Chocolate koalas seal the deal at UN

Bob Carr has said the opposition should embrace Australia's win of a seat on the UN Security Council.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard has thanked Kevin Rudd for his role in Australia's successful bid for a seat on the UN Security Council.

Australia's Foreign Minister Bob Carr casts his ballot during the vote for five countries to become non-permanent members of the UN Security Council for the years 2013-2014. Picture: Stan Honda/AFP Source: AFP

A KOALA chocolate bar, a tin of mints and a book promoting our achievements spearheaded last-minute vote-wooing yesterday before Australia won a coveted seat on the United Nations Security Council for the first time in 27 years.

In a win that even prompted Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Kevin Rudd to laud each other's efforts, Australia blitzed rivals Finland and Luxembourg in the first round of voting to secure one of 15 seats at the centre of global security diplomacy.

In New York for the vote at UN Headquarters, Foreign Minister Bob Carr said he wanted to use the two-year tenure to focus on extolling Australia values and pushing nuclear non-proliferation safeguards, fighting global terror and securing countries such as Syria, Afghanistan, Iran and North Korea.

"It's always good to see Australia win,'' he said. "This was a big, juicy, decisive win, and it's very, very sweet.''

The Opposition welcomed but downplayed the success, criticising the $24 million cost and claiming Labor did not have a clear plan to use the seat from January 1.

Shadow Treasurer Joe Hockey suggested it was not as historic as winning the soccer World Cup because Australia had already held a seat four times previously.

In line with UN tradition, Australia's last-minute gift bags to the 193 permanent UN voting members were challenged by its Western Europe & Others group rivals Finland (dried blueberries) and Luxembourg (small wooden models).

Foreign Minister Bob Carr smiles broadly after the announcement that Australia had won a place on the United Nations Security Council. Source: Supplied

Australian insiders expected favourite Finland to win the first round and to contest a second-round battle with Luxembourg in a run-off vote.

But, relying heavily on African, Caribbean and Pacific Island nations for support, Australia ended up scoring 140 votes to secure one of the two non-veto power seats in the first round, mitigating controversey over the bid cost.

In the next round of voting, Luxembourg defeated Finland by 131 to 60 votes.

The Prime Minister initially did not thank Mr Rudd in her statement but later glowlingly ackowledged his "foresight'' in kickstarting the process when he was PM in 2008 while she visited DFAT in Canberra.

"What it shows is that our reputation is high. It also shows that our bilateral relationships are in good repair,'' Ms Gillard said.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard addressing DFAT staff at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade building in Canberra this morning. Picture: Smith Kym Source: News Limited

A spokesman for Mr Rudd said he congratulated Ms Gillard and Senator Carr and the Australian diplomatic community.

"Mr Rudd said it was a credit to the country,'' the spokesman said.

The Greens also welcomed the win but called for a focus on global warming, controlling weapons and reviewing the recent budget decision to defer foreign aid spending.

Australia's UN Ambassador to the United Nations, Gary Quinlan, will takeover the seat as part of expanded duties.

What the decision means

*The United Nations Security Council maintains international peace and security. It establishes peacekeeping operations, passes international sanctions, and authorises military action through resolutions.
*From January 1, Australia will be at the centre of international decision-making on global security challenges in hot spots such as Syria, Afghanistan and North Korea.
*Australia will also work to ensure the effectiveness of sanctions, including those targeting individuals terrorist groups such as al-Qa'ida.
*It will also manage 130,000 police and troops in trouble spots, and try to influence critical decisions on military and humanitarian interventions across the world.
*Australian spent $24 million directly on the bid but it also increased aid spending by $3 billion in Africa, the Caribbean, South East Asia and the Pacific since the bid began.
*Bid launched in 2008 by former prime minister Kevin Rudd.
*Australia has served four previous terms on the council: 1946-7, 1956-7, 1973-4, 1985-6.

What are the benefits for Australia?

Being a member of the UN Security Council gives Australia a voice at the table on many big international debates. It also cements our position as one of the worlds leading middle powers diplomatically as well as economically. Australia hopes this voice will also help open doors for us to be heard on an array of other issues.
But the big but is whether the council seat is worth the cost.

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Racing bet scam hits AFL players

Campbell Brown is known to be one player owed money. Source: Herald Sun

EXCLUSIVE: DOZENS of AFL footballers are among investors feared to have lost up to $1 million in betting syndicates run by a smooth-talking horse racing industry figure.

