Third corruption strike for Macdonald

The NSW ICAC has found Ian Macdonald acted corruptly over his granting of a lucrative coal licence. Source: AAP

DISGRACED former Labor MP Ian Macdonald is again facing possible criminal charges after the NSW corruption watchdog found him corrupt for the third time in two months.

Former union boss John Maitland was also found to have acted corruptly in the damning report handed to parliament by the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) on Friday.

It found Mr Macdonald granted a lucrative coal exploration licence over Doyles Creek, in the NSW Hunter Valley, to his "mate" Mr Maitland as a favour.

Mr Maitland, the former head of the Construction, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU), has been referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for criminal investigation along with fellow Doyles Creek Mining directors Andrew Poole and Craig Ransley.

The three men could also face charges for giving false or misleading statements made to the Department of Primary Industries (DPI).

Mr Macdonald has been referred to the DPP for misconduct in public office.

The Commonwealth DPP has also been given evidence that could be admissible in the prosecution of Mr Maitland, Mr Poole and Mr Ransley for offences under the Corporations Act.

The trio has also been referred to the NSW Crime Commission for possible assets seizure.

ICAC Commissioner David Ipp found Mr Maitland turned his initial $165,000 investment in Doyles Creek Mining into a nearly $15 million windfall while the company's original shareholders profited to the tune of $85 million.

The Supreme Court can grant a Crime Commission request for an assets forfeiture order if it finds a person has engaged in serious crime-related activity, even if the person is never charged or convicted of any criminal offence.

Meanwhile, NuCoal Resources, the company that purchased Doyles Creek in 2010, has been placed in a trading halt in the wake of the findings.

It's the last set of findings following four separate ICAC inquiries into Mr Macdonald and others.

Last month, Mr Ipp found Mr Macdonald had acted corruptly in granting an exploration licence over land owned by the family of fellow former NSW Labor MP Eddie Obeid.

He also accepted the services of a prostitute, Tiffanie, in return for arranging meetings between the businessman Ron Medich and executives from a state-run power company.

Politicians and others lined up on Friday to welcome the ICAC's findings - and to distance themselves from the men now branded corrupt.

NSW Greens mining spokesman Jeremy Buckingham said Premier Barry O'Farrell must "tear up" the exploration licence now held by NuCoal.

The publicly-listed company bought Doyles Creek Mining via what the ICAC describes as a "a backdoor listing" in late 2009 and early 2010, after Mr Macdonald ignored his department's advice to issue the exploration licence in late 2008.

"From day one people were raising concerns," Mr Buckingham told reporters on Friday.

"This licence is the proceed of crime."

But NuCoal chairman Gordon Galt said his company was "an innocent party in this affair" and acquired Doyles Creek Mining in good faith.

"Arguably, no other party has suffered as much as NuCoal despite our demonstrable and acknowledged innocence."

Mr O'Farrell has already ruled out taking action on the licence until he receives final recommendations from the ICAC later this year.

He told reporters he hoped Friday's report would "draw a line on what was a pretty poor and sad part of this state's history".

"Whilst I expect there will be some, including the Greens today, who urge action from the state government off the back of this report, I say again, the ICAC commissioner has made clear that he will be reporting separately about a number of matters including his views on these leases," Mr O'Farrell said.

NSW Opposition Leader John Robertson said he wanted to see Mr Macdonald, and others fingered by the ICAC report, land in jail.

"The justice they receive should be swift and decisive, and charges should be laid against all of them as quickly as is possible," he told reporters.

The inquiry heard evidence that Mr Maitland, as a former union boss, wielded considerable political clout and was able to help secure Mr Macdonald's parliamentary pre-selection in 2006.

Mr Maitland's successor as head of the CFMEU, Tony Maher, told reporters the saga showed political reform was urgently needed.

"You fix this by reforming the interaction between business lobbyists and governments," he told reporters.

"You make sure it's transparent and it's watertight."

Mr Macdonald slammed the corruption finding.

"It is based on guesswork and conjecture," he said in a statement.

