Basic fix-it skills lost

Robert Shaw shows how to hang a picture. Picture: Matthew Poon Source: PerthNow

A GENERATION that is time poor and more likely to own an X-Box than a tool box means basic "dad skills'' like fixing a tap or hanging a picture are being lost.

Owner of Perth handyman service Men Behaving Handy, Caroline Devenish-Meares, said young people were more likely to call a professional when something goes wrong in the house than roll up their sleeves and attempt to fix it themselves.

She said her company has been called out for the most basic of tasks, like assembling flat packs and even taking rubbish to the tip.

``People are a lot more time deprived now,'' she said. ``They don't want to spend time figuring out how to do things.

``And the younger generation are not going out and buying the basic screwdrivers, hammers or drills their parents or grandparents would have had.

``They'd rather get a company like us to do it.''

Master Builders Association state president Robert Shaw blamed technology for people losing the skills to do basic tasks around the house.

And, he said it wasn't just Gen Y that didn't know how to unclog a drain or fix a leaky tap.

``Even people my age are busy doing things on technology and its taking away from time we would have spent with our sons and nephews messing around in a shed,'' he said.

However, Mr Shaw said technology wasn't all bad news - it could be a great help for DIY information.

``In the past you either had to be that way inclined or your father, grandfather or a relation would show you,'' he said. ``But these days you can use technology to your advantage.

``You can actually have that advice you want on hand  straight away.''

Social research Mark McCrindle said because young people were more likely to rent than own their home they were happier to outsource repairs - or simply buy something new.

``Traditionally, skills were handed down from father to son, but in this You-Tube era, young people get their training directly and on a `just-in-time' basis,'' he said. ``They are more likely to have skills in the areas that are directly relevant to them than skills that are there just-in-case.''

MBA WA president Robert Shaw's guide for five "dad skills''

Robert Shaw showing how to fix / install 5 common house hold problems. How to fix a leaky tap. Picture: Matthew Poon Source: PerthNow

Changing a washer in a machine tap

1.            Turn the water off at the metre
2.            Drain the water in the tap by turning it on and leave this on while changing the washer.
3.            Remove the handle and body of the tap, and then remove the spindle with a wrench.
4.            Replace the old washer with a new one and put back into the body of the tap.
5.            Replace the other parts and tighten. 
*Note: there are different size washers. Take a photo of your tap and washer before you go to the hardware store so you can be sure you buy the right one. If in doubt of how to put it back together , take photos when initially removing parts step-by-step.

Robert Shaw showing how to fix / install 5 common house hold problems. How to clean a blocked drain pipe. Picture: Matthew Poon Source: PerthNow

Unclogging a drain

1.            Make sure you have a bucket ready to go.
2.            Unscrew the bolts around the S-trap and place in the bucket.
3.            You will notice sludge inside, remove this from the piping into the bucket.
4.            Take your bucket and the S-trap outside and wash out with a hose.
5.            Then simply reassemble back into place.
*Note: There are several different causes of blockages. The majority can be cleared with a plunger or a worm which you feed by twisting it down the drain pipe to clear the blockage. The most common type of blockage is in girls bathrooms where hair and makeup builds up in the S-trap. The S-trap is the piping directly underneath a basin.

Robert Shaw showing how to fix / install 5 common house hold problems. Robert takes a photo of his toilet problem on his iPhone, so he can take it to a hardware store to see if they can give him the right part. Picture: Matthew Poon Source: PerthNow

Leaking Toilet

1.            First establish the problem by taking a photo and heading to the hardware store.
2.            You can buy cheap kits that can help you to fix the leak.
3.            Come back and remove the cistern lid (there is generally no screws to hold these in place) then simply remove the parts that need replacing and put back into place.

Robert Shaw showing how to fix / install 5 common house hold problems. Robert hanging a picture. Picture: Matthew Poon Source: PerthNow

Hanging a picture

1.            You need to get your tools ready -a vacuum, hammer drill, wall plug or a knock-in nail.
2.            Measure the height of your frame and then divide into two this is your central point. Measure the central point of the frame to the hanging cord.
3.            Think about the height you want things on the wall. Robert uses 1650mm as it is a good centre height for people walking into the room. Add together your preferred wall height to the height between the centre of the frame and the hanging cord. This is where you want to place your screw.
4.            Grab your drill and vacuum cleaner and begin drilling your hole.
5.            Then hammer in your knock-in nail and hang picture.

Robert Shaw showing how to fix / install 5 common house hold problems. Robert taking off a door as part of 'how to fix a tight door', pulling out one of the two door pins. Picture: Matthew Poon Source: PerthNow

Fixing a sticking door

1.            Make sure you have a punch or a hammer.
2.            Remove your door by knocking out the pin in your hinges and lift off.
3.            Measure how much you need to remove from the door. Usually you allow 2.5mm margin.
4.            Mark it off and start to plane your door.
5.            After sand it off and finish it with paint.

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Heroic gran tells of stabbing chaos

Peggy Kew acted bravely when two women were attacked in a hair salon. Picture: Ross Swanborough Source: PerthNow

FOR Peggy Kew it was meant to be just another Monday morning trip to the local hair salon. But within minutes the grandmother of 10 became an unlikely hero in the middle of chaos.

The Sunday Times can today reveal that Ms Kew was the 67-year-old grandmother at Plush Hair salon in Como on Monday who, in her own words, "tried desperately" to help Angela Ferullo and her daughter, Selina Bello.

Police will allege a man entered the salon that morning intending to kill Ms Ferullo and her daughter.

Armed with a knife, the man allegedly attacked Ms Bello first before turning on her mother.

Customers sat frozen in fear, until Ms Kew stood up, threw a chair at the man and demanded he leave.

"All I could think of was picking up the chair and hitting him on the head - and that's what I did," Ms Kew told The Sunday Times.

Police will allege the man then turned the knife on Ms Kew and stabbed her in the chest and shoulder.

