Telethon kicks off 45th birthday

Catch up with the biggest stars this Telethon who today, donated their time to visit sick kids at PMH.

Fat Cat and this year's Telethon children Jack Day and Tahlia Polmear hope WA will give generously and support the charity this weekend. Picture: Richard Hatherly Source: PerthNow

AUSTRALIA'S biggest TV charity appeal, Telethon, kicked off its 45th birthday today.

Channel 7 stars converged on Princess Margaret Hospital – a beneficiary of the charity – this afternoon for one of a long line of events planned for the weekend.

The 26-hour long broadcast will start at 6.30pm.

But for those without tickets, there are a number of other ways to show your support for Telethon.

Celebrities Samantha Jade, Johnny Ruffo, Reece Mastin and Nathaniel Willemse will join Fat Cat at Harbour Town from 11am tomorrow.

And the Coles Kids Carnival will be on at pavilions 4, 5 and 6 of the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre all weekend.

You can also follow all the action on Twitter using the #Telethon7, or stay tuned to Perthnow from tomorrow for live updates.
 

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How education cuts affect your school

The Education Department will save $16 million next year. Source: The Australian

THE biggest losers in the Barnett Government's cuts to education funding are some of the state's most vulnerable students.

A report obtained by The Sunday Times reveals the 30 per cent across-the-board reduction to the School Support Program Resource Allocation - which helps schools tackle behaviour, attendance, literacy and numeracy problems - will hit many remote Aboriginal communities the hardest.

Cuts to this program are just one of the measures being introduced in 2014 to rein in education spending across WA.

SEE HOW THE CUTS AFFECT YOUR SCHOOL HERE

Halls Creek District High School will suffer a $159,918 cut next year - or 3.07 per cent of its total resources based on this year's funding, as a direct result of cuts to the SSPRA program.

And, Fitzroy Valley District High School will see a $114,417, representing 2.6 per cent of its budget, loss.

Other losers include Kununurra District High School, which will lose $196,648, or 2.27 per cent of its budget, Carnarvon Community College ($150,568 or 1.9 per cent), and Derby District High School ($139,904 or 2.11 per cent).

The Ngaanyatarra Lands School, where most of the school's 300 students speak different indigenous dialects as their first language, will suffer the harshest blow, with a loss of $210,722  or 5.2 per cent of its budget.

Although the Education Department said that was due to an ``administrative error'' that had seen the school overpaid about $400,000 for that program in the past two years.

By contrast, most of the state's other public schools will report a loss of less than one per cent of their budget as a result of the cut to SSPRA next year.

The report, provided by the department to a parliamentary committee in response to Opposition questions, shows a saving of $16 million by slashing the fund by 30 per cent next year, as part of a number of cuts that saw teachers and principals walk off the job last month.

Opposition education spokesman Sue Ellery said the cuts to SSPRA funding, which addresses attendance and behavioural issues as well as poor literacy and numeracy results, would affect WA's most vulnerable students.

Ms Ellery said it was unfair to impose across-the-boards cuts to the program when there was a greater need for that support in some areas more than others.

``Clearly, from this list, the most disadvantaged schools are the ones that are worst hit by these cuts,'' she said.

``This clearly demonstrates that this is a blunt instrument and it's hitting hardest those students who need the most help.

``For example, Roebourne District High School (which will lose $74,035) is a school under real need and that money would make a significant difference. There is also Gilmore College in Kwinana - it's a great school, but that population is facing some real issues and taking $125,000 out of their budget is a huge chunk from a school that needs every cent and more.''

Education Department acting deputy director-general of finance and administration Brett Roach said ``even with reductions and the return to the appropriate funding level, (Ngaanyatarra) will still receive more SSPRA funding in 2014 than any other school''.

Mr Roach said the school also received more than $660,000 in ``special purpose grants'' for 2013 ``to assist with the specific needs of the school'', and it was receiving the resources ``to deliver the best possible education and support programs to its students.''

Schools will continue to receive special purpose grants in 2014, he said.

Education Minister Peter Collier said that growing demands on the system meant schools were being asked to ``tighten their belts with a reduction in some resources'', but the education budget had increased $300 million this year.

``This will mean schools will have to review what they offer and how this can be done more efficiently,'' he said.

``While some programs may need to be reduced, the vast majority will remain and schools will continue to be committed to providing as much variety in programs as possible. Most importantly, children who really need more support will continue to receive it.''

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Suburbs Perth residents won't leave

Tracy Booth, with her son Curtis (16) and grandson Jaxon Gate (7 months), has lived in Gnangara for over 10 years Picture: Marie Nirme Source: PerthNow

A SECRET millionaire enclave in Perth's northern suburbs is one of the city's most loved areas residents don't want to leave.

Residents of Gnangara, wedged between Wangara and the Gnangara-Moore River State Forrest, hold onto their properties for an average of 14.3 years, the latest RP Data figures show.

That's almost six years longer than the average time Perth residents will spend in a property.

Do you love where you live? Tell us why below

The semi-rural suburb, with a population of just more than 1000 people, took out the top spot for Perth's most tightly held suburb jointly with Herne Hill.

Its median house price was $1m as of June 2013, the data shows.

The cheapest properties sell for about $850,000, while the most expensive go for between $3.5m and $4m, local property agents said.

* CLICK ON A SUBURB BELOW TO SEE STATS ON THE TOP 25

Davey Real Estate director Sam Hedges described the suburb as leafy with "large, architecturally-designed type homes" on properties between two and a half and ten acres in size.

But aside from the locals not many people know about Gnangara - the suburb does not even feature in the Real Estate Institute of WA's interactive list of Perth suburbs because it is considered a "lifestyle living" area with properties more than one hectare.

Resident Tracy Booth, who has lived in Gnangara with her husband and five children since 2003, said friends and visitors were often surprised by the area when they visited.

"When we moved here I had a friend who said 'Why on earth would you move from Hillarys to Gnangara?" Ms Booth said.

"When she came and visited … she said 'what a fabulous spot'."

The Booth family moved from Manchester, England 16 years ago and rented in Scarborough and lived in Hillarys for two years before they decided they needed more space to raise their young children.

The home they picked in Gnangara was a four-bedroom, two-bathroom Colonial style house on almost three acres.

"It gave the kids freedom to be children," Ms Booth said.

"They could get dirty and play but you always knew they were safe on the property."

The space has also allowed the family to add three bedrooms, a guest house and an indoor pool, among other renovations.

Ms Booth said the family's 10 years in Gnangara was the longest they had lived anywhere.

"We've always had itchy feet; we used to buy houses then move on within about two years in England," she said.

The Booth family's neighbours are also long-time residents; the newest ones moved in five years ago.

"We don't live in each other's pockets but everyone is really friendly," she said.

"We all get together about three times a year to catch up."

Mr Hedges said Gnangara's residents were mostly self-employed with businesses which operated heavy machinery.

"They like to house their gear on their property; they don't have to pay to house it and they can work on it on the weekends, if they like," Mr Hedges said.

"They had to have built something quite impressive or be quite well to do because properties up there weren't cheap."

Oceanside Realty agent Deb Treloar, who has sold homes in the area for eight years, said people tended to stay in Gnangara for between 15 and 18 years.

"They move in when the kids are little and tend to move away when their kids move out of home," Ms Treloar said.  

"The properties with their big houses and tennis courts and the like are too big for two people."

The suburbs residents stayed the longest after Gnangara and Herne Hill were Murdoch (13.4 years), Hovea (13.2 years), Coogee (12.4 years) and Bibra Lake (12.3 years).

