WA home burglaries a national high

Speaking about WA's high burglary rate, Police Minister Liza Harvey says "West Australians have had enough". Picture: File image Source: News Limited

WA homes are more likely to be broken into than properties in any other state, according to new statistics that have prompted Police Minister Liza Harvey to say "West Australians have had enough".

Data obtained by Ms Harvey's office reveals there are 4472 burglaries across WA for every 100,000 households – 55 per cent higher than the national average.

It is the second worst rate in the country behind the Northern Territory.

In NSW, the rate is just under 3000 per 100,000 households. In SA, it's nearly as low as 2000 per 100,000.

WA also has the highest rate of attempted break-ins for any state at 3442 per 100,000 households. The national average is just 2261 per 100,000.

The data, contained in the Report on Government Services, comes as new police figures reveal the most common time of day for burglaries is actually 6am–9am.

WA homes are more likely to be broken into than properties in any other state, according to new statistics. Picture: File image

The most common item stolen from WA homes is cash followed by rings and laptops.

Ms Harvey said "West Australians have had enough".

"We all have the right to feel safe and be safe in our own home," she said.

"It is now time as a state we make the victims of home burglaries the priority."

Ms Harvey said she looked forward to bringing the "toughest home invasion laws in the country" into Parliament shortly.

At the 2013 state election, the Barnett Government promised to introduce laws forcing judges to impose at least 75 per cent of the maximum prison sentence available for adult offenders who commit serious physical or sexual assaults in a home invasion.

Edith Cowan University criminology lecturer Natalie Gately said wealth discrepancy among West Australians fuelled the high rate of burglary.

Dr Gately said Perth's hotter temperature also increased break-ins.

"Perth's hot climate means than many people live an outdoor 'alfresco' lifestyle," she said. "So they are often out the back, and many times there is an ease of entry for opportunistic burglars.

"Also, many people seek relief from the hot days and nights by leaving doors and windows open, another known security risk."

WA police Inspector Dominic Wood said 30 per cent of home burglaries were to obtain car keys.

"WA has the largest percentage of immobilisers fitted to vehicles which means thieves generally need access to car keys to steal a car ," Insp. Wood said.

Researchers at Edith Cowan University interviewed 69 alleged burglars in 2012 to find out the tricks of the trade.

Sixty-six per cent said they usually entered a home through open doors or windows.

VICTIM OF BREAK-INS

WA: 4472 per 100,000 households

National average: 2873 per 100,000 households

VICTIMS OF ATTEMPTED BREAK-INS

WA: 3442 per 100,000 households

National average: 2261 per 100,000 households

(From the Report on Government Services)

TOP FIVE MOST COMMONLY STOLEN ITEMS

Money — 5.2%

Jewellery Rings — 5.0%

Portable Laptops/Notebooks — 4.2%

Mobile Phones — 3.3%

Necklaces — 3.3%

MOST COMMON TIMES BURGLARY OFFENCES OCCUR

6am-9am — 16%

9pm-midnight — 15.6%

MOST COMMON ENTRY POINTS

Doors — 67.4%

Windows — 31.0%

FIVE TIPS

• Simply locking your doors and windows is the first and biggest deterrent.

• Keys should never be left in door locks as nearby window panels could be smashed to access those keys.

• If valuables like keys wallets and phones are not left in view a burglar is more likely to leave your house alone.

• Consider leaving a light or other "sign of life" when you are out in the early evening and it is starting to go dark.

• Lock all doors with your key and leave with the key. Don't just flick the latch. If it is hard for a burglar to get back out through a broken window they will struggle to get out safely quickly and with big amounts of property.

Source: WA Police

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Inexperience kills on WA mine sites

New Zealander Wayne Fowlie with wife Raewyn and with family members was killed in February after an underground rock fall at Central Norseman Gold's Harlequin mine in the Goldfields. Source: Supplied. Source: Supplied

ONE in two workers killed on WA mine sites is under the supervision of inexperienced bosses in the job for less than a year.

And vehicles plunging over edges, runaway vehicles and collisions are the biggest killers, an analysis of mining deaths has revealed.

The most deadly occupations are fitters (nine deaths), haul truck drivers (five deaths), and technicians and service vehicle drivers (four deaths each), according to a study reviewing the 52 mining-related fatalities from 2000 to 2012.

The toll caused by inexperience and high staff turnover is also revealed in the Department of Mines and Petroleum (DMP) report.

It showed just under half the workers killed were in their first year at a mine site or were performing a new role, and almost half of the fatal accidents involved supervisors in their first year on the job.

Onsite procedures were not complied with in two-thirds of fatalities, while there was no procedure in place at all in a quarter of mine site deaths.

It comes as Mines Minister Bill Marmion last week admitted a "cowboy" culture still exists in mining.

WA mines had a fatality-free year in 2012, but four workers have been killed on mine sites since. All four cases are still under investigation by the DMP and the results will remain confidential unless the employers are prosecuted.

New Zealand electrician Kurt Williams, 26, was killed while doing machinery maintenance in August and Perth contractor Allen Zuvela, 33, died from injuries he suffered at a heavy vehicle workshop in December, both at Fortescue Metals Group's Christmas Creek mine in the Pilbara.

Also in December, a 43-year-old mining contractor died at Newcrest Mining's Telfer goldmine after being struck by plastic piping.

And in February, New Zealander Wayne Fowlie was killed after an underground rock fall at Central Norseman Gold's Harlequin mine in the Goldfields.

The Sunday Times last year revealed nearly three WA mine sites a week were being shut down over safety breaches that could kill or seriously injure workers.

DMP resources safety executive director Simon Ridge said clusters of deadly accidents occurred at times when fatigue set in among workers.

"We believe high staff turnover can also further influence the number of accidents in the first year of a new role," he said.

Of the 52 deaths between 2000 and 2012, more than half occurred at gold and nickel mines and a third at iron ore mines, with 35 surface fatalities and 17 underground deaths.

The Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union claimed workers at many mine sites were scared to complain about safety amid fears they would lose their jobs.

Mineral Council of Australia safety director Melanie Stutsel said the recent spike in fatalities highlighted the need for companies constantly to reinforce a culture of safety.

Mark Quinn who was killed at the Perseverance Mine in Leinster in 2006. Source: Supplied

PAIN OF LOSS IS 'NEVER-ENDING'

CASE STUDY 1

GRAEME and Marilyn Quinn say they will always carry the devastation and heartache of losing their son Mark to a WA mine site accident.

The couple say they have lived with "never-ending pain" since their 32-year-old son died when explosives blew up in a cannon he was assembling to free an ore blockage at BHP Billiton's Perseverance Mine in Leinster in 2006.

The coroner ruled his death was an accident but recommended better safety instructions on fuses. BHP pleaded guilty to failing to provide a safe working environment and was fined $50,000.

The company has said "we were, and remain, deeply saddened by the death of Mark".

But since then the Quinns have called for tougher fines and penalties so mining companies and contractors are held to account.

Graeme and Marilyn Quinn say they will never get over the grief of losing their son Mark, 32, an underground miner who died in an explosives accident in Leinster in 2006. Source: Supplied

"We'll bleed for the rest of our lives," Mr Quinn said.

"Our lives are stuffed. You don't enjoy anything any more. Things haven't got the same value. It's survival. You just try to get through. The zing of life it's gone.

"My son is dead and nothing will bring him back, but a tiny fine like that for a company making billions of dollars – it's like the price of a stubby to them. It's nothing."

BHP said, in the event of a serious incident, it provides wide-ranging support to affected family members and colleagues.

Electrician Kurt Williams, who was killed in August at Christmas Creek mine, with his mother Diane Andrew. Source: supplied. Source: Supplied

DAILY GRIEF IS MOTHER'S SAD ROUTINE

CASE STUDY 2

NEW Zealand electrician Kurt Williams came to WA's Pilbara to make his fortune in the mines.

But the 26-year-old was sent home in a coffin after just a year when he was crushed while doing machinery maintenance in August at the Christmas Creek iron ore mine run by billionaire Andrew Forrest's Fortescue Metals Group.

His mother Diane Andrew now grieves daily at the shrine she has made to Kurt in her Auckland backyard.

"I can't begin to describe the pain," she said. "It's all about what I won't get to enjoy with Kurt anymore."

"I won't get to see how handsome he looks on his wedding day.

"I won't get to see that proud glint in his eyes when he hands me his firstborn baby.

"I can't give him any more advice, whether he wanted to listen or not. I can't have a drink or joke with him again. I can't worry about him anymore.

"I can't tell him how proud I am of him and how much I love him. I can't have one of his big cuddles. All these things I won't get to do with Kurt are breaking my heart."

Ms Andrew said she still didn't know exactly how Kurt was killed.

