THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS
by Clement Clarke Moore
or Henry Livingston

. Australia wildfires haunt survivors, one year on - Telegraph Australia wildfires haunt survivors, one year on --> Accessibility links Skip to article Skip to navigation Thursday 04 February 2010 | Expat News feed All feeds --> checkLoginStatus(); Advertisement Website of the Telegraph Media Group with breaking news, sport, business, latest UK and world news. Content from the Daily Telegraph and Sunday Telegraph newspapers and video from Telegraph TV. Enhanced by Google Home News Sport Finance Lifestyle Comment Travel Culture Technology Fashion Jobs Dating Games Offers Motoring Health Property Gardening Food and Drink Family Outdoors Active Relationships Expat His Life Home Expat Expat News Australia wildfires haunt survivors, one year on - Twelve months after a fire reduced his home to ashes, Eugene Howe contemplates the first anniversary of Australia's worst natural disaster with a mix of hope and dread. /Getty Green shoots have begun appearing on his razed block and, after almost a year of waiting, the charred ruins of his home were cleared last month so that he can rebuild. - By William West, in Melbourne for Published: 11:17AM GMT 04 Feb 2010 Wildlife officer Geoff McClure looking over the destroyed shopping district from the main road in Marysville on February 9 2009 and the same view nearly one year later. "I can't even think," said Howe. But such decisions are difficult, he explains, when every day is a struggle. Related Articles - Our hearts go out to the Camerons - - Greece declares state of emergency as wildfires sweep towards Athens - - Air Mechanic Henry Allingham - - Henry Allingham: haunted by the Great War - - Let's protect our memories from doctors - "Yesterday I was going to buy a shed and build it, the other day I was going to build a house. "I'm just lost. Another day I was going to sell the block, today I'm keeping the block." Howe's story is not unusual among the hundreds of survivors still without permanent homes, though he has had a tougher time than most. I'm a lost soul with no direction in life. "It was horrible, it snowed here a couple of times. Uninsured and out of work when wildfires swept through his home town of Kinglake on February 7, Howe had to rough it for 10 months on his charred land, erecting a lean-to and, later, moving a small donated caravan onto the block. It was absolutely the worst time of my life," he said. It was absolutely the worst time of my life," he said. I just wish I had a home," he said. "But a lot of people did it harder than me and it's getting better, it's greening up and people are smiling a bit. Another 20 children and 28 teenagers lost at least one parent, and 113 of the dead perished trying to take refuge inside buildings. The "Black Saturday" fires, as they became known, thundered through 78 communities killing 173 people, including 23 children. Rebuilding permits have been issued for more than 1,400 homes and businesses, and VBRRA estimates 60 per cent of those displaced by the fires wish to rebuild. More than half the dead - 94 people - came from Kinglake and surrounding areas, which was the location of 1,242 of the 2,173 properties destroyed, according to the Victoria Bushfire Reconstruction and Recovery Authority (VBRRA). Builder Dave Matthews, who managed to save his own home but has spent much of the past year helping others reconstruct, says that many people are looking to Sunday's anniversary as a major turning point. But more than 400 households remain in stop-gap accommodation, with Howe among around 300 people living in clusters of temporary buildings in the worst-hit towns of Flowerdale, Marysville and Kinglake. "We've had Christmas, and we've said goodbye to that year, but it isn't quite finished. "I can't wait for it to happen, it feels like it will be a bit of a weight lifted off the shoulders, I can't really explain it," he said. But Matthews says that many locals are leaving Kinglake to mark the anniversary in private. But Matthews says that many locals are leaving Kinglake to mark the anniversary in private. There is a low-key local service planned, but "I think it's something we've just got to deal with ourselves," Matthews explains. For some people the harsh reality of how enormous, and lengthy, the recovery process will be is just starting to hit, says Margaret Grigg, the assistant director of the Bushfire Psychological Recovery Plan. "Some people might be crying for the first time," Grigg said. "People will be hanging on to this anniversary, the notion of 'I can let go and move forward' and for some people that will be true, and they will be able to do that. "And (for) some people it will be really hard to get there and discover it doesn't actually feel any better. It's an extremely tough time." More than 8,500 people have been offered counselling since the fires, and Grigg said the loss of life was something for which the authorities had not prepared. "One of the really, really devastating components of this was the death toll. It has had enormous impacts," she said. "You do all this planning, but 173 people? That literally affects the lives of thousands of people, and so the issue of bereavement and loss has been really significant." Survivors report nightmares and flashbacks to harrowing moments of escape, watching as loved ones were engulfed in flames, and Matthews says the fear of another inferno is always there. "You get a northerly wind going in the same direction as last year, the same conditions, and it makes you edgy all right, yeah," he said. Life will never return to the way it was for those affected by the fires, nor will they ever fully recover or forget, adds Griggs. "These communities are inalterably changed," she said. "This becomes part of who these people are now." 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.Federal Immigration Minister Chris Evans says a peaceful protest by Sri Lankan detainees on Christmas Island will do little to help their cause. Senator Evans says he has been told that 133 detainees are protesting against the time it is taking to process their claims, but activist groups put the number at more than 350. They have gathered on an oval and in the recreational area and are refusing to go back to their compounds. "I want to make it very clear to them and to the community . ... we're not going to be responding to this," he said." But a spokesman for the Refugee Action Coalition, Ian Rintoul, says the protest may continue until changes are made. "What we are going to do is ensure proper process is followed - that is people have to have had their health, identity and security checks and then they have to have been successful in their application for protection. They're determined to keep some level of protest now until they get proper answers from the department," he said. "I think the protest will keep happening." Mr Rintoul says the protesters are holding signs which say 'how long do we have to wait, Oceanic Viking six weeks, Christmas Island six months'. "There's been some talk of initiating a protest hunger strike to indicate just how serious they are that something has to happen on Christmas Island. "There's a longer and longer wait. "There's a longer and longer wait. "The Tamils in particular from Sri Lanka are taking a bit longer to get their security clearances, because obviously there are concerns following the civil war in Sri Lanka and the movement of a lot of LTTE operatives out of Sri Lanka," he said. Senator Evans says most claims are processed within 100 days, but admitted some of the Sri Lankans were being forced to wait longer. We have had many of them cleared, but it is taking a bit longer. "So those processes are under way. Mr Morrison says Christmas Island's detention centre is "running on overdrive" because the product on offer is too good." - 'Visa factory' - The protest coincides with a visit to the island by Opposition immigration spokesman Scott Morrison and Family First Senator Steve Fielding. "We are basically manufacturing opportunities for people to gain access to a protection visa in advance of those who are sitting in camps around the world. "I believe what we have here is a visa factory," he said. "I've just read the comments of Senator Fielding and Scott Morrison and they're a bit sickening actually," he said." Senator Fielding says more boats will continue to arrive unless the island's facilities are made less attractive, but Christmas Island Shire president Gordon Thomson described the comments as insensitive and derogatory." - Expectations raised - Mr Morrison says the latest protest by detainees is due to the Government's mixed messages about border control." - Expectations raised - Mr Morrison says the latest protest by detainees is due to the Government's mixed messages about border control. He says the detainees' expectations have been raised by the Government's relocation of those on board the Oceanic Viking earlier this month. "We need strong border protection. We need [to make sure] people making assessments on whether people come to this country have the time available to do those checks," he said. "They don't need the difficulty of people having raised expectations by poor decisions and special deals by a Government that basically doesn't know what it's doing on border control." But Mr Rintoul says the detainees' dissatisfaction is not simply due to hearing about the treatment of asylum seekers from the Oceanic Viking. "Many of the people have been there long before the Oceanic Viking was on the political horizon and their expectations are to be dealt with as human beings, and for their applications to be processed as quickly as possible," Mr Rintoul said. "The Oceanic Viking has highlighted the difference, the possibilities of processing to be done in six weeks. "It's highlighted the possibility. It hasn't raised their expectations."

