Failed refugees should go home: Gillard

The PM says people who have had their asylum applications rejected should return to their homeland. Source: AAP

FAILED refugees should return to their homeland and shouldn't expect financial support from the government, the prime minister says.

Julia Gillard was responding to a News Limited report that thousands of asylum seekers, including women and children, faced being left without the right to work or financial support from the government once their refugee claims had been rejected.

If failed refugees, who are not allowed to work, decide to stay in Australia and seek a judicial review, the government may be able to revoke their welfare payments.

Ms Gillard said people who have had their refugee applications rejected should return to their homeland.

"Obviously that's what we want people to do," she told reporters in Brisbane on Thursday.

"In those circumstances for Australia, it's not a question of support for these people, it's a question of them going back home."

13.39 | 0 komentar | Read More

Vic teens forced into marriage: inquiry

MELBOURNE girls as young as 15 are being forced into marriages overseas, a parliamentary inquiry has heard.

There were three examples of forced marriage in one Melbourne high school, a migrant support worker told the inquiry.

Girls are being married off for money and for their husbands to obtain visas, Hiba Casablanca from the Shakti Migrant and Refugee Women's Support Group said.

She told the federal inquiry into slavery and human trafficking about a 15-year-old Melbourne girl who thought she was going on holidays to Asia with her family, but was married off.

"She had been taken on holiday by her family and was unaware of what would be happening to her," Ms Casablanca told the inquiry.

The girl's husband is now trying to obtain a spousal visa to come to Australia.

Australian authorities have been told the girl, who was born overseas, is now 18 years old.

In another example, a 21-year-old woman was married in exchange for money, Ms Casablanca said.

The woman lives in slavery-like conditions in Melbourne, she said.

In addition to going to school, she works 20 hours a week and does all the housework, the inquiry heard.

Ms Casablanca said she met a third girl who was soon to be forced into marriage.

The girl's older brother became physically and psychologically abusive and tried to force her to go overseas to get married because the girl was talking to a boy at school, she said.

Ms Casablanca, whose organisation looks after Asian, Middle Eastern and African women, said there were migrant women suffering in slavery-like conditions in Australia.

There needed to be a greater understanding among the judiciary about arranged marriage, she said.

In cases where a father in an arranged marriage was granted custody of a young girl, it would likely force girls into intergenerational cycles of forced marriage, Ms Casablanca said.

13.39 | 0 komentar | Read More

SA's first DPP Paul Rofe dies

SOUTH Australia's first Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Paul Rofe QC, has died after recent ill health.

Mr Rofe, 65, was admitted to practice in 1973, became a QC in 1991 and was SA's inaugural DPP from 1992 to 2004.

After resigning from the post, he continued working as a barrister.

SA Law Society president John White on Wednesday paid tribute to Mr Rofe and spoke of his significant contribution to the state's justice system.

"Mr Rofe's legal career, particularly during his 12-year tenure as DPP, was defined by a principled and even-handed application of the law," Mr White said in a statement.

"He was a man of great conviction, and handled many challenging criminal cases with impressive professionalism and fair-mindedness.

"He will be sadly missed by the legal community, but his legacy will be with us forever."

The current DPP, Adam Kimber SC, said Mr Rofe was a significant figure in the history of prosecution work in SA and his positive influence was still felt today.

"As Director, Paul was a man of great intellect and judgment.

"He had a unique ability to know what was right and the courage to back his judgment.

"He was a man of great fairness and compassion.

"He was at the forefront of making significant improvements to the service that this office provides to alleged victims and their families."

13.39 | 0 komentar | Read More

Door open on NT schools funding: Garrett

FEDERAL School Education Minister Peter Garrett says his door is open and he's willing to negotiate with the Northern Territory over a schools funding package.

Ahead of a meeting with NT Education Minister Peter Chandler on Wednesday, Mr Garrett said he wanted to leave the politics aside and enter the talks with goodwill.