"It's under investigation, they are limited as to what they can tell me. I don't really know what happened and if it could have been avoided," she said.

"Kurt was all or nothing so he went over there so he could earn the big money, (but) I didn't worry about him. He was very sensible, safety-conscious person."

Mr Williams' death was one of a series of incidents at Christmas Creek. In October, a truck driver had his leg amputated and in December contractor Allen Zuvela, 33, was killed at the mine's heavy machinery workshop.

Ms Andrew said: "Has (Kurt's) death been in vain? At least if he'd died and no more deaths were going to happen... but the fact that they're still happening and there are injuries… there's something wrong with the safety."

But Fortescue chief executive Nev Power said safety was a core value and he wanted to "make it absolutely clear that no-one on a Fortescue site is ever expected to do anything that compromises safety".

The Department of Mines and Petroleum (DMP) ordered the company to tighten safety procedures and its investigation into Mr Williams' death is ongoing.

DEATHS SINCE 2012:

● New Zealand electrician Kurt Williams, 26. Fortescue Metals Group's Christmas Creek mine. August 2013.

● Perth contractor Allen Zuvela, 33. Fortescue Metals Group's Christmas Creek mine. December 2013.

● A 43-year-old mining contractor. Newcrest Mining's Telfer goldmine. December 2013.

● New Zealander Wayne Fowlie, 59. Central Norseman Gold's Harlequin mine. February 2014.

THE SCENARIOS:

● Runaway vehicles

● Vehicles over edges

● Vehicle collisions

● Electrical contacts

● Rock falls

● Pit wall failures

● Tyre handling

● Incorrect use of fall arrest equipment

●Departure from original equipment manufacturer

●Poor procedures

Source: Department of Mines and Petroleum

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What worries kids: self image a primary concern

YouthCare chaplain Helen Hames at Hawker Primary School in Warwick. Picture: Theo Fakos Source: News Corp Australia

PRIMARY school students are twice as worried about their self image as their high school peers, WA research shows.

Primary pupils raised self concept and image as concerns with school chaplains during more than 2700 confidential discussions last year. This was compared with about 1100 in secondary schools.

And younger students were also more concerned about loneliness, violence and mental health issues.

But high school pupils were more likely to be raising issues around self harm and suicide, along with drug and alcohol use, and leaving home.

The latest report from YouthCARE, which provides chaplains to most of the 598 WA public schools now offering the service, details the reasons behind almost 100,000 school chaplain discussions in 2013.

Most children visited the school chaplain for a "general catch-up" (28,288), followed by issues relating to family relationships (15,750), followed by peer relationships (14,697) and bullying and harassment (7093).

Education Minister Peter Collier said the report revealed the "plethora of complex issues" that children took to school. "Gone is the notion that bullying is hitting someone in the shoulder or hitting someone in the arm," he said.

Mr Collier said almost 600 public schools now had chaplains, up from just 148 in 2007.

He denied they formed part of the "Christian indoctrination" of public schools, saying they provided a contemporary role that brought the public system into line with the private sector.

"There was a perception and I emphasise this, a perception, that private education provided more in terms of better quality pastoral care," Mr Collier said. "If we're going to do our job as a government, and do our job as a community, we must support to students who are bringing this plethora of complex issues with them on a day-to-day basis."

YouthCARE chief operating officer Fiona Beermier said many children turned to chaplains because "they're a non-disciplinarian within the school environment".

"While YouthCARE chaplains are Christian people, their role in the school is actually about providing pastoral care to the school community," she said.

LONLINESS STARTS AT HOME

HELEN Hames is working on the front-line in schools every day.

The nurse-turned-school chaplain counsels primary and secondary students at Hawker Park Primary School and Mirrabooka Senior High School.

Mrs Hames said even she was surprised by how often loneliness and self-esteem issues came up in young primary school children.

"Certainly young children do think about it perhaps even more than even I thought they would," she said.

"And I think perhaps people are so busy these days, they don't have as many people to express their feelings to because of time-poor situations or whatever it is going on at home.

"The main issues that I deal with are peer relationships and family relationships in primary schools.

"And then when we get into high school, we're dealing more with the bullying, the behavioural issues – and by that time of their life, a lot of the children have experienced some sort of grief and loss.

"I certainly find that if there are issues at home, children have trouble concentrating in class and participating in activities so having someone to voice their concerns with tends to help them settle in class and participate more actively."

Mrs Hames said personal battles, which had seen her overcome being adopted and abused, helped her connect with her students.

"I think it gives me more empathy towards children and it helps me to understand them a little bit better and help them work through their issues," she said.

"I am very busy as a chaplain. I have a lot of students, family members, members of the school community access the service and then I'm able to then refer them out to appropriate services, either within the school or outside the school."

WHAT'S WORRYING OUR PRIMARY STUDENTS:

Family relationships (11,578 visits vs 4172 in secondary schools)

Peer relationships (10,201 visits vs 4496 in secondary schools)

Bullying and harassment (4697 visits vs 2396 in secondary schools)

Self concept and image (2719 visits vs 1152 in secondary schools)

Loneliness (1497 visits vs 258 in secondary schools)

Violence (1197 visits vs 406 in secondary schools)

WHAT'S WORRYING OUR SECONDARY STUDENTS:

Self harm and suicide (1300 visits vs 458 in primary schools)

Academic issues (750 visits vs 632 in primary schools)

Sex and sexuality (609 visits vs 503 in primary schools)

Drug and alcohol use (540 visits vs 64 in primary schools)

Leaving home (250 visits vs 60 in primary schools)

TOTAL: 98,894 visits in 2013

Source: YouthCARE

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Historic beams halt quay work

The works down at Elizabeth Quay have uncovered what could be a very old jetty. Workers have uncovered some very old wood pillars. Source: News Corp Australia

Men's Shed overseer measures a wood pylon. Source: News Corp Australia

WORK had to be stopped on Perth's waterfront project this week after a "sizeable wooden beam" was dug up that may have major archaeological significance.

The Sunday Times was alerted to the discovery by workers concerned about the lack of protocols around heritage on the $2.6 billion Elizabeth Quay project.

Historians and the Opposition have seized on the find to renew calls for tougher measures on-site to protect the history of the esplanade area – which dates back to 1868 and is a permanent entry on the State Register of Heritage Places for its "very high historic value".

However, this would prove a nightmare for builders and cause delays to one of the Barnett Government's most important projects.

The Metropolitan Redevelopment Authority, who is running the project, confirmed last night the wooden beam "artefact" was located during excavation works at Barrack St jetty.

"Works in the area ceased immediately and Archaeological and Heritage Management Solutions attended (the) site to assess and catalogue the artefact," MRA chief executive Kieran Kinsella told The Sunday Times.

"Under instruction from AHMS, works are continuing in order to extract the timber for further assessment and preservation."

Mr Kinsella also revealed a "series of timbers" thought to be piles from the William St wharf dated about 1900 were found late last year.

The timbers were simply "donated to a local Men's Shed who indicated they would reuse the wood to make furniture".

Mr Kinsella said the State Heritage Office was advised of the find.

Men's Shed promotions officer Brett Pollock said they received about 30 wooden pylons, each a couple of metres long.

Some of the "magnificent timber" was now being used as seats around an oval at Tom Perrott Reserve in Mosman Park.

History Council of WA president Lise Summers said she was "flabbergasted" to learn how the timber pylons had been dealt with.

"That (find) should've been made public," she said.

"Anything to do with heritage they hide away in embarrassed silence."

Dr Summers said the newly discovered wooden beam could be part of the original Barrack Square jetty, dating about 1904.

"If they found it where they are dredging now that is very much in the City Baths area (a former public swimming facility dating back to 1898 of major historical importance)," she said.

Dr Summer called for the way heritage is dealt with at the Elizabeth Quay site to be overhauled.

Opposition heritage spokeswoman Margaret Quirk said the current strategy in place at Elizabeth Quay to protect the site's history was "toothless".

"This is a registered heritage site that is being destroyed without any regard to its significance," she said.

"Finds like this are simply an inconvenience to the Government who wants to just get on with the project."

Mr Kinsella said there were "significant strategies" in place to monitor the heritage and environmental values of the Elizabeth Quay site during construction of the inlet.

"The MRA has worked closely with specialist contractors Hocking Heritage Studio and AHMS, the SHO and a range of stakeholders to inform planning for Elizabeth Quay and assist in documenting the heritage values of the site," he said.

The Sunday Times approached Planning Minister John Day for comment but was redirected to the MRA.

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MPs slam Rinehart's ‘entitlement’ views

Gina Rinehart's criticism of Australia's "entitlement" mentality has drawn return fire. Picture: File image Source: Supplied

AS she predicted, Gina Rinehart's criticism of Australia's "entitlement" mentality has drawn return fire, with left wing MPs inviting her to leave the country, and leave the nation's battlers alone.

