Who is at the top of Perth's A-list?

John and Margarita Hughes are a must-have for any big Perth event. Picture: Alf Sorbello Source: PerthNow

JUST 25 invitations are the difference between a bona fide Perth party and an awkward fizzer.

And the names at the top of the A-list pecking order may surprise some readers.

Perth's top 25 A-listers in pictures

According to top fashion event organiser Jacqui Brown, the No.1 guest isn't a soap star or a singer.

And, though she is always decked out in the latest must-have garb, she's not a fashion designer either.

Instead, she's the wife of a car king.

The always-effervescent Margarita Hughes - with her husband John - is the must-have at any big event, says Ms Brown.

"Due to the economy being the way it is, the people on the guest list need to end up being beneficial for the client," she said.

"(Ms Hughes) is obviously going to be invited to every hot event in town.

 "So when she's at your event, compared with someone else's, it means that every other guest in the room will see the event as that little bit more credible because she's chosen to attend."

Ms Brown said that in today's economic climate events had to translate into sales.

After a week of big events  from the launch of the Perth Fashion Festival program on Tuesday to StyleAid on Friday, the state's premier event planners told The Sunday Times their secrets for the perfect guest list.

Ms Brown said bloggers were popular guests until a few years ago, when event organisers realised many of them had no real influence.

Marketing and communications expert Nicola Bedwood is responsible for the guest list at the coveted Ronald McDonald House Charities Mercedes-Benz Ball on November 2.

"I look for the people who will be receptive to the cause, who may be able to contribute in some way," she said. "The quality of the guest is more important than their celebrity."

Publicist Caitlin Irving said she wanted potential future customers on the A-list at shop, bar or restaurant openings.

 "It's not enough to just be good looking or well-known  we want people who are interested and interesting," she said.

Perth PR stalwart Rosita Stangl said just because somebody was rich didn't mean they were A-list.

Melissa Lekias, who runs PR firm Magenta, said the guest list was one of the most critical factors.

"Whether it is their personality or the way they dress or that they just know how to work the room - having a couple of special guests adds a dimension that makes it memorable for everyone," she said.

Perth's Top 25 A-listers (in no particular order):

WA car king John Hughes and his wife Margarita

Property mogul Nigel Satterley and his wife Denise

Business woman Emma Milner and husband Peter

WA Governor Malcolm McCusker and wife Tonya

Iron ore magnate Andrew Forrest and wife Nicola.

Businessman Warwick Hemsley and Minister for International Development Melissa Parke.

Perth property developer and businesswoman Rhonda Wyllie and former Nine Network managing director Jeff Browne

SMS technology entrepreneur Zhenya Tsvetnenko and his fashionista wife Lydia

Crown casino boss Barry Felstead and his wife Katrina

Mining magnate Chris Ellison and his wife and Tia.

Cricket legend Adam Gilchrist and his wife Mel

Melissa Karlson - The daughter of Rhonda Wyllie

West Coast eagles star Chris Masten and model Emmi Moore

West Coast Eagles player Sam Butler and his wife fashion label owner Natasha

Fashion illustrator Pip McManus - fashion illustrator

Channel Nine weather presenter Sally Ayhan

West Coast Eagles ruckman Nic Naitanui

West Coast Eagles Ruckman Dean Cox and his wife Kerry

Fremantle Dockers captain Matthew Pavlich and his wife Lauren

Weather presenter Angela Tsun and Western Force rugby player Patrick Dellit

Media personality Basil Zempilas and his wife, blogger Amy Zempilas

Ten newsreader Narelda Jacobs and partner Lauren Swinfield

Businessman Kim Ledger and his wife Ines - Kim is the father of the late actor Heath Ledger

Blogger and restaurant owner Rayne Embley and West Coast Eagles player Andrew Embley.

Wheels and Dollbaby founder Melanie Greensmith and Divinyls guitarist Mark McIntyre.
 

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E-licence debacle prompts review

Serial drink-driving offender Mitchell William Walsh-McDonald received an extraordinary licence. Picture: Lincoln Baker Source: PerthNow

AN "urgent review" of the state's extraordinary-licence scheme has been called after revelations the Department of Transport did not oppose an application last year by serial drink-driver Mitchell Walsh-McDonald.

Transport Minister Troy Buswell told The Sunday Times last week that Walsh-McDonald's application in September was "opposed" by his department, but "the court made the decision it should be granted".

But Mr Buswell has been left red-faced by audio from the September 27 court hearing showing that the department not only did not oppose the E-licence, it gave the court reasons why it should be granted.

"This is a difficult application to assess," a lawyer for the department told the court.

"It is no secret that he has an absolutely woeful traffic record, including drink-driving and the fact that he can't comply with court orders.

"(But) it has to be acknowledged the last offence was something like two plus years ago, so I guess he can be given some credit compared to the rest of the record."

The lawyer said there were two factors that suggested Walsh-McDonald "can be trusted to comply with the conditions of an extraordinary driver's licence"  first, that it had been 2 1/2 years since his last offence and, second, that he was then in a "stabilising" domestic relationship.

Magistrate Paul Roth responded: "On the basis that whilst the (department) director-general does have substantial hesitancy about granting the extraordinary driver's licence, the director-general doesn't necessarily object to it, he's not consenting or agreeing to it, but not necessarily objecting to it either. I consider it is appropriate to grant the extraordinary driver's licence."

He added: "You so much as spit in the street I'm going to pull this licence off you."

This week Walsh-McDonald, 29, was convicted of his seventh drink-driving offence and two breaches of his extraordinary licence. His court appearance was on the 10th anniversary of the death of schoolgirl Jess Meehan, who died two days after he hit her while driving with a blood-alcohol level of 0.165. He was fined $2850, his extraordinary licence was cancelled and he was banned from driving for two years.

Mr Buswell has conceded the department "did not do enough to oppose" Walsh-McDonald's E-licence application.

"I do not direct the day-to-day operations of the department, but I do believe the department should have strongly opposed the application," he said.

"I have requested that the department urgently review its handling of the Walsh-McDonald case, and EDL applications in general."

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Power bills to hit an average of $2000 a year

Electricity prices are set to hit record highs. Picture: Thinkstock Source: The Courier-Mail

FAMILIES will be slugged an average of $2000 a year for electricity by 2016.

Budget papers reveal yearly "approved increases" of 7 per cent for electricity prices from 2014 through to at least 2016-17. They have already gone up 4 per cent this year.

This will take the average annual family power bill from $963 to $1998 under Mr Barnett's reign, despite his promise during the March state election campaign to keep electricity prices "at or around the rate of inflation"  which is now 2.5 per cent.

Meanwhile, according to the Clean Energy Council, more than 75,000 households targeted by the Barnett Government's solar-panel backtrack will lose up to $800 a year. The average loss would be $240.

Treasurer Troy Buswell announced in the Budget on Thursday that the solar feed-in payment would be cut from 40c to 30c a kilowatt from October 1 and to 20c in 2014.

Opposition Leader Mark McGowan said the 7 per cent electricity rises were a clear breach of Mr Barnett's election promise.

"This is a doubling of the average household's power bill at a time when Mr Barnett is increasing costs across the board and increasing taxes," Mr McGowan said.

Mr Buswell said on Thursday that state debt  $3.6 billion in 2008  was heading towards the $30 billion mark.

Mr Barnett has argued previously he had to raise electricity prices because a 10-year freeze on tariffs during the former Labor government's reign had meant revenues were well below the cost of electricity production and supply.

