Hugh Jackman to get Hollywood star

Australian actor Hugh Jackman is set to be honoured with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Source: AAP

HUGH Jackman has been a bona fide Hollywood star for years and in a fortnight he will have one to prove it.

The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce announced on Friday the Australian actor will be honoured with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

"Fans from around the world have been consistently asking when this star will be dedicated," Walk of Fame producer Ana Martinez said.

"We are happy to say that now is the time. Hugh is one of the world's most popular actors and we are excited that he is joining our Walk of Fame family."

The 44-year-old is a Tony Award winner and a big tip to score an Oscar nomination for his performance opposite Russell Crowe in the new adaptation of the stage musical Les Miserables. However, Jackman already has some Hollywood Boulevard real estate.

In 2009, about 20 metres away from where his star will be laid, Jackman got stuck into wet concrete outside the famed Grauman's Chinese Theatre, leaving hand and footprints alongside the likes of Marilyn Monroe, John Wayne, Frank Sinatra, Clark Gable and Bing Crosby.

Jackman has built up a huge following for his role as Wolverine in the X-Men franchise, including the spin-off X-Men Origins: Wolverine.

Jackman has just wrapped the shooting for another chapter, The Wolverine, in Sydney.

The star ceremony will take place on December 13.

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Homes destroyed, power cut in Vic storms

Several hundred homes have been damaged after severe thunderstorms swept through Victoria. Source: AAP

HUNDREDS of homes are still without power and some have been rendered uninhabitable after severe thunderstorms that ripped through Victoria's southwest.

Power was cut to 9000 homes and the State Emergency Service (SES) received 250 calls for help within an hour from residents at Ballarat - that's more than four calls per minute - from 9pm (AEDT) as the storm hit on Friday night.

By Saturday afternoon, 708 homes were still without power in Ballarat and Ararat.

Gordon Badham, spokesman for electricity distributor Powercor, said repair crews were expected to have everyone's power restored by Saturday night.

"We're hoping to get everyone back by tonight but that depends upon the conditions and circumstances," he said.

"We've had downed lines and trees across lines, we've had trees blocking roads and other obstructions, so it has been complicated.

"(The storm) was short and sharp but it certainly produced some serious impact."

SES spokesman Lachlan Quick said more than 300 calls for help were received, mainly from residents at Sebastopol, Mount Helen and Mount Clear.

He said the calls concerned building damage from heavy wind, rain, hail and fallen trees, as well as trees fallen onto roads.

A handful of homes at Mr Clear had been rendered uninhabitable when they were damaged by falling trees.

Neighbouring SES units as well as those in Melbourne and Geelong had been helping to clear the backlog of calls but there were still 70 people waiting for help on Saturday afternoon.

"We expect it will take all of today and potentially some of tomorrow to clear it all up," he said.

"They are certainly not 15 minute jobs. Many of them will take several hours."

Bureau of Meteorology senior forecaster James Taylor said thunderstorms were expected to hit north of Ballarat on Saturday evening, with the potential for more storms in the areas that were battered on Friday night.

But the storm front would be much less severe, he said.

"It should stay north of Ballarat and not affect the areas that were hit last night but there is a chance, so we have briefed emergency services about that," he said.

"It's extremely unlikely that it would be anywhere near as severe as what they got last night."

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Govt won't act on sixth TV channel

The federal government has decided not to allow a fourth commercial free-to-air television network. Source: AAP

THE federal government has decided not to allow a fourth commercial free-to-air television network.

The decision came as Communications Minister Stephen Conroy on Friday unveiled the government's initial response to the Convergence Review, promising more changes to come in 2013.

Senator Conroy said no spectrum or broadcast licences will be made available to enable a fourth free-to-air television network.

But he said in the long-term the government would consider potential uses of the "sixth channel" as broadcasting and online technologies evolve.

The government will allow community TV to use the spectrum intended for the sixth channel until at least December 31, 2014.

The existing networks would benefit from an extension of their current rebate on broadcasting licence fees by a further 12 months, ahead of moving to reduce the fees permanently by 50 per cent, to a maximum of 4.5 per cent of revenue.

Senator Conroy also announced the government would seek parliament's approval to remove the restriction on a person controlling a network of commercial television stations that has an audience reach of greater than 75 per cent of the Australian population.

He said the removal of the so-called "75 per cent rule" would be subject to written undertakings about local content obligations in regional areas.

Changes will also be made to increase Australian content.

Commercial TV multichannel broadcasters will be required to show 730 hours of local content in 2013, increasing to 1095 hours in 2014 and to 1460 hours in 2015.

This includes an incentive for first-release drama by allowing an hour of first-release drama premiered on a digital multichannel to count for two hours under the transmission hours requirement for multichannels.

The 55 per cent Australian content quota for the commercial television broadcasters' primary channels will be retained.

Julie Flynn, chief executive of Free TV Australia, which represents the nation's commercial free-to-air networks, welcomed the changes.

