Young NSW man awarded for heroic actions

A YOUNG NSW man who tried in vain to save a mate electrocuted in Bali will be hailed for his bravery.

Michael Kennedy was 17 when he put his own life in danger to pull his friend Jake Flannery away from a live wire on November 26, 2011.

The two boys, both from the NSW Central Coast, were in Bali celebrating their Schoolies week when the freak accident occurred.

Mr Flannery, 18, was electrocuted when he accidentally brushed against an electrified metal pole, courtesy of an adjacent live wire leading from a neon sign attached to a cafe in Kuta.

Mr Kennedy stepped in and dragged Mr Flannery away before conducting CPR in an attempt to revive him.

The pair had completed their HSC at the selective Gosford High School just a few weeks earlier.

Mr Kennedy is one of 31 Australians being awarded a Commendation for Brave Conduct on Sunday by Governor-General Quentin Bryce.

They join 31 people who will receive a Bravery Medal and 10 groups who will see their actions recognised by a Group Bravery Citation.

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Brave teachers honoured in national awards

THEY tackled an armed woman to the ground, but the five Perth teachers did not forget their manners - they offered the intruder a cushion for her head until police arrived.

The five women, who work at St Stephens School in Duncraig, have been honoured for their heroics in the annual Australian Bravery Awards after being confronted in February last year by a woman carrying a 27cm chopping knife.

The intruder seized a child by the arm at the school's early learning centre, but released the student when challenged by Year 1 teacher Katherine Hilder.

Ms Hilder grabbed the intruder and subtly forced her out of the classroom, leaving the children unaware of the unfolding drama.

She began to struggle, but by then, fellow teacher Heather Louise King had heard her colleague's call for help and grabbed the arm of the intruder that was brandishing the knife.

Both teachers continued to push the intruder away from the students and were joined by two more colleagues - Sally McAlpine and Jo-Anne Urquhart.

Ms Urquhart managed to snatch the knife away.

"Kate yelled, 'quick, get the knife' so I just grabbed the woman's hand to pull the knife out," Ms Urquhart told AAP.

She said the teachers realised the woman was not mentally stable, so they offered her a cushion while keeping her pinned down.

Ms Urquhart then left her colleagues to commence a lockdown, and ensured all students were safe until police arrived.

"The kids thought it was a drill, but then it went on for too long so we explained that there was a sick woman who needed help," she said.

"None of the children even realised what had happened."

Ms Hilder, Ms King, Ms McAlpine and Ms Urquhart were each recognised with bravery medals.

Fellow teacher, Rosalie Michelle Brades, was also commended for her brave conduct in maintaining hold of the intruder.

Ms Urquhart said she and her fellow teachers were surprised to receive the award.

"It is lovely to be recognised. I'm humbled," she said.

"It is great to be able to rely on everyone you work with."

The four bravery medals were among 21 approved by Governor General Quentin Bryce this year, along with 31 commendations for brave conduct and 10 group bravery citations.

Ms Bryce said the recipients had placed the safety and lives of others before their own.

"We are privileged to have such role models in our society," she said.

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Rudd offers tax sweetener to small firms

PRIME Minister Kevin Rudd will offer small businesses a tax deduction sweetener of up to $10,000 for equipment, from the day after the election, if Labor wins.

Mr Rudd is set to announce a 'small business investment boost' on Sunday.

It will allow small businesses with an annual turnover of less than $2 million to claim an immediate tax deduction for assets purchased up to $10,000.

Computers, photocopiers, building tools and commercial fridges are among the items that will be covered.

An estimated 3.2 million businesses will be eligible for the tax deduction which will be on offer from September 8, 2013 to June 30, 2015.

The measure will expand and replace the existing instant asset write-off during this period.

It will cost $200 million over four years.

The cost will be offset from uncommitted funds in the budget.

Mr Rudd said it would be a "shot in the arm" for small businesses because it will provide upfront cash flow benefits.

Under the plan, if a cafe owner buys a commercial fridge for $7450, they will be able to claim the full cost as tax deduction and will pocket $2235 in the first year.

Under the old rules they would receive $335.