"Despite these increases, the majority of non-contestable electricity tariffs are still below the cost of production and supply," the Budget papers say.

Lesmurdie couple Jason Laffrey and Sarah Dalby installed a 2kW system in 2011 to take advantage of the 40c/kWh feed-in payment. Ms Dalby said the decision to slash the rate by half was "nothing short of outrageous".

"I really want people to fight this," the mother-of-one said.

A spokesman from the Treasurer's office said the forecast electricity tariff increases "are assumptions (forecasts) that assist in framing the Budget".

"As per every upcoming Budget process the Government will make decisions regarding electricity/water tariffs and therefore these assumptions are subject to change," the spokesperson said.

"For example, last year in the same document a 5 per cent increase in electricity tariffs was forecast, whereas it only went up 4 per cent."

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Rudd boots abusive Labor candidates

Kevin Rudd in Tasmania for day six of the campaign. Picture: Adam Head Source: News Limited

PRIME Minister Kevin Rudd has dumped two Labor candidates, including a man who abused a woman in a wheelchair.

Mr Rudd demanded the resignations of Geoff Lake, the candidate for Victorian seat of Hotham, and Queensland candidate for Kennedy, Ken Robertson.

The Herald Sun revealed on Saturday that Mr Lake had been forced to apologise to fellow Monash councillor Kathy Magee in 2002 for calling her a slut at a council meeting.

Mr Rudd said he had asked the ALP national secretary to report on the allegations against Mr Lake from his previous career in local government - particularly his conduct toward fellow councillors.

He said in a statement it was "inappropriate for Mr Lake to continue as the endorsed Labor candidate for Hotham.''

"The National Secretary has informed me that he is not satisfied that there has been full disclosure about these previous matters,'' he said.

"I cannot be confident that he has met the standards I would expect and demand from members of the federal parliamentary Labor Party.''

Mr Lake did not reply to calls. He resigned after the Sunday Herald Sun approached Labor HQ at 8pm with allegations ALP campaign officials had improperly used retiring member Simon Crean's printing entitlement to distribute election material in the seat.

ALP secretary George Wright said he was concerned by the allegations.

The Sunday Herald Sun has copies of material distributed in Mr Lake's name that included reply paid envelopes funded by Mr Crean's office.

Mr Robertson, who was standing for the Queensland seat of Kennedy, confirmed he had withdrawn his candidacy after calling Opposition Leader Tony Abbott "racist' and a bigot in an interview last week.

"Yes, it's true. It was my decision,'' Mr Robertson told the Sunday Herald Sun.

"All I've got to say is, I made an apology for what was said and my comments were not meant to be greater than what they were. I have nothing further to say about what happened.''

"But I will be supporting the Labor Party and Kevin (Rudd) until my last breath."

Of the electorate he had hoped to represent he said: "They have to help return a Labor candidate to this seat.''

Fadden MP and Coalition frontbencher Stuart Robert had called on Mr Rudd to sack Mr Robertson for breaking with the ALP's promised "positive" approach.

The ALP now faces a scramble to find suitable candidates for the key seats. Mr Lake had been considered almost certain to retain the seat of Hotham for Labor, which retiring veteran Simon Crean holds with a margin of more than 14 per cent.

Geoff Lake, who is running for the Labor safe seat of Hotham, has admitted he offered an apology to a fellow Monash councillor over a 2002 exchange. Source: News Limited

Mr Lake, a lawyer chosen to run to replace Simon Crean in the prized seat of Hotham, admitted he offered a signed apology to fellow Monash councillor Kathy Magee over a 2002 exchange.

"I leant over to Councillor Magee and ... said, "I can't believe what you did you f------ b---h. You are a f ------ for doing that," Mr Lake confirms in papers.

Documents lodged with the Victorian Equal Opportunity Commission included an admission that his conduct had been "demeaning and degrading", and offensive to women.

Mr Lake said he deeply regretted his remarks.

"It was 's---t' or 'b----'. It was inappropriate," he told the Herald Sun.

"I learned an important lesson that day.

Ex-councillor Kathy Magee remains offended by Mr Lake's comments. Picture: Tony Gough Source: News Limited

"I was a young mayor and I got angry one night and I spoke to her in angry way, which I acknowledged then and I acknowledge now."

Mr Lake won preselection for the former Labor leader's seat after a bitter contest.

He was backed by Mr Crean and former Victorian Labor premier Steve Bracks.

Ten years on, Ms Magee has not forgiven or forgotten.

"When someone calls you a s---, it tends to be offensive," she told the Herald Sun.

"I had never had someone call me that before. You just don't talk to a colleague like that. He was definitely an interesting person."

Ms Magee also claimed Mr Lake tried to charge drinks and brunch to her hotel account at a council conference.

Labor candidate Ken Robertson said he hoped Australia "never has to suffer (Tony Abbott's) Catholicism". Source: News Limited

Mr Lake denied this, but confirmed he did refund Ms Magee the disputed money.

"That was not me," he said.

"She said she was $30 out of pocket and I said, 'Look, Kathy, let's not have these disagreements. Here's $30, and let's move on."

Documents also reveal that in 2003 another fellow councillor, Tom Morrissey, accused Mr Lake of stalking him, and sought an intervention order.

In an application to the Magistrates' Court, Mr Morrissey, who has since died, said Mr Lake distributed his mobile number, alleging he had travelled at ratepayers' expense, which prompted dozens of abusive calls.

And he accused Mr Lake of parking a car at his business with placards repeating the claims.

- with Patrick Lion

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Massive bombs found by NSW police

Two massive bombs both bigger than those used in the Boston Marathon attacks were made and going to be used to a blow up a Sydney hospital and the Macquarie St offices of a leading Sydney eye surgeon. Source: News Limited

TWO massive bombs both bigger than those used in the Boston Marathon attacks were made and going to be used to a blow up a Sydney hospital and the Macquarie St offices of a leading Sydney eye surgeon according to NSW police.

They said two fully assembled bombs with detonators and packed with 60cm long shrapnel pieces connected to a butane gas bottle were found in a duffel bag under a home in Albion Park on the South Coast in April.

The devices were both set to go off at 1.48pm on a Saturday in April at the two locations but had not been placed.

But just days before the bombs were to detonate the accused, a 42 year-old Illawarra man, fled Australia to Malta.

His ex-wife, who was unaware of the alleged plot, found the bombs two days later and called police.

The NSW bomb squad were called in to examine the devices. Police were preparing to extradite the man from Malta but he was arrested at Sydney Airport on Thursday evening when he attempted to re-enter the country. He was charged with one count of manufacturing an explosive device with intent to injure.

In Central Local Court yesterday a non-publication order was placed on the name of the hospital, the surgeon's identity and address of his offices by Magistrate John Andrews.

Police say the accused was being treated for an eye condition by the surgeon for the past five for a genetic condition. During a routine eye treatment a dye was used which he believes caused him an injury and blames for the decline in his eyesight although there was no medical evidence backing up his claims.

Magistrate Reynolds ordered the accused to undergo a psyche evaluation at St Vincent's Hospital.

More at The Daily Telegraph

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Train users to fork out for parking

Train users will have to pay for parking at all metropolitan train stations from July 2014. Picture: Bohdan Warchomij Source: PerthNow

PERTH commuters will add an extra $38.3 million to government coffers when they are forced to pay for parking at all metropolitan train stations from next year.