Ms Rinehart, who's worth almost $20 billion, took aim at welfare recipients and the political left for spending the "bottomless pit" of revenue created by mining.

The mining tycoon predicted "forests and splinters" of articles from "people boiling with rage that I dare challenge their bottomless pit and belief money doesn't have to be earned before it is spent mentality".

And she was right.

Former Labor leader Mark Latham accused Ms Rinehart of double standards.

"She wants to be a bigger welfare recipient herself," Mr Latham told the Seven Network.

WA Labor MP Alannah MacTiernan says Gina Rinehart "just doesn't get what has made Australia such a safe place for her to make her billions." Picture: File image

"She's against social welfare but she's very much in favour of business welfare for herself.

"I think that's an appalling double standard. There is no bottomless pit of money and that should apply to Gina as much as the people she's bagging today."

WA Labor MP Alannah MacTiernan said Ms Rinehart "just doesn't get what has made Australia such a safe place for her to make her billions".

"Enterprise and achievement is built on education, inspiration and opportunity, not by bringing in truckloads of overseas workers so that Ms Rinehart can live in even greater grandiosity and have even bigger pearls, if that is at all possible," Ms MacTiernan said.

And Greens Deputy Leader Adam Bandt said Ms Rinehart was "a threat to Australian egalitarianism".

"Gina Rinehart is full of suggestions about how to balance the budget, but none of them involve her paying a fairer share of tax and all of them involve getting the rest of us to pay more," Mr Bandt said.

"If Gina Rinehart thinks Australians are paid too much and have health care that's too good, she's welcome to leave." Writing in a resources magazine, the billionaire espoused her admiration of former British PM Margaret Thatcher, while saying Australia was "living beyond our means".

"Australians have to work hard or actually harder and smarter to create the revenue to be able to pay that bill ... something has to give - we can't do it all," Ms Rinehart said.

In her column titled 'The Age of Entitlement - has Consequences', Ms Rinehart urged action from politicians, saying "now is the time to change some thinking and urge leadership". "The left don't want to address the issue. Instead they get hysterical and personal about who speaks out," she wrote.

Rinehart this week tumbled 10 places on the latest Forbes Magazine global rich list, despite getting richer in the past year. She was easily Australia's richest person on the list, ahead of 208th-ranked James Packer with $US6.5 billion.

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Woman admits fertility fraud

A Perth woman has admitted to forging her estranged husband's signature so she could use a stored embryo to get pregnant. Picture: Think Stock Source: News Limited

A PERTH woman has admitted to forging her estranged husband's signature so she could use a stored embryo to get pregnant.

Megan Jane Hooper, 41, pleaded guilty to one charge of document fraud in Perth Magistrate's Court.

The court had previously heard how Ms Hooper and her husband had created several frozen embryos in 2007, and the couple had a child in 2009 following IVF treatment.

Police claimed that in late 2010, she said she wanted to have a second child, but her husband was against it.

After the couple parted ways, Hooper forged her husband's signature on a fertility clinic consent form in 2011, giving her access to one of the frozen embryos and allowing her to proceed with her plan.

Hooper was handed a conditional release order for six months, fined $500 and given a spent conviction.

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West Coast sticking by jailed Newman

THE career of West Coast footballer Murray Newman could be in doubt after he was found guilty of grievous bodily harm.

WEST Coast is standing by footballer Murray Newman, who is spending his first night in jail after being sentenced to 12 months for a nightclub attack.

In a statement, the club says it wants to keep Newman on the rookie list for 2014.

Despite a plea for mercy by Newman's lawyer that a jail term could end his AFL career, Judge John Staude decided the 20-year-old should serve time in jail.

Newman was convicted by a jury last year in the Perth District Court of causing grievous bodily harm when he broke the jaw of Brett Marris, then aged 20, in November 2012.

Newman, then 18, had a ``deep grudge'' against Mr Marris who had slept with the AFL player's girlfriend, Judge Staude found.

West Coast Eagle Murray Newman has been jailed for a nightclub attack which broke a man's jaw.

After weeks of threats from Newman on Facebook, including telling Mr Marris to ``start digging a grave'', the pair saw each other at the Library Nightclub in Northbridge.

Newman was sober but ``angry and agitated'' when the pair fought briefly before bouncers broke up the fight, the court heard.

He must spend six months behind bars before being eligible for parole.

In the statement issued this afternoon, West Coast chief executive Trevor Nisbett said the club did not condone Newman's actions but would continue to support him despite his "10-second loss of control".

The victim of the attack, Brett Marris, leaves court.

Judge Staude did not accept that Newman was acting in self-defence against a taller man.

``You struck Marris precisely because he would not rise to your challenge for a fight,'' Judge Staude said.

``You were the aggressor, not he.''

Judge Staude was also critical of Newman for only showing remorse after the verdict.

West Coast Eagles representatives leave the District Court after player Murray Newman was sentenced today. Picture: Stewart Allen

``This was not a spontaneous or instinctive reaction to a situation you did not expect, but a consequence of you developing an antipathy towards Mr Marris over a period of time,'' he said.

While Judge Staude accepted the sincerity of Newman's letter to his victim in which he said he did not intend to fracture Mr Marris' jaw, the judge did not accept the claim that Newman did not intend to confront Mr Marris.

Judge Staude noted that Newman had a supportive family and that his football career was important to him, citing a letter from Mr Nisbett who said he was pleased with Newman's progress.

He also referenced a victim impact statement from Mr Marris explaining his anxiety and fear of encountering Newman again.

Brett Marris in hospital after his jaw was broken by West Coast Eagle Murray Newman. Picture: Channel Seven

Judge Staude accepted the crime was at the lower end of the scale in terms of grievous bodily harm and that Newman had no prior record.

Defence lawyer David Grace argued the victim's pain did not last more than a few days.

Mr Grace said Newman had begun ``buckling down'' and said he was ``pleading for mercy'' on behalf of his client for a spent conviction because a jail term could end his AFL career, but the prosecution said deterrence was paramount.

Mr Nisbett said the club unreservedly accepted the court's decision.

The club does not condone Murray's actions, or similar violent acts, but will continue to support him," Mr Nisbett said.

"As we have done throughout this case, we will continue to work closely with the AFL on this difficult issue.

"We would like to retain Murray on the club's rookie list for the 2014 season as the club believes that it will be an important part of his rehabilitation and his re-integration to society – and football – upon his release.

"Since this incident occurred, Murray has been exemplary around the club, and is deeply sorry for his actions.

"That 10-second loss of control obviously now has dire consequences for Murray as he will spend at least the next six months in jail."

Mr Marris told Nine News today that he wanted to move on from the incident and was "happy to see the back of it."

He said he had recovered well from the attack. Mr Marris said there was no place for violence on Perth streets.

Newman played four games for the Eagles in his debut season in 2012, but spent last year playing in the second tier WAFL.

He also has a permanent restraining order against him and cannot be within 25 metres of Mr Marris.

Newman was supported in court during the trial by West Coast teammates including captain Darren Glass, Dean Cox, Nic Naitanui and Josh Kennedy.

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Pistorius said ‘it’s fine’ after shots

Oscar Pistorius has shielded his ears as he heard evidence about attempts to save Reeva Steenkamp's life.

The accused ... Oscar Pistorius, second right, arrives at the high court before the start of the fifth day of his trial. Source: AP

Day four of the Oscar Pistorius murder trial in South Africa saw testimony from one of the first people on the scene. Nathan Frandino reports.

OSCAR Pistorius told security at his estate that "everything is fine'' shortly after shots were reported from his home on the night his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp was killed.

"Mr Pistorius said to me 'security, everything is fine','' security guard Pieter Baba testified about what the athlete told him on the phone.

"That's when I realised that Mr Pistorius was crying,'' he added.

Pistorius called Mr Baba back.

"He just started crying over the phone. That's when the line went off again.''

The guard, who spoke to Pistorius by cellphone after driving to his house, then described seeing the athlete coming down the stairs with Steenkamp in his arms.

"I saw Mr Pistorius coming down with Reeva. My lady I was so shocked that I couldn't even think for a few moments,'' he said.

"I got such a fright seeing Oscar carrying Reeva down, after he had told me everything was fine.''

Earlier, an ex-girlfriend of Oscar Pistorius testified that the Paralympian star sprinter often carried a gun with him and once fired at a traffic light after a confrontation with police.

An emotional Samantha Taylor, who met Pistorius in 2010 when she was 17 years old, tearfully described the sprinter as someone familiar with guns, prone to fits of anger and an unfaithful boyfriend.

Ms Taylor took to the stand on Friday, testifying that in 2010 on the way back from a day trip to a popular city getaway Pistorius was in a car that was pulled over by the police for speeding.