"I am happy to look at issues that Minister Chandler raises, and happy to consider any matter that he brings forward," Mr Garrett said.

"The door is open for negotiations and discussion, as it should be if we put the interests of students first," he told reporters in Darwin.

The federal government has been trying to convince all the states and territories to sign on to its schools funding package.

NSW is so far the only jurisdiction to agree to the multi-billion dollar Gonski school funding plan.

The Northern Territory will need to contribute about $100 million, and the federal government will pay $200 million for schools funding under the existing model.

On Tuesday, Mr Chandler said the NT didn't have enough money to sign on to the scheme.

Mr Garrett on Wednesday said the time period over which the NT pays its share of the funding was open to negotiation.

"There is absolutely no reason on earth why the Northern Territory shouldn't get on board the national plan for school improvement and see additional investment flow to schools in the territory," he said.

13.39 | 0 komentar | Read More

Abuse whistleblower 'lied to NSW police'

Whistleblower Peter Fox lied about forgetting to bring abuse victims' statements to a meeting. Source: AAP

NSW police whistleblower Peter Fox has told an inquiry he lied to fellow officers when he said he forgot to bring statements from sex abuse victims to a meeting.

Detective Chief Inspector Fox told the hearing in Newcastle on Tuesday he had deliberately left the documents on his desk.

Asked by counsel assisting the inquiry, Julia Lonergan SC, if he had lied to police in saying he had forgotten them, he replied: "Absolutely."

He has previously testified that he had lost trust in some senior police.

"I was hoping I wouldn't have to surrender them (the documents)," Insp Fox said.

He said he went to the December 2010 meeting at Waratah police station hoping to be able to continue his investigations into child sexual abuse by priests.

But he held concerns the meeting would be about something else, and "sadly the latter was correct".

It was at that meeting he was told to cease his investigations and hand over his files.

Insp Fox has alleged a "Catholic mafia" including police tried to cover up sex abuse crimes by priests in the Maitland-Newcastle diocese.

Special Commissioner Margaret Cunneen is investigating the circumstances in which Insp Fox was asked to stop probing certain matters.

She will hear evidence from senior police including two assistant commissioners and two superintendents, as well as former policeman Troy Grant who is now a NSW Nationals MP.

The inquiry is concentrating on two priests - serial sex offender Father Denis McAlinden and convicted paedophile Father James Fletcher, both now dead.

The inquiry is continuing.

13.39 | 0 komentar | Read More

Boomtown Rats won't tour Down Under

Poor ticket sales have led to the official cancellation of the Boomtown Rats tour of Australia. Source: AAP

THE Boomtown Rats tour of Australia has been officially cancelled.

Sir Bob Geldof recently made a visit to Australia to announce the band's reformation and announced the Aussie dates but it seems Australians just didn't care.

Initially announced for five shows across the country the band had to cancel its Melbourne, Adelaide and Brisbane dates in April because they hadn't had enought interest.

On Tuesday it was announced the remaining gigs in Perth and Sydney have now been axed with ticketholders urged to seek refunds.

The next scheduled performance for Boomtown Rats is now June 16 at the Isle of Wight Festival, UK.

13.39 | 0 komentar | Read More

Three men arrested after Vic coal protest

Three men have been arrested after climbing Flinders Street Station to unfurl an anti-coal banner. Source: AAP

THREE protesters have been arrested after climbing on to Melbourne's Flinders Street Station to unfurl an anti-coal banner.

The Quit Coal coalition protesters used ropes to climb the clock tower on Monday and release the banner urging Victorian Premier Denis Napthine to invest in renewable energy.

Police confirmed three men were arrested at the scene.

Quit Coal spokeswoman Chloe Aldenhoven said two abseiling protesters and a third man who checked the rigging atop the clock tower were taken to Melbourne West police station for questioning.

The black banner read "Get off the coal train and on track for renewables, Denis," and features a train and a caricature of Dr Napthine trying to derail the tracks.

