Floods cut off key roads in northern NSW

A LANDSLIDE and flooding has forced the closure of part of a major highway in northern NSW.

The Gwydir Highway, a vital east-west route in northern NSW, has closed between Grafton and Glen Innes.

Motorists are being told to use the New England Highway and Bruxner Highway instead.

They are also being advised to be extremely cautious in northern NSW due to the continuing wet weather.

A number of other flooded roads have closed including:

- The Oxley Highway in both directions at O'Neills Creek in Long Flat.

- Failford Road between the Pacific Highway and The Lakes Way.

- The Gwydir Highway between Moree and Warialda.

- The Bucketts Way is closed at Gloucester Road in Burrell Creek.

- The Pacific Highway is also affected by flooding at various locations.

It is expected that heavy rain across much of NSW could cause flash flooding across the coastline this weekend.

The Bureau of Meteorology had 16 flood warnings in place on Saturday night.

A severe weather warning for heavy rain has been issued for people in the Northern Rivers, Mid North Coast, Hunter and Northern Tablelands areas.

20.08 | 0 komentar | Read More

Lockyer Valley on flooding alert

AN emergency alert has been issued for the Lockyer Valley region, west of Brisbane, with residents told to evacuate if needed.

The Lockyer Valley regional council issued the alert on Saturday night.

The council has advised that flooding is expected for Forest Hill, Laidley, Glenore Grove and areas downstream.

Residents are being told to monitor the situation and evacuate themselves if necessary.

An emergency flood warning has also been issued for residents in parts of central Queensland.

The Banana Shire Council, which includes Biloela and Moura, is advising of an imminent threat due to a Grevillea Creek flood.

There is an immediate threat to life or property" and the council is urging residents to leave the area or move to higher ground.

 

 Earlier, Brisbane was on track to have its wettest day since the Australia Day holiday weekend, with almost 70mm of rain soaking the city since 9am and more heavy falls expected.

Some suburbs have copped even bigger dumps with Corinda Heights recording 86mm in six hours.

Despite the rainfall stretching from just south of Bundaberg to the Gold Coast, and Kingaroy in the west, Bureau of Meteorology senior forecaster Praveep Singh said Brisbane had borne the brunt of the low pressure system.

More wet weather news: Dancers rescued from flooded Gabba street

"We've probably had in excess of 100mm since last night," said Mr Singh.

Heavy rain in Vulture Street, South Brisbane this afternoon. Pic: Kimberley Vlasic

"There could be more heavy falls tonight, in the vicinity of 50 to 60mm. That should start to ease around midday tomorrow."

Mr Singh said a low pressure system and a "good feed of moist east to northeasterly winds" was responsible for the latest deluge.

It follows on from a wet February and late January with more than 520mm recorded in the city.

So far the wettest day this year has been January 28, when 145mm fell on Brisbane.

Dozens of roads have been covered in water throughout Brisbane, and there are reports of surface damage on the Western Freeway at Indooroopilly.

Motorists are urged to drive with extreme care and avoid crossing flooded roadways.

Meanwhile, another Queensland town is preparing for a flood as rain continues to drench the state.

The local council is doorknocking homes at Dalby, in southern Queensland, where the Myall Creek is expected to peak at three metres on Saturday night.

Western Downs Mayor Ray Brown says water starts to enter homes when the water reaches 2.8 metres.

It's another blow to residents who experienced significant flooding on the Australia Day weekend and a severe flood two years ago.

The council is also monitoring the nearby towns of Chinchilla and Moonie which are on flood alert.

Heavy rain has also fallen in the regions around Mackay, Bundaberg and Rockhampton on the state's central coast and Brisbane and the Gold Coast in the southeast.

Forecasters expect about 100mm of rain to fall on Bundaberg in the next 24 hours.

Mayor Mal Foreman said people are anxious, as the town has been flooded three times in the past two years.

"People are saying, 'when is the rain going to stop?"' he told ABC Radio.

Meanwhile the government is keeping a close eye on its dams in the southeast.