All small businesses irrespective of whether they are companies, sole traders, partnerships or trusts will be eligible.

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Fire closes MasterChef host's restaurant

A fire has damaged MasterChef judge George Calombaris' restaurant in Melbourne's inner suburbs. Source: AAP

A FIRE around a pizza oven has damaged one of MasterChef judge George Calombaris' Melbourne restaurants.

Around 170 people fled St Katherine's in Kew on Friday when the fire erupted around the outside of the wood-fired pizza oven.

Firefighters spent three hours dousing the smokey blaze as it spread into an upstairs storeroom and roof, causing significant damage.

Melbourne Fire Brigade Commander Frank Stockton thanked staff at the Middle Eastern restaurant for getting everyone out safely without injury.

The restaurant will be closed over the Father's Day weekend due to smoke damage.

No opening date has been announced.

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Four die on NSW roads in 24 hours

A MAN has become the fourth person to die on NSW roads in 24 hours after he was struck by a car in Sydney inner-city suburb of Redfern.

It's believed the man, who is yet to be identified, was struck by a Toyota Camry as he tried to cross the road at 8.40pm (AEST) on Friday.

He was taken to the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The male driver of the Camry was taken to Sydney Hospital for mandatory blood and urine testing.

A report will be prepared for the coroner and investigators are appealing for any witnesses who have not yet spoken to police to come forward.

A woman and a young girl died in a three-car smash in northern NSW on the Bruxner Highway at Wollongbar.

The woman aged in her 20s and a young girl travelling with her died at the scene after their car collided with two other cars heading in the opposite direction on Friday afternoon.

Two other people from one of the other cars suffered minor injuries and were taken to Lismore Hospital in a stable condition.

The other fatality was in a head-on collision between a car and truck on the Barton Highway at Wallaroo, about 4km north of the ACT border at 4pm (AEST) on Friday.

The driver of the car, a woman in her 60s, died at the scene, police said.

The truck driver was extracted from the truck, treated by paramedics and taken to Canberra Hospital.

Police will prepare reports for the coroner on both crashes.

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Hockney aide drank toilet cleaner

IT remains a mystery why a 23-year-old assistant to British artist David Hockney drank lethal acidic toilet cleaner, but police have ruled out anyone else being involved, an inquest into his death has heard.

Dominic Elliott collapsed and died in March after drinking Knock-Out toilet and drain cleaner at Hockney's home in East Yorkshire, as well as having snorted cocaine and ingested other drugs, the inquest has heard.

"It does remain a mystery - for an intelligent young man to drink such a noxious substance," Detective Sergeant Thomas Napier of Humberside police told the hearing on Friday.

A post-mortem examination showed that Elliott, who was also a keen rugby player, had taken cocaine, ecstasy and the sleeping pill Temazepam before he died. He had also been drinking and smoking cannabis.

Hockney, 76, one of Britain's most celebrated living artists who is renowned for his acrylic paintings of Californian swimming pools, told the court in a statement on Thursday that Elliott was in a relationship with his own former partner, John Fitzherbert.

Fitzherbert still lived at the artist's seaside home, along with two other men working in the art industry.

Hockney himself was asleep in his own bedroom at the time, he said.

Fitzherbert told the court that he and Elliott had been drinking and smoking cannabis, and Elliott had snorted cocaine.

He said that as they lay in bed, "Dominic just got up from bed, ran towards the door laughing hysterically, and threw himself off the internal landing", which was nine feet (three metres) high.

The two later went to sleep, but Fitzherbert was awoken by Elliott standing in his underpants saying, "Can you take me to hospital?"

He saw the bottle of cleaner in the sink, but did not connect it with Elliott, driving him to hospital rather than calling an ambulance.

Elliott died from the effects of drinking sulphuric acid soon after arriving at the hospital on March 15, the inquest heard.

The acid severely burned his mouth, tongue and throat before perforating his stomach, a pathologist said.

Fitzherbert said Elliott "liked living on the edge" and had been upset because he was not included in a photo of Hockney and his studio staff taken by the US photographer Annie Leibovitz for Vanity Fair magazine.

