Charlie's Country looks for Oscars nod

AFTER a rapturous reception at Cannes, Australian film Charlie's Country is in line for an Oscars nod.

THE story of an Aboriginal man who takes a stand after the invasion of his Arnhem Land community is Australia's entry for Best Foreign Language Film at the Academy Awards.

Nominations will be announced on January 15.Charlie's Country was developed, written, produced and directed by Rolf de Heer, and co-developed by lead actor David Gulpilil.When it screened at Cannes Film Festival, Gulpilil earned rave reviews and was awarded the Best Actor prize in the Un Certain Regard section.No Australian film has yet been nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the Academy Awards.

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CSG risks can be managed: chief scientist

THE NSW Greens are calling for coal seam gas (CSG) mining to be banned across the state despite the NSW chief scientist backing the controversial industry.

AFTER more than 18 months of investigating the industry, Professor Mary O'Kane handed down her eagerly awaited report on Tuesday, which Premier Mike Baird said would be the "line in the sand" for the industry.

The report comes after the NSW government last week extended its freeze on new CSG exploration licences for another year.While Prof O'Kane's report acknowledged CSG mining posed risks to the environment, she said those risks could be "managed" by tighter regulation, closer monitoring of the industry and more training for CSG companies.She said the industry should be allowed to proceed under stricter laws and safeguards. Prof O'Kane has also recommended a single independent regulator to be established to oversee the CSG projects.Acting Resources and Energy Minister Kevin Humphries said the government would consider the report's 16 recommendations and officially respond "in due course"."We are committed to a safe and sustainable gas industry, while protecting the environment and the state's other critical industries," he said in a statement.Carmel Flint, spokeswoman for anti-CSG group Lock the Gate, urged the government to halt Narrabri and Gloucester CSG projects until Prof O'Kane's recommendations are implemented.NSW Greens MP Jeremy Buckingham went a step further and called for a "complete ban" on CSG mining."This report highlights the risks associated with coal seam gas, risks that the Greens have been highlighting for many years and that communities across NSW have been campaigning against," he told reporters."Many of the risks highlighted in the report cannot be mitigated."Opposition Leader John Robertson said the report backed Labor's call to suspend CSG exploration and extraction across the state until more work is done to investigate its risks.NSW Farmers president Fiona Simson rejected claims the report gave the industry a "green light" to operate in NSW."There has been a strong message sent to government and industry here," Ms Simson said in a statement."If they cannot operate in a world's best practice manner and guarantee the protection of agricultural land and water, then they will continue to have difficulty in their quest to operate in this state."Cotton Australia chief Adam Kay, says the report had the potential to be "game-changing" for agriculture in the state if fully implemented."If implemented, all of these recommendations would provide the state's cotton growers with greater protection and certainty when interacting with the CSG process and resources companies," he said.

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HK protesters threaten to occupy buildings

PROTEST leaders clarified their ultimatum for the Hong Kong government on Wednesday, after pro-democracy demonstrators turned their backs on a Chinese flag-raising ceremony on National Day.

"BECAUSE the government ordered police to fire 87 rounds of tear gas at protests, there is now no room for dialogue. Chief executive Leung Chun-ying must step down," said Lester Shum, vice secretary of the Hong Kong Federation of Students.

"If he doesn't resign by (Thursday) we will step up our actions, such as by occupying several important government buildings," Shum said.But the organisers backtracked on an earlier threat to widen the protest areas or stage a labour strike.The activists are demanding reforms ahead of the 2017 elections, including open nominations of candidates for next chief executive.Visitors from mainland China gawked at Wednesday's big crowd of pro-democracy protesters. One mainlander shouted, "Go home and stop inconveniencing people."Fireworks planned for the evening to mark National Day were cancelled, city officials said.Student leader Joshua Wong, 17, said the cancellation of holiday celebrations showed the government was under heavy pressure.Wong reiterated protesters' demands for Beijing to withdraw its election reform plan and for Hong Kong's current leader to resign.Beijing has been left grappling with one of the biggest challenges to its rule over the city at a time when the Communist Party is cracking down hard on dissent on the mainland.The most intense civil unrest Hong Kong has experienced since its 1997 handover from British rule was sparked by Beijing's decision in August to restrict who can stand for the city's top post.Hong Kongers will be able to vote for their next chief executive in 2017 but only two or three candidates vetted by a pro-Beijing committee will be allowed to stand.Protesters call this fake democracy. They have two demands - that Leung step down and that Beijing rescind its insistence that candidates for future leaders be vetted.But Beijing has stayed defiant, saying it supports Hong Kong's handling of the protests. Analysts say the chance of the Chinese government backing down is virtually non-existent.In comments to mark the National Day anniversary, Chinese President Xi Jinping said "all tumours grown on the healthy organism" of the Communist Party must be removed."We must never waver in our faith and must never separate ourselves from the people," Xi added at the commemoration, according to Xinhua news agency.

