Severe thunderstorms move east across state

Storms roll over Brisbane, as seen from Kangaroo Point Cliffs. Pic: Adam Smith Source: CourierMail

SEVERE thunderstorms continue to move across Queensland's southeast, with the latest warning issued for Moreton Bay, Redland area, North Stradbroke Island and parts of Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Dalby, the Sunshine Coast and Somerset areas.

By 9.15pm, the State Emergency Services had received 47 requests for help through the Rosewood, Hatton Vale, Marburg, Amberley, Ipswich and Brisbane CBD areas.

A spokeswoman said the requests related to structural damage to homes, fallen trees and general storm and flood damage.

"There was significant roof damage to houses in Lower Mt Walker, near Laidley," she said.

9.15pm: The Bureau of Meteorology warned that "very dangerous thunderstorms" were detected on weather radar near Peel Island, southern waters of Moreton Bay and South Stradbroke Island.

Storms roll over Brisbane, as seen from Kangaroo Point Cliffs. Pic: Adam Smith

"These thunderstorms are moving towards the northeast. Very dangerous thunderstorms are forecast to affect Moreton Island by 9:30 pm and Cape Moreton and waters off Moreton Island by 10:00 pm," the warning said.

Other severe thunderstorms were located near Esk and Somerset Dam. They are forecast to affect Strathpine, Toogoolawah and Lake Somerset by 9:30 pm and Redcliffe, Caboolture and Kilcoy by 10:00 pm.

Destructive winds and heavy rainfall that may lead to flash flooding are likely.

A 92 km/h wind gust was recorded at Amberley Airport at 7:45pm, an 87 km/h wind gust was recorded at Gold Coast Seaway at 8:30pm, and a 79 km/h wind gust was recorded at Inner Beacon (Moreton Bay) at 8:55pm.

Storms roll over Brisbane, as seen from Kangaroo Point Cliffs. Pic: Adam Smith

The Bureau of Meteorology will next issue an update by 10.05pm. For more details and latest information see www.bom.gov.au.

8.45pm: Severe thunderstorms continue to move across Queensland's southeast, with the latest warning issued for Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Moreton Bay, Redland area, North Stradbroke Island and parts of Logan, Ipswich the Scenic Rim Somerset and Toowoomba.

The Bureau's latest warning, issued at 8.41pm, was for destructive wind and heavy rainfall.

"At 8:45 pm, very dangerous thunderstorms were detected on weather radar near Tingalpa Reservoir, Camp Hill and Woodridge," the warning said.

Storm clouds north of Moonie, Western Darling Downs, Saturday afternoon. Pic: Jeff Higgins. Higgins Storm Chasing

"These thunderstorms are moving towards the east to northeast. Very dangerous thunderstorms are forecast to affect Cleveland, Manly and Wynnum by 9:15 pm and Dunwich, Peel Island and southern waters of Moreton Bay by 9:45 pm."

Other severe thunderstorms were located near Coolangatta, Beenleigh and Esk. They are forecast to affect Strathpine, Somerset Dam and Toogoolawah by 9:15 pm and Redcliffe, Mount Mee and Lake Somerset by 9:45 pm.

Destructive winds and heavy rainfall that may lead to flash flooding are likely, the Bureau warned.

The warnings came after a 92 km/h wind gust was recorded at Amberley Airport at 7:45pm, an 87 km/h wind gust was recorded at Gold Coast Seaway at 8:30pm, and residents reported seeing lightning across the southeast.

Top of Bunya Mountains looking west out over the Darling Downs. Things are really brewing up out here today! Picture courtesy: Jeff Higgins / Higgins Storm Chasing

The Bureau of Meteorology will next issue an update by 9.40pm. For more details and latest information see www.bom.gov.au.

8.15pm: The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a severe thunderstorm warning for Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Logan, Redland area, and parts of Moreton Bay, Ipswich and the Scenic Rim.

"At 8pm, severe thunderstorms were detected on weather radar near Ipswich and Beaudesert. These thunderstorms are moving towards the east," the Bureau warned.

The storms are forecast to affect Brisbane CBD, Beenleigh, Logan City and Strathpine by 8.30pm and Cleveland, Redcliffe and Bribie Island by 9pm.

Bowen certainly has copped some rain!! Thankfully tide was out bit still water is still through some houses and cars. Picture: Tash Edwards

"Damaging winds and heavy rainfall that may lead to flash flooding are likely," the warning said.

A 92 km/h wind gust was recorded at Amberley Airport at 7:45pm, a 77 km/h wind gust was recorded at Beaudesert at 8:00pm and 32mm of rainfall had been recorded in 30 minutes at Colleges Crossing (near Ipswich) at 8:00pm.

7.30pm: The weather bureau has issued a warning for Logan, Ipswich, the Scenic Rim and parts of Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Lockyer Valley and Somerset areas.

"At 7:15 pm, very dangerous thunderstorms were detected on weather radar near Laidley and Grandchester. These thunderstorms are moving towards the east.

Bowen certainly has copped some rain!! Thankfully tide was out bit still water is still through some houses and cars. Picture: Tash Edwards

"Very dangerous thunderstorms are forecast to affect Rosewood, Hatton Vale and Marburg by 7:45 pm and Ipswich, Lake Manchester and Upper Brookfield by 8:15 pm."

The Bureau said destructive winds, heavy rainfall that may lead to flash flooding and large hailstones are likely.

Other severe thunderstorms were located near Aratula, Rosevale and Maroon Dam.

They are forecast to affect Boonah, the area between Boonah and Beaudesert and Peak Crossing by 7:45 pm and Beaudesert, Bundamba Lagoon and Greenbank by 8:15 pm.

Bowen certainly has copped some rain!! Thankfully tide was out bit still water is still through some houses and cars. Picture: Tash Edwards

6.50pm: The weather bureau issuing a warning for the Lockyer Valley, Logan, Ipswich, Southern Downs and Toowoomba areas

The Bureau of Meteorology detected severe thunderstorms on the radar at 6.30pm near the area northeast of Warwick, Allora, Clifton and the area northwest of Cunninghams Gap.

These thunderstorms were moving towards the east. They were forecast to affect Oakington, Maryvale, Cunninghams Gap, Rosevale and the area south of Cunninghams Gap by 7pm and Boonah, Maroon Dam, Moogerah, Moogerah Dam, Aratula and Harrisville by 7.30 pm.

Damaging winds, heavy rainfall that may lead to flash flooding and large hailstones were likely.

The warning came after hail stones were reported elsewhere this afternoon.

