Pressure mounting after Sydney drunk brawl

A brawl left three men in hospital in Sydney amid pressure for action on alcohol-related violence. Source: AAP

PRESSURE is mounting on the NSW Government to explain why it hasn't acted on an approved alcohol-related violence plan following a serious assault in Sydney.

Three men were knocked unconscious early on Saturday morning in a brawl in Sydney's CBD.

According to police, a group of people was sitting in Martin Place when several men approached.

A fight started and three men were knocked unconscious.

Two men, aged 24 and 30, were taken to St Vincent's Hospital with head injuries.

A 30-year-old man was also taken to hospital with face lacerations.

Two days ago - and following weeks of public pressure - Premier Barry O'Farrell revealed the government would urgently consider measures to tackle alcohol fuelled assaults in Sydney.

Among the suite of measures that would go before cabinet were proposals to improve the regulation of alcohol licensing, he said.

But the ABC reported on Friday that Mr O'Farrell had a plan sitting on his desk for the past 16 months.

A leaked email from September 2012 reportedly shows that cabinet approved "in principle the introduction of a periodic fee system to commence from July 2013", the ABC reported.

Hospitality Minister George Souris says he will not comment on cabinet meetings.

Shadow Health Minister Andrew McDonald accused the government of running for cover.

"They are hiding, they are hoping it will go away," he said on Saturday.

"This will not go away. It is far too important."

Dr McDonald said the non-implementation of the plan was because the government was in the "pocket of the liquor lobby".

He said it was only a matter of time until the next tragic death.

On Friday friends and family farewelled 18-year-old Daniel Christie, who was fatally punched in Kings Cross on New Year's Eve.

The attack on Daniel Christie took place near the spot where Thomas Kelly was fatally assaulted in 2012.

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Two face UK terror charges against Syria

TWO men are due to appear in London court charged with travelling to Syria intending to commit acts of terrorism.

Yusuf Sarwar and Mohammed Ahmed - both 21 and from Birmingham, central England - were arrested at Heathrow Airport on Monday after arriving on a flight from Turkey.

The men stand accused of travelling to Syria on or before May 15, 2013 via Istanbul, Turkey, "with the intention of committing acts of terrorism" and preparing to engage in acts of terrorism.

They will appear on Saturday at Westminster Magistrates Court in London.

Police have said the case is not connected to the arrest on Friday of another 21-year-old from Birmingham on suspicion of attending a terrorist training camp in Syria.

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Syrian opposition still unsure on talks

THE question of whether Syrian opposition representatives will participate in the upcoming Geneva II peace conference was set to dominate a second day of talks in Turkey.

"There are differences we cannot hide, as most of the participants want guarantees that the current regime will not have any role in (a) future Syria," opposition member Salem al-Mousalet said on Saturday.

The international meeting in Switzerland, due to start on Wednesday, will seek to negotiate an end to the nearly three-year-old Syrian conflict by clearing the way towards a transitional government.

The opposition Syrian National Coalition has repeatedly said the peace conference should lead to a transitional government with no future role for President Bashar al-Assad and his family.

Assad's government has rejected this demand.

A source inside the meeting, at a secret location on the outskirts of Istanbul, said there were "heated debates" on Friday about the number of delegates who would participate in the conference.

The delegation might include around 15 members, who will represent all parties in the National Coalition, he added.

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EU advice sought on Kit Kat ruling

An EU advice has been sought on whether the shape of a Kit Kat should be registered as a trademark. Source: AAP

A UK judge deliberating on a legal dispute relating to the shape of a Kit Kat has decided to have a break - and wait for a decision from a European court.

Justice Richard Arnold is analysing a High Court argument between confectionery giants Nestle - which sells Kit Kat bars - and Cadbury.

Nestle wants to register the three-dimensional shape of a Kit Kat as a trademark. Cadbury has objected.

The judge heard legal argument from both sides at a hearing in London in December - and outlined his thoughts in a published ruling.

He said aspects of European trademark law were "unclear". And he said he would seek clarification from the Court of Justice in the European Union.

"Certain aspects of the relevant law remain unclear," said Justice Arnold.

"I have decided it is necessary to seek clarification of the law from the Court of Justice of the European Union in order to determine the (dispute)."

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Man's body found in burnt shed in NSW

A MAN'S body has been found after a shed fire on NSW's Central Coast.

The 63-year-old's body was discovered inside the shed after Fire & Rescue NSW officers extinguished the blaze behind a home on Panorama Avenue at Charmhaven after 5pm (AEDT) on Saturday.

A crime scene has been established and is being examined by forensic officers.

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Neighbour saves occupant in Vic house fire

A NEIGHBOUR has saved the occupant of a Melbourne home who was sleeping when fire broke out.

Fire crews were called to the Camberwell house just after 12.30am (AEDT) on Wednesday to find it well alight.

