Tas premier dismisses disunity claim

Tasmanian Premier Lara Giddings has denied Labor is still suffering from internal disunity. Source: AAP

TASMANIAN Premier Lara Giddings has dismissed assertions of disunity within her party as Labor and the opposition enter election campaigning mode.

Deputy Liberal leader Jeremy Rockliff says Labor is still suffering from internal conflict after Labor backbencher Brenton Best criticised Ms Giddings for overlooking him for a ministry post.

In an article in The Advocate, Mr Best accused the premier of "shooting the messenger" and not showing "graciousness" by refusing to discuss a potential cabinet appointment.

Ms Giddings on Friday elevated Craig Farrell and Rebecca White to cabinet, replacing sacked Greens leader Nick McKim and his colleague Cassy O'Connor.

"Brenton Best's latest attack on Lara Giddings for not giving him a ministry shows that despite their fake divorce from the Greens, Labor remain dysfunctional and plagued by disunity," Mr Rockliff said in a statement on Saturday.

"It is clear Labor remain more focused on their own jobs, than the jobs of Tasmanians."

However, Ms Giddings dismissed questions of disunity within her party.

"Not at all. We are, and always have been, a large party, one of a majority parties," she told reporters in Launceston on Saturday.

"It's a choice between Liberal and Labor at the next election: that's a choice."

Ms Giddings on Saturday kicked off Labor's election campaign by endorsing former Forestry Tasmania boss Bob Gordon as the member for Lyon.

She also named Adam Gore to stand for the seat of Bass and Madeline Ogilvie to run in Denison. A candidate for Franklin is yet to be named.

The candidates met in Launceston on Saturday morning for a forum on the upcoming election. They endorsed a motion put by the premier opposing any future power-sharing deals with the Greens.

Ms Giddings also announced Labor would introduce legislation to strengthen permits for the Bell Bay Pulp Mill.

Meanwhile, opposition leader Will Hodgman appears in his party's first election ad of the 2014 election campaign, set to air on commercial TV on Sunday night.

In the "positive" election ad, Mr Hodgman outlines the party's "long-term" plan for the state.

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Man falls 10 metres down Bondi cliff

A MAN has been winched to safety after he fell about 10 metres down a cliff at a Sydney beach.

The 48-year-old was attempting to scale the cliff at Ben Buckler in North Bondi on Saturday when the rope he was using broke, police say.

Police and other emergency services winched the man to safety on Saturday afternoon.

He was taken to hospital in a stable condition, having suffered injuries to his legs.

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Two homes lost in Adelaide fires

South Australia will continue to swelter on Friday as bushfires burn across the state. Source: AAP

TWO homes have been destroyed in the Adelaide Hills and more may be under threat as a string of bushfires continue to burn across the state.

The Country Fire Service says the Eden Valley blaze has destroyed about 2500 hectares along with the two properties.

An emergency warning has been issued in relation to the blaze with fears more homes could be at risk.

The CFS said the fire was still building and was being tackled by ground crews as well as two helicopter water bombers, two fixed wing aircraft and an aircrane.

It was running strongly in steep terrain and had jumped a number of local roads.

Another major fire is burning at Owen, north of Adelaide, with reports homes are also under threat.

The CFS has aircraft over the blaze trying to determine if any properties have been lost.

An emergency warning has also been issued for that blaze.

Other fires causing concern in South Australia include a major blaze near Port Germein, in the mid-north and a complex of fires in the Ngarkat national park in the state's southeast.

Heatwave conditions are continuing across much of SA with a cool change expected to sweep through late in the day.

That will also bring thunderstorms with the CFS predicting more fires to start from lightning strikes.

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Bikie charged over Sydney home invasion

A HIGH-RANKING member of the Bandidos outlaw motorcycle gang has been charged over a home invasion and assault in Sydney's west.

Police say that on November 14 last year two men forced entry to a home at Werrington Downs and threatened and detained a 41-year-old woman and her 14-year-old daughter until the woman's son returned home.

They allegedly demanded money from the son before assaulting him with a spanner.

The 25-year-old man was taken to Nepean Hospital for treatment and police were alerted.

Following police inquiries officers on Thursday executed a search warrant at a home in Quakers Hill and arrested a 28-year-old man.

He was charged with aggravated break and enter, aggravated detain for advantage, demand money with menace and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

The man, an alleged high-ranking member of the Bandidos OMCG, was refused bail to appear at Blacktown Local Court on Friday.

