Govt embarrassed over Huawei: Labor

Labor says confusion over the coalition government's stance on Huawei's NBN ban is embarrassing. Source: AAP

CONFUSION over whether or not the coalition government would back a ban on Chinese telecoms giant Huawei tendering for work on the NBN was "amateurish and somewhat embarrassing", a senior Labor MP says.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott ruled out overturning the ban this week, despite his Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Trade Minister Andrew Robb earlier indicating it could be reviewed.

The former Labor government instituted the ban based on security advice from spy agencies ASIO and the Defence Intelligence Organisation.

Matt Thistlewaite, Labor's shadow parliamentary secretary for foreign affairs, said Mr Turnbull and Mr Robb were guilty of dangling a carrot in front of the Chinese telco.

"Having Tony Abbott and the Attorney General George Brandis come out and put paid to those arguments I think was a little bit amateurish and somewhat embarrassing for this government," Mr Thistlewaite told Sky News on Saturday.

"I have no argument with the approach that they've taken in terms of the outcome of the policy. The issue I have with is the comments of Andrew Robb and Malcolm Turnbull in the lead up to the decision being made."

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Furniture factory ablaze in Sydney

Fifty firefighters are battling a large blaze at a western Sydney furniture factory. Source: AAP

FIFTY firefighters are battling a large blaze at a western Sydney furniture factory.

Fire & Rescue NSW (FRNSW) says no one is feared missing but the fire has spread into the roof of the single-storey factory on Warren Avenue, Bankstown.

The fire has been contained but crews were still working to extinguish the flames on Saturday evening.

One man has been taken to hospital suffering smoke inhalation, a FRNSW spokesman told AAP.

"Firefighters have managed to protect adjoining properties," he said.

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Man injured in Bathurst ute roll

A man has sustained serious head injuries in a ute accident in NSW, police say. Source: AAP

A MAN has sustained serious head injuries in a ute accident on a private property south of Bathurst, NSW.

Police say the ute rolled at a property at Perthville about 4.30am (AEDT) on Saturday.

A 29-year-old local man who'd been travelling in the ute tray was thrown from the vehicle and suffered serious head injuries.

He's been airlifted to Westmead Hospital and is in a serious but stable condition.

The driver, a 33-year-old man from North Richmond, was taken to Bathurst Hospital with suspected rib injuries.

His front-seat passenger, a 29-year-old man from Pokolbin, escaped with bruising.

Police will interview the men once they are deemed well enough.

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Japan, Russia to expand defence ties

JAPAN and Russia have held their first high-level defence and diplomatic talks and agreed to step up cooperation between their militaries amid regional security concerns such as North Korea and China.

Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida and Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera, and their Russian counterparts Sergei Lavrov and Sergei Shoigu also agreed on Saturday to hold joint military and anti-piracy exercises and establish a defence consultation framework. Their countries' defence ties are geared up toward peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region and would not affect existing alliances, including one between Japan and the US, they said.

Lavrov told a news conference after Saturday's talks that upgrading defence ties between the two countries could serve their national interests in resolving terrorism and North Korea's nuclear threats, as well as other regional disputes. He welcomed the talks as a landmark development for Russia and Japan, and said that this new cooperation would not interfere with the Japan-US alliance.

Kishida also said that Japan's alliance with Washington remains "the cornerstone" of Tokyo's foreign and security policy.

Earlier Friday, Japan and Russia agreed to continue discussing a territorial dispute that has kept the nations from signing a peace treaty.

"We need to act constructively. We should not be emotional, and avoid provocative remarks," Lavrov said in Friday's news conference.

The diplomats also agreed to hold vice-ministerial talks in late January or February, ahead of Kishida's planned visit to Russia in the spring.

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School kids escape Sydney bus fire

School children have fled a burning bus after it caught fire on the M2 motorway in northwest Sydney. Source: AAP

DOZENS of children from rural NSW had a city excursion to remember, with their bus bursting into flames on a busy Sydney motorway.

