Researchers discover 'small dog syndrome'

SMALL dogs may suffer from a canine equivalent of short man syndrome, researchers believe, making them more aggressive and prone to mount people and objects.

Regardless of breed, the smaller the dog is, the more likely it is to be unruly, aggressive, noisy and prone to "humping", according to a study by the University of Sydney.

"Our research shows that certain physical characteristics in dogs are consistently associated with certain types of behaviour," said Professor Paul McGreevy from the Faculty of Veterinary Science.

"Essentially, the shorter the dogs the less controllable their behaviour is for their owners.

"Undesirable behaviours such as owner aggression, or mounting, occur more often among small dogs."

The study, published in journal PLOS One, examined owners' reports of 8000 dogs from across 80 breeds. It found that 33 of 36 undesirable behaviours in dogs could be associated with height, body weight and skull shape.

"When average body weight decreased, excitability and hyperactivity increased," said Professor McGreevy.

Further studies will address whether these bad behaviours seen in small dogs are a result of nature or nurture.

"This suggests that, in small dogs, these behaviours are tolerated more than they would be in larger dogs where such behaviours are more unwelcome and even dangerous."

"Equally, such behaviours in small dogs may be a result of their being overindulged and over-protected," he said.

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N. Korea swears loyalty to young leader

NORTH Korean leader Kim Jong-Un has presided over a mass gathering of military and party officials that was broadcast live on state television at a time of growing concern over the stability of his hardline regime.

The ceremony in central Pyongyang, marking the second death anniversary of Kim's father and former leader Kim Jong-Il, included a number of speeches that stressed unquestioning loyalty to the young supremo and included a stark warning to rival South Korea.

It followed the shock execution last week of Kim Jong-Un's uncle and one-time political mentor, Jang Song-thaek.

The purge raised questions about factional infighting at the top of the North Korean hierarchy and prompted both Seoul and Washington to warn of possible provocative acts by the nuclear-armed regime.

State television showed the massed ranks of tens of thousands of military and party officials sitting stony-faced in pin-drop silence for several minutes, before rising to greet Kim Jong-Un with thunderous applause as he arrived to take his place on the leadership podium.

"We should be warriors to safeguard the party centre with our lives ... with the conviction that we know no one but the great comrade Kim Jong-Un," North Korea's ceremonial head of state, Kim Yong-nam, said in an opening address.

He added that the country had made "great strides" in the two years since Kim took over the reins of power after his father's death.

Under Kim's leadership, North Korea has successfully placed a satellite in orbit and in February this year conducted its third - and most powerful - nuclear test.

"By holding the respected comrade Kim Jong-Un in high esteem ... our country will prosper as the country of eternal sun," Kim Yong-nam said.

Tuesday's mass meeting also heard a keynote address by top military leader Choe Ryong-hae - who some analysts believe had a hand in the ouster and execution of Jang.

"Our revolutionary forces know ... no one but comrade Kim Jong-Un," said Choe, a close Kim Jong-Un confidant who holds the military rank of vice marshal and is director of the Korean People's Army's General Political Department

The military will support "our supreme commander, under any storms and hardships", said Choe, who also fired off a warning at rival South Korea.

"If the enemies drop a single drop of fire on our motherland, our soldiers will immediately storm out to wipe out all the invaders and achieve unification," he said.

At a meeting of top defence and national security officials on Monday, South Korean President Park Geun-hye had warned that the recent leadership shake-up in the North could presage some aggressive behaviour from Pyongyang.

"We can't rule out the possibility of contingencies such as reckless provocations," Park said, urging the military to step up vigilance along the heavily fortified border.

Meanwhile in New York UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called Jang's execution "very dramatic and surprising" and urged the country's neighbours not to take any "premature actions", the AP reported.

Ban, a former South Korean foreign minister, expressed hope there will be no increase of tensions on the Korean peninsula.

In his first public comments on the execution, Ban also urged North Korea's leaders to work to denuclearise the peninsula.

He stressed that North Korea must focus on improving the living conditions of its people and comply with Security Council resolutions, which it has long ignored.