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At least 1,119 Iraqis killed in Sept: UN

AT least 1,119 Iraqis died in violence in September, the UN mission in Baghdad says.

WEDNESDAY'S statement says 854 civilians and 265 members of the Iraqi security forces were killed and 1,946 Iraqis were wounded last month.

The worst-hit city was Baghdad, with 352 civilians killed.The United Nations says the figures are the "absolute minimum" number of casualties and they do not include deaths in the western Anbar province or other militant-held parts of northern Iraq.The August death toll stood at 1,420. In June, 2,400 were killed as Sunni militants swept across Iraq, the highest figure since at least April 2005.

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50th anniversary of Japan's bullet train

JAPAN celebrated the 50th anniversary of its emblematic bullet train with several ceremonies around the country on Wednesday.

WHEN it began, the bullet train was the world's first high velocity train and became the Asian country's symbol of modernity following the devastation of World War II.

To mark the anniversary, a new generation model N700A train left the central station of Tokyo on Wednesday for Fukuoka under the watchful eyes of Japan Railway company workers and guests.Similar acts took place in the central Japanese cities of Shizuoka and Nagoya, and the western city of Osaka.Wednesday's celebrations marked the departure of Hikari No.1, the first Shinkansen train on the Tokaido line to leave Tokyo's central station on October 1, 1964.The line covered the Eastern Sea Route, the main trade route of Japan which joined Edo, or old Tokyo, with western cities of Kyoto and Osaka for centuries.On those inaugural trips, the trains achieved a maximum speed of 210km/h and covered the 550km journey between Tokyo and Osaka in four hours, unlike the conventional line, which took almost seven hours.The Shinkansen now runs on the route at a speed of 270km/h, connecting both cities in two hours and 25 minutes. They are plans to increase the train's speed to 285km/h from next year.

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Australia continues to lose global edge

AUSTRALIA is continuing to lose its competitive edge in the global economy, strangled by government red tape.

AUSTRALIA dropped one place in the latest World Economic Forum's Global Competitiveness Index to 22nd, continuing a downward trend since 2009/10 when it was ranked 15th.

Australia Industry Group chief executive Innes Willox said more of Australia's competitors were "leap-frogging" the local economy.The most telling result was the burden of government regulation, which had now tumbled to 124th from 60th in 2010/11, he said.The report reinforces calls from the business community for greater urgency to be injected into building domestic productivity and competitiveness.That was particularly the case with industrial relations with restrictive labour regulations identified as the most significant impediment to doing business in Australia, Mr Willox said.WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM GLOBAL COMPETITIVENESS INDEX 2014/15Rank (previous)1 (1) Switzerland2 (2) Singapore3 (5) United States4 (3) Finland5 (4) Germany17 (18) New Zealand22 (21) Australia

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Silly walks palace guardsman investigated

Massive waves of windy drama

THE men of Bondi Rescue were no match for Mother Nature yesterday, as one was wiped out by 3m waves and knocked off a jetski.

NSW

Illegal and dangerous bush raves hit Sydney

Partygoers were seen swimming naked near cliffs and dancing in asbestos-filled tunnels in a wave of illegal bush raves that have emergency workers worried.

North Shore

Fatal Ballina crash a rash rush to ruin

IF Jesse Camidge had waited just a couple of minutes longer on one of the state's most notorious stretches of road, four people would be alive today.

NSW

• 1 video
  • Four killed in Pacific Highway crash 0:28

Lone Wolf threatened to 'put a bullet in' police informant

LONE Wolf bikie called a police informant a "weak dog" before allegedly spraying his house with six bullets, court documents revealed as his bail application was denied at Wyong.

NSW

Ice lab was hidden in chemical supply business

EXCLUSIVE: AN alleged drugs cook is in custody after police trying to break Sydney's deadly ice plague raid another clandestine narcotics lab in a Western Sydney industrial block.

News

• 1 video
  • Police shut clan labs, arrests two in ongoing investigation 1:01

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Carmody appointment still rankles: Davis

QUEENSLAND'S former bar association president has renewed allegations that the body was threatened by someone linked to the state government to support the appointment of Tim Carmody as chief justice.

SPEAKING at a forum organised by left-leaning think tank the TJ Ryan Foundation at Queensland parliament on Tuesday night, Peter Davis QC discussed the war of words between the state government and senior judicial figures over the decision.

Tim Carmody's appointment as chief justice was met with criticism from many in legal circles who were concerned he may be perceived as being too close to the Liberal National Party (LNP) government.Mr Davis told the forum prior to Mr Carmody's promotion, there had been a series of actions and statements made by him as chief magistrate which "at least, on their face, had suggested an uncomfortable connection with the government."Mr Davis resigned from his position after accusing attorney general Jarrod Bleijie of leaking confidential communications about the decision.He also told those gathered that the public "launch" of Mr Carmody as chief justice, attended by the premier and attorney general, was "a huge mistake" and the process of consultation "badly flawed."Mr Davis alleged that prior to his resignation, a person with close ties to the LNP threatened the bar association with retribution unless the appointment was supported."Those threats were removal of the bar association's statutory regulatory function," he said."And also threats of likelihood that future judicial appointments would come from the ranks of solicitors, not from the ranks of barristers."Mr Davis told the forum that judicial appointments must be seen to be made at arms' length and not "bedevilled by controversy."He claimed the court is unsettled and the controversy remained."But of course, the character of our judges is such that they will simply do what they always do, and that's turn up to court every day and fulfil their oaths of office."Mr Bleijie's office declined to comment.