.Family First Senator Steve Fielding is visiting the Christmas Island immigration detention centre today to see whether reports that it is overcrowded are true. . He says Australia should not return to the Howard Government's policies, as the Opposition wants, but that a new balance should be found. Senator Fielding says the Federal Government is in denial that relaxing Australia's immigration policies has led to a flood of asylum seekers. "Now the Rudd Government has made some changes and it looks like those changes have made it too attractive to people smugglers to send more people our way. "Under the Howard era we had a barbaric policy that basically treated people so horribly that he was using that to send a message to others not to come," he said. ." The Opposition's immigration spokesman, Scott Morrison, is also flying to Christmas Island to visit the centre today

. Jessica Alba ... A Chinese woman is so keen to win back her ex-boyfriend she plans to undergo plastic surgery to transform herself into his favourite actress: Hollywood star Jessica Alba. The look one woman is prepared to go under the knife to get. "I have made my decision," the newspaper quoted her as saying. The 21-year-old, who identified herself as Xiaoqing, told the Shanghai Daily that she had met doctors at a plastic surgery clinic in Shanghai who offered to do the work for free. "I'm not only doing it for my ex-boyfriend, but for myself. I want to do something to challenge myself and build a strong personality through it. I am a psychologically weak person. "There's no worry about the expense and it is technically practicable," Liu was quoted as saying." Liu Qi, an official at the Shanghai Time Plastic Surgery Hospital, said the woman would need eyebrow lifting, eyelid reshaping and nose reconstruction to look like Alba, the star of Sin City and Fantastic Four." Clinic officials confirmed the woman's story, but would not say when or if the surgery would go ahead. . The woman, who works for a web firm, described to the newspaper how her Alba-obsessed 28-year-old ex-boyfriend hung photos of the actress on his walls and stored her image on his mobile phone. The woman, who works for a web firm, described to the newspaper how her Alba-obsessed 28-year-old ex-boyfriend hung photos of the actress on his walls and stored her image on his mobile phone. But afterwards, she said she reconsidered. She told the newspaper they broke up the previous month when she threw her wig and fake eyelashes to the ground after passers-by laughed at her.. "I love him very much... I don't want to lose him," the newspaper quoted her as saying. That's why I always followed his opinions. AFP

.Immigration Minister Chris Evans says the Federal Government remains committed to its immigration detention policy despite concerns raised by this year's Australian of the Year. . He later moved to clarify his comments, saying the Rudd Government had started the job of improving the treatment of asylum seekers. "People are being looked after appropriately," he said. Professor McGorry's comments were welcomed by various human rights groups, but Senator Evans says the Government's policy has the right balance. "I think most people who visit [Christmas] Island accept people are being treated appropriately, but they are being detained until the appropriate checks have been made. "They are detained but they are supported and we have no concerns about mental health. "[There is] mandatory detention for health, identity and security checks, but quick processing and treating people humanely. "Firstly I congratulate the professor, it's a wonderful achievement to become Australian of the Year," he said." Opposition health spokesman Peter Dutton has rejected Professor McGorry's comments, saying he supports tough border protection policies." - 'Mental illness factories' - Yesterday the 57-year-old Professor McGorry called for radical change in the mental health services in Australia, as well as an end to immigration detention centres. "[But] I don't agree with the comments I've seen attributed to him and I'll leave that to him to advocate. "Community mental health cannot grow and flourish under the current model. "I've heard some terrible stories and I've seen some lives really shattered by this policy," he said. "We need a radical re-jig and that might be facilitated by the more broad-spectrum reforms that are on the table at the moment. "We need a radical re-jig and that might be facilitated by the more broad-spectrum reforms that are on the table at the moment." Today, however, Professor McGorry said the detention centre comments should not be seen as an attack on the Federal Government. We are very innovative, we have a track record of that. "I was asked a direct question because obviously the media are aware the other area of my work has been with refugees and asylum seekers for the last 20 years, and I have treated a lot of very traumatised people, including many who were put through the remote detention centre policy of earlier governments. "Actually I was a lot more positive than the media has picked it up today," he said. "I think [Prime Minister Kevin] Rudd and the government have taken very significant steps to humanising this system," Professor McGorry continued. "I was really much more critical of earlier government policy on both sides which created these centres. They may not have got to the top of the hole yet, but I was trying to encourage them to keep going, and I certainly wasn't critical of the present government's policies. "I actually said that the Rudd Government was doing an excellent job of digging us out of a very deep hole. It takes a while to turn around 15 years of poor policy. "The direction of them is very good."

.A former head of security at the Federal Airports Corporation is warning there are glaring holes in the nation's airport security and that it is only a matter of time before there is a terrorist attack on an airline in Australia. Michael Carmody says domestic flights are particularly vulnerable and the Federal Government needs to take urgent action to improve regulation. Boarding a domestic flight in Australia can be relatively quick and easy. The warning comes as Osama bin Laden claims responsibility for the attempted Christmas day attack on an aircraft in the United States. Hand luggage and personal items are screened as you walk through. Passengers can use a self check-in computer screen to print off their boarding pass, drop their luggage off and then walk through to the gate. He says there are too many holes in security at Australian airports. Former head of security at the Federal Airports Corporation, Michael Carmody, says it is easy for passengers and easy for would-be terrorists. "For example, on a domestic flight here in Australia, at no time do we ever verify the person who is flying to the ticket and it is simple measures like that, along with profiling and supported by technology, that must come into play. "To get the fundamentals right and to get some of the more simplistic security measures in place is absolutely essential," he said. He says security checks in Australia fall short of the standard procedure in a number of other countries, including the United States." Mr Carmody says security measures at regional airports are even worse, with often no screening of any baggage. "That is verified quite comprehensively to the ticket and then you proceed to screening. "In the US, at all ports, of course as you know, once you check in and then you approach the screening point, the first thing you encounter is that you must show a picture ID, a driver's licence or a passport," he said. Of course here in Australia anyone can enter the sterile area whether they are flying or otherwise. "The other measure that the US have in place, unless you are flying, you don't enter the sterile area. "Governments have essentially stepped out of that process." - Government control - Mr Carmody, who now works as a private security consultant, says airports in Australia need to be controlled by the Federal Government. "The effort we put into Customs and AQIS employing government employees, highly motivated, well-paid, compared to aviation security where you have got private security companies putting fellows on there at part-time on a 12-hour shift - [it is] not acceptable. Airlines and airport operators have devolved their responsibility to private security companies," he said. He says security checks will not improve at airports until politicians are exposed to the procedure." Another security expert, Roger Henning, from the firm Homeland Security Asia Pacific, agrees. "If you are a minister and the Prime Minister, how often is it that you fly in a domestic commercial airliner or use the domestic facilities? You don't. "They rock up in a Comcar, they get expedited treatment in most cases through the processing and through security into a VIP lounge and then to the pointy end of the aeroplane," he said." Mr Henning says an attack on an airline in Australia is more likely to be home grown and that it is only a matter of time before an airline in Australia is hit." Mr Henning says an attack on an airline in Australia is more likely to be home grown and that it is only a matter of time before an airline in Australia is hit. "We have a situation at the moment where it is not just capital city airports that are at risk, there is a huge risk from regional airports and we've had in the past terrorist training in regional Australia, in country areas of New South Wales," he said. "Are we kidding ourselves that it has all gone away? I don't think so." But the head of the Australian Airports Association, John McArdle, says domestic airport security has come a long way since Mr Carmody held his former position. "Everybody and everything that gets onto any aircraft at the moment, particularly at our major capital cities, has been security screened," he said. "Everybody who moves into the terminals have been security screened and the products that they're carrying have been security screened. "The likelihood of an incident occurring has been minimised quite considerably." - Bin Laden message - The warning comes as Osama bin Laden claims responsibility for the attempt to detonate a bomb on an airline in the United States on Christmas Day. In a message sent to the Arabic news channel Al Jazeera, the recording believed to be from Osama bin Laden praises the attempted bombing. "The message I want to convey to you through the plane of the hero Umar Farouk reaffirms a previous message that the heroes of 9/11 conveyed to you and it was repeated oftenly. The message is that America will never dream of living in peace unless we live it in Palestine," the message said. The Federal Minister for Transport, Anthony Albanese, has not returned 's phone calls. But a spokesman said the reason they do not check ID at airports is because it is not about who gets on board, but what gets on board and the screening process is extensive.

