Boat turn-backs may breach law: UN

THE United Nation's refugee agency says the Abbott government's policy of towing or turning back boats may breach Australia's obligations under international law.

Spokesman for the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) Babar Baloch says the organisation is seeking an explanation from the Australian government over reports a number of asylum-seeker boats have been returned to Indonesian waters.

Mr Baloch said the UNHCR found a policy of "pushing" back asylum-seeker boats "very concerning".

"Any such approach would raise significant issues and potentially could place Australia in breach of its obligations under the Refugee Convention and international law," he told ABC radio on Saturday.

"If people who are in need for international protection seek a country's safety, then they must be allowed to go through a process which helps to determine if these people are in need."

Prime Minister Tony Abbott and Immigration Minister Scott Morrison have refused to comment on reports that the Australian navy and customs have either towed back or turned back as many as five boats in the past month.

Mr Abbott has made no apologies for the government's secrecy over its border protection operations, likening the fight against people smugglers to a war.

Mr Morrison noted the UNHCR had been a long-term critic of the coalition's border protection policies, and that the government's actions did not breach Australia's international obligations.

"Border protection is an issue of national sovereignty," he said in a statement on Saturday.

"The government is taking the steps necessary to protect our borders consistent with our domestic laws and international obligations."

Greens immigration spokeswoman Sarah Hanson-Young said turning back and towing back boats was "dangerous" and "illegal".

The government was "thumbing its nose" at international law, she said.

"The rest of the world is watching in horror, and there will be consequences for Australia, whether it's in the courts or whether it's through international diplomacy," she told reporters in Adelaide.

A spokeswoman for Mr Morrison later said the UNHCR had sent a letter requesting a briefing from the government's Operation Sovereign Borders, which would be reviewed by the minister when he returns from leave on Monday.

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Sydneysiders told to ditch the car

Sydneysiders are being told to ditch their cars to events across the city on Saturday night. Source: AAP

SYDNEYSIDERS are being told to ditch their cars and opt for public transport, with large crowds expected to travel to events across the city.

Music lovers are predicted to head to The Domain in the CBD on Saturday night as Chaka Khan performs for Sydney Festival's popular free event, Summer Sounds.

Extra buses are running to and from the northern beaches, eastern suburbs and along other major corridors in a bid to combat the numbers expected to gather for the funk-soul vocalist.

Those catching a train are advised to plan ahead as trackwork is affecting numerous lines.

Motorists are being told to avoid the area.

Meanwhile at Pirtek Stadium in Parramatta, the NSW Transport Management Centre (TMC) says the A-League clash between the Western Sydney Wanderers and Sydney FC is set to attract a sell-out crowd.

All tickets to the event include travel on public transport to and from Pirtek Stadium on train services (bounded by Bomaderry, Goulburn, Bathurst and Dungog stations), regular Sydney bus services and Sydney Ferries.

Free shuttle buses are running to and from the stadium and the station, but again people should be aware of trackwork.

Anyone driving should allow extra travel time and expect delays around Parramatta especially on Church St, O'Connell St and Victoria Road, the TMC says.

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WA on red alert for red hot temperatures

FIRE and health authorities in Western Australia have both been placed on red alert as Perth braces for its hottest day in more than five years on Saturday.

Temperatures in the city are tipped to soar past 44C, with outlying metropolitan suburbs warned to expect even more intense heat over the weekend.

With catastrophic fire conditions to stretch from the Pilbara to the south west, bushfire brigades across the state have been told to prepare for the worst.

Deputy Commissioner Lloyd Bailey, from WA's Department of Fire and Emergency Services, said volunteer firefighters have been rostered on all weekend, and extra water bombers have been placed on stand-by.

"We ask people not to just lock themselves up with the air-conditioning, but be cognisant of what is going on around them," Deputy Commissioner Bailey said.

The elderly, those with young children and babies and tourists who might not be used to the heat have been particularly warned of the potential effects of the heat.

"Although we are used to the heat, it is very important not to become complacent," said Dr Revle Bangor-Jones, Director WA Health's Disaster Management Unit.

"It is very important to keep the hydration levels up, and recognise any signs in the body that you are overheating.

Dr Bangor-Jones said emergency departments around the city were all on stand-by for an influx of heat victims.

Symptoms include dry, red, hot skin, high body temperature, nausea, and rapid heart rate.