The Barnett Government plans to extend paid parking at train stations from July next year, budget documents reveal.

The measure will create extra $19.9 million in revenue from 2014-15 to 2016-17 and reduce operating costs by $18.4 million.

Opposition leader Mark McGowan said it was an attack public transport users who were being "savaged" by the government.

"Now that Mr Barnett has removed that incentive, we will see more cars on the roads and remaining train users will be forced to pay around $460 more per year to pay for parking at train stations.

"The decision will also push more public transport users to look for free parking on streets surrounding train stations."

However, Curtin University Sustainability Policy Institute senior research fellow Jemma Green said claims the additional fee would result in more people driving to the city were wrong.

"Paid parking is $2 a day, if you park in the city it's like $4 an hour, so why would somebody want to pay $4 an hour for 8 or 9 hours a day, when they can just pay $2 and get on the train?

"I don't buy that argument at all," she said.

Instead, the researcher urged the government to make it easier for commuters to catch buses to the train station and leave their cars at home.

"We need high quality transport links, frequent and rapid transit buses to get them to the train station so that time wise it's as comparable to travel to the train station by bus as it is by car," she said.

"This involves having more dedicated bus lanes, so buses aren't the victim of traffic in the main arteries as well as more frequently buses particularly at the peak times."

Ms Green said the commitment to MAX Light rail and the Airport link was good, but questioned the decision of the government to spend so much money on building a new football stadium that would do nothing to improve productivity.

"More than $1 billion is proposed to be spent on (the stadium) and I don't believe this represents a good use of taxpayers' dollars at this time," she said.

"I think there are limited economic benefits from putting a stadium in when you compare it against the productivity gains you could get from putting in more public transport."
 

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Coles lashes union over Nedlands crash claim

A Coles Online delivery driver lost his leg in a crash in Nedlands last Thursday. Picture: Supplied. Source: PerthNow

SUPERMARKET giant Coles has launched a scathing attack on a union it likens to "vultures feeding'' on the misfortune of a delivery driver whose leg was amputated after a crash in Perth.

WorkSafe is making preliminary inquiries into the accident involving a 31-year-old Coles Online delivery driver at Nedlands last night.

His legs were crushed when a 51-year-old woman crashed into the delivery van as he was unloading groceries.

A Royal Perth Hospital spokesman said one of the man's legs had been amputated and it was unclear whether he would keep his other leg.

The Transport Workers Union (TWU) said the incident could have been avoided as not enough was being done to safeguard Coles Online drivers.

The union said Coles instructed its drivers to park on the road outside customers' homes and not in their driveway, and claimed there was inadequate lighting at the rear of the vans.

Coles reacted angrily.

"If media reports of TWU claims about this incident are accurate, the union leadership should be condemned as vultures feeding on any unfortunate incident to push their Safe Rates wages campaign,'' the company said in a statement.

"This is insulting and hurtful to our team member, his family and the other driver involved in the incident and it pre-empts the ongoing police investigation.

"Our priority is the wellbeing of our team member and his family and our thoughts are with them all.''

The 51-year-old driver was treated for shock.

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Slow and steady for England early on

England win the toss and bat as the 4th Test gets underway

AUSTRALIA broke though twice despite some determined England batting on a hard fought first day of the fourth Ashes Test at Chester-le-Street.

Having scored just 57 runs in the first session for the loss of opener Joe Root, England had moved to 2-120 midway through the day.

Off-spinner Nathan Lyon had Jonathan Trott caught at bat-pad by Usman Khawaja for 49, just as the South African-born No.3 was quickening the pace.

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England captain Alastair Cook, who was not out 35 from 135 balls, was providing stubborn resistance against the mostly tight Australian attack. He was joined by Kevin Pietersen, 13 not out, who went on the attack immediately lofting two boundaries from Lyon.

Shane Watson had made the early inroads for Australia, when he had Root caught behind by Brad Haddin for 16.
Although not before yet another test of the now controversial Hot Spot technology.

Umpire Tony Hill turned down a confident appeal by the Australians, prompting an instant referral by captain Michael Clarke. The replay showed a small Hot Spot mark on Root's bat, and the decision was reversed.

Shane Watson picks up Australia's first wicket after Umpire's decision is overturned by Hot Spot

This suggested that, if players really were using silicone tape to avoid detection as has been alleged, Root is at the end of the supply chain.

More importantly for Australia, it provided a vital wicket just as the England openers appeared set to survive a tough session in heavy, humid conditions that had provided encouragement for the Australian bowlers.

Having been moved down the Australian batting order to No.6, Watson has undergone yet another transformation, this time from specialist opener back to would-be all-rounder.

The latest reinvention might not particularly please a cricketer who had made it clear he prefers to bat first. But Watson responded in the best possible way by making an urgently needed breakthrough.

England's Ashes-clinching 2-0 lead in the series had been a matter of skill, rather than good fortune. But, having won for the toss for a third time in four Tests, Cook again provided his team with a potential advantage.

So it was vital Australia used the new ball well in heavy conditions that would probably provide the best bowling conditions of the first three days. Cook and Root, however, frustrated them in first hour despite some tight early bowling.

Shane Watson and Michael Clarke both seem unsure what Watson's best role in the team is.

Jackson Bird, added to the Australian team for Mitchell Starc, came closest to claiming a wicket when Root edged his first ball just wide of gully.

Otherwise, despite some nagging bowling from Bird and fellow opener Ryan Harris, the Australians could not find the edge they needed from the bats of the tentative English batsman.

Bird was named for his first Test of the series, and his third overall. He was man of the match in his most recent appearance for Australia against Sri Lanka at the SCG, and had been impressive in the tour games here.

Starc, who was also discarded after the first Test despite taking five wickets, might consider himself slightly unlucky having taken three wickets in the first innings at Old Trafford.

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Burqa law introduced in WA parliament

New laws were introduced to the WA Parliament today which would require Muslim women to remove their burqa for police. Source: news.com.au

A NEW law that would require Muslim women to remove a burqa or niqab to prove their identity to West Australian police has been introduced to the state's parliament.

The legislation was drafted in specific response to public outcry about the case of burqa-wearing mother-of-seven Carnita Matthews, who had a conviction of knowingly making a false statement quashed.

Ms Matthews was originally given a six-month jail sentence after being found guilty of falsely accusing a senior constable of forcibly trying to remove her burqa when she was pulled over while driving in Woodbine in Sydney's southwest in June 2010.

PICTURES: Carnita Matthews in court

She was later acquitted on appeal after the prosecution could not prove she was the woman who signed the statement while wearing the garment.

As part of WA's Criminal Investigation (Identifying People) Amendment Bill, the law will require ``a person to remove headwear or do other things to facilitate the officer being able to confirm a person's identity''.

Officers will also get explicit powers to detain a person while they comply.

It will apply to an item of clothing, hat, helmet, mask, sunglasses or ``any other thing worn by a person that totally or partially covers the person's head''.

The WA parliament will be told the law was in direct response to the NSW case.

``Having regard to that case, the government has taken action to ensure that similar injustices do not occur in Western Australia,'' Attorney-General Michael Mischin said.

``The amendments provide a explicit power ... where the subject person refuses to remove an obstruction that is preventing the officer from being able to identify the person's face.''

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Stingy Aussies drain Phuket hospitals

TAustralian tourists in Phuket are an increasing problem for public hospitals with many unable to pay for the health bills their injuries attract. Picture: AFP / Nicolas Asfouri Source: AFP

AUSTRALIAN visitors - mostly males in their 30s and without health insurance - are posing an increasing drain on public hospitals budgets on the Thai resort island of Phuket.

