Labor, coalition fight for rural affection

IF you believe Labor, they are the party for farmers and rural Australia.

IF you believe the government, that's a complete joke.

Parliament took a country tone on Thursday when Labor's agriculture spokesman Joel Fitzgibbon brought on debate about the budget's impact on regional Australia.He was concerned about the fuel excise hike's impact on rural residents, which he says will go down as the Abbott government's "worst broken promise".Mr Fitzgibbon is behind Labor's new "country caucus" made up of regional MPs and senators who will influence party policy on rural issues.Labor has long been a champion of the bush, given it was partly born out of the shearing sheds of rural Queensland, Mr Fitzgibbon told AAP."Country Labor has been successful in NSW and it can be successful nationally," he said in a statement.But the coalition is having none of that.Liberal MP Dan Tehan derided Mr Fitzgibbon's topic for debate, given it came just after its country caucus was publicly announced."That's why we have this (debate) here today," he said."What an absolute joke."Mr Tehan said the country caucus came too late."You all should be ashamed of yourself, starting in the year 2014 a regional caucus and coming in here telling us who should stand up for regional and rural Australia."Nationals deputy leader Barnaby Joyce joined in the derision.If there was a friend for regional Australia, it was clear which side of the chamber they would find them in, he said.

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Family heartbroken after aged home deaths

THREE and a half years ago, Marie Darragh was frail, ill and on the brink of death.

SHE was placed in the St Andrews Nursing Home in Ballina as her family desperately hoped for the best.

Within years, her health had turned around.After giving up smoking, Ms Darragh turned to sugar to get her fix and earned the affectionate nickname "sugar fairy" for her fierce sweet tooth around the nursing home.It was this new-found health and happiness that made the 82-year-old's suspected murder in May all the more shocking."It's total heartbreak," daughter Janet Parkinson told AAP on Thursday."Because when she went in there she was ready to die. She was so frail and it has taken them three and a half years to get her where she was."They built her up and she had to go this way ... that's the heartbreaking thing."Ms Darragh and fellow resident and friend Isobella Spencer, 77, were found unconscious in their beds on May 10.They died hours later.The same night, a third woman was attacked at the home and admitted to hospital but survived.St Andrews Aged Care says she is in good health and is back at the facility.The fact Ms Darragh and Ms Spencer died unexpectedly, in the same location and on the same night, sparked a homicide investigation.Detectives believe they have a good idea of how both women died and have questioned nursing home staff."Obviously we are looking at the actions of staff members that night. However, we are keeping an open mind," Detective Superintendent Mick Willing said on Wednesday.Ms Parkinson said she had her own suspicions about what happened, but could not speak highly enough of the nursing home staff."Obviously I have missed something," she said.She said Ms Darragh, a grandmother to 11 and mother of three, "loved" living at the nursing home.Police have not disclosed any further details about the women's deaths but said there was no "existing threat" at the nursing home."I want to make it absolutely clear that we believe this is an isolated incident," Det Supt Willing said.In a statement, St Andrews Aged Care chief executive officer Pip Carter had no fears for the safety of residents."We understand the pain of losing a loved one and we are doing all we can to assist police," she said.

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Carr dishes up conundrum for NSW govt

EIGHT years after ending his reign over NSW, Bob Carr is still giving the state Liberals a headache.

THIS time, he's forced Premier Mike Baird to reconvene a "slimmed-down" joint sitting of parliament.

The procedure is so the former premier and foreign minister can be excused from the Senate and return to private life.Mr Baird was left with a conundrum after Mr Carr decided to retire from federal politics despite winning his Senate seat last year.The premier received legal advice that Mr Carr's resignation wasn't constitutional and a joint sitting of the NSW parliament was needed to replace him.But the problem was parliament was on Thursday preparing to close its doors for its winter recess and not planning to sit again until August, well after the July 1 date of the new Senate term.The premier eventually decided to hold a very short joint sitting session in July, which would only last a few minutes, to sort the issue out.Once that happens, Labor's Deb O'Neill will formally replace Mr Carr in the Senate.

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Ferry fraudster Smith 'had no choice'

A FORMER Sydney Ferries boss who racked up more than $200,000 on the company credit card says he felt he had no choice because he couldn't tell his emotionally fragile wife how desperate the family's financial situation had become.

FORMER naval admiral Geoffrey Smith on Thursday told his sentencing hearing he was hired to help turn the troubled transport company around in August 2006.

