Qld's conservation act shaken up

QUEENSLAND'S opposition says the state's nature conservation act is being gutted to make a quick buck.

In a move government says will improve access and boost tourism, the state's national parks will open to commercial operations under amendments due to be passed on Tuesday.

Environmentalists say the bill will allow ecologically unsustainable uses in protected areas.

Labor's Bill Byrne says the 20-year-old act is being turned on its head so its primary purpose will no longer be to conserve nature but to provide commercial and recreational benefits for humans.

"We readily agree that educational, recreational, cultural and sometimes even commercial activities can be appropriate in national parks, but they must always be secondary activities that are entirely 100 per cent subordinate to the protection of nature," he told parliament.

"The LNP wants to 'open them up' to any charlatan in search of a quick buck."

Under the changes, public input into the management of protected areas will be limited.

It will also be harder for people who injure themselves in national parks after acting recklessly or disregarding warning signs to sue the state.

According to government figures, there are currently nine current claims against the state totalling $11.9 million.

National Parks Minister Steve Dickson said the changes would cut red tape and streamline the approvals process.

There will be no mining, logging, hunting or open slather grazing in national parks, parliament heard.

"What we are trying to do is simplify the whole act so that it's more cost efficient to run," Mr Dickson told AAP.

"The money that's saved can go back into caring for, maintaining and looking after our national parks, that's what this is all about."

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Butcher of Bega begins High Court bid

Carolyn DeWaegeneire is appalled taxpayers are funding the High Court appeal of the Butcher of Bega. Source: AAP

CAROLYN DeWaegeneire is appalled taxpayers are funding the High Court appeal of the doctor known as the Butcher of Bega, who removed her genitals without consent.

Graeme Reeves on Tuesday launched his High Court challenge against an increase to his jail sentence.

He was jailed in 2011 for three-and-a-half years after being found guilty of removing Ms DeWaegeneire's clitoris and genitals and sexually abusing another patient during a physical examination.

He also is serving time for obtaining a financial advantage by deception.

The offences occurred between 2001 and 2003 when Reeves worked as a gynaecologist and obstetrician on the NSW South Coast.

Ms DeWaegeneire said she was angry Reeves was receiving Legal Aid for his defence.

"(Today's been) stressful, of course. I don't want to relive it, but I must," she told reporters outside court.

"There's been extraordinary taxpayers' expense to defend one man against me."

She hopes the High Court does not reduce Reeves sentence just because he's ill.

Along with another victim and several supporters, she wore a T-shirt with a picture of two ants, symbolising their battle as "little people at the bottom of the barrel".

"I can't let that man win, for every woman in this country," she said with tears in her eyes.

The court on Tuesday considered the legal issues surrounding the concept of "informed consent".

It also examined in what circumstances a surgeon performing an operation they believe is medically necessary can be guilty of a crime requiring proof of malice or intent to commit grievous bodily harm.

Reeves removed Ms DeWaegeneire's genitals in an operation that was supposed to only take out a pre-cancer lesion.

Reeves' defence has consistently argued he was saving the patient's life and rejected the crown's argument that he did not have consent to remove her genitals.

Appearing for the crown, Lloyd Babb SC told the court the expert evidence was unanimous that the operation had been unwarranted.

In February 2013, the NSW Court of Appeal found Reeves' sentence to be grossly inadequate and re-sentenced him to five-and-a-half years, with a non-parole period of three-and-a-half years.

However, the court also found the trial judge had made an error in directing the jury on the issue of consent.

Reeves' barrister Peter Hamill argued the original sentencing judge had taken into account his client's depression, but that was not used as a mitigating factor by the appeal judges.

He also argued the Court of Appeal should not have applied a section of the Criminal Appeal Act because the trial judge had made an error.

"The court should grant special leave to rectify the injustice to the individual," Mr Hamill said.

"The jury did not decide the issue it had been called to decide."

The hearing continues.