Top 10 longest held suburbs:
GNANGARA
HERNE HILL
MURDOCH
HOVEA
COOGEE
BIBRA LAKE
DAGLISH
WOODVALE
KARDINYA
GOOSEBERRY HILL

*Data is all to July 2013 and the source is RP Data
 

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Councils 'putting lives at risk'

Fire Commissioner Wayne Gregson has accused councils of putting lives and property at risk. Picture: Daniel Wilkins Source: The Sunday Times

FIRE Commissioner Wayne Gregson has accused some councils of putting lives and property at risk by failing to train and properly resource their volunteer fire brigades.

Mr Gregson believes it's time to consider bringing WA into line with other states that have stripped local government of the responsibility for managing volunteer brigades.

But a group representing 26,000 volunteer firefighters warns that putting too much power in the hands of Perth "bureaucrats" will only lead to cock-ups because they don't understand local issues across a vast state.

The Sunday Times understands officials are worried about lax protocols among bushfire brigades in high-risk areas. These include:

• Local governments not keeping membership data.
• Volunteers turning up to emergencies in unlicensed vehicles.
• Questionable spending of funds.
• Some units even choosing leaders based on drinking games.

Mr Gregson declined to comment on these specific claims, but said he was alarmed by the lack of consistent training, record keeping and adherence to operational protocols across the state.

"The dedication of bushfire brigade volunteers is unquestionable," Mr Gregson, the head of the Department of Fire and Emergency Services, said.

"There are some local governments that are just as passionate and committed to emergency management, particularly bushfire (management), as their volunteers. However, many local governments are under-prepared and their ability to respond to the hazard is inadequate.

"The fire legislation in Western Australia is almost 70 years old and a number of reviews have recommended changes that would bring us in line with incident management structures, protocols and procedures in other states."

However, Association of Volunteer Bush Fire Brigades president Terry Hunter said local councils were best placed to manage volunteer brigades. He said they just needed more funding and support from the WA Government.

"The Association is concerned that restrictive bureaucratic processes, policies, budgets and inequitable funding . . . is restricting local governments' ability to adequately support their volunteers," Mr Hunter said.

"There is a fundamental difference between government command models and community respect and volunteerism models."

Last week The Sunday Times exposed the poor communications and coordination between a local council, DFES and the Department of Environment and Conservation that contributed to the death of firefighter Wendy Bearfoot during a blaze near Albany.

An official review into the incident said other Australian jurisdictions have already removed local government from the control of operational response to bushfires.

Emergency Services Minister Joe Francis said DFES was conducting a comprehensive review of emergency services in WA, including who should manage volunteer bushfire brigades.

"DFES is seeking the opinions of local governments, volunteers and other relevant parties in this process," Mr Francis said. "At this time the State Government does not have a position."

Mr Gregson said a three-year trial had started in the Kimberley with DFES responsible for all bushfire operations and management of all five volunteer brigades in the region.

DFES recently wrote to councils asking them if they would be willing or inclined to hand over control of volunteer brigades if the option was available.

Of the 121 councils that responded, 47 per cent said no.

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Does this woman deserve to be hated?

Without meaning to, the LA-based mother-of-three sparked a war on Facebook when she posted a photo of herself dressed in fitness gear, showing off her super-toned abs, surrounded by her three little boys.

Maria Kang had no idea she would cause such a stir with her Facebook post. Source: Facebook

• Maria Kang says there's no excuse for mums to be fat
• Sharny Kieser lost 30kg within eight weeks of giving birth
• Keep reading: 'We're sick of fat people whingeing'
• Opinion: I'm fat, so what?
• Top five food rules for weight loss

MARIA Kang started a fitness blog almost a decade ago but you probably didn't hear about her until this week.

And when her name did make it on to your radar, it was probably accompanied by words like "judgmental", "fat-shamer" and "bully".

Without meaning to, the LA-based mother-of-three sparked a war on Facebook when she posted a photo of herself dressed in fitness gear, showing off her super-toned abs, surrounded by her three little boys.

Harmless enough under normal circumstances, but at the top of the photograph, Kang asks What's your excuse?

Maria Kang, her three boys, a rocking body and a controversial question. Picture: Facebook Source: Facebook

That pissed off a lot of people.

New mums all over the world apparently felt that Kang was shaming them for not being in similar shape as her so quickly after giving birth.

The picture was seen by millions and attracted thousands of comments. These are some of the choice disses she attracted from other women:

"Not that I *NEED* an excuse for not working out, but here's mine you self-righteous idiot: fibromyalgia."

"What's my excuse? Cancer. If you really cared to promote health you wouldn't need to be half naked. You can show health by being dressed. The fact you chose attire such as this is that you were promoting appearance."

Kang issued a faux-pology, pointing out she's not naturally skinny and works relentlessly to stay in shape. If you interpreted her post as a dig at other mums, she says, that's not her fault. It's yours.

And for every hater, there's a woman on Facebook who supports her message:

"DO NOT APOLOGIZE!!! To look like this takes hard work. the people calling you a bully obviously don't have what it takes."

"Completely positive!! Good motivation and truth."

Kang, 32, is unabashed about her post-baby body, which may be fitter than the average but also proudly bears the hallmarks of motherhood - stretchmarks and excess skin.

Kidspot Australia's Alex Brooks says Kang's message isn't wrong, just provocative.

"People will take offence because body image is a very, very touchy and personal subject, particularly with mothers," Brooks told news.com.au.

"Our research shows 95 per cent of mothers find their weight one of the most stressful things in their lives. You'd think it would be juggling work and running a household and getting dinner on the table, but it's not. Body image is a very big deal.

And Kang's not alone in her quest to inspire other mum's to bounce back into shape.

Queenslander Sharny Kieser looks smoking after four children. Picture: Glen Bowden Source: Supplied

Fitness author Sharny Kieser says that if she can lose 30kg within eight weeks of giving birth to her fourth baby, other mums can too.

"It was never about the weight loss originally. I just wanted more energy to keep up with the kids and to get everything I needed to get done each day so I changed my eating and started exercising a little bit and as a byproduct of that I've lost over 30kg. I'm feelings the best I've ever felt in my life," she said.

"I would never have gotten in a bikini without shorts to cover bottom and legs and I've just done my first photo shoot with VEVE Glamour Swimwear.

"I never would have thought it possible for me to do something like that due to my stretch marks as a mum but for me to stand up with my stretch marks in a bikini and say 'I did this with my four babies, it's possible for you to do this too' ... that's what I want for other mums."

The Queensland mum-of-four, who says she has a better body now than before she had her babies, says Kang's seemingly harsh stance is needed.

"When others mothers are at a point when they're not feeling the best about themselves or they're feeling horrible about their body or they're tired and they're going through their journey they look at someone like Maria or myself who has achieved it and it takes them out of their comfort zone a bit," she said.

"It may give them the push subconsciously that they're maybe not ready for.

"If they're backlashing in a negative way it's nothing to do with me, it's what they're going through in that moment. I hope they might sit on it and then start their own journey towards happiness, loving themselves and good health."

No stranger to controversy after earlier this year saying fat people were exactly like dole bludgers, Kieser says Kang is an "inspiration".

"When I saw her photo I thought 'oh my gosh, wow, there's another mum out there and someone else making a difference the way I am'. I was so proud and excited for her," she said.

"I'm glad she's on her journey and not taking offence in any way to other mums who are putting a negative spin on it.

"I think deep down there definitely is (envy) because every mum wants to look and feel beautiful, feel amazing and have energy whatever size they are. I'd say to her 'keep doing what you're doing'. You're changing many mums' lives around the world. You're incredible. I love you to bits."