"Pea to marble size hail has generally been observed from thunderstorms this afternoon," the Bureau said.

"An 83 km/h wind gust was recorded at Warwick at 6pm (and) 30mm of rainfall has been recorded in 30 minutes at Murrays Bridge at 6:25pm."

4.45pm: The weather bureau has issued a warning for Toowoomba and the greater Darling Downs region.

The Bureau of Meteorology said storm cells have been detected on the radar northeast of Inglewood.

Forecasters are predicting damaging wind and large hail stones will hit Allora and Clifton by 5.45pm.

A more general severe thunderstorm warning remains current for the Darling Downs and Granite Belt and parts of the Central Highlands and Coalfields, Capricornia, Wide Bay and Burnett, Maranoa and Warrego and Southeast Coast districts.

1.55pm: Another severe thunderstorm warning has been issued for damaging wind and large hailstones.

Areas expected to be affected are Roma, St George, Taroom, Tambo, Rolleston, Baralaba, Springsure, Goondiwindi and Carnarvon National Park.

11.45am: Southern Queensland has been put on alert for severe thunderstorms.

The weather bureau is predicting storms will roll over Roma, Emerald, St George, Biloela, Blackwater, Baralaba, Springsure, Goondiwindi and Carnarvon National Park in the coming hours.

The earlier warning for the Herbert, Lower Burdekin, Central Coast and Whitsunday districts has been cancelled.

A Department of Community Safety spokeswoman said the State Emergency Service received about six calls for help after the rain event that hit the Bowen Basin overnight.

Emergency services were also called out to three swift water rescues, but passengers in the vehicles were able to pull themselves to safety.

No injuries were reported to paramedics.
 

10.30am: The Bureau of Meteorology has issued another warning for severe thunderstorms with heavy rain and flash flooding during the next couple of hours.

North Queensland's Bowen copped a heavenly dumping last night – with up to 274mm of rainfall in just over an hour.

The tropical downpour caused some flash flooding on roads but Bowen councillor Dave Clark said it was welcome relief after an extended dry spell.

The weather bureau said the rainfall was "significant" and very localised over Bowen, 274mm, and Hamilton Island, 236mm.

There were no damaging winds, and flash flooding was confined to the coastal areas.

Meteorologist Michael Knepp said the rainfall totals were not unusual for that tropical part of the state at this time of year.

"We are heading into that time of year when you can get rainfall totals like this," said Mr Knepp.

"It's not rare, you can get totals like this overnight."

Most of the rain over Hamilton Island fell between 11.30pm and 2am.

Cr Clark said the area had missed out on the usual winter rains and had been very dry.

"It's been really, really dry; quite depressing really," said Cr Clark.

"Everyone was happy with the rain. It was probably too much too quick but you can't have everything."

Jade Meredith, of Bowen, said she emptied about 300mL out of her rain gauge at 6am.

"It's already half full again," she said.

Rebecca Edwards described an overnight thunderstorm as "awesome".

"First lot of rain thunder and lightning I (have) seen since moving to Cannonvale," she said.

"I've been here seven months."

The Bruce Highway is cut in parts due to flash flooding.

Local police have also advised Argyle Rd, Park Rd and Queens Rd are shut.

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Latvia mourns roof collapse victims

The death toll from a supermarket roof collapse in Latvia reached 49, with 30 people still trapped. Source: AAP

LATVIA is mourning its dead after rescuers spent a second night looking for survivors in the rubble of a Riga supermarket whose roof collapsed, killing at least 52.

The latest body was hauled out at dawn and hopes of finding anyone alive were dwindling nearly two days after the worst disaster since Latvia's 1991 independence.

The small Baltic state of two million began three days of official grieving over the Thursday tragedy as officials began probing the causes of Europe's third worst roof disaster in 30 years.

"The latest body was found this morning at 6am, bringing the total to 52, including two bodies that are still unidentified," said police spokesman Toms Sadovskis.

Rescuers continued to comb the mangled Maxima supermarket's wreckage of steel and concrete as morning mists rose after a second night of work in near-zero temperatures.

Riga mayor Nils Usakovs said on Friday five people were feared trapped inside but it was unclear how many were still believed to be missing on Saturday.

Forty people survived the catastrophe, according to rescue services.

A ring of thousands of glowing candles and heaps of flowers decked the perimeter crash barriers surrounding the disaster site, placed by a constant stream of shell-shocked members of the public.

Flags were being flown from houses across the country with a black sash attached - a traditional sign of mourning.

Just days after November 18 independence celebrations, the tragedy snuffed out an upbeat mood in Latvia, with 2014 set to mark its entry in the eurozone and showcase Riga as the European capital of culture.

Child Protection Inspectorate director Laila Rieksta-Riekstina told Latvian Radio on Saturday that "16 children lost one parent and one child has unfortunately lost both parents" in the tragedy.

The website of the State Fire and Rescue Service (VUGD) paid tribute to three firefighters who were among the dead, describing them as "more like family members than colleagues".

Books of condolence have been opened at Latvian embassies abroad including Russia, Poland, the USA, Canada, Britain and Ireland while world leaders have also expressed sympathy.

A disaster fund set up for the victims has already collected 86,000 lats ($A176,755) from public donations, the Ziedot charity announced on Saturday morning, with central government and Riga city council both promising compensation to victims.

Part of the roof of the Maxima supermarket crashed down during peak shopping hours around 6pm on Thursday, in the Zolitude district of the Latvian capital, with a second collapse crushing to death rescuers who had already entered the building.

Latvia will also observe a moment of silence on Monday while police probe what caused the cave-in at the two-year old supermarket.

Speculation has centred on plans to build a rooftop garden and the possibility that building regulations may not have been followed in full.

A photograph published by Latvia's Diena daily on Friday showed an aerial view of the roof prior to the collapse, covered in soil, shrubbery, a children's playground and construction material.

Run by the Lithuanian-owned Maxima chain - Latvia's number two retailer after Rimi - the supermarket was built in 2011 and was named one of the country's top three architecture projects that year.

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Seven die in horror two days on Vic roads

Six people, including a mother and daughter, have lost their lives on Victorian roads. Source: AAP

A MAN in an induced coma will wake up to learn his wife and daughter have been killed and his two sons hospitalised during a horror two days on Victorian roads that claimed seven lives.

The mother and child died after two vehicles crashed head-on on the Princes Highway at Rosedale just before 2.30pm (AEDT) on Friday.

The child died at the scene while the woman in her 40s was pronounced dead after paramedics tried to revive her at the roadside.

