Bishop raises piracy case with Russians

THE Abbott government has told Russia it's concerned about the piracy charge levelled against Australian Greenpeace activist Colin Russell and it wants him treated fairly.

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has met with Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Morgulov on the sidelines of the APEC summit in Bali.

"I registered our concern about the charges and also our desire to ensure that he's afforded full due legal process and consular assistance," Mr Bishop told reporters in Bali's Nusa Dua.

Mr Russell, from Tasmania, could face up to 15 years in prison if Russian authorities persist with the piracy charge.

He was among 30 Greenpeace activists charged with the offence for their roles in a protest against oil drilling in the Arctic Circle last month.

Worldwide protests are being held on Saturday for the so-called "Arctic 30", who were detained in the port city of Murmansk after their ship the Arctic Sunrise was boarded at gunpoint by Russian authorities.

A British-born Australian resident and a New Zealand man who lives in South Australia have also been charged.

Ms Bishop says she is taking a keen interest in the case, which is shaping up as her first major consular challenge since taking over as foreign minister.

She says Australian officials have met with Mr Russell in recent days and plan to do so again soon.

"I understand he is well, his conditions of detention are adequate," she said.

Asked if she believed the piracy charge was too extreme, Ms Bishop said: "We're seeking advice as to whether this charge is appropriate.

"I do note that (Russian) President (Vladimir) Putin said in one press conference that they were clearly not pirates.

"It's a very serious charge."

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Sydney flocks to harbour for Prince Harry

Prince Harry has arrived at Sydney's Garden Island Naval Base for the International Fleet Review. Source: AAP

SYDNEY Harbour is glistening as thousands poured into the city to get a glimpse of the International Fleet Review - and if they're lucky Prince Harry too.

With drinks and ice creams in hand, spectators filled up major vantage points on Saturday afternoon as helicopters and navy planes buzzed overhead and the temperature hit the high 20s.

The Sydney Opera House and East Circular Quay vantage points have hit capacity, the Transport Management Centre said at noon.

But that hasn't stopped huge groups of people walking off trains and buses to watch the celebrations and hopefully catch a glimpse of special guest Prince Harry.

The 29-year-old royal is being taken around the harbour in HMAS Leeuwin to inspect warships, which are taking part in the International Fleet Review.

Among the royal enthusiasts is 20-year-old Victoria McRae who was towed out of Sydney Harbour by the Water Police after she got on a kayak and waved a flag saying "I (heart) you Harry" and added her mobile phone number to it.

She will now try and find the charming young prince among the thousands of people lined up all around Sydney Harbour.

"He's an eligible bachelor, I thought I might be in with a chance," Ms McRae said.

The Prince is expected to meet spectators at an unconfirmed location later on Saturday afternoon.

The Fleet Review marks 100 years since the Royal Australian Navy fleet sailed into Sydney Harbour and a procession of boats from around the world are taking part in the celebrations.

The Fireworks and Lightshow Spectacular kicks off at 7.30pm at Sydney Harbour.

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Toro receives FIRB approval for Maitland

TORO Energy has received approval to finalise the purchase of the Lake Maitland uranium project in Western Australia from Canada's Mega Uranium.

The Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) says the deal, which will be funded with 415 million Toro shares, can go ahead.

Lake Maitland, 90 kilometres south-east of Wiluna in central Western Australia, contains higher grade material that is expected to improve the overall blended head grade from Toro's Wiluna deposits.

The company hopes to begin production at Wiluna in 2016, making it the state's first uranium mine.

Shareholders will vote on the Lake Maitland transaction on October 18.

Toro still needs to secure project financing for the Wiluna project, and hopes to complete a definitive feasibility study in 2014.

Toro shares were down 0.1 cent at 8.4 cents at 1430 AEST.

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Nitschke rues Silk Road closure

THE closure by US authorities of the black market Silk Road website will have a devastating effect on some elderly Australians, says euthanasia advocate Philip Nitschke.

They were using the site to source reliable quantities of the "premier" end-of-life drug Nembutal, Dr Nitschke, director of Exit International, said on Friday.

US Federal agents this week shut down the site which they said was a black market for drugs, hitmen and hacker tools and arrested the suspected owner.