Some of the biggest names in the game are furious after ploughing money into the punting schemes.

Gold Coast's Campbell Brown is known to be one of a number of players owed as much as $20,000.

As many as 50 players have been hit, including possibly a dozen each from St Kilda and West Coast owed money.

The biggest creditor, a star among the game's elite performers, is said to be down $200,000.

Michael Doughty, recently retired from Adelaide Crows, also is owed thousands of dollars.

Players and coaches nationwide are becoming increasingly frustrated by a lack of returns after being lured by the Queensland-based operator's promises.

As the scheme's operator moved to reassure investors, it emerged among those to sink in money were players from St Kilda, Melbourne, West Coast, Gold Coast, Brisbane, Adelaide and Fremantle.

Some investors believe bets were never laid on their behalf, generating speculation they were the victims of a scam.

Many players have given up hope they will get their money back.

Many were lured into the scheme after exchanging tips with the man that were often successful.

They were then advised to invest a sum of thousands of dollars, of which 10 per cent was gambled each week.

Their initial investments grew weekly, with detailed accounts information emailed to them each week.

But suspicions grew when some horses were listed in incorrect races, with many believing the bets were never laid.

Players say the operator has for months refused to answer calls, promising returns on specific dates then failing to deliver.

One former champion said some had lost six-figure sums.

"We started winning with him but we couldn't get our money back. After a while, we realised this just wasn't adding up," he said.

"I haven't got a cent yet. A couple of clubs had syndicates of 10 or 12 players. You just keep hearing more stories."

Mum and dad investors have also been left out of pocket.

One of them told the Herald Sun he and syndicate mates were down $50,000 and feared they would never see the money again.

"We just can't get the money. (The operator) won't take calls," the man said.

Another told a consumer rip-off website he had dropped almost $80,000.

"He plays the nice guy and I think that most people have just decided to let the money go," the investor said.

Some are understood to have contacted police and sought advice on how to recover their money through civil courts.

The operator last night said he was confident everyone could get their money by next week. He said the situation "hasn't been ideal", but he had inherited the situation from principals previously involved.

"I'm fully confident everyone will be fine," he said.

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Sexting scandal hits elite schools

MORE than 100 students from some of Melbourne's most prestigious schools have been caught up in a sexting scandal involving a 13-year-old girl.

Police and school authorities were alerted after the sexually explicit video of the girl went viral after she sent it to a male friend from another college.

Sources say teenage boys from at least seven elite schools have shared the video, as teachers and welfare staff battle to contain its spread.

It is believed the distraught girl's parents also initially sought legal advice about the phone-to-phone circulation of the footage.

At least one school held an assembly to warn students about the legal and ethical risks of forwarding explicit material.

"Once it's out there, it's very hard (to contain) ... it just goes like wildfire," one source said.

Education Minister Martin Dixon said the video served as "an awful reminder of the realities of the misuse of social media, and the devastating and long-lasting impact it can have on young people's lives".

"Incidents like this underline the importance of our efforts to educate young people and their parents on the impact of cyber bullying and appropriate online behaviour."

The private girls' school the girl attends, which the Herald Sun has chosen not to name, would not comment on this case.

But a spokeswoman explained that the school was working closely with students and parents "to educate students on appropriate use of social media".

"The rapid dissemination of information through social media is a challenge in today's society and, together with parents, the school takes a strongly supportive role in its work with students," she said.

Cyber safety expert and former Victoria Police officer Susan McLean warned that "this sort of thing is not uncommon now, unfortunately".

Ms McLean warned that many parents were ignorant of the amount of sexting that was taking place between school children.

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Wait: Now Mundine and Mansell agree

Tasmanian Aboriginal activist Michael Mansell has responded to Anthony Mundine's comments, saying they echoed the views of the Ku Klux Klan and neo-Nazis. Source: The Mercury

Tasmanian Aboriginal leader Michael Mansell has labelled boxer Anthony Mundine (pic) a racist. Source: AAP

THE war of words between outspoken boxer Anthony Mundine and Aboriginal leader Michael Mansell has taken another twist, with the pair now seeming to agree that government benefits for people claiming indigenous heritage should be tightened.

Mr Mansell said he accepted Mundine's apology for comments he made about Tasmanian-born Aboriginal boxer Daniel Geale, whom he is due to fight in January for the IBF middleweight title.