All escaped uninjured, but a quick-thinking off-duty policeman who inhaled smoke as he attempted to douse the flames is in hospital under observation on Friday night.

The Transport Safety Bureau will investigate how the fire broke out on the bus as it travelled along the M2 at Baulkham Hills just after 3pm (AEDT).

Inspector Phil Brooks from the NSW Police Traffic and Highway Patrol Command said the officer was riding his motorcycle home from work when the bus burst into flames.

As teachers led about 35 school children away from the burning bus, the officer ran toward it with a small fire extinguisher.

"He was able to intervene very quickly, and we'll certainly look at acknowledging his efforts," Insp Brooks told the Nine Network.

He said the students and teachers were on their way back to Orange in central NSW after a school excursion.

A Fire & Rescue spokeswoman told AAP the engine compartment of the bus had caught fire and the first emergency call came in at 3.13pm.

Three fire crews extinguished the blaze.

A NSW Police spokeswoman said the Office of Transport Safety Investigations would look into how the fire started.

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Second bikie case postponed in Qld

A SECOND bikie court case has been postponed in Queensland because of comments made by Premier Campbell Newman.

A case in the Cairns Magistrates Court was adjourned on Friday, a day after a Supreme Court judge put a Brisbane bikie bail case on indefinite hold.

The defence lawyer in the Cairns matter asked for the case to be postponed pending the outcome of an appeal by the Director of Public Prosecutions against Justice George Fryberg's decision in the Supreme Court.

Justice Fryberg ruled on Thursday there was a risk comments by Mr Newman would be seen to have influenced the outcome and the court's integrity would have been affected.

The premier was quoted in media urging judges to act according to community expectations.

In Cairns, Odin's Warriors bikies Peter Johnson and Mark Filtness, both 47, were the first gang members arrested and charged with offences under the state's new anti-bikie gang laws.

Both were released on bail, but they returned to court on Friday afternoon, where Defence Lawyer Philip Bovey asked for the case be postponed.

"I have asked the magistrate to adjourn pending a consideration of the issue raised by Justice (George) Fryberg in the bail review matter of Brown," Mr Bovey told reporters outside court.

The Cairns case was adjourned until November 15.

In the appeal documents, the DPP argued Justice Fryberg shouldn't have taken into account a media report of the premier's comments as it was irrelevant.

The documents also reject the judge's finding that a reasonable member of the public would perceive the comments would influence the court, and that an appropriate response was to stay the proceedings.

Alleged Bandido Jarrod Brown was granted bail in the Holland Park Magistrates Court on October 18.

He's charged with drugs and ammunition possession, possessing drug paraphernalia and obstructing police.

He faced court a day after strict new laws designed to stop bikies walking free on bail were passed.

The DPP applied for a Supreme Court review of the magistrate's decision last week, but Justice Fryberg put the application on hold until further order because of Mr Newman's comments.

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WA Senate result to be revealed

Greens senator Scott Ludlam says the AEC should hold off declaring the WA Senate election. Source: AAP

THE result of the West Australian Senate vote recount is set to be revealed this weekend amid concerns that more than 1300 missing ballots may mean the state has to go to a new election.

The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) directed a recount of some WA Senate ballot papers, prompted by the close result of just 14 votes for the sixth Senate seat and appeals by the Australian Greens and Australian Sports Party.

During the recount, that looked at informal votes and 1.2 million above-the-line ballot papers, 1375 votes which had been verified in the initial count could not be "located, rechecked or verified in the recount process".

The AEC apologised and has hired former Australian Federal Police commissioner Mick Keelty to independently, and urgently, inquire into the matter.

Meanwhile, the AEC WA manager Peter Kramer says the results of the recount and distribution of preferences will be known on Saturday afternoon and the candidates have been asked if they want to appoint scrutineers to observe the distribution of preferences.

But some politicians including Australian Greens Senator Scott Ludlam, and Palmer United Party leader Clive Palmer have decried the process.

Mr Palmer believes the original election result should stand.

