Victoria wary of Murray plan costs

THE costs to Victoria of the Murray-Darling Basin plan need to be assessed before the state can support the plan, the government says.

Victorian Water Minister Peter Walsh said the state government would examine all aspects of the water management plan received on Thursday.

The intergovernmental agreement and the water recovery strategy would be considered with the plan to understand its implications for local communities and irrigators, Mr Walsh said.

He said a number of unresolved issues in the two documents must be finalised before Victoria could support the plan.

"Victoria needs absolute clarity on the issues of apportionment between the basin states and the sequencing and timing of the MDBP roll-out," he said.

He also said the commonwealth must clarify the compensation process for the states for costs incurred.

Environment Victoria says it is deeply disappointed by the plan, saying it will not restore the rivers of the Murray-Darling system to health.

Chief executive Kelly O'Shanassy said the plan was a huge missed opportunity to fix the overuse of water on the Murray-Darling basin.

"It was our big chance to provide a sustainable future for the rivers and their communities and the plan presented by Minister Burke today fails this basic test," she said in a statement.

"The basin plan does not return enough water to rivers to protect their environmental values in the long term - it returns only enough water to meet a little over half of the environmental objectives set for the river system."

Ms O'Shanassy said state and federal governments must continue to work over the next few weeks to lock in the extra 450GL and give the plan a chance of success.

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WA Labor in early state election gambit

WESTERN Australia's universities look set to become an election battleground, with Opposition Leader Mark McGowan flagging a plan to give the state's seats of learning more financial and educational freedom.

In an early state election gambit, the Labor leader said there was a need for urgent reform to cut the red tape holding back WA's universities.

Mr McGowan said his plan would give colleges the power to create and run companies, freeing up more money for them to become innovation hubs and sell themselves as the smart state to the massive Asian educational market.

"I want to expand our service exports, especially education," Mr McGowan told a business function on Thursday.

"At present, WA educational exports are worth almost $1.2 billion a year but they could be much more.

"Red tape is one of the biggest disincentives to innovation and it's hampering our universities' ability to attract finance and gives them no security over how they are allowed to develop their land."

New laws proposed by the party would allow universities security of land tenure while giving them the freedom to generate income on the back of that, similar to Victoria's recent reforms.

"We will modernise the legislation binding WA universities to give them both security of land tenure and the ability to undertake commercial activity to create hubs of innovation and enterprise," Mr McGowan said.

"We will give our universities the tools to be entrepreneurial with their land ... to generate income that can be reinvested into all manner of research and innovation."

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Coalition couldn't oppose 'motherhood' law

THE coalition will support Labor legislation to begin school funding reform despite complaining about its lack of detail.

Opposition education spokesman Christopher Pyne said the Australian Education Bill, to be introduced to parliament next week, was so full of motherhood statements no one could disagree with it.

"Of course we'll support the bill," he told a forum in Adelaide organised by the Australian Education Union (AEU).

"It basically says that we should provide a better education for our children."

But Mr Pyne said he didn't support "these mad goals" of lifting Australian students into the top five globally in maths, reading and science.

That goal is one of three outlined in the legislation.

"I'm not going to promise all sorts of goals on the never never that cannot be achieved," Mr Pyne said.

AEU president Angelo Gavrielatos seized on this, saying it was contrary to previous statements by Opposition Leader Tony Abbott.

"Mr Abbott thinks Australia should aim to be the number one nation in the world with a broken funding system that is sending us backwards," Mr Gavrielatos said on Wednesday.

"Mr Pyne supports the broken funding system but thinks setting a target is mad."

The draft legislation commits to a new funding system for all schools, public or private, based on need, as recommended by the Gonski funding review panel.

But it doesn't include any details about what that new structure would look like or how much it would cost.

Schools Minister Peter Garrett again defended the bill - which in its draft form includes a clause making it not legally binding.

"As we reach agreement with states and independent school sectors so we will progressively add to that legislation," Mr Garrett told the forum on Tuesday.