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Labor's Wright raises workplace law fears

Labor's George Wright (pic) says the coalition will target unions before targeting work conditions. Source: AAP

ALP national secretary George Wright has warned the coalition's plan to change laws in relation to unions is an "entree" to removing some working conditions.

Mr Wright was a key figure behind the Your Rights at Work campaign, which has been credited with helping Labor win the 2007 election and abolish the Howard government's controversial Work Choices laws.

Work is under way on the Abbott government's initial industrial legislation - relating to the restoration of the Australian Building and Construction Commission and bolstering penalties for union officials found guilty of corruption.

Mr Wright told the National Press Club in Canberra on Tuesday the Abbott government would take a different approach to workplace relations to that taken by Mr Howard.

"I suspect what you will see is a concerted effort by the government to really go after the unions first - union organisation and union finances - obviously as an entree to then have a go at members' conditions," he said.

"They will weaken and probably distract the machinery and organisation that protects workers' rights before they actually go after the rights themselves."

He said he had no immediate advice for the labour movement in how to address it.

"That is something that the labour movement as a whole needs to think about how it effectively responds to."

Making changes to the penalty rates system was an issue raised at a national tourism conference in Canberra on Tuesday.

Tourism and Transport Forum chief Ken Morrison was asked during the conference whether the industry wanted the government to reduce penalty rates.

"What was clear talking to the coalition before the election is they were totally gun shy, they didn't really want to talk about it before the election," Mr Morrison said.

"They said: 'If you want this after the election, business is going to have to lead'. So you're seeing a range of business groups doing that now."

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Kelly pulls out of race for Carr's spot

Mike Kelly (pic) has withdrawn his name from the race for the NSW Senate seat vacated by Bob Carr. Source: AAP

FORMER Labor minister Mike Kelly has pulled out of the contest for the Senate seat vacated by Bob Carr.

"I will not be nominating 4 the Senate vacancy as the decision will be AA (affirmative action) based," Dr Kelly tweeted on Tuesday.

He wished former Central Coast MP Deb O'Neill, widely tipped to be in line for the job, all the best.

Both Dr Kelly and Ms O'Neill lost their lower house seats at the recent federal election.

Last Wednesday, Dr Kelly told AAP he had nominated for the Senate vacancy and, if selected, would commit to recontesting the seat of Eden-Monaro at the next election.

Mr Carr, in his final speech before resigning from the Senate, said he wished he could hand his seat over to Dr Kelly and that he hoped his talents could be "edged" back in to parliament.

The NSW Labor executive will make a final decision on who will fill the Senate vacancy on Wednesday.

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No taker yet for $30m lottery ticket

THE champagne is still on ice at Lotterywest headquarters in Perth, as the identity of the state's $30 million Powerball winner remains a mystery.

One lucky entrant picked up the entire $30 million division one prize pool last Thursday night, equalling the largest lottery prize ever won in the state.

The only details released by Lotterywest is that the winning ticket was sold in Perth's northern suburbs.

But despite the size of the prize, no winning ticket holder has come forward to claim the massive prize, although he or she has 12 months from the date of the draw to bring in the winning ticket.

The win is the latest in an amazing run of luck for lottery players in the state in 2013.

In February, the state recorded a $20 million win, followed by a $10 million win in May, another $20 million win in August, followed by the $30 million jackpot last week.

About 70 WA players have collected a division one lottery prize in 2013.

And WA players will have another chance to win big this weekend, when $22 million goes on offer in Saturday's Gold Lotto Superdraw.

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Boy, 4, burns down house with lighter

A FOUR-YEAR-OLD boy playing with a lighter is believed to have started a fire that burned down his house on the NSW mid-north coast.

Police say the boy's father pulled the youngster and his other two children to safety.

But he was unable to save the house, despite trying to extinguish the blaze with a garden hose.

Police say they have been told the preschooler might have been playing with a cigarette lighter before the fire started in a pile of clothes in his bedroom on Saturday.

Detective Inspector Kim Fehon said the family was lucky to avoid injury.

