Palmer orders 117 Chinese dinosaurs

Billionaire Clive Palmer has put in an order for more than 100 mechanical dinosaurs.

A QUEENSLAND resort is one step closer to becoming Clive Palmer's own Jurassic Park after the eccentric billionaire put in an order for more than 100 mechanical dinosaurs.

The mining magnate, who is also building a replica Titanic, already has a tyrannosaurus rex called Jeff and an omeisaurus named Bones in his Palmer Coolum Resort on the Sunshine Coast, north of Brisbane.

Mr Palmer says he ordered another 117 animatronic dinosaurs from central China yesterday.

"If you've seen Jeff and Bones, well you haven't seen anything yet," Mr Palmer said in a statement.

He said the new arrivals would include a 1200kg brachiosaurus and a 7m tall mamenchisaurus - both tall plant-eating reptiles.

The animals, which will be displayed in the woodlands around the resort, will sway their tails, heave their chests and blink, Mr Palmer said.

The exhibit is expected to be on display within months.

Jeff the T-rex's arrival caused a stir late last year, with one Sunshine Coast councillor complaining the ambitious dinosaur park plan would cheapen the resort.

Clive Palmer, in New York on February 26, has ordered more than 100 mechanical dinosaurs to install in his Sunshine Coast resort.

Mr Palmer also hinted Jeff was named after deputy premier Jeff Seeney, with whom he's had several political stoushes.

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Easter holidays left to last minute

Australians have chosen holiday destinations for Easter such as Palm Cove in far north Queensland. Source: Supplied

HOTELS and holiday parks have had a last minute surge in bookings over Easter as holidaymakers waited to see what the weather was going to do.

Travel experts said people were increasingly sitting on their hands to make sure their money was well spent.

Capital cities around Australia have continued to be the most popular destinations for people booking trips over Easter.

Lastminute.com.au general manager Kirsty Labruniy said Sydney was number one followed by Melbourne, the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast and Brisbane.

"With the unseasonal warm weather in Sydney and Melbourne in recent weeks, its possible that people in these cities are choosing to holiday closer to home this long weekend," she said.

She said bookings for the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast were slightly down on last year but bookings for Cairns, Palm Cove and Hamilton Island had risen.

Wotif.com Australia general manager Joachim Holte said there had been rises in bookings for the Sunshine Coast hinterland and Coolangatta in Queensland, Newcastle, the Blue Mountains and the Hunter Valley in NSW, Geelong, Lakes Entrance, the Yarra Valley and the Dandenongs in Victoria."

Geelong's annual Big Easter Egg Hunt is a big hit with families so it's not surprising that more and more people are staying in Geelong for their Easter getaway," he said.

In South Australia Port Lincoln and Clare had seen a rise in bookings while Broome and the Margaret River were popular in Western Australia.

Queensland's caravan and tourist parks received a flurry of last minute bookings and inquiries as people held off on making a decision because of the weather.

Caravanning Queensland CEO Ron Chapman said forecasts of warm and mostly fine conditions had spurred a rush for the last remaining vacancies at tourist hot spots.

"Easter is traditionally one of the busiest times of the year for caravan and tourist parks as it is seen as the final fling before the arrival of winter," he said.

"The industry is expecting a big boost over Easter as road travellers finally get the chance to get out and enjoy some of Queensland's top destinations.

"Qantas also said capital cities had proven the most popular destinations this Easter, with Sydney number one followed by Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and the Gold Coast.

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Just loving the coffee bean scene

Owen Fitzgerald and Alexandra Costigan enjoy a caffeine fix / Pic: Kelly Rohan Source: The Daily Telegraph

AUSTRALIA is in a caffeine rush, with people's love affair with the brewed bean fuelling a cafe boom.

Over the last five years, in any given three-month period, 56 per cent of Australians have visited a cafe to unwind and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee.

According to Norman Morris of Roy Morgan Research the trend has taken hold of people of all ages.

"This rise in cafe visits for tea or coffee can be seen across all age groups," he said.