The man, in his 40s, was put into an induced coma after suffering injuries to his chest and hip, while his 11-year-old son was critically injured and his four-year-old son hospitalised with minor injuries.

The driver of the second vehicle, a man in his 20s, was taken to hospital with leg and pelvic injuries.

Assistant Commissioner Bob Hill said it had been an incredibly difficult day, with four women, one girl and a man losing their lives in a 12-hour period on Friday.

"You can't even imagine how that particular gentleman will wake up, recovering from injuries and then dealing with the emotional scar that has been caused as a consequence of this collision," Mr Hill said.

The deaths added to the grim toll on a day in which a 70-year-old woman died in a two-car collision in Carwarp, in the state's northwest, and an 18-year-old died after her vehicle crashed into a tree in Mount Evelyn.

About 10.30pm on Friday night a man and woman, both 81, died in a collision on the Western Freeway in Melton.

Three men from the second vehicle were taken to hospital.

On Saturday, a man in his 40s died after his car hit a tree at Cope Cope on the Sunraysia Highway, between St Arnaud and Donald in northwest Victoria.

A motorist came across the car about 5pm.

Mr Hill appealed to all drivers to think about their behaviour on the road.

"These are the days that stick with you forever," he said.

"I can't begin to imagine the feeling of loss those families and their communities must be facing right now."

The state road toll is now 210 compared to 251 at this time last year.

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US wind farm guilty of killing birds

American bird conservationists say wind farms are killing hundreds of thousands of birds each year. Source: AAP

A MAJOR US power company has pleaded guilty to killing eagles and other birds at two wind farms and agreed to pay $1 million as part of the first enforcement of laws protecting birds against wind energy facilities.

Until the settlement announced on Friday with Duke Energy and its renewable energy arm, no wind energy company had been prosecuted for a death of an eagle or other protected bird.

The company pleaded guilty to killing 14 eagles and 149 other birds at its Top of the World and Campbell Hill wind farms outside Casper, Wyoming.

The deaths, which included golden eagles, hawks, blackbirds, wrens and sparrows, occurred from 2009 to 2013.

"Wind energy is not green if it is killing hundreds of thousands of birds," said George Fenwick, president of the American Bird Conservancy, which supports properly sited wind farms.

Wind farms are clusters of turbines as tall as 30-storey buildings, with spinning rotors as wide as a passenger jet's wingspan.

The blades can reach speeds up to 270km/h at the tips, creating tornado-like vortexes.

Eagles are especially vulnerable because they don't look up as they scan the ground for food, failing to notice the blades until it's too late.

"No form of energy generation, or human activity for that matter, is completely free of impacts, and wind energy is no exception," the American Wind Energy Association said in a statement.

The case against Duke Energy and Duke Energy Renewables was the first prosecuted under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act against a wind energy company.

The Obama administration has used the law against oil companies and power companies for drowning and electrocuting birds.

Once a wind farm is built, there is little a company can do to stop the deaths.

As part of the agreement, Duke will continue to use field biologists to shut down turbines when eagles get too close.

It will install radar technology similar to what is used in Afghanistan to track missiles. And it will continue to report all bird deaths to the government.

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GG backs republic, gay marriage

THE Queen's representative in Australia appears to have backed the republican movement in a landmark speech.

Governor-General Quentin Bryce delivered the final Boyer Lecture of the year in Sydney on Friday evening, outlining her vision of a future Australia.

The ABC reports she expressed support for same-sex marriage, saying she hoped for Australia to become a nation where "people are free to love and marry whom they choose".

Ms Bryce called for an Australia "where women's contributions to civil society - the workplace, the economy, the family and home - are valued equally with men's ...

"And where perhaps, my friends, one day, one young girl or boy may even grow up to be our nation's first head of state."

The former governor of Queensland was appointed Australia's first woman governor-general in 2008 by then-prime minister Kevin Rudd.

Governors-general serve at the Queen's pleasure but five-year appointments are typical, meaning Ms Bryce is likely nearing the end of her time in the job.

The full lecture is due to be broadcast on the ABC on Sunday.

Same-sex marriage advocates were quick to praise Ms Bryce's comments.

"The governor-general's dignified support for marriage equality will be welcomed by the many millions of Australians who support the reform," Australian Marriage Equality director Rodney Croome said in a statement.

"In particular, it will send a message to older Australians that this is a reform they can embrace because it strengthens relationships, families and marriage."

Australian Republican Movement chair Geoff Gallop said it was time to restart the conversation about an Australian head of state.

"The governor-general has served with distinction as the Queen's representative, but imagine what a powerful message it would send about this great country that we all love if we had a head of state who represented the Australian people," Professor Gallop said in a statement released shortly after the speech.

"We will always be friends with Britain, but now we should be equals.

"We need an unambiguous, independent national identity that reflects and celebrates our freedom, our unity, our values of the fair go and our place in the world."

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Web inventor rails against net spying

Tim Berners-Lee, who developed the web in 1990, is a vocal critic of internet surveillance. Source: AAP

THE scientist credited with inventing the World Wide Web says a growing tide of surveillance is threatening democracy's future.

Tim Berners-Lee, who developed the web in 1990, has been a vocal critic of internet surveillance.

He said on Friday that as more people use the internet and social media to "expose wrongdoing," some governments were feeling threatened.

He said the result was a "growing tide of surveillance and censorship" that threatens the future of democracy, warning that "bold steps" must be taken to protect privacy rights and the freedom of opinion online.

His remarks came ahead of the launch in London of a report ranking which countries best use the web.

Sweden was ranked first, followed by Norway, the UK and the United States.

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Lawyers stop baby going to Nauru

THE federal government won't send a two-week-old baby and his asylum-seeker family to Nauru before next week after lawyers sought a court order to stop their removal.

A spokeswoman at Maurice Blackburn says the government has given an undertaking not to remove the family until further order of the court.

"We expect this matter will be back in court on Tuesday morning," she said in a statement on Friday.

Associate Murray Watt earlier said the family from Myanmar (Burma) had already been "mistreated", with restrictions placed on the family's ability to visit the baby boy in hospital following his birth in Brisbane two weeks ago.

Mr Watt said they were terrified they could be taken to Nauru at any time even though the baby remains weak, has trouble breastfeeding and his mother is recovering from a caesarean birth and suffers from diabetes.

A senate committee was told in Canberra this week an immigration health advisory group would report in December after reviewing the case where the mother was separated from her sick baby at nights following the birth.

Mr Watt said the law firm sought the court order because the immigration department would not commit to giving the family a chance to present medical reports outlining the likely impact removal to Nauru would have on their health.