Ms Ferullo, a 43-year-old mother of four, died in hospital later that day from her injuries, while Ms Bello, who is five months pregnant with a baby boy, suffered serious injuries and has spent the week in hospital.

In an emotional interview this week, Ms Kew said she didn't see herself as a hero.

"A lady has died and I've got my friend Selina in hospital," she said. "I was trying desperately to save both of them."

She said Ms Ferullo was in a back room of the salon, but quickly emerged into the main parlour when the man came in.

Ms Kew said "all I could think of" was trying to help.

"But I don't feel like a hero at all," she said. "If you were to ask me who is the real hero, it's Angela, Selina's mother."

Ms Kew's stab wounds were treated at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital. She was discharged on Tuesday afternoon. "I didn't even know I had been injured," she said. "It's still very raw and it's such a terrible thing what has happened.

"I am trying to put it in the back of my mind."

Ms Kew revealed also that she had spoken to Ms Bello in hospital on Thursday night and had a "good chat" with the expectant mother. She described the 22-year-old as a "beautiful girl".

Ms Kew's son, Mark, praised the emergency service personnel and hospital staff who helped his mother.

"They have all been exceptional and really good to her," he said.

Ms Ferullo's former husband, James Bill Payet, 48, has been charged.

He faces one count each of murder, attempted murder and aggravated wounding.

He faced a bedside court hearing this week and will appear in court again on July 31.

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Plan for booze on Good Friday

Alcohol bans on Good Friday and other public holidays may be scrapped. Picture: Supplied Source: Supplied

THE scrapping of booze bans on Good Friday, Christmas Day and Anzac Day is being considered as part of a major overhaul of WA's alcohol licensing laws.

The Tourism Council of WA said outdated laws that prevented bottle shops and nightclubs from opening on religious holidays, and force pubs to close early on public holidays, were costing the state money.

Under a plan put to a Government committee reviewing WA's liquor laws, the council also called for Sunday trading restrictions  such as forcing pubs to close at 10pm instead of midnight  to be scrapped.

Tourism Council WA chief executive Evan Hall told The Sunday Times that he met members of the committee this week to convince them of the merits of the plan.

Mr Hall said food and alcohol experiences were the single most popular activities among visitors to WA  well ahead of shopping, the beach and nature-based activities.

Removing holiday liquor restrictions would be a "huge step forward" for the state as a tourism destination, he said.

Under WA's existing laws, liquor stores are prevented from opening on Christmas Day and Good Friday and can open only between noon and 10pm on Anzac Day.

Nightclubs are also forced to close on Christmas Day and Good Friday, while pubs and small bars can serve liquor from noon to 10pm with a meal.

Mr Hall said he understood why some people might object to selling alcohol on these days, but it was up to the Government, not individuals, to decide if it should be allowed.

 "Other states like Victoria manage to do this perfectly well," he said. "Europe manages to do this perfectly well.

"I just don't understand why somehow we're different."

But Australian Christian Lobby state director Rhys Vallance said public holidays and Sundays were important family times and should not be exploited for money.

"As Christians we still see Christmas Day and Good Friday as sacred," Mr Vallance said. "They're also great opportunities, even if you're not a practising Christian, to have time together as a family."

Mr Hall said he did not believe the interests of tourism and hospitality businesses outweighed those of public health, but said licences were too often refused without a proper risk assessment being carried out.

The review committee will report to Racing, Gaming and Liquor Minister Terry Waldron later this year.
 

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Sex offender trackers don't work

GPS monitoring devices drop out in big buildings. Picture: Supplied Source: Herald Sun

GPS devices that are supposed to track our worst child-sex predators lose their signal inside big buildings - including shopping centres.

The State Government has admitted the devices, which were recently fitted to 18 offenders, have "building mass limitations".

"They work like mobile phones so there may be black spots," a Corrective Services spokesman said.

 "Some shopping centres may be affected."

This is despite a shopping centre being the scene of one of the state's most shocking child-sex crimes  when Sofia Rodriguez-Urrutia-Shu, 8, was raped and killed inside a centre toilet in Canning Vale.

The Sunday Times can reveal the technology is so limited that one of the 18 offenders fitted with them contacted the newspaper this week to say he constantly "goes off the grid".

The dangerous sex offender claimed he was phoned several times last week because authorities could not pick up his location.

He said the device had blacked out in underground carparks, shopping centres, regional areas and even in his own home.

He sent a picture showing his signal had been lost inside a shopping centre.

The offender said he was speaking out because he believed the devices were ineffective and no deterrent.

"I've cleaned up my act and I've done enough jail time to know I don't want to go back," he said. "But they're lying to the general public when they say these things work. It's a joke." A Corrective Services spokesman said the department carried out tests on the devices before they were rolled out and found "some places had better coverage than others".

"It's another tool in our arsenal for monitoring dangerous sex offenders," he said.

The Barnett Government has previously said the GPS tracking devices would be a vital tool to monitor sex offenders.

But in April, The Sunday Times revealed the company awarded the $750,000 contract to provide the ankle bracelets had been dumped in California for producing devices "inundated with defects".

The Corrective Services spokesman said they were working to "address issues" with the new bracelets.

"When an alert is received that there is no GPS signal an automated message is sent to the offender to go outside to enable the system to re-establish GPS connection," he said.

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Julia graceful when I switched: Bill

In parliament, Kevin Rudd chats with Bill Shorten, the Victorian powerbroker who switched his support to the new Prime Minister just before the Labor leadership vote. Picture: Kym Smith Source: The Australian

BILL Shorten broke the news to Julia Gillard by telephone that she had lost his support, in what he describes as a painful decision that has cost him lifelong friendships.

The man who wants to be Labor leader and prime minister one day has now played a role in cutting down the past two Labor PMs, earning him the nickname "Bill the Knife".

Some people are calling him a "rat" or "turncoat" for switching his support to Kevin Rudd.

One MP said Mr Shorten "would forever be known as someone who knifed two prime ministers in three years".

