Devastating Tasmania fire downgraded

Tasmanian Fire Service has issued an emergency warning alert for the fire on the Tasman Hwy, Bicheno.

THE major fire at Bicheno in Tasmania's east has been downgraded and the Tasman Highway has been reopened.

The Tasmania Fire Service (TFS) has issued an ''advice'' alert level for the fire, which was earlier classified at an emergency warning level.

The TFS says the fire danger rating in the area is low to moderate, and there is no immediate threat to communities.

The Tasman Highway has been re-opened and motorists are being urged to be cautious due to possible smoke and emergency services vehicles in the area.

The fire is still not under control and authorities say people may experience embers, smoke and ash falling on Coles Bay Road, south of Apsley River, and the Tasman Highway, south of Bicheno.

Back burning off the Cole Bay Road will continue through the night and residents are advised that they should not be alarmed if there is more smoke in this area.

Earlier, the fire at Forcett, east of Hobart, was downgraded to a watch and act level as cooler weather spread across the island state.

The Forcett fire, which has scorched about 15,000 hectares, was earlier classified at an Emergency Warning level.

A eucalptus tree ignites near Dunalley, Tasmania. PIC:: Richard Jupe

More than a dozen properties have been lost south of Bicheno, with more than a 100 feared lost overall.

Victoria was planning to send 65 firefighters to help tonight.

Thousands flee areas of Tasmania as fires spread

The Tasman Peninsula fire claimed at least 80 properties and left thousands of people isolated yesterday night.

Police and commercial boats were being used to ferry in supplies and ferry out people most in need.

No deaths or serious injuries have yet been confirmed, but Deputy Police Commissioner Scott Tilyard earlier said a team was on the ground at Dunalley to investigate a fire crew's concerns that a man may have been trapped while trying to defend his house.

Dunalley has been destroyed by fires in Tasmania. Photo: Channel 9 Source: Supplied

Dozens of homes have been destroyed by bushfires in the Australian island state of Tasmania. Paul Chapman reports.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard said the federal government was supporting the fire effort.

''We are working with the state government to support people and make sure that they get through,'' Ms Gillard told ABC radio.

''My message is there's only one you.

''Everything else in life at the end of the day, no matter how precious, can be replaced.

''What can't be replaced is a human life.''

A truck loaded with water dashes up to a hill top house 200 meters from these trees. A major bush fire swept through Copping and Dunalley in South East Tasmania. Picture: Richard Jupe Source: The Mercury

Insurers declared the bushfire-hit towns a catastrophe and police powers were increased when the Tasman Peninsula was declared a serious-incident site.

Clouds from a nearby bushfire are seen over Mount Wellington during day one of the Hobart International at Domain Tennis Centre on January 4, 2013 in Hobart, Australia. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)

The Insurance Industry Council of Australia's declaration included the towns of Dunalley, Connellys Marsh, Forcett, Copping, Murdunna, Boomer Bay, Primrose Sands, Susans Bay, Eaglehawk Neck and Taranna.

Electricity company Aurora told people whose power had been cut off to expect delays of several weeks before it was restored.

About 300 poles were down on the Tasman Peninsula.

Property losses from the peninsula fire have been huge, with 30 per cent of the buildings in the small community of Dunalley, 55km southeast of Hobart, destroyed.

These included the school, police station and bakery.

A major bush fire swept through Copping and Dunalley in South East Tasmania. Picture: Richard Jupe Source: The Mercury

At Connellys Marsh, 40 per cent of the buildings are gone, including three houses at Copping and several at Primrose Sands.

Reports of a death in a huge bushfire in the Tas town of Dunalley as up to 65 buildings have been damaged.

Twenty houses have been lost around Murdunna.

Several thousand people, many of them tourists, are stranded with access roads closed.

Around 700 are taking refuge at the Port Arthur historic site, another 2000 at a community centre at Nubeena and more than 50 at the Dunalley pub.

And a flotilla of boats is the lifeline for thousands of people stranded on the Tasman Peninsula as bushfires continue to rage out of control.

Recreational and commercial vessels are being used to bring in thousands of meals and other essential supplies and to evacuate people most in need.

Police said today that 600 people, many of them visitors to the area, were set to spend a second night at convict ruins.

There were 2000 people at a temporary refuge in Nubeena and another 100 at the Dunalley Hotel.

A major bushfire swept through Dunalley in Tasmania. Picture: Richard Jupe

The road into the peninsula, the Arthur Highway, has been closed since Friday.

Boats delivered 3000 meals as well as fuel, water and health workers.

A generator was being sought as power is out in much of the area.

Acting police commissioner Scott Tilyard said he was hopeful some vehicles could be escorted from the peninsula.

He said tourists were obviously keen to get out.

It had been ''a long night for many people but the main thing is that they have been safe'', he said.

Up to 1000 people were reported to have been taken out by boat overnight, but police could not confirm the number.