"Australians aged 65 and over are now visiting cafes much more frequently. Five years ago, this group recorded just over four million cafe visits in an average three-month period - now it's seven million.

"Under-25s have also contributed heavily to the increase in visits, up from four million to just shy of six million."

Since 2008 this has resulted in an extra 10 million visits to cafes, representing an overall 25 per cent increase from 38 million to 48 million visits.

For cafe owners the numbers represent a huge shift in people's social behaviour, with coffee-lovers flocking to the best spots with the best drops.

"Cafe culture in Australia is highly competitive, from local independent cafes through to large coffee chains," Mr Morris said.

"Relatively new players in the market, such as the Coffee Club and even 7-Eleven with their one dollar fresh coffee, are contributing to Australia's growing thirst for a fresh brew."

With increased competition to get a good brew, the key to success is to keep customers close and rivals closer.

"Monitoring visitation among competitors is very important for companies that operate franchises," Mr Morris said.

"Not only because it shows the market potential but also because it's important for cafe operators to recognise this radical shift in profile of potential customers and the opportunities at both ends of the age spectrum."

While Australia is fuelling a boom for coffee culture, it's a different story across the ditch.

Figures from New Zealand are telling a less flattering story, with the industry showing just a whiff of growth last year.

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Aussies $160bn ahead on mortgages

Australians have been paying off their mortgages and are $160 billion ahead. Source: National Features

AUSTRALIAN families are now $160 billion ahead on their mortgages, squirreling away an extra $30 billion since the start of the GFC.

About half of the nation's three million home-loan customers have taken advantage of low interest rates to pay down debt at a pace the likes of which has never been seen.

New Reserve Bank of Australia figures show borrowers are a record 14 per cent in front on their combined $1.14 trillion of housing loans.

In March 2008, as the global financial crisis was beginning to take effect, the mortgage buffer was 11 per cent.

"People are paying down their homes, they're not drawing down on equity to pay for things which was going on during the GFC,'' said Australian Bankers' Association chief executive Steven Munchenberg.

"House prices were going up and people were using the equity to invest or spend, but it would suggest they are not doing that now, they are very happily paying down their mortgages as quickly as possible.''

The RBA - which has cut its cash rate at the lowest level since 1960 - estimates borrowers are 20 months ahead on repayments.

That suggests a household with a loan of $300,000 loan would be $40,000 in front.

A family with a $500,000 loan would be $67,000 to the good.

AMP chief economist Shane Oliver said that prior to the big pay down, Australia's household debt had been at "very high and dangerous levels''.

Dr Oliver said it was important household debt was bought back to sustainable levels because high debt levels becomes a major problem if the economy takes a downward turn and unemployment rises sharply.

"It's almost as if there was an obsession with taking on debt prior to the global financial crisis, now we've got a bit of an obsession with paying down debt,'' he said.

"We've gone from an environment of consumption and borrowing and spending to an environment where saving and paying down debt is the new fashion.''

Home loan customers who are at least 90 days or more in arrears on their mortgage only applies to about 0.6 per cent of loans.

Clive Van Horen, general manager of home loans with the largest lender, Commonwealth Bank, said about 80 per cent of its customers were ahead: "It's being driven by a low interest rate environment and home owners not adjusting repayments down in line with falling rates.''

ING Direct, the nation's fifth biggest mortgage lender, reported a 30 per cent increase since the GFC in funds sitting in customers' redraw and offset facilities.

"People realised their debts were at uncomfortable levels and they weren't in control,'' said executive director of customers John Arnott.

Their mortgage book is worth $40 billion and customers are about $6 billion ahead in repayments.

Westpac's chief product officer David Lindberg said the bank had about $300 billion in mortgages and two-thirds of customers were in front of their repayment schedule.

"On an average $300,000 mortgage they are paying $266 more than they need to pay on their mortgages each month ... that would mean the average person is 7.6 years ahead of where they need to be,'' Mr Lindberg said.

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Kids need sleep to avoid weight gain

Parents who let their kids sleep for at least 10 hours will help them avoid weight gain. Picture: Thinkstock Source: Quest Newspapers

PARENTS not ensuring their children get at least ten hours sleep during the week are contributing to their kids' bulging waistlines.

