exercise involves ships from 13 countries and observers from 20 others and comes two weeks after China took control of a strategic Pakistani Arabian Sea port from Singapore's PSA International.

The five-day exercise, which began earlier this week with meetings and manoeuvres in port, will end on Friday and is aimed at "information sharing, mutual understanding and identifying areas of common interest", the navy said in a statement.

The manoeuvres - the fourth since 2007 - will also help develop and practise response tactics, techniques and procedures as well as improving cooperation between navies, the statement said.

One of the main objectives is to "display united resolve against terrorism and crimes in maritime domain", it said on Thursday.

The shipping lanes of the Indian Ocean have been plagued in recent years by attacks from Somali pirates, who have seized dozens of ships and earned millions of dollars in ransom for their release.

"All the nations participating in the AMAN have a common objective of ensuring peace and stability in the maritime arena to provide freedom of navigation and uninterrupted flow of trade," the Pakistan navy statement said.

The American destroyer USS William P. Lawrence was among the ships taking part, along with vessels from Australia, Britain, Italy, Japan, Malaysia and Turkey.

Russia and Germany are among the observers.

Ties between Washington and Islamabad are on the mend after a series of crises in 2011 including the discovery of al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden in Pakistan.

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European stocks rise at open

EUROPE'S main stock markets rose at the start of trading, as traders looked ahead to monetary policy decisions due from both the ECB and Bank of England.

London's benchmark FTSE 100 index on Thursday morning gained 0.29 per cent to 6,446.38 points, Frankfurt's DAX 30 won 0.19 per cent to 7,934.19 points and in Paris the CAC 40 gained 0.20 per cent to 3,781.45.

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Infighting, insults plague NT government

THE Northern Territory's ruling Country Liberal Party (CLP) is dealing with infighting and insults in the wake of a failed leadership bid.

On Thursday NT Chief Minister Terry Mills admitted that Transport Minister Adam Giles challenged him for the leadership at a marathon meeting of CLP parliamentarians on Wednesday.

"There was a change in direction for a time where there was a discussion over a tilt at the chief minister's position," Mr Mills said.

"The room resolved, and I can report to you, that that was not acceptable and then we turned back to the matter at hand," he told reporters.

Indigenous Advancement Minister Alison Anderson said the CLP was "bleeding" during the meeting that saw hours of infighting.

On ABC radio Ms Anderson described some at the meeting as boys with big egos.

"We have got infighting with boys who think they want to be chief," she said.

She later told AAP Mr Giles could have been the NT's first Aboriginal treasurer and deputy chief minister but he threw that back in the face of his colleagues.

"He said, 'I don't accept it because I want to be the chief minister,' and he just threw a spanner in the works," she said.

"We sat there for hours while this infighting was happening and the party bleeding everywhere."

Mr Mills expressed his frustration that details of the meeting were leaked to reporters, including information that four MPs from bush seats had threatened to sit in the parliament as independents if Mr Giles took the leadership.

He said he was disappointed and concerned that those comments were made public because they could create divisions between bush and urban communities and between black and white Territorians.

Ms Anderson confirmed that a group of four MPs threatened, as a means to act as a circuit-breaker, to move onto the crossbenches but said it was never intended to tear the CLP apart.

On Wednesday Mr Mills announced he had sacked health minister Dave Tollner from cabinet.

Former CLP minister Daryl Manzie later said Mr Tollner had been in an argument with Mr Mills at a cabinet meeting earlier in the week and had thrown papers at him.

According to reports the fiery meeting saw Mr Tollner shout expletives at Mr Mills before walking out.

Wednesday's challenge was the second time Mr Mills' leadership had come under pressure in just a few weeks, after Attorney-General John Elferink ended his own bid for leadership last month when he realised he didn't have the numbers.

The NT's only independent MP, Gerry Wood, said the events were like an episode from the 80s television comedy Yes Minister.

"I just feel nearly ashamed that our government can't put its act together and get on with the job of governing," Mr Wood said.

Meanwhile the NT government announced its revamped ministry in the wake of this week's events.

Mr Mills' responsibilities have been cut from 11 ministries to six, while Mr Elferink has been made treasurer.

The 28-year-old Lia Finocchiaro was added to cabinet as the new Minister for Sport and Recreation, Racing, Young Territorians, Senior Territorians, and Statehood.

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Rudd, Smith deny being told of Zygier case

Foreign Minister Bob Carr says his department's handling of the Ben Zygier case was unsatisfactory. Source: AAP

KEVIN Rudd and Stephen Smith don't remember ever being briefed about the arrest of Melbourne man and suspected Israeli spy Ben Zygier three years ago, despite evidence their offices were told.