When a police officer inspected Pistorius's weapon, left on a seat when he exited the car, Pistorius became angry, "Oscar shouted at the policeman and said he shouldn't touch his gun,'' said Ms Taylor.

He later shot at a traffic light, "out of spite after being stopped.''

"He was angry at the police after being stopped, thereafter when they wanted to fire a shot they found it funny,'' she said, referring to Pistorius and a friend who was with him at the time.

The firing of the weapon is one of three firearms charges Pistorius faces in addition to a charge of murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine's Day 2013.

Frequently breaking down in tears, Taylor recounted the history of the pair's troubled relationship.

Taylor said they met at a rugby match and later "he added me on Facebook.''

Their relationship ended in 2011, Taylor claimed, because "he cheated on me with Reeva Steenkamp.''

Feeling the pressure ... Oscar Pistorius gestures in the dock on the fifth day of his trial. Source: AFP

Ms Taylor also dismissed the defence's assertion that witnesses heard Pistorius and not Steenkamp scream on that February 14.

"That is not true, he sounds like a man'' when he screams, she said.

Earlier Dr Johan Stipp was asked questions about how much time elapsed between the gunshots and screams that he heard on the night of the murder.

Dr Stipp was asked about the number of screams, based on two separate statements he gave.

The defence wanted to show that Dr Stipp's statements did not match the evidence he gave on the sequence of events he witnessed and heard in his bedroom.

Mr Roux implied that screams would not have carried as far as the inside of Dr Stipp's bedroom, and used sound tests conducted on February 27 to back up his point.

Earlier Judge Thokozile Masipa started proceedings by telling the public and press: "if you misbehave, you will be chucked out."

OSCAR PISTORIUS MURDER TRIAL DAY 4: Oscar — 'I shot her ... I shot her'

Reeva Steenkamp, 29, a model and TV reality personality, was shot dead by the Olympic and Paralympic athlete Pistorius, fondly known as "The Blade Runner", on Valentine's Day last year.

Pistorius is pleaded not guilty to murder and says he mistook his girlfriend for an intruder.

Yesterday, Pistorius struggled to cope with the first detailed, public description of the immediate aftermath of the shooting at his home in Pretoria.

As Steenkamp lay dead or dying in his home, a weeping, praying Pistorius knelt at her side and struggled in vain to help her breathe by holding two fingers in her clenched mouth, witness radiologist Johan Schipp told the high court in Pretoria.

"'I shot her. I thought she was a burglar. I shot her,''' Dr Stipp recalled Pistorius saying in the minutes after the fatal shooting.

Tough gig ... Barry Roux, legal representative for Oscar Pistorius, speaks on the fifth day of his trial. Source: AP

"Oscar was crying all the time.

"He was praying to God: "Please let her live.'"

"It was obvious that she was mortally wounded,'' Dr Stipp said as he described what he saw at Pistorius' villa.

"At the bottom of the stairs ... there was a lady lying on her back on the floor.''

"I tried to assist her.'' Dr Stipp said. "I tried to open an airway.''

Gone too soon ... Reeva Steenkamp poses on set in Jamaica during the shooting of the reality show Tropika Island of Treasure. Source: News Limited

"She had no pulse in the neck, she had no peripheral pulse. She had no breathing movements that she made."

OSCAR PISTORIOUS MURDER TRIAL DAY 3: Pistorius fired gun in restaurant

Sitting on a courtroom bench, Pistorius bent forward and put his hand over his face, then moved them to cover both ears, as Dr Stipp spoke. He stayed that way for a while, even when one of his lawyers reached back and touched him on the head.

OSCAR PISTORIOUS MURDER TRIAL DAY 2: Pistorius breaks down in court

OSCAR PISTORIUS MURDER TRIAL DAY 1: What really happened

WHAT THE OSCAR PISTORIUS MURDER TRIAL WILL CENTRE ON

Dr Stipp also testified that he saw a bathroom light on at Pistorius's house and a figure moving from right to left as a woman screamed.

The defence case is that all the screams came from Pistorius.

The state is seeking to convince the court that Pistorius had an argument with Steenkamp before Pistorius fired the shots that killed her.

Celebrity couple ... Oscar Pistorius and Reeva Steenkamp. Source: AFP

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Roadblock for family’s safety fight

The family of a teenage mother to be killed in a car accident near Brookton plea to save other young lives on our roads.

Stacy Dunbar has requested safety barriers on Hester Avenue to reduce the risk of any vehicle crashing into her home again, where her son Nate was killed last year in his bedroom. Picture: Emma Reeves Source: Supplied

Nate Dunbar who was killed when a car crashed through his Merriwa home. Source: Supplied

DUE to give birth in two weeks, Merriwa mother Stacy Dunbar is looking forward to having a baby in the house again.

Like any expectant mother, safety is at the forefront of her mind — but even more so with Ms Dunbar given her eight-month-old son Nate was killed in his nursery when a drunk driver crashed into the family's home in January last year.

The Dunbars still live in the same house on the corner of Hester Avenue and Baltimore Parade. Ms Dunbar said she was disappointed the Wanneroo City Council had rejected calls for road safety barriers.

After Butler MLA John Quigley wrote to the Wanneroo Mayor on the family's behalf, the council responded by saying although Nate's death was a tragedy, Main Roads WA had determined the road was not a contributing factor and the City could not agree to the request.

Ms Dunbar said her family had collected 860 signatures for a petition to the Legislative Council in State Parliament.

"The community has been so amazing, they have been so supportive of us and what we're trying to do with road safety," she said. "This part of Hester is like a race track ... (and) is getting busier," she said.

Read the full article here.

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Bid to kill shark laws on technicality

A tiger shark caught on a drum line. Activists have launched a legal challenge to have the shark catch-and-kill laws overturned. Source: AFP

THE WA Government has tried to "carve out its own island of immunity" by exempting itself from its own laws, WA's Supreme Court was told today.

And unless the controversial shark-kill policy is stopped immediately, more protected species will continue to be take, a lawyer representing environmental campaigners also said.

Environmental group Sea Shepherd Australia launched legal action, arguing the WA Government's decision to exempt itself from the Fisheries Resources Act was illegal.

In order to carry out the "mitigation" policy, the WA Government granted itself an exemption to allow the killing of any white, tiger and bull shark over three metres which ventured in to designated "kill zones".

The campaigners, which also includes Sharon Burden, mother of shark bite victim Kyle Burden who died after he was attacked while bodyboarding off Gracetown in 2011, were also seeking an interim injunction against the program to have the baited drumlines removed from WA waters immediately.

Around 50 anti-shark cull supporters packed the courtroom to hear the lengthy legal challenge.

Barrister Richard Hooker, who was representing the campaigners, told the court the WA government was trying to "carve out its own island of immunity" in reference to its decision to exempt itself from its own laws.

He argued that because it had not been given the final rubber stamp, the exemption was not valid.

He also said there was a "strong public interest" in the way the government administered its laws.

"For every day this program continues unrestrained ... more and more sharks are taken, and they are protected sharks.

"If this program isn't restrained right away, on the face of it the program continues to take protected sharks, that's what is critical to the case and why we seek interim injunction."

On February 16, the government said a total of 66 sharks had been caught in the first three weeks of the policy.

A total of 17 of those sharks were killed and another nine were found dead on the hooks, according to data provided by Fisheries Minister Ken Baston.

Earlier, lawyers representing the WA Government raised safety concerns about publishing the names of employees involved in the shark kill strategy.

He said recent allegations of threats made against those contracted to carry out the policy meant it was not in the public interest to "disseminate" their names.

In January baited drumlines were deployed off Perth beaches and the south-west as part of the "mitigation" strategy.

The lawyer representing the government told the court the shark kill policy was an "important public safety program" and that it wasn't going to let anything interfere with it.

He also argued that if the court granted the interim injunction, the government would need to enough time to remove drumlines.

Mr Hooker said his clients would not press for "immediate relief" but if the court did decide in their favour it would expect the policy to cease and would accept reasonable amount of time for it to be implemented.

Justice James Edelman reserved his decision until 4pm tomorrow.

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‘Corby tried to take her life twice’

Indonesia's justice minister says he may revoke Schapelle Corby's parole after watching her TV documentary.

In an interview for Seven's Sunday Night, Mercedes Corby talks to Mike Willesee about Schapelle and how her sister feels after her release from a Bali prison. Courtesy Channel 7/Sunday Night

Sticking to the rules ... Schapelle Corby, pictured with a security guard, reports for parole. Source: Supplied

Indonesian authorities insist Schapelle Corby tried to take her own life twice, despite denials from the drug smugglers family.

INDONESIAN authorities insist Schapelle Corby tried to take her own life twice, despite denials from the drug smuggler's family.