Researchers believe many sleep-deprived youngsters are simply too tired to bother exercising and have more hours in the day to eat than other children. Hormonal imbalances caused by a lack of bed rest can also trick kids into thinking they are hungrier than they really are.

Kids aged between 10 and 12 who sleep for less than seven hours during school nights have 1.99cm wider waistlines and consistently higher body mass indexes than those who sleep more than ten hours, the research shows.

Author Dr Teatske Altenburg, from the EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research in The Netherlands, said playing catch-up with sleep on the weekend was not the best thing for growing bodies.

"We found that weekday sleep duration seems more important in decreasing their risk of being overweight and obese than weekend sleep duration," she said.

"Our results also suggest that longer sleep durations during the weekend might not be suitable to compensate for shortened sleep during the week."

Other research cited in the study found 10-15-year-olds are getting about 30 minutes less sleep than what they were two decades ago.

Woolcock Institute clinical psychologist Dr Amanda Gamble treats underage sleep disorders and said a growing number of cases are caused by technological overload and schoolwork stress.

"Parents can have children switch off their electronic devices an hour before bed and ensure they can't have them in their rooms during bedtime," she said.

"The light emitted from the devices delays the production of sleep hormone melatonin. Lots of primary and high school students are also having disturbed sleep because they are stressed about school work."

Dr Gamble said parents need to determine their child's natural wake up time and subtract up to 11 hours from that to mark the time for lights out.

She says a continuity between school night and weekend sleep times, wherever possible, will help the child's body clock stabilise.The new peer-reviewed research involved 5757 kids across Europe.

It comes as diminishing sleep in adolescents has coincided with ballooning rates of obesity.

In 2008, one in four Australians aged 5-17, or around 600,000 children, were overweight or obese, up four percentage points from 1995.

The obesity rate for children increased from 5-8 per cent during the same period, Australian Bureau of Statistics figures show.

Inconsistent sleep patterns in children and adolescents has also been linked to physical illness, anxiety and depression later in life.

HELPING YOUR KIDS HAVE A GOOD NIGHTS' SLEEP

- Start a relaxation routine 30 minutes before bed. For example: bath, pyjamas, teeth cleaning, book and bed.

- Avoid high-protein snacks right before bed, such as meat and nuts.

- Avoid caffeine.

 - Offer a high-carbohydrate snack, such as a piece of toast or some rice.

 - Have a one-hour buffer zone between homework and bed.

 - No computers, smartphones, tablets or TVs in bedrooms after bedtime.

 - Try to make weekday and weekend wake up times similar.

Source: Woolcock Institute clinical psychologist Dr Amanda Gamble

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Our 'daggy Dad' would make a good PM

Frances Abbott and Bridget Abbott, two of the Federal Opposition leader Tony Abbott's three daughters at Manly Beach. Picture: Craig Greenhill Source: News Limited

THEY are hurt their father has been labelled a misogynist, they hope or pray for gay marriage and have explained the emotional reason why he said their virginity was a "gift."

For years feminists, politicians and critics of their father have spoken for them, now two of Tony Abbott's daughters are speaking for themselves.

Frances, 21 and Bridget Abbott, 20 can laugh about their "daggy Dad" his "embarrassing" use of nicknames for them and his "outfit repeating" with blue ties.

But for these thoughtful young women, there is one thing which has upset them in recent months - Prime Minister Julia Gillard's scathing misogyny speech in parliament.

VIDEO: PM Julia Gillard's misogyny speech

"The definition of it is someone who hates women, we're his daughters and we're women. To me that's implying Dad hates us because we're women," Bridget said.

Frances jumped in: "And wouldn't think that we are have the same opportunities, the same smarts" before Bridget finished her sentence,

"Not of the same level as men, which is totally untrue."

"Dad is always the one pushing us to be better," Frances said.

Bridget, a radiology student who has recently returned from volunteer work at a Cambodian orphanage and Frances, who is studying design, say they reflect their parents but their views are divergent to their conservative, Catholic father.