"Today's announcements are a welcome first step towards ensuring that all viewers can continue to see quality Australian programming for free in a rapidly changing market," she said.

The laws will be drafted by March 2013.

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RBA boss says he's not going anywhere

CENTRAL bank governor Glenn Stevens concedes the authority could have better handled allegations of corruption at its two note-making firms, but isn't considering stepping down before his term ends next year.

The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) chief on Friday faced an ongoing parliamentary inquiry into the commonwealth's overseas law enforcement operations, which largely raked over the bribery scandal that has engulfed the bank for more than three years.

Agents of the RBA's wholly-owned subsidiary, Note Printing Australia (NPA), and part-owned note-making firm, Securency, have been accused of offering bribes to overseas officials to gain business.

Internal investigations of the two companies in 2007 after a whistleblower alleged corruption at NPA found no wrongdoing, and it was not until 2009 that the RBA brought in the Australian Federal Police (AFP).

Mr Stevens said he deeply regretted that the governance arrangements in the companies did not prove strong enough to detect and prevent the events that occurred.

"To the best of our knowledge the companies had appropriate policies, but clearly in the end if these matters occurred then one can only conclude for all that ... it wasn't good enough. There is no way around that," Mr Stevens told the hearing in Canberra.

He also told the joint committee on the Australia commission for law enforcement integrity that the two companies had since done a great deal of work to reform policies and compliance.

"A key learning point for the Reserve Bank from these events is the extent of possible risks that can come from operating commercial ventures which export to a range of foreign jurisdictions," he said.

"This has caused the Reserve Bank to re-evaluate its risk appetite insofar as such entities are concerned."

Australian Greens leader Christine Milne, a committee member, questioned whether the RBA was naive or had turned a blind eye to corrupt acts because of the difficult jurisdictions in which the companies were working.

"I really think the Australian community is going to be wondering how we have such a failure of governance at the corporate level inside the Reserve Bank," she told reporters outside the hearing.

But Mr Stevens dismissed reports he was considering an early exit from his position as the RBA's boss.

"The mooted idea that I would retire at the end of my seven-year term, that that's an early exit, strikes me as a little odd," Mr Stevens said.

"But it won't be before then."

Mr Stevens seven-year term ends in September next year.

Millions of dollars were paid to the agents of NPA and Securency, but former deputy governor Ric Battellino told the hearing every company in Australia pays commissions.

"I know the word secret gets thrown in there, but there is nothing secret about it. It was there in the contract," he said.

The agents were paid to market products in the relevant countries.

However, he said the episode showed that economic policy institutions like the RBA don't have any business being involved in commercial operations, and why the RBA has been trying to sell its share in Securency for two years.

"It's imperative that the (Reserve) Bank get out of that," he said.

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Two Qld govt MPs quit LNP

THE last day of parliamentary sittings for the year has climaxed with two Queensland government MPs quitting the Liberal National Party (LNP) to become independents.

Brisbane MP Carl Judge and Gold Coast MP Alex Douglas simultaneously threw in the towel on Thursday afternoon, both saying their decisions were made with heavy hearts.

Mr Judge, who represents Yeerongpilly, announced his decision during parliament while Dr Douglas addressed reporters outside the chamber.

"I simply cannot continue to serve this government and I cannot serve with people who lack respect, who want to yell abuse across the chamber, who won't allow mature debate to take place," Mr Judge said.

"I won't be part of that team."

He said he disagreed with the government's mass public service axing and believes it broke an election promise.

His resignation comes after government MPs voted to have him disendorsed from the party after he refused to pledge 100 per cent loyalty to Premier Campbell Newman.

Dr Douglas, who previously spoke out against the government's plans for a cruise ship terminal on the Gold Coast, said he was best suited to serve his electorate of Gaven as an independent.

He said the electorate did not want to see a "blunder through" method of governance.

"There are better ways of running government than this approach," he said.

Dr Douglas' dispute with the premier came to a head after he was taken off two committees, including an ethics committee that's investigating transport chief Michael Caltabiano.

He was appointed as chair on another committee but was stripped of that role as well, after warring with the government over the committee reshuffle.

Dr Douglas and Mr Judge were seen earlier lunching with mining magnate Clive Palmer who is considering launching his own party.

Mr Palmer threw in his LNP membership last week after a long-running war of words with the government's leaders.

On Saturday, Condamine MP Ray Hopper resigned from the LNP and joined Katter's Australian Party.

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Clive Palmer considers creating new party

Mining magnate Clive Palmer reportedly plans to set up his own political outfit to rival the LNP. Source: AAP

CLIVE Palmer says he is too fat to become premier, but he will spend the weekend considering whether to give birth to a new political party for Queensland.

"I think you'll see things happening in the coming weeks," he told reporters at a press conference on the steps of Parliament House.

"It's more than (a) 50 per cent (chance it will happen)."

He would call his new body the United Australia Party, reviving the name of the party his father belonged to.