The initial result gave seats to the Palmer United Party's Zhenya Wang, Labor's Louise Pratt and Joe Bullock and the Liberals' David Johnston, Michaelia Cash and Linda Reynolds.

AEC spokesman Phil Diak said there was nothing to suggest an "untoward removal" of the ballot papers.

Special Minister of State Michael Ronaldson did not think it was an "issue of skulduggery", but said it was a disturbing development which required an inquiry.

Independent senator Nick Xenophon thinks there should be a fresh election in WA if the ballot papers cannot be found.

"Better to cost money now than have a result where there is a question mark over those that have been elected," he said.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten said WA deserved an explanation and while there was a way to go with due processes, another election could not be ruled out.

"This is a very serious matter," he said in Canberra.

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Qld reef assessment paints grim picture

The federal and Queensland governments have released a new plan to protect the Great Barrier Reef. Source: AAP

FEDERAL Environment Minister Greg Hunt says a new long-term plan will improve the health of the Great Barrier Reef and increase protection, but green groups say it doesn't go far enough.

The long-awaited strategic assessment draws on scientific evidence to give an overview of the state of the reef and outlines a plan to better protect the World Heritage site.

Mr Hunt acknowledged there were some serious concerns, but is hopeful the strategy will ensure the reef's survival.

"What has happened in the past is what we have to live with, but we can control and improve the future of the reef through our actions," he told reporters on Friday.

The assessment concluded the best way to halt and reverse damage to the reef was to put in place a new management framework and examine the "cumulative effect of human activities and natural forces", rather than threats in isolation.

Mr Hunt said the framework would set tougher environmental standards for future developments.

"We make no apology for applying tougher standards going forward," he said.

The report also called for a "net benefit policy", so that any activities along the coast and in the marine park produced an overall benefit to the reef.

It also said a new reef recovery program was needed, involving local communities, industry and indigenous groups, as well as a reef-wide monitoring and reporting program.

Australian Marine Conservation Society spokeswoman Felicity Wishart welcomed the assessment but said developments along the state's coast must be stopped if Australia was serious about protecting the reef.

"If the target is to improve the health of the reef then stop doing anything that's going to damage it," she told AAP.

Ms Wishart called for Mr Hunt to reject a proposal to expand the Abbot Point coal port near Bowen if he was serious about improving water quality.

That project involves dredging three million tonnes of soil and dumping it on the reef.

WWF Australia spokesman Nick Heath said the report confirmed large sections of the reef were in "dire straits".

He said given the assessment showed inshore areas were in either poor or very poor condition, those in power couldn't justify approving inshore dredging projects.

The report found that while corals were in good condition at the northern end of the reef, both inshore and offshore corals in southern areas were in decline.

The biggest threats came from the crown-of-thorns starfish, severe weather, nutrient and pesticide run-off from farms, illegal fishing, bycatch and dredging.

Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority chairman Russell Reichelt said while many of the impacts of those threats were already widely known, the assessment had looked at their "accumulative impact".

"There needs to be a multi-pronged approach," he said.

"(With this in mind) we can make a difference and restore the damage to the reef."

Queensland Deputy Premier Jeff Seeney said it was important for decisions about the reef to be based on scientific facts, not "alarmist claims" by environmental groups that can't be verified.

The strategic assessment will be open for public comment until January 31.

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WA Senate count descends into chaos

The fate of WA's six Senate seats look set to be decided in court - or with a by-election. Source: AAP

THE fate of Western Australia's six Senate seats looks set to be decided in court - or with a by-election - after the Australian Electoral Commission admitted it had lost more than 1300 votes.

The already controversial recount was thrown into turmoil on Thursday when it was discovered the votes from the Pearce and Forrest electorates could not be found.

Electoral Commissioner Ed Killesteyn immediately asked former Australian Federal Police commissioner Mick Keelty to investigate how the 1375 votes were misplaced.

The AEC said the 1255 formal above-the-line ballots and 120 informal votes could not be located, rechecked or verified, despite searches of every electoral premise where the ballots were stored or transported from.