In his original comments on Thursday this week, Mundine questioned Geale's Aboriginal heritage, saying: "I thought they wiped all the Aborigines from Tasmania out" and "I don't see (Geale) representing us black people or coloured people. I don't see him out in the community doing what I do with people.

"He's got a white woman, white kids."

Yesterday, Mundine apologised for his comments, saying Australia was one of the most racist countries in the world.

He said there should be a government-enforced cut-off point for Aboriginality, arguing for a scaling system where first-generation Aborigines receive more assistance than those with distant Aboriginal heritage.

Anthony Mundine has apologised for his incendiary comments regarding Tasmanian Aborigines.

Mr Mansell said Mundine's apology was shallow and he hadn't "quite got it yet."

A day later, the Aboriginal leader issued a statement saying he had decided to accept Mundine's apology, noting not everything Mundine said about identity was wrong.

Mr Mansell said the number of people claiming to be indigenous in Tasmania had swollen from 10,000 20 years ago to nearly 20,000.

"There are many white Tasmanians who claim to be Aboriginal because of rumour or because they 'feel different,"' Mr Mansell said in a statement.

Schools and state governments got extra Commonwealth funding for "every child that ticks the box on indigenous" and "the financial incentive for attracting public funding in education largely explains why the numbers have doubled in such a short time", he said.

"The processes for authenticating the real from the fanciful are so loose that in reality, anyone can legally claim to be indigenous and be accepted by the federal departments without question."

Mr Mansell said he was concerned about people discovering a distant Aboriginal ancestor then using that information to claim to be Aboriginal, despite culturally and socially living the life of a white person.

Anthony Mundine calls for changes to Australia's flag and national anthem, but falls short of apologising to Daniel Geale.

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McCarthy death accidental: coroner

Port Adelaide captain Dom Cassisi breaks down in an emotional tribute to team-mate and friend John McCarthy.

Port Adelaide player John McCarthy has died while in Las Vegas

John McCarthy died in an accidental fall in Las Vegas. Source: Herald Sun

The south side of the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas where John McCarthy fell to his death. Picture: Rupert Thorpe Source: Herald Sun

Port Adelaide player John McCarthy died from injuries sustained in an accidental fall. Source: Herald Sun

THE death of AFL player John McCarthy in Las Vegas last month was accidental, a US coroner has ruled.

Assistant coroner in Clark County, Nevada, John Fudenberg, said McCarthy died from injuries sustained in an accidental fall.

"I can tell you that we ruled the cause of death as multiple injuries due to a fall from height and the manner of death is accidental," he told AAP.

He would not say whether or not alcohol or drugs were found in McCarthy's system as the toxicology report was not a matter of public record.

McCarthy, 22, fell to his death at the Flamingo casino and hotel complex.

The Port Adelaide player had been separated from teammates who were holidaying in the gambling mecca.
His funeral was held at his Victorian seaside home town of Sorrento.

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Wedding off as fire hits rural homestead

A WEDDING party has been evacuated from a rural homestead at Laidley after a large bushfire broke out about 3pm Saturday.

Twelve fire crews are currently on scene and working to save the Paroz Road house.

A Department of Community Safety spokeswoman said fire crews had requested additional water tankers from the Lockyer Valley Regional Council.

She could not confirm if any other properties were under threat.

A police spokeswoman said emergency personnel are currently doorknocking Mountain Road residents to warn them to prepare for the approaching fire.

"At the moment we are just telling them to be ready if they have to evacuate," the spokeswoman said.

Temperatrures soared across the state today, with Amberley hitting 38.6C at 2.44pm and Beaudesert reaching 36.2C at 1.58pm.

Meanwhile, more than 1500 hecatres has been burnt in the Spring Mountain Conservation Reserve on Bellbird Drive at Greenbank.

The fire, which started on Monday, is currently burning within containment lines and crews will continue to conduct backburning operations along Tully Road.

There are a number of bushfires burning across the state including Bushland Beach near Townsville, Rosedale, north of Bundaberg, and Euleilah, south of Agnes Waters.

A fire weather warning has been issued for most of the state.

There is a severe fire danger in the state's northwest, Darling Downs and Granite Belt, Southeast Coast, northwest parts of the Central West, southwest parts of the Northern Goldfields and Upper Flinders and southeast parts of the Maranoa and Warrego districts for the rest of today and tomorrow.