But Dr Nitschke said the site had been welcomed by elderly Australians desperate to obtain an end-of-life safety net.

"Our elderly members appreciated the comfort that came from knowing that their transactions were private," he said in a statement.

"Although they knew that importing a small amount of Nembutal for possible use at some future date was illegal, many still felt it was a risk worth taking.

"The removal of the site will now mean that other less secure avenues will be pursued."

The site closure will be one topic discussed at an Exit International euthanasia workshop to be held in Adelaide on Saturday.

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28 dead in Indian road crash

A CARGO truck has crashed into two minivans packed with labourers heading to work in northeast India, killing 28 people, including 13 children.

A further 20 people were injured, some critically, when the 10-wheeler truck slammed into the oncoming minivans on a highway about 160km west of Gauhati, the capital of Assam state, police said.

The minivans, which had been carrying workers to a local brick kiln, were smashed into mangled metal masses and pushed into a roadside ditch.

Among the dead were five women. Some had been taking their children to work to be looked after during the day.

The truck was on its way to the neighbouring state of West Bengal.

Police say they have yet to account for the truck driver, though one of two people in the truck is believed to be among the dead.

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Three workers hurt at Paladin mine

URANIUM miner Paladin Energy says three workers have been injured at its Langer Heinrich Mine in Namibia.

Two of them have significant burns after the serious electrical incident and all three had been hospitalised, the company said on Thursday.

The Perth-based company, which operates two uranium mines in Africa, said one employee and two contractors were hurt in the incident which occurred at 3.30pm Wednesday, Namibian time.

"Two of the workers received significant burns while the third worker received smoke inhalation and has been discharged," Paladin said in a statement.

The more seriously injured worker has been flown to South Africa for treatment and a full investigation is underway.

The company said relevant authorities had been notified.

The accident comes two months after a worker was killed in the tyre fitting workshop at the company's Kayelekera mine in Malawi.

Paladin is cutting more jobs and reducing executive pay and other spending in response to continued falls in the price of uranium.

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Vic bikies appear in court after raids

MEMBERS of the rival Comanchero and Hells Angels bikie gangs will face separate court hearings following a number of drive-by shootings in Melbourne.

Police charged eight men after raids across Melbourne on Tuesday night, during which guns, explosives and cash were seized.

The raids came a day after the Hells Angels Seaford clubhouse in the city's south was sprayed with bullets.

Hells Angels member Dennis Basic, 33, of Frankston, appeared in the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Wednesday charged with 13 offences, including making explosives and illegally possessing seven guns.

Deputy Chief Magistrate Jelena Popovic was told the members of the two gangs would require separate dates for their committal mention hearings.

Comanchero members Gemino Aloia, 26, of Glenroy, Bemir Saracevic, 26, of Cranbourne North, Emir Jaha, 27, of Mt Martha, and Mark Balsillie, 29, of Gladstone Park also faced the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Wednesday.

Additional police and security officers were present in the court room and outside the building.

Basic's charges were adjourned until December 20, while the other four men were remanded to appear on the previous day.

None of the five applied for bail.

Police say the Seaford attack was in retaliation for a suspected Hells Angels shoot-up of two businesses owned by a rival Comanchero member.

High-powered military weapons such as AK-47s or M1 carbines were used in both shootings, police say.

Also charged after the raids are Bashkim Gashi, 30, of Dandenong North, Fabian Pacey, 22, of Carrum Downs, and Mohhamed Khodr, 26, of Balwyn North.

All three are expected to appear in court on Wednesday.

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Cootes Transport fleet to be inspected

A MECHANICAL fault is believed to have caused a fuel tanker to overturn and explode on Sydney's northern beaches, killing two people.

Emergency crews have removed the charred remains of the truck from Mona Vale Road where it lost control on Tuesday, ploughing into a power pole and four cars before erupting in a fireball.

Two men, one a local and one from Western Australia, died in the blaze and six people were taken to hospital.

NSW Police Assistant Commissioner John Hartley told reporters in Sydney on Wednesday it appeared the roadway was not at fault.

"It appears to be a mechanical fault, not the fault of the roadway," he said.

As investigations continued Superintendent Ian Krimmer of NSW Fire and Rescue said the clean-up at the site of the accident was going smoothly.

