Winston the koala again visits Parliament

WINSTON the koala has made his third appearance at Parliament House in the name of better protection for threatened species.

The nine-year-old marsupial sunned himself in a courtyard on Wednesday, along with Nara the dingo and a Stimson python.

They were the backdrop to a renewed call from green groups for the federal government to maintain control of decision-making on large development proposals.

They want better protection of koalas and other threatened species.

Their concerns centre on a case outlined by the Business Council of Australia (BCA) for streamlining environmental assessments and approvals.

BCA says it would avoid duplication and delay in the environmental approval process.

However, the Australian Conservation Council says federal oversight is needed because without it, the Franklin River would have been dammed, cattle would be grazing in the Alpine National Park and the Great Barrier Reef would be full of oil rigs.

In April, Environment Minister Tony Burke included koalas on the national list of threatened species in NSW, Queensland and the ACT, forcing developers to account for koala listings when making building applications.

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Elderly man pleads guilty to mercy murder

AN 81-year-old man has pleaded guilty to the murder of his de facto wife, whom he has admitted killing as part of a failed "mercy" suicide pact.

Herbert Erickson was charged with the murder of Julie Betty Kuhn, 73, in January this year after her body was found at the home the couple shared in the Perth suburb of Joondanna.

Erickson is alleged to have smothered Ms Kuhn, before killing his two dogs and attempting to electrocute himself as part of the couple's suicide pact.

The pensioner suffered severe burns to his hands and lost both index fingers, but survived - and was then charged with aggravated grievous bodily harm, which was later upgraded to murder.

He had been Ms Kuhn's carer for many years after she suffered a stroke.

She also suffered from chronic arthritis, a severe form of paralysis, and was confined to a wheelchair.

In Stirling Gardens Magistrates Court on Wednesday, Erickson pleaded guilty to murder.

He will be sentenced on January 18 next year.

"I don't want to go to jail, I want to be with my partner, but I am here - worse luck," Erickson said outside court.

His lawyer David Manera said he would argue against a life jail term because of his "genuine love" for his partner.

"We will be doing our best to get the most lenient and fair outcome for Mr Erickson," Mr Manera said.

"He is trying to get on with life without his life partner. He deeply loved and genuinely loved his partner.

"He devoted himself to caring for her and he misses her deeply."

Mr Manera said a psychiatric report on Erickson's state of mind had already been prepared, and a pre-sentence report would be compiled.

Erickson's bail, which was granted earlier this year on the grounds of his age and ill health, was continued.

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Foreign students to get transport discount

INTERNATIONAL students will get a 35 per cent discount on NSW public transport after a report said they were at risk of being attacked and mugged.

A report also highlighted allegations of abuse at some student accommodation in NSW, including instances of negligence and underfeeding.

Acting NSW Premier Andrew Stoner announced the travel discount - equivalent to about $811 a year - on Monday as part of the state government's response to the International Education and Research Taskforce report.

The government commissioned the report last year to assess ways of boosting the state's multi-million dollar higher education export industry, which slumped during the global financial crisis.

The report, authored by a panel of higher education experts, made 21 recommendations including the transport concessions.

It said the expensive cost of accommodation often forces students to live far away from colleges or universities.

As a result, some students save cash by walking home at night - putting themselves at risk of theft or assault.

The report also highlighted serious welfare issues for overseas students staying with Australian families.

"Within the homestay sector there have been troubling reports of negligence and abuse," it said.

"For example, there have been instances of under 18-year-olds being underfed."

Mr Stoner said the travel discounts would be equivalent to those already received by Australian students and bring NSW into line with other states.

He said the government would respond to the action plan's other recommendations, which include greater regulation of student accommodation, later this year.

"Safety is the number one concern for parents ... and it's important we address the total package for life as an international student here in NSW," Mr Stoner added.

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Aussies cosy in NY bars as Sandy looms

THE wind from the outer reaches of Hurricane Sandy gusted ominously, public transport shut down and the warnings were grim, but AFL and rugby replays were keeping the clientele happily camped at several Australian bars in New York City.

With authorities expecting the merging of the hurricane and another two storm fronts to create one of the biggest weather events in memory - dubbed a "Frankenstorm" - thousands of New Yorkers were expected to evacuate low lying areas, heeding Mayor Michael Bloomberg's warnings to prepare for the worst.