Immigration Minister Scott Morrison reiterated on Friday there were no exceptions to the rule of offshore processing for any individuals who arrive illegally by boat after 19 July.

"That is the government's policy. And when there are medical clearances that are in place for people to return to Nauru, in the case of families, then that is what would occur," he said in a statement.

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Protesters clash with police in Jakarta

Indonesia has asked phone companies to investigate whether they helped to tap the President's phone. Source: AAP

TEAR gas has been used to repel protesters during a second day of demonstrations in Jakarta as fallout continues over revelations Australian spies tapped the phone of Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

Hundreds of members from various hardline Islamic groups clashed with police in front of the Australian embassy on Friday, some calling for blood, in response to the spying scandal which has caused relations between Canberra and Jakarta to sink to their lowest level since the East Timor crisis in 1999.

Police armed with riot shields used canes to beat back the protesters who stormed towards the Australian compound, amid violent scenes and calls for the Australian ambassador to be expelled from Indonesia.

At one point, tear gas was used to repel the protesters, from the Islamic Defenders Front, who converged on the embassy in their hundreds after Friday prayers.

An Australian flag and pictures of Prime Minister Tony Abbott were set alight.

The embassy was also pelted with rocks and eggs, and a mock coffin bearing a photo of Mr Abbott was left on the road in front of the compound.

Earlier, a senior member from the extremist organisation Hizbut Tahrir, speaking through a PA system erected on a truck in front of the embassy, told supporters it was regrettable that the bombing of the building in 2004 was not more successful.

"When a bomb exploded here, in front of the embassy, it was only a problem because it didn't get inside," he said.

Members of the Islamic Defenders Front shouted: "Burn, burn, Australia, burn Australia from now on."

There were also calls for Australians to be swept out of Indonesia, with one of the group telling supporters Australians were "just trash" and the "accomplice of Christians and Jews".

"Hopefully after we leave from here this place will be on fire," he said.

The protesters later dispersed at 3.30pm (1930 AEDT) but threatened to return at a later date.

More than 1600 police had been deployed near the Australian and US embassies and several other potential targets in the capital after violent demonstrations on Thursday.

The Australian government continues to warn citizens of the possibility of further unrest in the coming days as anger continues to swell over claims Australia tapped President Yudhoyono's phone in 2009.

Earlier in the day, protesters from the quasi-militia group, the Komando Pejuang Merah Putih (Red and White Fighter Commandos), also demonstrated in front of the embassy and called for war with Australia.

"Our nation has been insulted by Australia. Let's attack them," one of the group shouted outside the embassy on Friday afternoon.

Indonesia has suspended all co-operation with Australia in terms of strategic partnerships, including in combating people smuggling, intelligence gathering and anti-terrorism efforts.

Mr Abbott, who has promised a swift and courteous response to President Yudhoyono's call for an apology, met with the national security committee of cabinet on Thursday night and was declining to comment on Friday.

Indonesia's former intelligence chief has said the diplomatic row could be resolved with an apology.

"Just apologise and ... forgive and forget," Abdullah Mahmud Hendropriyono told the ABC on Friday.

Gita Wirjawan, Indonesia's trade minister, has also warned his country may suspend talks on a comprehensive economic partnership agreement with Australia.

Immigration Minister Scott Morrison declined to comment on the state of border protection activities with Indonesia but said Australia's Operation Sovereign Borders was continuing.

"(It) is designed to ensure the operation stands or falls on no single measure," he said.

"We have the ability to work through our chain of measures to ensure that whatever circumstances we face ... we are able to adapt and ensure the people smugglers will be frustrated."

The issues between Mr Abbott and President Yudhoyono were being addressed by them personally and he would not comment further, he said.

The developments came as former Australian foreign minister Alexander Downer said Mr Abbott should "extend a friendly hand to President Yudhoyono", but not confirm the bugging occurred or say sorry.

"If Tony Abbott were to say 'gee I'm sorry about that', that would reveal that in fact, the allegation was true," he told Sky News.

AAP kms/mm/

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Tas abortion reform removes stigma: govt

Tasmania has become the third Australian jurisdiction to remove abortion from its criminal code. Source: AAP

TASMANIA'S new abortion laws will help remove the stigma around the procedure, the state's health minister says.

Minister Michelle O'Byrne's private members bill to remove abortion from Tasmania's criminal code has resulted in the state becoming the third jurisdiction in Australia to do so, joining Victoria and the ACT.

Ms O'Byrne said abortion should be dealt with as a health matter, not a criminal matter.

"It brings our laws into the 21st century, into line with community expectations and into line with the overwhelming majority of medical, legal and human rights opinion," Ms O'Byrne said in a statement.

"Importantly, it will also reduce the stigma around what is always an incredibly difficult and complex decision.

"Women should not have to make such a decision with the threat - real or imagined - of criminal charges."

The Tasmanian Legislative Council voted by a nine-to-five margin to allow terminations up to 16 weeks with the woman's consent, and after that if two doctors agreed on medical or psychological grounds.

Doctors opposed to abortion will be required to give women a list of those willing to perform the procedure.

The bill introduces "access zones" that make it unlawful to protest, film or intimidate patients within 150 metres of a clinic.

The legislation was passed on what is likely to be the last sitting day of Tasmania's parliament before next year's state election.

It is the one social reform bill with which the Labor-Green government has had success, after failing to have same-sex marriage and voluntary euthanasia bills passed in recent months.

Conservative Christian groups opposed all the reforms.

FamilyVoice Tasmania spokesman Jim Collins said the abortion law could lead to less counselling and more pressure on women to terminate pregnancies.

"The bill decriminalises abortion but criminalises well-grounded medical or conscientious objection to the destruction of unborn human babies," Mr Collins said.

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Showdown in Senate for carbon tax laws

The carbon tax repeal laws have passed the lower house, but the real fight will begin in the Senate. Source: AAP

THE Abbott government has cleared the first hurdle in getting the carbon tax scrapped, but is now set for a hostile showdown with their opponents in the Senate.

The government used its numbers in the House of Representatives to pass a package of laws to abolish not just the carbon tax, but the Climate Change Authority and Clean Energy Finance Corporation.

But while the bills were destined to clear the lower house without much fuss, the real battle to axe the tax will begin in the Senate in early December.

Labor and the Australian Greens have vowed to stop the legislation from becoming law, and they collectively hold the balance of power until the upper house changeover in July.

The government knows this, and started ramping up the pressure on Opposition Leader Bill Shorten the moment the bills passed on Thursday.