. The once safe Democrat seat of Massachesetts falls to Republican Senator Scott Brown, inset, who beat Attorney General Martha Coakley. In a major upset, Republican Scott Brown has captured the US Senate seat held by liberal champion Edward Kennedy for nearly a half century, leaving President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul in doubt and marring the end of his first year in office. . More immediately, Brown will become the 41st Republican in the 100-member Senate, which could allow the Republicans to block the president’s health care legislation and the rest of Obama’s agenda. Her defeat signalled big political problems for the president’s party in November when House, Senate and gubernatorial candidates are on the ballot. Brown led by 52 per cent to 47 per cent with all but three per cent of precincts counted. Democrats needed Coakley to win for a 60th vote to thwart Republican procedural manoeuvres to block votes on legislation. Brown will finish Kennedy’s unexpired term, facing re-election in 2012. Addressing an exuberant victory celebration Tuesday night, Brown declared he was ‘‘ready to go to Washington without delay’’ as the crowd chanted, ‘‘seat him now. He will be the first Republican senator from Massachusetts in 30 years. Coakley called Brown conceding the race, and Obama talked to both Brown and Coakley, congratulating them on the race.’’ Democrats indicated they would, deflating a budding controversy over whether they would try to block Brown long enough to complete congressional passage of the health care plan he has promised to oppose.’’ But even before the polls closed, Obama administration officials and Coakley’s supporters were blaming each other. The Democrat said the president told her: ‘‘we can’t win them all. Administration officials privately accused Coakley of a poorly run campaign. Administration officials privately accused Coakley of a poorly run campaign. Wall Street watched closely. Coakley’s supporters, in turn, blamed that very environment, saying her lead dropped significantly after the Senate passed a health care bill shortly before Christmas and after the Christmas Day attempted airliner bombing that Obama himself said showed a failure of his administration. Analysts attributed the increase to hopes the election would make it harder for Obama to make his changes to health care. The Dow Jones industrial average rose more than one per cent. The election transformed reliably Democratic Massachusetts into a battleground state. That eased investor concerns that profits at companies such as insurers and drug makers would suffer. One day shy of the first anniversary of Obama’s swearing-in, it played out amid a backdrop of animosity and resentment from voters over persistently high unemployment, industry bailouts, exploding federal budget deficits and partisan wrangling over health care. Just 14 months ago, Obama carried the state by 26 percentage points over Republican John McCain. Obama has made overhauling the US health care system, which leaves nearly 50 million people uninsured, his top domestic priority. With the stakes so high, Obama had campaigned for Coakley in Boston at the weekend and appeared in television ads on her behalf. Democratic congressional leaders put on a show of resolve Tuesday. Democratic congressional leaders put on a show of resolve Tuesday. ‘‘Whatever happens in Massachusetts, we will have quality, affordable health care for all Americans, and we will have it soon,’’ said House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi said. AP

.The Federal Government says a fifth Tamil refugee has been refused a visa to live in Australia, leaving him, his wife and their children in detention limbo on Christmas Island. There is pressure now on the Immigration Department to resettle the refugees in another country, prompting outspoken Liberal backbencher Wilson Tuckey to label Christmas Island as "potentially Australia's Guantanamo Bay". The department earlier today confirmed that three Sri Lankan men and a woman who were on board the Oceanic Viking had been denied visas because ASIO decided they pose a security risk. Immigration Minister Chris Evans has also admitted that his department knew some of the refugees were unfit to enter Australia before their arrival on Christmas Island. Now her husband has also been refused a visa. The woman has two young children and all three are being detained on Christmas Island. "It is the case that this man is the spouse of the mother of the two children who was onboard the Oceanic Viking. "There is an additional person who around the same time was found by our security agencies to have not met the public interest criteria in terms of his security assessment," Senator Evans said. "I don't know the nature of ASIO's finding, so I couldn't help you if I wanted to." Senator Evans will not say why the five have been refused visas. But he says the Government knew four of them were unfit to enter Australia before their arrival on Christmas Island. But as you know, I wouldn't anyway," he said." Senator Evans says the family is under guard on the island but not at the main detention centre. "When these people were found to be a security concern, we determined to take them to Christmas Island, detain them there and work with the [United Nations refugee agency] on long-term resolution of their cases. Some of them have been resettled in Australia or Canada. The Federal Government had promised 78 Sri Lankans quick processing to coax them off the Oceanic Viking and into an Indonesian detention centre. She said they could also choose to leave Australia voluntarily. A spokeswoman for the Immigration Department has said Australia is continuing to search for another country to resettle them. "Christmas Island is now potentially Australia's Guantanamo Bay," he said. Mr Tuckey, who last year said he was worried terrorists could be on board boats of asylum seekers, says the Government will have difficulty resettling the visa-less refugees in another country. . "We could end up holding that facility in operation for years as luxury accommodation for people whom we won't let come to Australia, and yet at the same time will not be wanted by anyone else. "I think Wilson's had a win there. "More fool Kevin Rudd for coming out and saying that Wilson Tuckey should apologise," Mr Hockey said." - Final say - The Greens Leader, Bob Brown, says ASIO should not have the final say on whether the Tamil refugees are fit to live in Australia." - Final say - The Greens Leader, Bob Brown, says ASIO should not have the final say on whether the Tamil refugees are fit to live in Australia. Senator Brown says the system needs to be changed. "The last thing the Rudd Government should do is leave ASIO to be the arbiter of who comes into this country and who doesn't, to quote John Howard who gave such extraordinary powers to ASIO to determine the lives of Australians generally," Senator Brown said. He says major determinations made by the spy agency should be scrutinised by a parliamentary committee. "That scrutiny must be there. We must never in a democracy leave ASIO to be making decisions in such matters without there being careful scrutiny by the parliament itself," he said. Opposition Leader Tony Abbott says Mr Rudd has created the problem "by caving in to the would-be unauthorised arrivals on the Oceanic Viking".

