WA taxi driver 'guilty' of sex assaults

A Perth taxi diver faces 29 charges after allegedly sexually assaulting disabled women in his cab. Source: AAP

A PERTH taxi driver has pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting five wheelchair-bound women in his vehicle.

Peter Edward Kasatchkow, 58, was charged with 33 offences including indecently dealing with an incapable person, aggravated sexual penetration without consent and aggravated indecent assault.

Police allege the incidents happened on separate occasions when the women were passengers in the back of his taxi between January and February this year.

Kasatchkow was initially accused of sexually assaulting a 29-year-old wheelchair-bound woman with cerebral palsy in the back of his cab during a journey from respite care to her home.

Police then charged him with further offences against two more wheelchair-bound women, aged in their 30s and 50s, who were passengers in his taxi at separate times.

On Monday, police said two other victims had been identified.

Kasatchkow's lawyer had previously indicated he would plead not guilty to the offences.

But on Monday, Kasatchkow pleaded guilty in Perth Magistrates Court to all charges.

He is due back in court in June.

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Murderer on run rolled up Qld prison fence

A convicted murderer (pic) has escaped from prison in central Queensland with another inmate. Source: AAP

A MURDERER and an armed robber escaped from a central Queensland jail by rolling up a fence.

They are among four wanted men on the run across Queensland.

Tony Dwaine Morgan, 33, who was serving a life sentence for a 1999 murder in Bundaberg, escaped from the low security Capricornia Correctional Centre, north of Rockhampton, on Sunday night.

Fellow escapee, Bradley Thomas Kuhl, 34, was serving a six-year sentence for a 2011 armed robbery in Yeppoon.

Queensland Police Assistant Commissioner Mike Condon said police arrived on the scene near Rockhampton about 25 minutes after being called, and had issued a state-wide alert for the men.

"Early inquiries have identified that they may have rolled up or interfered in some way with the fence at the prison and made their escape," he told reporters in Rockhampton on Monday.

Asked why Morgan was allowed to live on a low-security prison farm, assistant commissioner Condon said it was up to the Department of Corrective Services to rate prisoners' security levels.

Comment from the department has been sought.

Assistant commissioner Condon said detectives were speaking with the prisoners' families, adding that any associates harbouring a fugitive faced a maximum two-year jail term.

A manhunt is also underway for elderly drug cultivator Howard Lindsay, who escaped from a work camp at Blackall, in central western Queensland, and sex offender Stewart James Dawson, who disobeyed a home detention order in inner Brisbane.

The escaped prisoners face a maximum seven-year jail term on top of their sentences.

The public is being urged not to approach the men.

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Retirement age of 70 on radar: Hockey

Generation X Australians should be prepared to work until age 70, Treasurer Joe Hockey says. Source: AAP

GENERATION X Australians should be prepared to work until age 70.

In a strong indication that the nation's workers face an increased retirement age, Treasurer Joe Hockey, 48, admits his contemporaries will likely have to keep working until they reach their eighth decade.

"It may be the case that my generation has to work for an extra three years," Mr Hockey told ABC TV on Sunday.

The previous Labor government raised the retirement age from 65 to 67 from 2023, but the treasurer said other countries, including the United Kingdom, are already eyeing later retirement.

"It will affect my generation. This doesn't happen overnight."

As life expectancy continues to grow so too must time at work to provide financial security in retirement while not draining the country's coffers, Mr Hockey said.

He again called for a sensible discussion about funding the future quality of life for Australians as the government looks at a redesign of systems.

Opposition finance spokesman Tony Burke said blue-collar workers would be hit hardest if they are forced to work for longer.

A shift in the retirement age would be a "very big deal" for pensioners required to do physical labour for longer while sitting on small super savings.

Mr Burke told Sky News on Sunday the Abbott government faced harsh judgment if it raised the pension age, breaching a pre-election promise.

However, asked to provide the opposition's solution to the problem, Mr Burke said it was not for Labor to provide an alternative as it awaited the government's first budget.

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Uni funding model expansion recommended

A UNIVERSITY-FUNDING system started by the previous Labor government has overseen a high attrition rate among some of the students it hoped to help.

The demand-driven system, introduced in 2012, removed caps and saw the government pay for as many domestic undergraduate students as universities wished to enrol.

But bachelor-degree students with a tertiary admission score of less than 50 - who would likely have missed a place under the old system - continue to drop out at a high rate.

The key finding comes from a review into the funding scheme ordered by the coalition.

While returning some positive outcomes, there is a need for the scheme to change and include diploma-level and bridging courses, co-reviewer Andrew Norton said on Sunday.

"The previous government decided to exclude all the sub-bachelor courses in its model and this is what we would like to see changed," Mr Norton told AAP.