"If Labor decides to vote against the repeal in the Senate, it will be clear proof that Labor hasn't changed under Bill Shorten," Prime Minister Tony Abbott said told supporters in an email.

"I want the repeal of the carbon tax to be passed by Christmas, and to give Australian families and businesses the help they need."

It doesn't look likely that the bills will pass parliament before it rises for the summer, but the government isn't going to walk away from its signature election promise in a hurry.

Environment Minister Greg Hunt reminded the MPs the coalition had a contract with the Australian people, and this bill was about "honouring one's words".

"They determined the result of this election clearly and comprehensively and unequivocally," he said.

"They voted for a government which proposed the repeal of the carbon tax."

Opposition climate change spokesman Mark Butler tried to turn the spotlight onto the government's so-called direct action policy carbon abatement policy by moving an amendment.

Speaker Bronwyn Bishop ruled against it, sparking an intense war of words that stalled proceedings in the lower house and delayed a vote until after 3pm (AEDT).

Mr Butler said the environment minister didn't want to discuss direct action because it was a "stinking dead albatross hanging around his neck".

"We know the minister doesn't believe this is going to make any effect to reduce carbon pollution," he said.

There was no shortage of hot words exchanged, notably Labor MP Graham Perrett's wish that the grandchildren of his opponents would track them down in old age and "give them a good head butt".

Greens MP Adam Bandt said the government had chosen cowardice over courage, saying the country needed a Churchill on climate action but had got a Chamberlain instead.

The government wants a Senate inquiry into the carbon tax repeal legislation to report back by December 2, and it could get Greens support, but Labor is pushing for a later date.

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Woman guilty of intercourse with teen

AN Adelaide woman has been acquitted of raping a 15-year-old boy, but found guilty of unlawfully have sexual intercourse with him.

Kylie Fiona Henry, 40, of Ingle Farm, had denied having any sexual contact with the boy at her home in 2011.

On Thursday, a South Australian District Court jury found her not guilty of rape but guilty of the alternative charge of having sexual intercourse with a person under 17.

The prosecution claimed Henry forced herself on the boy when she moved from the couch to the floor where he had been lying while watching TV in her lounge room.

Henry will face a sentencing hearing on February 17.

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RBA not ruling out intervention on $A

THE Australian dollar is higher than it should be and the Reserve Bank of Australia is keeping an open mind about intervening to bring it lower, governor Glenn Stevens says.

Although the RBA has expressed concern about the high Australian dollar, the benefits of intervention do not outweigh the costs at this point, Mr Stevens said in a speech marking the 30th anniversary of the floating of the Australian dollar.

Intervention in the foreign exchange market would involve selling Australian dollars to buy foreign currency.

"Overall, in this episode so far, the bank has not been convinced that large-scale intervention clearly passed the test of effectiveness versus cost," Mr Stevens said.

"But that doesn't mean we will always eschew intervention.

"In fact we remain open-minded on the issue.

"It remains part of the toolkit."

Mr Stevens said the Australian dollar was "currently above levels we would expect to see in the medium term".

The high Australian dollar was partly why Australia's cash rate was at a record low of 2.5 per cent, he said.

"We have the situation the global economy gives us and we respond to that the best we can and at the moment that means the cash rate has to be at a 50-year low even though the economy is not at a 50-year weak point and inflation is not at a 50-year low either," Mr Stevens said.

"Part of the reason, but not the only reason, is that the currency has been very high and was initially slow to fall.

"It's been the boom of gloom - the rest of the world is much more confident in us than we are in ourselves, which is part of the reason why the exchange rate has been where it is.

"There are positive signs. I think we have reasons to be optimistic."

Since the currency was floated, the market had generally moved the exchange rate to the right spot eventually, Mr Stevens said.

"At various times we have worried that the market was behaving irrationally, believing that the exchange rate should have been somewhere other than where it was. And sometimes we were right about that," Mr Stevens said.

"Yet, looking back, on balance the evidence suggests, I think, that the market has mostly moved the exchange rate to about the right place, sooner or later."

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Girl sent on own to Nauru: advocates

Scott Morrison's office is checking claims an unaccompanied teenage girl has been sent to Nauru. Source: AAP

AN unaccompanied teenage girl has been sent to Australia's detention centre on Nauru for processing, refugee advocates claim.

Asylum Seeker Resource Centre spokeswoman Pamela Curr cited witnesses as saying the girl arrived by plane on Nauru on Wednesday.

"We have a witness reporting that a girl aged 15 or 16 came off a plane this morning," Ms Curr told AAP.

"She came off the plane first, on her own, unaccompanied.

"We've accepted the information (from the witness) because he is a local who gives us good information."

Immigration Minister Scott Morrison's office has been contacted and further information is being sought.

If correct, the girl may be the first unaccompanied minor to be sent to Nauru under the federal government's offshore processing regime.

Under government policy, anyone seeking asylum who arrives in Australia by boat will not be settled here and will be sent on to Nauru or Manus Island in Papua New Guinea.

Labor frontbencher Tony Burke said on Wednesday that when he was immigration minister he did not transfer unaccompanied minors to Nauru because the facilities weren't "up to scratch".

Immigration Minister Scott Morrison told reporters last Friday there were three unaccompanied minors on Nauru.

He warned anyone thinking of coming to Australia by boat without a visa that being an unaccompanied minor would not prevent them being sent offshore, neither would a health condition.

He said if anyone who was fit enough to get on a boat was fit enough to end up in offshore processing.

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Prof uses 1000 mice to expose food folly

A leading scientist says the key to good health is a balance between protein, carbohydrates and fat. Source: AAP

BELIEF that single nutrients such as omega-3s, sugar or salt can cure or cause all ills is folly, says a leading health scientist.

The key, Professor Stephen Simpson says, is for people to think about food as food and to seek a healthy balance between protein, carbohydrates and fat.

Too much of one for too long can make you fat and unhealthy, or even thin and unhealthy, says Prof Simpson, academic director of the new $500 million Charles Perkins centre set up at the University of Sydney to fight obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

"The balance really matters," he told colleagues at an Australian Society for Medical Research conference in Victoria.

His team conducted a study in which 1000 mice were fed 30 different diets with different ratios of protein, carbohydrates and fat.

"If you want to lose weight as a mouse, you go onto a high-protein diet. But if you stay on that too long you will have poor circulating insulin and glucose tolerance.

"If you go too low on protein, you will drive over-consumption and be prone to obesity."

A good balance for a mouse is about 20 per cent protein, about 60 per cent carbohydrates and about 20 per cent fat.