.Two men believed to be employed by an Indian-born contract worker found stabbed and burnt in rural NSW have had their passports seized at Sydney Airport, Fairfax reports. Ranjodh Singh's partially burnt body was found beside Wilga Road, Willbriggie, in the Riverina area of south-west NSW on December 29. Two men, believed to be Indian seasonal workers employed by Mr Singh, were arrested at Sydney airport's departure lounge last Monday as they were about to board a flight to Nepal via Singapore, Fairfax reported. The 25-year-old seasonal worker had been living in Wagga Wagga and was visiting Griffith at the time of his death. Detectives believe Mr Singh may have been murdered in a fight over unpaid wages at a Christmas party two days before his murder. The pair were questioned at Mascot police station but were later released without charge after being forced to hand in their passports. Police are appealing for public help to identify a distinctive red 1996 Ford Falcon that was seen in the Griffith and Wagga Wagga areas around the time of Mr Singh's death. A post-mortem examination revealed his throat had been slashed and he had suffered multiple stab wounds before being bound and then set alight in an effort to conceal his identity, Fairfax reported. - . Anyone with information they think may be of interest to police is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000

. Deadly funnel-web spiders invade Sydney - Telegraph Deadly funnel-web spiders invade Sydney --> Accessibility links Skip to article Skip to navigation Digital Publisher of the Year | Saturday 09 January 2010 | Australia feed All feeds --> checkLoginStatus(); Advertisement Website of the Telegraph Media Group with breaking news, sport, business, latest UK and world news. Content from the Daily Telegraph and Sunday Telegraph newspapers and video from Telegraph TV. - By Bonnie Malkin in Sydney Published: 11:48PM GMT 08 Jan 2010 Funnel-web spiders can grow up to two inches long. Enhanced by Google Home News Sport Finance Lifestyle Comment Travel Culture Technology Fashion Jobs Dating Games Offers UK World UK Politics Celebrities Obituaries Weird Earth Science Health News Education Topics News Blogs News Video USA Barack Obama Europe Asia China Middle East Africa and Indian Ocean Australia and the Pacific Home News World News Australia and the Pacific Australia Deadly funnel-web spiders invade Sydney - An influx of the deadly Sydney funnel-web spider has taken hold in the Australian city of the same name after a spate of wetter than usual weather brought them scuttling into suburban gardens and sheds. Rex Gilroy, who runs Katoomba Rotary Club's dangerous spiders hotline, said a long period of dry weather followed by heavy rain and high humidity over Christmas prompted an explosion in numbers. Alamy The Australian Reptile Park, which makes anti-venom for funnelweb bites, has recorded higher than usual numbers of funnel-webs and warned the plague could get worse. This season there's more moisture and coolness and the spiders have been able to breed up," he told the Sydney Morning Herald. "I think climate change might have something to do with it. "[The numbers] are definitely up from the previous year, and I think it's not going to get any better," he said. Mr Gilroy said he had been receiving 20 to 30 reports of the spiders from both regions weekly and that Sydney residents were lucky that they weren't encountering more of the dangerous spiders. The reptile park has a funnel-web spider-milking laboratory for the production of antivenom for treatment of bites. Mary Rayner, the Australian Reptile Park's general manager, said the heavy rain had made Sydney homes, gardens and sheds the ideal refuge for them. Miss Rayner said the park's laboratory, which doubles as a drop off centre for funnelwebs, had been increasingly busy since Boxing Day. It doubles as a centre where people can drop off captured funnel-webs. "It's really important that [parents are] really very vigilant about children's clothing and shoes, and where they play," she said. "Before Christmas we were down to two male funnel-webs, now we've got more than 40, so they are starting to come in thick and fast. They make their burrows in cool, sheltered habitats, often under rocks and inside rotting logs. Funnel-webs can grow up to two inches long. In the past 100 years bites from Sydney funnel-webs have caused 13 deaths, including seven in children. .at15t_email {display:none !important;} . Email Print .telegraph.at15t_email {display:none !important;} Share | tweetmeme_url = 'http://www.uk/news/worldnews/australiaandthepacific/australia/6951425/Deadly-funnel-web-spiders-invade-Sydney.uk/news/worldnews/australiaandthepacific/australia/6951425/Deadly-funnel-web-spiders-invade-Sydney.html'; tweetmeme_style = 'compact'; tweetmeme_source = 'TelegraphNews';

.Bananas might be a staple item in many households, but up to 30 per cent of the fruit grown in Australia goes to waste because it does not meet strict retail standards. If bananas are too big or if the skin is badly marked, supermarkets will not buy them. Researchers are now examining at ways farmers can reuse some of the unsaleable fruit. "We've just taken the trailer-load of bananas out to the cows, mainly because the supermarkets won't take the large ones and because we had a week off over Christmas and they got too big," he said. Shane Marden, who works on a banana plantation in Tully, one of Queensland's wettest towns, says more than 10,000 tonnes of Australian bananas fall short of the retail standards each year." Mr Marden would like to see rejected bananas processed and turned into other products so farmers can recoup some of their substantial costs. "We take bins and bins of them out to the cows, and other farmers actually mulch them up and spread them back on to the paddocks. "Anything to buy that's in it. So you get a carton and you can get even a carton for the rubbish ones," he said. You can get an extra few dollars for something. It costs so much to produce this sort of thing. "At least it's something in it. Dr Kent Fanning from Innovative Food Technologies is leading the charge." The CSIRO and Queensland's Department of Primary Industries are researching new processing methods to enable growers to use the fruit the supermarkets reject. "We're examining at what currently is waste fruit and getting an idea of how much of this could be utilised in different food applications," he said. "We're examining at what currently is waste fruit and getting an idea of how much of this could be utilised in different food applications," he said. Council chief executive Tony Heidrich says other countries are already making products like biofuels and banana flour." - Processed food - The research project is also being partly funded by the Australian Banana Council. "Probably that would be the most realistic avenue that would be pursued," he said. But he expects Australia will develop some new processed foods. . "You've only got to look at the success the apple industry has had." Mr Heidrich says he is optimistic that any new banana food product would become popular in Australia. "Apples are competing very strongly with snack foods on that basis.5 kilos of bananas every year," he said. "Because every man, woman and child in Australia eats about 13. "We're certainly hopeful that we can get some direct benefit out of this research and hopefully provide Australia consumers with an alternative banana product. "We're certainly hopeful that we can get some direct benefit out of this research and hopefully provide Australia consumers with an alternative banana product."