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Kiwi extends gains over Aussie dollar

THE New Zealand dollar has extended its rally against its trans-Tasman counterpart as the divergence between the neighbouring economies makes New Zealand interest rates more attractive.

The kiwi rose as high as 92.49 Australian cents on Monday, the highest since October 2008, trading at 92.40 cents at 5pm in Wellington from 92.26 cents on Friday in New York.

The NZ dollar traded at 82.78 cents from 82.56 cents at 8am and 82.63 cents on Friday in New York.

The kiwi has been making fresh five-year highs against its Australian counterpart as the slowing economy in Australia and burgeoning local recovery underline the different stages of the interest rate cycle each nation's central bank is in.

New Zealand's Reserve Bank is keen on hiking rates next year, while Australia's is sitting on record-low rates to keep the stimulus coming.

Investors will be looking to see any hint of an easing bias when the minutes to this month's Reserve Bank of Australia policy meeting are released on Tuesday.

"Their central bank is quite determined to get the Aussie dollar lower to get a more sustainable mix in their economy," said Dan Bell, head of corporate sales at HiFX in Auckland.

"It looks like the kiwi/Aussie could get up to the 95 cent level" over the next month before it "runs out of puff," he said.

The kiwi fell to 85.04 yen at 5pm in Wellington from 85.31 yen on Friday in New York, and was little changed at 60.16 euro cents from 60.19 cents.

The trade-weighted index was steady at 77.92 from 77.90.

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Wesfarmers sells underwriting operations

DIVERSIFIED conglomerate Wesfarmers is selling its Australasian insurance underwriting operations to Insurance Australia Group (IAG) for about $1.85 billion - its biggest ever divestment.

Wesfarmers managing director Richard Goyder said the sale followed approaches by a number of parties that were interested in the underwriting business.

Wesfarmers had spent a lot of money in recent years getting the Australian and New Zealand insurance underwriting business into much better shape.

"But it hasn't delivered satisfactory returns on average over the last five years to Wesfarmers," Mr Goyder told reporters.

"And over a period of time, if any of our businesses don't generate satisfactory returns, we'll look and see what we do with it."

Mr Goyder said the sale of the insurance underwriting business also reduced some of the risk in Wesfarmers' portfolio of industrial, mining, retail and financial businesses.

There was inherent volatility in the insurance business because of catastrophic events like earthquakes in New Zealand, and Cyclone Yasi.

The sale does not include the insurance division's broking operations in Australia, New Zealand and the UK, and its Australian and New Zealand premium funding businesses which will remain part of Wesfarmers.

Wesfarmers expects a pre-tax profit of about $700 million to $750 million from the transaction, which will be included in the financial results for the second half of the 2014 financial year.

Mr Goyder said Wesfarmers had not yet decided what to do with the proceeds from the sale.

The sale is subject to regulatory approval, which is expected to take several months.

The acquisition comprises Wesfarmers' underwriting companies trading under the WFI and Lumley Insurance brands, and a 10-year distribution agreement with Coles.

IAG chief executive Mike Wilkins said the acquisition was a compelling strategic fit for IAG.

"Acquiring these businesses supports the group's strategic priorities of accelerating profitable growth in Australia and sustaining our market-leading position in New Zealand, and we expect attractive EPS (earnings per share) accretion," Mr Wilkins said.

IAG expects the acquisition will lift earnings per share by a modest amount in the first full year of ownership and by at least five per cent in the second year.

The acquisition will be partly funded from a $1.2 billion placement of shares to institutional investors, at $5.47 per share.

The integration of Wesfarmers' underwriting businesses is expected to generate pre-tax net benefits of about $140 million a year, with a significant proportion derived from reinsurance.

The integration process is expected to be substantially complete within two years, with pre-tax integration costs of $120 million.

Shares in Wesfarmers were 20.5 cents higher at $41.51 at 1515 AEDT. IAG shares are in a trading halt until the start of trading on Wednesday, December 18. They last traded at $5.70.

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Police officer stabbed in the neck

A 28-YEAR-OLD man has been charged with attempted murder after a north Queensland policeman was stabbed in the neck during a national crackdown on alcohol-fuelled violence.