Fire-fighters at the fire near the Glen Esk Rd, Conara Picture: Chris Kidd

''I would imagine there'll be numerous stories about the heroic and risky approaches that were taken out there,'' TFS chief commissioner Mike Brown said.

The view of the Tasman Peninsular as the fire jumped the Dunalley Canal. A major bush fire swept through Copping and Dunalley in South East Tasmania. Picture: Richard Jupe Source: The Mercury

No deaths or serious injuries have been confirmed.

A fire in the Derwent Valley northwest of Hobart was affecting the communities of Ellendale and Karanja, but the extent of property damage was unknown.

Conditions across southern Tasmania today were cooler than yesterday, when Hobart reached 41.8C - its hottest since record keeping began in 1883.

State fire chief Mike Brown said similar conditions in 1967 had resulted in the loss of 2000 homes and 62 lives.

''I would imagine there'll be numerous stories about the heroic and risky approaches that were taken out there,'' he said.

Hobart, Melbourne and Adelaide are all sweltering with temperatures over forty degrees

''The big outcome for us ... is that at the moment there looks to be no loss of life or injuries.''

He said this was because of the way ''we put out our warnings, and clearly a lot of people did heed those warnings''.

People concerned about relatives and friends can call a police hotline on 1800 567 567.

Firefighters near Strathalbyn-Goolwa Rd, South Australia. Picture: Dylan Coker Source: The Advertiser

SA prepares for continued threat

A number of total fire bans have been implemented across South Australia.

The bans will be in place tomorrow in the Northwest Pastoral, Northeast Pastoral, West Coast, Flinders, Mid North and Yorke Peninsula districts.

Smoke plume from a bushfire burning at Forcett in Tasmania. Photo: Twitter, @foodsideoflife

Today, 50 fire crews controlled flare-ups from a controlled bushfire on South Australia's Fleurieu Peninsula as the threat of more fires across the state eased.

A bushfire at Finniss was brought under control late on Friday night, with firefighters remaining in the area to control flare-ups.

Adelaide sweltered through its fourth-hottest day on record yesterday, while temperatures soared past 48C in some parts of the state.

Firefighters near Strathalbyn-Goolwa Rd, South Australia. Picture: Dylan Coker Source: The Advertiser

CFS state co-ordinator Malim Watts said people needed to remain vigilant.

Total fire bans have been issued in three districts today, with severe fire conditions forecast in the Northeast Pastoral, Northwest Pastoral and Flinders districts.

Firefighters near Strathalbyn-Goolwa Rd, South Australia. Picture: Dylan Coker Source: The Advertiser

A bushfire rages out of control near Copping, in southern Tasmania, as temperatures in the state top 40C. Picture: Killick David

The Bureau of Meteorology said temperatures in Adelaide would drop to the low 30s on Saturday but forecast a return to very hot conditions for most of next week.

Victorian fire latest

A body has been found following a house fire near Kerang in northern Victoria.
Firefighters were called to a house on Kerang-Murrabit Road at Capels Crossing just before 4pm (AEDT) today and were searching debris when they found the body.

Police and fire investigators are examining the scene.

Meanwhile, Victorian firefighters are making the most of cooler conditions as they battle to bring two out-of-control bushfires within containment lines.

A total of 38 trucks and several aircraft were at the scene of a major bushfire at Kentbruck, in the state's southwest today.

The blaze northeast of Portland, between Port Fairy and the small town of Nelson next to the South Australian border, ignited about 18km southeast of the Mt Richmond National Park along the Princes Hwy yesterday afternoon.

Smoke from a fire at Forcett, Tasmania. Photo: Twitter, @SussanSays

It burned more than 2000 hectares.

No property is under threat, but smoke from the fire is visible several hundred kilometres away.

Firefighters near Strathalbyn-Goolwa Rd, South Australia. Picture: Dylan Coker Source: The Advertiser

State Control Centre spokeswoman Sonia Maclean said no homes or property were threatened by the fire, and aircraft account of the scene overnight had revealed the blaze was tearing through the pine forest and had swelled further than the 1200ha circumference initially reported.

A precautionary advice message was issued to Portland residents and nearby communities earlier this morning.

"Coming into the daylight, aerial crews have been able to establish a better indication of the fire and it appears it is across 2000ha, but it has also spread quite quickly," she said.

"The issue in fighting this tricky fire is that the ground is wet and quite boggy so firefighters are using an air-focused attack.

A worker tries to keep flames away from infrastructure at Repulse Dam. PIC: Sam Rosewarne

Smoke sightings of the inferno have been reported from as far away as Hamilton, about 85km northeast of the blaze.

CFA spokesman Chris Clugston said campgrounds Lake Monibeong and Swan Lake were evacuated and the Cobboboonee National Park was closed.

Meanwhile, residents of Ensay, in East Gippsland, were told to remain vigilant as a blaze burned out of control around 7km north of the town.