Students who undertake pathway courses before attending university have a better success rate once they reach university, he said.

Often such programs are offered by private institutions and TAFE colleges which are currently excluded from the funding model but should be brought into the fold, Mr Norton added.

Reviewers agreed the demand-driven model is working well overall and has boosted enrolments among the financially disadvantaged, along with rural and indigenous students.

When places were capped, tens of thousands of eligible students were denied university educations.

Education Minister Christopher Pyne said the government will consider the review's 19 findings and 17 recommendations and comment at a later time.

TAFE Directors Australia urged the government to do so quickly ahead of the May federal budget and include TAFE and private institutions in demand-driven funding and end the discriminatory model which favours universities.

Universities Australia, which made a submission to the review, welcomed the outcome, adding that early indications show the demand-driven model is helping address skills shortages and lift productivity.

Labor education spokesman Kim Carr is concerned about public money going to private providers and also wants to know where the funding would come from for an expansion of the demand-driven model.

"We are witnessing a softening-up process, a precursor to what we anticipate will be significant changes to deregulation," Senator Carr said.

He forecasts the wholesale privatisation of Australia's higher education system, where students end up paying more.

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Qld man charged with attempted gun murder

A MAN has been charged with the attempted shooting murder of a woman south of Brisbane.

Police say the woman, 36, suffered two gunshot wounds to her arm during a disturbance at a Chambers Flat property on Friday night.

A 38-year-old man has been charged with attempted murder, unlawful possession of a firearm, acts intended to maim and entering a dwelling with intent.

He is due to appear in Beenleigh Magistrates Court on Monday.

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Two police injured in Adelaide pursuit

Two police officers have been injured after a dramatic car chase through central Adelaide. Source: AAP

TWO police officers have been injured after a dramatic car chase through central Adelaide.

A stolen white Hyundai was reversed into a police vehicle after crashing into another vehicle in the city's centre on Friday night.

Police pursued the Hyundai but abandoned the chase, only to find the car a short time later.

Two officers were then struck by the car as they tried to arrest the driver.

They arrested two 14-year-old passengers, but the driver fled through a nearby park.

The officers were taken to the Royal Adelaide Hospital with minor injuries.

The youths were charged with theft and aggravated serious criminal trespass in relation to a break-in at Woodville.

They were refused bail and will appear in the Adelaide Youth Court on Monday.

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Vic hoons' cars clamped in own driveways

Victorian police will trial using wheel clamps on hoons' cars to reduce the costs of impounding. Source: AAP

MELBOURNE'S hoon drivers face having their cars clamped outside their own homes.

Police will use wheel clamps on hoons' cars in a bid to reduce the costs of impounding vehicles.

Road Policing Command Assistant Commissioner Robert Hill says police impounded 4600 vehicles last year, with a similar number expected this year.

"We believe immobilisation will reduce our vehicle storage costs, but more importantly, it will alleviate officers having to wait around for tow trucks and get them back on the road," Mr Hill said on Friday.

Officers will decide if a hoon driver caught for excessive speeding, repeat drink-driving or driving while disqualified will have their car immobilised at their home or if it should be taken to an impound facility.

Third-party contractors will put wheel clamps or steering locks on the cars within 10 days of the offence.

A sticker will be put on the car warning about fines for tampering with the immobilisation device or unauthorised relocation.

The immobilisation option will be trialled across metropolitan Melbourne for the next six months.

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Coca Cola Amatil flags 15% earnings drop

Weakness in its Australian beverages division have hit Coca Cola Amatil's first half earnings. Source: AAP

BEVERAGES supplier Coca-Cola Amatil (CCA) is reviewing all its operations after flagging a 15 per cent fall in first half earnings due to weakness in its Australian operations and higher costs in Indonesia.

New group managing director Alison Watkins, who joined CCA from agribusiness GrainCorp in early March, says CCA would review its assets, cost base, marketing strategies, spending priorities, product mix and productivity.

"There are clearly some structural issues impacting our business which will require us to challenge our model thoroughly if we are to continue to deliver long-term sustainable growth," Ms Watkins said on Friday.

"So, we have commenced a strategic review."

CCA will provide details at its annual general meeting in May.

CCA expects its earnings for the first six months of 2014 to be around 15 per cent less than the $374 million in earnings before interest and tax (before significant items) the company recorded for the same period a year ago.

Shares in CCA had fallen $1.57, or 13.77 per cent, to $9.83 by 1337 AEST, in the wake of the profit warning.

Ms Watkins said that in February CCA had highlighted concerns about weak consumer confidence and spending in Australia, and rising costs in Indonesia.