He said about 300 litres of petrol spilled onto the road in the process of getting the truck upright but the spill was contained by an earth dam.

Energy and traffic authorities were working on repairing powerlines and cleaning up the road, he said.

Fuel contamination has been contained within a 1.5km radius of the crash site.

An unknown amount has run into local drains, but does not pose a threat to residents, Supt Krimmer said.

He said the clean-up could be complete within days.

"Petrol is one of the easiest contaminants to deal with because natural forces such as warm weather and wind will evaporate the fuel very rapidly," he said.

Police said the truck appeared to have lost control, hit a power pole and four cars before turning on its side and dousing the road in fuel.

It's likely the huge explosion that followed was caused by a spark from the friction of the crash, Supt Krimmer said.

The Roads and Maritime Service later said it was inspecting more than 80 fleet vehicles from Cootes Transport, which have been directed to checking stations in Sydney and Newcastle.

"The results of these inspections will inform a decision on whether or not other vehicles in the Cootes' fleet will be subject to roadworthiness inspections," RMS said.

Results of the fleet inspections are expected in coming days.

NSW Police are preparing a report for the coroner.

Cootes Transport told AAP it couldn't comment as its spokesman was in a meeting.

The truck driver, a 47-year-old from Wagga Wagga, is in a stable condition at Royal North Shore Hospital.

The two men who died at the scene have not been formally identified, but are believed to be a 73-year-old from Turramurra and a 71-year-old from Western Australia.

They are believed to be the driver and passenger of a Subaru.

The other passengers in that car, two women aged 67 and 72, are both in a stable condition, while a 69-year-old Warriewood man is in a serious but stable condition.

A 75-year-old woman has also been discharged.

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NSW minister accused over jobs for boys

NSW Transport Minister Gladys Berejiklian has been accused of giving jobs to the boys and misleading parliament, after nearly $500,000 worth of work was awarded to a former colleague.

Labor MP Luke Foley wants an investigation into the awarding of a government contract to the consultancy firm Conrad Capital last year.

Jack Simos, who worked alongside Ms Berejiklian as a staffer for the then NSW Treasurer Peter Collins, is CEO and managing director of the firm.

In a budget estimates committee meeting last month, Mr Foley said he had quizzed Ms Berejiklian about the "fat contract" but she had denied any involvement, saying everything was handled by her department.

However, Mr Foley said documents reveal Mr Simos's appointment was actually instigated by her office, and before the firm was even registered for GST.

In March last year Owen Johnstone-Donnet, chief of staff from the minister's office, emailed the Department of Premier and Cabinet requesting their help to engage Conrad Capital to "undertake special tasks in relation to transport reform".

He said the two principals of Conrad Capital - Richard McKinnon and Mr Simos - "would report to and be accountable" to him.

"I think it's not only a question of jobs for the boys but also a question of ministerial responsibility to the parliament," Mr Foley told reporters on Tuesday.

In failing to reveal her office's role in the appointment, he said it appeared the minister misled the parliamentary committee.

Mr Simos's firm was initially engaged for three months work at $10,000 per month, which meant it did not have to go out to the market and seek quotes.

A further $290,000 worth of work his firm was then awarded was based on the three-months of previous experience.

All up, Mr Foley said the firm had been awarded $485,000 in payments.

"I'm calling today on Premier (Barry) O'Farrell to investigate this highly irregular contract driven not by the public service but by a minister's own private office," he said.

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RBA leaves cash rate on hold

THE Reserve Bank of Australia has left the cash rate unchanged at a record low of 2.5 per cent, saying the current setting of monetary policy remained appropriate.

The decision was widely expected, with all 13 economists surveyed by AAP last week forecasting that the RBA would leave the cash rate on hold.

The RBA last cut the cash rate in August, by a quarter of a percentage point.

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NSW boy may need surgery after dog attack

A 12-YEAR-OLD boy is likely to require surgery after being mauled by a dog he was playing with in the Lake Macquarie region of NSW.

Police say the 12-year-old boy was playing with two rottweilers in the back yard of a home in Belmont North about 4pm (AEST) last Friday when the attack occurred.

One of the dogs bit the boy on the face and elbow before his father managed to stop the attack.

Paramedics took the injured boy to John Hunter Hospital for treatment.