Hockney said he was "completely unaware" of what the pair had been doing that day and knew Elliott "professionally" rather than socially.

The coroner was expected to present his findings later on Friday.

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Kate makes first public appearance

THE Duchess of Cambridge has made her first public appearance since the birth of Prince George as she joined husband William at an event on Anglesey.

The new parents took time off from changing nappies and nursing their six-week old son, described as a "little rascal" by his father, to meet and speak to runners and organisers of a gruelling marathon event which takes place annually on the island.

Kate wore black skinny jeans, a sage jacket and platform heels and was described as looking "absolutely gorgeous" by locals attending the event.

It is expected to be one of William and Kate's final public engagements on Anglesey as the new father's time on the island comes to an end and the young family move to London.

William was acting as starter for the race, called the Ring O' Fire and described as an "ultra" marathon - a three-day, 217km foot race around the rugged coast of Anglesey.

On a walkabout before the race, the royal couple shook hands and spoke to spectators at the event, Kate's long brown hair blowing about in the blustery wind beside the coast.

The Duchess was introduced to Sarah Bingham, 38, from Twickenham, southwest London, whose husband James is the founder of the race.

Bingham, who is herself 37 weeks pregnant, said: "Kate said 'Congratulations' and I was just saying about being on borrowed time at 37 weeks.

"They are both really lovely people, really genuine. It was nice to speak to her after what Kate's just been through. She looks wonderful, doesn't she?

"I said 'How's he (George) doing?' She said 'He's doing really well, he's with his grandma'."

Park warden Will Stewart also spoke to Kate.

"She seemed genuinely interested in doing some walking," he said.

"Especially after the baby, she wants to get back into shape.

"I said, 'You don't need to worry about that!' She looked great."

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Labor promises a cities minister

A RE-ELECTED Rudd government would appoint a new Minister for Cities and form a dedicated taskforce to help the growing number of people living in Australia's outer suburbs.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd on Friday will unveil a strategy to tackle traffic congestion, inadequate public transport and a lack of local jobs on the fringes of the countries major cities.

Over the next 25 years, it's expected the number of people living in the outer suburbs will double.

But jobs growth at current levels won't match the population boom, forcing residents to travel even further afield for work and dragging down productivity.

Mr Rudd will outline plans for an industry-led Outer Suburban Growth Taskforce, which will work with all levels of government and the private sector on a 10-year plan to improve these burgeoning areas.

Increasing the number of local jobs in the outer suburbs will be top of the agenda for the new taskforce, which will be supported by an expanded major cities unit in the Department of Infrastructure and Transport.

Australia's first cities minister would also be appointed to help develop and implement the strategy.

This commitment has already been included in the budget.

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Scope for parties to swing small business

THE major parties still have a lot of work to do to gather votes from small business owners ahead of the federal election.

Research by business software provider MYOB shows one quarter of small to medium business owners are undecided and 26 per cent don't believe either major party is a better economic manager than the other.

"This highlights a great opportunity for both parties to get vocal about their game-changing initiatives for this sector," MYOB chief Tim Reed said in a statement on Thursday.

The survey of 1022 small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) did reflect a lift in the number of owners satisfied with Labor government initiatives for small business.

Satisfaction rose to 16 per cent, from 14 per cent in March, and dissatisfaction fell from 54 per cent to 50 per cent.

The owners surveyed were asked to tick off policies that might change their vote at the election.

Some 67 per cent backed policies to simplify the GST and business activity statement (BAS) processes, followed by 62 per cent who want the carbon tax abolished.

Labor is already planning to deal with the GST and BAS issues and the coalition still plans to scrap the carbon tax.

Some 41 per cent support coalition plans to abolish Labor's mining tax.

But 45 per cent also want the tax-loss carry back scheme implemented for small business to continue.

The opposition plans to scrap it.

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Aussie celebs shocked by Miley Cyrus dance

Australian celebrities have reacted on social media to Miley Cyrus' performance at the MTV VMAs. Source: AAP

MILEY Cyrus' performance at the MTV Video Music Awards has left many Australian celebrities bewildered, with some criticising the former teen idol for promoting "unnecessary" images.