By early 2009, allegations of rorting had surfaced and he was brought up before the corruption watchdog.He has now pleaded guilty to one charge of cheating or defrauding the company he directed.Smith said two fatal crashes on Sydney Harbour in 2007 ushered in a five-month inquiry and intense scrutiny.On the home front, his wife - who had previously been hospitalised and subjected to electroconvulsive therapy in a battle with depression - was diagnosed with cancer."I'm deeply ashamed," Smith told the Sydney District Court."I've let down a lot of people and I've done something contrary to all the values I've lived my whole life."He said he always intended to reimburse Sydney Ferries for his personal expenses, and with a crippling monthly mortgage of $11,000 and medical bills stacking up, Smith says he knew he needed to sell his home in leafy northern Sydney.But he couldn't tell his wife.They'd been married for 26 of his navy years and moved 32 times."She never asked for anything except that when the time came for me to retire we would buy a house and settle down and have a semi-normal life," Smith said."I was intensely worried that if I spoke to her about selling the house it would have a profound impact on her."When he eventually spoke to his wife about the "parlous" state of the family books, the global financial crisis was in full swing, and the house's value had dropped from an estimated $2.2 million to $1.86m - too little to settle Smith's debts.But Crown prosecutor Sara Bowers said Smith was spending Sydney Ferries' money on extravagances including a family trip to New Zealand, jewellery, a new swimming pool and two BMWs, including one for his "bedridden" wife."Not the necessities of life, are they," she said."I didn't think I had a choice," Smith said.Smith says he still wants to pay the missing money back using earnings from his retail job at hardware chain Bunnings and his superannuation.Judge Michael Finnane has indicated he intends to sentence Smith to two years, but that this may be served in the community under an intensive correction order, rather than in jail.The hearing resumes in August.

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Fewer dollars for farmers next year

Farmers will have less cash in their pockets from exporting their goods next year, new data shows. Source: AAP

FARMERS will have less cash in their pockets from exporting their goods next financial year.

BUT they will still have more than they've had in the past decade.

There will be a six per cent drop in farm export earnings in 2014-15, with earnings set to drop to $38.5 billion from this year's $41 billion, the government's agricultural commodity forecaster ABARES says.That's because there will be less to send offshore - with farm production to fall by four per cent next year.Production of barley, canola, beef and veal, rice and horticulture, are all set to drop.But the earnings will still be above the 10-year average.ABARES says it will still be about nine per cent above the average of $35.5 billion over the 10 years to 2012-13 in real terms.Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce was keeping positive by spruiking the benefits of the Korea-Australia free trade agreement, which is expected to come into effect in 2015.Beef and cheese exports will be boosted under the trade deal, he said.There's better news for farmers exporting sugar, live cattle, and live sheep - all set to rise next year.

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Banned flu vax still given to young kids

REPORTS of some doctors giving young children a banned flu vaccination "defies belief", Australia's chief medical officer says.

THE bioCSL Fluvax was suspended from use for children under five years old after an increase in febrile convulsions in children was linked to the vaccine in 2010.

Earlier this month a five-year-old Perth girl received a confidential multi-million dollar payout after becoming severely disabled after receiving the bioCSL Fluvax in 2010.Despite this, in 2013 there were 43 reported cases of the bioCSL Fluvax administered to children under five. So far this year there had been 31 cases, Professor Chris Baggoley said.He admitted this figure was low, considering 48,360 children under five were given flu jabs last year. There were also no reports of adverse events.However, Prof Baggoley said it "defies belief" that some GPs said they were not aware of the ban, despite receiving a letter from him about it and other measures to inform them."In context, it's minuscule, but for every child that's been put at risk it makes me profoundly cranky," he said in Melbourne on Tuesday at the National Immunisation Conference.The federal department of health advises that the bioCSL Fluvax should not be used for children under five years. Other suitable vaccines are available.It advises that the vaccination should only be used in children five to nine years old after careful consideration of the benefits and risks.

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Double blow for Rebels bikie boss

Minister Scott Morrison has defended cancelling the visa of Rebels bikie gang leader Alex Vella (c). Source: AAP

REBELS motorcycle club leader Alex Vella has suffered a double blow with the cancellation of his Australian visa and loss of a close mate and fellow senior club member.

THE Rebels national president had planned to return from a visit to his native Malta when he discovered the FEDERAL government had cancelled his visa.

It was cancelled on character grounds last Friday, the Immigration Department says.Mr Vella, 60, is understood to be in Malta figuring out his next move.With the high profile leader gone, the Rebels club have taken another hit with the death of the club's Sergeant at Arms, Simon Rasic.Mr Rasic, son of former Socceroos coach Rale Rasic who guided the national team to the 1974 World Cup, died on Sunday night.Friend and Rebels member "Little Mick" Kosenko said Mr Rasic, who had been a club member for more than 20 years, died suddenly."It was very unexpected," the United Motorcycle Council Queensland spokesman told AAP on Tuesday."He was a very fit and healthy person. It's a great loss."Mr Kosenko said Mr Rasic, a father of four, died following complications from a recent operation.He said Mr Vella had already planned to cut his trip short to attend his sister-in-law's funeral on Tuesday prior to Mr Rasic's death.Mr Vella has struggled with his Australian visa since he was convicted in 1995 of possessing a trafficable quantity of cannabis.Supporters have leapt to Mr Vella's defence, painting the bikie boss as a churchgoing, motorcycle enthusiast."This man actually goes to church every week and is always willing to lend a helping hand, unlike the hypocrites that sit in government," Motorcycle Clubs Australia posted on Facebook."What has he done to deserve what they have been doing to him for so many years?"Everyone has a hobby in life and his is riding motorcycles."Speaking about the visa cancellation, Immigration Minister Scott Morrison said it was his duty to respond to the work of state and federal law enforcement agencies.