Tell us what you think. Continue the conversation below or via Twitter @newscomauHQ | @danielstrudwick | @itsKShort | @mariamkang | @sharnyandjulius

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Big Read: Return of the dark prince

Fitter, sober and happier - Nine Inch Nails Trent Reznor is no longer a tortured soul Source: Supplied

TWENTY years ago, Trent Reznor wrote a song called Mr Self Destruct. For those who hoped it might turn out to be prophetic, in the way of so many tragic rock stars, the Nine Inch Nails frontman is a living, breathing disappointment.

Reznor is sober. Fit. Married. Has two children. An Oscar. And on his new album Hesitation Marks, he sings of the "best days I've ever known".

"I'm certain I disappointed some fans that I didn't make Downward Spiral Part Seven, and that I'm not still actively in addiction and I'm not ready to kill myself. I can understand that," says Reznor, 48.

"But at the same time I'm not regretting who I am now. If I were to try to make (music) like that it would be immediately debunked as being false, insincere, pointless."

The musician won an Oscar for his score for The Social Network. Source: Supplied

After two decades as the dark prince of industrial rock, Reznor put Nine Inch Nails into a coma in early 2009: "I figured if I just announce it, it'll force my hand to try something different."

That he did, trying things like writing scores for David Fincher movies (The Social Network nabbed him the Oscar) and forming a band, How to Destroy Angels, with his wife Mariqueen. But it all led back to the start: Nine Inch Nails.

"Essentially, a few things fell into place that I hadn't planned on - between starting a family, scoring some films, working with different bands ... it started to feel interesting to me, I felt inspired and I wanted to try writing again as Nine Inch Nails and see what could happen.

"I surprised myself with how fresh it felt. And I've tried to build a band now that reflects that same inspiration."

When Hit catches up with Reznor, he's busy with the "nightmarish" task of building NIN's new stage show ... again. He built an epic visual show to accompany their comeback festival dates in July. Then he built another - "including different band members" - for the US arena tour he's now on. It sounds as though Reznor just likes giving himself work to do.

"It does sound that way, doesn't it?" he admits. "I'm in a state of exhaustion thinking, 'Why did I break all this off for myself?' But it's worth the effort to consider how to present the band right live. If it means I lose a few hours of sleep, then that's what it means."

That thoughtfulness extends to NIN's Aussie tour in March. The band will co-headline arenas with Queens of the Stone Age. But for a while there, the hype was that NIN would be announced as headliners for the 2014 Soundwave festival, alongside the likes of Green Day and Stone Temple Pilots.

Trent Reznor jumped at the chance to tour with Queens of the Stone Age. Source: News Limited

When NIN didn't sign on, Soundwave promoter AJ Maddah told upset fans on Twitter: "Sadly Trent wants to be mainstream now and reach Justin Timberlake's audience."

"Yeah, I caught some wind of that," says Reznor. "He seems like a pretty cool guy."

Does Reznor want to be "mainstream" now?

"I'm trying to make the best music I can, hoping that it is expansive and challenging. How that got misconstrued into I'm trying to be - what was it, Justin Timberlake?

"OK ... A better way of saying it is, 'I think your bill sucked and I'd rather not be on that bill'.

"That's a much more truthful way of saying it."

On the other hand, when the prospect of touring with good mate Josh Homme's Queens of the Stone Age was raised, "I didn't even have to think about it," says Reznor.

"And, just to address the Soundwave thing ... what I think about is, as a fan, would I want to go see Nine Inch Nails on that bill? I wouldn't go see Nine Inch Nails on that bill. But I'd be excited to see 'em with Queens."

Nine Inch Nails & Queens of the Stone Age, Rod Laver Arena, March 14; presale at frontier touring.com; general on sale October 24, Ticketek

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New boat arrival at Christmas Island

Despite New Zealand's offer to help Australia with its refugee intake, PM Tony Abbott says 'our determination is to stop the boats'.

Immigration Minister Scott Morrison. Picture: AFP PHOTO/William WEST Source: AFP

A NEW asylum boat arrived at Christmas Island on Thursday but the Abbott Government again refused to provide any information.

Photos showed several male asylum seekers being spoken to by Customs officers while being taken ashore for health and security checks.

Immigration Minister Scott Morrison's office yesterday declined to comment on the arrival in line with the government's tactics since winning power not to be the "shipping news" service for people smugglers.

"Updates on Operation Sovereign Borders, including illegal boat arrivals, are provided at weekly briefings," a spokesman said.

But it is unclear whether the government will release details at its weekly Operation Sovereign Borders briefing, expected on Friday, after not doing so last week when a boat arrived the day before.

This would mean it was reported eight days after it arrived.

Last Friday, Defence Vice Chief Air Marshall Mark Binskin claimed "if I haven't reported it, it didn't happen" when asked about a boat arrival the day before.

The government said the boat had not been processed by 9am on the Friday morning and would report in the following week's briefing.

It was the only asylum seeker boat arrival during that week as a crackdown by Indonesian Police since the election thwarted 550 would be asylum seekers from getting on boats.

Since the Coalition's Operation Sovereign Borders began four weeks ago, 215 people have arrived and been transferred.

A total of 402 people had been sent to offshore processing centres.

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No coffin for Chopper, just dirty clothes

Family and friends have paid their respects to criminal Mark 'Chopper' Read in Fitzroy

DOZENS gathered at the quaint community room under the Fitzroy football ground grandstand to farewell Mark 'Chopper' Read.

There was no coffin. In its place, at the notorious Melbourne criminal's request, was a nondescript laundry basket filled with dirty clothes and brandishing the message: "Could someone take care of this for me please. Thank you very much. Chop."

It was one of a number of ways the 58-year-old's public service reflected his often colourful character.

About 80 mourners, some carrying flowers, turned up to farewell Read, who died in hospital last week after a battle with liver cancer.

Family and friend of the notorious criminal enforcer Mark 'Chopper' Read have said their final goodbyes, at a secret funeral

Mourners arrive to farewell Mark 'Chopper Read' at the Fitzroy football ground.

Among the mourners was Read's wife, Margaret Cassar, who arrived without the company of his two sons, Roy and Charlie, hurrying in with barely a glance at the throng of waiting media.

A gravely ill Mark 'Chopper' Read talks everything from cancer to his new show with Herald Sun's Nui Te Koha.

Despite the larger-than-life reputation of the notorious celebrity criminal, the memorial service itself was a basic set-up with just a couple of vases of flowers for decoration.

Nostalgic favourite "Old Time Rock and Roll" by Bob Seger was played to the gathering in lieu of more solemn tunes.

It was expected attendees would be invited to sing along to Chopper's favourite song "Plastic Jesus".

Mourners arrive at the memorial service for Mark 'Chopper Read' at Fitzroy football ground.

The memorial service was originally planned for a chapel in Clifton Hill, but was moved to the football ground after an influx of calls from people who knew Read convinced his family to choose a larger venue.

Funeral director Nigel Davies told 3AW that he was not certain about how many people would attend the memorial.

Mr Davies opened the service by remarking that it would differ from Read's small private funeral and burial held at the Fawkner Memorial Park on Monday, which was attended only by family and close friends.

Mark Chopper Read in the back streets of Carlton. Source: News Limited

"He was always gonna have a private funeral for his family, that service was for Mark, and then we was gonna have a public service for the people who knew him as Chopper," Mr Davies said.

The celebrant spoke of Read's life as one with "ups and downs" and said the father of two had understood there would be people who "were glad he passed away".

"In his twenties, he was a bad boy," Mr Davies.

Read's wife Margaret was among the small crowd of mourners and former prison officer Peter Prideaux, who became friends with the crime figure after working at Pentridge Prison's H Division when Read did time there in the 1980s, spoke to the congregation.