.A market analyst says the planned alliance between budget airlines Jetstar and AirAsia will greatly benefit both companies. Qantas' budget airline Jetstar announced it was forming the alliance with the Malaysian discount carrier. Under the deal, the two airlines will cooperate more closely to reduce costs, which they say will lead to cheaper airfares. Shortly after the news was announced earlier today, Qantas shares were up two cents to http://thehouseofoojah.com/info/christmas-news2-feed.php. The airlines say they plan to save hundreds of millions of dollars by sharing ground operations and aircraft parts, as well as joint-purchasing aircraft. Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce says there will be no job cuts a result of the marriage, with Jetstar still planning to add 300 positions this year.98. "It's still growing employment, and there's no plans to reduce that," he said. "They're going to look to be pooling their expertise in a number of areas like procurement," he said. . [It's] really using the buying power of both airlines to get better deals from all manufacturers, as well as sharing services and passenger services at airports where both airlines serve. "In terms of purchasing new aircraft, they've got a lot of services and spare parts procurement." - Tiger's headwind - Mr Potter says the planned alliance may restrict Tiger Airways' ability to compete in the low-cost airline market in Asia. "So we think it's a very smart move. He says passenger demand for Tiger Airways could suffer if the airline is not able to match the low ticket prices offered by the joint alliance. He says passenger demand for Tiger Airways could suffer if the airline is not able to match the low ticket prices offered by the joint alliance." Mr Joyce dismissed speculation the move is aimed at hurting Singapore's budget carrier, Tiger Airways, saying the loss-making airline is insignificant to the deal. "So at the end of the day it'll just be pricing pressures in terms of the prices Tiger Airways can charge for routes that both airlines serve. Tiger, whose owners include Singapore Airlines, is selling about 165 million shares to raise capital for the purchase of aircraft. Tiger Airways says it plans to raise 4 million in an initial public offering this month. - Safety concerns - Meanwhile, the Transport Workers Union has warned the joint venture could compromise passenger safety and security. The money raised will also be used to set up a new operating base for Tiger, as well as to pay off some existing debt. Mr Connolly says in the last six months bags have not been scanned before going on flights due to a lack of resources and contracting practices. The union's national organiser, Scott Connolly, says that in the wake of the Christmas terrorism attempt in the United States, corporations should be working to ensure safety is a priority. "But if it creates jobs at the expense of safety standards and security conditions and we discover that at 30,000 feet, it's an absolute disaster. "We can have as many mergers and acquisitions as we want in this industry and if it creates jobs it's a wonderful thing," he said."

.An Indian man whose partially burnt body was found on the side of a road in New South Wales last week may have been the victim of a labour dispute. The man's death is one of several murders and bashings against Indian nationals living in Australia in recent weeks - crimes which have strained ties between the two countries. Police will not say whether they are investigating claims the dead man owed money to harvest labourers. Union organisers say there has been an increase in Indian students working as contract labourers in western NSW, and there are reports of them being ripped off. Police are yet to name the man, believed to be 25 years old, but they are in touch with his family in India to help with identification. His body was found at the side of Wilga Road at Willbriggie, close to Griffith, by a member of the public on Tuesday December 29. "Over the last 12 months there's been two assaults around that area, people endeavouring to retrieve money for labour," he said. ." - 'Weekly occurrence' - Mr Goring says action is needed to ensure legal processes are followed by contractors. "I'm not saying for a moment that it's this with this man, but there have been a number of fracases in relation to Indian people pursuing certain individuals. Mr Goring says he and local MP Adrian Piccoli planned a forum of farmers and contractors four years ago to address the unscrupulous use of harvest labour, but it did not happen. "From Centrelink to Immigration, Fair Work, Workcover, we all need to do a sustained effort to fix this problem," he said. Mr Goring says there has been a huge increase in contract labour, particularly Indian students, and many are being ripped off. He is urging farmers to ensure contractors are legitimate, saying he gets weekly complaints about wages being stolen. We don't hear about the one and twos that are happening. "It's a weekly occurrence. "You and I will never know the amount of people who are lining up for payment, and as they're doling out the dollars, where they thought they were going to get 0, they then have to barter and argue for a percentage of that amount. It only becomes sensational when a large group gets ripped off," he said." - Anger growing - Meanwhile, anger is growing in India over the stabbing death of 21-year-old university graduate Nitin Garg, who was killed on his way to his part-time job at a Melbourne fast food restaurant on Saturday night. "They arrive on our doorstep without any plans, without accommodation and they are scooped up by so-called contractors. Acting Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Crean says there is no evidence that Indian students are being singled out in racially-motivated attacks. Victoria Police are also investigating the assault of an Indian man at a fast food outlet in Melbourne on the same night that Mr Garg died. "The question of simply Indians being targeted . "I think it's important to note that the police themselves have said that there is no evidence that this was racially motivated," he said... hasn't been borne out by the facts. "It's true that a number have been involved, but if one looks at the overall crime - and there's certainly large numbers of Indian students that are here - according to the authorities, it is not out of the ordinary in terms of that proportionality. "It's also true that including over this Christmas period there have been a spate of stabbings in and around Melbourne." But Federation of Indian Students of Australia spokesman Gautam Gupta says the Federal Government is in denial and students are fearful. "There is extreme shock and fear and anger and a lot of frustration at the inaction of various levels of government," he said. "It's amazing. People are being attacked here and the government just wants to blame the victims."

. Meryl Streep is a Hollywood standout for her magnificent 30-year career, 15 Oscar nominations and recent hot run of box office hits The Devil Wears Prada, Mamma Mia! and Julie & Julia, but study her elegant face and the 60-year-old elevates again. Sitting in a room on the 14th floor of a Manhattan hotel overexamining Central Park, small, delicate lines are visible on Streep's face. Streep is not interested in a chemical or surgical touch up and is happy to let time do what it has to do. In an era of Hollywood friendly injectables Dysport and Botox and line fillers Restylane and Radiesse, this is a rare sight for sit-down meetings with actresses in their 30s and beyond. "That's just me. "I think people look funny when they freeze their faces," Streep explains." The topic is examined in a hilarious scene in Streep's new comedy It's Complicated, co-starring Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin. I don't get it. In the scene Jane, upset an eyelid is sagging, visits a cosmetic surgeon in her seaside Californian home town of Santa Barbara. Streep plays Jane, a divorcee attempting to move on after her husband (Baldwin) leaves her for a younger woman. "To each his own," Streep dismisses, refusing to criticise those of her peers who opt for the scalpel and staples or a syringe. Jane ends up fleeing the surgery when the doctor goes into detail about slicing the skin on her forehead, pulling it back and then sticking it in its new position with staples." It's Complicated continues Streep's extraordinary run at the box office where she sits alongside Will Smith and Robert Downey Jr as Hollywood's most consistent box office draws. "I understand the chagrin which comes with ageing, especially for a woman. While Smith and Downey Jr's hits draw teen and young male adult audiences, Streep's films tap into demographics Hollywood has found tough to entice to cinemas: women and older patrons. It's Complicated has made more than $US35 million ($A39 million) since opening in North American theatres on Christmas Day.88 million) the past year. Her pay cheque per movie has also risen, with Streep earning a reported $US24 million ($A26. Streep's beauty secret is not yoga or pilates. Just two actresses earned more: Jennifer Aniston and Angelina Jolie. Nancy Meyers, 60, was inspired to write and direct It's Complicated after her husband, Hollywood director-screenwriter-writer Charles Shyer, left her for a younger woman. She keeps fit by swimming 55 laps several times a week. "Meryl does a really clever thing in that scene where she talks about women who have bad face lifts," Meyers, who directed Something's Gotta Give, What Women Want, The Holiday and The Parent Trap, says. Streep had Meyers in stitches when they shot the scene with the cosmetic surgeon. When I saw her do that, I was screaming with laughter. When I saw her do that, I was screaming with laughter. "It was really brilliant of her." Her Academy nominations began in 1978 for Deer Hunter and include The French Lieutenant's Woman (1981), Silkwood (1981), Out of Africa (1985), as Aussie Lindy Chamberlain in Evil Angels (1988), The Bridges of Madison County (1995) and last year's drama, Doubt. Streep's two wins were for Kramer vs Kramer (1979) and Sophie's Choice (1982). The films often made money, but The Devil Wears Prada and Mamma Mia! combined took in almost $US1 billion at the box office, transforming Streep into the ultimate Hollywood force with highly profitable movies that garner Oscar and other awards attention. "I need Meryl to work because my career is now tied to hers," jokes Martin, the silver-haired 64-year-old comedian and Emmy and Grammy winner, who plays Jane's love interest in It's Complicated. Hollywood studios and producers are flooding Streep with scripts. Most she knocks back, but Streep has found it difficult to give up the gems. "I made seven movies in the last two and half years," Streep says, feigning exhaustion. "I haven't done that ever in my whole life." Adding to Streep's charm is her down-to-earth presence. She is Hollywood royalty, but does not act like it. She does not have a publicist shadowing her for interviews. . "I don't know," Streep replies when asked who designed the black cardigan, black pants and purple buttoned up shirt she is wearing for this interview. "I've had it for years. I've had this cardigan since my son was born." Her son, Henry, turned 30 in November. Streep has four children with her sculptor husband Don Gummer, with Henry the oldest followed by daughters Mamie, 26, Grace, 23, and Louisa, 18. Streep and Gummer have been married for 31 years, again putting her in a rare bracket with Hollywood couples. The actress, just like her clothes selection, apparently does not invest much time in attempting to examine why her marriage works and others fail. "I have no idea," Streep says. After a moment's thought, she reaches for an answer. "He's an artist and the sensibilities we have are similar," Streep, who was born in New Jersey and studied drama at Vassar College and Yale School of Drama, says. Martin says Streep is reshaping the Hollywood landscape with successful films for older audiences. "I think it's a rediscovered genre," the comedian says. "They used to do this a lot and I think this movie, It's Complicated, clearly defines a genre, I think, for mature audiences, which is a vast number of people now." Streep, of course, is not comfortable with praise. She does have some advice for younger actresses. The key, Streep says, is remaining an individual. "I think for young women it's hard (to become a breakout star) because they all think they have to look a certain way," Streep explains. "That's a trap." It's Complicated opens in Australia on January 7.