"And mice are not that different from humans," he said.

An interesting finding was that a low-protein diet coupled with high carbohydrates led to obesity. But these mice lived longest and had a healthy balance in their gut.

Prof Simpson said he was concerned about the emphasis on micronutrients such as vitamins, sugar and salt.

"It is unhelpful when people argue everything is the fault of sugar or fat or salt or whatever when what we are dealing with is a balancing problem."

The best type of carbohydrates and fat is limited amounts of sugar and complex, low GI, hard-to-digest foods.

Prof Simpson said healthy fats such as omega-3 were also important.

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BP to axe 300 Australian jobs

Global energy giant BP will axe up to 300 jobs, mainly at the Australian headquarters in Melbourne. Source: AAP

BP is to sack up to 300 workers, but the global energy giant insists it is not giving up on the Australian market.

A spokesman for BP Australia on Wednesday confirmed the job cuts, centred mainly at the company's Australian headquarters in Melbourne.

Employees at the two refineries in Western Australia and Queensland will not be affected.

The company employs 7500 workers in Australia, with 1250 based in Melbourne.

The spokesman would not confirm the number of job cuts, but it is believed to be about 300 employees.

"We would expect the bulk of job losses would be concentrated in Melbourne," the spokesman told AAP.

Employees are expected to be informed which positions will go by March.

Despite the job cuts, BP says it remains committed to the Australian market, claiming the restructure would make it more competitive.

"The market for transport fuels in Australia - unlike the market for Europe and the US - is growing, basically on the strength of the economy and the demand," the spokesman said.

"It's a growth market - we want to get a bigger market share, but our cost base is too high and we need to tackle that. We need to get a bit smarter and a bit quicker on our feet."

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Qld AG says Labor MP unethical

Queensland's Attorney-General wants Labor's Jackie Trad (pic) booted off the Ethics Committee. Source: AAP

QUEENSLAND'S Attorney-General wants Labor's Jackie Trad booted off the Ethics Committee for failing to declare a conflict of interest.

Ms Trad didn't disclose on the floor of parliament that her husband is a partner in a company in the compensation industry when she voted on changes to WorkCover.

The South Brisbane MP fully disclosed all of her interests last year on her register, but was unaware she had to declare again during the vote.

She was yet to be elected when the rule was spelt out during the new members' induction.

"I was not advised at that time that there was also an obligation on me under the standing orders to disclose the interest at the time of the division," she told parliament.

"My omission was in no way deliberate or intentional and I apologise to the house."

The apology was not enough for Attorney-General Jarrod Bleijie, who says Ms Trad had a direct financial interest in the bill.

He wants her to resign from the Ethics Committee immediately or the leader of the opposition should tap her on the shoulder.

"This is absolute hypocrisy," Mr Bleijie said.

"She judges other members of parliament, but doesn't understand the rules of the House."

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Imports reign supreme at Aust car awards

ON a best car winners list dominated by imported vehicles, the iconic Australian-built Holden Commodore stood alone.

Made in Australia for more than 35 years, the Commodore SV6 was the local car-making industry's only winner among the best car awards by Australia's peak motoring bodies, taking out the gong for best large car under $60,000.

The rest of the field was split between European and Asian imports with strong competition ensuring no carmaker took home more than two accolades.

The Mazda6 Touring which won the best medium car under $50,000 also landed the headline judges' prize.

Amid ongoing fears about Holden's future in Australia, the company's executive director of sales, marketing and after sales, Phil Brook, refused to comment on specifics, but said the locally-built Commodore had "lots of life left".

"The car is built here in Adelaide and we've got lots of plans to move forward," Mr Brook said.

Chief judge Mark Borlace said despite well-publicised problems with the local car-making industry, the Commodore's safety features and refined drive would see it compete comfortably anywhere in the world.

"A lot has being said about the Australian motoring industry, but what I think has been lost in it (is) that Holden are making world-class cars," Mr Borlace said.

"Australia doesn't have a very big car industry relative to everybody else. Most of the cars are imported so it is good to have a homegrown winner."

For the first time, an award was withheld with all the nominees in the people mover category unable to meet the recently introduced five-star ANCAP safety rating required for all winners.

"We made the decision this year that we would not award trophy to those that had not achieved a five-star ANCAP rating," Mr Borlace told reporters.

"This was the first time we said to the industry 'even if you have a good car, if it isn't world-class standard, five stars, then it's not going to get a gong'."

Other winners of the awards announced in Melbourne on Tuesday included the Land Rover Discovery, which won the best All Terrain 4WD under $100,000 for the ninth year in a row.

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Daimler takes 12% stake in China carmaker

GERMAN carmaker Daimler AG has taken a 12 per cent stake in its Chinese partner Beijing Automotive Group in a move to expand its footprint in the fast-growing China auto market.

Beijing Automotive, known as BAIC, is one of China's largest carmakers and sold 1.7 million vehicles last year. Its decade-old joint venture with Daimler began producing Mercedes-Benz cars in 2006 and this year began making four and six-cylinder engines. It also produces Auman medium and heavy trucks.

As part of the new arrangement, BAIC will increase its stake in production joint venture Beijing Benz Automotive Corporation from 50 per cent to 51 per cent.

Daimler will increase its stake in their sales joint venture by the same amount to 51 per cent.

Around 210,000 Mercedes-Benz cars were sold in China last year.

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Govt accused of class warfare on tax bill

LABOR has accused the government of waging class warfare as it begins its defence of its mining tax.

Shadow treasurer Chris Bowen said the bill to repeal the controversial tax told Australians a lot about the government's priorities and values.

Mr Bowen said the Minerals Resource Rent Tax (MRRT) Repeal Bill could equally be called the School Kids Bonus repeal bill or the low income superannuation contribution bill - two of several other measures within the legislation.

He said the MRRT was the centrepiece of the bill.

The coalition had originally said the tax would be a "dagger at the heart" of the mining industry and would stop projects going ahead.

Now the government couldn't name a project that had been stopped and was saying the tax didn't raise enough money.

Mr Bowen said Labor believed that the profits from minerals that belonged to the Australian people should be taxed.

Turning to the move to repeal the low income super contribution scheme, Mr Bowen said it was unfair that one in three workers would now get no assistance through the tax system.

Worse, the help they now get would be taken away retrospectively.

Imagine the furore if the government tried to take away the assistance that the wealthy received, he said.

The government was giving tax breaks to people with more than $2 million in their super funds.

"Good luck to them," he said.

They should get a tax break, but not the extra generous one the Abbott government was giving.