Mark 'Chopper' Read. Mark Brandon Read. CHRISTOPHER TOVO, 2011. Source: Supplied

"In his last 20 years, he moved to be more a jovial uncle who played a bad boy for the media."

Mr Davies said Read never minded who would stand up and speak at his funeral, and accordingly invited any guest who wanted to to do so.

A colourful crew rose one by one to speak, among them a former prison worker, a fellow "older criminal", Read's pharmacist and a gallery owner who exhibited his paintings.

Former Prison Fellowship International worker Bill Sutcliffe remembered Read as a "great survivor, and a great character".

"He wasn't a great criminal," Mr Sutcliffe said.

Mark 'Chopper' Read. Picture: Supplied Source: News Limited

A self-described fellow old crook simply said: "A lot of criminals used to bag him, but I give the bloke something - he never robbed old people and he never touched kids".

Read's pharmacist David Nolte described him as an intelligent and respectful man who had led a "miserable life", and lamented that Read had not been better looked after in his childhood.

Read was diagnosed with liver cancer in April last year.

The criminal-turned-author spent more than 23 years in jail for crimes including armed robbery, assault and kidnapping and bragged about killing dozens of criminals.

Mark 'Chopper' Read with his original paintings at The Hogan Gallery, Collingwood. Source: News Limited

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Ponting takes aim at Pup, selectors

A look back at the most important moments of Ricky Ponting's time in cricket.

RICKY Ponting bares his soul like never before in his soon to be released autobiography, At The Close Of Play.

Here, we present some of the best extracts from the book, including Ponting's thoughts on getting dropped from the one-day side, retiring from Test cricket, and what he really thinks of Michael Clarke's leadership.

Ponting on ... getting dropped from ODI team

Inside, I was seething. Not for the first time in my career I had to keep a lid on what I was really thinking. These blokes had been appointed as the result of the Argus Review, a document that stressed the need for better communication between players and selectors. John Inverarity's new selection committee never gave me the chance to retire from ODI cricket, which - after 375 games, 50 more than any other Australian - I think I deserved.

Ponting on ... standing down from Test captaincy
Only 43 people had led Australia in a Test match. It would have been nice to be departing on the shoulders of my team-mates, victorious, rather than at a press conference after a defeat. One comfort was that it was totally my decision.

No one had knifed me; instead, a number of people tried to talk me out of it. Tim Nielsen thought it was vital I stayed in the job for as long as I could while the team was developing.

Ricky Ponting's new book is sure to ruffle a few feathers. Picture: Sam Mooy.

Senior figures from Cricket Australia contacted my manager, James Henderson, who had been looking after me since 2007, straight after the quarter-final to say, 'Don't let Ricky make any stupid decisions. At least make him hold fire until after the games in Bangladesh.'

But my mind was made up.

Ponting on ... Michael Clarke as vice-captain

It was true that I'd been a little disappointed with some of the things he'd done - or more accurately, hadn't done - as vice-captain, but I was now comfortable with the idea of him taking over.

It wasn't that he was disruptive or treacherous, and publicly he said all the right things, but he had never been one to get too involved in planning sessions or debriefs at the end of a day's play, or to volunteer to take on any of the captain's workload.

Michael Hussey has put to rest any rumours of an ongoing rift between himself and Australia captain Michael Clarke.

More than once, Tim Nielsen and I had encouraged him to take on more of a leadership role within the group, but when Pup was down on form or if he had a problem away from cricket, he'd go into his shell.

Ponting on ... Clarke's commitment to team ethos

It never worried me if a bloke didn't want a drink in the dressing room, but I did wonder about blokes who didn't see the value in sticking around for a chat and a laugh and a post-mortem on the day's play.

This was the time when we could revel in our success, pick up the blokes who were struggling, and acknowledge the guys who were at the peak of their powers. Pup hardly bought into this tradition for a couple of years and the team noticed.

Ponting on ... being embarrassed by South Africa in Brisbane

Test captain Michael Clarke believes you can't get anywhere being selfish whilst quick James Pattinson gives credit to coach Darren Lehmann

I went into this Test in the best of form. Now for the first time I started to think maybe I'd never come good, not at the top level. I didn't feel inadequate or embarrassed. Instead, I was thinking of myself as being like a kid who'd used all his tokens at the show. It was as if someone had decided that I'd scored all the runs I was supposed to score in Test cricket.

Ponting on ... being embarrassed by South Africa in Adelaide

In the second innings, I scratched my way to 16, at which point Steyn pitched one short of a length outside off-stump, maybe reverse swinging away a fraction; a ball best left alone. I played a "nothing shot", indecisive, bat on an angle; if it had found the middle of my bat it would have been a tame push to cover. Instead, the ball took a thick inside edge and ricocheted back into my stumps.

"F--k!" I shouted in exasperation. I looked back at the stumps. "F--king idiot," I said loudly to myself.

Ponting on .. deciding to retire from Tests

Ricky Ponting with wife Rianna and their two children after his final Test at the WACA. Picture: Daniel Wilkins.

I SAT on the edge of the bed, looked at Rianna, and quietly said what I'd been thinking since I'd unstrapped my pads a few hours earlier...

"I'm not sure I can do this anymore. I don't think I can keep putting myself through it."

Rianna looked at me and summed up the situation in a moment. I never had any doubts that she was the right woman for me and times like this confirmed it.

"You don't have to," she said gently. "You don't have to keep putting yourself through this."

We were in Adelaide, the place where Gilly and Marto had both hit the wall, and now it had happened to me. The day I never thought would come had arrived. I'd held it inside until I got back to the hotel, but the moment I sat on the bed the words spilled out.

Ricky Ponting (C) with Michael Clarke (L) after Ponting's final Test match. Picture: Daniel Wilkins.

Ponting on ... telling his father he was going to retire

I rang Dad, who was watching a Twenty20 Big Bash game on the television. "G'day Dad," I said. "What are you doing?"

"I'm watching blokes make runs, something you haven't been doing lately!" he quipped.

Dad was a constant. It was always good to talk to him.

However, his mood quickly changed when I told him I'd decided to retire.

"No, not yet mate," he said quietly. There was silence. As he tried to keep going, I could sense a tear in his voice. "No, just go out there and bat," he mumbled. "Shut everyone up."

At The Close Of Play, by Ricky Ponting, is on sale from October 21: http://www.amazon.com/Ponting-At-Close-Play-ebook/dp/B00DQ2F4BO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1381376969&sr=8-1&keywords=ricky+ponting

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Rape accuser 'driven out of town'

Hacktivist group 'Anonymous' has declared war on the town Maryville, where charges of rape against a popular footballer were mysteriously dropped. Courtesy #OpMaryville/YouTube

Daisy Coleman. Source: Supplied

HACKTIVIST group Anonymous will target a town where charges of rape against a local footballer were dropped and the young victim was run out of town.

Daisy Coleman, the alleged victim, has been named in publications and broadcasts with the permission of her mother Melinda in order to draw attention to the case, the Kansas City Star reports.

Anonymous, who have bought publicity to two other rape cases, say the 14-year-old victim has been denied justice and they will target the Missouri town of Maryville where her house mysteriously burned down.

"We demand an immediate investigation into the handling by local authorities of Daisy's case. Why were the suspects initially arrested and then released? How was the video and medical evidence not enough to put one of these football players inside a courtroom?" the group said in a video recently released online.

Anonymous said the entire town was responsible for allowing charges relating to the alleged assault of Daisy and her friend to be dropped and for the harassment which Daisy's family say they received after they went to the police.

"If Maryville won't defend these young girls, if the police are too cowardly or corrupt to do their jobs, if justice system has abandoned them, then someone else will have to stand for them. Mayor Jim Fall your hands are dirty. Maryville expect us. We are Anonymous. We are legion. We do not forgive or forget."