. The tiny irukandji stinger ... With its crocodiles, sharks, and jellyfish, Australia is often painted as a place too deadly to visit despite its glittering beaches and sparkling weather. packs a powerful punch for such a tiny critter. But the fact is that 2009 brought few fatalities at the hands of our killer critters. This was captured neatly just days ago, when the winner of Tourism Queensland's "Best Job in the World" competition found himself in agony after being stung by the potentially lethal irukandji jellyfish while jetskiing. According to authorities there were no shark-related deaths, no funnel-web fatalities, only a couple of croc maulings and a few deaths from animal-related disease. Navy diver Paul de Gelder was first, losing his hand and right leg after being attacked by a bull shark during an underwater exercise. Despite this, fear of our fauna and marine life peaked very early in the year, after two men were mauled in the space of two February days at two favourite aquatic haunts - Sydney Harbour and Bondi Beach. . Days later, a great white shark locking its jaws around the left arm of Glenn Orgias while he was surfing at Bondi at dusk. The zoo maintains the Australian Shark Attack File. But despite the hysteria, there were no shark-related fatalities in 2009, according to a Taronga Zoo spokesman. There were a number of other "encounters", including bites and grazes. There were a number of other "encounters", including bites and grazes. Eleven-year-old Briony Goodsell was swimming with other children at Black Jungle Swamp, southeast of Darwin, in March when she was taken by a saltwater crocodile. The Northern Territory Parks and Wildlife Service recorded two croc fatalities in the territory this year. "I only saw its big head and then heard a splash," his sister was reported as saying. A month later, 20-year-old Keith Parry was killed by a four-metre crocodile while swimming in the Daly River. The irukandji jellyfish - the size of a peanut with a sting that can kill - reared its tiny ugly head this month, but took no lives in 2009. Less seriously, reptile handler Tracey Sandstrom was attacked by her two-metre saltwater crocodile, Snappy, during a Christmas party earlier this month in Victoria. Earlier this month, a 29-year-old man ended up in intensive care in a Queensland hospital after reportedly diving into the deadly jellyfish's tentacles. An encounter with the jellyfish is known to cause victims to double up in agony, with the pain starting in their lower back and stomach and spreading to their legs, before inducing uncontrollable shivers and vomiting. Two days ago, the winner of Tourism Queensland's "Best Job in the World" was stung. He was wearing a full-body stinger suit when he plunged head-first into its stingers. "I was feeling pretty hot and sweaty, had a headache and felt pretty sick too with pain in my lower back and a tightness in the chest and a really high blood pressure. "I was feeling pretty hot and sweaty, had a headache and felt pretty sick too with pain in my lower back and a tightness in the chest and a really high blood pressure." Despite their reputation, funnel-web bites have caused no fatalities since the availability of anti-venom in the 1980s, said Mary Rayner, general manager of the Australian Reptile Park. The park milks venom from the spiders and delivers it to CSL Limited, which creates the anti-venom. But two serious funnel-web bites this year stood out in her memory, both early on this year, because they showed spiders did not discriminate based on age. An 84-year-old Central Coast woman became one of the oldest spider victims after she was bitten on the toe, Ms Rayner said. Days later, a three year old boy was bitten at his Newcastle home. Both were treated with anti-venom and survived. "The little three-year-old boy came in [to the reptile park] soon after to have a look at all the spiders," she said. Snake bites - commonly carried out by tiger and eastern brown snakes - killed about half a dozen people last summer, some of which were in the early part of 2009, Ms Rayner said. There were also a number of serious but non-fatal bites, in both rural and metropolitan areas. A three-year-old boy was bitten by a 2.5-metre brown snake while playing in a river north-west of Sydney in January, although he survived. Days earlier, a young boy was bitten at St Marys after trying to pick up a black snake which he thought was a stick. Also in January, an experienced reptile handler at Australia Zoo was bitten by a king brown snake, while in June a snake bit a cleaner at the Myer department store in Lonsdale Street, Melbourne. After weeks of dry and hot conditions, followed by rain, the numbers of snakes and spiders now out and about and looking to mate was on the rise, Ms Rayner said. In 2009, animals also brought on death through the spread of disease. Almost 200 Australians died as a result swine flu, a strain of influenza that gripped the world with fear this year. Lesser known, the mosquito-borne virus Murray Valley encephalitis killed a Northern Territory farmer - 58-year-old Theofilis Maglis - in March. The hendra virus, a rare virus spread from bats to horses and then to humans, also killed Rockhampton vet Alister Rodgers this year. Dr Rodgers was the second vet and fourth Queenslander to die from the virus, after veterinarian Dr Ben Cunneen, 33, passed away following an outbreak of Hendra in Brisbane in August last year.

