AN 11-month-old baby boy has been found dead in a vehicle outside a Perth daycare centre.
The boy was found in a vehicle outside the daycare centre in Helena Valley, in the foothills of Perth's Darling Scarp.
Ambulance and police were called to the centre just after 4pm (WST).
WA police say investigations are under way into how the boy died and no further information was available.
Fiji's transition back to democracy was high on the agenda when Julie Bishop met her NZ counterpart. Source: AAP
FOREIGN Minister Julie Bishop is leading a new push to bring Fiji in from the diplomatic cold and get bilateral relations back on track.
The Pacific island nation was high on the agenda when Ms Bishop held talks with New Zealand counterpart Murray McCully in Auckland on Wednesday.
"Our collective position, our joint position, is that we want to see a normalising of relations as soon as possible," Ms Bishop said after the meeting.
Ms Bishop has long argued that Australia should seek to re-engage with Frank Bainimarama's military-led regime, rather than seek to isolate it further.
While she wants to see Fiji hold credible elections as soon as possible, she has also signalled she would be willing to make concessions to encourage the transition back to democracy.
"We're very keen to identify the date of the proposed elections. Once we can establish when the elections will be held there are many things that we can offer," she said.
Fiji has pledged to hold elections by September 2014 but is yet to name a date.
AAP understands a further relaxing of Australia's sanctions could be on the table if Fiji makes progress in the coming months. New Zealand further relaxed its sanctions last month.
Ms Bishop met with Fijian Foreign Minister Ratu Inoke Kubuabola on the sidelines of a United Nations gathering in New York last week and is understood to be in regular contact with him.
She's also keen to see the two countries exchange senior envoys for the first time in four years.
The two nations agreed last year to exchange high commissioners, signalling a thaw in a relationship that has been frosty since military strongman Frank Bainimarama seized power in a 2006 coup.
The Gillard government last year appointed respected career diplomat Margaret Twomey to the role, and hoped she would begin in February.
Fiji initially agreed to the appointment but subsequently refused to let her into the country, effectively ending the new era in diplomatic relations before it began.
Ms Bishop has confirmed she still wants Ms Twomey, a senior officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade who served most recently as Australia's ambassador to Russia, to fill the position.
Fiji kicked out Australia's last high commissioner, James Batley, in 2009, accusing him of meddling in local politics.
Federal Industry Minister Ian Macfarlane (C) says it will be a challenge to save car maker Holden. Source: AAP
IT will be "one hell of a challenge", but Federal Industry Minister Ian Macfarlane wants Holden to continue to build cars in Australia for the next 100 years.
He's not sure how much money the federal government can offer to help save the company or where it will come from and he's urged its US parent General Motors to be patient.
A deal, he says, could take some time and if it comes will be the last handout from the commonwealth.
The minister says everyone involved needs to put politics aside and understand that there will be "one shot at this".
"This is one hell of a challenge. One hell of a solution is required," Mr Macfarlane told reporters after touring Holden's plant in Adelaide on Wednesday.
Holden boss Mike Devereux welcomed the minister's commitment to finding a solution but declined to detail just what that might involve.
The company secured an agreement last year for $275 million in government funding but was now thought to need close to $500 million before committing to develop and build two new car models from 2016.
Mr Devereux says the tour and talks are about educating the minister on just how efficient the Elizabeth plant could be.
"This is a world-class facility, building world-class cars in a very difficult environment," he said.
"The discussions that we're going to have begin today and those discussions are likely to be ongoing."
South Australian Premier Jay Weatherill said the state government wanted Holden to have a secure future, not just for the benefit of the local economy, but to ease the concerns of thousands currently employed in the auto sector.
"There are people that are sitting around their kitchen tables at the moment just worrying about their futures," he said.
"We want to settle that. We want them to know they have a long-term future at this plant and in all the associated industries."
Mr Macfarlane says saving Holden is not just about money and the federal government intends to press on with a review of all car industry assistance by the Productivity Commission.
He says the government will also stand by its election policy to cut $500 million from auto industry support.
"It won't break the car industry. I'm confident I can get around that," he said.
"I'm not concerned about the next six months, I'm not concerned about the next three years.