One of his friendships under enormous strain is with Paul Howes, a co-conspirator and "faceless man" in the 2010 coup against Mr Rudd.

Mr Howes heads Mr Shorten's former union, the Australian Workers Union, and backed Ms Gillard.

"Some friends won't be my friends any more," Mr Shorten told the Herald Sun. "Some people will so disagree with what I believe in my heart of hearts, that they won't like me any more.

"Some people will say unkind things, but what I realise is you've got to be true to yourself above all else. I hoped it wouldn't get to this."

For weeks, despite a widespread belief his support for Ms Gillard was wobbly, Mr Shorten repeatedly pledged it, including just hours before the vote.

A visibly exhausted Mr Shorten said he had been talking to people in his electorate for "two to three weeks" about the leadership and found voters had "switched off" from Ms Gillard.

He said he made up his mind only after Ms Gillard called the spill and Mr Rudd said he would stand.

Incongruously, he decided the best way to protect Ms Gillard's legacy - such as carbon pricing, the National Disability Insurance Scheme and education changes - was to switch to Mr Rudd.

"It's sad. Only she could have accomplished what she's accomplished, yet it is he who is the most likely to protect what she has accomplished," he said.

"I don't know how to give up. To do nothing would be, in my opinion, giving up."

At 6pm on Wednesday, an hour before the leadership showdown, Mr Shorten telephoned Ms Gillard.

"I indicated, after three years of very strong support, I felt that Kevin Rudd would give the Australian nation and people who believe in the Labor cause the best choice," he said.

He said Tony Abbott would have won control of the Senate as well as the House of Representatives.

"I wasn't evaluating her as a person. I was saying we're more likely to win and to provide the strongest possible alternative to the Coalition."

He would not reveal what she said. "She was courteous and she was graceful."

He then rang Mr Rudd.

Mr Shorten said he did not seek any personal gain for his support.

Having been one of the strongest critics of Mr Rudd, he said he now believed the man he helped axe had changed.

"He certainly demonstrated to me that he would be a more consultative Prime Minister, and he said that he had learned a lot in the last three years."

Mr Shorten conceded his five years in politics had been bruising. "Do I think I've made mistakes along the way? Absolutely."

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Kids taken away after freeway pursuit

The woman was spotted driving erratically on the Mitchell Freeway.

A BABY and a two-year-old have been taken into care after a woman was spotted driving erratically on one of Perth's busiest stretches of freeway.

At around 3.15pm today, police began receiving reports of a woman in a white Holden Commodore driving dangerously on the Mitchell Freeway, swerving across lanes and hitting side barriers without stopping.

Police said a concerned motorist followed the vehicle with their hazard lights on to alert other motorists, while speaking to police on the phone.

A WA police vehicle was upgraded to highest pursuit authority to intercept vehicle, and the car was eventually stopped.

One female was taken into custody, and police took two children in the car - one baby and one two-year-old - into care.
 

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Pregnant salon stabbing victim thanks supporters

Como hairdresser Angela Ferullo, who was stabbed to death on Monday in her salon. Her former partner has been charged with her murder.  Picture: Facebook Source: PerthNow

A YOUNG woman stabbed in an attack which claimed her mother's life has thanked her friends, family and the community for their support during a "tragic and truly difficult time."

Selina Bello, 22, is recovering in hospital after she and her mother Angela Ferullo, 43, were attacked at their Como hair salon 10.30am on Monday.

Ms Ferullo died from her injuries but Ms Bello, who is five months pregnant, survived.

In a public Facebook post today, Ms Bello said that she was recovering in hospital and hoped to be released as soon as possible.

"I'd like to personally thank everyone from the bottom of my heart for all your concern, prayers and condolences through this tragic time my family and I are facing," Ms Bello wrote.

"Myself and my baby boy are recovering slowly in hospital. I am hoping to be out with my family as soon as possible.

Tributes laid at the Como hair salon where Angie Ferullo was stabbed to death. Picture: Kerris Berrington

"Thank you once again to all our family, close friends and to the community for your ongoing support through this truly difficult time."

Earlier today, a Como business owner described the moment he heard chilling screams and saw a pool of blood inside the salon where the pair was working on Monday.

Neill Tenio was setting up umbrellas at his kebab shop on South Tce when a woman opened the door at the salon 10m away and screamed for help.

"I heard some yelling and screaming," Mr Tenio told PerthNow.

"I looked in the window and I saw Selina and her mum lying there. I saw blood everywhere.

Pregnant Selina Bello is recovering in hospital after being stabbed at her Como hairdressing salon. Her mother Angela Ferullo was killed in the attack. Picture: Facebook

"Selina is not just a customer, she is a friend. She is so polite and friendly to everybody."

Police have confirmed a 67-year-old woman who was a customer in the salon at the time tried desperately to help the mother and daughter by hitting their attacker with a chair.

Early this morning, police officers from the Major Crime Squad charged a 48-year-old Success man with one count of murder, one count of attempted murder and one count of aggravated wounding.

The man is currently under police guard in hospital and faced a bedside hearing today.

It's expected further charges will also be laid.

James Bill Payet was arrested over the incident when he attended St John of God Murdoch Hospital on Monday afternoon.
 

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Feral fans boo Brownlow champ Watson

Essendon players surround captain Jobe Watson after the win. Picture: Daniel Wilkins Source: News Limited

WEST Coast fans have been criticised for booing Brownlow Medalist Jobe Watson during the Eagles' loss at Patersons Stadium

The Bombers captain was loudly booed by the parochial West Australian crowd throughout the match as he played his first game since his public admission to taking a potentially banned drug.

Ironically, he was instrumental in the dying minutes and helped Essendon win by seven points. Watson was in tears after the match.

Essendon coach James Hird said he was disappointed by the treatment of Watson by West Coast fans.Former Richmond champion Matthew Richardson labelled the Eagles crowd "a disgrace" and ex-Western Bulldogs ruckman Luke Darcy said he was "staggered" by the treatment Watson copped and questioned whether it was in the spirit of the game.