"This is class warfare from this government," he said.

The debate on the MRRT Repeal and Other Measures Bill 2013 began after the government used its numbers to limit the debate. It's due to finish on Wednesday evening.

Liberal MP Craig Kelly lambasted Labor for making promises it couldn't keep, comparing the MRRT scheme of funding to the plot of a 1980s American comedy, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.

"The plot in that movie features dysfunctional Clark W Griswold (who) ... thinks he's going to get this great big bonus at Christmas time, so he goes out and he promises his family all the wonderful things he's going to do," Mr Kelly told parliament.

But the Christmas bonus doesn't arrive and the household falls into "complete disarray and dysfunction".

"This is exactly the same situation we have here ... (Labor) making all these wonderful promises to the electorate ... based on a tax that simply does not raise the revenue to pay for it."

Mr Kelly said Labor locked in $18.4 billion worth of expenditure for the budget forward estimates, but the MRRT netted only $400 million in its initial period.

"We have to stop this. We have to turn the ship around and that's why not only must we repeal this flawed mining tax ... (but) all the spending that goes with it also has to be repealed."

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Cops find guns after Sydney car crash

A MAN will face court after a loaded shotgun and pistol were allegedly found in his crashed car in Sydney's west.

Police found the guns when they attended the motor vehicle collision at Glenfield about 11.45pm (AEDT) on Saturday.

The 26-year-old driver was taken to hospital with minor injuries and was charged on Tuesday with a number of firearm offences.

He was refused bail to appear in Campbelltown Local Court on Wednesday.

Police allege one of the guns was stolen during a break-and-enter in Dubbo.

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Sheep memorial removed early

An animal rights group has agreed to the removal of a memorial to sheep killed in a crash in SA. Source: AAP

AN animal rights group has agreed to the early removal of a roadside memorial to sheep that were killed in a crash east of Adelaide.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) applied to the local council to install the memorial alongside the Dukes Highway, between Tintinara and Keith, after the crash in July.

It was due to remain in place for a month and included the message "Reckless driving costs lives", in reference to the suffering that sometimes happens to animals being transported to be used as food or clothing.

But PETA campaign co-ordinator Claire Fryer said the council had since contacted the organisation and asked if it could come down a few days early after a fatal accident in the area last week.

"Obviously we're happy to do that as a mark of respect," Ms Fryer said.

"(The memorial) was very discreet and it was there in memory of the animals who are often not considered in incidents such as this.

"But we don't want to cause any concern for residents or families who have been affected by the latest incident."

The memorial was originally scheduled to be removed on Thursday but has already been removed.

It was the first such memorial erected by PETA, with more planned in the future.

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NSW weather from dry to drenched

Sydney has cemented its wettest start to November in 26 years. Source: AAP

NSW has barely finished grappling with one of its driest Octobers on record and the state's capital city has already locked in the wettest start to a November in 26 years.

The drenching along coastal parts of NSW is also set to continue until the end of the week with forecasters warning a trough will sweep across on Thursday.

The heaviest falls recorded over the weekend and into Monday occurred over Sydney's northern suburbs.

According to the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM), Avalon recorded 189mm of rainfall while Hornsby recorded 142mm in the 72 hours up until Monday.

BOM forecaster Katarina Kovacevic said the coastal regions had received the highest rainfalls.

"The rainfall drops off quite dramatically in and around Penrith where you are looking at falls between 20-30mm," she told AAP.

Hail storms and damaging winds have also plagued the Mid North Coast and up to the Tweed Heads border.

Sydney Observatory Hill has had 153.8mm of rain since the start of the month.

Ms Kovacevic said it had been the wettest start to November in Sydney since 1987.

The wet conditions follow the eighth driest October on record for NSW.

BOM climatologist Acacia Pepler said Sydney had 42.2mm of rain in October, which was half the monthly average.

But for Katoomba, last month saw the driest October the town has ever recorded.

Ms Pepler said it was not unheard of to see variable weather at this time of year.

"August to October is the driest part of the year for Sydney," she said.

"As we move into summer you can get into those wet changes."

Showers will continue on Tuesday mostly along the coast before easing throughout the day."

Wednesday should be dry for Sydney, according to the BOM.

Ms Kovacevic said another trough would move through on Thursday with a return to rain.

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Gillard's replacement pays tribute to PM

JULIA Gillard's replacement used her first words to parliament to pay tribute to the former prime minister.

New Victorian Labor MP Joanne Ryan, a former school principal, said she was well aware she had very big shoes to fill in the seat of Lalor.

"Every day for 16 years we saw our local member set her alarm clock early and go out and stand up for the things she believed in and the things we believed in," Ms Ryan told parliament in her first speech on Monday.

"She made a difference at Werribee Primary School, she made a difference in Washington, DC."

Ms Ryan said she was in parliament because she was a Werribee person - one of the suburbs in the western Melbourne seat - the woman her family made her, a Labor person and a teacher.

The seventh child in a family of eight, Ms Ryan said she was no stranger to "speaking your piece" and couldn't wait to start taking the fight to the coalition.

The new Liberal member for Hindmarsh, Matt Williams, was keen to promote the produce of his home state of South Australia, including Rossi and RM Williams boots and Coopers beer.

Mr Williams also noted he was a keen cyclist - something that could make him popular with Prime Minister Tony Abbott.

"While recognising there may be a more popular and famous cyclist in our chamber, the most significant event for me was a charity bike ride in South Australia's beautiful Clare Valley, which raised close to $100,000," the new MP said.

Michael Sukkar, the new Liberal member for Deakin, said he would fight in parliament for the traditional values of liberalism, including small government and ending a "culture of dependency" on welfare.

"My conservatism has been informed by the two most significant influences on my life: my family and my faith," the 32-year-old told parliament.

"Like many, my family background and upbringing is what shapes and informs my fundamental political values and ultimately my mission in this place."

Labor's Lisa Chesters, the first woman to be elected to the federal seat of Bendigo, took aim at the fact there was only one woman on the coalition's front bench.

"Perhaps some in this parliament are still wearing gender lenses," she said.

"From parliament to the boardroom, to communities here and overseas, there is still a lot of work to be done to advance the status of women."

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$3000 a week for house PM doesn't use

Taxpayers are paying $3000 a week in rent for a house that PM Tony Abbott has chosen not to use. Source: AAP

TAXPAYERS are forking out $3000 a week in rent for a luxury Canberra house that Prime Minister Tony Abbott has chosen not to use.

The Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet (DPMC) leased the property as a temporary replacement for The Lodge, which is undergoing a major refurbishment.