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Forecaster says heatwave a class act

ADELAIDE'S heatwave is a "class act" as it challenges records dating back more than 70 years, a senior forecaster says.

Adelaide sweltered through 45C on Tuesday, just one degree short of its all time high of 46.1C set on January 12, 1939.

The heatwave was also forecast to give the city five consecutive days above 40C, making it the city's third longest hot spell.

In 1908 and 2009, Adelaide recorded six days above 40C, but Bureau of Meteorology acting regional director John Nairn said they both came at a time when Australia was gripped by drought.

"It's a class act in terms of a heatwave, so it does deserve our attention," Mr Nairn said.

While Adelaide sizzled, the hottest spot in SA on Tuesday was Keith, in the southeast, where the mercury hit 47.2C while at Pallamana, east of Adelaide, it reached 46.3C and at Lameroo and Port Augusta 46.2C.

The conditions prompted Premier Jay Weatherill to convene a special Emergency Management Council meeting to allow the government and emergency services to discuss the threats posed by the high temperatures.

"People need to closely monitor the weather in their area and ensure they are prepared for extreme circumstances," Mr Weatherill said.

The premier said forecast thunderstorms in some districts were also increasing the risk of major bushfires.

On Tuesday the Country Fire Service battled a string of incidents, including fires in the Adelaide Hills, on Kangaroo Island, on Eyre Peninsula, at Cape Jervis and in the mid-north.

In the Barossa Valley about 1000 homes and businesses lost power while almost 4000 suffered a cut to services across Adelaide's inner-northern suburbs.

The state's ambulance service reported a 12 per cent rise in demand for its services with about 20 heat-related admissions to local hospitals in the 24 hours to 8am (CDST) on Tuesday.

An ambulance service spokesman said Wednesday and Thursday were likely to be the worst days for heat-related calls.

Temperatures are expected to hit 45C on Wednesday and 46C on Thursday before a cool changes sweeps across the state on Friday.

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Man 'on ice' before Vic triple fatal crash

A man will face court charged over the deaths of three people hit by a car in Melbourne on Sunday. Source: AAP

A MAN accused of killing three people in a Melbourne crash after speeding through a red light knows he is going to prison for a long time, a court has heard.

Brazilian national Nei Lima DaCosta, 29, is accused of fatally running over pedestrian Anthony Parsons at Oakleigh on Sunday, before losing control of his car and ploughing into a Ford sedan, killing married couple Inimi and Savvas Menelaou.

Another three people were injured, including the Ford driver, who remains in a critical condition in hospital.

DaCosta ran a number of red lights and was travelling at 120km/h - some 40km/h over the speed limit - when he hit Mr Parsons, the Melbourne Magistrates Court was told on Tuesday.

Detective Sergeant Mark Amos told a bail hearing that DaCosta, who admits being addicted to ice, had traces of methamphetamine in his system at the time of the crash.

He said road safety cameras and witness accounts indicated that DaCosta had been driving dangerously for at least a kilometre before the crash.

Defence lawyer Lisa Mendicino said DaCosta, who has a wife and infant daughter, wanted to sort out his affairs before entering custody.

"He knows it's of certainty that he will be spending a lot of time in jail," she told the court.

DaCosta has been charged with three counts of culpable driving, three of negligently causing serious injury and one of reckless conduct endangering life.

Det Sgt Amos said DaCosta, who is also accused of travelling 45km/h over the speed limit through Melbourne's Burnley Tunnel last April, posed an unacceptable risk of driving dangerously.

"He presents so great a risk that the potential could be even more catastrophic," he said.

Magistrate Charlie Rozencwajg adjourned the bail hearing until Wednesday.

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Four people unaccounted for in WA fire

Four people are unaccounted for and 46 homes have been destroyed by a bushfire in the Perth hills. Source: AAP

FEARS are held for four people who remain unaccounted for in the Perth hills bushfire which have already claimed one life and destroyed 46 homes.

Fire Commissioner Wayne Gregson fears the missing people could be in the fire zone.

"It could well be that some individuals have been victims of the fire," he said.

A 62-year-old man in nearby Hovea collapsed on the roof of his house and died on Sunday afternoon.

The blaze, which tore through 650 hectares in the Shire of Mundaring on Sunday, was contained on Monday afternoon but firefighters were still battling to control it.

A watch and act alert remains in place for the eastern part of Parkerville, Stoneville and Mount Helena.

Emergency Services Minister Joe Francis believes a power pole on private property caused the fire.

About 500 people gathered for a community meeting in Swan View on Monday, including Premier Colin Barnett, and were told there were 13 roadblocks and they would probably not be able to return home until Wednesday.