The 36-year-old attempted to take her own life with a knife during a meeting with parole officers at her sister's Kuta home, an official says.

Bali parole board boss Sunar Agus says he visited her on Monday night at the home of her sister Mercedes and brother-in-law Wayan Widyartha, and found her "unstable mentally''.

"She seemed afraid when I tried to have dialogue with her,'' he said.

"She tried to kill herself, she took a knife, but her family immediately prevented her.''

He said Schapelle twice tried to take her own life during the two-hour meeting with her, and added he believes the media is stalking her even as she sleeps.

He met the convicted drug smuggler on Monday night to discuss "various possibilities'' that may follow the Seven Network's program about her release from prison.

Authorities had repeatedly warned the program may breach her parole by causing community unease.

Signed and delivered ... Schapelle Corby's signed parole document. Source: Supplied

When the topic of her parole was broached, she twice ran to the kitchen and grabbed a small knife, he told reporters today.

Corby made an "effort to slice her arm'' with the knife, but was twice restrained by Mercedes and the other parole officers.

SCHAPELLE A SUNDAY NIGHT FIZZER

Mercedes reportedly denies the incident, but the parole boss was clear.

"I couldn't be sure whether Corby held it with her right or left hand because ... from me, there was about a three metre distance,'' Mr Agus said.

He believes Corby thought the officers were there to take her back to prison.

She was also distressed about the media attention.

"According to her, while sleeping in her room, she's photographed by reporters,'' he said.

A family source dismissed the reports as rubbish and said the incident had been far less dramatic than described.

They said Corby had been frustrated at not being able to leave her house and had declared that everyone would be happier if she were to kill herself.

It came as criticism of the Corby family's Seven Network interview builds and Indonesian Justice Minister Amir Syamsuddin warned she may be sent back to jail.

"There is a probability that her parole will be reconsidered," he said.

Corby appeared healthy today when she reported for parole. Accompanied by brother-in-law Wayan Widyartha and four burly local bodyguards, she attended the Parole office in Denpasar on her own volition, a week before she was required to appear.

Under watch ... Schapelle Corby accompanied by a security guard on arrival to report for parole. Source: Supplied

She spent less than an hour in the small counselling room with her parole officer, Putu Andiyani and the head of Bali's parole authority, Ketut Artham before heading to the prosecutor's office.

Mr Widyartha, who is Corby's parole guarantor, was with her.

He told News Corp Australia that "she came only give her monthly report and get guidance from Bapas (parole board)".

This comes as Indonesian officials hardened their stance to the Corby family's TV interview last Sunday and warned it could send the paroled drug smuggler back to jail.

Justice Minister Amir Syamsuddin today repeated his earlier promise to carefully review the parole board's report on the program before deciding whether it had crossed the line by causing community unease.

The minister — who hasn't seen the program himself — said he expected the report soon, but didn't want it rushed.

"I'm giving Bapas (the parole board) enough time to be as comfortable as possible because this is something they need to study very well,'' he told reporters.

Mr Syamsuddin said that if his office decides to revoke Corby's parole it would be her family's fault.

Making a splash ... Schapelle Corby takes a dip in the ocean with her brother Michael. Picture: Seven, Sunday Night Source: Supplied

The Corby case had severely tested his patience, he said.

The normally mild-mannered minister said the Corby family did not appear to be grateful for what they had already received — her release on parole despite political and domestic pressure on him not to grant it.

Mercedes today told News Corp Australia: "Our family are very happy and thankful the Indonesian Government granted Schapelle parole."

Speaking to Indonesian newspaper, Kompas, Mr Symasuddin referred to the increasing political and domestic pressure he is facing after granting Corby's parole and then watching as her sister Mercedes did a TV interview.

Threat to freedom ... Schapelle Corby may be sent back to jail, Indonesian Justice Minister Amir Syamsuddin has warned. Source: Supplied

Many believe it was a back door way of getting around the ban on Schapelle herself doing an interview.

He told the newspaper that the interview by Mercedes had made the family look like they had never said thank you or been grateful for what they already had.

"If we are finally forced to take the decision (to revoke the parole), this is not removed from the family's responsibility, which in my opinion, they didn't show their concern to what we have faced," Mr Syamsuddin said.

In the interview Mercedes maintained her sister's proclamations that she is innocent of smuggling 4.1kg of marijuana in her surfing gear in 2004.

Family support ... Mercedes Corby is adamant the family was not paid for the controversial interview. Source: Supplied

Mercedes said the marijuana "could have been from Indonesia'' or that perhaps an airport worker may have been responsible.

Bali's parole office interviewed Mercedes and Wayan to verify the statements made in the interview.

Agus said he hadn't yet found anything worrying in the program, however: "I suggest she (Corby) be more low profile''.

Gusti Kompyang Adnyana, head of Bali's Law and Human Rights provincial office, echoed the minister's view that the report must be considered carefully.

Sisterly love ... an overjoyed Schapelle Corby kisses sister Mercedes after being released from Kerobokan. Picture: Seven, Sunday Night Source: Supplied

"This regards a problem that's quite in the spotlight,'' he said.

"We can't recklessly make the assessment.''

Corby has now left the luxury villa she stayed in for three weeks while the Seven Network was negotiating the story, which it says was unpaid.

She is staying at the family home of Wayan, in busy Kuta, and today reported to parole and prosecution officials for the first time as part of her parole conditions.

Readers seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467.

Change of plan ... Channel Seven ran a watered-down version of the Schapelle Corby program after the Indonesian Government's ban. Picture: Seven, Sunday Night Source: Supplied

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Buswell away due to ‘health issue’

Premier Colin Barnett says Treasurer Troy Buswell is away on personal leave due to a health related issue.

PREMIER Colin Barnett says Treasurer Troy Buswell is away on personal leave due to a "health related" issue.

Just after 10am, the Premier put out a statement saying Mr Buswell would be on leave for the next two weeks due to "health'' reasons.

"Treasurer Troy Buswell will be on personal leave for the next two weeks. The reasons for this leave are health related,'' the Premier said.

"Mr Buswell has requested privacy during this period. As Premier, I ask that his request for privacy be respected.

"I have assumed responsibility for the Treasury and Transport portfolios. This temporary arrangement was put in place last Friday, though in practical terms it applies from today.

WA Treasurer Troy Buswell who is on three weeks personal leave due to a health-related'' issue.

"Finance Minister, Dr Mike Nahan, will assist me in the ongoing budget process.

"All Ministers have the responsibility of finalising their departmental budgets over the coming weeks.''

Speculation had been rife about why Mr Buswell has had to take time off work.

As revealed by PerthNow political editor Joe Spagnolo on social media on Sunday morning, Mr Buswell is on indefinite personal leave — two months out from releasing his May Budget.

Premier Colin Barnett released a statement this morning saying Treasurer Troy Buswell would take a further two weeks personal leave due to "health related'' issues.

Energy Minister Peter Collier told the media today he was concerned about his "mate" but had no idea why the Treasurer was away.

Mr Buswell's chief-of-staff Rachael Turnseck is also believed to be on leave.

As we revealed, Mr Barnett told the party room last week his Treasurer was away because he was sick.

Senior Liberal sources this morning told PerthNow Mr Buswell and Mr Barnett had been at odds over the framing of the May Budget.

Mr Buswell's absence throws into turmoil the State Government's planning for the crucial May Budget.

The government is under massive pressure to restore the state's AAA credit rating and peg back the state's $20 billion debt.

Mr Buswell's absence could not have come at a worse time.

His under treasurer, Tim Marney resigned recently to take up a position with the Mental Health Commission.

It means that both the Treasurer and Under Treasurer are both absent — just two months out from the budget.

Premier Colin Barnett told the Liberal party room last Tuesday that Mr Buswell was sick and would be back Wednesday.

But following questions put to the government on Saturday by The Sunday Times, it was revealed the treasurer was on indefinite personal leave.

Up until this morning the Premier's office wouldn't say why Mr Buswell was on leave.

The Premier will handle the Treasury and Transport portfolios until at least March 14.

OPPOSITION: WA NEEDS AN ANSWER

Before the Premier's announcement this morning, Opposition spokesman Ben Wyatt called for a proper explanation, saying the timing raises ``curiosity'', with the budget expected to be delivered in the first two weeks of May and the cut-off for many details to be determined by mid-April.

``What that means is all the key decisions surrounding the budget will happen over the next four-week period,'' he told 6PR radio today.

``The treasury's normally very, very busy, the under treasurer is normally very, very busy finalising the budget process, so I think that's what's got people curious.''

The government says only that Mr Buswell is taking personal leave and the budget won't be affected.

Mr Wyatt says Mr Buswell has a right to privacy if he has personal issues, but the explanation given (thus far) by the state government is insufficient.