The island has become increasingly popular with not only tourists, but also retirees and long-term foreign residents lured by the lower cost of living.

But the Thai public hospital system is facing an increasing financial burden from the high expense of caring for ill, cash-strapped foreign visitors.

Dr Nara Kingkaew, deputy director of Vachira Public Hospital in Phuket, says Australians are among the leading foreign patients who seek medical care at public hospitals because they don't have insurance.

"It's a lot of problem because it's a great burden for us to look after the foreigners, especially the Westerners who come to Thailand without any health insurance and then they fall sick or are met with an accident," Dr Nara said.

There are about 30,000 Australians on Phuket in any given month out of a total of about 900,000 Australian visitors to Thailand each year.

Other nationals include Russians, British and Germans.

Dr Nara noted an Australian man who fell from a Patong Beach Hotel spent several months in hospital recuperating from his injuries, including broken legs and hips, before being discharged. He was unable to pay the cost of his hospital stay, which amounted to about $A10,000.

Foreigners in accidents are initially taken to Phuket's private hospitals, but are often moved on to the public hospital when it is revealed they have no insurance or once their funds are exhausted. Dr Nara said the hospital faces expenses each year of more than 4.0 million baht ($A140,000) caring for foreigners, not only as patients but also those who die and whose bodies are not claimed. The hospital has to by law cremate or dispose of the body after 30 or 60 days after notifying the embassy if no relatives come forward.

Australian offenders are often males, aged 30 to 35 years, who had been drinking before having an accident, often from crashing rented motorbikes.

He also pointed to a significant percentage of foreign retirees who use the hospitals.

Larry Cunningham, Australia's honorary consul on Phuket, says the issue of foreigners as a burden on public hospitals was growing.

"It's just not fair. I mean the retirees are blocking up the hospital," Mr Cunningham said

"Every time you go to Vachira (Hospital), there's a (Western) guy sitting there, legs in plaster, their arms in a sling, bits off them everywhere, being wheeled out and they are blocking up the public health system," he said.

The Thai Health Ministry has called for all visitors to be required to pay for health insurance at immigration checkpoints or have the fee incorporated in their air ticket.

Dr Nara agrees. "That is a good thing for us because when they get insurance as they enter the kingdom, when they fall sick or they met with an accident, they will have someone to pay for them, otherwise the hospital has to spend a lot of money for the foreigners."

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Rolf dropped as TV host

Rolf Harris has been dropped as the host of Animal Clinic. Source: Supplied

ROLF Harris has been replaced as the host of British television show Animal Clinic after being arrested for a second time following fresh allegations of sexual abuse.

Channel 5 pulled the hit show from the air in April after the Australian entertainer was first named in relation to Operation Yewtree.

Now, after Harris was re-arrested and bailed again earlier this week, it's been revealed adventurer Ben Fogle will host the second series when Animal Clinic returns.

"Ben Fogle will present the next series of Animal Clinic," a Channel 5 spokesman told AAP in a statement.

"No other presenter was ever contracted to do the second series."

The eight-show series will be called Ben Fogle's Animal Clinic. It will again follow the work of Liverpool University's vet school.

Channel 5 commissioning editor Ian Dunkley said Fogle's love of animals made him "the natural choice to present the second series".

Harris has remained silent since the Metropolitan Police on Monday said he'd been "further arrested on suspicion of sexual offences in connection with further allegations".

He's been bailed until later this month.

The 83-year-old has not been charged and denies any wrongdoing.

In a rare public appearance on the weekend, an emotional Harris thanked fans for their support when he performed at the Wickham Festival in south England.

Harris was first arrested in late March by officers from Operation Yewtree which was set up in the wake of the Jimmy Savile scandal.

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Leaders set for debate showdown

Kevin Rudd has accused Tony Abbott of running scared after he proposed a debate on the first day of the campaign. Source: News Limited

KEVIN Rudd and Tony Abbott are expected to have their first debate showdown on Sunday night with the stand-off between Labor and Liberal campaign headquarters close to being resolved.

But while Mr Rudd has agreed to debate Mr Abbott at the National Press Club at 6.30pm, he placed the condition there be four more debates.

Mr Abbott and Liberal Party campaign headquarters are standing firm that he wants only two more candidate forums.

ALBO SAYS HE DIDN'T SLEEP IN

National Secretary George Wright wrote to the Liberal Federal Director Brian Loughnane yesterday agreeing to a debate a Sunday debate with the conditions.

"We are accepting this proposal on the condition that all major networks have the opportunity to host a debate during the campaign," Mr Wright said.

"We believe there should be debates specifically covering national security, the economy and climate change, health and education."

FORMER REFUGEE VOWS TO STOP BOATS

A format for the debate is yet to be decided but but both parties agreed it would be broadcast by the ABC and made available to commercial stations if it went ahead.

Mr Rudd had accused Mr Abbott of running scared after he proposed a debate on the first day of the campaign, which he said could be moderated by Sky News.

The Liberal Party had asked for the first showdown to be on Sunday night at the Press Club with two candidate forums to follow.

"As previously advised Mr Abbott believes, given the significance of this election, that the two additional forums set out ín my previous correspondence with you should also take

Place," Mr Loughnane wrote to Mr Wright.

Mr Abbott had called for one of the forums to be held at Rooty Hill RSL Club and tweeted earlier this week he wanted some of the questions for Sunday's debate to come from social media.

It is expected press gallery journalists will pose questions to the two leaders.

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'Tornado' injures 10 people in North Coogee

A water spout slammed into a North Coogee building site this afternoon, scattering scaffolding and injuring six workers

The construction site on Socrates Parade in North Coogee after the reported tornado hit. Picture: Richard Polden Source: PerthNow

Six people have been taken to hospital following a structure collapse at a worksite in North Coogee, thought to have been caused by a tornado.

Debris can be seen to be lifted from the construction site - to the right of the crane - in this still frame from an amateur video. Picture: Seven News Source: PerthNow

FIVE people have been taken to hospital following a structure collapse at a worksite in North Coogee, thought to have been caused by a tornado.

The reported tornado or water spout triggered a scaffolding collapse on the Orsino Boulevard worksite, which is only about 100m from the ocean in the southern Perth suburb.

The incident, which saw a total of 10 people injured, was reported at about 2.15pm.

Cockburn District firefighting chief Tony Nicholas described the occurrence as "an unusual event".

"We were called to a structural collapse of scaffolding due to swirling wind conditions, possibly a mini tornado," he said.

"We received a call suggesting there were personnel from a construction company at were injured in that collapse.

"Initial crews were from St Johns and police followed by crews from Fremantle fire station. They have advised me people were a number of casualties treated for minor to significant injuries."

Mr Nicholas said there was no one trapped in the incident and the scaffolding was designed to hold concrete, but there was no concrete on the platforms at the time.

"The workers advised they saw some strong winds coming off the ocean, there was some photos taken of those, the Bureau of Meteorology is here on site they will be conducting some investigations," he said.

"We have wind speed specialists and they'll be working with WorkSafe to try and prevent is from happening in the future."

No workers were hit by the scaffolding, but some did fall with the scaffolding about three metres.

There are also reports the crane operator took evasive action to prevent the crane on site from swinging in to the wind, but Mr Nicholas could not confirm those reports.

Private security will now remain on site for the rest of the night.