The game: How the Dons stunned the Eagles

"With all these boos, makes you realise how good Jobe Watson is and how often he touches the footy!!" Adelaide Crows player Sam Jacobs posted on Twitter during the match.

Comedian Peter Helliar posted: "Anyone booing Jobe Watson tonight is very, very average indeed".

"Jobe Watson with a mark on the goal line and converts as boos ring out" 6PR radio posted during the game.

Other users said it showed West Coast fans were "officially the ugliest in the game".

Last year, Geelong coach Chris Scott labelled West Coast supporters as the worst in the AFL, declaring he would never want to take his kids to a match at Patersons Stadium.

Scott was left aghast at some of the abuse directed at Tom Hawkins and the Cats' medical staff while the Geelong forward was being stretchered from the ground during a Friday night game.

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Follow Pink's first Perth show live

PINK'S first concert of her 46-show Australian tour kicks off tonight and PerthNow will bring you a live review.

Special guests The Kin will open her first of four sold-out The Truth About Love Tour shows in Perth tonight, with the pop princess expected to be on stage for two hours - which includes her singing in a spinning cage and dangling mid-air from a rope.

Follow the live tweets here and tweet us your own @PerthNow with the hashtag #pinkinperth

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Why Russell Crowe backs Gillard

The latest trailer for Man Of Steel sees villain General Zod demanding the people of Earth hand over Superman or else

THE offensive Liberal Party dinner menu that compared Julia Gillard to a quail was the catalyst for Russell Crowe to throw his support behind the embattled PM.

"If you wrote that about my mum, or my sister, or my wife, I'd be deeply, deeply offended and I would want to have a serious chat with you,'' Russell Crowe said today after The Man of Steel premiere, in which he plays Superman's father Jor-El.

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"I don't think you have to engage in politics without gallantry,'' Crowe said.

"The office of the Prime Minister is the office of the Prime Minister and whoever is Prime Minister still deserves respect."

Lewd menu "a pattern of behaviour": Gillard

Gillard demands brough's head over menu

In his tweet in support of Gillard, Crowe also gave a shout out to Liberal MP Malcolm Turnbull.

Reading between the lines, it seems obvious that Crowe is not a huge fan of Tony Abbott fan.

"You are painting me in a corner, which is your job.

"But all other political personalities aside, Readers Digest just published a list of the most trusted people in Australia - I came in 52nd this time. I am coming up the charts.

"Malcolm Turnbull (at No 68) was the most trusted politician in Australia..

"So I am not the only person who has noticed his facility to hold a position of authority and still hold on to his personal beliefs which is extremely important if you are going to be the leader of a nation.''

###

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Stab victim 'excited' about motherhood

Como hairdresser Angela Ferullo, who was stabbed to death yesterday in her salon. Picture: Facebook Source: PerthNow

PREGNANT stab victim Selina Bello was "so excited" about being a new mum and was looking forward to her baby's November birth.

Police are yet to interview the 48-year-old man arrested yesterday in connection with the stabbing of the two women, Angela Ferullo, 43, and Selina Bello, 22, at their South Terrace hair salon.

Selina's boyfriend today thanked everyone for their kind thoughts, posting on Facebook: "Thank you everyone for your love and prayers."

It is understood Ms Bello is having surgery today.

A RPH spokesman said she was in a stable condition, but would not release further details about her condition or pregnancy.

Her and her mother were attacked inside Ms Ferullo's hairdressing salon on South Terrace about 10.30am yesterday morning.

Flowers laid at the front of the Plush Hair salon on Como where Angela Ferullo and her daughter Selina Bello were stabbed. Picture: Kerris Berrington.

See pictures from the Como hairdressing salon murder crime scene 

Ms Ferullo died from her injuries and her daughter suffered serious injuries.

Selina Bello. Picture: Facebook. Source: PerthNow

Ms Bello's Facebook page is filled with posts about her pregnancy, showing how excited she was at the prospect of becoming a first-time mum.

Just last week she wrote: "Our baby furniture arrived!!!! Eeek!!."

A few days before that, on June 18, she wrote of how her baby's due date had been moved.

"So my doctor's appointment yesterday informed me my due date had changed…to the 26th November, this baby won't make its mind up!!."

On May 31 she wrote: "Woke up today so excited about this thought, by the beginning of December this year I'm going to be a mummy even though pregnancy is nothing like I thought it would be it's all going to be worth it when I'm holding my little baby in my arms."

Como hairdresser Angela Ferullo died and her daughter Selina Bello was injured after a stabbing in Como. Picture: Kerris Berrington

A close friend of Ms Ferullo, Marylin Davies, who runs the Cartridge World outlet just a few doors down from the salon, described Angela as "a beautiful person and a close friend.''

"She was beautiful, she was bubbly and she was always happy,'' Ms Davies said.

"She was excellent at her job, really excellent, it is just so sad.''

Ms Davies said Ms Ferullo had recently got a job working fly-in-fly-out at a Karratha minesite, but was still helping run the salon when she was back in Perth.

"She had just started that about three months ago and she was really enjoying it.

"But she was my hairdresser, she did my hair and make-up for my wedding. It's only starting to hit home. Yesterday I was thinking this can't be happening.''

Several bouquets of flowers were laid outside the salon today, one with loving message, saying: "Angie, it was too soon, Love Margot.''

Another read: "Rest in peace Angie. Your kindness and support will never be forgotten. Wonderful mother, much respect."

Another read: "Rest in peace Angie. You were a beautiful person."

A mobile police facility was set up just outside the salon entrance just before 11am today and forensic officers continued to swarm over the crime scene.

Ms Ferullo last updated her Facebook page with this haunting post on Saturday:

Stabbing victim Angela Ferullo. Picture: Facebook.

Late yesterday police arrested a 48-year-old man in connection to the stabbing.