St John's Ambulance advised anyone suffering from heat stroke should have cold packs or wrapped ice applied to their neck, groin and armpits, or be covered with a wet sheet while emergency services arrive.

In anticipation of the scorching heat, the scheduled race meeting at Ascot in the city was postponed until Sunday.

Perth Zoo distributed monster icy poles to its animals as the heatwave gripped the city, with even the otters enjoying icy poles made from whitebait, blue bait, prawns and mussels.

Even fortunate pool and spa owners were being warned to take precautions, with a reminder to ensure water was properly treated so swimmers avoid catching amoebic meningitis, which thrives in water temperatures between 28 and 40 degrees.

The scorching temperatures will arise as a pocket of very hot air, which has subjected the Pilbara to intense heat this week, begins to move south.

Onslow has suffered through two successive days over 40C, with Paraburdoo topping 40C by 9.30am on Friday.

Mike Burgin, regional director from the Bureau of Meteorology, said Saturday was likely to be Perth's hottest day since Boxing Day, 2007.

"And Perth certainly won't be the worst of it. To the north-east of the city we will get temperatures up to 46, 47 degrees," he said.

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Telstra hit with $510,000 fine

TELSTRA has been hit with a $510,000 fine for failing to connect new landline customers on time.

Under federal law, the telecommunications giant is required to connect new urban customers within two days, provided their property has an existing, working, telephone line.

The Australian Communications and Media Authority on Friday said Telstra had successfully connected 88.6 per cent of new connections within that time frame during the 2012/13 financial year, which is below ACMA's 90 per cent benchmark.

ACMA chairman Chris Chapman said the $510,000 fine took into account that the 2012/13 financial year was marked by a number of extreme weather events and Telstra had since made a "significant effort" to improve its performance.

A Telstra spokesman said damage to the network from a string of natural disasters had impacted on the telco's ability to connect new customers during 2012/13.

"Last (financial) year, we faced unprecedented damage to our network from natural disasters," he said in a statement.

"We fixed more than one million faults for our customers and a number of events, such as the Queensland floods, Tasmanian fires and Warrnambool Exchange fire, placed great strain on our network and resources across the country," he said.

He said Telstra accepted ACMA's finding that it missed the key benchmark and apologised to customers affected by the delays.

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Rudd speech put US defence sec to sleep

Robert Gates' memoir contains an anecdote about a dinner he shared with former PM Kevin Rudd (pic). Source: AAP

AS Kevin Rudd's long soliloquy about Australian history dragged on, the dinner's guest of honour - then-US defence secretary Robert Gates - couldn't help but nod off.

Gates' memoir Duty has been making international headlines due to his criticisms of US President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden, but it also contains an amusing anecdote involving Australia's former PM.

Mr Gates visited Australia in February 2008 as part of a global tour, but he says a broken shoulder made for some awkward moments.

"At a very nice dinner given in my honour by Australian prime minister Kevin Rudd, I was doing fine at table conversation until Rudd began a long soliloquy on the history of Australia," he writes.

"I had made it just past World War I when the combined effect of a painkiller, jet lag, and a glass of wine caused me to fall asleep.

"This led to not-so-subtle attempts by my American colleagues at the table to rouse me."

Mr Rudd was "very gracious" about the whole thing, Mr Gates says.

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Mapping the risk of massive quakes

A TEAM of scientists, led by a Melbourne professor, has published research that shows where giant earthquakes are most likely to strike.

Monash University Professor Wouter Schellart says earthquakes mostly occur at the boundaries of tectonic plates when they rub together. But giant quakes happen only in "subduction zones", where one plate sinks below another into the earth's interior.

A global map has been created that highlights these, including an area off the east coast of New Zealand.

"These big earthquakes are most dangerous and destructive," Prof Schellart told AAP.

"We have built a global map which shows which plate boundaries are most likely to produce these massive earthquakes and this gives seismologists an idea of where they may occur."

Prof Schellart said the research can be used by engineers to inform them of where to avoid building homes and buildings.

The zones where earthquakes are likely to occur are located in Indonesia, the Caribbean, Mexico, Central America and Greece.

Dr Schellart and University of Aberdeen Professor Nick Rawlinson have been working on the research since 2009.

In 2004, a giant earthquake off Sumatra, Indonesia, triggered a tsunami which killed more than 200,000 people.

Earthquakes mostly occur at the boundaries of tectonic plates when they rub together, Dr Schellart said.