"ICAC again demonstrates bias and prejudice towards me.

"There was no wrongdoing or misconduct on my part. I did not receive a benefit of any kind."

He said he did not realise Mr Maitland - whom he described as a "key resource stakeholder", not a "mate" - had a financial stake in his push for an exploration licence that could support his proposed training mine.

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Paladin to boost production and sell mine

URANIUM miner Paladin Energy plans to boost production and push ahead with the partial sale of its Namibia mine after more than doubling its full year loss to $US420.9 million.

The company managed to achieve its 2012/13 production targets but it continues to slash costs due to weak global uranium prices.

Shares in the company gained five cents, or nine per cent, to 58 cents at 1340 AEST on an upbeat production outlook and cost cutting.

Paladin Energy is now targeting combined production of between 8.3 million pounds to 8.7 million pounds in the 2013/14 financial year, up from 8.2 million pounds produced in full year 2013.

The company recently announced it had terminated the sale of a minority interest in its Langer Heinrich mine in Namibia.

Paladin had been negotiating with two nuclear power companies to sell a 15 to 20 per cent stake, but the buyer wanted to renegotiate the terms due to the uranium price slumping to its lowest level in eight years.

Still, the company is eager to sell some of the asset after receiving requests from other interested parties.

"Paladin will, in September, resume efforts to sell a minority interest in Langer Heinrich," the company said in a statement.

Based on investment bank UBS's recent $US1.1 billion valuation of Langer Heinrich, a successful sale would have gained $US165 million to $US220 million.

More than two years on from Japan's Fukushima nuclear disaster, the spot price of uranium is sitting at an eight-year low of about $US35 a pound.

Paladin posted a $US420.9 million full year loss in the 2013 financial year, more than double last year's loss of $US172.8 million.

It announced a $US335.9 million impairment for 2012/13.

The losses came as revenue rose to $US411.5 million in the year to June 30, up 12 per cent, from $US367.4 million in the previous year.

In full year 2013, Paladin's production rose 20 per cent to 8.2 million pounds.

Managing director John Borshoff said the company's forecast cost reductions in its 2013 financial year were exceeded at both its Langer Heinrich Mine and Kayelekera Mines in Africa, and further cost reductions were expected in 2014.

"Paladin remains focused on reducing costs across all facets of the business," Mr Borshoff said.

He added that a future global supply shortage of uranium was now unavoidable as more power plants were built in China while Japan looked to restart its reactors.

"It will be undeniably apparent sooner rather than later," he said.

The Perth-based company is undertaking a further review of costs across the organisation, focusing on exploration, corporate, discretionary capital expenditure and site costs.

Paladin did not offer a dividend.

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Don't believe Abbott on health: Labor

TONY Abbott's backflip on coalition plans to close Medicare Locals is not "credible", Federal Health Minister Tanya Plibersek says, accusing the opposition of having four different positions on Labor's health network.

Mr Abbott declared "we are not shutting any Medicare Locals" during a leaders debate on Wednesday, despite previously pledging a detailed review of the primary health care providers, and despite refusing to rule out closures earlier in the campaign.

"They first said they were going to get rid of them, then they said they were going to review them, then they said they couldn't rule out closing, and last night they said they could rule out closing," Ms Plibersek told ABC Television on Thursday.

"As soon as it get's hot for them, they do a backflip.

"How can anyone believe what they say, when they've had four positions on Medicare Locals so far, and they've had two positions in less than a week?"

Explaining his comments during the debate, Mr Abbott on Thursday said he would not guarantee all Medicare Locals would "stay exactly the same".

"But our focus is on trying to move money from the back office to frontline services," he told reporters in Sydney.

"And I am confident that Medicare Locals will flourish provided they focus on frontline services."

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Sex Party's Senate hopes stunted

THE Australian Sex Party says preference deals have shot down its chances of a Senate seat in all states but Victoria.

Party president and Victorian Senate candidate Fiona Patten is hoping to win a Senate seat over Family First in the September 7 election.

