US led push to dismantle Syria stockpile

PRESIDENT Barack Obama says it was American diplomacy and threat of force that has led to the plan to eliminate Syria's deadly stockpile of chemical weapons.

In his State of the Union speech Tuesday, Obama promised anew to support opposition groups that are fighting to overthrow Syrian President Bashar Assad in that country's three-year civil war.

He said the Syrian people deserve a future that is free of dictatorship, terror and fear.

The Obama administration threatened to strike Syria's government, but backed down, after an Aug. 21 chemical weapons attack outside Damascus that the US said killed more than 1400 people.

The UN Security Council in September approved a resolution to eliminate Syria's chemical weapons arsenal.

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Labor hopeful takes on Bishop in Griffith

THE battle for Kevin Rudd's seat has become personal, with his replacement candidate trading barbs with Foreign Minister Julie Bishop about their work histories.

Ms Bishop was in the Brisbane-based seat of Griffith on Wednesday campaigning with Liberal National Party (LNP) hopeful Bill Glasson.

She fired the first salvo at Labor's Terri Butler, calling into question her history of union-related work after this week's allegations of criminal originations involvement with trade unions and the building industry.

"Bill Glasson's opponent is of the union movement," she told reporters.

"A former union organiser, a former union lawyer, she will have to toe the Labor Party line, and that is to prevent there being a proper inquiry into illegal, corrupt activities deep within the Labor movement."

But Ms Butler fired back, saying Labor had already implemented comprehensive union accountability laws and suggested Ms Bishop should worry about her own work history.

"Julie Bishop might want to talk about me being a union lawyer, but if she's a lawyer who has defended companies in respect of asbestos claims, I think perhaps she should think about whether she's prepared to talk about what her employers do," Ms Butler said.

"The allegations are about unions and employers, it's time we saw some balance from this government."

Ms Butler had her own heavyweight campaign support in the electorate in the form of opposition infrastructure spokesman Anthony Albanese, who criticised the government's efforts on public transport.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott will be in Griffith on Saturday to officially launch Dr Glasson's campaign in the lead up to the February 8 poll.

Dr Glasson defended suggestions Mr Abbott had previously been "airbrushed" from his campaign material due to bad polling.

"The only person being airbrushed from this campaign is Kevin Rudd," he said.

"The only reason we're having this election is because of Mr Rudd - a man who promised to serve his full three-year term, a man who promised the world and delivered Christmas Island."

Mr Rudd defeated Dr Glasson on preferences during last year's general election, but later announced his retirement from parliament after the coalition came to power.

Sportingbet has given the by-election to Ms Butler, saying her odds have shortened from $1.55 to $1.10, while Dr Glasson's have ballooned from $2.40 to $6.

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Human remains found near croc attack site

Police continue their search for a 12-year-old boy taken by a crocodile in the Northern Territory. Source: AAP

HUMAN remains have been found near where a 12-year-old boy was taken by a crocodile in the Northern Territory.

Authorities have shot dead three crocs in the search for the reptile that snatched the boy while he was swimming with friends in a billabong west of Jabiru in the Kakadu National Park on Sunday.

Another boy, 15, was bitten but released by a croc during the attack.

Acting Police Commander Michael White says search teams have found human remains near where the boy was taken.

"(The evidence) strongly indicates the boy has died from the crocodile attack," Acting Commander White said in a statement on Tuesday.

"Further DNA testing will be conducted to confirm the identification.

"No specifics will be given in relation to the trauma or type of evidence located out of respect for the family. This is now an investigation for the Northern Territory Coroner and a brief will be prepared."

The boy's distraught family have been notified of the discovery.

Authorities have been shooting crocs and cutting open their stomachs open in the hope of recovering the boy's body.

Three crocs have been shot, one measuring 2.5m, while the other two were 4.3m and 4.7m long.

"If you know anything about crocs, they're some very big scary monsters," a police spokeswoman told AAP.

"There is no way, if those creatures got hold of you, that you'd be able to get away."

Police warned people to stay out of waterholes during the wet season.

"It's quite incredible the amount of rainfall that we have here in the Territory and the reality is there could be crocs in every water body," the spokeswoman said.

"Just don't go in."

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Man 'groped blind woman on train'

A BLIND woman has told a Sydney court she found two five cent coins between her breasts after being allegedly groped by a Bangladeshi refugee.

Holly Craig, 23, told Sydney's Central Local Court on Tuesday that Rubel Sheikh, 25, stopped her on the way to Ashfield train station in Sydney's inner west on July 17 last year and told her "adamantly" to take the lift to the platform.

Once the two were in the lift, Ms Craig, who is legally blind and uses a walking cane, said she felt something small drop between her breasts, followed by Sheikh allegedly saying in an "awkward" tone: "It is okay. It is very sexy."

She said Sheikh followed her up to the platform, into the train and then followed her once she got off at Gymea station, where she met her mother.

While she was waiting for the train at Ashfield, Ms Craig said she again felt something drop between her breasts.

She said that once she was on the train, she felt someone twice put their hand into her bra and touch her breast and touch her inner thigh.