The man was arrested without incident after he attended St John of God Hospital in Murdoch yesterday afternoon with self-inflicted wounds.

A police spokesman said this morning the man remained under police guard at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital but had not yet been questioned.

A SCGH spokeswoman said this morning the man was in a stable condition.

Police said yesterday: "The man has serious but non-life threatening injuries and is has not yet been able to be interviewed."

Yesterday, Major Crime Squad detective Gene Pears said there were a number of people inside the salon when both women were stabbed during an altercation.

Police are interviewing witnesses.

"I imagine it was pretty horrific, absolutely, and I feel for the people who were there," Det-Insp Pears said yesterday.

Owners of a nearby business said they were "shocked" and "devastated" by the incident. 

A woman has died after a stabbing in Como. Picture: Kerris Berrington. Source: PerthNow

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Man found guilty of cowardly assault

Sidney Brady after being bashed by Allan Ronald James Poland in 2011. Picture: Supplied.

Sidney Brady, who was the victim of a violent bashing in his daughter's Dianella home in October, 2011. Picture: Kaitlyn Offer Source: PerthNow

A MAN accused of a brutal attack on a 91-year-old man has been found guilty by a Perth jury.

Late this afternoon Allan Ronald James Poland, 32, was found guilty on all charges including a charge of aggravated grievous bodily harm against Sidney Brady.

It took the District Court jury nine and a half hours over two days to reach a verdict.

As the jury's decision was read out to the court, there were sighs of relief from members of the Brady family.

Elderly victim gives evidence at assault trial

Sidney Brady, now 91, was brutally bashed his daughter's Dianella home in 2011.

Mr Brady was looking after his daughter Wendy Walker's sick dog while she and her husband went out for dinner.

During the evening he heard a knock at the front door, but before he had a chance to answer it, a man burst through the door and assaulted him.

Today a jury found Poland was that man.

The prosecution argued Poland was the only one forensically linked to the scene.

He admitted to burgling the house, but denied the attack on the basis that there were times when the actions of at least two people he was with that night, his brother and a friend, were unaccounted for, leaving it open for them to have been responsible for the beating.

During the trial, Mr Brady told the jury how he had gone from living an independent life, living alone in a retirement village and practising his violin daily, to needing a wheelchair, being blind in one eye, living with his daughter and needing a full-time carer.

Sidney Brady's daughter Wendy Walker and partner John Bradford speak to reporters outside of the court. Picture: Richard Polden Source: PerthNow

The grandfather received two black eyes, the left with a fractured socket.

He also suffered broken ribs, deeps cuts to his right arm, bruising to his chest and leg, and bruising and bleeding on the brain, and spent two months in Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital.

Outisde court this evening, Mr Brady's two daughters said they were happy the family's ordeal was finished.

"I'm just really happy it's over and he's (Poland) found guilty of all the charges," Sharon Sargant said.

She said sitting in on the trial had been traumatic.

"It was horrible," Ms Sargant said. "I just wanted to see who this person was."

Ms Walker's husband John Bradford said Mr Brady now lived with the couple.

"He spent 18 days in intensive care and two months in hospital," Mr Bradford said.

"My wife had to give her job up, I've retired, and it's been a big change of life for all of us.

"The most important thing is Sid is very happy with us at home and we're very grateful for that."

They said they now hoped for a stern sentence to reflect the severity of the crime.

"People can't go around doing these things to an 89-year-old man. They don't think about the victims or even their own families, for that matter," said Mr Bradford.

Mr Brady's relatives also thanked the hospital staff who cared for him and Mirrabooka Detectives.

Poland will be sentenced in October.

Twitter: @KaitlynPST

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Shameful acts on Perth trains exposed

This video taken on a train from Perth to Clarkson, shows a girl who refused to move her things from the nearby seats, even when asked by a seven month pregnant woman.

The Sunday Times joined two Perth train guards for a ride down the Armadale train line, to see what a night can bring out on Perth trains. Perth transit officers Geoff Rogers (42) and Neil Otway (32). Picture: Matthew Poon Source: PerthNow

FOUL language, sexist and racist comments and rudeness from other passengers have become commonplace for commuters on Perth trains - forcing some passengers to return to choked roads instead.

The Sunday Times rode Perth's five train lines during peak hour and at night, and found commuters were forced to put up with swearing, obscene conversations, passengers who shoved in front of mothers with prams and others who refused to stand for the elderly.

It comes in the same week a video was posted online showing a young woman calling a pregnant woman a "fat f---" because the expectant mother asked her to move her belongings from a seat so she could sit down.

The footage now has more than 20,000 hits on Facebook, YouTube and PerthNow and has generated hundreds of comments, including from pregnant women who said rudeness on trains made them "ashamed of fellow humanity" and no longer use them.

"Not only would people refuse to offer me a seat but the train would be so unbelievably full that I was afraid someone would bump into me. Eventually I chose to drive instead," one Perth commuter named Stacey commented.

Last month, a woman was caught on camera racially abusing a passenger on a train in East Perth. And in May, footage of transit officers breaking up a brawl on another Perth train went viral on social media.

RAC head of member advocacy Matt Brown urged the Public Transport Authority to "adopt a zero-tolerance policy towards this behaviour by fining troublemakers up to $500 and banning repeat and serious offenders from the system".

Many journeys passed without incident, but on other train trips this week passengers were subjected to:

- A tirade of swearing as four men in their 20s loudly discussed how they were going to "f--- up" a rival and "slit his throat".

- A sexist rant between two men, one who said he hated his former girlfriends and wanted to "kill" the mother of his child because "she's a bitch".

- A commuter crush as about 20 people waiting on a platform at Perth station pushed in front of a mother with a pram.

- An elderly woman forced to stand while schoolchildren had their feet on seats.

- A loud conversation between a young man and two young women about masturbation, one simulating sex acts.

PTA spokesman David Hynes said that while more people were filming incidents on phones, "we believe the types of incidents being recorded are on the decline".