A CFA spokeswoman said crews hoped to have both fires under control this afternoon.

''The crews on the ground are putting measures in place to create containment lines and are doing some backburning,'' she told AAP.

No new bushfires were recorded today.

Temperatures today were much cooler than Friday, when the mercury peaked above 40C across much of the state.

Firefighters are on high alert with parts of Australia tipped to have seven days above 40C.

Work was also under way to restore Victoria's Country Fire Authority website to full capacity.

The crash occurred as the state sweltered through its hottest day in several years. At some points up to 700 people a second tried to access the website and FireReady App.

In a statement late on Friday, Victoria's fire services commissioner Craig Lapsley said he had asked CFA chief Mick Bourke to investigate why some people were still experiencing delays on the website.

Mr Lapsley said the CFA would work throughout the weekend to respond to the issue as a "key priority".

"We recognise it has been frustrating for people who rely on the website and app for fire information," he said.

"Seeking out the appropriate information is exactly what we have been asking the community to do and we know people are relying on this technology to keep themselves updated about their fire risk."

The capacity of the website and the FireReady App were increased after the crash.

Work is under way to restore Victoria's Country Fire Authority website to full capacity.

Mr Lapsley says important fire information is also available from ABC radio, SKY NEWS, and CFA social media channels such as Facebook and Twitter as well as the Victorian Bushfire Information Line on 1800 240 667.

NSW fought bushfire 'deliberately lit'

The NSW Rural Fire Service has established total fire bans in the northern and southern Riverina districts and the lower and upper Central West plains.

The bans come into effect from midnight and end midnight Sunday.

A fire service spokesman said the fire risk would ease on Monday but would again escalate on Tuesday.

Today firefighters fought a blaze on the mid-north coast in the Booti Booti National Park near Forster, forcing the closure of roads in the area and isolating the town of Green Point.

The fire has been brought under control.

Teens charged over another arson attack

Specialist crime scene officers and Fire Investigators from the Rural Fire Service will examine the area today to pinpoint what caused the fire, which are being treated as suspicious.

Police from Manning Great Lakes are appealing for public assistance as they continue their inquiries into the incident.

All roads have now been reopened.

But while the heat records tumbled across the country - including Thursday's 48.2C scorcher in the Nullarbor border town of Eucla - only sea-breezy Sydney was bringing the nation's average top temperature down.

Sydney city hit a high of just 26.6C yesterday, and 34C in the west, compared with peak temperatures of 45.1C in Wilcannia and 45C in Bourke in the state's far northwest.

SE Queensland escapes worst of heat

Southeast Queensland escaped the brunt of the heatwave, but areas to to the west were not so lucky.

Locals in the western Queensland town of Birdsville reported the 47.3C temperatures made it too hot to even go to the pub for a thirst quencher.

Brisbane and the Gold and Sunshine coasts recorded temperatures of around 30C, but Weather bureau senior forecaster Michelle Berry said temperatures in the west soared to 7C above average.

"We were one of the cooler capital cities," Ms Berry said.

"Many other capitals had a very hot day, but Brisbane had mild temperatures."

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Stories of heroism amid Tassie fires

Fire-fighters at the fire near the Glen Esk Rd, Conara Picture: Chris Kidd Source: The Mercury

TALES of heroism, heartbreak and miracle escapes are emerging from the destruction of bushfires ravaging Tasmania.

More than 100 properties have been destroyed, thousands of hectares of bush blackened as fires continue to burn around the state.

The Tasmania Fire Service was still battling major blazes on the Tasman Peninsula at Bicheno, and Lake Repulse last night, with about 20 other fires burning across the state.

Somehow, against the odds, there have been no confirmed reports of loss of life.

Lower temperatures yesterday allowed fire fighters to make inroads as they battled blazes - the worst of which was raging south of the devstated fishing town of Dunalley.

A eucalptus tree ignites near Dunalley, Tasmania. PIC:: Richard Jupe

As stunned residents examined the damage, the human stories emerged from an day of horror.

Some were cut off by the speed with the fires spread and fought alone to save their homes.

Others were saved by neighbours or by the heroic efforts of fire crews or waterbombing aircraft turning up in the nick of time. Or luck.

There were tears and trauma, but overwhelmingly a sense of optimism and community and gratitude that things weren't worse.

Dozens of homes have been destroyed by bushfires in the Australian island state of Tasmania. Paul Chapman reports.

As a pall of smoke hung over the state yesterday, the Tasmania community rallied in to support those stricken - with appeals launched, donations flooding in to refugees and a rescue flotilla ferrying food in an people out of communities still cut off.

Tasmania Fire Service chief officer Mike Brown said Friday's high winds and 42-degree record temperatures matched conditions on the day of the state's 1967 bushfire disaster and it was very fortunate none had died.

''The conditions of yesterday were comparable with that terrible day and on that day we lost 2000 homes and 62 lives, so I think it speaks volumes for the really hard work that was done yesterday and our more advanced operational and warning systems that we are able to use,'' he said.