The Bureau of Meteorology has advised the rain will continue in the short term and there will be heavy falls later this month.

Water Supply Minister Mark McArdle says releasing water from the dams will reduce the risk of flooding.

"The ground is currently saturated so the rain will all run off into the Somerset and Wivenhoe Dams," he told AAP.

"We want to make certain those dams are at a precautionary level of 88 per cent as best as we possibly can."

20.07 | 0 komentar | Read More

One dead, four injured in crash

ONE man is dead and four others are injured after two cars collided on the Brisbane Valley Highway, west of Brisbane tonight.

Police are investigating the cause of the crash involving two hatchbacks at Fernvale shortly after 6pm.

The male driver of one car was killed.

His female passenger was rushed to the Princess Alexandra Hospital. Her injuries are unknown.

Four others travelling in the second vehicle were taken to the Ipswich Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

In Toowoomba , two men are in hospital with serious injuries after a bus and car collided.

Police are investigating the cause of the crash between the bus and sedan on Kingsford Smith Drive about 1.45pm.

The 25-year-old driver of the sedan and his 38-year-old passenger were taken to Toowoomba Base Hospital with serious injuries.

The female driver of the bus suffered minor injuries. There were no passengers on board at the time.

If you have any information that may assist police, please call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

20.07 | 0 komentar | Read More

Brothers 'can't accept pedophile's guilt'

Archbishop Denis Hart ignored reports that a pedophile might have been working at a college. Source: AAP

MANY Christian brothers refuse to accept that one of their ranks is guilty of the child sex crimes for which he was convicted, a Victorian inquiry has been told.

Members of the order also lack sympathy for sex abuse victims, Christian brother and researcher Dr Barry Coldrey told the parliamentary inquiry into sexual abuse within religious organisations.

Dr Coldrey said some brothers had not accepted that Robert Best, who was convicted over the abuse of 11 boys over a 20-year period, was a pedophile.

"Even at this moment there are many brothers who refuse to believe that Robert Best is guilty," he told the inquiry in Melbourne on Friday.

He said some would still visit Best in prison.

Best was in 2011 found guilty of 21 charges, including the rape of a nine-year-old disabled boy, and later pleaded guilty to a further six.

All 27 charges related to 11 boys he taught at St Alipius primary school in Ballarat, St Leo's College in Box Hill, and St Joseph's College in Geelong between 1969 and 1988.

Dr Coldrey told the inquiry that the order had little sympathy for victims of sexual abuse.

"At the moment, the mood is sullen, angry and certainly little sympathy is expressed for victims," he said.

"No one ever won an election in the Christian Brothers by expressing sympathy for victims."

Dr Coldrey said his concerns that a convicted pedophile was working at Monash University's Mannix College were ignored by senior clergy members, including Melbourne Archbishop Denis Hart.

Residences at the college were rented out to non-university students for four months of the year.

"Everybody who had a say took the cover-up option," Dr Coldrey said.

"Denis (Hart) took the cover-up option."

Dr Coldrey said he was not sure if the man was still working at the college under an assumed name.

The inquiry resumes in Melbourne on Monday.

Br Brian Brandon, the executive officer for professional standards for Christian Brothers Oceania, rejected that there was little sympathy within the Christian Brothers ranks for sex abuse victims.

In a statement, Br Brandon said he met regularly with victims and Mr Coldrey was out of touch with reality and his statements were unsubstantiated.

Br Brandon said the Christian Brothers expressed care and concern for victims.

He also offered an apology on behalf of the Christian Brothers to Archbishop Denis Hart for comments made about him by Mr Coldrey, who testified that senior clergy members including Archbishop Hart, ignored concerns that a convicted pedophile was working at Monash University's Mannix College.

Archbishop Denis Hart said the allegation raised by Br Coldrey was false.

"I emphatically reject his allegation that I have been involved in a cover up of a suspected paedophile at Mannix College, Monash University or that there was any cover up," he said in a statement.

"These untrue claims unfairly malign all the hard working staff at Mannix College."