.Neighbours of a Birdwood house that was destroyed by fire on Monday afternoon say fire crews have been called to the house at least three times in the past week. .30pm ACDT. He was taken to hospital suffering from smoke inhalation. Police say they can not confirm reports the boy was tied up. One of the neighbours Valda Heuritsch says there has been trouble with fires at the house before. Neighbours say he lived in the house only with his mother, who was not home at the time. "I saw what, two, three fires there has been - The one last night... Police, CFS and MFS are scouring through the rubble of the Blumel Road house, which has been completely destroyed by the fire. also Christmas day there was the fire - I think it was the back shed," she said. Police have begun doorknocking the area in hope of finding witnesses. It is unclear what caused the blaze, but it is thought to be suspicious.

.Communities in north-west New South Wales will remain in isolation overnight as heavy rain is expected to cause more flash flooding. A severe weather warning has been issued in eastern parts of Northern Tablelands, Northern Rivers and in the northern parts of Midnorth Coast. The State Emergency Service spokeswoman Erin Pogmore says crews will monitor the river conditions and communities closely. "The communities that are isolated are very prepared and have been checked on to make sure they do have supplies to see them through their isolation. . "We're examining at rainfall in the north-west and Richmond Tweed areas of the state, extending down to the Clarence, Nambucca area, and with those rainfalls wouldn't be surprising to see further river rises as a result," she said." Ms Pogmore says rivers are expected to continue to rise. She says the main concern is in the Richmond, Tweed and Clarence areas. "And also making sure that if any properties are under threat that they are protected. "Overnight we'll still be monitoring the river conditions and checking the river gauges to see what's occuring with those flood warnings," she said."

. Executed by firing squad today .. Akmal Shaikh.. Akmal Shaikh, 53, was the first European citizen executed in China in half a century. Chinese authorities have executed a Briton for drug smuggling despite a history of mental illness, attracting immediate condemnation from the British prime minister. "I am particularly concerned that no mental health assessment was undertaken. British Prime Minister Gordon Brown - who had pleaded with China’s President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao for leniency - said: "I condemn the execution of Akmal Shaikh in the strongest terms, and am appalled and disappointed that our persistent requests for clemency have not been granted." Shaikh's family also released a statement. . They wished to ‘‘thank all those who tried hard to bring about a different result - including Reprieve, the FCO, those who attended the vigil, and the organisers of the Facebook group who garnered more than 5000 members in a few short days; and ask the media and public to respect their privacy as they come to terms with what has happened to someone they loved. ‘‘The family express their grief at the Chinese decision to refuse mercy,’’ they said. They say he was mentally unstable and was lured to China from a life on the street in Poland by men playing on his dreams to record a pop song for world peace.’’ Shaikh first learned his death sentence would be carried out from his visiting cousins yesterday, who made a last-minute plea for his life. Soohail Shaikh, the cousin of Mr Shaikh, appealed for clemency as the Xinhua news agency, citing Supreme Court sources, said the evidence provided by the British side that Shaikh suffers from mental illness was "insufficient". Earlier today China's Supreme Court said it had approved the death sentence. Speaking by phone to the Herald shortly after 10. Executions are often carried out soon after the Supreme Court issues an order. Akmal Shaikh was sentenced to death for smuggling 4kg or heroin through China's far-west, apparently at the behest of Central Asian smugglers.30am Beijing time, Soohail Shaikh choked back tears as he told of how his cousin was seriously mentally ill. The Chinese court did not permit a psychiatric examination. Earlier today Ivan Lewis, a foreign office minister, called on China to show clemency for Shaikh and said it was "not appropriate" to execute someone with a mental illness. "We see Akmal's mental state prior to the alleged offence would have impaired his decision-making process. This is Soohail Shaikh's full statement delivered to the Herald: “Under the United Nations convention, Chinese law respects that the mentally ill are not to be held to the same standard of responsibility. "We have seen much evidence of his impaired mental state. "We have seen much evidence of his impaired mental state. More recently for example he told us that his accountant had shown him evidence back in 2003 that London would be awarded the 2012 Olympics. He also asked us if he had been mentioned in the Queen's Christmas speech. "We ask, are these the acts of a normal, sane person who should stand trial as a sane person and should be condemned to death? "With the maximum respect for the People's Republic of China, for the laws of the People's Republic of China, for its legal and political institutions and the Chinese people, we make this humble submission that Akmal be allowed professional medical assistance before it's too late.” with AFP and AP

.Riverina farmers devastated by a recent fire have renewed their appeal for hay to feed their livestock. . Walla farmer and appeal spokeswoman Rhonda Mickan says she is aware of 12 farmers in urgent need of feed. "People have settled down now and are reassessing, and are really quite concerned about the future. "A lot of people have had stubble burnt and they've got a desperate need for fodder for the interim period," she said. "I'm just trying to make sure that I haven't missed anybody out," she said." Ms Mickan says other other farmers may be in need of assistance but could be reluctant to come forward. "I don't want to find out later on that somebody really needed it but they haven't come forward." Ms Mickan says 100 per cent of the transport costs for donated hay can be reimbursed because the area is a disaster zone. "A lot of people think it's charity; that perhaps they don't need or they thought that they're okay in the short term. The blaze killed thousands of sheep and hundreds of cattle and appeal organiser Malcolm Mackenzie says farmers are doing it tough. Meanwhile, farmers in the Tumbarumba Shire area are also in need of fodder donations after a fire which burned more than 11,000 hectares close to Tooma. We sent them down big Christmas hampers to try to cheer them up a little bit," he said. "The farmers are doing their best. "They've got a really tough 12 months ahead rebuilding those farms - getting grass to grow on them. "They've got a really tough 12 months ahead rebuilding those farms - getting grass to grow on them. "It has come from a huge area - from Lockhart, Walbundrie in the north, to Batlow right down into Victoria," he said." Mr Mackenzie says support so far has been strong. . Mr Mackenzie says donations to the appeal can can at the Bendigo Bank in Tumbarumba

.An Upper Hunter grain farmer says the rain over the past few days has come too late and there will be no summer crops grown in the region this year. Merriwa farmer Dennis Nut says there has been up to 65 millimetres of rain in the district in the past 48 hours. But Mr Nut says in the lead up to summer there has not been enough moisture to plant crops such as millet and sorghum. Showers are expected across the Hunter Valley until New Year's Day. "There won't be no summer crops in the district this year and there'll be no cash flow in the summer time and coming into the winter. . "The season's been pretty dry so far and we had trouble filling our soil moisture, soil profiles, so the rain has been a very welcome Christmas present," he said." Vigneron Brett Keeping says while the rain is a welcome relief for the vines, if it continues for too long it could generate a fungal disease on the grapes. Our preference would be that we got a bit of rain and then it cleared up and let us get on with examining after the vineyards and getting on with the countdown to harvest. "We're on the count down to harvest now."

.The Federal Government has been called on to develop a fresh approach to the way it deals with asylum seekers, as the remaining 63 refugees from the Oceanic Viking wait to learn their fate. Two from the group have been sent to Melbourne and 13 others were taken in by Canada. . "It's a new year approaching very quickly. Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young says it is time the Government revealed where it will send the rest, including any incentives offered to other countries to take the refugees. "Let's start with an approach that puts people first and ensures that we manage refugees and their concerns and their issues and needs humanely, safely and quickly. Let's start with a fresh approach," she said." Senator Hanson-Young says the remaining refugees from the Oceanic Viking should be brought to Australia sooner rather than later. "The deadline is almost upon us and yet we haven't got any real indication as to how many of those people will come to Australia. "What we do know is that the timeframe the Government set and agreed with both Indonesia and the asylum seekers themselves, who are of course now been found to be refugees, is quickly running out," she said. Around half of the extra 200 beds are already available for use." Meanwhile, the Government says extra demountables have been placed at Christmas Island, increasing the capacity of the immigration detention facility to 1,700 places. It will also spend million improving wastewater management and electricity supplies, as well as employing more health and education workers on the island to cope with the increased demands. The Government has been forced to substantially increase the facility's capacity after an influx of asylum seekers, many of them from Sri Lanka.

