Myanmar's Suu Kyi calls for party unity

MYANMAR'S (Burma's) opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi has called for her once-banned party to unify as it prepares for landmark 2015 polls, conceding there had been "some fighting" over party positions.

Speaking at the first congress of her National League for Democracy on Saturday, she said "the spirit of fraternity is very important", adding "there was some fighting" internally, which analysts say could undermine its push for power.

Although it is hugely popular as Myanmar emerges from years of military rule, the NLD faces concerns that it is politically inexperienced and led by veterans of the democracy struggle who are unwilling to give way to an eager younger generation.

In a sign of internal tensions, four party members were banned from attending the congress - its first after years organising in secret under the former junta. They were accused of trying to influence the voting ahead of the meeting.

Referring to Saturday's vote for party chairman, the incumbent Suu Kyi urged delegates to chose a "leader who is in accord with this era, in accord with this country and the party".

The 67-year-old Nobel laureate has not ruled out ambitions of becoming president, but a constitutional rule now bars her from the role as she was married to a Briton and has two sons who are foreign nationals.

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New tech aims to transform homes, shopping

WITH a flick of the wrist, residents of a futuristic home developed in Spain can browse internet pages displayed on the living room walls, switch off a giant projected alarm clock in the bedroom or transform the entire interior into a busy streetscape or tranquil beach.

It may seem light years ahead of current "smart home" technology, but this prototype apartment in Fuenterrabia, a city in Spain's northern Basque country, is far from the realms of fantasy.

The technology used to create the interactive interior is the same as that already being used in video games.

The team behind the prototype have linked projectors which beam interactive applications on to walls to Kinect motion sensors, developed by Microsoft for its X-box 360 console, thus allowing residents to control their environment simply by waving their hands.

It seems to work like magic.

In the morning, a wave at the wall will switch off the alarm and display your diary at the same time.

If you fancy a change of scenery, just one small gesture will splash video on every wall, turning half of the apartment into a busy urban street or picturesque seascape, complete with sound effects.

"The project is a working prototype of a smart home," said its creator, Ion Cuervas-Mons, at a visual presentation of the project to AFP in Madrid.

"What we have done is to add a digital layer to a physical space to be able to interact with digital information through gestures, people's different movements."

Cuervas-Mons launched the Openarch project in November 2011 and built the prototype in his own apartment.

He now leads the Think Big Factory, a core team of five architects and engineers, who collaborate with others to develop various products.

"There is a general interface, which is in the living room and which interacts with your hands," he explained.

"You go two metres away from the wall and move a type of cursor and you can switch lights on and off, turn music on and off, launch internet sites, which then come up in a projection on another wall."

But the project is only 40 per cent complete, Cuervas-Mons said.

"When we have finished the prototype, we will start to transform the applications into products. That is our goal for next year," he said.

The development team want to make the system unobtrusive so that a user can manipulate the gadgets in the most natural way possible.

Instead of trying to sell the entire interactive home system, the team aims to develop specific products from it.

But each product would be able to communicate, allowing a buyer to create a system for the entire house should they wish.

And homes are not the only destination for the technology, Cuervas-Mons said.

"For example, we have been working with a large retail business and the first sector where we might see this technology could be supermarkets," he said.

"This technology lets you convert non-commercial spaces into commercial spaces. You will be able to buy anywhere. You will be able to shop from your home, from the metro, from your car.

"I think this will totally change the way we shop."

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Staying safe during the Vic heatwave

DRINK plenty of water, wear sunscreen, keep covered and drink responsibly.

That's the advice being given to Melburnians as they deal with an extended period of extreme heat.

Victorian paramedics say unrelenting heat drains people of energy and they should be especially vigilant in protecting the elderly and children.

Ambulance Victoria emergency manager Justin Dunlop said people should avoid exercise, not leave children in cars, turn airconditioners on and keep hydrated.

For those going away, be prepared for emergencies by making sure mobile phones are working.

He also urged people not to ignore the symptoms of heatstroke.

The early signs of heatstroke include feeling drained of energy and pale and sweaty skin.

It can also include headaches, nausea and vomiting.

