Case of burned woman baffles NSW cops

A severely burnt woman discovered in Sydney bushland claimed she was a victim of a chemical attack. Source: AAP

POLICE are mystified as to how a woman who was critically burned in an apparent chemical attack survived for days on the streets of western Sydney with little more than basic first aid.

A resident on Ferraro Crescent at West Hoxton heard cries from nearby bushland on Friday night and called triple zero.

When police arrived they found Monika "Nikki" Chetty, who has reportedly been sleeping rough in the area for months, with extensive burns to her face and body.

The 39-year-old told police she was attacked about a week ago in a Liverpool park but she did not seek help at hospital.

"In my 41 years in the police, this is most baffling - I cannot fathom the circumstances leading up to this," Green Valley Police Detective Superintendent James Johnson told reporters on Saturday.

"She is covered in black marks. It's full-thickness burns.

"She would have been in absolute agony, in my opinion, and to survive this long is amazing."

Ferraro Crescent resident Gavin O'Brien reportedly found Ms Chetty washing her wounds around the side of his house on Boxing Day.

"I couldn't tell it was a woman, the person was that disfigured," he told Network Ten.

"Had bandages on their head, didn't look too well. I asked if they were OK, they didn't want to talk, they were quite distressed."

It has been reported the woman is a mother of three who occasionally slept in bushland near where she was found by emergency services.

"She's been hanging up bedsheets and clothes along the park fence," neighbour Frank Ravese told the Seven Network.

Ms Chetty is in the Concord hospital burns unit in critical condition and police have asked for anyone with information to come forward.

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Chinese man gets death for child deaths

A CHINESE man who hacked three children to death and injured 13 others at a daycare centre in southern China has been sentenced to death.

The official Xinhua News Agency reported on Saturday that Wu Yechang was convicted of intentional homicide in the Guigang Intermediate People's Court in China's Guangxi region for the September 2012 attack that horrified the country.

It was one of several violent attacks on children in China in recent years that have resulted in tighter security at schools and kindergartens.

The attacks also have led to calls for more attention to mental illnesses and prompted concern over rising stress in Chinese society.

Wu suffered from illness and loneliness when he targeted the children at the Red Apple daycare centre in Guangxi's Pingnan county, Xinhua said.

He told police in 2012 he initially wanted to kill himself but decided to do something bigger.

Reports say the jobless man bought an axe and was wandering when he saw the daycare centre.

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Emergency alert for Stradbroke Island fire

A watch and act alert has been issued for a bushfire on Queensland's North Stradbroke Island. Source: AAP

AN emergency bushfire alert has been issued for a blaze on Queensland's North Stradbroke Island, with warnings that homes may be lost.

Queensland police say the Public Safety Preservation Act has been invoked.

The act was declared at 7.30pm (AEST) and is in force for the area bounded by Trans Island Road - also known as Tazi Road - to the east, north along North Stradbroke Island Track - also known as Tripod Track - to the intersection of Beehive and East Coast roads, then west to the shoreline at Moreton Bay, south to the water taxi jetty in Dunwich and then east along Junner and Mallon streets back to Trans Island Road.

Police have urged those within the boundaries to follow directions from emergency service agencies.

Residents were strongly advised to leave if they were able.

Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES) says the fire is moving quickly and is uncontrolled.

Spot fires are likely to start up to four kilometres ahead of the fire front and embers are also being thrown from the fire.

It's feared some property may be lost, and authorities said power and water supplies as well as mobile phone reception could be lost in the area during the night.

The QFES warned that conditions on the island would be very hot and windy on Saturday night, and as the fire approached people would find it increasingly difficult to breathe.

Officials say well-prepared homes can offer safety during the fire and may be defendable, but residents are advised to call triple zero if their property is threatened.

"Multiple fire crews are working to contain the blaze but firefighters will not be able to protect every affected property and residents should not expect a firefighter at their door," the QFES said in a statement.

Meanwhile, residents on the mainland and Southern Moreton Bay Islands were being asked to conserve water on Saturday morning after a treatment plant was damaged on North Stradbroke Island.

The treatment plant is one of two that service the region.

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Two dead in Vic road tragedy

THE drivers of two cars described to police as racing erratically and side-by-side on a Victorian highway before a fatal crash are aged in their 50s and 60s.

Victorian police say concerned witnesses called them about a high-speed car race on Saturday on the Calder Highway at Glenalbyn, near Bendigo, moments before two of three vehicles involved collided.

Emergency services were called to the crash about 12.40pm (AEDT).

Two of the vehicles, a blue Ford station wagon and a light brown Ford Falcon, crashed and ran off the road.

The station wagon struck a tree, killing two men inside the vehicle.