Cyrus has received widespread condemnation for her provocative and raunchy live rendition of her song We Can't Stop at the awards night on Monday.

Stripping down to a latex bikini, the 20-year-old twerked, stripped and gyrated on stage as social media exploded with shocked reactions.

Cyrus's performance was mentioned 4.5 million times on Twitter, with many Australian celebrities expressing their disgust on the social networking site.

Singer Emma Birdsall, a 2012 finalist on hit reality show The Voice, criticised Cyrus for promoting a negative role model for young women.

"It made me incredibly sad thinking that young women will watch that and think that's how you have to dress/dance/sing/act to become a superstar," Birdsall wrote on Twitter on Monday.

"It's not. Don't care what anyone says, it's completely unnecessary."

The Voice host Darren McMullen called the performance "disturbing", while models Jesinta Campbell, Megan Gale and Pia Miller all had similar reactions.

"Just watched Miley's VMA's performance. I feel much better about myself on DWTS. Nothing could b (sic) more shameful.... Cheers Miley," Campbell tweeted, referring to her appearance on the TV dance competition, Dancing With The Stars.

"What the hell was that?!?! #weirdcrazytongueaction ??" Gale wrote.

"Can't sleep. Scared I'm gonna have Miley Cyrus Nightmares. #Gross," Miller tweeted.

Comedian Wil Anderson also weighed in with a cheeky comment.

"I feel like twerking may have some side-effects that haven't been explored properly by medical science."

However, one notable Australian celebrity has remained silent on the performance.

Cyrus's Aussie fiance, Liam Hemsworth, has kept out of the commentary, choosing instead to focus his Twitter presence on promoting his new movie.

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Japan halts rocket launch at last minute

Japan stopped its satellite rocket launch just seconds before lift-off after discovering a glitch. Source: AAP

JAPAN suspended the launch of its next-generation solid-fuel rocket just seconds before lift-off after engineers discovered a technical glitch, the space agency says.

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) had planned to launch the Epsilon rocket from Uchinoura Space Centre in Kagoshima, southwestern Japan, on Tuesday using just two laptop computers in a pared-down command centre.

But the countdown was automatically stopped just 19 seconds before the planned blast-off "as an emergency measure due to some abnormal positioning" of the rocket, a JAXA spokeswoman said.

"We cancelled today's launch and can't say anything about the timing of our next launch, as the cause of the trouble is still unknown," the spokeswoman said.

The three-stage Epsilon - 24 metres long and weighing 91 tonnes - was scheduled to release the telescope SPRINT-A at an altitude of 1000 kilometres.

SPRINT-A is the world's first space telescope for remote observation of planets including Venus, Mars and Jupiter from its orbit around Earth, the agency said.

The Epsilon is about half the size of the nation's liquid-fuelled H2-A rocket and a successor to the solid fuel M-5 rocket that was retired in 2006 because of its high cost.

The small-sized rocket is equipped with artificial intelligence "for the first time in the world" that allows autonomous checks by the rocket itself, JAXA said.

"It also allows us to carry out launching procedures, including ignition, through only two laptop computers," another JAXA spokeswoman said.

At the control centre only eight workers were engaged in the launch operation, compared with about 150 people usually needed when JAXA launches its mainstream H2-A rocket.

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Star Wars cinematographer dies

THE British Society of Cinematographers says Star Wars cinematographer Gilbert Taylor has died at age 99.

Spokeswoman Frances Russell said on Tuesday that Taylor died on August 23 and his family is still making funeral arrangements.

Taylor worked with a wide range of directors, including George Lucas, Alfred Hitchcock and Roman Polanski.

He produced distinctive black and white classics including Stanley Kubrick's Dr Strangelove and Richard Lester's Beatlemania chronicle A Hard Day's Night. He also worked on television series including The Avengers.

Taylor was a founding member of the cinematographers' society who entered the British film industry in the 1920s.

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Man charged over Molotov cocktail attacks

DETECTIVES investigating a string of arson attacks and an inner Sydney bashing have laid charges against a 50-year-old man.