The officer was stabbed with a knife at a Townsville bar about 12.30am (AEST) on Saturday and was rushed to hospital in a serious condition.

"His injuries were significant but luckily he is fit enough now to continue his recovery at home," a police spokesman told AAP on Sunday.

The 33-year-old officer was taking part in Operation Unite, a blitz on alcohol-related crime across Australia and New Zealand.

His alleged attacker was arrested at the scene.

Another officer sustained an injury to his hand during the incident.

A 28-year-old Townsville man has been charged with attempted murder, serious assault of police while armed, entering premises with intent to commit an indictable offence, possession of a knife in a public place and creating a disturbance in licensed premises.

He was also charged with two counts of obstructing police and is due to appear in the Townsville Magistrates Court on Monday.

Premier Campbell Newman said assaults of police attracted serious penalties.

"Assaults on police are totally unacceptable on all accounts," he told reporters on Sunday.

"People who assault police need to know there are significant penalties."

The maximum penalty for assaulting a police officer was increased from seven to 14 years and the murder of a police officer attracts a non-parole period of 25 years under tough penalties introduced by the Newman government last year.

A total of 430 arrests were made in Queensland during the crackdown on alcohol-fuelled assaults, anti-social behaviour and drink-driving across Australia and New Zealand since Friday night.

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I don't expect marriage bill, says Abbott

PRIME Minister Tony Abbott says he does not expect gay marriage legislation to come before parliament, despite a senior colleague saying it is "likely" coalition MPs will be allowed a conscience vote on the issue.

As attention shifts from the High Court's decision to strike down ACT gay marriage laws, Liberal MP Malcolm Turnbull said if he were given a free vote "I will certainly vote in favour of a marriage equality bill".

Legislation to allow gay marriage was voted down in the last parliament, with then opposition leader Tony Abbott refusing to allow his party a conscience vote.

But Mr Turnbull, a supporter of gay marriage, believed that could change if the issue is revisited in the next three years.

"I think it is likely that we will (have a free vote), but as Tony Abbott has said, it is a decision for the party room, not for him," he told Sky News on Sunday.

Mr Turnbull said it was too early to predict whether the new parliament would back same-sex marriage legislation, but added that Australia was lagging behind other countries such as New Zealand, the UK, Canada and the United States.

"So people of the same sex can get married in Auckland and Wellington, Toronto and Ottawa and Vancouver, in New York and Los Angeles, and Baltimore, in Cape Town, but not Australia," Mr Turnbull said.

"It does start to look as if we're the ones out of step."

However, Mr Abbott gave no indication of allowing a free vote on same sex marriage, instead saying he did not expect legislation to come before the parliament.

"I'm not expecting any legislation to come before the parliament because when legislation came before the last parliament it was fairly decisively dealt with," the prime minister told reporters in Sydney.

"But if legislation comes before the parliament, it will be considered by our party room in the usual way.

"It is really up to individual members of parliament to propose private member's bills if that's what they want."

Deputy Labor leader Tanya Plibersek has announced she will introduce a private member's bill to legalise gay marriage, but only if Mr Abbott allows a conscience vote.

She has also called on Mr Turnbull to co-sponsor the legislation, but the eastern Sydney MP ruled out such a move.

"I can't co-sponsor a private member's bill because I'm a member of the cabinet," Mr Turnbull said.

Gay marriage advocate Rodney Croome said Mr Turnbull's comments reflected growing support within the coalition for a conscience vote and the principle of marriage equality.

"An increasing number of Australians feel embarrassed by the fact that marriage equality has moved forward in countries that are our closest friends and allies, including New Zealand, the UK, the US and Canada," Mr Croome said in a statement.

The Greens Sarah Hanson-Young last week introduced a same-sex marriage bill into the Senate.

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US court lifts ban on horse slaughter

A US appeals court has lifted a temporary ban on domestic horse slaughter. Source: AAP

A US appeals court has lifted a temporary ban on domestic horse slaughter, clearing the way for companies in New Mexico, Missouri and Iowa to open while an appeal stemming from a lawsuit by animal protection groups proceeds.