In January 2012, in the 12,000-person town of Maryville, Daisy reported she had been raped by a popular 17-year-old boy from her school. She told police she was invited to a party where she had so much alcohol she could not stand, and had sex with the boy. The incident was partly filmed by one of the alleged perpetrator's friends on his phone.

Daisy's best friend, aged 13, also had sex with a 15-year-old boy. She told police she went into a bedroom with the 15-year-old boy, who was an acquaintance. The case was handled in juvenile court, but the Star accessed police records of his interview, in which he said although the girl said "no" multiple times, he undressed her, put a condom on and had sex with her.

The 17-year-old - the grandson of a longstanding local political figure - and his friends later allegedly left Daisy outside her front door in minus-5C weather, wearing only a T-shirt and track pants. Daisy was discovered by her mother after several hours, her hair frozen and with frostbite on her extremities.

Undressing Daisy inside for a warm bath, Mrs Coleman said she saw evidence of sexual activity.

She phoned emergency services, who directed her to a hospital. The 13-year-old also attended hospital.

Police arrested two teenagers within hours and charged them with felonies, but a few weeks later the prosecutor dropped the rape charges, citing insufficient evidence.

Initial police inquiries resulted in the 17-year-old being charged with sexual assault, a felony, and endangering the welfare of a child, a misdemeanor, having admitted to having sex with Daisy and to being aware that she had been drinking. He insisted the sex was consensual.

The 17-year-old accused by Daisy was not charged with statutory rape, as in Missouri that law generally applies in cases when a victim is under 14 years old or the perpetrator is over 21. But statutes also define sex as non-consensual when the victim is incapacitated by alcohol. Hospital tests roughly seven hours after Daisy stopped drinking showed her blood alcohol content still at 0.13.

In addition to admitting his own sexual encounter with the younger girl, according to police records, the 15-year-old said the boys left Daisy "outside sitting in 30-degree (-1C) weather" - more dangerous with a high alcohol level in the bloodstream.

From him, investigators also learned about the film shot on a third boy's phone, leading to that boy's felony charge of sexual exploitation of a minor.

By the time the police had concluded their investigation, Sheriff Darren White felt confident the office had put together a case that would "absolutely" result in prosecutions.

"Within four hours, we had obtained a search warrant for the house and executed that," Sheriff White told The Star.

"We had all of the suspects in custody and had audio/video confessions.

"I would defy the Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department to do what we did and get it wrapped up as nicely as we did in that amount of time."

Although sympathy initially was with the girls, a sizable number of people stood by the accused boys and their families.

In an interview, the prosecutor who dropped the charges against the boys called it a case of "incorrigible teenagers" drinking alcohol and having sex.

"They were doing what they wanted to do, and there weren't any consequences. And it's reprehensible. But is it criminal? No," he said.

For his part, Sheriff White maintains "no doubt" a crime was committed that night. The doctor who treated Daisy the following morning called the prosecutor's decision to drop the charges "surprising".

Daisy was soon subjected to cyber bullying, including victim-shaming. She was suspended from the cheerleading squad for her role in the night's events and twice attempted suicide.

Mrs Coleman lost her job at a veterinary surgery. She says it was because the case put too much strain on work relationships in the clinic, while her boss says it was also a mismatched work ethos.

Veterinarian Sally Hayse told the Star: "This is a small community, and it definitely was stressful for us here, without a doubt."

But, she said, "If you were to ask me point-blank (why Mrs Coleman was fired), I would say it's because our style of medicine didn't jive".

Daisy's three brothers were threatened and bullied at school, often by boys they had counted as friends. One of them was booed at his final wrestling match of the year.

Mrs Coleman felt she had no choice but to leave the town. Eight months later, in April, the house she was trying to sell burned down. Fire investigators have been unable to determine the cause but Mrs Coleman suspects arson.

Mrs Coleman had originally moved her family to Maryville in 2009 after the death of her husband, a doctor, in a car crash three years earlier. She hoped for a new start there.

If you or someone you know may be at risk of suicide contact Lifeline 13 11 14, beyondblue 1300 22 46 36, or Salvo Care Line 1300 36 36 22.

 

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Businessman a victim of 'money and revenge'

A BUSINESSMAN whose battered body was found in the boot of his own car outside a motel took up to six hours to die, a Perth court has heard.

Ambrose John Clarke and his brother Xavier Gerard Clarke are on trial in the WA Supreme Court for the murder of Peter John Davis, 57, in what prosecutors claim was a killing motivated by anger, money and revenge.

Prosecutors allege Mr Davis was lured to Malaga on May 30, 2011 where he was murdered over a perceived debt, and was found the next day in his vehicle at the rear of the Great Eastern Motor Lodge in Rivervale, east of the city.

In her opening address today, prosecutor Carmel Barbagallo said Mr Davis met with foul play between 6.45am and 8.20am.

He was beaten, choked, smothered and rendered unconscious before being wrapped in black plastic and left in the boot of his 4WD, she said.

Mr Davis took between three and six hours to die, Ms Barbagallo said.

The court heard that years earlier, Ambrose Clarke, 49, started a franchise of Mr Davis' roofing business, but the relationship soured when Mr Davis accused Clarke of stealing money and reported him to police.

Clarke then started a new business with a new partner, but that relationship also ended.

When they severed ties, the former business partner sought help from Mr Davis on some jobs, which further upset Clarke, the court heard.

By May 2011, Clarke was under financial pressure with about $115,000 owed to his credit card and other costs.

Clarke also believed he was owed about $300,000 from Mr Davis, prosecutors alleged.

He then began intimidating and threatening the victim and his family with a the help of an unlicensed debt collector, the court heard.

Ms Barbagallo also alleged Clarke bought a new phone using a fake name and address days before Mr Davis' death and asked Xavier Clarke, 47, to call Mr Davis to lure him to a job to give a quote.

The jury was shown photographs of where Mr Davis was allegedly murdered and Ms Barbagallo said there was easy access to the back of the building that could not be viewed from the street and and did not have security cameras.

The defence team has yet to address the jury.

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Rotto plan a blow for families

Rottnest Island is one of the state's major tourist attractions. Source: PerthNow

PRIVATISING services on Rottnest Island could push the price of a holiday out of reach for most West Australians, the Opposition says.

Fremantle Labor MP Simone McGurk said Rottnest Island Authority staff had been told the State Government planned to privatise a number of services on the island, including accommodation, tours, transport, boat moorings and the golf course.

Rottnest Island is one of the state's major tourist attractions. Source: PerthNow

"The Barnett Government must reveal plans to privatise any of these services on Rottnest Island," she said.

"I am concerned that if services on the island are privatised than the important job of managing Rottnest's heritage buildings and the environment on the island could be neglected.

Rottnest Island is one of the state's major tourist attractions. Source: PerthNow

"If prices and service levels are controlled by private operators, what guarantee does the Government give that this won't push a holiday on Rottnest out of the reach of ordinary Western Australians?"

The ABC reports the privatisation proposal is part of a new strategic plan by the Rottnest Island Authority to make running the island more profitable.

Tourism Minister Liza Harvey said the Government "from time to time" puts additional investment into Rottnest because the island does not cover all of its costs.

Rottnest Island is one of the state's major tourist attractions. Source: PerthNow

She said the new plan was a statutory requirement of the Authority to put together five-year plans.

"The existing plan is due for expiry," she told ABC Radio.

"This is just a statutory process. As far as what's in the plan, that hasn't been considered by Government at this point in time." 

Rottnest Island is one of the state's major tourist attractions. Source: PerthNow

Ms Harvey said there was significant private sector investment in Rottnest Island already.