And around 100 people were housed in two emergency welfare centres in Swan View and Mundaring on Monday night, while the fate of livestock and pets is unknown but residents are bracing for the worst.

Some firefighters have been treated for heat exhaustion and bee stings.

Mr Francis said the "catastrophic" fire was something West Australians always thought might happen and prayed would not, but he said it could have been a lot worse.

"Modelling shows that had the resources not been available at the time ... it could have been 450 houses," he said.

"We pray this is the last fire we see like this, but there are no guarantees.

"We deal with the lottery dealt out by Mother Nature."

The state government announced it would donate $1 million to the Lord Mayor's Distress Relief Fund to help victims.

Acting Premier Kim Hames said the state government would also provide $3000 to those whose homes had been destroyed and $1000 for damaged houses.

Western Power says about 1000 properties are without power in Parkerville and Mundaring and 150 poles are down.

"Rebuilding of the network is expected to take three to four days but reconnection to individual homes will take longer as some property owners will need qualified electricians to check their household powerline is safe before the power is turned back on," a spokeswoman said.

The Red Cross State Inquiry Centre is operational and people seeking information on family members can call 1800 015 337.

Mundaring Shire president Helen Dullard said knowing so many homes had been lost increased the devastation tremendously, and many residents were relieved to escape the flames.

"Visually, it was a very ugly fire. It was scary," she told AAP.

Ms Dullard said the local council would manage relief funds.

Insurers have declared the fire a catastrophic event.

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Five killed on Vic roads in 24 hours

Two people are in hospital and three others have been killed in a two car collision in Melbourne. Source: AAP

TWO people have died and five have been injured in a car crash in Victoria's northwest.

Police said seven people were in a car that lost control and crashed on the Murchison Violet Town Road, near Violet Town, about 2pm (AEDT) on Monday.

A 30-year-old man has been flown to The Alfred hospital in a critical condition, an Ambulance Victoria spokeswoman said.

Four other males were taken to Shepparton hospital, one in serious condition, she said.

It follows the deaths of three people, including a pedestrian, hit by an allegedly speeding car in Melbourne on Sunday night.

Police say a 45-year-old man was crossing Dandenong Road in Oakleigh on a green light with his wife when he was fatally hit by a white Kia hatchback about 11.40pm (AEDT).

He died at the scene.

The hatchback then collided with a silver Ford sedan, killing husband and wife passengers and leaving the car's driver in critical condition.

Police say the hatchback was travelling well over the 80km/h speed limit.

The 29-year-old male driver of the hatchback was under police guard at the Royal Melbourne Hospital overnight with serious injuries, fractures and bruising.

"At this stage, certainly we are investigating criminal offences involved in this incident," Detective Senior Sergeant Gerard Clanchy told Fairfax Radio on Monday.

"Speed is one of the factors.

"We have had a witness come forward to indicate that prior to this collision they were overtaken by the Kia and saw it go through an intersection further back."

Det Sen Sgt Clanchy said the pedestrian had a green light when he crossed the road.

"Tragically, the pedestrian was crossing with his wife, so she's witnessed her husband getting struck by the car," he said.

The latest fatalities take Victoria's road toll to 10, compared with four for the same time last year.

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Trade pact close to reality, says Robb

Australian Minister of Trade Andrew Robb says a free trade agreement is close to being "sealed". Source: AAP

THE 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) free trade agreement is close to being "sealed", Australian Minister for Trade and Investment Andrew Robb says.

Mr Robb, in the US to lead the Australian government's delegation for the G'Day USA promotion, says the Obama administration has attempted to entice him to Washington DC for TPP talks.

Mr Robb told AAP on Saturday he would wait for formal TPP discussions scheduled "in a couple of weeks".

The TPP is being negotiated between Australia, the US, Japan, Canada, Mexico, Peru, Chile, New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei and Vietnam - countries that comprise almost 40 per cent of the world's GDP.

US President Barack Obama had set a deadline to clinch the TPP deal by the end of 2013 and is facing growing pressure from members of Congress critical of the secrecy around the discussions.

Mr Robb dismissed similar critics in Australia.

"It is nonsense to suggest that people are in the dark," Mr Robb, who attended the G'Day USA ball in Los Angeles on Saturday, told AAP.

He was upbeat about the countries agreeing to the TPP.

"It's ready to be sealed," Robb said.

"A few big things have to end up back on the table yet, but it is close.

"I would hope we are going to see progress obviously this year and sooner rather than later."

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