Thousands of people remain displaced, sheltering in refuges and or with family and friends, many not knowing if their homes had survived the fires.

Clouds from a nearby bushfire are seen over Mount Wellington during day one of the Hobart International at Domain Tennis Centre on January 4, 2013 in Hobart, Australia. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)

A report of the possible death of one person at Dunalley yesterday has not been confirmed.

The bushfire that started at Forcett laid waste to town, destroying over 30 per cent of the town's buildings - including its school, its police station and its bakery.

Dunalley was a ghost town yesterday, with around 100 people who remained gathered at the local pub.

Twenty homes were destroyed at Murdunna, with about 40 per cent of the structures in Connellys Marsh also burnt down, along with homes in Copping, Boomer Bay, Dodges Ferry and Primrose Sands.

A major bushfire swept through Dunalley in Tasmania. Picture: Richard Jupe

At least 12 properties had also been destroyed by the bushfire near Bicheno, which yesterday was downgraded to an 'advice alert'.

The fire at lake Repulse in the Derwent Valley slowed down overnight and has been downgraded to a watch and act alert level.

Search teams were yesterday investigating the ruins of every destroyed and damaged home to ensure no one had died.

Until every property has been checked, people would not be allowed to return to their homes.

Smoke plume from a bushfire burning at Forcett in Tasmania. Photo: Twitter, @foodsideoflife

Yesterday afternoon fire affected areas on the Tasman Peninsula were declared a Serious Incident Site by police for public safety, security of evacuated homes and to preserve evidence.

The Forcett bushfire, which was affecting communities as far down the peninsula as Taranna yesterday afternoon, will continue to burn for many days.

''It will be days (before the fire can be controlled) because the fire is burning in many areas that are very difficult to get to, there's a lot of very heavy forest and heavy fuel,'' Chief Officer Brown said.

The Arthur Highway was still closed yesterday and while efforts were being made to reopen the only road to the Tasman Peninsula, police could not confirm when it might reopen.

A bushfire rages out of control near Copping, in southern Tasmania, as temperatures in the state top 40C. Picture: Killick David

Acting Commissioner Tilyard said Aurora and Department of Infrastructure, Energy and Resources workers had been working to remove power lines and trees from the Arthur Highway in an effort to allow the home to be reopened.

''We're hopeful of, if not opening the highway fully, at some point in the near future at least having some form of escorted access for people particularly coming off the Tasman peninsula during the day,'' he said.

Acting Commissioner Tilyard said he was confident most people sheltering at Nubeena who wanted to leave the peninsula would have been evacuated by boat by last night.

An estimated 2000 people sheltered at the community refuge centre at Nubeena amd 600 people at Port Arthur.

A worker tries to keep flames away from infrastructure at Repulse Dam. PIC: Sam Rosewarne

On Friday night and throughout yesterday tourist cruise boats, ferries and private vessels picked up people stranded at Nubeena and took them to Hobart.

A boat arrived at Dodges Ferry yesterday morning carrying 3000 meals, fuel, bottled water and ambulance and other health workers.

The team headed to Nubeena where they distributed supplies and aid to people around the area.

''There's a great sense of community out there, people are helping each other and coming together as happens in these circumstances,'' Acting Commissioner Tilyard said.

Acting Commissioner Tilyard could not confirm when residents in affected areas would be allowed to return to their homes to assess the damage.

He said power outages had occurred across the Tasman Peninsula. This was affecting communication between people in the area and their loved ones elsewhere.

''There are certainly many many residences and areas that do not have power and people with mobile phones some of them have found that their batteries would have run out and they have no capacity to (charge their phones),'' he said.

People unable to contact their loved ones can call a police hotline Acting Premier Bryan Green, who took a helicopter flight over burnt areas of the Tasman Peninsula yesterday afternoon, said it was a devastating sight.

''It's fair to say that (Friday) must have been a terrible experience for those people living on the Peninsula and surrounding areas,'' he said.

Mr Green said as uncontrolled bushfires were still burning, preserving life was still the authorities' main focus.

''People must put in place their fire plans,'' he said.

The fire at Bicheno is thought to have been started by a lighting strike and the fire at Lake Repulse was thought to have been started by a camp fire.

The cause of the Forcett fire is being investigated, but so far there is not evidence that it was deliberately lit.

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Fasting fad under the microscope

Lauren Boase lost 50kg on the Michelle Bridges 12 Week Body Transformation in February 2011. Source: News Limited

Lauren Boase before she lost weight at 160kg. Source: News Limited

INCREASINGLY popular one-meal-a-day diets that require almost 24-hours of fasting on alternate days are under the microscope of Australian researchers.

The diets - which can involve up to two days of fasting in between days of eating - are expected to catch the eye of those of us who want to shed unwanted kilos after overindulging over the festive period.