Foreign Minister Bob Carr on Wednesday criticised the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's (DFAT) handling of the case as he handed down a report, which sets out who knew what and when about Zygier's arrest on January 31, 2010.

Senator Carr ordered the internal investigation last month after Mr Zygier was named as Israel's mysterious "Prisoner X".

The dual Australian-Israeli citizen was detained for alleged Israeli national security offences and died in a supposedly suicide-proof cell in December 2010. It's believed he worked for Israeli spy agency Mossad.

The DFAT report shows ASIO spies found out about the arrest on February 16, 2010, and told senior DFAT officials Dennis Richardson, now head of the defence department, and Greg Moriarty, now ambassador to Indonesia, eight days later.

Soon after, DFAT told then-foreign minister Mr Smith's chief of staff, Frances Adamson. But Ms Adamson - now ambassador to Beijing - told the investigation she doesn't recollect any such conversation.

ASIO later distributed two ministerial submissions to senior officials in the offices of then-prime minister Mr Rudd and Mr Smith on March 1. A further submission went to Mr Smith's office on May 13.

But Mr Rudd and Mr Smith on Wednesday both said they had "no recollection" of ever being briefed about Mr Zygier's case.

Opposition foreign affairs spokeswoman Julie Bishop said it "beggars belief" Mr Smith in particular was not told.

"It is extraordinary for him to claim that he has no recollection of it, or it was not brought to his attention," she told AAP.

"This represents a serious breakdown in the minister's administration of his office."

She called on Mr Smith to give a full explanation to parliament.

Mr Rudd also expressed concerns, particularly at the decision not to tell Australia's ambassador in Tel Aviv - who didn't find out about Mr Zygier's arrest until his death.

Mr Rudd says he wasn't even told of the case when he visited Israel as the new foreign minister in mid-December 2010 - days before Zygier died.

Senator Carr said the case highlighted a lack of clarity in government decision-making over its consular responsibilities.

"This is where the department appears to have failed," he told reporters in Sydney.

"There should have been more attention, more visits."

Senator Carr has ordered five recommendations aimed at improving consular processes be implemented - particularly on matters involving security, intelligence and dual citizens.

The case also raises fresh questions about Israel's use of Australian passports to conduct intelligence operations, and the implications for passport holders.

Australia expelled an Israeli diplomat in May 2010 after it emerged forged Australian passports were used in the assassination of Hamas agent Mahmoud al-Mabhouh in Dubai.

There is no evidence tying Mr Zygier to the Dubai operation, but the DFAT report confirms Australia issued him with three passports under three different names.

"If the world thinks Australian passports are routinely debauched by another country then Australians presenting their passports all over the world could well place their lives in danger," Senator Carr said.

"We can't live with that."

The Inspector General of Intelligence Services, Vivienne Thom, said there was no evidence ASIO had acted improperly in its handling of the Zygier case.

Mr Zygier - a father of two also known as Ben Alon and Ben Allen - trained as a lawyer in Melbourne but moved to Israel in 2000.

Seven days after he was found hanged in his cell at age 34, his body was flown back to Melbourne, where he is buried in a Jewish cemetery.

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SA economy to grow, premier says

South Australian Premier Jay Weatherill says the state's economy is robust. Source: AAP

THE South Australian economy will continue to grow this year as it has for the past decade, Premier Jay Weatherill says.

Brushing off grim spending figures and opposition suggestions the economy is in recession, Mr Weatherill said SA's finances remained robust.

He said some sectors of the economy were soft, but government measures to support areas such as housing construction were paying dividends.

"We have grown every year for the past 10 years," the premier told reporters on Wednesday.

"Last year we grew by 2.1 per cent and we expect to grow this year as well."

Opposition treasury spokesman Iain Evans raised the recession question after the state's final demand figures retracted over the past two quarters.

He also pointed to falling exports.

"On all the key economic measures South Australia has gone backwards for two consecutive quarters in both trend and seasonally adjusted terms," Mr Evans said.

"How would the premier define a recession?"

But Mr Weatherill said final demand figures only measured a portion of economic activity and the state's overall performance was best measured in terms of gross state product which was only calculated at the end of the financial year.

In the recent mid-year budget review the government forecast the economy to grow by 1.75 per cent in 2012/13, down from the May budget forecast of 2.5 per cent.

On other matters, Mr Weatherill has given some support to a call from independent MP Bob Such for all government agencies to be subject to an efficiency and effectiveness review ahead of the next state budget.

"That's a worthy thing to give some consideration to," he told state parliament.