"Though you might not always like the look, smell or even language of a fellow passenger, this doesn't mean that public transport is unsafe  it simply shows that anti-social behaviour is not restricted to pubs. The media-driven, including social media, perception that public transport is dangerous is not supported by surveys of people who use our services on a regular basis."

Transit officer Geoff Rogers, 42, said every train had posters urging passengers to show respect and "the vast majority do the right thing, though the odd one needs reminding".

Percy Institute of International Protocol founder and etiquette expert Louise Percy said it was "not a youth problem or a public transport problem, but a lack of respect permeating every level of Australian society".

"We're quick to blame kids. Many lack respect but they're not born bad-mannered, they learn that," she said.

University of WA's Centre for Child and Adolescent Related Disorders director Stephen Houghton said young people acted in an anti-social or "non-conforming" way to gain status.

"Reputation is one of the most significant factors why young people behave the way they do," Prof Houghton said. "Engaging in behaviour that would shock or offend, and establishing that reputation because it has status."

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Chinese embassy under scrutiny

The new Chinese Embassy in Canberra. Picture: Gary Ramage Source: News Limited

AUSTRALIA will fire off a "please explain" to the Chinese Government following evidence of "highly dangerous" worker conditions at its top-secret new embassy in Canberra.

In a move that could strain relations with the communist superpower, China has been accused of playing "Russian roulette" with workers' lives and breaching a confidential agreement.

Foreign Minister Bob Carr has ordered his department to "immediately" contact the Chinese Embassy and raise concerns over safety following an investigation by News Ltd.

A look at the building site. Picture: Gary Ramage

A series of photos - taken by News Ltd photographer Gary Ramage - reveals construction workers operating in what experts claim are highly unsafe "third world" conditions.

In a deal struck while Kevin Rudd was Prime Minister, China is allowed to ship in a team of workers on diplomatic visas to build the embassy - with local workplace safety officers and union officials banned from the site.

Oakes: Labor wonder if Rudd is the answer

But photographic evidence reveals a raft of likely breaches of Australian building standards and occupational health and safety laws.

Workers dig at the site of the new embassy. Picture: Gary Ramage

Three workers are viewed digging a deep overhead trench which has not been reinforced to prevent dangerous cave-ins. Under Australian laws, any trench with a depth of 1.5 metres or more must undergo a series of safety measures.

And two of the three workers also appear to be without even basic safety gear, such as hard hats and other protective equipment.

ACT Work Safety Commissioner, Mark McCabe, said the photos raised "serious concerns" over safety and suggested it showed China's "poor culture" when it came to building standards.

Dean Hall, head of the Construction Forestry Mining and Engineering Union's ACT branch, accused China of playing "Russian roulette" with the workers, who are understood to number around 30 and who are immune from local laws.

"These photos leave little doubt that China is breaching local building and OH &S standards," Mr Hall said, calling for the site - just a few minutes from federal parliament - to be closed down.

"Just taking (the photos) at face value, it would appear to be evidence that the Chinese construction process is not complying with Australian law," Mr McCabe said.

Questions have been raised about the working conditions at the site. Picture: Gary Ramage

He met with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to raise his concerns after being shown copies of the photos.

The revelations of unsafe working conditions comes as China has come under attack - particularly from the United States - for alleged cyber-hacking activities.

Senior US officials in Canberra are deeply intrigued by the new Chinese embassy - which is off-limits to Australian workers and union officials.

A spokesman for the Foreign Minister said the Government "would be very concerned if there were any breaches of OH &S laws".

"The Minister will instruct his Department (DFAT) to raise this matter immediately with the Chinese, in accordance with our agreement with them," Senator Carr's spokesman said.

Despite repeated requests for comment, the Chinese Embassy in Canberra declined to respond to allegations that it had compromised safety conditions on the site, which will act as an extension to its existing consul.

Originally built in the 1970s, the Chinese Embassy was the subject of a mid-1990s scandal when it was revealed Australia had bugged the building - in cooperation with other countries.

A spokeswoman for DFAT said the "arrangement with China requires that the new Chinese Embassy project complies with Australian occupational health and safety requirements. A requirement to comply with ACT building standards, inspections and occupancy certifications has also been agreed".

"In meetings with the Embassy that have been about or touched on this project, we have consistently underlined our expectations on this matter, and if necessary will do so again," the spokeswoman said.

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How one text at the wheel can kill

Brooke Richardson (left) died after her car veered off the road, while Marcus Johnstone lost control of his vehicle killing two passengers. Source: Herald Sun

TRIVIAL text messages sent or read by drivers at the wheel have claimed the lives of at least 20 people on the nation's roads and left many more injured, a News Limited investigation shows.

A man believed to have crashed while texting a smiley face icon to a mate is among current cases being probed by state coroners and police.

Other short messages linked to recent fatal accidents on the nation's roads include "I'll be home soon", and "Hey are you still coming today?".

The News Limited analysis of police, court and coroner's records reveals text wreck victims over the past decade include drivers, their passengers, other motorists, cyclists and pedestrians.

Revelations of the mounting death toll have prompted a coalition of grieving relatives, road safety groups, mobile service providers and others to unite in a bid to stop such accidents.

They are urging News Limited readers to sign a pledge promising not to text behind the wheel, and also to take action to stop friends or family if they see them in the act.

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Today we join with families touched by a road tragedy caused by text messaging behind the wheel. Sign this pledge to commit to being a responsible driver and to encourage your friends and family not to text when driving.

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Grieving relatives who have shared their harrowing stories hope by highlighting the long-lasting ripple effects a single message can have, they might save other families from similar suffering.

Many of the grieving said the trivial nature of the messages which preceded the fatal accidents made the death even harder to deal with.

Police and road safety bodies admit the injury toll caused by texting drivers is vastly under-reported, with many less serious accidents simply remaining undocumented.