The 67-year-old male driver of the Falcon was taken to Bendigo Hospital in a serious condition.

His 35-year-old female passenger was airlifted to the Royal Melbourne Hospital in a serious condition.

Both have serious head injuries and remain in hospital under police guard.

The occupants of all three vehicles are known to each other, police say.

The driver of the third vehicle, a 51-year-old Wedderburn man, is in custody.

Police are investigating the circumstances leading up to the crash.

The highway remains closed while the crash scene is examined.

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NSW nursing home resident found safe

Police are concerned about a 63-year-old man who was last seen at a Sydney aged care home on Sunday. Source: AAP

A 63-YEAR-OLD man who went missing in Sydney's inner west for five days has come home.

Police had appealed for help finding Reginald Bates, last seen leaving an aged care home on Albert Street, Campsie, on Sunday.

But about 8pm (AEDT) on Friday he returned to the nursing home safe and well, police said.

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No quotas on police score cards: top cop

Queensland's top cop says score cards used to rate officer performance won't set quotas for fines. Source: AAP

QUEENSLAND'S top cop says ordinary citizens have no reason to fear they'll be targeted by police when score cards are used to rate officer performance.

Police Commissioner Ian Stewart says the balanced score cards won't set quotas for officers during the bid to cut crime in the Sunshine State by 10 per cent.

"It is not a quota system and any targets we put in place are always aspirational," he told reporters on Friday.

The score cards, being trialled in several areas including the Gold Coast, log the number and types of jobs completed by police.

Civil libertarians fear they are a return to the controversial kill sheets of the 1970s and '80s, in which quotas for fines were set.

Mr Stewart says that is not the case and refutes suggestions police would be out to get ordinary Queenslanders when the system is rolled out.

"If people are going about their lawful business they have no problem with the police," he said.

"But if I was a criminal in this state ... I'd be worried.

"This is about ensuring our people perform adequately and do their job and earn their pay, just like any other business."

However, Queensland Council for Civil Liberties vice-president Terry O'Gorman says the system could lead to police abusing their powers to reach quotas.

He says there have been complaints about police abusing search powers in the wake of anti-bikie laws.

"Last year senior police indicated RBTs would be used as an opportunity to search cars for evidence of crimes other than drink-driving," Mr O'Gorman said.

"This has led to police unnecessarily searching cars and bullying and blustering innocent citizens into so-called 'consent' searches."

But Mr Stewart says the service has long rated the performance of its officers and the balanced score card system will simply improve how that is done.

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Briton, New Zealander shot dead in Libya

LIBYAN troops have found the bodies of a British man and a New Zealand woman shot dead southwest of Tripoli, a security source says.

"The bodies of a British man and a New Zealand woman who had been killed by bullets were found on the beach in Mellitah on Thursday afternoon," the source told AFP on Friday.

The bodies had been moved to Tripoli, the source added, without giving any details on the circumstances of the deaths.

"We are aware of the tragic death of a British national in Libya and we stand ready to provide consular assistance," a spokesman for Britain's Foreign Office told AFP on Friday.

New Zealand's foreign ministry said it was aware of the report and was "working with the relevant authorities to confirm this".

It added that "the bodies have not yet been formally identified and the next of kin have not yet been informed".

The Mellitah area houses a major gas complex run by Mellitah Oil and Gas, a joint enterprise of Italy's ENI and Libya's state-owned National Oil Company, which exports natural gas to Italy through the Greenstream pipeline.

Libya has seen growing unrest following the overthrow of long-time dictator Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.

The country is awash in weapons looted from the slain dictator's arsenals, and many former rebel brigades have refused to disarm or join the new security forces.

Last month a young American teacher was gunned down while on his morning jog in the restive eastern city of Benghazi, the cradle of the 2011 revolt which has since seen scores of attacks on security forces and foreign missions.

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Nurses to join medicare protest in Sydney

Nurses and midwives are to join a protest in Sydney against proposed changes to Medicare. Source: AAP

NURSES and midwives are to join a protest in Sydney against proposed changes to Medicare.

Acting General Secretary of the NSW Nurses' and Midwives' Association (NSWNMA), Judith Kiejda, says nurses will turn out in numbers to a rally in defence of Medicare at the Sydney Town Hall at 1pm (AEDT) on Saturday.

A National Commission of Audit in late December received a proposal for a co-payment scheme for GP consultations.

Doctor groups and political parties have criticised such a move, claiming it would destroy Medicare and limit access to GPs for some community groups.

"Wage and salary earners pay the Medicare levy to make that possible - so anyone can get treatment whether they are rich or poor," Ms Kiejda said in a statement.

"Money should never be a barrier to medical care in Australia."