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Fears for missing Adelaide man

AN Adelaide man missing since Boxing Day is feared to have become a victim of foul play.

Kenneth "Kenny" Camplin, 42, was last seen on his verandah saying goodbye to two men leaving his home in Paralowie at 11am (CDST) on December 26.

A relative and friend checked on him on December 30 and found the back door unlocked and his dog nearly dead from starvation and dehydration.

Their concerns were heightened as Mr Camplin was very security-minded and doted on his dog.

Detectives said on Wednesday that his disappearance has been declared a major crime and they believed that he had become a victim of foul play.

They want to speak to the two men seen at Mr Camplin's home.

They also released a video of Mr Camplin's schoolfriend, Rob, in which he asks the public for their help.

"He has a lot of friends worrying about him," he said. "His disappearance is totally out of character."

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Man refused bail after murder charge

A MAN has fronted court over the stabbing murder of a man found dead on the NSW mid-north coast on New Year's Day.

Chad Misiepo, 33, was refused bail at Coffs Harbour Local Court on Wednesday.

He was arrested on Tuesday and charged with the fatal stabbing of 44-year-old Peter Martyn.

Police say emergency services were called to a Port Macquarie home on the morning of January 1, following reports of a stabbing.

Detectives from Strike Force Supel arrested Misiepo at a house in Toormina on Tuesday.

The matter will appear for mention at Port Macquarie Local Court on January 23.

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Rapist loses curfew bid to enjoy God Squad

RAPIST John Alan Wilde has lost his court fight to have curfew restrictions eased so he can spend more time with a Christian motorcycle club.

Wilde has been living under curfew since his release from jail in 2008.

On Wednesday, the 51-year-old applied to have his daily 6pm curfew lifted until 11.30pm on Thursdays and Sundays so he can attend bible studies with the God Squad Motor Cycle group and an evening church service.

But Justice Elizabeth Fullerton on Wednesday rejected his bid for an interim extension on his curfew.

In handing down her orders, she said Wilde would not disagree that he was a high-risk offender.

"Yes I do," said Wilde.

Wearing a Harley Davidson motorcycle jacket and with heavy metal rings on his fingers, Wilde also appeared to disagree with an allegation read out in court that he had offered to don his leathers to intimidate someone on behalf of a female friend.

When Crown lawyer Gillian Mahony read out the allegation, Wilde loudly exclaimed, "What?"

Earlier, his lawyer, Sam Pararajasingham, told the court that Wilde had been spending time with the Christian motorcycle club The God Squad, which once a week meets until 11.30pm.

His curfew had periodically been extended to 9pm and 11.30pm on a case-by-case basis.

Halfway through Wednesday's proceedings, Wilde's team amended their application for his curfew to be extended only on two days of the week.

"If it's so flexible, if it's so malleable, why not give him the extra three hours?" Mr Pararajasingham said.

The Crown argued that the 9pm curfew allows for case workers to do spot checks on Wilde, including random blood-alcohol tests.

Under the terms of his release, Wilde is not allowed to drink alcohol.

Extending the curfew would make spot checks harder to do, the Crown argued.

"There is the risk it will start to be abused," Ms Mahony said.

Justice Fullerton ordered that Wilde be seen by two psychiatrists for an assessment.

Outside court, Wilde told reporters that he was never a threat to society, but remained silent when reporters pointed out his multiple convictions.

Wilde was last jailed in 1993 for 16 years after forcing his way into a Sydney woman's home and ordering her to perform oral sex on him at knifepoint, only 13 days after he was released on parole.

It was the third time Wilde had committed such an offence, having already served jail terms for home invasions and rapes committed in 1981 and 1983.

His maximum jail term expired in November 2008, but Wilde has been on a series of interim detention orders while the NSW Supreme Court heard applications for his further incarceration.

An application for permanent orders on the extension of his curfew will be mentioned in court on February 4.

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First Kings Cross bar bans imposed

Two men have been banned from Kings Cross venues for a year under NSW measures to tackle violence. Source: AAP

THE failure of a tender for ID scanners means bars in Sydney's Kings Cross will have to rely on photos to identify banned patrons under new anti-violence measures.

Two Sydney men on Wednesday became the first patrons to have 12-month bans from "high-risk venues" at the Cross approved by the Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority (ILGA).