"It's essential that matches, lighters or barbecue fire starters should be kept securely out of reach of children," she said.

"We would strongly recommend parents explain the danger of fire to older children, especially following the reports of children being responsible for several fires across the state."

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Obeid under renewed ICAC scrutiny

The NSW ICAC has starting hearing fresh allegations of corruption involving ex-Labor MP Eddie Obeid. Source: AAP

EDDIE Obeid was known in the halls of NSW parliament as a fixer but when "stuff hit the fan" in a family business, his brother-in-law says it never crossed his mind to ask the then-MP for help.

Obeid is accused of lobbying state ministers Carl Scully, Michael Costa, Eric Roozendaal and Joe Tripodi to have leases on prime government-owned real estate - home to two Obeid family-owned restaurants - renewed without going to tender.

It's alleged the one-time Labor powerbroker never disclosed his personal connection to the Sorrentino restaurant and Quay Eatery at Sydney's Circular Quay.

The allegations were aired on Monday, the first day of yet another NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) inquiry into Obeid, who has already been declared corrupt by the watchdog in relation to separate matters.

Under questioning from counsel assisting the commission, Ian Temby QC, the ex-MP's brother-in-law John Abood agreed that while he owned Circular Quay Restaurants Pty Ltd (CQPL) on paper, the major owner was really an Obeid family trust.

CQPL, in turn, owned the two restaurants.

The inquiry has heard Mr Abood was given the job to manage the eateries after he struggled to find work.

He said he spoke to "the boys" - Eddie Obeid's sons - and they got together $2.4 million to buy Sorrentino, Quay Eatery and a nearby cafe.

"I was fronting the businesses, not a front for the Obeids - there's a difference, sir," Mr Abood said.

He also denied Obeid was called in to help when NSW Maritime, the landowner, moved to seek expressions of interest from potential new lessees without giving existing retailers preference.

"Going to market in this way has the obvious advantage of ensuring that public assets provide a good return to the public purse," Mr Temby said in his opening address.

Ultimately NSW Maritime altered its draft commercial lease policy to allow for direct negotiations with existing tenants and new leases were indeed granted to CQPL in 2009.

"When, if you want to say - excuse me commissioner - that stuff hit the fan, we had to react to that," Mr Abood testified.

"I never even contemplated talking to Eddie about it and I never did, sir."

The three-week inquiry is part of three fresh investigations by the corruption watchdog, codenamed Cyrus, Cabot and Meeka.

It will also examine claims Eddie Obeid influenced public officials to allow generous water licences for a coal-rich Hunter Valley property owned by his family.

It's also been alleged Obeid hand-delivered to then-Treasurer Michael Costa a letter requesting a meeting with a director of Direct Health Solutions, without revealing that his family and long-time associate Rocco Triulcio had a combined $450,000 investment in the company.

Mr Temby has foreshadowed that along with Obeid, prominent bureaucrats Steve Dunn - who recently headed up the O'Farrell government's controversial Game Council review - and Mark Duffy could face corruption findings.

Obeid has denied any wrongdoing but promised to cooperate.

"No one is ever happy with having to answer continuous allegations but as long as they have hearings, I'll keep turning up," he told the Seven Network.

"I'm not corrupt - and time will tell."

He is expected to give evidence next week.

The inquiry continues before Assistant Commissioner Anthony Whealy QC.

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YMCA child protection policy queried

A year after the Jonathan Lord incident, the YMCA hadn't completed its working with children checks. Source: AAP

A YMCA middle manager whose evidence to a child abuse inquiry changed within a month has denied it was because she discussed it with senior management.

Jacqui Barnat, a children's services manager with the non-profit organisation told the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse on Monday that she was changing her evidence on the policy covering the recruitment of childcare workers.

Ms Barnat told a private hearing of the commission in early October the 2006 policy was in place in 2009.

But at Monday's public hearing, she said she did not believe the YMCA Australia Safeguarding Children and Young People's policy 2006, was current in 2009.