Ms Kiejda likened the move to the Howard government's unpopular Workchoices legislation.

"That cost them the very next election," she said.

"An attack on Medicare, forcing pensioners and everyone else to pay to see a doctor when they have already paid a levy for years, that will have exactly the same result."

Federal Health Minister Peter Dutton said he would not comment on "speculation around what the Commission of Audit may or may not recommend".

"The commission's work is still being compiled and will be provided to the government in 2014," he said in a statement last week.

"The government will be able to consider any recommendations and respond after that time."

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Vic man shot in car park incident

TWO men who are in hospital after a shooting at a Melbourne shopping centre car park knew each other, police say.

A 45-year-old man, from Dandenong, was shot in the leg at the Keysborough shopping centre in the city's southeast at 12.30pm (AEDT) on Thursday.

He was taken to hospital in a serious but stable condition.

A short time later, another man turned up in hospital with facial injuries.

Police say the two incidents are linked.

Inspector Bruce Kitchen said the shooting was not related to bikie gangs but police were still trying to figure out why it happened.

"We think it's probably a one-off incident," he told reporters at the scene.

"I'm not sure whether it's self-inflicted or not at this stage."

The shot man's car was searched and armed crime detectives discovered a shotgun and several shotgun shells inside.

Police do not believe there is anyone else involved in the incident.

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X-Cross star to undergo surgery

MOTOCROSS star Jackson Strong is to undergo surgery to his left leg after a New Year's Eve explosion left him injured.

The two-time X-games gold medallist is in Sydney's St George Hospital due to undergo surgery on Friday following a gas explosion at his family home in southwestern NSW, his family said in a statement on Thursday.

"Jackson is expected to make a full recovery and once recovered has reaffirmed his commitment to pushing the boundaries of freestyle motocross," the statement said.

"Whilst it is expected there will be no long-term affects from the incident, doctors did praise the quick thinking actions of Jackson's girlfriend Ash Wing for applying first aid, and confirmed the outcome could have been far worse."

The Strong family have requested privacy until the 22-year-old is released from hospital.

Media reports on New Years Day said Strong was hurt in an explosion on his family property at Lockhart in the Riverina region of NSW.

"His left leg around his thigh is the worst part," Strong's father Lynton told the Newcastle Herald on Wednesday.

"He will pull through, no worries at all."

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Marijuana laws the real crime: pot party

AUSTRALIA needs to chill out about marijuana and take its cue from US states Colorado and Washington by legalising the drug, the HEMP Party says.

Help End Marijuana Prohibition (HEMP) Party president Michael Balderstone says Australia needs to spark up a debate and a referendum over marijuana laws.

"If we had a referendum here and had a proper open discussion - a month-long discussion - I would think it would pass," he told AAP.

"Our stance is that the law is a crime."

Mr Balderstone argues that the law might also be stopping tax revenue.

In Colorado, the sale of up to 28 grams - or an ounce - of weed became legal on January 1.

State officials anticipate sales will generate about $US67 million ($A75.55 million) in annual tax windfall.

But critics say it will turn the Rockies into the stonies by creating a culture of "pot tourism".

Mr Balderstone does not deny the drug has been linked to psychosis, but argues the health damage is less, on average, than that caused by tobacco and alcohol.

"Absolutely, it can (cause psychosis)," he said.

"It's not for everybody, I agree."

But he maintains people who get high are more likely to stay in than go out and cause trouble.

The Australian Drug Foundation warns there is no safe level of drug use.

"Those with a family history of mental illness are more likely to also experience anxiety, depression and psychotic symptoms after using cannabis," the foundation says on its website.

"Psychotic symptoms include delusions, hallucinations and seeing or hearing things that do not exist or are distorted."

In May a NSW parliamentary committee recommended legislation to allow medical use of marijuana by patients with a terminal illness, and for those who have moved from HIV infection to AIDS.

The recommendation, rejected by the government, called for patients to have up to 15 grams of dry cannabis or the equivalent amount of other cannabis products and equipment.

A study published in medical journal The Lancet in 2012 showed 15 per cent of Australians and New Zealanders between the ages of 15 and 64 in 2009 used marijuana that year.

That figure was higher than usage in the US, where 11 per cent of the population got high that year.

Australia's pot laws vary from state to state - the drug is illegal in NSW, Queensland, Victoria and Tasmania.

Possession of marijuana mostly attracts fines in the ACT and NT, while WA users receive mandatory drug diversion counselling if caught with 10 grams.

Marijuana for medical use is legal and regulated in 19 US states, and has been allowed in some cases for the past 20 years.

Victoria's Acting Premier Peter Ryan rejected suggestions marijuana would be sold legally in his state.