The issue has divided horse rescue and animal welfare groups, ranchers, politicians and native American tribes about what is the most humane way to deal with the country's horse overpopulation, and what rescue groups have said is a rising number of neglected and starving horses as the west deals with persistent drought.

The 10th US Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver lifted the emergency injunction it issued in November after the Humane Society of the United States and others appealed the ruling of a federal judge in Albuquerque.

The judge had decided the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) followed proper procedure in issuing permits to the slaughter companies.

The plants would become the first horse slaughterhouses to operate in the US since 2007. Congress effectively banned horse slaughter by eliminating funding for inspections at the plants in 2006.

It restored that funding in 2011, but the USDA did not approve the first permits for horse slaughterhouses until this summer.

Lawyers for the plants have argued that the plaintiffs are in court because they are morally opposed to horse slaughter and are looking for a way to delay the plants while they lobby Congress for a ban.

Proponents of a return to domestic horse slaughter point to a 2011 US government report that shows horse abuse and abandonment have increased since domestic horse slaughter was banned.

Wayne Pacelle, the president and chief executive of the Humane Society of the United States, calls the practice barbaric and says blocking a return to domestic horse slaughter "is an issue of national importance and scale."

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Two hurt, shooter dead at US school

A US teenager who may have had a grudge against a teacher has opened fire at a Colorado high school. Source: AAP

A TEENAGER who may have had a grudge against a teacher opened fire with a shotgun at a Colorado high school, wounding two students before killing himself.

Quick-thinking students alerted the targeted teacher, who quickly left the building.

The scene unfolded on the eve of the Newtown massacre anniversary, a sombre reminder of the ever-present potential for violence in American schools.

Arapahoe County Sheriff Grayson Robinson identified the shooter on Friday night as 18-year-old Karl Halverson Pierson.

The shooter entered Arapahoe High School armed with a shotgun and looking for a teacher he identified by name, Sheriff Robinson said.

"(The teacher) knew he was the target and he left that school in an effort to try to encourage the shooter to also leave the school," the sheriff said. "That was a very wise tactical decision."

One of the wounded students, a girl, was taken to hospital in serious condition. The other student suffered minor gunshot-related injuries.

Two suspected Molotov cocktails were found inside the school, the sheriff said. One detonated but no one was injured.

Within 20 minutes of the report of a gunman, officers found the suspect's body inside the school, Sheriff Robinson said.

Students were seen walking toward the school's running track with their hands in the air, and television footage showed students being patted down.

Authorities concluded that Pierson had acted alone.

Nearby neighbourhoods were jammed with cars as parents sought their children.

Several Denver-area school districts went into lockdown as reports of the shooting spread. Police as far away as Fort Collins, about a two-hour drive north, stepped up school security.

The practice of sending law enforcement directly to an active shooting incident was developed in response to another Colorado school shooting that shook the nation: in 1999, two teenage shooters killed 12 classmates and a teacher at Columbine High School before killing themselves.

Arapahoe High School is 13 kilometres from Columbine.

More recently, a shooter killed 12 people at a movie theatre in Aurora, another Denver suburb, in 2012.

A slate of gun control measures, including ammunition magazine limits and expanded background checks, were this year approved by Colorado lawmakers.

Two state lawmakers were ousted in recall elections after voting for the measures, and a third resigned to avoid a recall. The backlash was a reflection of the divide in a state known for its hunting and where gun ownership is a treasured right.

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Milat murder appeal angers victim's family

THE great-nephew of serial killer Ivan Milat wants his murder sentence halved, infuriating the family of the boy he slaughtered.

Teenage axe murderers Matthew Milat and Cohen Klein are appealing the severity of the sentences handed down last year for the murder of their friend David Auchterlonie in Belanglo State Forest in November 2010.

David was murdered on his 17th birthday.

Milat was sentenced to at least 30 years, with a maximum term of 43.

Klein was jailed for at least 22 years, with a maximum 32-year term.

Deputy senior public defender John Stratton SC, representing Milat, told the Criminal Court of Appeal that although it was a heinous crime, it "was not in the worst class" of murder.