And they say Mr Abbott is fine with that.

They stopped going to church when they were old enough to choose for themselves and consider themselves non practising Catholics.

"It was never shoved down our throats," Frances said before adding the church was always an "option.'

"A lot of people when they think of Dad becoming prime minister, they think his policies are all going to be reflective of his faith but we're his children and we have grown up with it so I guess we reflect it but he has never forced it upon us, never said you have to do this because of what I believe in so I don't think Australia should think that is how it is either," Bridget said.

Neither would judge a woman who chose to have an abortion. Both believe strongly in gay marriage, a view cemented by seeing their aunt, Mr Abbott's youngest sister, Christine Forster fall in love with her partner Virginia Edwards.

Christine Forster, the sister of politician Tony Abbott and her partner Virginia Edwards arrive at a Ellen DeGeneres Welcome Party on March 26, 2013 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Scott Barbour/Getty Images) Source: Getty Images

Frances said being in the design community "where there is quite a large gay population" had illustrated "at the end of the day it is love...love is equal."

"Dad and I have had a few discussions about it," Frances said.

"I believe it is inevitable, I believe by the time our generation gets into power I hope and pray something is done about marriage equality and gay rights."

Bridget added: "I just think being gay is a lot more accepted and open for our generation. Chris and Virginia are a completely normal couple. They're exactly the same as Mum and Dad except they happen to both be women."

Frances Abbott and Bridget Abbott, two of the Federal Opposition leader Tony Abbott's three daughters. Picture: Craig Greenhill Source: News Limited

Three years ago Mr Abbott said his three daughters - eldest Louise is living and working in Switzerland - should consider their virginity a "gift".

That advice set off a storm of criticism and both Bridget and Frances said the comment was "misconstrued," that it was about respect for them but also touched on their father's belief for 25 years that he had a son with his high school girlfriend Kathy Donnelly.

Mr Abbott's daughters, who were told when they were 10 they had a half brother, have revealed he remains in contact with Daniel O'Connor, who had been adopted and after an emotional reunion with Mr Abbott discovered he was the son of another man.

Tony Abbott during an undated interview in Canberra from 2007, where at the time, Daniel O'Connor (background) is pictured. Source: Supplied

Frances said her father also remained close to Daniel's mother - who Mr Abbott described earlier this month as the most "courageous" person he had known at an event marking the government's apology over forced adoptions - until she died recently.

"What it comes down to is it is not a religious view," Frances said.

She said the adoption and separation from the baby he he believed was his son when Mr Abbott was only 19 "would have caused him a lot of pain and I guess when it comes down to it... he probably wouldn't want us put through the same position because he went through it and saw and felt how hard it was".

The Abbott Family Christmas Card. Pictured left to right: Margie, Tony, Frances, Louise and Bridget. Source: Supplied

Of the continued contact, Frances said: "It definitely says something about Dad's character.

"At the end of the day you have to think about Daniel, he was obviously brought up not knowing who his (biological) parents were either, he would have been in just as much confusion and heartbreak as Dad was," she said.

The Abbott girls said their father always gives them the best advice to put them on the right "path" with Frances' favourite involving Mr Abbott as a young boy, aged about nine, hiding in the garden of his school worried he had no friends.

"He's got a story which he will say to us about when he first started at Riverview he was hiding in the garden after school because he felt like he didn't have any friends and his Dad came out and said to him `to have friends you need to be a friend," Frances said.

They also said they benefited from his advice while on a family holiday in Bali at the time of the second bombing in 2005 when, as health minister, Mr Abbott had to leave them to go to the local hospital to help arrange transfers for seriously wounded Australians.

Frances Abbott and Bridget Abbott, two of the Federal Opposition leader Tony Abbott's three daughters. Picture: Craig Greenhill Source: News Limited

Worried they could become the target of terrorists, Mr Abbott told them they had to stay for the sake of the Balinese people and he had to leave his family's side so victims had "someone from home there who is supporting them when they are in a foreign hospital."