"Absolutely not a chance," he told Fairfax Radio on Thursday.

"Good luck to them in Colorado - not going to happen here."

Mr Ryan said he had seen how cannabis could destroy lives and result in further drug use.

"It is an interesting experiment, we will see where they are in a couple of years," he said.

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Passengers safe after Antarctic rescue

Authorities say the rescue mission for the passengers stranded off Antarctica will commence shortly. Source: AAP

MORE than 50 passengers who were on a Russian ship stuck in sea ice in Antarctica have been rescued in a helicopter transfer to an Australian icebreaker.

Expedition leader Chris Turney said the 52 scientists, tourists and journalists stuck on board the Akademik Shokalskiy since Christmas Eve had been airlifted to safety and had arrived at the rescue ship.

"We've made it to the Aurora australis safe & sound. A huge thanks to the Chinese & @AusAntarctic for all their hard work! #spiritofmawson."

Passengers, many of them Australians and New Zealanders, were picked up by a helicopter from the Chinese icebreaker Xue Long and transferred to the Australian Antarctic Division supply ship.

The AMSA took to social media at 10.20pm (AEDT) tweeting: "Aurora Australis has advised AMSA that the 52 passengers from the Akademik Shokalskiy are now on board."

The helicopter from the Chinese ship reached the ship around 5pm (AEDT) after several attempts were thwarted by severe weather.

The group was then moved in five flights of up to 12 passengers, with each return journey to the Xue Long some 10 nautical miles distant expected to take 45 minutes.

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) had initially said the rescue would go ahead on Thursday, but then announced around 1pm (AEDT) that sea ice conditions would delay the mission.

The Aurora Australis will carry the passengers to Tasmania, arriving by mid-January.

MORE TO COME

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New year heats up in parts of Australia

QUEENSLAND is about to swelter through a heatwave, with the mercury tipped to reach close to 50C this week.

But South Australians are already sweating through 2014, with some northern centres posting temperatures in the high 40s.

In the western Queensland town of Birdsville, the mercury could soar as high as 48C on Thursday, while in Brisbane temperatures are predicted to hit a sultry 39C on Saturday.

Temperatures are expected to be five degrees to 10 degrees above the average across the state in the next few days, the Bureau of Meteorology said on Wednesday.

Diamantina Shire Mayor Geoff Morton, who lives in Birdsville, said it would be business as usual in the town despite the forecast 48C heat, 1.5 degrees shy of the 1972 record.

"Once it gets over 45 (degrees) it doesn't matter whether it's 45 or 55, it's still bloody hot," Mr Morton said on Wednesday.

"Everything's hot, everything's hot to touch, the ground is hot ... a few more degrees is not going to make much of a difference."

He said melted tar stuck to the tyres of passing freight trucks and locals would spend the day in air-conditioning or start work early to avoid the midday heat.

"If you walk down the street from 12 o'clock on you won't see anybody. They're hibernating," he said.

"They've got a pretty simple choice. Inside the pub is 23 degrees and outside is 53."

Gordon Banks from the Bureau of Meteorology said a large, dry, hot mass of air stagnating in the nation's interior was the cause.

"We do get these bursts of several days where we're seeing high 30s to low 40s through the (state's) interior," he said.

"But what we're seeing at the moment is that we're having this run of days where we're seeing mid to high 40s through the interior and that certainly is much more unusual."

In Alice Springs the heat is predicted to reach 43C on Thursday.

But the heat is already being felt further south.

In SA on Wednesday, Tarcoola recorded a maximum of 48.2C, with Oodnadatta not far behind on 47.7C, three degrees short of the town's record high of 50.7C in 1960.

The temperature in Oodnadatta had been forecast to go as high as 49C.

Other centres to go above 47C included Roxby Downs and Coober Pedy, with the scorching conditions extending as far south as Port Augusta, which had 46.2C.

The bureau said the hot conditions would continue on Thursday with Moomba and Marree expecting tops of 49C, Oodnadatta 48C, Marla 47C and Leigh Creek 46C.

Conditions were cooler in SA's south as a change moved through, with milder conditions forecast for the next 24 hours.

The bureau said Adelaide's top temperature on Thursday would be 23C with rain likely, while at Stirling, in the Adelaide Hills, a top of 19C was likely.

A slightly cooler change is expected to move through the state from Friday.

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Sydney measles outbreak spreads in NZ

AN outbreak of measles linked to a Sydney hip-hop dance festival has spread from Auckland to the New Zealand cities of Turangi and Taupo, with 10 cases confirmed.

An 18-year-old Auckland woman was the first to have been reported contracting measles while in Sydney early in December, after she took part in the 2013 World Supremacy Battlegrounds hip-hop competition.