Archbishop Hart said Br Coldrey was a part-time volunteer at Mannix College for a number of years until the end of 2010.

He said while he was volunteering at Mannix College, Br Coldrey alleged there may have been a paedophile working at the college but the allegation was shown to have no substance.

He said all Mannix College staff hold a current Working With Children Check.

Archbishop Hart said he looked forward to his opportunity to appear before the inquiry.

20.07 | 0 komentar | Read More

Berlusconi claims innocence in trial

FORMER Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi proclaimed his innocence at an appeal trial in Milan against a tax fraud conviction linked to his business empire.

"I am completely extraneous to the facts that I am accused of," the billionaire tycoon told the court.

The 76-year-old Berlusconi was convicted in October 2012 and sentenced to four years in prison and a five-year ban from holding public office.

The prison sentence was later reduced to one year and both sentences have been suspended pending his appeal trial, which was interrupted by elections in which Berlusconi led a centre-right coalition.

"Instead of getting a gold medal from the state for giving jobs to 56,000 people, I was sentenced to four years in prison," he told the court.

A verdict in the case is expected on March 23.

20.07 | 0 komentar | Read More

Woman missing from NSW Riverina

POLICE are appealing for information to help find a woman missing in the NSW Riverina.

Colleen Judith Cooke, 59, has suffered from depression after a recent bereavement and there are concerns for her welfare, police said.

She was last seen on Wednesday morning in Galong and her family have told police it is out of character for Mrs Cooke not to be in contact.

She's described as being of caucasian appearance, 164cm tall with short, red/brown hair, a medium build and brown eyes.

Mrs Cooke is believed to be driving a white Toyota Avalon with registration plates AB24YZ.

20.07 | 0 komentar | Read More

Kerry promises $59m in aid to Syria oppn

US Secretary of State John Kerry says the Obama administration will provide the Syrian opposition with an additional $US60 million ($A59 million) in assistance and will for the first time provide non-lethal aid like food and medical supplies to rebels fighting to oust President Bashar Assad.

Kerry announced the new support and the policy shift on Thursday in Rome, on the sidelines of an international conference on Syria.

European nations are also expected to signal their intention to provide fresh assistance to the opposition.

Kerry says the US decision is designed to increase the pressure on Assad to step down and pave the way for a democratic transition.

He says the aid is also intended to help the opposition govern newly liberated areas of Syria and blunt the influence of extremists.

20.08 | 0 komentar | Read More

Myer winter collection blows into stores

WITH a gust of snowy white wool and light showers of sequins, winter arrived in Melbourne.

Myer's autumn/winter collections launch declared the sunny neon colours that dominated catwalks in spring and summer banished in favour of black, white and metallic tones.

The ready-to-wear retail show favoured sharp lines and crisp tailoring.

Almost every designer who sent models down the catwalk had leather incorporated into their winter look.

Maticevski led the charge with structured leather bodices, embellished black leather peplums and panels of sequins.

When it came to the leather creations, the palette was predominantly black, but cream, white and browns appeared too.

Feminine-shaped peplums were prominent, but they didn't dominate as they have the past two seasons.

Staples for winter fashionistas will be lace and lashings of leather.

Designer Arthur Galan said the 2013 look would be characterised by blended textures.

"There will be lots of leather mixed with woolens, leather mixed with knits, it's definitely all about black and leather," he said.

"Black and white is absolutely the key for this season."

Many of the guests, designers and models wore items to be featured on the catwalk and strutted a black carpet gauntlet before the show.

Myer ambassador Jennifer Hawkins arrived wrapped in a black and gold cylindrical Manning Cartell dress.

She predicted that as summer shifted into autumn, the colours would cool with the climate.

"It's calming down a little bit," Hawkins said.

"There's lots of embellishment around, lots of lace, I love lace; leather, lace and peplums."

The gold strip motif of her dress was repeated later in Manning Cartell's collection.

It appeared in a short shift dress, pants and a voluminous top.

Manning Cartell's catwalk offering was brief but chic.