However, hours after a deluge was expected to envelop the Big Apple, barely a drop had fallen except in the lively bars around Manhattan where locals gathered to watch the New York Giants pip the Dallas Cowboys and tourists hunkered down close to their hotels, which could be without power in the next 12 hours.

"We've got a decent crowd," said manager Josh Lambie at The Australian bar on West 38th Street.

"We'll probably stay open until midnight then try and open again normally in coming days, if possible.

"We'll just keep playing footy replays and keep it going for anyone who wants to drop by. It's mostly tourists who don't want to be stuck in their hotel rooms, I think."

The Australian, owned by former Manly rugby league player Matt Astill, is located in a relatively safe part of midtown Manhattan.

The Sunburnt Cow, an Aussie bar and eatery on the lower east side is in the mandatory evacuation zone and shut up shop for the night and possibly the next few days.

The Cow's sister establishment, The Sunburnt Calf on the upper west side, however, was serving drinks until midnight or "four o'clock if the locals want it," said one of the owners, Tim Harris.

"We've got about 20 in here and it's kind of low key," he said.

"I had to let the kitchen staff go early because public transport shut down, but I'll hang around as long as I can.

"If I can get in tomorrow, I'll get my wife to serve drinks and I might get in the kitchen and turn out fish and chips."

The storm was expected to engulf New York on Monday morning and last into Tuesday, with meteorologists forecasting sustained winds of 75 km/h and regular gusts of over 100.

Up to 13cm of rain was expected to fall, but the big threat was a tidal surge which could be between 2.5 and four metres.

Mayor Bloomberg feared a high tide on Monday morning would make a bad situation catastrophic and ordered residents to leave low lying parts of Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens, designated Zone A.

Police vehicles prowled the streets under the Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges and officers issued orders over public address systems for residents to leave on Sunday afternoon.

But early indications were that many residents would attempt to ride it out, with only a few hundred people reportedly heading to 76 evacuation centres, able to accommodate tens of thousands.

More than 45,000 people live in housing authority apartments, run by the city, in Zone A.

Electricity and running water were cut in the buildings in advance of the storm, yet the majority of tenants seemed to stay put.

Many luxury apartments in lower Manhattan and the financial district were also expected to cut power and the streets around Wall Street were bustling with residents competing for fewer than the normal number of cabs.

New Zealand themed bar Nelson Blue remained open on Sunday night despite being in the evacuation area only 100 metres from the banks of the East River under the Brooklyn Bridge.

"We're ready. We'll see what happens," said Paul Morgan, an owner of the Seaport neighbourhood bar and eatery which has been heavily sandbagged and smothered with thick protective tarpaulin.

"It's quiet now, down here, but we've got a few in.

"We'll assess the situation tomorrow, and if we can, we'll open."

Tourists and visitors who failed to get out before New York commenced lockdown were left to contemplate the possibility of spending up to three days stranded in the city, with airlines cancelling hundreds of flights and the prospects for Monday departures remote.

"I called my sister in Australia, she's an executive travel agent. You have to try everything at this stage," said insurance executive Andrea Sutter after spending hours unsuccessfully trying to find a way to her Zurich base.

"I have to get back, but it's not looking good."

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Greenwich 'passionate' about many issues

NEWLY elected independent MP for Sydney Alex Greenwich has denied coalition claims he is a single-issue politician after his landslide by-election victory.

More than 48 per cent of voters chose Mr Greenwich in Saturday's poll, with the Clover Moore-backed candidate finishing with a two-party preferred vote of just under 65 per cent.

The result was a stinging defeat for the O'Farrell government and its candidate Shayne Mallard.

Mr Greenwich, who campaigned strongly in favour of same-sex marriage, on Sunday shrugged off coalition claims he was singularly concerned with pushing a marriage equality agenda.

"(The coalition) ran a campaign calling me a single-issue candidate. They've even attacked my age, saying I'm too young," Mr Greenwich, 31, told reporters in Sydney.

"I feel passionately about a number of issues, including animal welfare, strata reform, better transport alternatives.

"Yes, I am very proud of my record about progressing the marriage equality debate, and that's something that is supported across this electorate as well."

Mr Greenwich, who is openly gay, married his male partner in Argentina in May this year.

Until recently he was also the convener of Australian Marriage Equality (AME), a group that advocates same-sex marriage.

The result showed voters had punished the NSW government for forcing Sydney Lord Mayor Moore out of parliament with laws that prevented NSW MPs also sitting on councils, he said.