"But this is a clear, crystal clear indication of how fair dinkum we are about it."

He is currently negotiating with state and territory education ministers about what advice they should give to the Council of Australian Governments in December regarding the structure and money needed for any funding reforms.

At their meeting on Tuesday several ministers expressed considerable disquiet about the lack of detail given so far.

However, they did reiterate the importance of working collaboratively to further national school funding reform.

South Australian Education Minister Grace Portolesi told the AEU forum, held after that meeting, her state did "give a Gonski".

"Clearly Gonski proposes a complete remodelling of the way that we're doing this stuff," she said.

"I think that it's absolutely time that we do that but we've got to work out the details."

But The West Australian newspaper reported on Wednesday WA education minister Peter Collier had written to Mr Garrett saying his state did not support the legislation.

One of his chief criticisms was the bill as drafted did not clearly outline the commonwealth would not be seeking to take control of schools or directly fund public schools.

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Charged bikies released after Qld raids

A number of Bandidos members will face court on Wednesday charged with drug and weapon offences. Source: AAP

FOUR Bandido bikies, including their national sergeant-at-arms, have been released back into the community after being swept up in extensive police raids.

Police on Tuesday raided properties across the southeast, arresting 32 people in or associated with the Bandidos outlaw motorcycle gang, including sergeant-at-arms Christopher Barrett.

Drug trafficking, assault and weapons offences are among more than 170 charges laid by police after they allegedly seized drugs, tasers, guns and cash.

Four bikies and a female associate appeared in Brisbane Magistrates Court on Wednesday.

Barrett, 37, is facing one count of grievous bodily harm against Giovanni Di Bella in October.

Co-accused Duncan Lee Rattenbury, 24, faces a similar charge, as well as one count of possessing explosives.

Both men were released on bail.

Luke James Dyer has been charged with 11 offences relating to trafficking in and possessing a wide range of drugs.

He was also released on bail, despite police objections because of his risk of reoffending.

Christopher John Gray, 30, and co-accused Taleigha Michelle McDonald, 23, are both facing a string of drugs charges.

Both were granted bail.

All five will have their matters mentioned again in early January.

Police officers have flagged more raids across the region in coming weeks, as they continue an operation that's kept Bandidos members and their associates under surveillance for almost a year.

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No COAG advice from education ministers

EDUCATION ministers have failed to finalise their advice to the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) about school funding reform, but say they do intend to collaborate.

The ministers were expected on Tuesday to decide on their initial advice to the meeting of state and territory leaders and Prime Minister Julia Gillard, to be held on December 6.

But West Australian Education Minister Peter Collier, chair of the ministerial standing council, said while there was some agreement on underpinning principles for school improvement, several ministers wanted more work done before finalising their advice.

He said it was in everybody's interests that the advice provided to COAG about the national plan for school improvement (NPSI) was right.

"Considerable disquiet was expressed by a number of jurisdictions around the specific details of the NPSI," he said in a statement.

"The mood of the meeting strongly reflected that further work is needed to refine these details before initial advice can be provided to COAG."

However, the ministers did reiterate the importance of working collaboratively to further national school funding reform.

They still intend to provide initial advice to COAG before the end of the year.

The commonwealth will introduce legislation to parliament next week outlining the principles of both the plan for school improvement and the funding reform.

A spokeswoman for federal Schools Minister Peter Garrett said the final details would be discussed by education officials later this week.

The minister's office still expected the states and territories would approve that advice in time for it to be considered at the December 7 COAG meeting.

"We all need to do more to lift the performance of our schools - in every state and territory," the spokeswoman said.

"The Gillard government has again confirmed that it is prepared to invest significantly more in schools over time, but states and territories need to play a part in this and sign up to reforms we know can work."

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Mercy killer death sparks euthanasia calls

THE death of an 81-year-old "mercy" killer whose body was found on a Perth beach overnight has sparked calls for new laws allowing euthanasia.