And with Clive Palmer and Senator Scott Ludlam both voicing their disbelief at the bizarre turn, AEC spokesman Phil Diak said the commission itself might ask the Court of Disputed Returns to finally declare the winners.

"The distribution of preferences and the declaration of the poll will go ahead and it is required to go ahead," Mr Diak said.

"Then the commission will consider the implications, and whether itself it regards the result as one that may need further consideration."

Mr Diak added that there was a provision for a fresh by-election to be held, which the ABC's election expert Antony Green also said could happen.

As Mr Keelty was tasked with investigating the embarrassing blunder, Special Minister of State Senator Michael Ronaldson was promising a review of all aspects of the election process, including in WA.

"Incidents such as this go to the heart of the AEC's reputation. Trust in our democratic institutions is paramount," Senator Ronaldson said.

Mr Palmer, whose Palmer United Party candidate Dio Wang won a Senate seat in the initial count, said he intended to protest the process in the High Court, and also called for a full judicial inquiry.

"There is no question that the recount is invalid," Mr Palmer told AAP.

"If they declare a poll based on the second one they are seeking to manipulate the result, and they are doing that for an improper purpose in our view.

"Is the AEC trying to rig the election? Are they committing a fraud? Or are they just completely incompetent?"

Senator Ludlam, who lost his seat in the first tally when one crucial choke point in the count left him 14 votes short, said the result should not be declared until the missing ballots are found.

"It is going to shake people's confidence if the votes can't be found and if they declare the result, because that effectively disenfranchises people," Senator Ludlam said.

Once the writ has been issued, there is a 40-day window when any result can be challenged in the Court of Disputed Returns.

Mr Keelty's remit will include establishing the facts regarding the misplaced ballot papers, and identifying any failures that may have occurred.

"I wish to stress that Mr Keelty will undertake this investigation independently of the AEC and will be able to avail himself of whatever resources and access to staff and information he may require to assist his examination of this matter," Mr Killesteyn said.

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Pizza king mystery in Vic shooting attacks

Australia's pizza champion has had three of his Melbourne restaurants peppered with bullets. Source: AAP

AUSTRALIA'S pizza champion has had three of his Melbourne restaurants peppered with bullets.

But Tony Cannata didn't want to talk about the overnight shootings, which occurred on the same night his Woodstock pizza chain promoted his return to the kitchen to create his signature slices.

The three Woodstock Pizza restaurants - one of which is under construction - were fired at with multiple rounds about an hour apart.

The first shots struck a side window of the North Fitzroy restaurant around 11pm (AEDT) on Wednesday.

Shots were then fired into the vacant building in Essendon, and a third restaurant in Brunswick East.

Mr Cannata, who was crowned Overall Champion Pizzaiolo (pizza maker) at the Australian Pizza Championships last month, had just finished a shift at his Lygon Street eatery.

"I'm very emotional at the moment," he said before declining to comment further.

"I've got nothing to add. The police are investigating the matter. I'm sure they'll get to the bottom of it."

One of his staff members expressed relief that no one was injured in the shooting attacks.

Detective Inspector Adrian Dalzotto said police could not overlook the possibility that a message was being sent to Mr Cannata.

"Whatever it is, we can't overlook the coincidence that there's three premises all run by the one business," he said.

"Whatever it is, the motive and message and whatever, we've still got to work through that."

Police have so far found no links to bikie gangs but aren't ruling out the possibility either.

"Any shooting, any violent incident, we're going to look at everything, that will be part of our inquiries," he said.

He said the shootings may have been planned for after the restaurants were closed, but agreed it was lucky no one was injured.

"They're in areas where, down there in Fitzroy and Brunswick, you could have had anybody down there," he said.

Mr Cannata has been steadily raising his profile and appeared on an Italian community TV show earlier this year.

"For me, it's not a job, it's a lifestyle," he told News Corp Australia in September when he won Australia's gold award in pizza making.

"It is an art and it is a market that continues to evolve."

He is due to fly to Italy and Las Vegas next year for the World Pizza Championships.

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