``I think people are entitled to a broader explanation, bearing in mind that Troy also is entitled to a certain level of privacy,'' he said.

Long-serving under treasurer Tim Marney resigned last month with his deputy, Michael Barnes, now acting in the role in the lead-up to the budget.

In 2010, Mr Barnett acted as treasurer while Mr Buswell went to the backbench after agreeing to pay back entitlements he claimed during a trip with former partner and Greens MP Adele Carles.

PerthNow was told yesterday that a meeting of the important economic and expenditure reform committee had to be cancelled this week because of Mr Buswell's absence.

Follow Joe Spagnolo on Twitter: @SpagnoloJoe

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Treasurer absent on ‘personal leave’

WA Treasurer Troy Buswell who is on indefinite personal leave. Source: News Limited

THE State Government's planning for the crucial May Budget has been thrown into turmoil, with Treasurer Troy Buswell taking indefinite "personal leave".

As revealed yesterday on social media by PerthNow political editor Joe Spagnolo, Mr Buswell has been absent from parliament for a week.

Premier Colin Barnett told the Liberal party room on Tuesday that Mr Buswell was sick and would be back Wednesday.

But following questions put to the government on Saturday by The Sunday Times, it was revealed the treasurer was on indefinite personal leave.

But the Premier's office won't say why Mr Buswell was on personal leave.

PerthNow was told today that a meeting of the important economic and expenditure reform committee had to be cancelled this week because of Mr Buswell's absence.

In Mr Buswell's absence, Premier Colin Barnett will fill in as treasurer.

This is a crucial budget, with the government under massive pressure to restore the state's AAA credit rating and peg back the state's $20 billion debt.

Mr Buswell's absence could not have come at a worse time.

His under treasurer, Tim Marney resigned to take up a position with the Mental Health Commission.

It means that both the Treasurer and Under Treasurer are both absent - just two months out from the budget.

Follow Joe Spagnolo on Twitter: @SpagnoloJoe

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Girl, 16, loses feet in train horror

A 16-year-old girl has lost her legs after she was struck by a train near Perth's city centre.

A teenage girl, 16, had both feet severed when she was struck by a train late last night at McIver station in the city. Picture: Marie Nirme Source: News Corp Australia

A teenage girl, 16, had both feet severed when she was struck by a train late last night at McIver station in the city. Picture: Marie Nirme Source: News Corp Australia

A 16-YEAR-old girl had both her feet severed after she was hit by a train in Perth last night.

The horrific incident occurred about 11pm at the McIver train station, just east of Perth train station.

Police said the girl, who was with a friend at the time, appears to have tried to cross the train lines at the Moore Street intersection and was struck by a train.

The second teenage girl has pulled her injured friend from the tracks after she was struck and railway personnel performed emergency first aid.

The girl was taken to nearby Royal Perth Hospital for treatment and emergency surgery.

It's understood she is in a serious but stable condition this morning.

The Public Transport Authority has launched an investigation into the incident and is reviewing CCTV footage.

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15 reasons these were the best Oscars ever

Ellen DeGeneres: host of Oscars, provider of pizzas. Source: Supplied

The happiest, most fun Oscars ceremony ever? That seems to be the general consensus.

Polls have overwhelmingly voted Ellen DeGeneres as the host with the most. Academy Award-watchers loving her genuine, simply fun approach to what can be the most drawn out awards ceremony in the history of awards ceremonies.

Stars go wild at Oscars after parties

Cate's our golden girl again

John Travolta's big blunder on stage

Red carpet: the fashion triumphs and fails

Here are our Top 15 reasons why these Oscars rocked:

*Ellen as host was funny, naughty, a little bit (nicely) cynical and still retained the art of delivering good, clean humour.

Oscars host Ellen bags Jennifer Lawrence in opening of Academy Awards: Courtesy Nine Network.

*The musical performances were great — from Pharrell singing Happy which got the audience buzzing; to Bette Midler doing her hit Wind Beneath My Wings to Pink, who belted out Over the Rainbow. All class.

Bette Midler performs at the Oscars for the first time, singing her signature ballad Wind Beneath My Wings. Picture: AP Source: AP

*Speeches were fun, humble, passionate and heartfelt, from Matthew McConaughey's ode to Dazed and Confused (plus his love for his family) and Cate Blanchett, who also thanked her beloved Sydney Theatre Company. All nailed their words with total class.

Best Actor winner Matthew McConaughey: all class. Picture: AFP Source: AFP

*Loved how 'Our' double-whammy Oscar winner, the dynamic Catherine Martin, pulled her speech out of her bra. "It's very Australian,'' she smiled.

Catherine Martin has won more Oscars than any other Australian after taking out the Academy Awards for Costume Design and Production Design for The Great Gatsby

*With social media platforms in overdrive, so many feeds gave us a full 360-degree-view of the entire awards ceremony. (Doubt we'll see as much when the drinks really start kicking in.)

*Everyone — from presenters, to wannabes to guests and big-time filmic folk — seemed to be in purely happy moods. Maybe we can blame it on the rain — the great leveller!

The show must go on: crews were on hand to ensure the Oscars red carpet wasn't a washout. Picture: AFP Source: AFP

*The pizza delivery scenario. OK, it was kinds corny, but hey Ellen dragged the pizza delivery guy on stage and we watched Brad Pitt hand a slice of pizza on a paper plate to Meryl Streep, it was pure slapstick fun. The joke was made even better when Ellen asked some of Hollywood's biggest players (including studio boss Harvey Weinstein) for money to tip the delivery guy!

Brad Pitt lends a hand as Ellen passes around slices of pizza. Picture: AP Source: AP

*The star-studded 'multi-selfie', orchestrated by Ellen and taken by Bradley Cooper, featuring a swag of the biggest front row Hollywood names. Only took an hour or two to become the most-retweeted photo ever!

*An awards ceremony isn't the same without a few slip ups. This year, Jennifer Lawrence tripping over her red gown and the zip on the gown of E! News' Giuliana Rancic splitting were just a few of the (fun) malfunctions.

Oscars red carpet host Giuliana Rancic suffers a wardrobe malfunction on camera.

*You couldn't help but love Jared Leto's balayage (that's hair talk for painted-on, bleached hair tips) and his simply brilliant and heart-moving speech.

Jared Leto and his beautiful, beautiful hair. Picture: AP Source: AP

*Cate Blanchett telling Julia Roberts to 'hashtag suck it' — obviously an 'in' joke that we will get to the bottom of!

Cate Blanchett wins Best Actress and tells the Oscars audience Julia hashtag suck it.

*Lupita Nyong'o, 12 Years A Slave Best Supporting Actress award winner. We don't even need to give a reason. She just 'is'.

Cate Blanchett and Lupita Nyong'o cleaned up at the Oscars. Picture: AP Source: AP

*Stars and their beautiful mums as their Oscar 'dates' — from Leo to Jared to Matthew (OK, he had his gorgeous wife there too).

Leonardo DiCaprio chats to Christoph Waltz as Leo's date for the evening, his mum (far right), snaps a pic of the two. Picture: AFP Source: AFP

*Seeing Liza Minnelli rocking some blue hair (to match her blue silk pant suit) and marvelling at Kim Novak's extraordinary face.

From Vertigo to now, Hollywood hottie Kim Novak as she looks today on stage at the Oscars.

*Matt McConaughey's 'hero' words — to approach everyday with someone to look up to, something to look forward to and someone to be your hero. Mad about him.

Matthew McConaughey kisses wife Camila Alves before taking to the stage to collect his Oscar. Picture: Getty Images Source: AFP

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Pistorius trial: Witness ‘heard screams’

The Oscar Pistorius murder trial is set to begin with the Olympian facing a life sentence if convicted.

Trial begins ... South African amputee Olympian sprinter Oscar Pistorius (left) arrives, watched by June Steenkamp (right), mother of Reeva Steenkamp, in the High Court in Pretoria. Source: AFP

SOUTH African Paralympian star Oscar Pistorius has pleaded not guilty to murdering his girlfriend as his trial opened with a witness testifying she heard terrible screams and then four gunshots on the night of the killing.

Pistorius, whose trial is being broadcast around the world, faces a life sentence if convicted of the Valentine's Day killing of model and reality television star Reeva Steenkamp a year ago.

After a state prosecutor charged that Pistorius "unlawfully and intentionally did kill" girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, he entered a plea of "not guilty, my lady".

The first prosecution witness to take the stand, Michelle Burger, said she woken at around 3am by screams from the Pistorius home in an up-market Johannesburg gated community.

"It was very traumatic," Ms Burger said, speaking in Afrikaans through an interpreter and in answer to questions from lead prosecutor Gerrie Nel. "You could hear it was bloodcurdling screams. You can't translate it into words. The anxiousness in her voice, and fear. It leaves you cold."