A NSW woman who was lucky to survive last year after she ran under a truck while typing "just finished for the day already whats crakin?" is one of the few known prosecutions nationally for non-fatal texting accidents.

Some studies have shown texting increases the risk of a crash or near crash by up to 15 times for car drivers, and over 20 times for truck drivers.

Concerned authorities in some states are exploring measures such as special new road cameras that can capture photos from up to 500m away of distracted motorists touching their phones.

It is hoped such cameras would allow police to dramatically increase the number of fines issued, and act as a strong deterrent to texters.

Surveys routinely show up to 40 per cent of drivers admit sending or reading an SMS while driving.

Ted Marsh, the father of the victim in Australia's first known case where a driver was prosecuted over a text-messaging death in 2001, said he was disappointed the lesson hadn't been learned.

"People should have worked it out, they should have woken up. Texting and driving is very, very dangerous," he said. "I absolutely urge people to take the pledge not to do it."

Don't do what I did, warns driver

Widow Kylie Stortz, whose husband Jason was struck and killed by a distracted driver in 2009, also urged News Limited readers to sign up.

"People should sign it, definitely," she said. "I hope people will notice what a problem this is, and will do something to make sure their friends, family and other road users stay safe."

NSW woman Vanessa Parry-Williams, who witnessed an accident that killed her cycling training partner, also urged action.

"Parents should get their kids to sign (the pledge). Kids should get their parents to sign. A lot of people need to be guilt-tripped into changing their behaviour," she said.

"It's like people are brain-washed to think it is okay to text all the time, no matter what else they are doing. People are so used to doing it all the time, people need to be shocked out of it."

The Australian Mobile Telecommunications Association, and its members - including Telstra, Optus and Vodafone - have also backed the public pledge campaign.

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A SMILEY face icon. An apology for running late. A request for directions. A terse note to an ex over child support. Confirmation of a hair appointment. A promise to be home soon.

These text messages seem no different to the billions of others Australians dash off every year: fleeting missives sent and read in the blink of an eye.

But there is a stark difference. These messages are from among at least 20 cases nationally where an SMS tapped out and sent or read by a distracted motorist has cost a life.

One was just three characters. The longest was 23 words. No matter the length or the content, each driver's decision to text while behind the wheel has triggered lasting and widespread ripple effects - and left devastated families and friends desperate to share a far more vital message of their own.

Brooke Richardson was killed when her car careered off the road, her undamaged phone found at her feet. Source: Herald Sun

VICKI Richardson used to exchange texts with her hairdresser daughter Brooke at least 15 times a day.

Worried that something had happened that dreadful Tuesday morning last December, her first instinct was to send an SMS to her daughter, one that will never be read or answered: "Call ASAP, Brooke, please text me!! I love you."

By the time it arrived, Brooke was already dead. Crash investigators found her phone, not damaged, between her feet in the wreck. A coroner last month found she'd been texting as she drove - arranging an appointment with a client at the new salon she had started working at in Cobram.

"She was only 10 minutes away from work, but she sent a message anyway," Vicki says.

Mrs Richardson has started a foundation with the aim of spreading the "don't text and drive" message - a problem she fears will worsen.

"I think it is going to end up an epidemic," she says. "Kids at primary school are already hooked on phones. What will happen when they get behind the wheel? We have to do something to stop this."

Anthony Marsh who was killed when his pushbike was hit by a car after the driver was distracted using a mobile phone. Picture: Rob Leeson Source: Herald Sun

TED Marsh stood on the courthouse steps a decade ago and called for a $500 fine and six demerit points for drivers caught texting.

Mr Marsh's super fit son, Anthony, was run over and killed by dentist Silvia Nicole Ciach as she tried to send a message - "cu1" - to a friend she was meeting at 1pm.

The court case, believed the first of its kind nationally against a texting driver, was hailed as a stark warning to all drivers.

But 10 years on, the toll is growing.

A News Limited investigation has unearthed details of at least 20 fatal text-related crashes in that time. There are at least two current coroner's investigations into text-related deaths underway nationally.

Police admit the problem is vastly under-reported, with investigators often finding it difficult to conclusively prove a driver was texting behind the wheel.

Mr Marsh despairs at the number of people he still sees texting.

"Ten years later, people should have worked it out. It's not something new anymore, people should have woken up. Texting and driving is very, very dangerous."

Around the nation, researchers, road safety agencies, police and others are puzzling over how to persuade drivers to put away their phones.

While driver attitudes to speeding and drink-driving are improving, distractions from technology are getting worse.

About 40 per cent of drivers between 18-24 routinely admit in surveys to sending or reading texts while driving.

And all the while, the toll mounts.

His ex-wife, Anthony's mum Joyce Simpson, feels sick when she sees drivers texting behind the wheel, which happens frequently.

"You look, and you think, 'if only you knew what you could cause for yourself, and your family, and someone else's family'. You wish you could throw their phones away."

The latest reminder of her son's death was her step-daughter presented her with an orange ribbon, distributed by hairdresser Brooke Richardson's mum to promote safety awareness.

"I realised there are so many other people in the same situation as us," Joyce says. "Please, put the phone away. We don't want any more."

Graham Denton, a 52-year-old father-of-three, was killed while riding his bicycle when a motorist texting on his mobile phone ploughed into him on the Pacific Highway at Lake Macquarie near Newcastle. Source: Herald Sun

SCAFFOLDER Jason Rippard wishes every day he hadn't picked up his phone to check an earlier message to his ex-wife had been sent properly.

As he prepares to leave jail next month to rebuild his life, he's already spreading the message behind bars to other drivers to put their phones away, and plans to continue doing so once released.

His mum, Christine, admits she used to text before her son's accident but has stopped after seeing her son's life disintegrate after he ploughed into father-of-three Graham Denton.

She's not complaining, just explaining, when she says the crash has wrecked Jason's life, and the difficulty it has caused in her own.

"It's not something he's dismissed. It's something he'll live with for the rest of his life," she says.