New Zealand's Ministry of Health on Wednesday said that on top of the Auckland case, there were nine confirmed cases and one case under investigation around Turangi and Taupo.

Three of the nine Taupo/Turangi confirmed cases had attended the competition, while the remaining six cases were family or known to those who had been at the festival, acting deputy director of public health Harriette Carr said.

People affected are being kept isolated at home.

People from Huntly and Hamilton are known to have attended the festival and public health officials are trying to track them down.

"Measles can be a serious disease and is easily spread to someone who is not immunised, or who has not been exposed to measles previously," Dr Carr said.

The Auckland case was the first case of measles in the area for 18 months.

Auckland medical officer of health Catherine Jackson warns that measles is extremely infectious and can cause serious complications.

"Auckland's last major measles outbreak in 2011 demonstrates how quickly the disease can spread. One infected child resulted in nearly 500 cases and 80 hospital admissions," she said.

She told NZ Newswire the infected 18-year-old had never been immunised so she was susceptible to measles.

"She is being quarantined until she's no longer infectious," Dr Jackson said.

Measles symptoms start with a high fever, which develops about 10 days after exposure. This is followed with one or more of the following: a runny nose, cough, red eyes and small white spots inside the mouth.

A red blotchy rash on the neck and face appears, before spreading to the body.

Anyone with measles symptoms or concerns is asked to phone their GP or Healthline on 0800 611 116.

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Motorcyclist dies in Perth crash

A MOTORCYCLIST has died after being thrown off his bike while riding on a Perth highway.

Police said the 46-year-old man was riding his motorbike south on Tonkin Highway at Ascot when the incident occurred about 11.47am (WST) on Wednesday.

It's thought the man was entering the exit lane to the Great Eastern Highway when his bike clipped a guard rail and he was thrown onto the road.

The man suffered severe head injuries and was taken to Perth Royal Hospital where he died.

Police want to talk to anyone who witnessed the crash.

The man's death takes the WA road toll for the holiday period to five and the national road toll to 23.

The national road toll period runs from midnight December 23, 2013 until midnight January 3, 2014, local times, in line with the Australia New Zealand Policing Advisory Board.

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Vic man lost teeth after hit on NYE

A MAN has lost several teeth after he was punched in the face at an out-of-control New Year's Eve party in Melbourne.

The 31-year-old Noble Park man was celebrating at Edinburgh Gardens, North Fitzroy, when he tried to break up a fight at 11.30pm (AEDT) on Tuesday.

He fell unconscious to the ground after he was punched.

He was taken to St Vincents Hospital where he will undergo surgery on Thursday for serious facial injuries.

An Ambulance Victoria triage facility had to be set up at Edinburgh Gardens to assist 20 people who required care.

Police say the offender is Caucasian, aged in his early 20s with a thin build and black hair.

He was wearing a white t-shirt and another man was with him at the time of the attack.

That man is described as being Caucasian with an English accent and wearing a green singlet.

Police are appealing for any witnesses to come forward.

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Painted night skies kick off New Year

SYDNEY and Melbourne have kicked off the party that starts the world's new year by painting the night sky.

A kaleidoscope of colourful fireworks were launched into the skies of both cities before an estimated two million revellers on Tuesday - a warm-up act to the "big one" at midnight.

At the country's drawcard event in Sydney, party-goers at the iconic harbour foreshore weren't disappointed by the 9pm (AEDT) display.

Over eight minutes, red, green, pink, purple, and gold brightened the grey canvas that was Sydney's cloudy sky.

Cheers were especially loud for a waterfall of pink and gold crackers that fell from the Harbour bridge, and for a rush of gold pyrotechnics that closed the fireworks.

Earlier, thousands of onlookers at Mrs Macquarie's chair were treated to an aerobatic show with a stunt plane doing loop-de-loops and mid air stalls, and some hair-raising low flying just metres from the water.

During the night, some seven tonnes of fireworks were to light up the sky in the form of 11,000 aerial shells and 25,000 shooting comets launched from seven barges spread across six kilometres of Sydney Harbour.

For the first time in a decade, 1000 fireworks will also be shot from the top of the Opera House, as well as from the Harbour Bridge and jet skis stationed in the harbour.

In Victoria, more than 500,000 revellers packed the city centre to catch a glimpse of some of the 7.5 tonnes of fireworks launched from 22 locations, including city rooftops, by a team of 44 pyrotechnists.

On a mild Melbourne night, the mood at the family event was relaxed, with lots of kids, babies, mums and dads stretched on blankets with picnics waiting for the fireworks to begin.

New mum Nicola Sutcliffe said she was enjoying the music, but not the long queues for food ahead of the 9.30pm fireworks.