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Shaw will support Vic government: premier

INDEPENDENT MP Geoff Shaw has promised to support the Victorian coalition government but won't return to the Liberals.

The rebel MP called Premier Denis Napthine on Thursday night to deliver the news he would support the government on key issues, including the budget and matters of confidence.

It means the coalition can rely on his vote to get laws through parliament.

Dr Napthine also announced former premier Ted Baillieu's chief of staff Tony Nutt had quit the government staff.

He also reassured Mr Shaw, the member for Frankston, that superannuation entitlements were being considered as part of a review of politicians' pay.

"There was no agreement, no undertakings made with Mr Shaw, nor were there any demands made by Mr Shaw of me and my government," he said.

"I believe we have a workable government. I believe we have the opportunity to provide good, stable government to the people of Victoria."

Dr Napthine said Mr Shaw had not won more power and the Frankston electorate would not be favoured over other areas of the state.

"Geoff Shaw has no more influence," he said.

Mr Shaw had told him he wanted to best represent the people of Frankston and pursue their concerns.

Dr Napthine said Mr Shaw did not ask for any specific investments in his electorate.

"All parts of the state will be given special treatment," he said.

Mr Shaw said he was confident Dr Napthine would be a strong leader for Victoria.

"My resignation from the parliamentary Liberal Party was based on my belief that I can best serve Frankston as an independent member," he said in a statement.

"I strongly believe in the values of the Liberal Party and that a return of Labor would be disastrous for Victoria."

Dr Napthine said he did not need a written document formalising the agreement with Mr Shaw.

He did not tell the deputy premier, Nationals leader Peter Ryan, that Mr Shaw had guaranteed supply and confidence until he revealed the news to other senior government MPs on Friday.

Earlier on Friday, Mr Ryan went on Melbourne radio and said Dr Napthine had not dealt with Mr Shaw.

On the question of his cabinet, Dr Napthine refused to confirm Kim Wells would remain treasurer.

He said he would sort out his ministerial team later.

Dr Napthine said he had confidence in Liberal state director Damien Mantach but the party employed him and was responsible for negotiations concerning his future.

Mr Mantach reportedly authorised $22,500 in payments to an adviser after the man had quit Mr Ryan's office in disgrace over his role in a plot to undermine former police chief commissioner Simon Overland.

Mr Nutt released a statement on Friday saying he had resigned because he did not want to distract from the new government's work.

Mr Baillieu referred "secret tapes" involving Mr Nutt to the corruption watchdog before quitting as premier.

"Over more than 30 years as a staff member, I have worked with many parliamentarians and political leaders, and Ted Baillieu is one of the finest men it has been my privilege to know," Mr Nutt said.

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Good budget crucial for Asia success: Wong

FEDERAL Finance Minister Penny Wong says a strong budget position is critical to Australia's success in the Asian Century.

She told a conference in Melbourne on Thursday the Labor government won't allow itself to be deterred from its medium-term fiscal strategy, even in an election year.

"It is the foundation on which all the policies in the (Asian Century) White Paper stand and it is vital to securing Australia's prosperity in the Asian Century," Senator Wong told the AsiaLink business lunch.

"A strong budget position enables investments today in tomorrow's drivers of growth.

Senator Wong said the government stood by its fiscal plan to achieve budget surpluses over the medium term, keep taxation as a share of gross domestic product below the 2007/08 level and improve the government's net financial worth over the medium term.

"Despite the hyperbole from some, our budget position is shaped by revenue weakness, not a huge expansion in outlays," she said.

"We will ensure our fiscal settings are appropriate for our economic circumstances and to protect jobs."

But Senator Wong warned that Australia's geographic advantage wasn't a guarantee of success in Asia.

Australian must retain the open mindedness and cultural diversity that was fundamental to its society and economic prospects, she said.

"When we talk of the Asian Century, it is not an event in which we are spectators. Rather, we are part of Asia and therefore we will be part of Asia's growth."

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New Vic premier says Baillieu not knifed

Victoria's new premier will seek to secure the support independent MP Geoff Shaw. Source: AAP

VICTORIA'S new premier Denis Napthine wants to heal the rift between the state government and Canberra.