Bureau of Meteorology spokesman Neill Bennett said BOM had also received reports of the tornado and confirmed weather conditions on the coast could have created the water spout.

Do you have photos or video of the incident? Send them to readerpics@perthnow.com.au or tweet @perthnow

"They are very, very localised events and we do see them off the coast," he said.

However he said there were difficult to predict and sometimes cannot be seen on radar images.

View Larger Map

Two people were taken by ambulance to Royal Perth Hospital with suspected head and spinal injuries.

The other four workers were sent to Fremantle Hospital with minor injuries.

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Barnett defends adviser's pay rise

Premier Colin Barnett's has defended Dixie Marshall's pay rise. Picture: Richard Polden Source: PerthNow

PREMIER Colin Barnett has defended his decision to give a prominent member of his election strategy team an $84,534 pay rise, saying Dixie Marshall was saving taxpayers "millions of dollars".

Mr Barnett, who requested in April that the Ministerial Merit Panel up Ms Marshall's pay to $245,000, told Parliament today that the director of government media was now responsible for advertising - hence the massive pay rise.

He said the former television newsreader's knowledge of the media, which she used in her new role, was saving taxpayers millions.

As revealed in The Sunday Times on the weekend, government documents show Mr Barnett requested the pay rise to Ms Marshall and another $52,963 pay rise to his long-time ally and director of government strategy, Narelle Cant, just after his emphatic election victory.

Both Ms Marshall and Ms Cant played parts in his re-election.

A memo from the Ministerial Merit Panel chair Kathryn Andrews to director-general Peter Conran, dated April 24, says: "A request has been received from the Hon C J Barnett MLA, seeking approval for Ms Dixie Marshall to be appointed to the position of Director Government Media, Band 3 $245,000, for the term of the government."

Mr Barnett's request was granted.

A spokesman for Mr Barnett said the merit panel made an independent assessment of the Premier's request.

The exorbitant pay rise has caused a furore amongst Liberal MPs who believe they too should receive big pay rises - even though their pays are set by the Salaries and Allowances Tribunal.

Advising the Premier - apart from Ms Cant and Ms Marshall - are four other advisers.
 

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Rayney name tag was 'smoking gun'

If an appeal against the murder acquittal of prominent Perth barrister Lloyd Rayney is successful, the appellants want a new trial, not a substituted verdict

Lloyd Rayney arrives at the Supreme Court, with daughter Sarah and his lawyer for the State's appeal against his acquittal on a charge of murdering estranged wife Corryn Rayney.  Picture: Kerris Berrington Source: PerthNow

Former barrister Lloyd Rayney arrives at the Supreme Court for the State's appeal against his acquittal on a charge of murdering estranged wife Corryn Rayney.  Picture: Kerris Berrington Source: PerthNow

Lloyd and Corryn Rayney on a flight to Bali months before her death. Source: Herald Sun

A BARRISTER representing Lloyd Rayney in the appeal against his murder acquittal says the case should be thrown out because the state has no "prospect of succeeding".

Top Sydney silk, Bret Walker SC, told the WA Supreme Court that his team would "obtain success" and that the "appropriate outcome" for the hearing should be a refusal of leave.

Supreme Court registrar Corryn Rayney disappeared on August 7, 2007 after her weekly bootscooting class.

She was found buried head-first in a bush grave at Kings Park nine days later, with her car dumped nearby.

Mr Rayney, her estranged husband and prominent Perth barrister, was cleared of her murder in November last year following a high-profile three-month trial.

Prosecutors appealed the verdict, claiming there were errors of law in the judgment by former Northern Territory chief justice Brian Martin, who concluded Ms Rayney was randomly attacked outside her home.

Today Mr Walker disputed the state's contention that it was wrong of trial judge Justice Martin to not take into account the significance of a dinner place card bearing Mr Rayney's name found in Kings Park near Ms Rayney's body. He pointed out that Justice Martin had stated in his 369-page judgement that "apart from the place card" the state case was at best "neutral".

"We would say he did give full weight," Mr Walker said. "It cannot be said that he has not considered the place card at all."

Mr Walker then argued that the appeal judges would have to rule in the defence team's favour if they were not convinced any "material errors" had been made in the original trial and if they did not believe any miscarriage of justice had taken place.

'Name card was smoking gun'

Earlier, lawyers representing the state claimed the judge who cleared the Perth barrister of murder "adopted the wrong approach" in the case.

David Jackson AM QC told the hearing that Justice Martin failed to give enough weight to all of the evidence presented in the trial and described the discovery of Mr Rayney's dinner place card near the burial site in Kings Park as a "smoking gun."

He said while Justice Martin had found the discovery of the card did not prove guilt, Mr Jackson argued it should have been considered in the context of other evidence.

"You would equate the card to something like a smoking gun," Justice Mark Weinberg asked. "You would say its as powerful as that?"

Mr Jackson replied: "Yes, it is."

Earlier he had told the hearing that Justice Martin had also failed to take into account the "internal conflict" between Mr and Mrs Rayney.

During the murder trial it was revealed Mrs Rayney was seeking a divorce and the couple were sleeping in separate bedrooms.

This morning, Mr Jackson also argued the fact Mr Rayney had allegedly secretly recorded his estranged wife and then allegedly destroyed the tapes demonstrated he knew he had committed an offence.

He said Mr Rayney was barrister who for much of his professional career was a prosecutor and who would have known that he could not have engaged in phone tapping "without prejudice".

He argued the fact he allegedly destroyed the tapes suggested his guilt but he was also forced to accept, after it was raised by the appeal judges today, that Mr Rayney could have allegedly destroyed the evidence because he knew he he should not have secretly recorded her.

The appeal is being presided over by Victorian Court of Appeal judge Justice Mark Weinberg and two retired judges from New South Wales, Justices Anthony Whealy and Terrence Ruddin.

Mr Rayney arrived at the WA Supreme Court this morning with his daughter Sarah and his legal team.

Corryn Rayney's sister Sharon Coutinho arrived at the same time through another entry with her husband Rohan and father Ernest D'Silva.

The hearing continues tomorrow.

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50,000 boat arrivals under Labor

As well as Manus, PNG says it may also host asylum seekers in "community-based arrangements". Source: News Limited

AUSTRALIAN Navy personnel were racing to rescue asylum seekers in a stricken vessel off Christmas Island last night as Labor looked set to reach 50,000 boat arrivals.

The emergency came as the Solomon Islands rejected Australian requests to settle boat refugees and Immigration Minister Tony Burke stitched together the PNG deal at the last minute.

PNG last night signed a Memorandum of Understanding, Labor had rushed to sign before caretaker provisions began on Monday night, which does not rule out failed asylum seekers being returned to Australia with the country only agreeing to settle those found to be refugees.

As well as at Manus Island, PNG may also host asylum seekers in "community-based arrangements."

A similar resettlement deal with Nauru appeared destined for failure with the tiny nation in a political crisis over it and the government spokeswoman conceding the agreement Kevin Rudd announced to settle people permanently was "scary" to Nauruans.

They could only remain for "a few years while they try to find a third country," she said as the country's acting president was yesterday hosting community forums to tell Nauruans asylum seekers would not be resettled there.

Former foreign minister Kieren Keke said state television was being censored to prevent Opposition MPs giving interviews about the deal, which he called "crazy."

"There is total non-acceptance here. You have the Nauruan government trying to tell people here what they have agreed to is not permanent settlement, they have been on TV almost hourly repeating that message," he said.