"My goal is to see Australian cars built here for 100 years."
But the minister says the industry has to become internationally competitive and survive without ongoing government help.
"The next car plan I hand down will be my last car plan," he said.
Sectarian violence in Myanmar's Rakhine state has claimed the life of a 94-year-old Muslim woman. Source: AAP
TERRIFIED women and children are hiding in forests and security forces are patrolling tense villages in western Myanmar, residents say, after sectarian clashes which left five Muslims dead.
President Thein Sein was expected to visit the violence-racked area as part of his first official visit to Rakhine state since a wave of religious bloodshed erupted there last year.
Sectarian bloodshed has overshadowed internationally praised political reforms and piled pressure on the former junta general, who took power in 2011.
The US said it was "deeply concerned" about the latest unrest and urged authorities to respond "decisively", in a statement issued by its embassy in Yangon.
Around 800 Buddhist rioters torched homes and attacked local Muslims in a village in the area of Thandwe on Tuesday, according to the authorities.
"The death toll rose to five - four men and a woman," a Rakhine police official who did not want to be named told AFP on Wednesday, adding that the victims were all killed during Tuesday's violence.
A 94-year-old Muslim woman, who suffered stab wounds, was among the dead.
Four Rakhine Buddhists were injured in clashes and a fifth was missing, while 59 houses and a mosque have been torched since tensions flared on Saturday, police said.
Around 250 people have been killed and more than 140,000 left homeless in several outbreaks of inter-religious violence around the country since June 2012, mostly in Rakhine.
A local Muslim official told AFP that police had fired warning shots but could not control the mob.
"We are disappointed that we have a government that is unable to provide security for us," the official, Myint Aung, told AFP.
"We are living in fear. Many people, including women and children, are hiding in the forest nearby," he said.
Thein Sein held meetings with members of Buddhist and Rohingya Muslim communities during his two-day tour.
In a message to a multi-faith conference, which was carried in state media on Wednesday, Thein Sein lamented "instigations fuelling minor crimes into conflicts between the two communities and two religions".
"Such instability based on religion and race harms and delays the state reforms and tarnishes the national image internationally," he warned.
Four major Myanmar Muslim organisations released an open letter to Thein Sein late Tuesday calling on the government to take urgent law-enforcement action.
"The concerns of minority Muslims around the country have reached peak levels. They feel they have no security," the letter said.
Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young (L) has reaffirmed her support for party leader Christine Milne. Source: AAP
SOUTH Australian Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young has reaffirmed her support for leader Christine Milne at the same time urging the party to reconnect with voters.
After her return to the federal parliament was confirmed on Tuesday, Senator Hanson-Young clarified comments she reportedly made after last week's party room meeting that backed Senator Milne as leader and Adam Bandt as her deputy.
A Fairfax Media report said Senator Hanson-Young commented that the party had just returned a leader who would have the Greens "marching to a slow death".
But she told reporters on Tuesday that her comments related to the party's results at the recent federal election and the need to reconnect with voters.
"We've got to refocus our energy, refocus our work as a party to reconnecting with voters for the next three years," she said.
"That's what those comments were in relation to."
Senator Hanson-Young said she endorsed last week's party room vote.
"I endorse the leadership team and I want to get on with reconnecting with voters," she said.
"Christine Milne was re-elected unopposed to lead our party. I support that."
But Senator Hanson-Young said that after an election result where the party had lost ground, it needed to find out what voters wanted to hear from the Greens.
"We can't be complacent about that," she said.
With the Senate result in SA finalised on Tuesday the Australian Electoral Commission said voters had elected two Liberal Senators, Corey Bernardi and Simon Birmingham, Labor's Penny Wong, Senator Hanson-Young, popular independent Nick Xenophon and Family First's Bob Day.
The big loser from the poll was sitting Labor Senator Don Farrell, who will lose his spot when the new Senate comes into effect in July.
Senator Hanson-Young said the new Senate, which would include candidates from the Australian Motoring Enthusiast Party and a number from the Palmer United Party, would be an interesting mix of people.
"But that's what the Australian people have delivered," she said.