Ms Burger said: "She screamed terribly and she yelled for help" and testified that after the gunshots a man shouted for help.

Staring him down ... June Steenkamp (2nd L), mother of Reeva Steenkamp, dries her eyes on the opening day of the trial. Source: AFP

Pistorius's lawyer, Barry Roux, opened his cross-examination by asking Ms Burger if she thought Pistorius was a liar. She didn't directly answer that with a yes or no, but repeated her recollection of the night's events.

"I can only tell the court what I heard that evening," Ms Burger said. "I cannot understand how I could clearly hear a woman scream but Mr. Pistorius could not hear it."

But Mr Roux argued she had changed her testimony from the written statement she gave to police soon after the shooting, only adding "bloodcurdling" as a description of the screams in court.

The trial started 90 minutes late after an Afrikaans interpreter was delayed and two women entered the courtroom trying to see the proceedings.

One woman claimed she knew Pistorius' late mother, Sheila, and had knowledge of Pistorius's character, while another said she was the ex-wife of the doctor who had amputated his legs.

Pistorius pleaded not guilty to all four charges against him: murder, two charges relating to discharge of firearm in a public place and one charge of illegal possession of ammunition.

Pistorius was ambushed by cameras as he made his way through the building to the courtroom.

Crowds of media gathered outside the court for the case, which has already attracted global attention.

Global interest ... Oscar Pistorius, front left, arrives for his trial at the high court in Pretoria flanked by media. Source: AP

Before the trial started he walked past the victim's mother who says she came to court so she can "really look him in the eyes".

She stared at him coldly for several minutes, journalists in the court said.

READ: OSCAR PISTORIUS — WHAT REALLY HAPPENED?

The double-amputee athlete is charged with murder with premeditation in the shooting death of Steenkamp in the pre-dawn hours of February 14, 2013.

A mother's anguish ... June Steenkamp (centre), the mother of Reeva Steenkamp, arrives at North Gauteng High Court. Source: Getty Images

Pistorius says he shot Steenkamp by accident, thinking she was an intruder inside his bathroom.

Steenkamp's mother, June, earlier entered the court dressed in black.

She was quoted in the Pretoria News, which published an interview she gave to a British newspaper, saying that she wants to see Pistorius.

"I want to look at Oscar, really look him in the eyes, and see for myself the truth about what he did to Reeva,'' said June Steenkamp, 67.

Agonising wait ... Oscar Pistorius looks on in the High Court in Pretoria. Source: AFP

"Whatever the court decides at the end of his trial, I will be ready to forgive him ... But first I want to force him to look at me, Reeva's mother, and see the pain and anguish he has inflicted on me. I feel I need that.''

Pistorius arrived at the high court in Pretoria wearing a dark grey suit and black tie.

June Steenkamp was seated on the same bench as Pistorius' family, and behind Pistorius so there is a possibility that their eyes will lock during the trial.

Prosecutors charged Pistorius, 27, with murder and say it was with premeditation. They say they will seek a life sentence if Pistorius is convicted.

The state says Pistorius intentionally killed Steenkamp by shooting her through a toilet door after an argument.

Pistorius denies murder and says he killed his girlfriend by mistake when he fired four times through the door thinking there was a dangerous intruder on the other side.

But, prosecutors say he had a heated row with his girlfriend in the hours before the shooting — with several witnesses claiming to have heard the couple arguing.

Legal advice ... Oscar Pistorius (right) speaks with his lawyer Barry Roux in the High Court in Pretoria. Source: AFP

His trial is expected to hear from more than 100 witnesses, including neighbours who claim to have heard screams from his house that night, as well as former girlfriends of the athlete.

Betting agency Paddy Power caused uproar on the weekend when it opened up a market on the trial.

The agency has been criticised for offering customers a refund if Pistorius is found not guilty,

but the latest offer of "money back if he walks" has incensed people further.

Last month, Reeva's father Barry Steenkamp said he bore the athlete no animosity.

Tough day ... Oscar Pistorius takes a moment to rehydrate in the High Court in Pretoria. Source: AFP

Pistorius broke down in tears in court when he was formally charged with Reeva's premeditated murder and Mr Steenkamp told the Daily Mail: "He must be going through things that we don't know about. There is no hatred in our hearts."

Yesterday the track star dubbed the "Blade Runner", a hero to South Africans, thanked the people that supported him since he shot dead his girlfriend in a message on his Facebook profile.

"Thank you for the continued support and words of encouragement during this difficult time," the post read.

On Saturday, Pistorius's family issued a statement in which they reiterated their support for him, but they also called for an end to "public commentary" on his murder trial.

"With less than two days before the start of Oscar's criminal trial, the family as well as the legal team will not be distracted by extraneous issues that have no bearing on, or relevance to, the legal process that must now be allowed to unfold," his uncle Arnold Pistorius said.

"We will not be commenting on any media reports, nor will we be engaging the press on any issues that belong in court. The time for public commentary is over. The focus is now entirely on a very serious trial ... We love Oscar, and believe in him, and will be standing by him."

Gone too soon ... Reeva Steenkamp with Oscar Pistorius in Johannesburg on January 26, 2013. Source: AFP

Meanwhile, South African police who went to the US last week to ask Apple technicians to recover encrypted content from one of Pistorius's iPhones have retrieved crucial information from the device.

The three senior officers were able to retrieve text and WhatsApp messages from the phone, South Africa's Sunday Times reported yesterday.

Family support ... police try to hold back the media as Carl Pistorius (centre) the brother of Oscar Pistorius, arrives at North Gauteng High Court. Source: Getty Images

The intense public interest in the Pistorius trial is shown by the launching Sunday night of a 24-hour cable channel devoted to covering the court case.

If convicted on the murder charge, Pistorius could be sent to prison for at least 25 years before the chance of parole, the minimum time someone must serve if given a life sentence in South Africa. He would be older than 50 before he could be released.

A lesser sentence is possible if Pistorius is found guilty of murder but without premeditation. He also could be convicted of culpable homicide, South Africa's version of manslaughter in which someone is killed through negligence.

As well as murder, Pistorius faces a second charge of illegal possession of ammunition for bullets found at his Pretoria house that he allegedly didn't have proper licensing for. Prosecutors say he also will be indicted tonight with two more gun charges relating to him allegedly shooting in public on two separate occasions before Reeva's killing.

Sisterhood ... members of South Africa's ruling African National Congress Women's League protest outside Pretoria's North Gauteng High Court. Source: AFP

Those incidents happened in the court jurisdiction of the city of Johannesburg, not where Reeva was killed in Pretoria, and prosecutors applied to have the two charges included and heard at his murder trial.

Female judge Thokozile Masipa will ultimately pronounce the champion runner innocent or guilty and will decide on any sentence. South Africa has no trial by jury.

Parts of the trial will be broadcast on live television, both in South Africa and across the world, and hundreds of reporters are expected to descend on North Gauteng High Court in the South African capital for the start of the trial. The 24-hour cable channel devoted solely to the trial will continue until the case is finished.

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Chef puts blame on posh prices

Celebrity chef Anna Gare. Source: Supplied

WA's "ridiculously expensive" food is one of the main issues fuelling obesity, celebrity chef Anna Gare says.

Speaking to The Sunday Times as part of the Get Active Get Healthy campaign, Gare said retailers who put up the price of ingredients purely because they had become popular only made matters worse.

FULL COVERAGE

● GET ACTIVE GET HEALTHY

● TRUTH ABOUT KIDS' LUNCHES

● OBESITY IS 'NEXT FRONTIER'

● EATERIES RISE TO CHALLENGE

"I don't know how some people survive," Gare said. "We have a family of six and the amount of money we spend on food is ridiculous.

"It makes me so cross (how) things that used to be cheap, like lamb shanks, once they become trendy the butchers put the price up. Like lamb ribs, that's the bit they used to throw away or give to dogs, now they're all in fashion."

The celebrity chef, who has joined forces with HBF to promote the benefits of healthy eating, said families faced an uphill battle in the fight against obesity.

She said making mandatory nutrition lessons part of the school curriculum would go a long way towards helping people change their habits.

"I think one of the most fantastic things I've seen, which I think can help this whole situation, is the Stephanie Alexander School Garden because it gets kids having a relationship with food from a young age," she said.

"Start with the kids. Give them food education. Make it a part of the school curriculum.

"That's a skill you will give kids for the rest of their lives and that will change their life and their whole attitude towards food."

Gare said she had recently hosted cooking demonstrations at several Perth shopping centres and was "amazed" at how little some people knew about cooking.

"I would stand there and say, 'OK, who cooks at home?' and no-one would put up their hand," she said.