"And then the Australian government is still coming out saying it does mean permanent settlement."

A young asylum seeker gets ready to board a bus to the detention centre on Christmas Island. Source: News Limited

A Navy ship was responding to the latest emergency at sea last night with a RAAF P3 Orion flying above the stricken asylum boat to monitor it until a Navy vessel arrived.

Australia's Rescue Co-ordination Centre "issued a broadcast to shipping after it received information a vessel north of Christmas Island was in need of assistance," a spokeswoman said.

Since Labor was elected 49,965 had arrived, at a cost of more than $1 billion, with last night's vessel expected to push arrivals over 50,000.

Mr Rudd maintained his deal with Nauru had not collapsed since he announced it on Saturday.

"The language that we agreed with the government of Nauru ... was that a limited number of people would be allowed to 'settle and reside there,'" he said.

"That's the language that exists within their own tradition. That's what we've agree on, that's what we made public at the time."

It came as Solomon Islands Prime Minister Gordon Darcy Lilo said he would never accept a resettlement deal despite being asked by the Australian government.

"No, we will never consider that. It was informally put to us and I rejected it,'' he said.

He joined Fiji in criticising the deals the government was doing, saying: "It's not right, because a Pacific Solution has to be discussed properly with all the Pacific leaders."

"So you cannot invent something in Australia and say that is the Pacific solution. That's wrong."

Opposition immigration spokesman Scott Morrison said: "What is happening in the Solomons and Fiji, for that matter as well, is you are seeing the reluctance to accept what Kevin Rudd is trying to impose."

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott last night wrote to the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet claiming the finalisation of the agreement after the dissolution of Parliament was a possible beach of caretaker conventions.

Mr Burke's spokeswoman last night said that despite there being no written guarantee, failed asylum seekers would not return to Australia that the government would not accept the return of anyone sent to PNG.

Opposition immigration spokesman Scott Morrison said the memorandum enabled PNG to "veto" asylum seekers.

"PNG will decide...there is an expressed veto," he said

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Fallen AFL star Ben Cousins 'attacked'

Former AFL player Ben Cousins was reportedly bashed in an East Fremantle park.

FORMER AFL star Ben Cousins has reportedly been thrown to the ground during a fight at a park in Perth.

Police have confirmed there was a verbal argument between two men in an East Fremantle Park, in Irwin Street at 4.45pm (WST) yesterday. 

The 35-year-old Brownlow Medal winner, who has had a long public battle with methamphetamine addiction, was in the park when he was approached by a man yelling "I am going to kill you", a witness said.

During the scuffle one of the men, believed to be Cousins, was thrown to the ground, police said. The two men then left the location in separate vehicles. 

Ben Cousins: the brilliant but wayward AFL star.

Reports suggest Cousins was with relatives, including children, when the alleged attack took place.

Police last night confirmed officers were called to the park, near the corner of Canning Highway and Irwin Street. But when they arrived everyone had left.

The alleged attacker has been described as a suspected bikie.

This morning, police spokeswoman Susan Usher confirmed there was an incident at the small park, where two men including a 35-year-old man, believed to be Cousins, got into a verbal argument.

"No complaint's been made to police, which means it's not a police investigation," Ms Usher said.

Cousins, who joined the Eagles in 1995 as a talented teenager from Wesley College, became one of the club's favourite sons, a decorated all-Australian, club captain and 2006 premiership player who played 238 games.

But his football world came crashing down when he was sacked in 2007 after his methamphetamine addiction spiralled out of control.

He spent a year out of the game, but finished his career with Richmond, where he played a further 32 games in two years. 

He has continued to battle drug addiction, featuring in a tell-all documentary for national television, where he admitted his ongoing fight with substance abuse, and has since been charged with possessing a prohibited drug, a charge that was later dropped.

Cousins has never been far from the headlines with a hospital admission for drug-induced psychosis and an $800 fine in June last year for drug possession after he was arrested at Esperance airport with 4.56g of methylamphetamine concealed inside his body.

He had flown to Esperance, 800km south-east of Perth, to attend a rural drug rehabilitation clinic.

Cousins has recently become a father for the second time, with partner Maylea Tinecheff, who had a baby girl a few weeks ago. Cousins also has an 18-month-old son Bobby.

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Margs among world's friendliest

Margaret River locals have been listed as among the friendliest in the world. Picture: Supplied Source: PerthNow

LOOKING for the most welcoming places in the world to visit? It turns out you don't have to look very far.

Travel magazine Conde Nast Traveler has unveiled the results of its readers choice survey on the world's friendliest cities, with two Australian destinations making a list of the top 10.

Scroll down for the list

Hobart was beaten to the top spot only by the 'Island of Magic', Florianopolis in Brazil. It's a city described as having "outgoing locals, gorgeous views and an excellent airport".

Meanwhile, the Tasmanian capital, which was also recently named one of the world's best cities to visit in 2013 by Lonely Planet, was praised for its 'unique location, beauty and kind, friendly city natives'.

"They know how to treat visitors," one commenter said. Another described it as "one of the best places I've visited".

The second Aussie destination to make the top 10 list, Margaret River tied with Paro, Bhutan, for sixth place and was praised for its vineyards and beaches.

A Conde Nast Traveler spokesperson said: "It's no wonder this small town, just south of Perth on Australia's west coast, ranked high in the friendliest category: It's known for excellent vineyards and plenty of surfing; who wouldn't be happy? Our readers also praised the town's ambience and restaurants."

Do you think the locals are friendly in Margaret River? Comment below.

The survey also uncovered the world's most unfriendly cities.

Newark, New Jersey was voted the worst, with one reader saying she "ran into a lot of rude people there" and others arguing the only reason to visit was for a cheap stopover on the way to somewhere better.

Islamabad, Pakistan was named the second unfriendliest, followed by Oakland, California and Luanda, Angola.

YOUR SAY: Do you agree? Tell us below.

Friendliest cities:

1. Florianopolis, Brazil

2. Hobart, Tasmania

3. Thimpu, Bhutan

4. Queenstown, New Zealand

5. Charleston, South Carolina

6. Paro, Bhutan

Equal 6. Margaret River, Australia

7. Mandalay, Burma

9. Kilkenny, Ireland

Equal 9. Ubud, Bali

10. Chiang Mai, Thailand

Florianopolis, Brazil. Picture: Atramos/Flickr Source: Supplied

Unfriendliest cities:

1. Newark, New Jersey

2. Islamabad, Pakistan

3. Oakland, California

4. Luanda, Angola

5. Kuwait City, Kuwait

6. Lome, Togo

7. New Haven, Connecticut

8. Detroit, Michigan

9. Atlantic City, New Jersey

10. Tangier, Morocco

Newark, New Jersey. Picture: Dougtone/Flickr Source: Supplied

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Body found in East Perth bushland

SOUTH bound lanes of East Pde in East Perth are expected to be opened soon as police rule death non-suspicious.

The body was located in a tent on a vacant lot this afternoon.

Police have closed East Pde between Summers Street and the Graham Farmer Freeway but are expected to reopen the streets soon.
 

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Jockey dies after falling off horse

A jockey has died after being thrown from her horse during a race in Darwin.

Simone Montgomerie comes off her horse at the Darwin Cup. Source: News Limited

Simone Montgomerie was a mother of one. Picture: Elise Derwin Source: News Limited

THE racing community is reeling after jockey Simone Montgomerie died following a race fall during the Darwin Cup meeting.