"The challenge with Rottnest is that it's always been a relatively small season," she said.

"Where private sector can do the work more efficiently than government and provide a service ... I think we need to engage those operators and try and make sure people have a really good tourism experience."
 

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Gale and Gomes shine at shoot

Go behind the scenes with supermodels Jessica Gomes and Megan Gale as they take over the styling for the STM.

Jessica Gomes with Megan Gale on site for the fashion shoot in Sydney. Picture: Penny Lane Source: Supplied

MEGAN Gale doesn't often step behind the camera, but she's happy to make the exception for a fellow Perth girl - especially when it's Jessica Gomes.

At a Sydney fashion shoot for her new Isola swimwear range, Megan Gale let top model and fellow David Jones ambassador, Jessica Gomes, shine in front of the lens, while she played stylist.

PICTURES: Jess Gomes models Megan Gale swimwear

"Working with Megan on this shoot was a dream come true," Gomes, 28, said.

Jessica Gomes poses up for Megan Gale at the Sydney fashion shoot. Picture: Penny Lane Source: News Limited

"She's someone I've always looked up to and admired for her career success.

"And, of course, we are both Perth girls. Us Perth girls really get out there. We are taking the world by storm."

Gomes, who took over from Miranda Kerr as the face of the iconic department store earlier this year, said she's always admired Gale.

Jessica Gomes poses up for Megan Gale at the Sydney fashion shoot. Picture: Penny Lane Source: Supplied

"I first worked with her 10 years ago when I was the youth fashion ambassador for David Jones and she was the Fashion Ambassador, so now to be appointed in her role is amazing," she said.

"Hopefully I will go on to achieve similar success as Megan."

Gale, who has branched out into acting, TV presenting and swimwear designing, said she has enjoyed diversifying her career.

Jessica Gomes poses up for Megan Gale at the Sydney fashion shoot. Picture: Penny Lane Source: Supplied

The 38-year-old admitted she's just as happy working behind the camera.

"It's such a natural transition for me," Gale said.

"I like to be hands on in my work as a model and in TV so to take on the role of stylist and designer seems like a natural progression. I love it."

Jessica Gomes poses up for Megan Gale at the Sydney fashion shoot. Picture: Penny Lane Source: Supplied

Gale said she's enjoyed watching Gomes come into her own as a model and woman.

"I really love her look," she said.

"I love that she's a Perth girl who is quite curvy and isn't afraid to flaunt it.

"We've known each other for years and it's been great to see her really coming into herself and becoming a woman and becoming more confident. She's a seasoned pro."

Jessica Gomes poses up for Megan Gale at the Sydney fashion shoot. Picture: Penny Lane Source: Supplied

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AFL stars share holiday snaps

Richmond captain Trent Cotchin relaxes with fiancee Brooke Kennedy in Bali. Source: Twitter

FROM Bali beaches to Rio, Las Vegas and Disneyland, AFL players are letting their hair down away from home.

In August players won a long-running battle to extend their end-of-season leave, and after a gruelling season they are taking full advantage.

And they are sharing the highlights with the world on Twitter and Instagram.

SEE THE BEST OF AFL PLAYERS' HAPPY SNAPS BELOW

Bali is the destination of choice for footy stars, with players from Geelong, Fremantle, Hawthorn and Richmond among those hitting the tropical holiday spot.

The old footy team end-of-season trip seems to be a thing of the past, with clubs splitting up and players hanging out with rivals from other teams.

While Trent Cotchin and Dustin Martin relax by the pool in Bali, a crew of Richmond players are in Brazil on an inter-cultural exchange, while injured teammate Liam McBean represents the tougher face of footy - his holiday is being spent on the couch with his leg in a cast after late-season surgery.

Players including Joel Selwood, David Zaharakis and Dane Swan are in the US, along with Demon Jeremy Howe, who continues to defy gravity - this time on the Disneyworld rollercoaster.

Bomber Brendon Goddard is in New York, tweeting a series of photos as he played a round at the famed Winged Foot golf course in New York - where Geoff Ogilvy won the 2006 US Open.

Days after joining Sydney on a mega nine-year contract, Lance Franklin jetted out to London to join the Indigenous All-Stars in Ireland, and former Hawk teammate Isaac Smith is seeing the sights in Prague.

But some players are happy to stay closer to home. Crows star Patrick Dangerfield is in Darwin and Nic Naitanui is building his pre-season fitness on WA's Bibbulmun Track. If he's taking it seriously he will be very fit - the full track is almost 1000km long.

More on the latest AFL news:

Gavin Brown is set to join North Melbourne's coaching staff as a development coach.

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Neighbours angry at public housing deaths

Robert Roll's body was not discovered despite neighbours raising concerns for his safety with the Department of Housing. Source: PerthNow

IT wasn't the nauseating stench but an overflowing mailbox that prompted the Department of Housing to check on a 75-year-old cancer patient who had been dead in his Perth apartment for two years.

Robert Roll's skeletal remains were found slumped in the bedroom of his Wellington Street public housing unit on July 7, 2011 - two years after he discharged himself from Royal Perth Hospital, after being diagnosed with lung cancer.

Home-based care arrangements were not made for Mr Roll because he had discharged himself.

The elderly man - who had lost contact with his UK-based family several years earlier and had no close friends - was pain free and insisted he wanted to maintain his independence, although he ultimately agreed to some assistance.

The WA Coroners Court heard today that nurses from in-home health and care provider Silver Chain only visited Mr Roll once, after he was "not compliant with their services''.

After he died, there were several signs that something was amiss.

He missed an oncology appointment, his gas and electricity bills weren't paid, resulting in the services being disconnected, and a vile smell permeated the apartment block during the hot summer months.

Neighbours Leanne Scobell and Ashley Wilson initially thought Mr Roll had moved out or been put in a nursing home.

They put the foul odour down to being a dead animal possibly trapped in the lift shaft.

Outside court, Ms Scobell said they complained about the smell more than once but the Department of Housing did nothing.

"It was like a dead animal - it was horrendous. It would make you want to vomit the minute you'd walk in the foyer,'' she said.

Then in late 2010, she noticed Mr Roll's mailbox was overflowing and went next door to the department's headquarters to inform them.

"I thought they would do a routine check and see if he was okay,'' Ms Scobell told the court.

In May 2011, she and Mr Wilson also asked during a property inspection if Mr Roll had moved out.

It wasn't until another neighbour, Barbara Mansell, contacted the department twice about the mail that housing officers made the grim discovery during a welfare check some two months later.

"It was shocking really,'' Ms Scobell said.

"And it happened again afterwards - the lady next door had been left (dead) in her unit for two weeks.''

Mr Wilson said property inspections were not done regularly enough but if they had been, Mr Roll would have been found earlier.

Ms Scobell said it was frustrating the department didn't pay heed to her various concerns.

"It was like you were smacking your head against a brick wall,'' she said.

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Jetstar sorry after gay bag tag slur

Jetstar has said it will investigate after a passenger found his luggage with this slur on it. Source: Supplied

JETSTAR has apologised to a Queensland passenger after the words "I am gay" were written on his luggage with airline baggage sticker tags.

An airline spokeswoman said a thorough investigation would be conducted after a picture of the luggage was posted on Twitter yesterday after a flight from Perth to Brisbane.

It is believed the incident took place in Perth but the airline was unable to confirm this.

"We are taking this matter very seriously and we have contacted the passenger to apologise for any distress caused," the spokeswoman said in a statement.

User @aaronpp posted the picture yesterday attached with caption: "Utterly disgusted to find my luggage front and center on the @JetstarAirways luggage carousel looking like this."