In the former, crude weapons were used to set fire to six homes and businesses across the city in March and May this year.

Detectives have also been investigating the June assault of a man at Ultimo.

In that incident, three men allegedly struck a man with a baton or torch and knuckle dusters, lacerating his head and fracturing his arm.

Police from the State Crime Command's Property Crime Squad and City Central and Harbourside Local Area Commands raided a home at Kemps Creek and a business at Smithfield on August 13, seizing guns and knuckle dusters.

They also took two Porsches, two boats and two motorbikes for further examination, and wildlife officers from federal and state environment departments removed three exotic snakes and a lizard.

A 50-year-old Kemps Creek man was arrested at the time and charged over the Ultimo assault.

On Tuesday, he was charged with 25 fresh offences, including six counts of dishonestly destroy property by fire for gain.

The man has been refused bail to appear in Fairfield Local Court on Wednesday.

Investigations continue.

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Indonesian clerics call Miss World ban

ONE of Indonesia's most influential Islamic groups is urging the government to cancel the Miss World pageant, saying the exposure of skin by women in a competition violates Muslim teachings, an official says.

A top-level meeting of clerics was held earlier this month by the Indonesian Ulema Council to respond to protests from some groups over Indonesia's hosting of the event next month, even after organisers agreed to cut the bikini competition and instead outfit contestants in more conservative sarongs, council chairman Amidan Shaberah said.

"Our position is clear, we reject Indonesia being the host of Miss World," Shaberah said. "Because exposing their bodies in a contest is against Islamic teachings."

The council is an influential Islamic body that often issues fatwas, or edicts, including controversial rulings against smoking and yoga. Though not legally binding, many devoted Muslims follow such decrees because ignoring them is considered a sin.

Shaberah said the council will not officially demand that the government cancel the event, but will instead recommend that it be stopped. The pageant is scheduled to be held partly on the resort island of Bali, with the final round on Sept. 28 near the capital, Jakarta.

"We are not Sharia police, we are not law enforcers," Shaberah said, referring to authorities who enforce Islamic law. "But we suggest the government cancel it."

Adjie S. Soeratmadjie of RCTI, the official broadcaster and local organiser of the event, said the concerns were being heard and that some adjustments were being made to make the pageant more appropriate for Indonesian culture and more like other beauty contests held in the country.

"We understand the position" of the council, Soeratmadjie said. "But the show must go on ... we call on the protesters to avoid anarchy and we are sure authorities can maintain security."

He added that Miss Israel had dropped out of the competition, but declined to give the reason. Indonesia and Israel do not have diplomatic relations.

Last week, the hard-line Islamic Defenders Front pledged to stage protests across the country to prevent Indonesia from hosting the competition.

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London's mayor wants labour deal with Aust

LONDON Aug 26 PA - Britain and Australia should set up a "free labour mobility zone" to end an "outrageous and indefensible" discrimination that puts European Union workers before Commonwealth nationals, London Mayor Boris Johnson said.

He said it was time to recognise the "immense opportunities" of striking stronger links with fast-growing economies rather than within the "microclimate of economic gloom" that Europe had become because of the single currency.

He said the UK should tell Brussels to "stuff it" if it objected to the move - inspired by an Australian teacher who says she was forced to leave London.

The senior Tory, who is holidaying in Australia, was given a letter by Australian Sally Roycroft, who had been working in London schools.

Mr Johnson has written in his Daily Telegraph column, Ms Roycroft was "effectively kicked out of Britain" for not being from the EU.

"She is Australian and she has been told to bog off by the authorities in our country because it was, they said, too much of a palaver to go through the business of 'sponsoring' her to stay."

He suggests it was the consequence of joining the European Community.

But while the EU was losing influence in the world and suffering economic woes, there was big growth in those countries "snootily disregarded" in 1973.

Suggesting the proposal should form part of Prime Minister David Cameron's promised renegotiation of the UK's relationship with Brussels, Mr Johnson said: "We need to raise our eyes beyond Europe, forging and intensifying links with countries that are going to be growing in the decades ahead - countries that offer immense opportunities for British goods, people, services and capital.

"And you could not do better than by starting with Australia," he said.