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Ashya to get treatment in Prague

Ashya King's parents have been released from prison after their arrest warrants were withdrawn. Source: AAP

BRITISH brain tumour patient Ashya King is set to go to the Czech Republic for the treatment his parents wanted him to receive.

THE five-year-old's medical records have been sent to the Proton Therapy Centre in Prague, which said it had agreed the specialised technique is suitable for him.

The development came as Ashya's parents Brett and Naghmeh prepared to be reunited with their son.They were freed from Soto del Real prison near Madrid after British authorities dropped the case against them amid a storm of criticism.As they prepared to see their son for the first time since they were detained on Saturday, Brett King, the five-year-old's father, said his heart was "aching" while his wife Naghmeh said she had been "crying and crying" in a prison cell.King told the BBC: "My heart is aching for my son. I want to see my son's face."Asked what the ordeal had been like, Naghmeh King said: "All I was doing all the time was crying and crying. What could I do in a prison cell?"The couple were freed on Tuesday night after British authorities abandoned their attempts to extradite them amid a public backlash.Asked how angry they were, King said: "I wouldn't say angry, I'm just missing my son so much. Anger can't come in at the moment because I've just got these feelings I've got to see my son's face."The boy's mother said: "I just want to wet his mouth because he can't drink through his mouth, I want to brush his teeth, I want to turn him side to side every 15 minutes because he can't move. I just want to do all those things I was doing from Southampton, I want to do it for him here."Asked about being separated from her son, she said: "I was just praying so I could be reunited with him again. I couldn't do much, really - all I could do was just cry and pray."A spokesman for the Proton Therapy Centre (PTC) disclosed that it had received additional information concerning the status of Ashya's health.He said Dr Gary Nicolin, a consultant paediatric oncologist and lead for paediatric neuro-oncology at the Department of Paediatric Oncology at University Hospital Southampton, had sent complete medical reports, including operation notes, histology reports and imaging reports.He said the PTC medical board reviewed this documentation at 8am local time on Wednesday.Dr Jiri Kubes, head of proton therapy at Proton Therapy Center Czech, said: "We have agreed that proton therapy is a suitable method of treatment for Ashya."So, Ashya shall go for proton therapy to the Czech Republic. However, prior to this he will need to return to England first."The centre said Dr Nicolin had confirmed that Ashya must first undergo two cycles of chemotherapy, which are expected to take several weeks.After that he would be able to travel to Prague for proton therapy, the spokesman said.A fundraising page set up to help pay for the treatment has so far raised more than STG21,000 ($A38,331.66).

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Lambie calls for defence royal commission

Tasmanian Senator Jacqui Lambie has used her first speech in parliament to slam defence. Source: AAP

NEW Tasmanian Senator Jacqui Lambie has used her first speech in parliament to slam defence and the Department of Veterans Affairs for a culture of cover up, lies and official misconduct.

SENATOR Lambie, Palmer United Party senator and a former soldier who waged a long battle against Veterans Affairs for compensation for an injury, said there needed to be a royal commission into defence.

One of the most compelling reasons, she said, was the case of former Lieutenant Marcus Saltmarsh, who was watching her speech from the Senate public gallery.He faced a court martial over the death of his best mate Corporal Stuart Jones, shot dead in East Timor in August 2000 while travelling in the back of an ASLAV armoured vehicle.It was Mr Saltmarsh's Steyr rifle which discharged. Mr Saltmarsh had insisted the weapon was faulty as there had been numerous cases of inadvertent firing of Steyr rifles in East Timor.Senator Lambie said he was cleared, but despite repeated requests he was never properly and publicly exonerated and became a scapegoat."Abuse and harassment from all ranks dogged his whole military career,"Lambie said.That included him being sent the autopsy photos of Corporal Jones."Was it sheer incompetence that caused these photos to be sent to Mr Marcus Saltmarsh or was it a deliberate, abusive act," she asked.Senator Lambie said the appalling treatment of many former defence members stemmed from a complete failure of leadership at the highest levels of the Australian Defence Forces."A culture of cover up, lies and official misconduct can be found in both the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Australian Defence Force, and the only remedy to address the gross injustices is for a royal commission," she said.Senator Lambie paid tribute to her party leader, businessman MP Clive Palmer."Clive placed his faith in me, embraced my ideas and welcomed me wholeheartedly to his team. I'm proud to be part of the Palmer United Team," she said.

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