"This is the first time we have been out with a child for New Year's Eve and it's good that there is something like this event," she said.

Police in both states were out in force on the night at celebration hot spots.

A NSW police media spokesman said the night had gone well so far, with no major incidents reported.

Brisbanites were treated to the state's largest fireworks show yet.

The skies above the river city were lit up at 8.30pm with some of the 30,000 pyrotechnic effects that will be fired from three barges and three city rooftops at 8.30pm and midnight.

In Tasmania, tens of thousands converged on the waterfront and Salamanca, where the state's biggest food festival, Taste, combined with the finish of the Sydney to Hobart yacht race.

Partygoers looking up from their plates were treated to fireworks exploding over the docks at 9.30pm and midnight.

South Australia sang in the new year with live music in Adelaide's Elder Park, where local bands provided the entertainment on top of fireworks.

The new year will prove dangerous for some, with residents in parts of regional SA urged by authorities to leave their homes and seek safety as "catastrophic" fire danger conditions are predicted for January 1.

Western Australia will largely leave its patch of sky alone on the night, with Perth saving up its pyrotechnics display for Australia Day.

There are still a few places to ring in 2014 with a bang, including Rockingham and the Shelley foreshore.

A key draw promises to be the headline act for the Salt on the Beach NYE party at North Fremantle, New York hip-hop trio De La Soul.

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Wet 'n' Wild postpones Sydney NYE event

Sydney's Wet 'n' Wild has postponed a New Year's Eve party just hours before it was due to start. Source: AAP

ABOUT 10,000 people are believed to be missing out on a New Year's Eve party in Sydney as it has been postponed just hours before it was due to start.

Tickets for the event at the newly-opened Wet 'n' Wild theme park cost between $110 and $200 and it will now take place on Australia Day.

NSW Fair Trading says it expects the event promoter to provide a refund to people who cannot attend the postponed event in January.

According to a statement on the Wet 'n' Wild website, One Cube Entertainment, a promotions company organising the event, made the decision to postpone the NYE Festival due to a major technical production issue.

"We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience caused and are currently working on something even better for Australia Day," a One Cube Entertainment spokesperson said in the statement.

An artist manager told AAP One Cube Entertainment had attributed the cancellation to Wet 'n' Wild expressing occupational health and safety concerns.

The manager, who spoke on the basis of anonymity, said contractually his artist was still entitled to a full fee.

NSW Fair Trading Commissioner Rod Stowe said under Australian consumer law, a remedy was available if a consumer did not get the service they paid a supplier for.

"You can seek to have refund provided," he told AAP.

Mr Stowe said some ticket holders could not or did not want to attend the postponed event on Australia Day.

"We are expecting the promoters will provide refunds to the consumers who cannot attend," he said."

People who paid for tickets on credit cards will be able to apply for a charge back from their credit institution, Mr Stowe added.

A father called Mick told Macquarie Radio his daughters had been trying to contact Wet 'n' Wild since finding out about the event postponement on Facebook.

"We have been trying to contact Wet 'n' Wild this morning and get a number for this promoter because obviously the kids want a refund but no luck so far," he said.

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Clouds don't dampen New Year fireworks

Spectators have begun descending on Sydney's popular spots for the New Year's Eve fireworks show. Source: AAP

A CLOUDY Sydney sky has come to life with a kaleidoscope of shooting comets and giant wheels of colour as the city's New Year's Eve spectacular kicked off.

For eight minutes Sydney Harbour exploded in red, green, pink, purple, and gold, at 9pm (AEDT) on Tuesday, with the first of three fireworks displays scheduled for the harbour city's New Year's celebrations.

Some pyrotechnics shot to dizzying heights and exploded, while others fell like fiery teardrops. Others shot heavenward and seemed to hang there, before fizzling without a bang.

Cheers were especially loud for a waterfall of pink and gold crackers that fell from the Harbour Bridge, and for a rush of gold pyrotechnics that closed fireworks.

Emesh, 34, came to the 9pm show with his wife and two children.

"It was amazing," the Parramatta resident told AAP.

"The best was the sparkles, all of them mixed up together.

"These are the best fireworks I have ever seen."

Sydney's 9pm pyrotechnics have come to rival the city's midnight spectacular, with many families keen to get in, and out, of the city before the revelry kicks into high gear.

The 9pm show was accompanied by an eclectic soundtrack, including music from artists Mental as Anything, Danny Elfman, Selena Gomez and Avril Lavigne.

Earlier, thousands of onlookers at Mrs Macquarie's chair were treated to an aerobatic show with a stunt plane doing loop-the-loops and mid-air stalls, and hair-raising low flying just metres from the water.