Mr Weatherill said there had been a "pretty mindless" debate recently about the size of the public service when the real issue was its effectiveness.

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Sharp announces share sale to Samsung

SHARP has announced a Y10.4 billion ($A109 million) deal with South Korean rival Samsung.

In a rare move for a Japanese firm, it will sell a three per cent stake to the South Korean company.

The deal, announced after the markets closed on Wednesday, will make Samsung Sharp's biggest foreign shareholder.

Early reports of the deal sent Sharp shares soaring more than 17 per cent in early trade before ending 14.04 per cent higher. Samsung was up 0.65 per cent.

The Japanese firm said the deal would help shore up its troubled finances while boosting "mutual trust" as the firms look to benefit from Sharp's leading liquid-crystal display technology for mobile phones and tablets.

Samsung said the investment "would lay a firm foundation to secure a steady supply of LCD panels from diversified sources".

Sharp, which has announced a separate 4.94 billion yen capital injection deal by US chipmaker Qualcomm, is also a major panel supplier to Samsung rival Apple.

The decision to accept a capital injection from a foreign firm marks a major comedown for both Sharp and Japan's manufacturers, said Hiroshi Sakai, chief economist with SMBC Friend Research Centre.

"For Japan, it is symbolic and shocking news, as Sharp, which used to be a frontrunner in the panel industry, is struggling while its rival Samsung has raced past it," he said.

He added that the news "should not be any surprise" given Samsung's leading position in the global electronics market.

The deal will not solve all of Sharp's woes, he added, as the firm cuts jobs and overhauls its business after saying in February its loss in the nine months to December had doubled to about $US4.6 billion.

Given the sector's struggles, deals between Japanese and foreign rivals are likely to increase, Sakai said.

"Many other Japanese electronics makers are struggling to survive. But they still have attractive technologies and some foreign rivals are quite interested in them," he said.

Sharp - which last year put up its Osaka headquarters as collateral to clinch crucial bank loans - has been hammered by lower-cost rivals in its liquid-crystal display business.

Rival Sony, meanwhile, is selling off its headquarters in Manhattan and a major building in Tokyo to raise cash, while Panasonic is undergoing a similar painful restructuring after losing about $US6.77 billion in the nine months to December.

The Samsung-Sharp deal gives the South Korean company more access to the market without investing in new production plants, analysts said.

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No Mardi Gras investigation: minister

GAY rights activists will rally in Sydney this week to demand an external investigation, apologies and compensation for alleged police brutality at last weekend's Mardi Gras celebrations.

Politicians and community groups called for an inquiry after a video emerged that appears to show a handcuffed 18-year-old, Jamie Jackson, being thrown to the ground by an officer at the festival about 11.30pm (AEDT) on Saturday.

Bryn Hutchinson, 32, later came forward to say he had been thrown to the ground by several officers in Darlinghurst after a disagreement over whether he should be allowed to cross a road.

"I was pushed onto the ground, kneeled on and kicked several times," Mr Hutchinson told AAP on Wednesday.

It is understood both men have been charged with assaulting police.

NSW police have confirmed two internal investigations are being carried out and urged the community not to jump to conclusions about the arrests.

"While two incidents is still two too many, in the grand scheme of things we don't have a super big problem," NSW Assistant Police Commissioner Mark Murdoch told reporters.

NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell said he was confident a police investigation would "get to the bottom of what went on", and Police Minister Mike Gallacher said oversight from the ombudsman meant no additional investigation was necessary.

NSW Police Association president Scott Weber, a serving officer, said an internal investigation was appropriate as NSW police were subject to more oversight than any other force.

In the video of Mr Jackson, an officer is seen to throw the handcuffed man to the ground before standing with one foot on his back for at least 20 seconds.

The initial encounter between the young man and officers was not shown.

Mr Jackson said on Wednesday it was a "completely excessive use of force" and one of the police officers present had apologised to him.

"One of them was like, 'I'm actually so sorry,'" he told the Seven Network.

Mr Murdoch said the video showed only part of a larger incident and the full circumstances would be revealed later.

Activists aligned with the Community Action Against Homophobia (CAAH) group plan to march from Taylor Square on Oxford Street to Surry Hills Police Station on Friday, and say 1200 people have already said they will attend.

CAAH member Karl Hand told reporters he had met with Mr Hutchinson on Sunday morning, and the man's wrists were swollen and marked by deep handcuff grooves.

"He couldn't use his knife and fork. I had to cut up his food," Mr Hand said.

"Every Mardi Gras we talk to people who have been brutalised by police. It's been happening since 1978," he said.

His group wants the two men to receive apologies and compensation from police.