Senior DPMC official Elizabeth Kelly said the department signed a 12-month lease on August 31, a week before the September 7 federal election.

It signed even though neither Mr Abbott nor then Labor prime minister Kevin Rudd had been able to inspect the property due to their election campaign commitments.

Ms Kelly said the department had wanted to find accommodation "comparable" to The Lodge.

But after the election, Mr Abbott opted instead to stay in a modest flat at the Australian Federal Police training college in Barton.

Liberal senator Cory Bernardi asked about the property during a Senate estimates hearing on Monday.

"So $3000 a week for a property that how many people are living in now?" he asked.

"The property is vacant, senator," Ms Kelly said.

Ms Kelly said the department was notified shortly after the election that Mr Abbott was not going to use it.

Since then, the department has been negotiating with the property's owner to get out of the lease, but has not yet succeeded.

"We're still in those negotiations," Ms Kelly said.

It's understood the property has already cost taxpayers more than $30,000.

The full 12-month lease would cost taxpayers about $156,000.

Senator Bernardi said the department could have found a cheaper property, or shouldn't have signed the lease before the outcome of the election was known.

"I'm not sure the taxpayers will enjoy the fact that they've got $156,000 worth of lease payments to pay for an empty building," he said.

Officials wouldn't say where the leased property was.

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Protest against 'racist' Dutch tradition

The arrival of the Dutch equivalent of Santa Claus has been greeted by protests. Source: AAP

THE Dutch equivalent of Santa Claus arrived in the Netherlands on Saturday to the delight of thousands of children.

But some adults protested vigorously against one element of the beloved tradition they find racist: his servant in blackface make-up, Black Pete.

In the annual Dutch Sinterklaas festival, St Nicholas arrives by steamboat in mid-November and spends a month in the country with dozens of the Petes - clown-like figures who leave cookies, chocolate and other treats for children. The affair ends in a night of gift-giving on December 5.

Protesters say the Petes - servants who wear blackface make-up, red lipstick and frizzy Afro wigs - are blatant racist caricatures and should be banned.

But in a country where 90 per cent of the people have European ancestry, a large majority feels there is no racial insult intended by Black Pete. They say he's a positive figure of fun and the dissent is a sign of political correctness gone overboard.

The debate over the figure has gone on for years, but it is now electrifying - and polarising - the Netherlands as never before.

"The world is watching, and the Netherlands has been found wanting," anti-Pete protester Quinsy Gario told a group of about 300 supporters in Amsterdam, most of whom were black.

Gario, a black artist who has emerged as the public face of the anti-Pete movement, has been subjected to unprintable insults and death threats for speaking out against the tradition. But at Saturday's protest, he had trouble at times being heard over supporters chanting his name.

He said the growing support underlined the change the national debate over Black Pete had recently undergone. Two years ago, Gario was thrown face down on the concrete by police and dragged away for daring to wear a T-shirt with the text "Black Pete is Racism" near the place where Sinterklaas was due to arrive.

The debate exploded in national media this year after it emerged that UN cultural experts were examining whether the tradition is racist.

Verene Shepherd, head of the UN Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent, said on Dutch TV she "does not understand why it is that people in the Netherlands cannot see that this is a throwback to slavery, and that in the 21st century this practice should stop".

One change anti-Pete activists have suggested is replacing his black face with smudges, since children are usually told his face has become black from going down chimneys.

But in two days following Shepherd's remarks, more than two million people responded by endorsing a Facebook petition to keep Zwarte Piet's image unchanged. That's nearly one-eighth of the Dutch population, indicating the depth of emotion over this issue in a country where religious or political debates are often met with a shrug.

Last month a black newscaster, Humberto Tan, read aloud on television responses he had received when he came out as anti-Pete, including a lynching threat.

Two white female Dutch celebrities who oppose Pete and have married black men - Victoria's Secret model Doutzen Kroes and singer Anouk - have been the target of ugly sexual insults.

Prime Minister Mark Rutte has sided with tradition. "Black Pete is black. There's not much I can do to change that," he said.

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Man dies, five hurt in multi-vehicle crash

A MAN has died and five people have been taken to hospital after a multi-vehicle crash in Sydney's southwest.

Emergency services were called to the Hume Highway at Greenacre on Sunday evening after four vehicles collided, police said.

A man travelling in one of the cars died at the scene.

Five others were taken to hospital with injuries.

The highway has been closed and specialist police are investigating.

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Alicia Keys to perform at ARIA Awards

GRAMMY Award-winning singer-songwriter Alicia Keys will perform at the upcoming ARIA Awards in Sydney.

She will perform a medley of her hit song Girl on Fire and her new single, Brand New Me, at the 27th Annual ARIA Awards on Sunday, December 1, it was announced on Sunday.

It will mark her first Australian televised performance before she embarks on her national tour, supported by Grammy-winner John Legend.

Keys says she is excited to be the headline act at this year's ARIAs.

"It's been a little while since I've been in Australia and I'm ecstatic to be back. Being on tour is an incredible journey and I'm so honoured that I get to share it with my family all over the world," Keys said in a statement.

"No better way to set off the last leg of my worldwide tour in Australia than on the ARIA Awards stage."

Other artists to perform at the awards ceremony, to be held at The Star Event Centre, include Jessica Mauboy, electronic superstar Flume, last year's X Factor winner Samantha Jade, indie band Sheppard and rock group Tame Impala.

ARIA Week festivities kick off on November 26 and run through to December 4.

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Body discovered in British well removed

Seven men have been arrested on suspicion of murder after a body was found in a well in Britain. Source: AAP

A BODY found in a well in Britain was removed on Saturday as seven men were arrested for murder in connection with the case.

Two men found the body as they were doing clearing work in the front garden of the large property, which stands in an acre of grounds in an affluent area.

A Scotland Yard spokesman said: "Specialist officers, including Metropolitan Police divers, attended the scene and the process of recovering the body from the well has been completed."

A post-mortem examination will take place on Sunday.

Detective Chief Inspector Cliff Lyons said it was unclear what gender the body is, but judging by the size, it was most likely to be an adult, not a child.

He told reporters at the scene: "It's not been there for an extended period of time; it will be a matter of weeks at the most."

He was not prepared to discuss who lived in the house, or a suggestion that the body was wrapped in carpet. He could not confirm or deny whether the body was intact.

Asked about claims by local residents that there had been quite a bit of trouble in the past couple of years with the people who lived in the house, and that police had been called many times, he said: "The residents have expressed concern, there is intelligence to support that notion, yes."

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