Under former premier Ted Baillieu, relations with Prime Minister Julia Gillard's government have been bitter, particularly on the health and education front.

"I would very much like to have a better relationship with the federal government," Dr Napthine said during his first press conference as premier.

"It's in the best interests of all Victorians if we have a constructive working relationship between the federal and state governments."

Dr Napthine urged Ms Gillard to reinstate in full $475 million removed from the state's hospitals over four years due to revised population figures.

The federal government restored $107 million, or one year's worth, of the funding last month.

"One of the first things that Prime Minister Julia Gillard could do to enhance that working relationship is restore the full funding that was withdrawn from Victorian hospitals," Dr Napthine said.

Dr Napthine was sworn in as the state's new premier on Wednesday night after Mr Baillieu quit.

Mr Baillieu will remain in parliament on the government backbench.

Dr Napthine said he decided to nominate for Mr Baillieu's job on Wednesday afternoon after the former premier decided that he no longer had his colleagues' backing.

He said he did not go into Mr Baillieu's office and tap him on the shoulder.

"I went in and spoke to Mr Baillieu and offered him my support for him to continue in the role," Dr Napthine said.

The numbers on the floor of the parliament are now 44 to the coalition, and 42 to Labor, which will likely increase to 43 after the April 27 by-election for Lyndhurst, a safe Labor seat.

The unknown factor is now independent MP Geoff Shaw, who - less than an hour before Mr Baillieu resigned - blamed the premier's leadership for his decision to quit the Liberals.

Dr Napthine said he planned to have discussions with Mr Shaw but refused to be drawn on whether he would welcome him back into the Liberal fold.

He said he was unaware whether it was the case that Mr Shaw threatened to block key legislation, including the budget, if Mr Baillieu remained leader.

Dr Napthine said he had no plans to alter abortion laws, amid rumours Mr Shaw was pushing for change.

"The parliament of Victoria has made a decision with respect to abortion laws in this state. I respect the decision of the parliament," he said.

Dr Napthine said he had not made a succession deal with Planning Minister Matthew Guy, who was once his chief of staff and is widely considered a future leader.

He said he spoke with Mr Guy after Wednesday's partyroom meeting around lunchtime "in general terms".

"I recognise in Matthew a man of great talent and great skill," Dr Napthine said.

"So Matthew Guy is also a close personal friend and colleague."

Dr Napthine said he would provide good, strong and stable government.

"The last person who was described as a stop-gap premier was Sir Henry Bolte who stayed for 17 years."

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Economy grows at robust 3.1 per cent

THE Australian economy grew close to trend in calendar 2012, after a jump in exports during the final three months of the year.

The national accounts released on Wednesday showed production expanded by a seasonally adjusted 0.6 per cent in the December quarter, for an annual rate of 3.1 per cent.

The result was close to market economists expectations but fell short of the 3.5 per cent annual rate forecast last month by the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA).

Treasurer Wayne Swan said it reaffirmed Australia's position as one of the most resilient economies in the world.

"Australia has managed to achieve solid growth in the December quarter at a time when around half of all advanced economies contracted, including five major advanced economies," Mr Swan said in a statement.

The annual growth rate was more than four times the average of other nations in the Organisation for Economic Development (OECD) in the year to the December.

"This is a pretty impressive outcome," he told reporters in Canberra.

Net exports - exports minus imports - added 0.6 percentage points to gross domestic product (GDP), after growing by 3.3 per cent during the quarter, which was the second fastest increase in almost a decade.

"What we are starting to see here is the upswing in the next phase of the mining boom ... as projects ramp up and go into production," Mr Swan said.

However, overall conditions remained patchy and households were still cautious.

Household consumption grew by just 0.2 per cent in the December quarter, taking the expansion to 2.8 per cent for the year to December.

"The recent uptick in consumer confidence, if sustained, may provide support to consumer spending going forward, along with the impact of low interest rates," Mr Swan said.

As well, price pressures remain subdued, showing inflation is not a threat at present.