Participants in the new study, starting later this month, will eat just breakfast every second day for eight weeks.

Lead researcher, associate professor Leonie Heilbronn, said similar studies on mice found the fasting approach lowered cholesterol and insulin levels, indicating they helped reduce the risk of diabetes and heart disease.

''We did a three week pilot study a few years ago and saw improvements in health in just three weeks,'' she said.

''But this time we're going to compare fasting to other types of dieting and look at whether the benefits are the same, or better.

''There's only a handful of studies that have looked at fasting. Nobody really knows the best way to go about it.''

Assoc prof Heilbronn said the difficulty was determining whether it was the fasting - or the subsequent weight loss - that produced health benefits.

While definitions of periodic fasting vary, it is defined in the University of Adelaide study as a 24-hour period with just breakfast.

Nutritionist Susie Burrell said the difficulty with any type of fasting is that ''we live in a society where this huge over-consumption''.

''You see people like [Liberal MP] Malcolm Turnbull who have talked about using fasting for weight loss, but it's not sustainable.''

Mr Turnbull lost 15kg by following a no-food regime by Chinese practitioner Dr Shuquan Liu.

Ms Burrell has rated the diets she expects to be popular this year, listing the Mediterranean diet, which focuses on eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, as her top pick.

She said while new fad diets pop up each year, most are based on the same principles of reducing carbohydrates and calories.

Ms Burrell believes websites and apps that help you keep monitor the calories you eat are among the best weight loss tools.

''Monitoring calories and sticking to between 1200 and 1600 is one of the easiest ways to lose weight and it supports people driving their own behaviour change,'' she said.

Goodlife Health Club Westbourne Park membership co-ordinator Lauren Boase has shed 50kg from her initial 160kg frame since starting the Michelle Bridges 12 Week Body Transformation in February 2011.

''It just triggered a whole new lifestyle that I've kept up,'' she said.

Nutritionist Susie Burrell rates 10 diets she expects to be big in 2013

1. Mediterranean diet

What is it? Based on a diet that is high in vegetables, fruits, legumes, cereals and plenty of olive oil. Those who follow a Mediterranean diet often eat more than 11 serves of fruit and vegetables a day. Low in red meat, but high in fish.

Verdict: In terms of health and sustainability, I'd argue the Mediterranean-style of eating is perhaps the best. The only problem might be that the serves of protein are quite small and heavy meat eaters will struggle to adhere.

2. The CSIRO Total Wellbeing diet

What is it? This is one of the strongest evidence-based approaches to weight management. It focuses on higher, not high protein, and relies on lean meat and low-fat dairy.

Verdict: It helps control insulin levels in body and is one of few diets to have long-term research showing it works. People perceive it as having a lot of red meat, but in reality it has a lot less than the average Australian eats. It reduces carbs in line with our reduced levels of activity and does so in a controlled way without being extreme. It can lead to sustainable weight loss.

3 . Low GI

What is it? Requires followers to cut back on carbs and eat a moderate amount of protein and fat.

Verdict: Backed by a lot of scientific evidence, it's a safe way to sustainable weight loss. While it is very healthy, the weight loss is slower. Because the average person is looking to lose weight a lot quicker, it is sometimes not seen as the best option.

4. The Zone

What is it? Encourages consuming kilojoules from carbohydrates, protein and fat in a "40:30:30". According to founder Barry Sears, this ratio of fats helps dieters' hormones stay within a healthy zone.

Verdict: It's one of the better ones. It's high in vegetables and is very similar nutritionally to the CSIRO Total Wellbeing Diet. But because it comes from America, it's got a lot more snacks.

5. Paleolithic diet

What is it? Mimics the diet of a caveman and is similar to CSIRO Total Wellbeing diet, but eliminates more fruit and dairy. The idea is a clean approach to eating approach, getting rid of processed foods and going back to root vegetables, greens, lean meat, nuts and berries.

Verdict: Long term it is nutritionally inadequate for key nutrients like calcium. Better to use as a base but add in some low-fat dairy.

6. Meal replacement programs

What is it? Think milkshakes that replace meals, like those offered by Slim Fast. It involves swapping meals for the specially-formulated shakes to help keep your calorie intake low.

Verdict: It can be a useful tool for starting to lose weight, but it's difficult to sustain long-term. There's also the issue that they're highly processed and you're not getting as many nutrients as you would in other meals. You could use them to replace one or two meals here and there, and it's also useful for a non-breakfast eater to have, but the benefits are limited.

7. Home delivered meals

What is it? This category includes the programs offered by Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers and Lite n Easy.

Verdict: Helps busy people and teaches portion control. But it is expensive and people aren't necessarily learning about how to best manage their food. The food is also highly processed. It is out of reach for many people and at some point you need to know how to make good food yourself and make the right choices.

8. Sugar-free

What is it? As a general rule, getting rid of processed food (fruit juice, muesli bars, biscuits) is good for all of us to do. But the underlying biochemistry is more complicated. Refined carbohydrates do lead to increased insulin and weight gain.