"Upon reflection I don't believe it was still current in 2009 because from memory other policies were in place," she said.

When the discrepancy was pointed out to her by Gail Furness, SC for the commission, she said she could not recall her earlier evidence.

When asked if she had discussed this policy with anyone at the YMCA in the past month and its application to her work she said "no".

Ms Furness asked what had occurred that made her say now that it did not apply to her work in 2009.

"Was it assisted by any person or you looking at any other document?"

Ms Barnat did not reply. She could not identify what other policy was in place.

"I have a recollection of a policy in force in 2009 and I cannot recall the name ... I think I did try to find it. I have not been able to find that policy."

She later said she might have instigated a conversation with the YMCA's business service manager, Irene Minos.

In answer to questioning by commission chairman Justice Peter McClellan, Ms Barnat said she was reviewing the content of the policy after her private evidence and that is how she recalled the 2006 policy was not in place.

"Upon reflection, I just tried to fit the dates".

Ms Barnat who has been with the YMCA since 2004 had shared responsibility for recruitment in the Caringbah area when Jonathan Lord was employed.

Lord is serving a 10-year sentence for sexual assaults on 12 children while he was with the YMCA.

Ms Barnat said that prior to January 2013 she could not make decisions on staff selection and would need approval to conduct interviews. However, generally but not always, there was a more senior manager with her when she interviewed new recruits.

Ms Barnat was questioned on the reporting levels within the YMCA.

She said her duties were to identify staff training needs and she passed those on to her managers who were also based at Caringbah.

Ms Barnat will continue her evidence when the hearing resumes on Tuesday.

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Labor criticises changes to fire payments

DEPUTY opposition leader Tanya Plibersek has lashed out at the government for changing eligibility for bushfire victims to receive emergency funds as NSW communities reel from devastating fires.

"Australians certainly didn't vote for cuts to disaster-affected communities," Ms Plibersek told the South Australian ALP conference on Saturday.

"At this time when there is so much devastation, why would you withdraw that very modest amount that governments have given in the past to support people who are affected?"

Federal government payments of $1000 per adult and $400 per child are now available to people who are injured or whose homes are destroyed or damaged in the fires.

It's currently being offered to affected people in the local government areas of the Blue Mountains, Lake Macquarie, Lithgow, Muswellbrook, Port Macquarie-Hastings, Port Stephens, Wingecarribee, Wyong, and Wollondilly.

But Ms Plibersek said people who had to flee the fires then return to find their home still standing but in need of serious clean-up efforts would miss out.

In contrast, she said, payments under the Labor government helped 400,000 people clean up after the 2011 Queensland floods and another 63,000 after the 2009 Victorian bushfires.

She acknowledged Prime Minister Tony Abbott had praised people fighting the fires and given personal assistance to the effort.

Earlier in the week, Assistant Minister for Social Services Mitch Fifield said the eligibility changes were designed to ensure people most in need got assistance first and the government would continue to assess the situation.

Ministers responsible for the payments were asked for further comment on Saturday.

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Vic teen may have fallen from roof: police

A MELBOURNE teenager who died in "unusual circumstances" may have fallen from a roof, police say.

The 14-year-old boy was found by family members with head injuries in the driveway of a Balwyn home, in the same street he lived in.

An ambulance took him to hospital around 5am (AEDT) on Saturday, but he later died.

Paramedics had been called to reports of a fall.

Victoria Police Sergeant Graeme Rodgers said the death was unusual given where the teenager was found.

"It's unusual circumstances in which the young person has died," he told reporters at the scene.

"Very tragic. Young male, full of life, enjoyed his sports and for some unknown reason has tragically died."

A police spokeswoman said they are investigating whether the boy fell from the roof.

Forensic officers set up a ladder to the roof of the home's carport on Saturday morning and scoured the area.

Homicide squad detectives have been called in to help local police.

A post-mortem examination will be held later to determine a cause of death.

The spokeswoman would not confirm media reports that the death is no longer being treated as suspicious.

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