Temperatures in the state's west could tip over 40C today with the mercury peaking at 39.9C at Thargomindah today.

Julia Creek, Winton, St George and Urandangi all recorded maximums above 39C with even hotter conditions expected tomorrow.

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ACT rejects Labor, Greens: Liberals

Zed Seselja, ACT Liberal Leader, off to vote in Canberra in the ACT election with his wife Ros and children William, Olivia and Tommy. Picture: Kym Smith Source: News Limited

TRIUMPHANT Liberal leader Zed Seselja says ACT voters have rejected a Labor-Greens alliance in Saturday's election.

But he's stopped short of claiming victory, with the opposition falling one seat short of majority government in the 17-seat legislative assembly.

It will take days of negotiation with the Greens before a new minority government can be formed in the territory.

The Liberals, on the back of their biggest-ever primary vote, are on track to take eight seats to Labor's seven giving them their highest representation in the 23-year history of self-government.

With more than 70 per cent of the vote counted at 10.50pm (AEST), Labor had 39.1 per cent of the overall vote (up 1.7pc on 2008), to the Liberals 38 per cent (up 6.4pc) and the Greens 11 per cent (down 4.6pc)

A surprise Labor casualty could be Attorney-General Simon Corbell who might lose his seat to fellow Labor candidate Meegan Fitzharris.

The Greens drop from four seats to two with their leader Meredith Hunter still in a tight race with Summernats car festival founder Chic Henry, running for the Australian Motorists Party.

If she loses, the Greens would have only one seat in the assembly.

Mr Seselja said the election result was a rejection of both Labor and the Greens.

"Most importantly it is a rejection of their alliance," he told the party faithful.

"It would be a rejection of the verdict of the people if the Labor Party and the Greens were to now forge a closer alliance.

"We are ready to deliver the kind of government the ACT deserves."

Labor leader Katy Gallagher said it was not the night for victory speeches from any party.

"We're not arrogant, we're not coming out saying we have won this election," she told supporters.

"We've won the highest primary vote, we've increased our vote, we've held our seats and we've seen a swing towards us."

Ms Gallagher noted more than half the electorate voted for "a progressive government", referring to the combined Labor-Greens vote of 50.1 per cent.

Mr Seselja reiterated earlier pledges that he wouldn't offer the Greens a ministry as part of any negotiations, unlike in 2008.

But he shied away from questions on whether or not he would negotiate with them at all.

Liberal MLA Jeremy Hanson said: "Should we get eight seats we have a very strong case for government."

However, Greens MLA Shane Rattenbury said the minor party would not be taking the number of seats won into account.

"We want to make sure there's a stable government for four years," he told AAP.

"We delivered that this term, we expect to deliver it in the coming term."

The Greens had a duty to the one-in-eight Canberrans who voted for the party to deliver on as many of their policies as possible, Mr Rattenbury said.

"We're quite open to talking to both of them (major parties) and that's something we will start in the next few days," he said.

"We won't see an agreement to form a government, one way or the other, for quite some days yet."

Labor MLA Andrew Barr said a Liberal-Greens alliance would be "extraordinary" since "they are just a world apart".

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Redmond no-show at pre-selection vote

Isobel Redmond is facing a Liberal party leadership challenge on Tuesday. Picture: Matt Turner Source: The Advertiser

OPPOSITION leader Isobel Redmond was a no show at a Liberal Party pre-selection vote for the north eastern suburbs electorate of Hartley this afternoon.

Ms Redmond has yet to make a public appearance or release a statement about yesterday's challenge to her position by Martin Hamilton-Smith.

Moderate Steven Marshall, who is contesting the deputy leadership position did appear, along with Vickie Chapman and Federal MP and education spokesman Christopher Pyne.

Mr Marshall was tight lipped but Ms Chapman wouldn't be drawn on the leadership challenge, which will be decided at a party meeting on Tuesday.

Ms Chapman said: "I won't be making any comment on leadership issues."

Former Hartley MP Joe Scalzi and Marika Ryan contested the pre-selection but Norwood, Payneham and St Peters councillor Vincent Tarzia won the ballot for the ultra-marginal seat with a comfortable lead.

After a recent distribution, Hartley is now considered Labor''s most marginal seat with just a 0.5 per cent swing needed to unseat the incumbent Education Minister Grace Portolesi.

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