The city's fireworks director, Fortunato Foti, hopes people are surprised by this year's show, which comprises about seven tonnes of fireworks.

Tuesday's three fireworks displays include 11,000 aerial shells and 25,000 shooting comets that will explode from seven barges spread across six kilometres of Sydney Harbour.

For the first time in a decade, 1000 fireworks will also be shot from the top of the Opera House, as well as from the Harbour Bridge and jet skis stationed in the harbour.

Ahead of midnight's 12-minute extravaganza, the city's more than 1.5 million revellers will be treated to a special one-minute cracker show at 10.30pm, based on an absurdist self-portrait by the night's artistic ambassador Reg Mombassa.

"Essentially the idea is that every person perceives the universe in their own heads," the Mambo artist and Mental as Anything rocker told reporters on Tuesday.

"We are going to empty the contents of one such head onto the Sydney sky so hopefully people will be amused by that."

While remaining tight-lipped about the particulars, Lord Mayor Clover Moore said the bridge effect, to be unveiled just after midnight, will be "bigger than ever".

For the first time in a decade more than 1000 fireworks will also be launched off the Opera House's sails.

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Man arrested over double murder

A man has been arrested on suspicion over the double murder of a mother and her daughter in Perth. Source: AAP

A 19-YEAR-OLD man has been arrested on suspicion over the double murder of a mother and her daughter in Perth.

The bodies of Tamara Alexandra Horstman, 26, and her mother Maureen Anne Horstman, 67, were found on Sunday afternoon after Tamara failed to arrive at work.

The parents of one of her friends went to the Warwick address to check on her and alerted police, who arrived about 2.30pm (WST).

Police have not revealed how the women died but it is believed Maureen suffered chest injuries and Tamara suffered head injuries.

Tamara's twin brother, who also found the pair, was questioned by police but was cleared as a suspect on Tuesday morning.

Detectives arrested another man in Mirrabooka on Tuesday and he is assisting police with their investigation.

Tamara's 2008 model Mazda3 sedan, which had been missing, was found in Mirrabooka on Monday after a member of the public heard about the search via the media and alerted police.

Anyone with information about the case is asked to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

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Cyclone impacting WA's north coast

Residents in and near Port Hedland have been told to take shelter as Cyclone Christine intensifies. Source: AAP

A RED alert remains in place for communities from Pardoo to Mardie in the Pilbara as tropical cyclone Christine starts to impact the region.

The Department of Fire and Emergency Services said the alert was current at 6.10pm (WST) for communities including Port Hedland, South Hedland, Whim Creek, Roebourne, Point Samson, Wickham, Karratha and Dampier.

"There is a threat to lives and homes." DFES said in a statement. "You are in danger and need to act immediately."

It urged residents in affected areas to "get ready to move to the strongest, safest part of your house".

"Keep your emergency kit with you. Stay away from doors and windows, and keep them closed. Stay indoors until the all-clear is given by authorities," DFES added.

It said relocation points had been set up at the JD Hardie Centre at Port Hedland, Karratha Leisureplex at Karratha, Civic Centre at Marble Bar, high school gym at Tom Price, and Ashburton Hall at Paraburdoo.

A yellow alert is current for people in or near Marble Bar, Tom Price, Paraburdoo and Pannawonica.

A blue alert has been issued for coastal areas between Wallal and Pardoo, between Mardie and Onslow, the inland area from Marble Bar to Newman, and between the Collier Ranges and Three Rivers.

In its latest update, the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) said the category-three cyclone was 75kms northwest of Port Hedland and 155kms northeast of Karratha.

It's moving towards the Pilbara coast at 16km/h, the bureau advised.

BoM said the "very destructive inner core" of the system "has begun to impact the coast between Port Hedland and Whim Creek".

It said Port Hedland was currently experiencing destructive wind gusts of up to 130km/h.

The bureau expected Christine to track south southwest, with the system's centre likely to cross the coast close to Whim Creek by about midnight.

BoM warns that winds of more than 200km/h are likely near the centre as the cyclone crosses the coast.

Winds of more than 130km/h are expected in the Karratha and Dampier region later Monday night and are forecast to hit Tom Price at 8am (WST) Tuesday.

BoM says gale-force winds up to 120km/h are currently occurring between Wallal and Roebourne, and should hit Karratha Monday night.

Coastal communities between Pardoo and Wickham including Port Hedland are also being warned about the potential for a for a "very dangerous storm tide tonight".

Heavy rainfall is expected near where the cyclone is tracking, and flood warnings have been issued for the Pilbara.

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NSW workers comp changes for 2014

Controversial changes to workers comp laws are among many new laws to take effect in NSW next year. Source: AAP

INJURED workers and children attending childcare will be among the winners and losers at the start of 2014, as new laws kick in across NSW.