CHAT WITH ANNA

Celebrity chef Anna Gare will answer your cooking questions as part of The Sunday Times Get Active Get Healthy Campaign during a live PerthNow blog on Wednesday.

A chef with more than 22 years' experience, Gare has a raft of culinary achievements to her name, including cookbooks, TV appearances and her own catering company.

She will answer all your cooking questions for an hour from noon as the second of three experts to take part in a live chat with PerthNow readers as part of the campaign.

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‘Mad heat proof of climate change’

Sisters Ange and Steph Coote with dog Ila, watering their veggie patch, which they've had to water tirelessly every day through the dry and hot Perth summer. Picture: Daniel Wilkins Source: News Limited

THE weather bureau says Perth's record-smashing summer was "madness" and it has used temperature and rainfall data to lash out at climate change sceptics.

And the state's top meteorologists are warning West Australians they face decades of rising temperatures – with hotter, drier and more extreme summers.

The 2011-12 summer was Perth's hottest on record and this summer was the second hottest on record, tied with both the 2009-10 summer and the 2010-11 summer with an average maximum of 32C.

This summer was also the driest in five years for Perth, with just 2mm of rain, and the driest on record for Mandurah.

Perth had only three days where rain fell and not one drop fell last month – the first dry February since 2000.

It might have been the start of autumn but there was no respite yesterday, with temperatures nudging 37C in Perth.

The weather bureau is normally conservative, but Bureau of Meteorology climate expert Neil Bennett said the data was staring climate change sceptics "in the face".

"It's climate change. It's warming. It's staring you in the face," he said.

"This is crazy. This is madness, what's going on now.

"The climate doesn't change like this. This is really remarkable. The last four summers have all either been the hottest or second hottest on rec­ord.

"It's not just Perth – in Bunbury eight of the hottest summers have occurred since the turn of the century.

"What we are saying is when you look and see the trend is going up, it seems foolish to try to ignore that trend.

"This is really, really unusual. It's a sign that the temps across Australia are warming. There is no getting away from it."

Mr Bennett said the climate models for "30, 40 and 50 years ahead" were also all "pointing upwards".

Water Corp said Perth's water use has surged above target as homeowners tried to keep thirsty gardens alive.

Perth sisters Ange and Steph Coote said their vegetable patch needed water every day through summer.

SUMMER SCORCHER

Ave max - 32C

Rainfall - 2mm

Rain days - 3

Record - 2nd hottest summer ever recorded

SUMMER WATER USE

Perth's daily – 1 billion litres OR

equal to 444 Olympic pools

HOW TO BE WATER WISE

* Perth has a two-day a week sprinkler roster before 9am or after 6pm.

* Apply a 5-10cm layer of mulch to your garden.

* Apply soil improver for water retention.

* Check Water Corp's H2O Assist program to see if your irrigation system is set right.

* See Water Corp's waterwise plants for those suited to WA.

* Re-use water that would otherwise be wasted.

* See watercorporation.com.au for your roster days.

Source: Water Corporation (www.watercorporation.com.au/save-water)

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Law to target professional beggar gangs

People walk past a beggar in the Perth CBD. Source: News Corp Australia

A CRACKDOWN on begging in Perth is being planned amid fears a syndicated cartel of professional beggars is operating on the city's streets.

Perth Lord Mayor Lisa Scaffidi said there was strong anecdotal evidence some "professional beggars" were potentially earning hundreds of dollars a day.

It's thought some are part of an organised "cartel" working together to profit from the generosity of workers and visitors in the CBD.

WA Police said it had received complaints some beggars were becoming more forceful and aggressive towards people they approach for money.

City of Perth officers are working on a potential bylaw to give rangers and police more power to deal with beggars.

"There is a suggestion there is a group of people making a living out of it, commuting into the city like every other worker does, for the purpose of begging," Ms Scaffidi said.

A beggar asks for money in Perth city.

"They live in a home and they are using the collections from their begging to pay their way in life. It's pretty shocking."

She said there was no short-term fix and called on the public to stop giving money to beggars, saying there were services to provide food and shelter to the genuinely homeless.

"As harsh as it sounds, people walking past beggars have their heartstrings pulled thinking 'there but for the grace of God could go anyone one of us'," she told The Sunday Times.

"But the reality is that it's so easy to put 50c or a dollar in the cap and if that person is potentially a professional beggar you are just helping them pay for their rent."

Perth councillor James Limnios said the number of beggars had risen dramatically over the past three years and there were now "five on every street".

A beggar in the Perth CBD.

"I believe that there could be some genuine cases, but I also believe there are more non-genuine cases. I have been led to believe by certain people that this is actually a bit of an organised scenario," he said.

Inspector Craig Parkin said residents, businesses and visitors to the CBD had raised concerns about anti-social behaviour linked to begging and confirmed there was anecdotal evidence some were "professional beggars".

"Recent complaints suggest some beggars are becoming more forceful and aggressive towards people they are approaching for money. WA Police is working closely with the City of Perth to identify solutions to this issue," he said.

Salvation Army spokesman Warren Palmer said evidence indicates the rise in begging was linked to the growing number of people falling into poverty.

Mr Palmer said the charity was investigating the underlying causes of begging in Perth and that legal action should not be the first response.

"While we acknowledge that begging can be very confronting, we need to be careful that in our response to address this, we do not inflict further humiliation on genuine people in need and have to then deal with legal issues such as fines," he said.

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Beds face axe at major hospital

Opposition health spokesman Roger Cook. Source: News Limited

Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital. Source: News Limited

BOSSES at one of Perth's major hospitals have angrily defended their decision to reduce its number of beds and staff, saying it is merely keeping up with the times.

As revealed exclusively in The Sunday Times today, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital will lose at least 8 per cent of its beds under a plan to get patients in and out quicker.

Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital workers were this week told 81 full-time jobs would be lost as part of a bid to reduce "length of stay" at the hospital.

The Sunday Times has learnt staff were also told this would require closing hospital beds, which was last night confirmed by North Metropolitan Health Service chief executive Shane Kelly.

Dr Kelly said 48 of the hospital's 615 beds would go.

But, the Health Services Union has warned it could be as many as 100 beds.

The Australian Medical Association (WA) said cutting beds made "no sense" given it believed the state was 400 beds short, while a top WA Health insider told The Sunday Times the public health system had descended into a "complete shambles".

Today Professor Bryant Stokes, Western Australia's acting director-general of health, said the cuts were a response to what was needed.

"Patient activity at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital and Osborne Park Hospitals is not increasing at present and has been reasonably steady for the past couple of years. As a result, existing staffing levels are not suited to current activity levels,'' Professor Stokes said.

Claims that the cuts would lead to longer waiting lists and longer waits were ``unsubstantiated'', Professor Stokes said.

"Moves to reduce the average length of stay in hospital for some specialties will bring Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital in line with other high-performing hospitals,'' he said.

Dr Kelly said the process of closing the beds would "init­ially be gradual" and done in small groups of "pods".

"The beds would be available for reopening if there was demand," he said. "However this is not anticipated given the expansion of Joondalup Health Campus."

The insider said claims pat­ient care would not be affected were "ludicrous".

"You've got people who are on long waitlists, people who can't meet targets, you still can't get into beds at appropriate times and you're going to make that situation worse," the insider said. "That will clearly affect patient care.

"It's a complete fiasco. To do it like this, just to slash and burn will destroy great services and great people and lose all cohesion in the system. We will watch patient outcomes go backwards."

The Sunday Times revealed in October the hospital was poised to slash the equivalent of 250 full-time jobs, 81 of which are part of a plan to cut "length of stay."

Dr Kelly said patient levels at SCGH had been "reasonably steady" in the past few years and existing staffing levels were "unsustainable".

"One way SCGH will achieve the staff reductions is through reducing the average duration of patients' stays in hospital (known as average length of stay) in some specialties to bring them into line with those at other high performing hospitals," he said.

"These hospitals demonstrate that this can be achieved without any impact on safety or patient outcomes. Through the process of reducing the length of stay, the number of hospital beds needed to deliver the same amount of activity reduces. As a consequence, staffing requirements also reduce."

AMA (WA) vice-president Michael Gannon said it was "laughable" to suggest the hospital could close beds and still meet its emergency and elective surgery targets.

"All year the hospital has been barraged with complaints and pressured about the fact that it's not meeting its targets," he said.

"If they take 50 beds out of that hospital, there is no chance they would reach those targets this year."

Health Services Union secretary Dan Hill believed the reduction of 81 full-time equivalent positions would result in a loss of about 100 beds. There was a "real danger" in getting patients in and out of hospital.

"If you get them out of hospital quicker there is the higher risk of re-admissions within a short period of time," he said.

Opposition health spokesman Roger Cook said: " This is a retrograde step and another indication of the chaotic mess which is the Barnett Government's approach to health."

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