Champion jockey Nash Rawiller said he had never left a racecourse feeling so sad and numb, while trainer Lee Freedman said the whole racing industry feels the pain.

From a noted racing family, Montgomerie, 26, was thrown from her mount Riahgrand when she was coming down the home straight in the sixth race of the day at Darwin Racecourse on Monday.

The mother of two tumbled off her horse and was trampled by the rest of the pack.

Two doctors treated her at the scene, but Ms Montgomerie passed away shortly after arriving at Royal Darwin Hospital.

"I've never left a racecourse feeling so sad and numb!" tweeted Rawiller, who was in Darwin for the Cup.

"Great jockey and beautiful young lady. Thinking of her family and close friends."

Hall of fame trainer Freedman said words couldn't express his distress at the news of her death.

"They face such danger. Everyone in racing feels this pain," he tweeted.

Simone Montgomerie was a mother of a five-year-old daughter. Picture: Facebook Source: Supplied

Ms Montgomerie's father Peter Montgomerie trained 2005 Melbourne Cup runner-up On A Jeune.

Jockey Kerrin McEvoy, who won the 2000 Melbourne Cup aboard Brew and rode runner-up On A Jeune, expressed his condolences.

"I'm shattered by the news," McEvoy told news.com.au.

Kerrin McEvoy: "She was a beautiful girl, it's just a tragedy." Source: News Limited

"I know Simone really well, we actually did pony club together. My condolences go to the Montgomerie family.

"She's a beautiful girl, it's just a tragedy."
Montgomerie rode 27 winners for the season, beating another woman, Felicia Bergstrand, by three.

"This was not something I ever thought about achieving, but when it comes it is a bonus," Montgomerie said a few days ago.

Jockey Kerrin McEvoy said he would remember the pony club days he shared with Montgomerie forever.

"It's a cruel game at times. Rest in peace Simone. Thoughts go out to the big Mont family," he wrote.

A full investigation into the circumstances of the accident has already been initiated by stewards, said Darwin Turf Club chairman Brett Dixon.

"As far as the Darwin Turf Club is concerned, she was our family, and we're all devastated by this accident," he told a press conference.

Mr Dixon said Montgomerie suffered traumatic injuries.

The rest of the carnival, including the Darwin Cup itself, was cancelled after officials spoke with distraught jockeys.

NT Chief Minister Adam Giles said it was a sad day for the Australian racing industry.

"Simone was a champion jockey at the top of her game and a pioneer of women in racing who will be sorely missed," he said in a statement.

National Jockeys' Association general manager Des O'Keeffe says the organisation will support Ms Montgomerie's family.

"We also have support for any jockeys who need it. We have counselling services they can ring," he said.

"It is unbelievable that this has happened just two days after National Jockeys Celebration day around the country. I have had many jockeys ring me and they are absolutely shattered."

National Jockeys Celebration day was held on Saturday by the National Jockeys Trust which provides support for families of killed and injured jockeys.

Recently, Gold Coast-based New Zealander Ashlee Mundy was home for the summer circuit when she died on December 30 after a fall at Kurow, while Corey Gilbey was killed in a fall at Julia Creek in Queensland on November 12, 2011.

Read more at the NT News .

- with AAP

###

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Abbott facing 'unlosable election'

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott leaves the stage after talking at the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre on July 25, 2013 in Brisbane. Picture: Getty Images Source: Getty Images

TONY Abbott has been the most ferocious and disciplined Opposition Leader of his age and will now test whether voters believe he can also be an effective Prime Minister.

Mr Abbott will have to confront that Liberal bogey, "the unlosable election", 20 years after it wrecked John Hewson's bid to oust an unpopular Labor government headed by Paul Keating.

Mr Abbott worked for Dr Hewson in that period and has skilfully avoided repeating his mistakes: Simple statements and no complex policy blueprint, for starters.

However, the return of Kevin Rudd to the Labor leadership has narrowed the comfort zone Mr Abbott and the Coalition enjoyed while Julia Gillard was Prime Minister.

Like Kevin Rudd, Mr Abbott has removed two Labor leaders to reach this election. The first was Kevin Rudd, who became Prime Minister at the 2007 election which saw off Mr Abbott's mentor John Howard.

In late November, 2009, the Coalition was rating just 35 per cent of primary votes as recorded by Newspoll. That's when Mr Abbott took the Opposition Leader's job from Malcolm Turnbull in a bitter internal brawl over climate change policy.

Seven months later in June 2010, the Coalition's primary vote was at 40 per cent and the ALP was rattled enough to oust Kevin Rudd.

The 2010 election called with a rush by an ill-prepared Julia Gillard was inconclusive and it seemed Mr Abbott was set to become Prime Minister if only he could get an election called. Ms Gillard kept her minority government together and refused to oblige.

By mid-June this year Mr Abbott had 48 per cent of the primary vote, and it was Ms Gillard's turn to be evicted from the PM's office, to make way for her predecessor Mr Rudd. The seven-month contest between the two men was renewed.

Mr Abbott will face a government which has admitted unemployment will be well above six per cent soon, economic growth will slow, and its calculations of revenue are out by roughly $100 billion over projections for four years. That would seem to make this showdown a certainty for the Coalition, but there is that unlosable election bogey. Mr Abbott doesn't have the personal popularity of Mr Rudd.

In 1993 Australia was still bleeding from a Keating-induced recession and on the Thursday before polling day official figures showed an unemployment rate of 11.1 per cent and in raw figures more than one million Australians out of work.

Two days later Paul Keating was returned.

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The five key election issues for WA

Cost of living pressures will be a major election issue for West Australians. Source: PerthNow

PRIME Minister Kevin Rudd has called a general election for September 7.

ASYLUM SEEKERS
The on-going issue of asylum seekers was magnified for West Australians in May this year when a group of 66 people on board a boat sailed into Geraldton port.
It is believed to be the first boat to reach the mainland in a major regional centre.
The detention of asylum seekers at facilities in Leonora and Northam continues to highlight the issue for West Australians.
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's announcement that no asylum seeker who comes by boat will ever be resettled in Australia under his new refugee laws, is aimed at blunting Tony Abbott's stop the boats policy.

TRANSPORT
Kevin Rudd has allocated $500m towards the airport rail link and light rail projects and, the Labor leader has hinted at further funding for urban rail projects in WA.
Meanwhile, Opposition leader Tony Abbott says he will not put one cent into urban rail funding. Instead, he is willing to fund road projects.

GST
For the first time, WA's GST receipts have fallen below 50 cents.
Neither federal Labor or the federal Liberals have promised WA a better GST deal.
Despite this, it's definitely an election issue for our voters.

THE CASH COW DILEMMA
Tony Abbott's weapon against Labor has been the cash cow phemomena in WA.
He argued that a mining tax, coupled with a carbon tax, was proof that the engine room of the nation was being used as a cash cow for Canberra.
But Rudd has now moved to an emissions trading scheme, robbing Abbott of a major weapon during the election.
But Abbott will continue to argue against the virtues of a mining tax during the poll.
Rudd will have to convince voters WA will be a beneficiary of a Federal Labor Government's generosity - if it wins another term of government.

COST OF LIVING
The Greens have already put cost of living pressures on the agenda by releasing to plan to ease the state's housing affordability crisis.
In WA, electricity prices have gone through the roof since 2008 - as have rental prices, water charges and other cost of living expenses.
If Rudd and Abbott can announce policies to ease cost of living pressures in WA, they will be onto a winner.