He said expenditure figures between private and public spending were somewhat distorted by the Victorian government buying an infrastructure project.

Excluding this one-off factor, private business investment increased 1.2 per cent to be 14.1 per cent higher over the past year.

ANZ Banking Group head of Australian economics Justin Fabo doubts there are any implications for interest rate movements from the annual economic growth result falling short of the RBA's forecast.

"The RBA is likely to remain in 'assessment mode' for the next few months at least," Mr Fabo said in a note to clients.

The central bank left the cash rate unchanged at three per cent at Tuesday's monthly board meeting but saw scope to ease policy again if the economy needed it.

Mr Swan said RBA Governor Glenn Stevens' statement accompanying the decision appeared to be more optimistic about Australia's economic outlook than it had for a while.

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Gas canister removed from Gold Coast beach

A GOLD Coast beach has been re-opened after Fire and Rescue crews removed a potentially lethal gas canister which washed ashore.

The canister, which had a slight leak, has been disposed of safely.

Police acted swiftly to shut down a section of Broadbeach just after 8am (AEST) on Wednesday.

It's believed the canister is similar to others found along Queensland's east coast, and in northern NSW, over the past year.

They contain the potentially lethal substance aluminium phosphide.

Even mild exposure causes nausea, fatigue and pressure in the chest.

Authorities have been urging beach-goers to avoid the canisters if they see them, as the gas can self-ignite.

Anyone who discovers a canister is being told to stay well clear and call police.

In January this year, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority said the canisters had likely been lost from a ship.

Aluminium phosphide is often used to fumigate ships.

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Club shooting left blood on wall: court

A MAN was shot in the shoulder when a fight broke out in a Sydney strip club - and a jury will have to decide who pulled the trigger.

Ricky Anthony Ciano, 31, has pleaded not guilty to wounding Amer Tashman with intent to cause grievous bodily harm at Bada Bing nightclub in Kings Cross on April 9 last year.

He has also pleaded not guilty to using a pistol without a licence.

On the first day of Ciano's trial in the NSW District Court on Tuesday, prosecutor Michael Barr said the jury would hear evidence that Ciano shot Mr Tashman in the left shoulder after a fight broke out involving both men.

"Five minutes after the accused comes into the club, there is a scuffle and fistfight which includes the accused and Mr Tashman," Mr Barr said.

After the fight was broken up, Mr Barr said, Ciano could be seen on the video reaching into the front of his trousers, holding something in his right hand and walking until he was about one or two metres away from the victim.

"It's at that stage the crown says Mr Tashman was shot," Mr Barr said.

The jury was told some of the CCTV footage of the alleged incident was obscured and a pistol was not visible.

No one in the club at the time reported witnessing the shooting, although some patrons reported hearing a shot.

The jury was shown photographs of the scene after the incident.

"(One) shows you the blood on the wall," Mr Barr said.

About 25 seconds later, Ciano left the club by the emergency exit, Mr Barr said.

Mr Tashman told paramedics and police he didn't know anything about what happened, the court heard.

"He felt some blood but he didn't even know he was shot," Mr Barr said.

"He had no memory of being involved in a fight."

Defence barrister Graham Turnbull, SC, told the court there was no issue Ciano was involved in the scuffle at the club, or that he ran outside afterwards.

"The issue is, he didn't shoot (Mr Tashman)," Mr Turnbull said.

There was a "host of people" involved in the fight, he said.

"(It was) a group fight with lots of people coming and going," Mr Turnbull said.

"The question will be, who shot the victim?"

Mr Turnbull said the jury would need to be satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that Ciano had a gun on him and that he used it to shoot someone.

The trial continues before Judge Colin Charteris.

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Vic crackdown on match fixing

INDIVIDUALS found guilty of match fixing face up to 10 years' jail under new Victorian laws.

The government will introduce new match-fixing legislation into parliament this week, Premier Ted Baillieu said.

Under the new laws, a person found guilty of match fixing will face a maximum 10 years' jail.

It brings Victoria into line with laws recently introduced in NSW.