TWO people are dead and six more are in hospital after a fiery truck crash on Sydney's northern beaches.
Witnesses have described the chaos that unfolded after the fuel tanker and cars collided on Mona Vale Rd at Mona Vale on Tuesday afternoon.
The tanker exploded, sending towering flames and billowing black smoke into the air.
Two people were killed and six people were taken to Royal North Shore Hospital, suffering injuries including head trauma and burns.
Three patients were in serious conditions while three others were stable, a NSW Ambulance spokeswoman said.
Mona Vale Road was closed as 10 ambulances and two emergency service helicopters rushed to the scene.
"It was like a bomb went off," said a local man who lives about 200 metres from the crash scene and only gave his name as Lee.
The 36-year-old told AAP that in the moments after the explosion there was "probably a fire trail 50 to 70 metres long".
He said that just after the truck crashed he saw the driver kick his way out of the windscreen.
"We told him to keep running," he said.
"He looked pretty bashed around.
"If it's only two people deceased its a miracle."
NSW Ambulance Deputy Commissioner Mick Willis said the first paramedics to arrive were confronted with a horrific scene.
Police are still investigating what caused the crash.
"We really are in the early stages of investigation and it is a challenging scene as you can see," Manly Police Superintendent Dave Darcy told reporters at the crash site.
According to NSW Roads and Maritime, in the past 17 years there have been five fatal crashes on the stretch of road.
Mona Vale Road remained closed on Tuesday night between Pittwater Rd and Powder Works Rd.
Motorists were being advised to use Pittwater Road, Wakehurst Parkway and Forest Way instead.
Bus routes 182, 185 and 197 are also being diverted away from Mona Vale Road.
A SYDNEY man has been apparently electrocuted and roofs have been ripped from houses as high winds lash NSW and Victoria.
NSW Police found a 31-year-old man injured on the roof of a Bexley property about 3.30pm (AEST) on Tuesday.
Paramedics tried to resuscitate the man, but he died at the scene.
Police said initial inquiries suggest electricity may have played a part.
The strongest winds in the state were recorded at Thredbo where a gust clocked in at 135 km/h.
However, winds of up to 140 km/h have battered Victoria bringing down powerlines and trees.
Electricity companies are battling tough weather conditions as they continue to restore power to almost 19,000 properties throughout the state.
More than 150,000 homes and businesses experiencing outages early on Tuesday.
Thousands of homes and businesses throughout NSW were also hit by power blackouts.
The State Emergency Services (SES) in NSW and Victoria have received a flood of calls as a result of the wild weather.
Since 8am, the NSW SES has responded to 700 jobs, most of which are for roof damage and fallen trees.
The Central Coast is one of the worst hit areas and a home in Long Jetty had its roof ripped off.
SES spokeswoman Danielle Wearne said the roof damaged other homes and ended up in the middle of a road.
A roof was also ripped off a home at Avalon on the Northern Beaches and at a mosque on the Central Coast.
The SES said a large tree had come down on a house on NSW's south coast and another tree had partially blocked the Princes Highway at Batemans Bay.
SES Victoria were called to about 3500 jobs on Monday night and Tuesday.
Altona, Frankston and Wyndham were among the worst hit areas in greater Melbourne, SES spokesman Toby Borella said.
"Fairly widespread, lots of trees down, lots of traffic hazards, lots of building damage as well, as a result of these damaging winds," he told AAP.
A severe weather warning for damaging winds is still in place for southeastern NSW and the ACT.
However, Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Chris Webb said winds had already eased.
"The winds have already eased pretty significantly but the back edge of the front is still going through with the possibility of wind gusts in the next one or two hours but it will ease off in the evening," he said.
MILLIONS of Americans will be able to shop for the first time on the insurance marketplaces that are at the heart of President Barack Obama's health care reforms.
They are entering a world that is supposed to simplify the mysteries of health coverage but could end up making it even more confusing, at least initially.
Whether consumers will be pleased with the experience, the premiums and the out-of-pocket costs of the plans offered to them will finally start to become clear.
Tuesday's rollout comes after months of build-up in which the marketplaces, also known as exchanges, have been both praised and vilified.