The bans are part of new measures by the NSW government to combat drunken violence in the popular entertainment precinct.

The banned pair, a 43-year-old from Double Bay and 34-year-old from Lakemba, can't enter 35 venues in the Cross and face fines of up to $5500 if they do so.

The ILGA can approve bans from NSW Police if a person has been charged or found guilty of a serious offence involving alcohol-related violence.

Bans can also kick in if a partygoer has been issued with three temporary banning orders in a year.

Wednesday's approval of the bans for the two men comes amid a concession by the NSW government that the stalling of a planned roll-out of ID scanners was not ideal.

The scanners, designed to help venues recognise patrons who'd been banned, were due to be rolled out by December 6.

But the government was forced to take over a tender from the Kings Cross Precinct Liquor Accord after it failed amidst serious privacy and probity concerns.

NSW Hospitality Minister George Souris says it's not ideal that the tender had failed, but he told reporters that clubs would manage with photos of banned patrons in their absence.

"Police will provide identification, including photographic identification, to the 35 venues that are part of this ban," Mr Souris said.

"We do believe this scanner technology, once implemented, will make the situation safer ... the identification of anyone breaching a banning order will be surer."

Mr Souris said the government had no new deadline for the scanners to be in place but he hoped it would be in the first half of 2014.

Fourteen more police applications for long-term patron bans are being considered by the ILGA.

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No knowledge of boat turnback: Indonesia

THE Indonesian government says it has no knowledge of any asylum seeker boats being turned around by the Australian navy.

Media reports from Australia and Indonesia say an Ashmore Island-bound boat was turned back either last month or on Monday - or possibly on both occasions - and subsequently became stranded on Rote Island, near West Timor.

The Indonesian reports quote local police, while Fairfax Media quotes unnamed Australian defence sources and the Indonesian water police.

Immigration Minister Scott Morrison has said for "operational security reasons" he would not comment on the conflicting reports, despite the coalition having a pre-election policy to turn back boats.

Agus Barnas, spokesman for Indonesia's Coordinating Ministry for Politics, Law and Security, said he was unaware of any turnbacks, but he said: "If the Australian navy reject that boat, basically it's their right."

He said Indonesia was observing a moratorium on co-operating with Australia on people-smuggling after last year's spying scandal.

"So far, there's no policy that the co-operation would resume," Mr Barnas said. "The talk on forming a code of conduct is still in process."

Speculation about a possible boat turnback, or turnbacks, follows a stand-off in November when Australia tried to force a vessel back into Indonesian waters.

The Abbott government backed down after Indonesia refused to accept the asylum seekers, who were eventually transferred to Christmas Island.

Mr Morrison said on Tuesday that Australia respected Indonesia's territorial sovereignty, "and will continue to do so".

"It is not the policy or practice of the Australian government to violate Indonesian territorial sovereignty," he said in a statement.

"Any suggestion to the contrary is false."

The Greens said Mr Morrison should provide details of any turnback operation, which they say could have endangered the lives of the asylum seekers.

"These people could have drowned. How many other boats has this occurred to that we've never heard about?" Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young told the ABC.

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New bushfire threat to Stradbroke homes

SOME North Stradbroke Island residents could be forced to leave their homes as a large bushfire races towards them.

The Queensland Fire and Emergency Service is advising residents near Myora Springs and Gatumba Street on the island's northwest coast to enact their bushfire plans.

An alert said a large bushfire was located near Brown Lake at 12.30pm (AEST) and was heading for Myora Springs, fanned by strong winds.

"The large, fast-moving bushfire is travelling in a northwesterly direction and is expected to impact the area of Myora Springs in the next two hours," said the alert, which was issued at 1pm (AEST).

There are three properties in the area, according to the Department of Community Safety.

"This fire is moving quickly and firefighters are experiencing difficulty in controlling it," the Queensland Fire and Emergency Services alert continued.

"Spot fires may occur ahead of the fire front and embers are also being thrown from the fire."

Residents have been told to be prepared to relocate and warned leaving is the safest option.

Seventeen fire crews remain on the sand island to battle the blaze, which was started by a lightning strike nine days ago.

No homes have been affected but the fire prompted the evacuation of about 900 campers on New Year's Day.

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Expats could push up Aussie house prices

EXPATS and foreign investors could push residential property prices even higher this year as the falling Australian dollar prompts offshore buyers to enter the market.