As they were growing up Mr Abbott was a keen supporter of whatever his daughters chose to do, and he was the architect and builder of their two storey cubby house complete with a fireman's pole.

Memories of him screaming out "go Bridgey Babe" from the sidelines of the netball court, prompted a laughing Bridget to say she nearly gave the game away.Relentlessly competitive, Mr Abbott would even urge his daughters to race him in their home pool.

"He's a terrible swimmer so we always won," Bridget said.

Tony Abbott pictured with wife Margaret and the family dog "Maisie", at their Forestville home in Sydney. Picture: Mitch Cameron. Source: News Limited

Frances and Bridget have noted their father's neater hair and new penchant for blue ties.

"I was talking to him about it last night and I was like 'What's with the outfit repeating?' There are so many blue ties," Frances said.

Bridget approves of the new look and believes it could prepare Mr Abbott should he ever reach The Lodge.

"His hair is looking better when it is a bit tidy, not super scruffy, I don't think he pays attention but everyone else notices," she said.

"I think presentation is really important so he needs to look like an alternative prime minister so he needs to start focussing on that stuff as well as everything else."

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott speaks during a motion to suspend stating orders during House of Representatives question time on March 21, 2013 in Canberra, wearing one of his many blue ties. (Photo by Stefan Postles/Getty Images) Source: Getty Images

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Rudd warns China on North Korea

Kevin Rudd says China must use its influence to quell North Korean aggression.. Picture: Aaron Francis Source: HWT Image Library

FORMER prime minister and foreign minister Kevin Rudd has told officers of Beijing's main defence academy that the world is looking to China to use its influence to quell the aggression of North Korea.

In a speech this week to China's National Defence University, reported by The Australian today, Mr Rudd said North Korea's nuclear program poses a serious threat to China's relations with its neighbours.

The speech was made two days before North Korea announced that it had formally entered into a "state of war" with South Korea.

In the latest in a string of pronouncements from Pyongyang and tough warnings from Seoul and Washington, a government statement from North Korea said: "As of now, inter-Korea relations enter a state of war and all matters between the two Koreas will be handled according to wartime protocol."

The White House said it took the new warning seriously but added that Pyongyang's threats were following a familiar pattern.

The Australian said Mr Rudd's Beijing address had coincided with the United States' confirmation on Thursday that it had sent two B-2 stealth bombers, capable of carrying nuclear weapons, to drop munitions on a target range on a South Korean island.

Mr Rudd told his audience of officers that the diplomatic efforts of all nations but China had failed to persuade North Korea against its shows of aggression.

But while China had gone to considerable lengths to try to change North Korea's behaviour, Pyongyang had rewarded it by launching its third underground test during China's Spring Festival holiday.

And while China was announcing its new leadership to the world, North Korea had declared its renunciation of the 1953 armistice.

Pyongyang's antics threatened China's foreign policy objectives because Asian nations were beginning to co-operate on regional anti-ballistic missile defences, which could work against China as well as North Korea, Mr Rudd said.

North Korea's threats to bomb the US and its allies and to reduce the South Korean capital of Seoul to a smouldering ruin had come as some in Japan and South Korea were pushing for their countries to develop nuclear weapons of their own.

"Our Chinese friends would also appreciate that other countries of the region have profound concerns about both the nuclear weapons and ballistic missile program of North Korea and its inflammatory declaratory language concerning its preparedness unilaterally to use armed force against the South and other 'unnamed aggressors' in Asia," Mr Rudd said.

He added: "The most immediate and significant threat to a new form of strategic co-operation between Beijing and Washington, and between Beijing and the rest of the region, lies in the North Korean nuclear program.

"North Korea's nuclear posture is of itself causing the US and its allies in the region to enhance their co-operation on ballistic missile defence in order to counter the North Korean threat.

"Such ballistic missile defence co-operation also of course has wider implications for China's national and security interests beyond the Korean Peninsula.

"China's own global foreign policy standing is suffering and will continue to suffer as a result of North Korean adventurism."