The man allegedly told her it was "okay" and asked for a "goodbye kiss".

Ms Craig said she recognised the voice as the man who led her to the lift at Ashfield.

She said that later that night two five cent coins dropped out of her bra when she was changing into her pyjamas.

Sheikh was charged in August with twice indecently assaulting Ms Craig.

He had only been in Australia for a month when the incident occurred and he was on a bridging visa.

She told the court she didn't mention the incident to her mother that day, because they didn't have a good relationship, and instead reported it to the police later that night.

The court was shown CCTV footage appearing to show Ms Craig and Sheikh walking into a lift and onto a platform at Ashfield train station.

The hearing continues on Tuesday.

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Government to put unemployed to work

The government will reportedly expand the work-for-the-dole scheme introduced in the 1990s. Source: AAP

THE federal government's move to force the unemployed into a range of new community labour positions is akin to paying workers below the minimum wage, a welfare group says.

Revealing details of the coalition's planned work-for-the-dole expansion, Assistant Minister for Employment Luke Hartsuyker said Newstart recipients will complete tasks such as rubbish collection, park maintenance and stretch to gardening and painting at aged care facilities.

"We'll be releasing the implementation for Work-for-the-Dole in due course," Mr Hartsuyker told ABC Radio on Monday, adding that the changes would be introduced in a "measured and a methodical way".

He said the scheme would be compulsory and anyone who refused to work would lose their Newstart payment.

Australian Council of Social Services (ACOSS) policy director Jacqueline Phillips said the plans raised a number of questions and concerns.

"If there is a need for additional workers to meet the needs of local communities ... surely these positions should be paid for properly, not at Newstart rates of $35 a day ... well below the minimum wage," Ms Phillips told AAP.

She said Australia's experience with work-for-the-dole has shown it is "not very effective getting people into jobs" and instead promoted wage-subsidy schemes, from which almost half of participants are in paid employment after six months.

Such a policy will increase Australia's jobless rate, Labor MP Andrew Leigh said, referring to work-for-the-dole research conducted during the Howard government.

"It found that work-for-the-dole increased joblessness because it ended up diverting people from job-search activities into work-for-the-dole activities," Mr Leigh said of the Melbourne University study.

The ACTU went further with its criticism of the government's proposal, labelling it a "lazy and damaging policy solution".

"The government vision on jobs is to attack decent wages, encourage business to leave, deregulate the economy and now put pressure on the unemployed," union national president Ged Kearney said in a statement.

Mr Hartsuyker told News Corp that Prime Minister Tony Abbott was "very focused" on expanding the work-for-the-dole scheme and that the government takes a dim view of people who refuse a job and stay on benefits.

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Treasurer sets fed debt limit at $500bn

TREASURER Joe Hockey has given a directive to set Australia's debt limit at $500 billion, despite parliament voting to abolish the ceiling altogether.

Shadow treasurer Chris Bowen said it was a classic example of the coalition saying one thing before the election and delivering the opposite after.

Mr Hockey's directive relating to government borrowing was officially gazetted on January 22.

"I direct that the maximum total face value of stock and securities that may be on issue is $500 billion," Mr Hockey states.

The directive expires on April 1, 2024.

A spokesman for Mr Hockey said it was in line with the legislation passed in December to abolish Labor's $300 billion debt ceiling and "satisfied funding and operation requirements".

The abolition of the debt limit was the result of a compromise with the Australian Greens, after Mr Hockey's initial attempt to legislate the $500 billion ceiling failed.

Mr Bowen told AAP on Monday the decision followed the extraordinary deal between the Liberals and the Greens to deliver the Greens' policy of no debt limit.

"Before the election Joe Hockey was against debt, now he can't get enough of it," Mr Bowen said.

"The Hockey-Milne deal on no debt limit has ensured the economic fringe dwellers are at the centre of economic policy and decision-making in this country.

"It doesn't matter what regulation Joe Hockey signs, this deal ensures he can run up unlimited government debt."

The mid-year economic review released last year forecast debt to rise from $310 billion in 2013/14 to $460 billion by 2016/17, and $667 billion by 2023/24 if the budget is not brought under control.

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Vic police sniff out drugs at Big Day Out

Police have welcomed a decrease in drug-related arrests at Melbourne's Big Day Out music festival. Source: AAP

THERE'S been a decrease in the number of drug-related arrests at Melbourne's Big Day Out music festival.

A total of 29 people were arrested for drug offences on Friday, down from 40 people at the same festival at the Melbourne Showgrounds last year.

Acting Superintendent Bernie Edwards says only a small number of the 23,000 music fans at the festival were doing the wrong thing.

"We were generally happy with patron behaviour throughout the day, and it looks like most people enjoyed the event," he said.

"It is disappointing that 29 people didn't get the message."

Sniffer dogs were used to find revellers carrying illegal drugs.

Police seized drugs such as ecstasy, amphetamines and cannabis.

Of the 29 arrested, 15 people have been referred to a drug diversion program and 14 have been cautioned.

The Big Day Out heads next to Sydney on Australia Day.

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