Instead, he put forward a maximum 22-year jail term with a non-parole period of 15 years.

Mr Stratton submitted to the judges various cases where murderers had their sentences cut, and that there was little evidence of torture.

But Justice Robert Hulme said nine months after the killing, Milat wrote chilling letters that showed "unrepentant enjoyment at the prospect of callous murder".

Justice Hulme called the reduction to a 22-year sentence "bold".

Klein's barrister, Janet Manuell SC, said Milat was the "dominant" one - who found the weapon, organised to bring the victim to the forest, struck the blow and bragged about it later.

"The role of (Klein) was one of support and facilitation," Ms Manuell said.

"There was some evidence of remorse."

David's mother, Donna Locke, spoke to reporters outside court as friends unfurled an Aboriginal flag behind her with "R.I.P David Always" written on it.

"I'm disgusted and outraged and hurt, as it's ridiculous and wrong to think that we are back here today," Ms Locke said.

"David was not given a chance to appeal his death sentence.

"They deserve to be there for the rest of their lives and take their last breath in jail, and leave in a body bag to the morgue just like my son left the forest."

Ms Locke said Milat was trying to be a "copycat" of Ivan Milat and that if the pair could commit such a callous crime at such a young age, they're bound to reoffend.

The axe attack took place in the same NSW Southern Highlands forest where Ivan Milat murdered seven backpackers in the early 1990s.

Crown prosecutor Nicole Noman SC, who is opposing any reduction in the sentences, said the killing was planned, premeditated and a "thrill kill".

"Each of them performed a different ... but meaningful role to make sure this planned murder occurred," Ms Noman said.

"It was cold, it was calculated ... it was not momentary."

Ms Noman said Milat at one stage asked Klein if he could "feel the adrenaline".

After the killing, Klein mentioned to Milat that he was "going down the path of his uncle" and showed "a form of admiration", she said.

The three-judge appeal panel will make its decision at a later date.

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Queensland Motorways to be auctioned

QUEENSLAND Motorways will be auctioned off by the Queensland Investment Corporation (QIC).

Treasurer Tim Nicholls had said on Thursday there were no plans to sell QIC, but chief executive Damian Frawley announced on Friday they'd auction off the road toll division, believed to be worth more than $5 billion.

The government-owned corporation will continue to manage money on behalf of numerous public and private sector pension funds.

Mr Frawley said there had been significant interest in 100 per cent ownership of Queensland Motorways from domestic and international investors.

"Conducting a traditional auction process is in the best interests of maximising the return to Queensland's Defined Benefit Fund, which holds the Queensland Motorways investment," he said.

Queensland Motorways manages five motorways including the Gateway, Logan motorways, Legacy Way, the Go Between Bridge and the CLEM7 tunnel.

The Newman government has promised not to proceed to with any asset sale without a mandate, but has ordered scoping studies into the sale of power generators CS Energy and Stanwell and the lease of Townsville and Gladstone ports.

Premier Campbell Newman has hosed down suggestions he might be eyeing an early election to boost the books sooner rather than later.

But he said the government still had a lot of work to do to deal with the former Labor government's legacy of debt.

"We intend to go full term in Queensland," he said.

Big business is keen to buy Queensland's electricity generators, but small business is wary, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Queensland (CCIQ) says.

CCIQ general manager Nick Behrens says there is an equally strong investor appetite for both, but small business is yet to be convinced.

They want to know if the sale of generators will push up power prices, which are already tipped to increase by about 13 per cent next year if the carbon tax is not repealed.

"CCIQ has called on the scoping studies to also examine outcomes in the area of price and service to ensure they are not compromised should these assets be sold," Mr Behrens says.

Private companies that invest would borrow at a higher rate than the government, prompting unions and the opposition to claim Queenslanders will pay more for electricity.

"It is going to mean higher infrastructure costs," shadow treasurer Curtis Pitt said.

"Electricity consumers will have to pay for the higher cost of borrowing for the private sector, and then the private sector profit margin.

"And they are going to be demanding profits."

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