"We British are more deeply connected with the Australians - culturally and emotionally - than with any other country on earth."

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UK on giant panda birth watch

THE UK's only female giant panda has been placed on 24-hour surveillance after the latest hormone tests indicate she could be pregnant.

Edinburgh Zoo's panda keepers are now monitoring Tian Tian around the clock.

Experts are not certain at this stage if Tian Tian is indeed pregnant but the latest hormone tests are said to show positive signs and she is now being closely watched for signs of labour such as restless behaviour and bleating.

She could give birth any time in the next two weeks, according to experts.

The birth itself could last only a matter of minutes due to the small size of newborn cubs which weigh approximately 100 grams.

Iain Valentine, director of giant pandas for the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, said: "We have now entered the window of the possible time that Tian Tian could give birth.

"Keepers are monitoring Tian Tian on a 24-hour basis. They are able to log in from their computers and phones at home just to make sure everything is ok with her, and the keeper from China has now arrived to support us. We are ready.

"About 24 hours before she gives birth she will become quite restless, start moving around, and then will sit down, her waters will break and then quite soon after that she will give birth.

"The birth process can be over quite quickly because the cub itself is very small. It could take minutes. It is down to the timing and her being comfortable. The cub is only 100 grams, so she doesn't have to strain too much to give birth.

"This is the point where things could go wrong. Her body could reabsorb the cub or cubs, or if she does give birth the cub could be stillborn. So this is actually the trickiest time for pandas.

"We will keep our fingers crossed."

Chinese panda keeper Haiping Hu, from the China Conservation and Research Centre (CCRCGP), arrived in Edinburgh on Saturday and will be on hand to assist if a cub or cubs are born during the next two weeks.

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OECD to discuss Africa outlook in Perth

A SENIOR official of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) will be in Perth this week to discuss developments in Africa, a competitor of Australia in mining.

Director at the OECD Development Centre Mario Pezzini will address two conferences during the week, highlighting the role of agriculture and mining in improving the wealth of the countries that make up the continent and the risks those sectors face.

Africa is projected to grow by 4.8 per cent in 2013, accelerating to 5.3 per cent in 2014, confirming its resilience to internal and external shocks.

"Growth is not enough," Mr Pezzini will say.

"African countries must provide the right conditions and implement the appropriate policies for turning natural resources into jobs, optimise their resource revenues through smart taxation and help investors and locals to make the most of linkages."

Many mining companies in Australia also have investments in Africa.

Mr Pezzini will address 'Mining, Agriculture, and Development: Bread from Stones?" on August 25-27, and "Africa Down Under" on August 28-29.

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Labor pledges more funding for Canberra

LABOR has pledged a $6.5 million boost to a popular subsidy for students visiting the major sites of the nation's capital.

Education Minister Bill Shorten will on Monday announce continued funding for the Parliamentary and Civics Education Rebate (PACER) program, which provides subsidies to students having to travel more than 150 kilometres to visit Canberra.

Students from Years 4 to 12 are offered support of up to $260 under the program, as long as schools visit Parliament House, Old Parliament House and the Australian War Memorial.

They can also visit popular sites such as the science museum Questacon, where Mr Shorten will detail the four year funding commitment.

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Rudd sets jobs growth as priority

PRIME Minister Kevin Rudd has set jobs growth as his main policy focus for the remainder of the election campaign.

"It is more than my job that is at stake on September 7," he said in an email to Labor supporters on Monday.

"It's the jobs of many thousands of Australians as well."

Mr Rudd said he would use "every remaining day" until polling day to campaign on "what has always been the number one priority for this Labor government - jobs".

He'll also "hammer home" the message that Opposition Leader Tony Abbott was planning to rip $70 billion from public services.

"Make sure your friends, neighbours and work colleagues understand Labor's fundamental commitment to jobs," Mr Rudd said in the email.

"Make sure also that they understand that Mr Abbott is hiding plans for $70 billion of spending cuts that will destroy jobs and risk pushing this nation toward a recession."

Mr Abbott denies he is planning $70 billion of cuts but says the coalition would make "sensible savings".

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