Identifying himself as a stay-at-home dad and author of blog One Sleepy Dad, the man then told users he believed the incident happened at Perth Airport, during a visit.

"It's the luggage sticker tags for the flight. Add passenger #privacy to you concerns," the user known as Sleepysaurus Rex! Wrote.

Twitter users attacked Jetstar with a post from Jason Xolmer describing the incident as "disgusting and unforgivable".

Another user Kate Doak said they were not surprised and had trouble with Jetstar staff in Sydney in May "due to being Trans".

The blogger, responding to posts about yesterday's debacle, said they were originally booked with Qantas but the flight details were changed and the flight was delayed more than an hour.

The post was retweeted more than 60 times yesterday.

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'Patients not affected by SCGH job cuts'

Health Minister Kim Hames talks to media about the 200 job cuts at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital. Picture: Bohdan Warchomij Source: PerthNow

Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital. Source: The Sunday Times

HEALTH Minister Kim Hames claims patient care at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital will not be affected by the 'adjustment' of 200 jobs.

As revealed in The Sunday Times today, several Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital department heads have been told they need to shed the equivalent of 200 full-time positions as soon as possible, including doctors and nurses.

Yesterday a top insider said they had been warned that up to 10 per cent of the hospital's workforce - up to 500 jobs - could eventually go.

Dr Hames confirmed today an expected 200 jobs were likely to be "adjusted".

"My understanding is that 200 is likely, but it's not going to be that suddenly 200 people are losing a job," he said.

"We'll be having transfers to other hospitals, moving patients to where the demand is and reduction by natural attrition.

"We're not reducing numbers, we're not cutting staff, people are not getting the sack. What we're doing is adjusting our numbers across the system."

Opposition health spokesman Roger Cook says the job losses at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital will "severely" affect patient care. Picture: Bohdan Warchomij Source: PerthNow

Dr Hames said staffing numbers had to be adjusted after the hospital had a drop in patient numbers.

"So they've got to adjust their staffing levels back to the right amount, the same amount that every other hospital in Australia is doing and make sure that they get their numbers matching the patients coming in," he said.

"But at the same time we're having those adjustments, we've had more than 200 added extra full-time equivalents at Joondalup Hospital.

"It's not efficient to fund far more for a hospital whose patient numbers are actually going down."

The Health Services Union of WA and the Opposition, however, say the job cuts will drastically affect patient care.

Opposition health spokesman Roger Cook said the budget cuts would have a "severe impact on hospital services".

"I don't see any doctors and nurses standing around wondering where their next patient is going to come from," Mr Cook said.

"I don't think any of the patients in this ED today will be saying 'goodness me, things have dropped off. I'm getting served much quicker.'

"Hospitals are still struggling to deal with the demand from Perth's growing populations and as a result of these cuts patients will wait longer and patient care will suffer."

HSUWA Secretary Dan Hill commenting on the reduction of jobs at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital. Picture: Bohdan Warchomij Source: PerthNow

HSUWA secretary Dan Hill said he believed casual and contracted staff would be targeted.

"Slashing 200 FTE's (full time equivalent) actually translates into many more people losing their jobs, because many staff will be in part time positions," Mr Hill said.

"For example, up to five staff members could make up just 1 FTE position.

"The health sector has already been cut to the bone and any further cuts could severely impact the quality of care given to patients."

SCGH has more than 600 beds and is one of Australia's leading teaching tertiary hospitals, treating more than 400,000 patients every year.
 

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'Arrest made over missing Maddie'

Detectives are set to reveal new information about the hunt for Madeleine McCann in a television appeal.

BRITISH detectives investigating the 2007 disappearance of Madeleine McCann in Portugal have reportedly arrested a man and raided his home.

Britain's Sunday Mirror, which last week featured claims from a lawyer who insisted a man he met at a party had seen the missing child on an island in the Mediterranean, now says an arrest has been made.

The paper is reporting that a man has been arrested by Greater Manchester Police and computers from a private home were seized.

"The arrest only happened as a result of a claim that Madeleine may still be alive," a source said to be close to the missing girl's family told the paper.

British detectives will release new e-fits of men they wish to contact over the 2007 disappearance of Madeleine McCann. Picture: AP Photo/PA, Metropolitan Police, Teri Blythe

On Monday in the UK, detectives will publish new e-fits of men they want to contact, in a major public appeal that will also be shown in Germany and the Netherlands.

The prime time television programme will also present a fresh timeline of events surrounding the disappearance of the British girl from her family's holiday apartment, just a few days before her fourth birthday.

There is speculation they are seeking two German-speaking men over Maddie's disappearance, The Mail on Sunday reports.

The appeal will be shown on Tv in Germany and the Netherlands after Monday's British broadcast, in a bid to widen the search for new information.

"The reviewing and analysis of all available information has led to new insights and leads that, for the first time, point to Germany," a spokesperson for German TV's Aktenzeichen XY ...   Ungelost told The Mail.

The e-fits will also appear on Dutch programme Opsporing Verzocht in an effort to find the men who may have been speaking German or Dutch, the paper said.

The British show will also include a new 25-minute reconstruction as well as live interviews with Gerry and Kate McCann, who launched a global media campaign to find their daughter and still hold out hope she is alive.

Portuguese authorities closed their investigation in 2008, but London's Metropolitan Police spent two years reviewing the evidence and opened their own probe in July this year.

Last week, the British force said analysis of mobile phone data from thousands of people who were in the resort of Praia da Luz when Madeleine disappeared could provide a new lead.

The detectives have interviewed 442 people over the last couple of years and have identified 41 potential suspects, although no arrests have been made.

In the BBC 'Crimewatch' programme on Monday night, e-fits of men seen in and around Praia da Luz at the time will be published in a bid to identify the men and eliminate innocent sightings.

"Primarily what we sought to do from the beginning is try and draw everything back to zero,'' said the chief investigating officer, Detective Chief Inspector Andy Redwood, in a clip from the programme released to the media.

"Try and take everything back to the beginning and reanalyse and reassess everything, accepting nothing.''

He said detectives were focused on the time between 8:30pm on May 3, 2007, when Kate and Gerry McCann left the apartment to dine at a nearby tapas restaurant with friends, to when Kate McCann found Madeleine was missing at 10:00pm.

"Our work to date has significantly changed the timeline and the accepted version of events that has been in the public domain to date,'' DCI Redwood added.

Last week the McCanns said they were "greatly encouraged by new information coming to light'' and said they hoped the BBC appeal would take them closer to find Madeleine.

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Mongols patch over the Finks in WA

Police operation confirms the Mongols bikie gang has patched over the Finks in WA.

WA police say the notorious Mongols outlaw motorcycle gang has patched over the Finks in WA. Source: Supplied

A POLICE operation has confirmed the notorious Mongols outlaw motorcycle gang has patched over the Finks in Western Australia.

Police Commissioner Karl O'Callaghan flagged concerns last week about the US-based bikie gang taking over the Finks and said police had been monitoring the situation.

There were previously only three Mongols in WA and all are in prison.

There are about 12 Finks members in WA and about half are in prison, while their club house has been frozen.

Deputy Commissioner Chris Dawson told reporters today that police were monitoring all gangs and played down the threat of the Mongols, who have a violent rivalry with the Hells Angels in the US.

"Irrespective of what they call themselves, police regard them (all) as criminal gangs and will continue to treat them as such,'' Mr Dawson said.

Laws allowing WA police and the state's corruption watchdog to declare bikie gangs illegal were passed by parliament late last year, but have not yet been proclaimed.

The intelligence was gathered as part of a national day of action against outlaw motorcycle gangs.