Verdict: An unprocessed, low sugar diet is good for us, but small amounts of fruit and natural sugar is fine.

9. Dukan diet

What is it? Known as the French diet, it's a novel approach to eating. There are tight calorie restrictions, with very low calorie and carbohydrates for a period of time.

Verdict: Suits European diets with less snacking. What it gives people is structure, with hard and fast rules to their diets. The issue is that it's very restrictive. In my experience, when people go back to normal eating they put the weight back on and is a more extreme diet.

10. Oh My God diet

What is it? Six weeks to Oh My God is the brainchild of British personal trainer turned author Venice Fulton. It advocates a series of unusual methods, including skipping breakfast, using cold baths as a way to shed kilograms and drinking plenty of black coffee.

Verdict: This is a fad and pretty extreme. It's a way to get drastic results quickly but my experience is that people can't do it.

TOP WEIGHT- LOSS APPS

My Fitness Pal: It's the easiest way to log calories and lets you easily track the meals you eat. Download at myfitnesspal.com/mobile

Mindful Eating: Helps to teach good food habits, promotes mindful eating and prevents overeating. itunes.apple.com/ca/app/mindful-eating

Lose Weight Fast: There's weekly updates on diet and exercise with recipes and meal plans. itunes.apple.com/au/app/susie-burrells-how-to-lose

Calorie King Australia: Lists how many calories, carbohydrates and fats Australian brands have. itunes.apple.com/au/app/calorieking-australia-food

Jillian Michaels Weight Loss: Features meal plans and exercise videos ready to go. itunes.apple.com/au/app/jillian-michaels-weight-loss

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Woolworths link to baby food racket

A screen grab from a Chinese web site shows instructions on how to smuggle baby formula from Woolworths & Big W. Source: Supplied

A CHINESE webpage is advertising that it can supply bulk orders of infant formula to buyers in China from a major Australian supermarket chain.

The site claims to have access to an employee or ''shopkeeper sister'' who can buy ''100% genuine'' formula from a Woolworths outlet.

News Ltd reported this week that pharmacy and supermarkets shelves across the country have been cleaned out of Australian and New Zealand name-brand powdered infant formulas after several health scares in China.

The Chinese website advertises that Karicare Aptimal Gold Stage 1 tins can be bought at Woolworths in Box Hill, Melbourne, for $22.49 each retail with the site organiser selling to buyers back home at about $37, an extra $15 per tin, or $90 profit per case of six.

Express shipping costs another $63.

The site adds that the price will not be negotiated.

The webpage also advertises the availability of different stage infant formulas at the nearby Woolworths-owned Big W.

A translation of the site says it has a ''shopkeeper sister from the supermarket to buy 100% genuine, date is always the freshest. The price is also transparent.''

The site adds that the price will not be negotiated.

As News Ltd reported yesterday, traders stand to benefit up to $700 a week, or more than $36,000 tax free from the scheme.

Woolworths said if any employee or their family benefited by such a transaction, the employee would be breaching its code of conduct.

''The Woolworths employee code of conduct is very clear about the company's position on the acceptance of gifts and gratuities and all employees are required to comply with this policy,'' a spokeswoman said.

On Taobao, China's equivalent of Ebay, there is a seller who claims to be the official agent for Nutricia, saying they have sold 28,354 tins of Karicare Aptimal Gold Stage 1 formula in a month for $34 per tin.

Nutricia told News Limited the person was not an authorised seller as it did not export Aptimal to China.

So-called ''grey'' imports are an issue of concern for Chinese authorities who are unable to detect thousands of tins of formula coming through China Post or via express mail services.

''The tins that are coming through, they don't know what is in it. The product could be anything,'' said Charles Zhang, international sales manager for Victoria-based Milk Powder Solutions which exports exclusively to China.

The site claims to have access to an employee or ''shopkeeper sister'' who can buy ''100% genuine'' formula from a Woolworths outlet.

''In November or December last year in Canton province, Chinese authorities destroyed a lot of tins that do not have any house certificate (from China Inspection and Quarantine) that were sent through 'grey' areas,'' he said from China yesterday.

Chinese officials have tightened legislation surrounding baby formula since the death of six infants and 300,000 more being made ill by a locally manufactured formula contaminated by melamine in 2008.

The local formula market virtually collapsed after the 2008 scare and any imports must withstand much tighter testing procedures with locals preferring ''clean and green'' Australian and NZ products.

But exporting and registering products in China and organising efficient and reliable supply lines is also notoriously difficult, turning exporters away.

Nutricia, the maker of Karicare and Aptamil brands which have been favoured by illegal exporters, said it has gone from making 5000 tonnes three years ago to 20,000 this year but only a small amount was exported.

They are however to boost production capacity by a further 50 per cent over the next 12 months as demand in China grows.