Among the raft of new legislation to come into effect on January 1 are controversial changes to workers compensation introduced by the O'Farrell government to rein in a $4 billion budget blowout.

Up to 20,000 injured workers across the state who need ongoing medical treatment will lose out in 2014 due to the changes, the Law Society of NSW says.

"For example a worker with an amputation injury who has, up until now, been having their artificial limbs replaced by the insurer will now lose this entitlement," President John Dobson said.

Meanwhile kids will no longer be able to enrol into a childcare facility unless their parent or guardian provides an immunisation record.

Parents or guardians reluctant to vaccinate on religious or other grounds or due to medical conditions will also have to produce documentation.

"No longer will it be at the discretion of child care operators to accept or deny children who aren't immunised," Health Minister Jillian Skinner said in a statement.

"By law these operators will be unable to do so and should they do so they can be fined."

People looking to swap the city for the country air will be some of the winners in the new year with a number of grants rolling out.

From Wednesday a move to regional NSW for full-time employment will see eligible people pocket $10,000.

An existing $7000 grant to city homeowners purchasing properties in regional areas will be extended to include long-term renters in metropolitan Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong who make the country change from January 1.

"This is about attracting much-needed skills to our regions and developing sustainable and more vibrant regional communities," Deputy Premier Andrew Stoner said.

Meanwhile the tax free threshold for land tax will increase from $406,000 to $412,000.

For those into combat sports, such as boxing, cage fighting and Ultimate Fighting, stronger health and safety requirements will come into effect, including that combatants comply with protective clothing or equipment.

The NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal will also commence in 2014.

The tribunal is billed as a one-stop shop for 22 state tribunals, which the government says "will improve their quality, consistency and transparency".

"NCAT enables these services to exist as a network, rather than in isolation, which will improve their quality, consistency and transparency," acting Justice Minister Michael Gallacher said in a statement.

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Holiday toll rises to 21

Three more people have died on Australian roads, taking the Christmas holiday road toll to 21. Source: AAP

A HORROR NSW car crash that claimed the life of a young girl and injured five others is one of three fatal smashes that has lifted the Christmas holiday road death toll to 21.

The young girl died at the scene of the single-vehicle crash that occurred about 50 kilometres south of Cessnock on George Downes Drive, Bucketty, shortly before 1pm (AEDT) Monday.

Police said a woman in her 30s, believed to be the driver, and another young girl suffering a serious head injury were airlifted to hospital.

Three other people were treated at the scene for abrasions and minor injuries then airlifted to Westmead Hospital by a second rescue helicopter, NSW Ambulance said.

The young girl's death takes the NSW road toll to seven.

In the second fatal crash on Monday, a Melbourne motorcyclist died after he collided with a car in the city's west.

The Maribyrnong man, aged in his 30s, collided with a Ford Falcon as the sedan turned into Bunbury Street at Footscray late on Saturday night.

He died at the scene.

The Ford driver, a 36-year-old Wyndham Vale man, is assisting police with their inquiries.

The motorcyclist is the third person to die on Victorian roads during the holiday period.

In Perth, a 51-year-old woman who was hit by a car on Christmas Eve died in hospital this evening.

Astrid Hall was struck on Roe Highway in Beckenham, in Perth's south-east, on December 24 and died at Royal Perth Hospital on Sunday as a result of her injuries, police said.

Three people have now died on WA roads over the holiday period.

The national road toll period runs from midnight December 23, 2013 until midnight January 3, 2014, local times, in line with the Australia New Zealand Policing Advisory Board.

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Perth gets ready for NYE parties

An extra 1000 police officers will be on the streets on New Year's Eve in Perth. Source: AAP

LIVE music, fancy-dress parties and fireworks are on offer in Perth for New Year's Eve, but police are warning revellers to act responsibly.

An extra 1000 police will be on the streets on New Year's Eve, to clamp down on rowdy or anti-social behaviour and drink-drivers.

Assistant Commissioner Gary Dreibergs said with so many people expected in Perth's entertainment precincts, people should look out for their mates and plan their trip home before they go out.

"To put it simply, respect yourself, and respect others," he said.

"All too often we see minor matters escalate into serious incidents because someone who has consumed too much alcohol isn't able to make the right decision to step away from a minor disagreement or other trivial occurrence, such as being bumped by someone else."

Police have also warned people not to hire drivers who are advertising their taxi services online illegally.

Family entertainment in Perth includes fireworks in Mandurah and Rockingham, and a party at Perth Zoo with live music.

On New Year's Day, about 35,000 people are expected to attend the Perth Cup at Ascot Racecourse.

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