Ms Patten says her party has averaged about seven per cent of the vote in the last few elections run in Victoria and hopes to improve it.

But she says the minor party has been locked out from a chance in the Senate in all states but Victoria because of Labor preferences.

"Labor's going to the Greens which effectively cuts us out of the chances of a Senate seat in all states," she said during the party's campaign launch in Melbourne on Thursday.

"We do, just because of our own vote, still stand a chance in Victoria.

"We'd certainly like our vote to grow."

The Australian Sex Party is running candidates in each state and territory, with 29 candidates in Victoria alone.

In the seat of Melbourne, the Australian Sex Party will preference Labor over the Greens, who hold the seat by a six per cent margin and are battling Labor to keep it.

The Australia Sex Party will also preference Labor in Corangamite, Australia's most marginal seat held by Labor by 0.3 per cent.

The party is running on a platform of tax reform and decriminalisation of all drug use and possession.

Ms Patten says churches are the biggest landowners in the country yet they pay no tax, costing taxpayers about $20 billion a year.

The party also wants marijuana to be regulated and taxed, compulsory relationship and sex education in schools, and the legalisation of voluntary euthanasia.

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Guard of honour for murder victim Lane

Hundreds of mourners have crowded into a Melbourne church for the funeral of baseballer Chris Lane. Source: AAP

MURDER victim Chris Lane's father says his son's death is senseless but his words about letting things go are helping.

The Melbourne baseballer has been given a final farewell with a guard of honour by his former baseball mates after his funeral on Wednesday.

Dozens of Essendon Baseball Club members in dark suits lined the road outside an Essendon church, applauding as a hearse carrying Mr Lane's coffin made its way to a private burial service.

Peter Lane told the service a young person's death is always tragic, but the way his son died so senselessly made it much harder to comprehend.

But he said a lesson he had learnt from his son about letting things go was helping him get through this sad time.

"What has happened to Chris is just not fair, but hanging onto it just won't help," Mr Lane said.

Mr Lane said his son had shown maturity beyond his years, was devoted to his family and when he saw opportunity "he took it with both hands and he ran with it".

Chris Lane had grown from a boy into a man, he said, and was planning a future with his girlfriend.

His aspirations on the sporting field had also moved to other areas of his life.

"I'm very proud of how you've turned out, you know you'll always be with us," Mr Lane said.

Hundreds of mourners packed St Therese's Church in Melbourne's north for the 22-year-old baseball player's funeral.

A big photo of Chris Lane smiling stood in front of his brown and gold coffin, which was adorned with a large bouquet of white flowers.

"A picture's worth a thousand words," Father Joe Giacobbe told the mass.

"It's a terrific photo."

Father Giacobbe said he had never seen the church so full.

"I've been a priest for 40 years and I don't think I've seen this church as full as it is today," he said.

Father Giacobbe invited Mr Lane's loved ones, including his mother Donna Lane and girlfriend Sarah Harper, to place significant objects around his coffin, including his baptismal shawl, primary and secondary school tops and an Australian-themed top.

Floral tributes also lined the church steps.

Mr Lane, from Melbourne's Oak Park, was jogging alone in Duncan, Oklahoma, when he was shot in the back in a random attack on August 16.

He was attending a college in Oklahoma where he had a baseball scholarship when he was killed.

The funeral will be followed by a private burial.

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Fire breaks out on NSW Central Coast

A LARGE fire has broken out near homes on the NSW Central Coast.

Firefighters were called to the five-hectare blaze, near Birdie Beach Drive at Lake Munmorah, around 1pm (AEST) on Wednesday.

NSW Rural Fire Service spokesman Ben Shephard said some nearby homes on Elizabeth Bay Drive had been put on heightened alert, but nobody has been evacuated.

"We are confident the homes won't be impacted," Mr Shephard told AAP.

Fire crews are working on containing the blaze, which is currently moving north, in a large cleared area behind the houses.

The cause is not known.