If you are unable to find Karicare and Aptamil products go to TerryWhitechemists.com.au or call Karicare toll free on 1800 258 268 or Aptamil 1800 438 500.

THE CHINA FORMULA

Website advertises to buyers in China offering ''100% genuine'' formula from Australian shops

Product is bought in bulk by agents in Australia from chemists and supermarkets

Formula is then sent to China via the 'grey' market, likely repackaged to avoid customs

Then re-sold in China at marked up price, making lucrative returns for all involved.

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$42m of your money for green duds

The four-cylinder Falcon falls outside the buying rules for many state government departments because their emissions are too high or too toxic. Source: News Limited

TAXPAYERS have pumped $42 million into two Ford ''eco'' cars that fail to meet the environmental criteria for some state government fleets.

In a major embarrassment to the Federal Government's ''Green Car Fund for a Greener Future'', the four-cylinder Falcon and the diesel Territory fall outside the purchasing requirements for many state government departments because their emissions are too high or too toxic.

It means the government isn't buying a car that it invested heavily in.

Ford employees bought more than twice as many four-cylinder Falcons than has the government (300 versus 115 cars) - and private buyers have also outspent public office (121 sales), according to confidential figures to the end of November.

Rather than investing to upgrade the cars, Ford is leading the charge to scrap the Green Vehicle Guide star-rating system - the benchmark used by business and government fleets when assessing which cars to buy.

Ford is getting a fraction of the government business compared with its Australian car making rivals Holden and Toyota.

The most recent figures show Ford sold 3300 locally-made cars to state governments across Australia compared with Toyota's tally of 4100 deliveries and Holden's order book of 9200 cars.

That's presumably because most of Ford's locally-made models fall below the cut-off as they have higher air pollution ratings.

Ford sold 14,000 Falcons last year; Mitsubishi sold 11,000 sedans in its last full year on sale before its Adelaide factory closed in 2008.

Only one of the three new Fords developed with $42 million taxpayer dollars - the most basic LPG Falcon - earns a high enough rating to make it onto the purchasing lists for some government departments across Australia.

For example, NSW state fleet has a minimum ''pollution'' and ''greenhouse'' score of 13.5 (out of 20) for all but emergency vehicles.

But the four-cylinder Falcon (13 out of 20) and diesel Territory (9 out of 20) don't make the cut-off. The new LPG Falcon does comply, scoring 15 out of 20.

Government fleets are allowed to buy vehicles below this score, but if they do they won't meet their environmental targets.

Late last year the Federal Government appointed William Angove, the former boss of Ford in Indonesia, to encourage government departments to buy more locally-made cars.

In its submission to Federal authorities, Transport NSW said it has ''concern regarding the proposal to abolish the GVG star ratings system and would encourage the Department of Infrastructure and Transport to reconsider its proposal".

Sophie Mirabella, the shadow minister for Industry, Innovation and Science, said the proposal to drop the star rating system was another example of the government's ''disastrous ad-hoc approach to green policy and cars.''

''The current scheme was started by our government, and [as with] a lot of policies [the Federal Government] just want to get rid of it for the sake of it,'' Ms Mirabella told News Limited.

The office of Anthony Albanese, the federal minister for Infrastructure and Transport, issued a statement to News Limited: ''The government is considering the feedback received from the community in response to the discussion paper.''

The statement also mistakenly said a number-based rating system would be introduced. It already exists.

This reporter is on Twitter: @JoshuaDowling

YOUR TAXPAYER DOLLARS AT WORK

Percentage of sales to government of locally made cars (January to November 2012):

Ford Falcon four-cylinder: 7 per cent (115 sales)

Ford Falcon six-cylinder: 9 per cent (1132 sales)

Ford Territory: 10 per cent (1424 sales)

Holden Cruze: 13 per cent (3593 sales)

Holden Commodore: 16 per cent (4528 sales)

Holden Caprice: 20 per cent (276 sales)

Toyota Camry: 13 per cent (3223 sales)

Toyota Aurion V6: 11 per cent (876 sales)

Percentage of Australian-made cars compared with the rest of the market:

2005: 248,912 of 988,269 = 25 pc

2006: 201,623 of 962,666 = 20.9 pc

2007: 200,485 of 1,049,982 = 19 pc

2008: 171,432 of 1,012,164 = 16.9 pc

2009: 147,680 of 937,328 = 15.7 pc

2010: 146,314 of 1,035,574 = 14.1 pc

2011: 141,939 of 1,008,437 = 14.0 pc

2012: 139,796 of 1,112,032 = 12.5 pc

SOURCE: FCAI VFACTS

For more car news and reviews see carsguide.com.au

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Australians ignoring free cancer tests

Only 55 per cent of women are undergoing breast screens. Source: Supplied

AUSTRALIANS are shunning the cancer tests that could save their lives with around half those eligible refusing the chance to be screened for bowel, breast and cervical cancer.