Human rights lawyer-turned-researcher Dale Mills said oversight by the ombudsman was not enough.

"In my opinion, the ombudsman's office is part of the problem. They don't have the legislative power, or the resources, or the political will," he said.

"Really what's needed is a separate statutory body that can investigate allegations of police misbehaviour."

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Data leaked after ABC Wilders interview

The details of almost 50,000 internet users have been posted online after an ABC website was hacked. Source: AAP

AUSTRALIA'S national broadcaster is reviewing its cyber security arrangements after one of its program websites was hacked and the personal details of almost 50,000 users were posted online.

The attack on a sub-domain of the ABC's site, abc.net.au, was carried out by a European-based activist who was aggrieved with the corporation's recent interview with far-right Dutch politician Geert Wilders.

The hacker struck during the early hours of Wednesday morning on a section of the ABC's site about a 2010 program called Making Australia Happy, a reality-style documentary featuring eight Sydney residents.

Soon afterwards, the passwords, usernames, email addresses, location and postcodes of almost 50,000 people who'd made comments or registered on the site were posted online.

The data was posted in 10 separate 'pastebins' which can be accessed online.

As of Wednesday afternoon, the data was still visible.

The ABC said it has written to all 49,561 people affected and apologised.

The hacker, believed to be associated with the online activist group Anonymous, wrote on Twitter: "ABC hacked for giving a platform to Geert Wilders to spread hatred #OpWilders - database leaked!"

The ABC interviewed Wilders on its current affairs Lateline program on February 13.

The Dutch politician, who is the leader of the Party for Freedom - which holds the balance of power in the Dutch parliament - was speaking ahead of a national tour of Australia and told the program that "Islam and freedom are incompatible".

The ABC acknowledged the attack and a source within the corporation said the broadcaster's cyber security was being reviewed.

"We do know that it has exposed the name, username and a hashed version of the password that audience members used to register on the program website," an ABC spokesman told AAP.

"As soon as the ABC was made aware of this activity the site was shut down.

"This breach originated at an overseas location and an activist has claimed responsibility for it.

"The ABC will be in contact with audience members who have been directly affected."

Online commentators praised the ABC for its fast and open disclosure of the breach.

NSW resident Tim Gresham told News Ltd he was horrified to learn his personal details had been exposed.

His details were published along with 49,560 other ABC website users' data, on a website linked to Anonymous.

"This hacker has probably got a lot of information about me, intimate information about me, having an idea of what that website asked me in terms of my relationships and personal life," Mr Gresham said.

It comes after several large news and social media companies have admitted being hacked.

Twitter, Facebook, the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal have all suffered recent cyber attacks, with the two American newspapers blaming Chinese activists.

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Shark victim known to rescuers

A SHARK attack off the popular Muriwai Beach on Auckland's west coast has claimed the life of a filmmaker known to the surf lifesavers who tried to save him.

Television commercial director Adam Strange, 46, was swimming 200m offshore north from Maori Bay to Muriwai at about 1.30pm when he was attacked by a large shark.

He was dead by the time lifeguards and police, one of whom was firing shots at the shark, reached him.

His family said in a statement that they were in shock and requested privacy.

"The family are grieving the loss of a glorious and great father, husband and friend," the statement said.

Muriwai Volunteer Lifeguard Service chairman Tim Jago said the man was well known to lifeguards who tried to save him, describing him as "a good water man".

He told media the lifeguards who went in inflatable boats to try to rescue him had been traumatised and were being offered support and counselling.

The shark that attacked the man was reportedly up to four metres long and believed to be a great white. Another shark was also seen by rescuers.

"They're not a common occurrence," Mr Jago told Radio New Zealand.

"We know they're there, we sometimes see smaller ones, but to see something this size, to see two of them at this beach pretty close in is pretty unprecedented."

Inspector Shawn Rutene of Auckland police said it was unclear whether the armed officer shot the shark, but said it had rolled off and disappeared.

He said the victim's family "are very upset and very distraught".

Fisherman Pio Mosie told Fairfax Media he saw the man out swimming before the attack.

"All of a sudden ... we saw the shark fin and next minute, boom, attack him then blood everywhere on the water," he said.

"He was still alive, he put his head up, we called him to swim over the rock to where we were.

"He raised his hand up, and then while he was raising his hand up we saw another attack pull him in the water."

Mr Jago said all west Auckland beaches, including Muriwai, Karekare, Bethells Beach and Piha, have been closed as attempts are made to see if there are still sharks in the area.

Shark deaths are uncommon in New Zealand, with Wednesday's death the first confirmed shark attack fatality since 1976.

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