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Scam swindles cash on bill refund promise

SCAMMERS are hitting the phones in NSW, swindling cash from the elderly by offering bogus refunds on bills.

NSW Fair Trading Commissioner Rod Stowe has urged people to hang up on anyone who calls promising rebates on power and phone bills.

"No government agency will make calls like this," he said in a statement.

"It's a total scam and people should warn their family, friends and neighbours not to respond to these offers."

An elderly woman living at a Coffs Harbour retirement village was fleeced by the scammers.

She was called and told she was entitled to a $4288 refund on her phone and power bills.

The money would come, she was advised, after $290 was deposited into a Western Union bank account.

The scammers gave the woman a reference number, AT100, and contact details for the manager of the reclaim department, purported to be Steve Harmilson.

She's not the only one to be hoodwinked.

Mr Stowe said staff at the Coffs Harbour Fair Trading Centre had received numerous similar calls from local residents contacted in the same way with the same or similar information.

"Reports from the Sydney metropolitan area in the past week have also involved the same dollar figures and details, so the scammers are spreading their net widely."

Mr Stowe said anyone who thought they had been scammed should contact their bank and the NSW government Fair Trading Department.

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Gandhi released from hospital

INDIA'S ruling Congress party chief Sonia Gandhi has been released from hospital hours after being admitted with fever, cold and a headache.

Gandhi, 66, was taken to hospital from the national parliament, where she had earlier urged lawmakers to pass landmark legislation offering subsidised food to millions of India's poor.

"She complained of a headache and she had a cough," said a doctor who did not want to be named because he is not authorised to speak to the media.

"We checked all her parameters. Once the team of doctors was convinced that she was all right, she was discharged," he told AFP, adding that she was released about 3am.

Late on Monday, parliament passed the Food Security Bill, which has been championed by the Congress leader, who included it as a manifesto pledge for the elections in 2009.

The bill - seen as a vote-winner by the ruling Congress party ahead of national polls next year - was adopted in the lower house after a nine-hour debate.

The scheme will provide food grain to nearly 70 per cent of the population, or 800 million people, for as little as one rupee per kilo.

In a rare speech in parliament, Gandhi had told MPs to send a message to the world that India is ready to eradicate malnutrition, which Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has described as a "national shame".

Television footage showed Gandhi leaving parliament on Monday evening, escorted by her son, to go to hospital.

"She was feeling uneasy in the parliament," Congress party general secretary Janardan Dwivedi told reporters outside AIIMS hospital.

"She was rushed here to AIIMS. She has gone back home, she is all right and her medical check-up has been completed.

"She is completely fine," he added.

In 2011, Gandhi travelled to the United States for surgery for an undisclosed illness, reportedly cancer.

Her health and private life are closely guarded by her advisors.

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Boat buyback an 'insult' to Indonesia

OPPOSITION Leader Tony Abbott's plan to buy boats from Indonesian fishermen to prevent the vessels being used by people smugglers has been criticised in Jakarta with the scheme described as an insult to Indonesia.

The boat buyback is part of a new $420 million regional deterrence policy announced last week by Mr Abbott as the asylum-seeker issue continues to be a key battleground in the election campaign.

It sets aside millions of dollars to buy boats from poor Indonesian fishermen who can be easy prey for people-smuggling syndicates that can offer much more money for the rickety vessels than can be made by fishing.

But Hikmahanto Juwana, an international affairs expert from the University of Indonesia, has described the plan as "humiliating", and says it shows the coalition has a poor understanding of Indonesia.

Mr Juwana warned the plan would risk a deterioration in relations between Australia and its northern neighbour, adding that it suggested Mr Abbott viewed Indonesian fishermen as "mercenaries who did dirty jobs".

"I think the (Indonesian) government should voice protests to the coalition's very insensitive plan which clearly shows their poor knowledge about the situation in Indonesia," Mr Juwana told The Jakarta Post newspaper.

"The coalition wants to make Indonesia look inferior because they just want to provide money and ask Indonesians to get the job done for the sake of their interests."