.Airlines flying between the United States and Australia say they are confident no other destinations will be hit by new security measures imposed on America-bound passengers. The latest measures, which include physical searches of passengers and their luggage, have been introduced after an attempt was made to blow up a plane over Detroit on Christmas Day. Qantas spokesperson David Epstein says the new checks at departure gates have gone smoothly so far and he does not expect more destinations to be affected. Passengers will also be banned from using pillows or blankets or leaving their seats during the last hour of a flight. "You should be able to pass through the normal first stage of security like you have been in the last few months. "From an Australian point of view, we can manage this," he said." Mr Epstein says he is not sure how long the extra security checks for passengers heading to the US will last. "And then for those people flying to the US, there'll be extra security measures at the departure gate to the aircraft. "All of the airlines are working with the International Air Transport Association to try and ensure the US can manage this as quickly as possible, with minimum inconvenience to customers while still protecting everyone's interests. "We've just got to wait until US authorities work this through," he said. "It's important that we respond in an objective way, rather than in an emotional way," he said." Federal Transport Minister Anthony Albanese says the Government will work with US officials to ensure further incidents are averted. We are constantly monitoring the situation and will take advice from the security agencies. "Our aviation security is on medium alert." Mr Albanese says he cannot rule out introducing even tougher measures depending on the outcome of the US investigation. "We remain ready to make changes to whatever security agencies deemed necessary in order to ensure the security and the safety of the travelling public. . - 'Over the top' - However, an aviation analyst says some of the new security measures being imposed on US-bound passengers need to be reconsidered. "After all, people on aeroplanes need perhaps an extra pillow to make them more comfortable, and I think they should take a look at that. "It does seem a bit over the top to me and I think a bit of common sense would help in these circumstances," he said."

.Thunderstorms rolling across parts of central and north western New South Wales this evening could increase the risk of flooding. The State Emergency Service says there is currently minor to moderate flooding along the Paroo, Culgoa, Narran and Castlereagh rivers, mainly on rural properties, some of which are isolated. Rain has already drenched parts of the north-west and central west of the state with Mount Seaview in the north receiving the highest rainfall at 106 millimetres. Minor flood warnings have been issued for Mendooran in the central west and the Bokhara River. Up to 80 millimetres has fallen on parts of the central west slopes. SES Spokesman Phil Campbell says it is also closely monitoring the effects of new thunderstorms. The main community of concern is Coonamble - currently the Castlereagh River at the town is dry, but the SES says floodwaters are moving towards it. "Some of these thunderstorms are bringing very heavy rain and flash flooding," he said." More rain in the Hunter has caused a flood watch to be placed on the Hunter River for the possibility of flooding in the next 24 to 48 hours. "The concern for the SES is that this will add to already swollen rivers and streams and may cause some main river flooding to develop in the coming 24 hours. More rain is forecast towards the east of New South Wales for tomorrow. - Farmers grateful - The New South Wales Premier says heavy rainfall across the state has been a blessing for farmers. "What farmers said to us when we visited rural and regional parts of the state was while government support was important, what they really needed was rain," she said. Premier Kristina Keneally says some children in regional parts of the state had not seen rain before Christmas day. "This week, what we've seen in this part of the state, that rain come down - something that children and families have celebrated. ."

.More rainfall is expected for the north-east of New South Wales in the next 24 hours as the remnants of ex Tropical Cyclone Laurence pass across the state. Rain has already drenched parts of the north-west and central west of the state with Mount Seaview in the north receiving the highest rainfall at 106 millimetres. The Bureau of Meteorology's Chris Webb says the north-east will now be getting more rain. Minor flood warnings have issued for Mendooran in the central west and the Culgoa and Bokhara rivers. "In the 24 hours to 9:00 am there was an area just to the west of Port Macquarie that picked up some heavy rainfall, 106 millimetres at Mount Seaview. "This afternoon, overnight and through tomorrow, I guess late tomorrow the region of rainfall should start to contract a bit further towards the north-east of the state, sort of further towards the north east quarter," he said. The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a flood watch for the Castlereagh, Lower Namoi, Lower Macquarie and Bogan Rivers. "That was the heaviest fall in the state, but we've also some in the 50 to 60 mill range in the upper part of the Hunter," he said. Farmers have welcomed the Christmas rains, which have soaked many areas that had been drought-stricken in the state's west. It is also warning of local flooding in the Paroo River and along the Barwon Darling River between Collarenebri and Brewarrina. Meanwhile, out-of-area SES crews will not be stood down in central western parts of the state, even though rainfall has not reached the levels forecast on Christmas Eve. The regions that have benefited the most from good rain falls in the last 24 hours has been the Castlereagh catchment which has been in drought since mid last year. But he says because the low pressure system is slow-moving and unpredictable crews will remain on standby. Macquarie Region SES controller David Monk says ex-Tropical Cyclone Laurence has delivered less rain than initially thought. . "We've put them on shifts so that they actually relieve the local crews so that's giving everybody a good opportunity just to have a bit of a rest and make sure all the plans are in place," he said

. Officers resorted to their firearms after trying other methods to calm an irate grandfather who died after being shot by police on Christmas day. The man, aged in his 40s, was shot three times during the incident which occurred inside a home at Lisarow on the NSW Central Coast about 4.30pm (AEDT) on Friday. Two male senior constables and a female probationary constable were called to a neighbourhood dispute at the address. He died a short time later at Gosford Hospital. "The three police officers at the premises used a variety of tactics to try and defuse the situation but ultimately a number of shots were fired by the police officers occasioning three wounds to the male person. "They entered a dwelling and were confronted by the male, allegedly in an agitated state, armed with a knife," Acting Assistant Commissioner Geoff McKechnie told reporters at Gosford on Saturday." The incident lasted for only "minutes" and officers immediately rendered first aid to the man until paramedics arrived, Mr McKechnie said. Mr McKechnie could not confirm how many shots were fired in total but said only the two male senior constables discharged their weapons. "We are investigating the full circumstances of the matter but I can say at this stage that police used a range of tactics in terms of their verbal communications, their appointments, including OC (capsicum) spray and baton and subsequently their firearms," he said. Reports that the man was shot in front of his children have not been confirmed but Mr McKechnie said there were other people in the house at the time of the shooting. "One of the officers has been trained in Tasers but he's a highway officer, he works as a single unit and therefore doesn't carry a Taser," he said. However, Mr McKechnie said a member of the public called police on Friday as a result of the man's behaviour. . He declined to confirm if the man was known to police. He declined to confirm if the man was known to police.. "There was an escalation of force . tactics were deployed, obviously the officers at that point felt that the only option available to them was to use their firearms to protect themselves, which they did," Mr McKechnie said..