Ms Aldenhoven said the protesters knew they were at risk of being arrested for trespassing.

"They believe considering the disastrous predictions that climate change was offering that civil disobedience is a warranted course of action," Ms Aldenhoven said.

She said the big banner was taken down by police.

13.39 | 0 komentar | Read More

Aerosmith drops Indonesia show

Aerosmith cancelled an Indonesian show after a bomb plot targeting the Myanmar embassy was foiled. Source: AAP

AEROSMITH has cancelled a show in Indonesia after authorities revealed they had foiled a bomb plot targeting the Myanmar (Burma) Embassy.

Concert promoter Ismaya Live cited safety concerns as the reason for the cancellation, but it wasn't clear if there was a direct connection to the alleged embassy plot.

The American rockers were scheduled to perform on Saturday for a nearly sold-out crowd of 15,000 in Jakarta, said Helmi Sugara, event organiser spokesman.

The statement about the cancellation carried an apology from Aerosmith also saying they hoped to make it up to the fans one day. There was no immediate indication if they would reschedule.

Indonesian police said on Friday they had arrested two suspected militants and seized bombs the suspects were plotting to use against the Myanmar Embassy in Jakarta to protest Myanmar's treatment of Muslims.

Aerosmith started an Asia-Pacific tour in April with their first-ever concert in New Zealand and several shows in Australia. They're scheduled to play on Wednesday in the Philippines.

13.39 | 0 komentar | Read More

Qld govt defends its $1m TV ad campaign

THE Queensland government has defended spending $1 million on a television advertisement, saying it has slashed its overall spending on ads.

The one-minute advertisement, to be screened from Sunday night, urges Queenslanders to get involved in the government's 30-year plan for the state.

All 89 Queensland MPs are expected at a summit in Mackay, in central Queensland, on Friday to discuss their long-term vision for the state.

Queensland Council of Unions president John Battams said the government was promoting its plan to privatise state assets, and Opposition Leader Annastacia Palaszczuk said the money could have been put to better use.

But the government says it has cut the advertising budget by 44 per cent since it came to power in 2012 and saved $20 million.

A spokesman said the Bligh government had spent $45.3 million between July and December in 2011, compared to the Newman government's spend of $25.54 million in the same period in 2012.

"Regardless, the Queensland Plan is not a party political exercise and this campaign is not political advertising," the spokesman said in a statement to AAP.

"The Queensland Plan is an opportunity for Queenslanders to create a vision for their state for the next 30 years and it has bipartisan support."

13.39 | 0 komentar | Read More

Aussie banks performing better than peers

AUSTRALIAN banks are performing better than many of their overseas peers and local banking stocks are still good value, ANZ Chief executive Mike Smith says.

Some analysts believe Australian banking stocks are 10 to 15 per cent overvalued, but Mr Smith says local banks are among the best in the world.

"Are they fundamentally overvalued? I wouldn't say so," Mr Smith told ABC's Insider Business program on Sunday.

"They are performing better than many of their global peers."

ANZ shares closed at $31.60 on Friday, remaining at six year highs after the company lifted its dividend and posted a $3 billion-plus half year profit last week.

High yielding financial stocks have received a substantial boost in recent months.

Westpac shares are up almost 30 per cent for the year.

On Friday Westpac announced a special dividend after posting a record $3.3 billion first half profit.

Mr Smith added that ANZ needed to use technology "far better" and indicated the bank would move more of its services online.

He believes the global economy is still fragile and Europe is likely to be a mess for a while.

"All this austerity just doesn't work, you've got to create some stimulus as well," Mr Smith said.

However, he is bullish on Asia, where the bank's future growth is heavily invested.

He said the shift in economic power from the west to the east had decades to run.

The bulk of the bank's earnings still come from Australia and New Zealand, with only 20 per cent derived from offshore.

13.39 | 0 komentar | Read More