The body of pensioner Herbert Bernard Erickson was found on Perth's Floreat Beach late on Monday, less than three weeks after he pleaded guilty to the murder of his disabled de facto wife Julie Betty Kuhn, 73, whom he cared for after she suffered a stroke.

Erickson smothered Ms Kuhn at their Armadale home in suburban Perth in January as part of their suicide pact.

Ms Kuhn had also suffered from chronic arthritis and was confined to a wheelchair.

Erickson also killed his two dogs and attempted to electrocute himself after her death, resulting in the loss of both index fingers.

He was to be sentenced on January 18 next year.

His lawyer David Manera said his family was devastated by their loss.

Mr Manera, who had planned to argue against a life jail term because of Erickson's deep love for his partner, said it was not a simple murder-suicide.

The couple's greatest fear was going into a nursing home, he said.

"The events were weighing increasingly heavily on his mind and the family were concerned about his mental state," Mr Manera told ABC radio on Tuesday.

"His concern at the time that he committed the offence was for others, namely Julie and his love for her, and it would seem when he took his own life, his main concern was his love for others, namely his own family and being a burden upon them.

"So that seems to be from what I can gather ... the thoughts that were going through his head.

"He wanted to be with his wife and now he is."

Mr Manera said Erickson didn't want to be seen as a torchbearer of the euthanasia debate, which was reignited when news of his death broke.

West Australian Premier Colin Barnett said he would not support any legislation allowing voluntary euthanasia or assisted suicide.

"Once you go down the path of euthanasia, you are going down the path of - to be blunt - legalised killing and I think that raises a whole host of other issues," he told reporters.

Euthanasia advocate Philip Nitschke labelled the premier's comments a "cop out", saying politicians needed to take note of the particularly tragic case and introduce appropriate legislation.

"We get people who are acting out of compassion and love for someone they care about to have a peaceful death ... and they are looking at life imprisonment," Dr Nitschke told AAP.

"He (Erickson) was again worried about people around him. These are the acts of a caring individual and not a person we should be throwing into prison."

Dr Nitschke said such tragedies could have been avoided with well-crafted legislation, but it required politicians to "seize the moment and act, and of course incur the wrath of the church", which most were reluctant to do.

Opposition leader Mark McGowan said he would back such legislation.

"If people are terminally ill, they are in great pain and they make a choice personally to end their suffering, I would support that," Mr McGowan said.

"A lot of my colleagues would not and a lot of colleagues on the other side of parliament would not."

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Motorcyclist dies after fiery crash

A MAN has died after his motorcycle collided with a car, burst into flames and started a grass fire in the Adelaide Hills.

Ambulance and police were called to the scene on Cudlee Creek Rd at Lobethal, just after 2.30pm (CDT) on Monday.

The motorcyclist died at the scene, while the car's two occupants were not injured.

The bike burst into flames and started a grass fire which was put out by the Country Fire Service.

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Unions battle Qld industrial laws

QUEENSLAND unions say new state government laws removing public servants' job security are unconstitutional.

The unions have argued in court the new laws breach the separation of powers between the state and the judiciary.

Earlier this year, Premier Campbell Newman's government passed laws that strip employment security and no-contracting out clauses from current work agreements for tens of thousands of public servants.

The unions say the laws mean public servants can be sacked at the stroke of a pen and jobs contracted out more easily.

On Monday, union lawyers told the Court of Appeal in Brisbane that the laws cancelled out previous certified agreements made in the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission (QIRC).

AWU's barrister Darryl Rangiah told the court the laws threaten the commission's ability to make fair decisions when settling employees' pay or condition disputes.

"With the stroke of a pen from a chief executive, the (QIRC's) decision can be overturned," Mr Rangiah said.

"The commission's decision-making (power) is under threat."

Together union lawyer Andrew Rich told AAP the laws interfere with the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission's ability to exercise judicial power.

"It is in breach of the separation of powers," Mr Rich said.

The case continues.