"I was encouraged throughout the entire campaign about the amount of support there was out there to keep Sydney independent and the amount of outrage there was out there that our sitting member had been removed," said Mr Greenwich, who runs a recruitment business in Sydney.

NSW Labor did not put up a candidate in the by-election, but shadow special minister of state Walt Secord said the result was a "referendum on Barry O'Farrell's leadership".

"The people of Sydney democratically elected Clover Moore and Barry O'Farrell got rid of her," Mr Secord said on Sunday.

"Whether you like Clover Moore or not, she was democratically elected."

Greens MP John Kaye said he was pleased with the performance of his party's candidate, Chris Harris.

The Greens won 18 per cent of the primary vote on Saturday, representing a five per cent swing towards it.

"Yesterday saw a good result for the Greens," he said.

"It was an outcome that said a lot about the O'Farrell government on the skids.

"The people of Sydney were very cranky about the way Clover Moore was pushed out of that seat."

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Asia strategy needs joint effort: business

BUSINESS is calling for bipartisanship over the broad direction of the federal government's Asian century white paper, as Australia sets course to ramp up its engagement with Asia.

The Business Council of Australia (BCA) and Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) said the challenge will be to implement the policies to fulfil the goals for 2025 of the white paper given the long time frame.

"There will be debate about the specific policy solutions to the challenges outlined in the white paper, but what is needed is bipartisanship on the broad direction," BCA head Jennifer Westacott said in a statement.

"Clearly the government must take the lead in adhering to and delivering on many of the policy commitments, but equally the business community plays a significant and critical leadership role."

ACCI chief Peter Anderson said governments, the federal opposition and the finance sector needed to follow through on goals to improve competitiveness, trade finance, Asian language and cultural learning.

"It sets the right ambition and points to more than enough economic, trade and social pathways for regional prosperity to keep both government and opposition away from the gender wars or partisan politics from now until the next election if they have enough will and discipline," he said.

But Mr Anderson said while the paper stated the "bleeding obvious", the federal government's response was a surprise packet of practical first measures.

"The exceptions are a failure to have saved the money to now afford what needs to be done, and lack of willingness to turn away from domestic policy errors that have eaten away at industry competitiveness like labour market re-regulation and the carbon tax," he said.

Accounting body CPA Australia was disappointed there was no provision in the white paper for a dedicated cabinet minister for the Asian century.

"Such a minister would enable more effective coordination at a policy and budgetary level and in doing so, ease the path to implementation," chief executive Alex Malley said.

Global law firm Baker & McKenzie said all Australian companies looking to grow their business - particularly in services such education, law, accounting and finance - need an Asian strategy.

"Building relationships at all levels is critical, from school children to business leaders and government," Australia managing partner Chris Freeland said in a statement.

"A better understanding of Asian cultures and languages, and building professional exchanges, is vital to better do business across this diverse region."

Meanwhile, National Farmers' Federation President Jock Laurie welcomed the paper's recognition of the opportunities for the agriculture sector in Asia.

"And it has recognised that to capitalise on this, greater investment is needed to boost output and research, adapt to regulatory change and build capacity," he said.

Educators also liked the skills and training thrust of the paper, saying Australian government must overhaul education funding and foreign student visa provisions.

Opposition foreign affairs spokeswoman Julie Bishop said there was nothing groundbreaking about the paper.

"I think it's a disappointing effort," she told Sky News.

Ms Bishop said the paper did contain some laudable goals.

"What's missing is the funding to back it up, or any detailed steps on how they would achieve some of the strategic visions," she said.

"There's nothing profound here, there's no insight beyond what governments are already doing."

Ms Bishop also commented on the paper's political nature.

"It's main theme seems to be that to prepare for the Asian century, we need to embrace Labor's current policies.

"I fear it's been re-written by a posse of Labor spin doctors."

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Buildings destroyed in Sydney fire

AN overnight fire in Sydney's south west has caused $2 million worth of damage after burning down a mobile phone tower.

The blaze in Lansvale also destroyed two communications rooms.

Firefighters and police were called to the fire, near Hollywood Drive and Howard Street, at 1am on Saturday.

The buildings had already been razed to the ground by the time they arrived.

Police are investigating the cause of the fire, which they believe may have started in scrub between the street and the phone tower.

A report is to be prepared for the Coroner because of the high cost of damages.

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