He said buying the boats would just cause the fishermen, many of who are already very poor, to lose their livelihoods and warned it would lead to resentment and even risk conflict between the local population and foreigners.

"The program could trigger vigilantism and (attacks) on foreigners ...," Mr Juwana said.

Mr Abbott did not say how much would be paid for each boat.

"It's much better and much more sensible to spend a few thousand dollars in Indonesia, than to spend $12 million processing the people who ultimately arrive here," he told reporters.

The broader plan announced by Mr Abbott in Darwin on Friday includes funding of $67 million to increase the presence of Australian Federal Police in Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Malaysia.

Close to another $100 million would be spent to boost the aerial surveillance and search and rescue capacity of Indonesian authorities and $198 million to boost interception and transfer operations.

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Man pleads guilty to shooting WA teenager

A PERTH man has pleaded guilty to the shooting death of a teenager 15 months ago.

Joseph Giglia pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the WA Supreme Court via video link on Monday over the death of 18-year-old Dale Plaziuk in May last year.

Dale's older brother Corey read a statement to reporters outside court, describing it as a "good day" for the family because Giglia had finally admitted responsibility for Dale's death.

"It will be a huge relief to our family knowing Dale might finally have some justice being done and that this should now be dealt with before the end of the year," he said.

Mr Plaziuk said he had been afraid Giglia would never admit to the crime and would drag the family though the ordeal of a trial.

He said it had been a long and stressful process for the family so far, and they wanted to find out the truth about the circumstances surrounding Dale's death.

Dale's mother Michelle, who has three other sons and a daughter, said Dale's death had had a huge impact on the family.

"I spend every other day out with Dale cleaning his headstone and asking him to please come home because we all miss him," she said, holding back her tears.

Mr Plaziuk said he and his brother wore necklaces commemorating Dale with the inscription: "Forever my brother. Forever my best mate".

Giglia will remain in custody at Hakea Prison until his next court appearance on November 5.

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Man critical after Sydney hotel fall

A man is in a critical condition after he fell out a hotel window in Sydney's CBD, police say. Source: AAP

A MAN is in a critical condition after he fell out a hotel window in Sydney's CBD.

Paramedics were called to the hotel at Albion Place, Sydney, around 10.20am (AEST) on Sunday, an Ambulance NSW spokesman said.

It was initially unclear how far the man had fallen.

He has been taken to hospital in a critical condition.

Police are investigating.

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No batons, spray at revamped WA youth jail

DEMANDS for teen prisoners in Western Australia to be guarded by batons and pepper spray will not be granted by the state government.

The Barnett government is preparing to reopen the repaired and beefed up Banksia Hill youth detention centre, following a riot in January which virtually destroyed the facility.

That led to young prisoners being housed in an adult high security prison, a move that was challenged legally and led to furious opposition from human rights campaigners.

It also led to calls from youth custody officers to demand more measures to protect themselves - but Corrective Services Minister Joe Francis said he would not sanction batons and pepper spray at the centre.

"Some of these kids are here for significant offences, such as murder and rape," Mr Francis said.

"But this government will not at any time allow youth custodial officers to use pepper spray and batons."

Mr Francis also attacked some officers, who he said were "taking the mickey" out of the state with continued work absenteeism.

He claimed almost half of the youth custody officers rostered to work on Saturday failed to show.

He said that was hardening the government's view to a possible privatisation of the facility.

"They are clearly taking the taxpayer for a ride," Mr Francis said.

Some of the teen prisoners in the adult Hakea Prison will remain there until Christmas, despite work on the state's only youth detention centre being nearly complete.

After seven months, the works to repair and upgrade security, some youngsters will begin to move back in the coming weeks - but they will find a different atmosphere.

Additional bars on windows have been coupled with higher fences and more security, to ensure a repeat of the January 20 riot does not occur.

Mr Francis said the repairs and upgrades have cost about $1.5 million, out of a total of about $3.6 million the riot cost the government.

"I don't want it to look like a maximum security prison - in fact I want it to look more like a high school," Mr Francis said.

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