Prime Minister Julia Gillard will next week lead a delegation to China that includes ministers Bob Carr, Craig Emerson and Bill Shorten for talks on trade, security and clean energy.

Foreign Minister Bob Carr condemned the latest round of threats and said Australia was considering imposing more sanctions on the rogue state.

Senator Carr said in a statement that reports from the Australian Embassy in Seoul suggest there is no immediate evidence of increased military preparations by North Korea.

"Despite this, North Korea continues to pose a genuine threat to the safety of millions of people in our region," he said.

Senator Carr has welcomed calls by China and Russia for restraint by all parties, as well as commitments by the United States regarding the defence of South Korea and Japan.

Senator Carr has urged all nations to ensure existing measures are strictly enforced and said Australia is considering further "autonomous sanction" on North Korea.

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Parents mourn a wonderful son

Friends of Alexander and Bridget Jones and the unnamed woman who died in the Carlton wall collapse pay their respects at the site. Picture: Chris Scott Source: Herald Sun

THE parents of a teenager who died trying to save his sister from a wall collapse in Carlton have spoken of their "overwhelming loss".

Ian and Sue Jones - in a statement released - thanked the strangers who desperately tried to rescue their "beautiful children".

Their son, Alexander, 19, has been hailed a hero after leaping to protect his sister, Bridget, 18, from falling debris during the tragedy in Swanston St on Thursday.

The devastated parents have barely left their daughter's hospital bedside as she lies in a coma battling for her life.

"We are overwhelmed at the loss of our son, Alexander, and are very distressed to see our critically ill daughter in the hospital," their statement reads.

Bridget and Alexander with parents Ian and Susan.

Alexander and Bridget are the Joneses' only children and friends said they were "totally devoted" to them.

The statement was released as scores of friends paid tribute at the scene of the tragedy.

Mr and Mrs Jones, both 57, from Montmorency, praised the efforts of passers-by who tried to rescue their children, as well as the work of Royal Melbourne Hospital staff who performed surgery on Bridget on Friday.

"We understand people who were passing by and the emergency services did everything that they could and we are so grateful these people tried their best for our children," the couple's statement says.

Thu 28/03/2013: A man and a woman are dead after a brick wall collapsed at the Grocon site

A woman in her 30s - believed to be a foreign student - was also killed in the wall collapse.

It is understood she has no family in Australia.

Friends of the siblings left flowers and mementos in a makeshift shrine at the site of the former CUB brewery.

Touchingly, a neighbour saw Bridget kiss her mother goodbye the day before the tragic event: "Sue and Ian were just totally devoted to their children. Not so long ago Ian was here speaking for an hour about how well they were both doing at uni - he was so proud of them."

Alex Jones died trying to save his sister Bridget from a wall collapse in Carlton.

Friends from Alexander and Bridget's former school, Montmorency Secondary College, held a vigil at the scene.

Principal Allan Robinson said of the former school captain: "He was an incredible young man, thoroughly respected and admired by every student and every member of staff at Montmorency Secondary College."

Alexander's friends took turns to write their own stories and tributes to the man they nicknamed Zander, who had aspirations to become prime minister of Australia.

One friend called Alexander, known as "Prime Minister Giggles", "a prince among men".

Friends of Alexander and Bridget Jones and the unnamed woman who died in the Carlton wall collapse pay their respects at the site. Picture: Chris Scott

Many said they would miss the arts student's cheeky grin and "that laugh". A soccer ball and Carlton AFL teddy bear were left.

"I can't describe my pain in words," a friend, Riley, wrote in a tribute.

"You were our light and glue that held us together."

Friend Eric Goon called Alex an "amazing man". "He and Bridget were really close. It was typical Zander to be walking her to class."

Former teacher George Ghobrial said the "gifted" student was destined for great things.

"I taught him science and he was just perfect. He did very well academically; but not only that, he was a wonderful person with lots of friends.

"I taught Bridget the year after and she was the same - a lovely person.

"It is so sad."

WorkSafe, the State Coroner, Victoria Police and Grocon, which owns the site, have launched investigations.

- with Rebekah Cavanagh

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