He would probably need surgery on his elbow, police said in a statement on Monday.

The local council will investigate the incident.

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Man 'gravely' ill after NSW drug lab fire

ONE of two men critically injured when a suspected clandestine drug lab went up in flames in Sydney's south is in a grave condition in hospital, police say.

The men, aged 37 and 40, are fighting for their lives after flames engulfed a garage in Barden Ridge at about 8pm (AEST) on Sunday.

Drug squad and Hazmat officers investigated the crime scene on Monday, with police saying equipment suspected of being used to manufacture drugs had been found at the site.

Superintendent Julian Griffiths said the 40-year-old victim was undergoing emergency surgery at Royal North Shore Hospital.

"His condition has been listed as critical, and best described as grave," Supt Griffiths told reporters on Monday afternoon.

He said the 37-year-old was also critically injured and remained in an induced coma.

Mr Griffiths said the injured men appeared to have "attempted to use the shower within the premises to render first aid to themselves".

"That's consistent with the blood that has been located," he said.

Police are questioning a 41-year-old man who was at the home at the time and who initially drove the two victims to hospital.

Earlier, neighbours described a strange smell, explosions and a big ball of smoke as the drug lab burned.

Zuzana Navara said at first she thought the fire was her neighbour having a barbecue.

"Then we came around the block and we saw the flames and the explosion," she told the Seven Network.

Fred de Feyteo said he was worried the fire would spread.

"I came out and saw this big ball of smoke, a really different smell, so we were sort of worried about the bush behind the house," he said.

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Westpac Rescue Helicopter marks 40 years

IT began with a band of daring surfies rescuing swimmers off Sydney's beaches.

Now the Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopter celebrates its 40th birthday as a full rescue service that has helped people caught in some of the nation's worst disasters.

Two helicopters flew in formation over Sydney Harbour on Sunday to mark the occasion, four decades after a group of surf lifesavers founded the service in 1973 with a MASH-style single-engine light helicopter, the Bell C47.

Then it was known as the Wales Bank SLSA Helicopter Surf Rescue Service.

Today it has a fleet of 15 helicopters across twelve bases around the country, and has helped rescue Australians involved in the Waterfall train crash, the Milperra bikie massacre and the Thredbo landslide, where the service helicopter was on hand to fly sole survivor Stuart Diver to Canberra Hospital after he was trapped in rubble for almost three days.

But the more things have changed, the more they've stayed the same, according to CEO Stephen Leahy.

"The reason we go out hasn't changed in those 40 years, we were set up to help the people of Sydney and NSW and we're still doing that today," he told AAP.

"The only things that have really changed are the helicopters themselves - what we use now are bigger, better and faster."

Even the bank that helped launch the fledgling service in 1973 with a $25,000 cheque remains the same, despite a name change.

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19 arrests in Freo after Dockers loss

NINETEEN people in Fremantle have been arrested in the aftermath of the Dockers losing their AFL grand final match.

A crowd of about 40,000 people had packed into the port city home of the team to watch the Saturday event in hotels and pubs.

Among those arrested was a 19-year-old man who has been charged with assault after allegedly becoming involved in a fight while being evicted from the Norfolk Hotel at 7pm (WST).

Police said the young man argued with a 44-year-old man, punched him in the face and caused him to fall and hit his head on a kerb.

The 19-year-old ran away but was chased by police and arrested.

The victim was treated in hospital for a cut on his chin and abrasion to the back of his head.

The accused man is due to appear in the Fremantle Magistrates Court on October 11.

The Sail and Anchor pub closed its upstairs balcony about half-way through the match after some fans misbehaved by tipping beer onto the heads of other patrons.

But police said they were "generally happy" with the behaviour of the crowd, many of whom were devastated by their team's loss to Hawthorn.

A police spokesman told AAP that the number of arrests was not greatly different to a typical Friday or Saturday night in Fremantle.

The 19 arrests included charges of assault, assaulting a public officer, disorderly conduct and obstructing police.

Police also issued 46 move on orders and eight liquor infringements, while four more people will be summonsed for charges including assaulting a public officer and disorderly conduct.

Thousands of fans are expected to attend a welcome home ceremony for the Dockers at Paterson's Stadium later on Sunday.

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