Illustrating the heated political disagreements over the law, the opening of the exchanges comes the same day as the shutdown of the federal government, led by congressional Republicans who want to block the health insurance reforms from taking effect.
The shutdown will have no immediate effect on the insurance marketplaces that are the backbone of the law, because they operate with money that isn't subject to the annual budget wrangling in Washington.
The marketplaces opening in all 50 states represent a turning point in the US approach to health care, the biggest expansion in coverage in nearly 50 years.
The Obama administration hopes to sign up seven million people during the first year and has a goal of eventually signing up at least half of the nearly 50 million uninsured Americans.
But if people become frustrated with predicted glitches in the computer-based enrolment process and turn away from the program, the prospects for Obama's signature domestic policy achievement could dim.
"The promise of the law is that no one will go bankrupt because of medical bills," said Neera Tanden, president of the Center for American Progress, which helped work for passage of the law. "It won't happen in the first day or the first year. But when the law is fully operational, it will provide an economic benefit to roughly 30 million Americans."
Tanden cautioned against rushing to judge the marketplace's success on its first-day performance.
Queensland plans to ban bikies who break the law from gathering in groups and wearing colours. Source: AAP
QUEENSLAND'S government has "drawn a line in the sand" for Gold Coast bikies, but it could get washed away like the glitter strip's beaches.
Attorney-General Jarrod Bleijie wants to ban bikies who break the law from gathering in groups, wearing colours and working in or owning tattoo parlours.
He also wants to confiscate their motorbikes and vehicles.
"We have drawn a line in the sand and said enough is enough," Mr Bleijie told reporters on Monday.
The government has cracked down after two bikie brawls in the popular tourist area on Friday night.
An extra 50 officers will be on the Gold Coast every day for the next month and Police Minister Jack Dempsey will also push the federal government to enact tougher unexplained wealth and firearms laws.
"These criminals, they don't have boundaries and we can't just set up a temporary fence around Queensland," Mr Dempsey said.
Deputy Premier Jeff Seeney was expecting legal challenges to the proposed laws, but said the government was ready for them.
He said the proposed laws would be put to parliament in two weeks.
When asked if the laws would intimidate bikie gangs, Mr Seeney said: "Yes, yes I do. We will pursue them."
But Bond University bikie gang expert Dr Terry Goldsworthy poured cold water on the government's "line in the sand" saying tougher laws would not deter hardcore bikie criminals.
"The more you make these people notorious, the more attraction (there is) to the outlaw psyche," he said.
"You can say to them we're going to ban your colours and we're going to bring in more draconian laws, it'll just add to their mystique."
Dr Goldsworthy added that the only way to fight bikies was by beefing up Gold Coast police numbers for an extended period of time.
P&O have used a stuntwoman to draw attention to its new adventure program on its cruise ships. Source: AAP
CRUISING has traditionally been viewed as a fairly sedate holiday option but on Monday P&O launched a bid to change that image - with the help of a stuntwoman.
Janene Carleton, who has performed stunts for the likes of Angelina Jolie and Jessica Biel, sped upside-down on a zip line across the Pacific Jewel's Level 14 deck as the ship stood at Sydney's White Bay terminal.
Carleton not only hooked herself to the zip line, she also posed for a Titanic moment, arms spread out at the bow of the ship, in imitation of the famous scene in James Cameron's 1997 film.
It was all to publicise the cruise company's new P&O Edge program, which gives thrill-seeking passengers on the Pacific Jewel the chance to climb, swing, race and jump.
The ship offers 20 activities including a funnel climb, flying-fox lines, high rope swings, laser tag, slack lines and Segway obstacle courses.
"We're proud to offer passengers the most comprehensive range of onboard adventure activities ever seen in the cruising world," said Ann Sherry, head of P&O Cruises.
"Whilst other cruise lines offer passengers a limited selection of activities, P&O Edge is the first to roll out a fully integrated program - something we're confident our passengers will love."
The program of activities caters for all ages, said John Sharpe of Pacific Adventures, who devised the P&O Edge program to incorporate many of the ship's existing features.
At the moment the program is available on Pacific Jewel cruises but P&O has plans to roll it out in 2014 across its fleets.