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Fine-dodgers to be named and shamed

WA's worst fine defaulters will be named and shamed under new laws. Picture: Theo Fakos Source: PerthNow

WEST Australia's top 100 fine defaulters will be named and shamed and their vehicles will be clamped and licence plates seized.

The new laws target thousands of people who owe a total of $259 million in unpaid infringements and court fines, with the most serious fine defaulters owing $67 million.

Under the new laws, the Sheriff's Office can wheel clamp vehicles for 48 hours or seize licence plates for 28 days if a person has more than $2000 in unpaid fines and infringements.

WA Attorney General Michael Mischin said clamps would be removed and licence plates returned after fines were paid, or offenders made a time-to-pay arrangement with the Fines Enforcement Registry.

In the worst cases, the removal of licence plates could be permanent, he said.

The Attorney General said there were 4976 people with more than $2000 in unpaid infringements, particularly serious speeding and red-light camera offences, owing a total of $17.3 million.

There are also 9635 people who have more than $2000 in unpaid court fines totalling $49.7 million.

"The public has had enough of these fine bludgers who have flouted the law and refused to pay what they owe the state, leaving law-abiding West Australians to foot the bill,'' Mr Mischin said.

WA's top 100 fine defaulters will also have their names, suburbs and amount of outstanding fines published on a state government website to be launched soon.

The laws come into effect on August 21.
 

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Abbott wins first poll

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott said the election is about trust and who is more "fair dinkum". Picture: Kym Smith Source: News Limited

TONY Abbott's Coalition have begun the election campaign slightly ahead of Labor and with the Opposition Leader also the preferred prime minister, according to a poll.

A Seven News/Reachtel poll tonight put the Coalition's two-party preferred vote on 52 per cent compared to 48 per cent for Labor.

In the better PM stakes, Mr Rudd scored 49 per cent and Mr Abbott 51 per cent.

The Coalition were also stronger on the economy 60 per cent to Labor on 40 per cent.

Earlier, Mr Abbott attempted to turn Kevin Rudd's campaign question of who voters trust on its head, asking the nation who they think is more "fair dinkum" and can deliver results instead of being all talk.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said it's time for the people to decide his fate. Picture: Gary Ramage

An hour after Prime Minister Kevin Rudd opened hostilities framed by Australian flags in his prime ministerial courtyard, the Opposition Leader held a press conference in the opposition party room in Parliament House before a Liberal Party campaign backdrop declaring "Choose real change - a stronger Australia."

In a bid to paint Mr Rudd as all talk and no action, Mr Abbott said he had a plan to get the budget under control, build infrastructure and would stop the boats.

Our how political reporters have covered the unfolding events in the blog below.

"The choice is the positive policies of the Coalition or more of the same with the Labor Party and Mr Rudd," he said.

"Mr Rudd was talking about who do you trust? It's really about who do you think is more fair dinkum? Who can you rely on to be build a better future?

Mr Abbott said his team had been stable for three years while the government had been gripped by dysfunction.

"Who do you think is more fair dinkum?" he said.

"The people who stopped the boats in the past? Or the people who started them again?"

Mr Abbott said he wanted to build a country where people would not feel like strangers and where the bonds of community would be stronger.

He said the government had spent too much time turning Australians against each other, noting the first law passed by the new Rudd government was the controversial 457 foreign worker legislation.

The Coalition Leader said he would reveal his costings in the course of the campaign but would only say that would happen "at some time point" in good time before the election.

He said the budget position would be stronger than Labor's and all policies would be fully costed.

Mr Abbott also ruled out doing any deals with the independents to form a minority government.

"Australia needs strong and stable government," he said.

Mr Abbott said he was open to negotiation to more than one campaign debate. Mr Rudd this afternoon offered to debate Mr Abbott tomorrow night on Sky and has offered each of the TV networks a Sunday debate.

Australians will go to the polls on September 7, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has announced in a statement.

Earlier, Mr Rudd announced the election date by asking voters "who do the Australian people trust best to lead them through the difficult new economic challenges which now lie ahead?"

2013 SOCIAL MEDIA WAR

He said the China resources boom was over and days after delivering an economic statement revealing a $30.1 billion deficit this financial year, Mr Rudd said Labor was best placed "Manage the big economic challenges which lie ahead."

"The old politics of the past just won't work for the future. Negative personal politics doesn't build a single school," he said.

"Australia needs a new way of dealing with challenges."

He also sold Labor's record of preventing Australia slipping into recession during the Global Financial Crisis.

Moments after earlier asking Governor-General Quentin Bryce for a September 7 election, Mr Rudd emailed Labor supporters, telling them "It's on" in the subject line.

Mr Rudd then called on supporters to "chip in $5" to help his campaign, which he said would be "one hell of a fight."

He sought to revive the class warfare which senior Labor MPs had rejected, claiming "Abbott and a few millionaires will out spend us" before asking supporters for their pocket change to help Labor's campaign.

Prime Minsiter Kevin Rudd tweeted this image of himself, working on his speech announcing the election to the nation. Picture: Instagram/Twitter/Kevin Rudd Source: News Limited

"Australians now face a choice. And the choice couldn't be starker," he wrote.

"I have a positive vision about the country we can be. In this election I'll be talking with Australians across the county about better schools for our kids, investing so we can create good jobs, and about how the NBN can help keep our economy strong.

"Tony Abbott has a different approach. He'll bang on with the same negativity that we're all sick of. He's only got three word slogans because he doesn't have the ticker to debate his real agenda."

Security guards undertake a check prior to Prime Minister Kevin Rudd arriving at Government House in Canberra. Picture: Gary Ramage Source: News Limited

Mr Rudd revealed his political advisers had told him he was beginning the campaign as "the under dog."

Labor polling shows the Coalition would have won an election held at the weekend.

Mr Rudd's opening salvo against Opposition Leader Tony Abbott was Labor's claim Coalition costings have a "$70 billion hole."

He linked Queensland Premier Campbell Newman's public service cuts, including 4000 workers, to the federal Liberal party, claiming Mr Abbott would "slash and burn" in an "austerity drive."

Rudd strikes NDIS, school deals

Keeping Up with the Ruddashians

Sydney voters ready for day of reckoning

Bob Katter in talks with Kevin Rudd on preferences

Will Coalition surplus sums add up

Rudd's refugee fix a shambles

Rudd says there's room for 10,000 boat people in PNG

One in four voting for me - Julian Assange

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and wife Therese Rein leaving their home in Brisbane. Picture: Mark Cranitch. Source: News Limited

Promising help for manufacturing and cost of living pressures, Mr Rudd said he had a "positive plan."

"Australians by their nature are positive practical people who believe in nation building," he said.

He promised also that he had learned from past mistakes by the government.

"You the Australian people have seen me at my highest highs and my lowest lows. You have witnessed some of those moments right here," he said of the Prime Minister's courtyard at Parliament House.

"They have made me a stronger person.

"I would be deeply honoured to serve you, the Australian people."

Foreign Minister Bob Carr will represent Mr Rudd at the G20 summit in Russia on September 5.

Comparing starting his campaign by asking for $5 donations from supporters to that of the US President, Mr Rudd said "President Obama did something like this in the US."

Another budget shambles - we're $30bn in the red

L-plate Treasurer's bad news in red

MPs are 'dumbing down' politics

Assange confident of Senate victory

Cash grab for detention centres

Steak knives out as Rudd won spill

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