Cherry was blended with gold and black leather for a rich, warm look.

Designer Leona Edmiston followed Hawkins down the black carpet declaring jewel colours would rule winter wardrobes.

"We're showing printed silks tonight, all different prints, lots of different shapes in intense jewel tones: deep sapphires and lovely rubies," she said.

"The peplum's still in because it is very flattering, but not from us tonight."

Edmiston's winter collection silhouette was slinkier than other designers on show, being made-up of wrap dresses, shirt dresses and caftans.

Another Myer ambassador, Rebecca Judd, said winter was more about berries, greens and lots of gold.

Dressed in a black, sheer Sass and Bide frock, she echoed leading designers Arthur Galan and Wayne Cooper in saying black leather leggings were the key piece for winter.

Designer Yeojin Bae said there would be pops of colour in her collection, but, at the moment, she was in love with cream.

"Good tailoring, lots of cream and lace and a beautiful floral print," was how she described her collection.

The majority of the style set nominated black leather leggings as the number one item for winter but their own wardrobe choices suggested capelets, and swing-coats would be popular.

Despite not appearing on the catwalk, Sass and Bide's "This is Pop" capelet - half cape and half coat - was the most popular item of the night.

It was worn by five people attending the show, including Sass and Bide designer Sarah-Jane Clarke.

20.07 | 0 komentar | Read More

EU reaches deal to cap banker bonuses

THE European Union will cap bankers' bonuses, which critics say played a major role in driving the global financial crisis, as part of new tougher rules on the banking sector.

The accord was struck early Thursday after the European Parliament and the EU's current Irish presidency agreed how to implement Basel III, an internationally-agreed set of regulations which tighten capital requirements in the hope of preventing any repeat of the 2008 banking collapse.

"For the first time in the history of EU financial market regulation, we will cap bankers' bonuses," said MEP Othmar Karas, the negotiator for the parliament.

Parliament had wanted to limit any bonus to not more than a banker's fixed annual salary but agreed it could be twice the size, on the condition that shareholders formally approved such a payment.

Karas told a press conference later that if a wider EU political agreement could now be reached, Basel III could come into force in the EU in January 2014, one year past the original deadline.

Basel III was supposed to have been implemented from January this year but the timetable slipped steadily as the banks and some EU member states, notably Britain, baulked at the new rules, saying they would undercut management incentives and make the banks reluctant to lend.

Basel III notably requires the banks to build up their capital buffers and reserves but in doing so, they argue, they have less money left to lend to businesses now struggling in a deep economic slump.

In November, the United States said it too would not make the January 2013 target date.

Karas played down the importance of the bonus issue but in the event it has attracted most of the headlines and is particularly sensitive for Britain, home to one of the world's biggest financial markets in London.

The key issue is "that from 2014, European banks will have to set aside more money to be more stable and concentrate on their core business, namely financing the real economy, that of small- and medium-sized enterprises and jobs," Karas insisted.

British Prime Minister David Cameron said Thursday he would "look carefully" at the deal, staunchly defending London's role and insisting his own plans for bank reform were in some respects tougher than those in the EU.

"We have major international banks that are based in the UK but have branches and activities all over the world. We need to make sure regulation put in place in Brussels is flexible enough to allow those banks to be competing and succeeding while being located in the UK," he warned.

20.07 | 0 komentar | Read More

Hunt on for undie-wearing armed robber

AN image has been released of a man who robbed a Melbourne service station with a knife in his hand and a pair of undies on his head.

The man entered the Deer Park store on February 15 about 12.30am (AEDT), demanding cash from the attendant.

The attendant handed over some money before the offender threatened a customer and stole his wallet.

No one was injured.

The offender left the store, on the corner of Ballarat Road and Robinsons Road, and was last reported seen heading north on Robinsons Road.

The man, who is of African appearance, was wearing a light blue jumper, black pants with stripes and camel coloured shoes with black laces.

Anyone with information should contact Crime Stoppers.

20.08 | 0 komentar | Read More