Since that time, discounting by competitors such as Pepsi had put pressure on CCA's margins in major supermarkets, and the company had not been able to lift prices to compensate for rising costs.

Also, the consumer response to some of CCA's marketing campaigns had been weaker than expected.

CCA had held market share in carbonated soft drinks and grown share in sports and energy drinks but was not participating effectively enough in the water segment, which was the standout growth category in grocery outlets.

In non-grocery outlets, which includes cold drink fridges, convenience stores, and fast food restaurants, consumer demand had been soft.

Also, fast food chains were gradually taking over from small family-run outlets such as fish-and-chip shops. CCA makes a smaller profit from sales to fast food chains because the chains have the scale to demand lower prices.

In Indonesia, there was intense competition and a swing by consumers to multi-serve packs and water, which were less profitable products.

Sales volumes in Indonesia were up but were offset by a slide in the value of the Indonesian rupiah, and higher wages and fuel costs.

Ms Watkins said CCA remained excited by the longer-term opportunities in Indonesia, given a sound market, solid economic growth, rapidly rising incomes, and strong growth in per capita consumption of commercial beverages.

"But is a developing market, and we will undoubtedly go through periods of volatility," she said.

CCA said its SPC Ardmona packaged fruits and vegetables business had lifted its sales 10 per cent during the quarter thanks to strong consumer support in the wake of financial assistance from the Victorian government for the struggling business.

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Tripodi questioned Obeid's motives: ICAC

Former NSW minister Tony Kelly has admitted a cabinet minute that didn't favour AWH was rewritten. Source: AAP

FORMER NSW powerbroker Joe Tripodi says Eddie Obeid's repeated questioning about Australian Water Holdings made him wonder if the Obeid family had a financial stake in the firm.

Mr Tripodi told the corruption watchdog that Obeid had asked him about the progress of AWH chief executive Nick Di Girolamo's "matter" - a lucrative deal with the NSW government - on a number of occasions.

The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) is probing allegations the Obeid family had a secret $3 million stake in the company and stood to make up to $60 million if the proposed public-private partnership got up.

"There was (sic) a couple of times where he had asked me how his matter was progressing, Mr Di Girolamo's matter," Mr Tripodi said, including during his time as the state's infrastructure minister.

The "nature of the question" made him wonder if the Obeids had a stake in AWH, he said, but Obeid disclosed only that his son Edward Obeid Jr was working for the company.

"On one occasion, I said to him, Eddie, you and your family don't have any commercial interest in this? He said no, no, Junior's giving Australian Water a hand up in Queensland," Mr Tripodi told the commission.

Earlier on Thursday, the inquiry heard evidence from former NSW planning minister Tony Kelly, who said he spoke to Mr Tripodi about an AWH cabinet minute Mr Kelly had instructed be rewritten.

Mr Kelly said Mr Tripodi arrived unannounced at his property in Wellington - about a five-hour drive from Sydney - but that the visit took place before he was contacted by ICAC investigators.

"Mr Tripodi knocked on my door. He had a hamburger and a coffee," Mr Kelly said.

He said the pair chatted for up to half an hour about what their former parliamentary colleagues were up to.

Mr Tripodi then mentioned fellow former Labor minister Frank Sartor was writing a book "bagging out Labor", which was to include mention of the allegedly doctored minute.

"And then he finished his hamburger and said, OK, good to catch up with you," Mr Kelly said.

The inquiry continues.

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Ten posts $8 million loss

Ten Network has posted an $8m first half loss, a substantial improvement compared to a year ago. Source: AAP

TEN Network Holdings has posted an $8 million first half loss, a vast improvement on the $243 million loss it suffered 12 months ago.

The TV network lifted its revenue to $331.6 million for the six months to February 28, up 7.8 per cent compared to its first half results last year.

Chief executive Hamish McLennan said the network had its best summer ratings period since 2008, thanks to its coverage of the T20 Big Bash League cricket and the Sochi Winter Olympics, which helped lift revenues.

But the higher revenues were offset by an 8.2 per cent increase in costs, linked to the coverage of the Big Bash and the launch of new morning television programs late in November.

Mr McLennan said the network would work to rein in costs but would spend money where necessary to boost Ten's performance.

"Strict cost control is part of Ten's DNA and we will continue to find new ways to work smarter and more efficiently. At the same time, we will make prudent and strategic investments in content to execute our turnaround strategy."

Mr McLennan also warned the network continued to face tough conditions in the advertising market.

"Advertising market conditions remain short, with many advertisers reluctant to commit to long-term campaigns," he said.

"As a result, the outlook for the television advertising market is uncertain at this stage."

The company will not pay an interim dividend.

Ten Network shares were up one cent at 27 cents at 1413 AEST.

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