Police executed search warrants throughout Perth's metropolitan area on Saturday targeting two club houses and residences in Woodvale, Aveley, Balga, Henley Brooke, Butler, Ocean Reef, Landsdale, Quinns Rock and Wilson.

Seized items included a baton, a tracking device believed to be used for vehicles, 28g of white powder that is yet to be identified, and $56,000 in cash.

Further operations were carried out at licensed premises in Fremantle, Burswood and regional areas.

Charges included disorderly behaviour, five counts of possessing a prohibited drug and possessing a smoking implement.

In a joint operation with the Department of Corrective Services, 71 prison cells occupied by gang members were also searched and prison contraband was seized. Nationally, 53 people were charged, 79 search warrants were executed and 362 licensed premises were patrolled.

Mr Dawson said the operation was successful despite a small haul in WA.

"The outcome of the operation is not necessarily the volume of what is seized, but it's the effective policing and the gathering of any evidence,'' he said.

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Shorten wins Labor leadership

New Labor leader Bill Shorten tells the media that he will resist the Government's attempts to dismantle the carbon pricing scheme.

BILL Shorten has been elected as Labor's new leader, beating out former deputy prime minister Anthony Albanese.

News the former education minister was selected over Mr Albanese was announced by the Labor Party on Twitter and in an email to party faithful about 2.30pm.

It followed a 2pm Caucus meeting at Parliament House in which the results from the Caucus and rank-and-file votes were made known.

Governor-General Quentin Bryce, Mr Shorten's mother-in law, offered to resign her office to avoid any perceptions of bias but Prime Minister Tony Abbott has refused to accept her resignation.

Addressing the media after his win, Mr Shorten said he hoped Tanya Plibersek would be his deputy but that would be a matter for Caucus.

He paid tribute to Mr Albanese and said he had let no one down.

"He is a decent, determined, notable Labor warrior," he said.

Bill Shorten has been elected the new leader of Labor. Picture: Norm Oorloff

"He has the ferocious capacity to apply considerable intellect to holding the Coalition to account, both in government and I have no doubt going forward in opposition."

He said the result of the ballot showed there were still things for him to learn, having failed to win the majority of membership support.

"And I certainly look forward to working with Anthony Albanese to understand some of those lessons," he said.

Anthony Albanese congratulates Bill Shorten following the announcement of the Labor leadership ballot, and announces his resignation as deputy leader of the ALP.

He said he understood rebuilding the Labor Party would be hard and would need a team effort.

"I'm confident that the Labor Party has the skills within its parliamentary ranks and also beyond its parliamentary ranks to be up to this task," he said.

"I believe that the best days of Labor are yet to come."

Questioned on environmental policy, he said he personally believed it was important to have a price on carbon.

Mr Shorten said he was not in a position to set out his policies today because he was interested in listening to his colleagues first.

But he still believed in the national broadband network, the national disability insurance scheme, putting a price on carbon and the importance of giving school children the best education, he said.

He said he did have the experience for the job, despite having been in parliament for a shorter time than Mr Albanese.

He said he would take some lessons from how Tony Abbott had conducted himself as opposition leader.

"I note that when he became leader of the opposition he won by one vote," he said.

"He still managed to go on and unite the party and indeed convince the majority of Australians to vote for him.

"What I would say about Mr Abbott's style is, I don't believe, as Opposition Leader, that I would be as relentlessly negative as him."

READ OUR BLOG ON THE LABOR LEADERSHIP

Mr Albanese congratulated his winning colleague, and paid tribute to the overall spirit of the leadership contest as he thanked those who had cast their vote for him.

"Throughout all of it, it has been conducted in a spirit which shows that you can actually have a democratic process in this great Australian Labor Party without having personal rancour involved," he said.

He also hailed the job Chris Bowen had done as acting leader.

"I have no doubt that he will continue to serve very well indeed as the Shadow Treasurer," he said.

He said the party would now unite behind Mr Shorten between now and the 2016 election.

"I said at the outset of this campaign that it wasn't a lifetime ambition to lead the Australian Labor Party," Mr Albanese said.

"That it was something that I had only considered in recent times, that I had always thought I would be a team player - that was the contribution that I would make rather than be the leader.

"I will be back to being a team player again."

Today's announcement follows more than a month of cordial campaigning from the two men.

Anthony Albanese and Bill Shorten walkto the party room meeting in Parliament House in Canberra. Source: News Limited

In an email to party members, Mr Bowen revealed Mr Shorten had won 63.95 per cent of the Caucus vote and 40.08 per cent of the membership vote, meaning he had won 52.02 per cent of the total vote.

"Together we've chosen a new Labor leader," he wrote.

"This historic vote which combines the votes of Labor Caucus with the votes of 30,426 Labor Party members - a 74% turnout - has changed our great Party forever and is already making us stronger."

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He said more than 4500 people had made expressions of interest to join Labor since the leadership campaign started.

"Both Anthony Albanese and Bill Shorten campaigned hard and campaigned with respect for each other and a firm commitment to the Labor Party," Mr Bowen said.

"To those who cast their vote, thank you for your involvement.

"Today we start the work of holding the Abbott Government to account and showing we are a better and fairer alternative for Australia's future."

The new way of electing the leader - which takes in Caucus votes and the rank-and-file choice, weighted evenly - was brought in by former prime minister Kevin Rudd.

Senior Labor figures have said there will be no going back from the new election model, with Mr Bowen even predicting the Coalition will eventually adopt a similar model for the election of their leader.

Mr Bowen said the entire party had spoken, as he paid tribute to "great warrior" Mr Albanese.

"The entire Labor Party has elected an alternative prime minister and I believe the next Labor prime minister of Australia," he said.

"Bill Shorten is a man who has dedicated his working life to representing vulnerable people and to improving this nation, whether they be workers, people with a disability.

"People right across the country have a friend and supporter in Bill Shorten and they now have an alternative prime minister who is on their side."

He said Mr Albanese had also made a huge contribution to the part.

"Of course, I also want to pay tribute to Anthony Albanese, a great warrior for our cause."

Mr Bowen said despite being a tight result, it was a solid one.

"Never again can the branch members of our great party be taken for granted or ignored," he said.

"Anybody who seeks to lead the Labor Party will need to pay them due deference and respect going forward."

Mr Bowen said former prime minister Kevin Rudd had expressed "no interest in returning to the front bench and that's perfectly understandable given his service as prime minister".

Labor national president Jenny McAllister said members had "enormous respect" for both candidates.

"The vast bulk of our members are in fact not factionally aligned," she said.

"I think many people would look at Anthony and his very long experience in advocating for members and their rights within our organisation and would have seen in Anthony a candidate they wish to support.

"In saying that, I don't think they are at all insensitive to the very great merits to Bill Shorten brought to the process and I spoke to many members who were really quite undecided about how they would cast this vote."

Mr Bowen said the party had a difficult decision to make, as evidenced by the close vote.

The former treasurer said he had ruled himself out of the race because of "unfinished business" in the treasury portfolio, indicating he hoped to hold that portfolio.

"I think that's the role where I can make the best contribution," he said.

"I've fulfilled the role of interim leader of the Opposition, holding the Government to account, and they've given us some grounds to hold them to account in the last month.

"But now that task falls to Bill and I will be supporting him in the capacity of holding (Treasurer) Joe Hockey to account."

Asked about the fact Mr Shorten had been the very man to have helped unseat two former sitting prime ministers, Mr Bowen said those issues were in the past.

"Well, it's true to say that we've had our issues over recent years when it has come to leadership," he said.

"We have bypassed that today by embarking on a whole new process.

"There is no better way of doing that than on the process we have embarked upon, opening up the decision for the entire party and providing that trip wire so that the leadership cannot be declared vacant lightly."

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