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ACTU to consider anti-corruption measures

CODES of conduct for union officials and better financial transparency will be on the table at a meeting of the ACTU executive this week.

The executive will consider the findings of a report written in the wake of the Health Services Union (HSU) scandal, at its meeting in Melbourne on Tuesday and Wednesday, .

A panel headed by former Federal Court judge Rod Madgwick is understood to have recommended formal codes of conduct for union officials and staff, an ombudsman to hear grievances from union members and better guidelines on financial accountability and governance standards.

The panel also looked at how union officials' pay is set and how better to disclose the pay scale to members, as well as improving training for officials in corporate governance principles.

Australian Workers' Union (AWU) boss Paul Howes, who is on the ACTU executive, told his union's annual conference last month that unions should be held to a higher account than the corporate sector and there should be "zero tolerance" for corruption.

His union, among others, has already moved to publish officials' pay rates in its annual report and introduce financial management training.

ACTU secretary Dave Oliver said recently there was no place in the union movement for the "gross misuse of members' money".

The federal opposition has introduced a private member's bill to impose jail terms on union officials found guilty of corruption, on a similar scale to penalties for corporate fraudsters.

The HSU has been suspended from the ACTU, pending an internal clean-up after investigations by Fair Work Australia into fraudulent use of members' funds.

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French firm to launch NBN satellites

A FRENCH company will launch two satellites to deliver faster broadband speeds to parts of outback Australia that can't access the land-based National Broadband Network (NBN).

Arianespace has won a $300 million contract to build two 777-tonne rockets to send the satellites into geostationary orbit in 2015, Communications Minister Stephen Conroy said on Monday.

The satellites will deliver download speeds up to 25 megabytes per second (Mbps) to about 200,000 homes, businesses and farms in remote areas of Australia and its external territories such as Norfolk Island and Christmas Island.

"It will give people in the outback, remote regions and Australia's overseas territories access to economic and social opportunities that the rest of us take for granted," NBN Co chief executive Mike Quigley said in a statement.

But while the download speed will be faster than most metropolitan broadband services using the fixed copper network, it will be slower than the top-end 100 Mbps offered over the NBN optic fibre cable.

Currently, remote centres use an interim NBN satellite service with a download speed of six Mbps.

The satellites, worth $620 million, are being built by US firm Space Systems/Loral in California and will connect with 10 ground stations.

The rockets will be launched from French Guiana on the north Atlantic coast of South America.

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Dog bites off man's nose in Sydney's west

A DOG has bitten off a man's nose in Sydney's west.

The 30-year-old was attacked by a dog reported to be a Rottweiler at North St Marys about 4.45pm (AEDT) on Saturday, the NSW ambulance service said in a statement.

Paramedics transported the man to Nepean Hospital in a stable condition.

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Third Malaysian policeman killed in Borneo

A MALAYSIAN policeman has been killed by "militants" in a region where Filipino followers of a self-claimed sultan are holed up in a deadly stand-off with security forces, state media reports.

The police officer was killed when he was fired upon on Saturday in the Malaysian town of Semporna, 300 kilometres by road from the site of the stand-off at Tanduo village on Borneo island where 12 Filipino intruders and two police died in a firefight the day before.

State news agency Bernama on Sunday said another officer suffered gunshot wounds.

It quoted police saying the killing was unrelated to the nearly three-week siege involving armed intruders who arrived from the Philippines by boat to press the "sultan's" historical claim to the area.

But the latest shooting raised fears on Malaysian social media sites of a possible spread of violence by suspected sympathisers of the group.

An estimated 100 to 300 Filipinos have been surrounded in a farming village by a Malaysian police and military cordon since landing by boat from the nearby Philippines to insist the area belongs to their Islamic leader Jamalul Kiram III.

Kiram, 74, claims to be the heir to the Islamic sultanate of Sulu, which once controlled parts of the southern Philippines and Borneo.

Following Friday's firefight, Malaysian police stepped up threats to clear them out unless they surrendered immediately.

Philippine President Benigno Aquino, who has sharply criticised the intruders, also urged them to surrender unconditionally, but a spokesman for Kiram has said his followers were prepared to die.

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