A combination of low interest rates, a weaker local currency and surging house prices in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth might set off another wave of buying in Australia's major cities over the coming months, CommSec economist Savanth Sebastian says.

"Australia's starting to look a lot more attractive from a foreign investment perspective with the falling currency and that will probably show up more in the property market than anywhere else," Mr Sebastian told AAP.

"It will be more prevalent, especially with an improving global risk appetite."

He said foreign demand for Australian property was unlikely to wane, but it would take some time for enough new supply to come online.

RP Data figures released last week show that Australian home prices jumped almost 10 per cent in 2013, with house values in Sydney rising almost 15 per cent, followed by Perth with an annual growth rate of 9.9 per cent.

Since April last year, the Australian dollar has fallen 14 per cent to around 89.5 US cents.

Mr Sebastian said that once rental yields were factored in, Sydney house prices were returning up to 20 per cent.

"I don't think the Reserve Bank would like to see a recurrence of that over 2014," he said.

While it was too early for the central bank to begin lifting rates, there were signs that longer-term rates would rise following a boost in house prices.

There was now a perception that interest rates had reached a low point, with longer-term rates lifting over the past six weeks.

"There's a clear indication that we're getting close to the lows and, if anything, rates will start to lift in 12 months time," he said.

Borrowers were beginning to factor in rate rises, with around 17 to 18 per cent of people choosing fixed housing loans.

Still, mortgage brokers such as Mortgage Choice have reported increased demand for fixed home loans in December, with 33 per cent of applicants securing a fixed product compared to 30 per cent in the previous month.

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Truck driver killed on NSW's Hume Highway

A TRUCK driver has died after his vehicle collided with another truck on the Hume Highway near Yass in southern NSW.

The northbound lanes of the highway were closed for several hours after the accident at about 10.45am (AEDT) on Monday.

Paramedics attempted to revive one of the drivers but the 48-year-old Glenmore Park man died at the scene, police said.

The driver of the second truck was not injured.

Police will prepare a report for the coroner.

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Summernats champ's burnout secrets

BIG revs, blown tyres and a lead-up beer or two.

As Summernats 27 draws to a close in the nation's capital, last year's burnout champion, Mark Schwirse, shares his top secrets behind the perfect burnout.

First, he insists heading to a private property away from the public to avoid your car being temporarily confiscated by police.

"Young guys can give the industry a bad name, but with our cars and the reputation that we've got, we keep it in the right environment," the 36-year-old from South Australia said.

"I like to go back to friends' houses, we'll have a few cans and do a burnout. It's good fun, it's in your blood."

Once your location is settled, the fun begins.

To nail that perfect burnout, you'll want some hard revs, followed by a big throw in.

"People are a bit scared to stand on it," Mr Schwirse said. "But the guys that aren't stand on them hard, throw them in and blow tyres."

Schwirse and his car BLOWN won the 2013 Summernats burnout championship.

This year he competed in the masters championship alongside the 20 best burnout drivers in the country.

And thus it's overcoming the nerves that can lead up to that one furious minute of burning rubber - and often engines - that's essential to pulling off the textbook burnout.

"Leading up to the burnout, there's the crowd and the butterflies in your stomach," he said.

"But when you've got over 1000 horsepower at your feet, you just stand on it, the thing just glides under your feet and off you go."

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RAF jets fly with 3D printed parts

UK fighter jets have flown for the first time with parts made using 3D printing technology. Source: AAP

UK fighter jets have flown for the first time with parts made using 3D printing technology.

BAE Systems said the metal components were successfully used on board Tornado aircraft that flew from the defence firm's airfield at Warton, Lancashire late last month.

The company said its engineers are using 3D technology to design and produce parts which could cut the Royal Air Force's maintenance and service bill by over STG1.2 million ($A2.23 million) over the next four years.

BAE Systems is working at RAF Marham, Norfolk to engineer ready-made parts for four squadrons of Tornado GR4 aircraft, including protective covers for cockpit radios and guards for power take-off shafts. Some of the parts cost less than STG100.

Mike Murray, head of airframe integration at BAE Systems, said: "You are suddenly not fixed in terms of where you have to manufacture these things. You can manufacture the products at whatever base you want, providing you can get a machine there, which means you can also start to support other platforms such as ships and aircraft carriers.

"And if it's feasible to get machines out on the front line, it also gives improved capability where we wouldn't traditionally have any manufacturing support."

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