"He's done a couple of talks to driver offender courses, and he wants to still go and do it even after he's left jail."

Jason's son is 10 years old. He complained recently about not enough time with dad. Christine says Jason told his boy "you are lucky, in a few weeks I'll be home for good. Some other children don't have their dads".

Jason Stortz was killed by a texting driver while riding his bike at Yallah near Wollongong in 2009. Picture: Tracee Lea Source: Herald Sun

KYLIE Stortz's son Harry was only 16-months-old when his triathlete dad Jason, out riding his new bike, was killed by an under-age, unlicensed, texting driver at the wheel of his new Ford Falcon.

Her son has just turned five. There are daily reminders of his dad's absence.

"I had to fill in forms at pre-school, was asked to put down dad's details. What do you do?" Kylie says.

"My son asks me 'mum, who will look after me if you go to heaven like dad?' Or he'll just ask things like 'did my dad like to eat this food?'. That's stuff he should just know because his dad should still be here."

No one knows exactly what happened in the accident, with the young driver a reluctant witness and his female passenger telling police she couldn't assist either - because she had been concentrating on her own phone at the time of the collision.

Helen Gledhill survived after her car was hit by a texting driver, killing her best friend Lee-Anne McLennan (right). Picture: Tanya Lynch Source: Herald Sun

CRASH survivor Helen Gledhill's passenger didn't know what hit her, either.

Helen was driving along with her best friend since grade four, Lee-Anne McLennan, when a green car appeared in front of them. A coroner later found the young male driver was distracted by texting.

Helen says a smashed ankle and elbow from the incident have left her unable to care for her 12-year-old disabled son, and the crash has virtually ruined her life. She missed her best friend's funeral - and has missed her every day since.

She's unable to work, and a compensation payout intended to fund future surgeries she'll need has affected her Centrelink benefits.

"I'm not physically capable of looking for work. I can't type long, write long, walk long, sit long."

She was too scared to get in a car for some time, and has to take a valium before she can get in the passenger seat. "I couldn't even teach my own teenage son to drive," she says.

DRIVER education is the key, authorities believe, to stemming the texting toll.

As the number of cases continues to mount, police and road safety groups want young and old alike to regulate their own behaviour - turn off the phone before they get in the car and not touch it.

Several states have recently launched - or are about to - campaigns specifically targeting texting.

But the Centre for Road Safety's Marg Prendergast knows there is a long road ahead to break the modern obsession people have with instant communication.

"People have to realise it is so dangerous. Not just young people, older people too. Everybody. Sending or reading, it doesn't matter. It can wait. That's the message. It can wait."

SIGN THE PLEDGE HERE

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Dockers too classy for Kangaroos

Fremantle midfielder Nat Fyfe kicks the Dockers forward against North Melbourne. Picture: Daniel Wilkins Source: Herald Sun

WHILE North Melbourne's failed 2013 campaign will be remembered for coughing up leads and wilting at the game's crescendo, the Kangaroos barely got out of the starting gates as its season officially became a lost cause.

Fifteen days after its nightmare capitulation amid a Gold Coast deluge, North Melbourne again had no answer as it confronted a Perth storm and a dour but irrepressible Fremantle outfit.

There was no lead for the Kangaroos to blow this time, kicking just four goals on a dirty day.

The Dockers asserted themselves with a five goals to one first half before getting home by 38 points at Patersons Stadium.

Unbeaten in its last eight games, Fremantle moved ominously into third spot ahead of an intriguing showdown with Geelong at Simonds Stadium on Saturday night.

SuperCoach scores, stats

Like in their last outing at Metricon Stadium, gaining field position was again an issue for the Roos as they were restricted to a paltry 12 inside 50 entries when the game was effectively decided in the first half.

While the diligent inside work of Andrew Swallow and Ryan Bastinac gave the Roos the edge at stoppages, they had no answer for a disciplined Dockers outfit whose pressure was first class.

Fremantle tagger Ryan Crowley went to Brent Harvey and the pair were at it from before the opening bounce, with the Dockers agitator requiring a pit-stop to change his ripped guernsey.

Kangaroos coach Brad Scott soon decided he would prefer the match-up took place in attack, with Harvey moved forward in a bid to hurt his opponent on the scoreboard in a contest where every goal was going to be precious.

The teams looked set to produce the first goalless opening quarter of the season until Docker Michael Barlow fittingly soccered through a major deep into time-on.

Aaron Mullett got the visitors on the board early in the second stanza but it would be the only North Melbourne goal of the first-half.

Fremantle controlled the second term and continued to find avenues to goal despite the continuing absence of spearhead Matthew Pavlich.

But Nat Fyfe, Jack Hannath, Chris Mayne and Matt de Boer combined to string together the four consecutive second-term goals that went a long way to breaking North's back.

The sun came out for the second half and things were immediately looking up for the Kangaroos when Harvey converted early in the third term.

The 35-year-old soon undid his good work through undiscipline, giving away a 50m penalty for slapping at Crowley's throat as a spiteful personal battle continued to simmer.

Michael Johnson kicked a simple goal to steady Fremantle and put a halt to any North Melbourne revival.

It came at the same ground where Harvey earned himself six weeks of bans after losing his cool in last year's elimination final mauling at the hands of West Coast.

Lindsay Thomas, who had just four touches and went goalless for just the second time this season, was subbed out for late inclusion Brad McKenzie entering time-on of the third quarter.

North turned around the momentum in the third term, but didn't get adequate reward for their 16-9 edge in forward entries as Freo continued to find quick answers.

Dockers livewire Michael Walters, right in contention for a maiden All-Australian guernsey before suffering an ankle injury a month ago, was subdued on his return but dribbled through his only goal seven minutes into the last quarter to push the lead beyond five goals.

Both sides went in without a prime mover, with Ben Cunnington a late withdrawal for the Kangaroos for personal reasons.

Key Freo midfielder David Mundy was withdrawn with a calf problem.

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