The latest data shows just 40 per cent of the three million Australians aged over 50 who were sent a free bowel cancer test in the mail completed it in the first five years of the government program.

This is despite researchers estimating 20-30 lives per week could be saved by a higher take-up rate.

Similarly only 55 per cent of women are undergoing breast screens and just 57 per cent are having tests for cervical cancer, the Department of Health and Ageing told a Senate estimates committee.

Although this is broadly in line with official targets Cancer Council chief Professor Ian Olver said the rates were disappointing and we should be aiming for 70 per cent participation.

''Early detection is important if you want to improve the cure rate for cancer,'' he said.

''If you are not participating you're robbing yourself of a chance of prevention.''

Discomfort in having to collect their own samples - the first time people have been expected to do so - has been blamed for the poor take-up rate of the free bowel cancer screening.

Prof Olver said Australians needed to get over this psychological difficulty because ''we reckon 20-30 lives per week could be saved by a fully implemented bowel screening program''.

''We estimate a decrease in deaths of one third among bowel cancer screening participants, compared to those who don't participate,'' he said.

Men were proving less likely to complete a test (37 per cent) than women (43 per cent).

When it comes to breast screening it appears women are procrastinating.

A recent Breast Screen Victoria study of those who had never or only rarely had a screening found 78 per cent thought it was worthwhile but simply kept putting it off.

A further 18 per cent felt their bodies would tell them if they had cancer while a small percentage thought getting cancer was a matter of fate.

"People often find a way to keep their mind at rest about the real risk," BSV chief Vicki Pridmore said.

"Our message was that one in every nine women will get breast cancer, that 78 per cent of all breast cancers occur in women aged over 50 and even women without a family history are at risk. It's a free service and it only takes ten minutes.''

Women who are screened for breast cancer have experienced a 25-35 per cent decrease in mortality compared to those who are not screened, while the death rate for cervical cancer has halved since the introduction of the population cancer screening programmes.

The groups least likely to participate in cancer screening programs overall were the socio-economically disadvantaged, indigenous Australians and culturally diverse populations.

Cancer Screening Rates in Australia

Bowel cancer 40 per cent participate

Breast screen 55 per cent participate

Cervical cancer 57 per cent participate

*Bowel cancer screening tests will be sent to those aged 50,55, 60, 65 in 2013

*Breast screening is free for women aged 50-69 and is recommended every two years

*Cervical cancer screening is for women between the ages of 18 and 69 years and is recommended every two years.

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Still no answers as Denni comes home

An image of Denni North posted by her employer Cocoon Beach Club on its Facebook page. Source: Facebook

THE distraught family of Australian woman Denni North, who died in Bali last Sunday, was expected back in Australia early today.

The body of the 33-year-old public relations consultant was thought to be on the same return flight.

Ms North's heartbroken siblings. Tammy and Jamie, and cousin Nicole had flown to the holiday island searching for answers following the mysterious death in the early hours of last Sunday.

They have made no public comment since other than to ask for privacy during such a ''difficult'' time.

The manager of the Cocoon Beach Club where Denni worked in Bali, who has acted as an unofficial spokesman for the family, said they did not now believe there were any suspicious circumstances.

Denni North, second from left, with Agathe Ammeux, far right, and other friends.

''They're treating it as an accidental drowning,'' Anthony Bevilacqua said.

Nonetheless, the family have still requested that an autopsy be performed in Australia.

Ms North, from Deception Bay in Queensland, was found by friends at about 8am on Sunday morning lying by the pool of her Canggu villa with one leg in the water.

She was rushed to hospital but could not be revived.

The pool of where a dying Denni North was found.

Ms North had finished work at the Cocoon Beach Club about 3am and then travelled home for some drinks with friends, according to police.

What exactly happened in the hours between her friends going to bed and her collapsing near the pool remains unclear.

Authorities have been unable to find the friend, known only as Kelly, who found Ms North's body but have interviewed other witnesses.

They are satisfied no drugs or physical violence were involved and will stop their investigation once the body is returned to Australia.

Denni North and Agathe Ammeux

The family were to leave Denpasar airport late yesterday afternoon.

Ms North's body had earlier been taken from the morgue to the airport.

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Woman missing from hospital found

Missing Sydney woman Belinda Burcham, who vanished from St Vincent's Hospital without money, shoes or phone, has been found by police.

A SYDNEY woman who went missing from a Sydney hospital last weekend has been found.

Police found 40-year-old Belinda Burcham, nee Sheehan, in Paddington just before 9pm on Saturday (AEDT).

She was taken by ambulance to hospital, where she is being assessed by doctors.

The Sydney businesswoman and mother of two had left St Vincent's Hospital at Darlinghurst last Sunday with no shoes, phone or money, sparking a search by friends and family.

The Double Bay resident left hospital without medical clearance prompting a search by police from Kings Cross and Rose Bay local area commands.

Police thanked the public for their assistance.

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