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NSW south coast braces for hail, winds

Residents in northeast NSW have been warned that severe storms may bring flash flooding. Source: AAP

NSW residents are being warned that large hailstones and damaging winds are on the way as severe thunderstorms bear down on the state's south coast.

A Bureau of Meteorology spokesman told AAP it was "not out of the question" that a thunderstorm could also hit the state's north coast, but no warning was in place by mid-afternoon on Sunday.

South coast towns in the warning area include Batemans Bay, Eden, Bega and Moruya Heads.

The State Emergency Service (SES) told residents to take all precautions including moving their cars under cover or away from trees, securing or putting away loose items around the house, and keeping clear of fallen powerlines.

The SES was called to more than 120 clean-up jobs on the NSW north coast on Sunday.

"The majority of jobs relate to roof damage and trees down and have centred around the area of Woodburn, west of Ballina," the SES said in a statement on Sunday.

"Wind gusts of up to 100 kilometres an hour were reported yesterday and one home at Woodburn collapsed as a result of the severe weather."

The severe thunderstorm warning was later extended to the northern rivers and northern tablelands districts.

Towns including Lismore, Murwillumbah, Casino, Kyogle, Tabulam and Rappville could be subject to heavy rain and possible flash flooding on Sunday evening, the Bureau of Meteorology warned.

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Obama begins fifth visit to Asia

President Barack Obama is heading to Asia on his first foreign trip since winning re-election. Source: AAP

US President Barack Obama is due in Asia to intensify an American foreign policy pivot towards the fast-rising region on his first overseas trip since re-election.

Obama is due to arrive in Thailand on Sunday on a trip that will include a landmark visit to Myanmar.

He will be the first sitting US president to set foot in the long-time pariah, reflecting a dramatic thaw in relations brought about by sweeping political changes under a new reformist government.

Obama, who has dubbed himself America's first "Pacific president", will first touch down in Thailand, then make a one-day stop in Myanmar on Monday, before joining regional leaders in Cambodia for the East Asia Summit.

He is making his fifth visit to Asia since taking office in 2009 and the second this year, a period otherwise consumed by heavy-duty campaigning ahead of his poll triumph on November 6.

Obama's first stop in Thailand is meant to signal that Washington is committed to a strong set of alliances in a region preoccupied by the geopolitical implications of a rising China.

"Allies are the cornerstone of our rebalancing effort in Asia," said Ben Rhodes, a US deputy national security adviser, as Obama flew to Bangkok aboard Air Force One.

"Thailand is actually the oldest treaty ally of the United States, an ally since 1954 and a key partner in South-East Asia."

Soon after touching down, Obama will have an audience with Thailand's revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who has been in ill health, then hold talks and a news conference with Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

Obama plans to discuss US cooperation with Thailand, counter narcotics issues, terrorism, trade and trafficking, and will inaugurate a program to connect US and Thai universities.

On Monday, Obama will fly to neighbouring Myanmar on a trip that would have been unthinkable just a year ago, but which has been opened up by the dramatic reform drive spearheaded by President Thein Sein.

Obama will hold talks with the former general, then travel to the lakeside residence of Aung San Suu Kyi where his fellow Nobel Peace Prize laureate was held for long years of house arrest.

Suu Kyi has now entered parliament after her rivals in the junta relaxed their iron fists and made way for a nominally civilian government, albeit in a system still stacked heavily in favour of the military.

Some human rights groups said Obama should have waited longer to visit, arguing that he could have dangled the prospect of a trip as leverage to seek more progress such as the release of scores of remaining political prisoners.

But officials say that Obama will encourage the regime to double down on more reform, and that his influence could be important at a crucial moment in Myanmar's emergence from decades of isolation and repression.

The US on Friday scrapped a nearly decade-old ban on most imports from the country, after earlier lifting other sanctions.

Meanwhile, Myanmar last week pardoned hundreds more prisoners, but activists slammed the move, apparently involving mostly common criminals and not dissidents, as a ploy to curry favour before Obama's visit.

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