As it happens, his nephew owns the trademark to the name.

Mr Palmer said he didn't have a hand in the resignations of Alex Douglas and Carl Judge from the LNP on Thursday afternoon, despite lunching with them just an hour earlier.

He has also made no approaches to unite with Katter's Australian Party.

Mr Palmer is confident, however, he would have the numbers to set up a United Australia Party, which he would not limit to Queensland.

It would could target the next election as he believes the community is ready for a new party.

He said voters are "disgusted" at the Newman government's behaviour.

"What we're seeing in the electorate is a great amount of concern for the civil liberties of Queenslanders and their right to be able to express their point of view," he said.

Mr Palmer said he wouldn't get rid of his business interests if he set up a party, but either way he's not interested in becoming premier.

"I'm a reluctant warrior, I don't really want to get involved in politics," he said.

"I think I'm too fat to be premier, you want to have a nice tanned guy as premier to promote the tourist industry."

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Thai PM survives no-confidence vote

THAILAND'S Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has survived a no-confidence vote in parliament.

Wednesday's vote came after a censure debate, and four days after a demonstration by thousands of anti-government protesters.

The opposition is outnumbered in parliament, however, and MPs voted 308 to 159 to keep Yingluck in power. One deputy premier and other two ministers also comfortably survived no-confidence votes.

Among the issues brought up against Yingluck and other ministers were alleged irregularities in the government's rice-pledging scheme, flood management budget, canal-dredging projects and the procurement of combat systems on two navy frigates.

Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubumrung was also accused of serving the interests of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, Yingluck's brother. Thaksin was ousted in a 2006 coup and lives in self-imposed exile following a corruption conviction.

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Protesters escorted from Toro's WA office

ANTI-NUCLEAR protesters have been escorted by police from a uranium explorer's West Perth office after they staged a brief demonstration in the company's reception area.

Toro Energy, which plans to develop Western Australia's first uranium mine with its Wiluna project, said about half a dozen protesters from the Anti Nuclear Association of WA emptied three bags of dyed yellow sand onto the floor and spread it throughout the office.

"During this time, protesters intimidated and filmed Toro staff, and refused to cease filming when requested to do so," the company said.

"Police were called and the protesters were escorted from the building."

Protesters claimed they were "locked" in the office but the company said this did not happen.

"The entire episode took less than 10 minutes," Toro said.

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Police in Punchbowl after shooting reports

Police are conducting and operation in Sydney's southwest after a man was shot multiple times. Source: AAP

A MAN has been shot in southwestern Sydney.

An ambulance was called to Punchbowl just after 4pm (AEDT) and one person was taken to hospital, an ambulance spokesman told AAP.

Police said they were called to Lumeah Avenue just after 4pm on Tuesday where they found a man suffering from gunshot wounds.

The man's condition is not known and investigations are continuing.

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Holden would keep grant, coalition says

GM Holden can expect the federal coalition to honour the $215 million grant it was given by the federal government to keep making cars in Australia until 2022.

After GM Holden on Tuesday warned a policy change might force it to review its commitment to keep building cars in Australia, the opposition said it was critical of the grant when it was made in March, but it would honour government contracts if elected.

"We have always complied with contractual arrangements that previous governments have entered into, and there is no reason to deviate from that good practice," opposition innovation, industry and science spokeswoman Sophie Mirabella told AAP.

GM Holden chairman and managing director Mike Devereux told reporters at a briefing in Melbourne that without government assistance there would be no car-making industry in Australia at all.

In March GM Holden committed more than $1 billion over the next 10 years to keep building cars in Australia, in return for $275 million in state and federal funding.

Mr Devereux said if that was put at risk by a change of government, GM Holden would review its commitment.

"If there is a change in government, then make no mistake, yes, Australia needs to have contemporary policy that gives us certainty over time and that is competitive with other countries.

"We need that kind of policy to be able to build things here between 2015-2022."

The opposition is yet to reveal its auto policy, but it has said it would cut $500 million from a $3.4 billion government automotive scheme to subsidise auto plant upgrades.

Mr Devereux said he hoped the opposition would change its public statements on the issue, because international managers were asking questions about the country's long-term business plans.

He noted industry assistance was a big factor in the re-election of President Barack Obama in the USA, predicting it would figure also in next year's federal election.

"It became an election issue, it was front and centre," Mr Devereux said.

"I believe 2013 will be a year that Australia decides whether it wants to have an auto industry or not."

He called for an independent review of the industry.

Ms Mirabella welcomed the call, saying a Productivity Commission review was coalition policy and had been scheduled for 2008 but was abandoned by the Rudd government.

"What we want to do is work with the Productivity Commission and the industry to have this review and come up with a better way forward, because we think there is a better way and we want to support the car industry and have a viable industry," Ms Mirabella said.

The Australian automotive industry employs about 55,000 people and supports another 200,000 jobs, with Holden accounting for about 40 per cent of output nationally.

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