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Australians join PNG O'Neill fraud probe

Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O'Neill has reportedly avoided arrest by fraud investigators. Source: AAP

AUSTRALIAN private investigators and an Aussie judge are playing key roles in a corruption scandal that threatens to topple Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O'Neill, it has emerged.

A WARRANT for Mr O'Neill's arrest was obtained on Monday by fraud investigators who want to grill the prime minister over allegations he siphoned millions of dollars of public cash to a law firm.

Mr O'Neill strongly denies any wrongdoing and obtained a court order putting the warrant on ice.The key evidence in the case - which has gripped PNG for months - is a letter that Mr O'Neill allegedly signed authorising $31 million be paid to prominent law firm, Paul Paraka lawyers.The prime minister has dismissed the note as a fake.But Taskforce Sweep boss Sam Koim revealed on Tuesday that Sydney-based private investigators believe the document is genuine."We have now received the forensic examination report from the Sydney-based Forensic Document Services Pty Ltd confirming that the signature on the letter ... directing payments to Paraka Lawyers is PM O'Neill's," Mr Koim said.Police Chief of Operations and Deputy Commissioner Simon Kauba said his officers would abide by Monday's court ruling that stayed the warrant for Mr O'Neill's arrest.But he urged the prime minister to hand himself in."In the interest of national security I would like to invite the prime minister to, without any further delays, voluntarily make himself available to police for the interview to be conducted," Mr Kauba said.The case will be back in PNG's National Court on Wednesday morning, with Mr O'Neill's lawyers due to respond to an affidavit filed by Mr Koim on behalf of Task Force Sweep and the police.Meanwhile, Mr O'Neill has announced a commission of inquiry into the allegations against him - led by Australian judge Warwick Andrew.Mr O'Neill claims that police, courts and government departments have all been politically compromised."I think it's needed to be cleaned and we need an independent process to clean it out," he added.The Paul Paraka affair - called Parakagate in Port Moresby - is one of PNG's longest-running fraud investigations.Mr Paraka, one of the most powerful lawyers in PNG, was arrested and charged in 2013 for allegedly receiving the state monies.Task Force Sweep alleges the payments were spread over a seven-year period and ran into the "hundreds of millions".

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Too many ship types lift navy cost: Griggs

IF a car hire firm had to buy cars the way the navy has to buy ships, it could go broke, Navy chief Vice Admiral Ray Griggs reckons.

FOR an overall fleet of 52 vessels, the navy operates 14 different classes from 13 different ship designers with engines from 13 different makers.

Ship radars come from 11 different firms and there are 14 different control systems."If you ran a small hire car fleet with this sort of overhead you would be tearing your hair out, if you weren't broke. Yet commonality too often takes a back seat to upfront acquisition costs," he told the Australian Strategic Policy Institute.Vice Admiral Griggs, who leaves the navy top job next month, says Australian naval shipbuilding is at a crossroads.With the air warfare destroyer program running late and local shipbuilders performing below international standards, the government has warned it could look offshore for the navy's next frigates.The stop-start nature of shipbuilding projects means having to relearn lessons and paying the price in delays and cost increases.Vice Admiral Griggs thinks they should either buy everything offshore or maintain a continuous build program to gain the full economic benefits.The diversity of navy ships and systems adds to training requirements, cost, complexity of support and the size of the spares inventory.Recently a ship had to sail without fully operational communications because the three contractors in Australia who could work on the system were not around.Two were overseas on holidays and one had gone bush and was out of mobile range.Greater fleet commonality would reduce the likelihood of this occurring."We need to get better at understanding the balance of benefits. Is it better to accept a higher acquisition cost in the interest of commonality," he said.

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Fault still no.1 on Australian box office

HOW To Train Your Dragon 2 came close but couldn't knock The Fault in Our Stars from its top spot on the Australian box office.

THE adaptation of John Green's bestseller remained no. 1 for the second weekend in a row with $2.438 million, although How to Train Your Dragon 2 was nipping at its heels. According to the Motion Picture Distributors Association of Australia, the animated sequel earned another $2.170 million in preview screenings, jumping from fifth to second, with its official release not until June 19.

It pushed Tom Cruise's new sci-fi/action flick Edge of Tomorrow into third place and Angelina Jolie's Maleficent into fourth.The new Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore comedy, the critically panned Blended, debuted at no. 5, while another new entry of note, Australian film The Rover by Animal Kingdom director David Michod, came in at twelfth on the ladder.X-Men: Days of Future Past starring Aussie Hugh Jackman slipped two places to sixth, while Seth MacFarlane comedy A Million Ways to Die in the West dropped one spot to seventh.Grace of Monaco starring Nicole Kidman remained steady at eighth place, while comedy Bad Neighbours fell two spots to ninth and The Trip to Italy finished off the ladder in tenth, pushing Godzilla into no. 11.

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