One occupant, who was asleep at the time, was alerted by a neighbour and evacuated safely, the Metropolitan Fire Brigade said.

The fire is estimated to have caused more than $200,000 damage and its cause will be investigated.

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Locals to return home after WA bushfire

LOCALS near where more than 50 homes were destroyed by a devastating bushfire in the Perth Hills will start returning home on Wednesday.

As firefighters continue to mop up in Stoneville, Parkerville and Mt Helena, authorities have confirmed the toll of properties lost at 52, with more than $13 million in damage already reported by insurers.

The fire is also being blamed for the death of one man, 62-year-old Ron Shaw, who collapsed as he stood on the roof of his Hovea home to prepare for the arrival of the flames.

Power remains out for about 450 homes in the region on Wednesday morning, the Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) says.

DFES on Wednesday said residents in the "zone where home have been lost" would be prevented from returning to the area today because it was "hazardous due to damaged infrastructure, downed powerlines and the risk of falling tree limbs".

"People outside this zone are allowed to start returning to their homes, however they are required to register for a permit and access will be restricted," DFES added in a statement.

The agency said a watch and act alert remained in place for the eastern part of the Parkerville, Stoneville and Mount Helena.

"Firefighters will continue to strengthen containment lines and ensure the area is 100 per cent blacked out throughout," DFES said.

Counselling services have been made available to the dozens of people whose homes were razed in the fire.

Fire authorities have confirmed the blaze was most likely sparked by a fallen power pole on private property.

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Stocks to watch on Wednesday

STOCKS to watch on the Australian stock exchange on Wednesday, Jan 15:

CPA - COMMONWEALTH PROPERTY OFFICE FUND - down one cent, or 0.81 per cent, at $1.23

GPT - GPT GROUP - down one cent, or 0.28 per cent, at $3.59

Property group GPT Group will not increase its offer for the Commonwealth Property Office Fund (CPA) nor extend the offer period.

CWN - CROWN - down 12 cents, or 0.7 per cent, at $17.09

Granting a 99-year licence for Melbourne's Crown Casino would be unusual and a big call, Victoria's acting premier says.

FGE - FORGE GROUP - down 22.5 cents, or 18.0 per cent, at $1.025

Shares in Forge Group have plunged again after it announced a $28 million profit write-down of its Western Australian power station.

RIO - RIO TINTO - down 16.0 cents, or 0.25 per cent, at $63.35

Mining giant Rio Tinto has paid more than $1.31 billion for 510 million Turquoise Hill shares under a rights issue, clearing the slate as it develops the Oyu Tolgoi mine in Mongolia.

RRL - REGIS RESOURCES - down 17 cents, or 5.54 per cent, at $2.90

Shares in gold miner Regis Resources have fallen more than three per cent after the company missed its quarterly production targets and flagged lower recovery rates at its Garden Well operation.

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JPMorgan returns to a profit in Q4

JPMorgan Chase, the biggest US bank by assets, says it returned to a profit in the fourth quarter. Source: AAP

JPMORGAN Chase, the biggest US bank by assets, says it returned to a profit in the fourth quarter.

The bank said it had net income of $US5.3 billion ($A5.8 billion) in the last three months of 2013, compared with a profit of $US5.7 billion in the same period a year earlier.

On a per-share basis, JPMorgan said it had earned $US1.30 a share in the quarter, compared with $US1.39 a share a year earlier.

Revenue fell one per cent to $US24.1 billion, just above analysts' expectations of $US23.9 billion.

The bank reported a loss in the third quarter, due to the bank's mounting legal costs. It was the bank's first quarterly loss in 10 years.

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Audit hearing Labor, Greens stunt: Hockey

TREASURER Joe Hockey says a Senate inquiry hearing into the Abbott government's commission of audit is just a Labor/Greens stunt.

The chair of the commission, former Business Council chief Tony Shepherd, will front the hearing in Canberra on Wednesday to answer questions about his work ahead of an interim report due to be delivered to Mr Hockey in the coming weeks.

But Mr Hockey says it's a show trial.

"This is just a new year stunt from the Greens and the Labor Party, and it reflects the lack of maturity from the opposition," the treasurer told ABC radio on Wednesday.

Mr Hockey says the commission's work will "eventually" be made public, but its recommendations need to be fully considered by the government before that happens.

"We've given them the brief, we've given them the resources - let them get on with doing the job."

He dismissed suggestions that Mr Shepherd or other commissioners may have conflicts of interest as "novel".

The commission of audit - similar to that undertaken by the Howard government in 1996 - was set up to find savings across the public service and also consider the privatisation of public assets.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten said Australians had a right to know what would be cut from the budget as a result of the audit.

"That's what these Senate hearings are all about - what is the truth?" Mr Shorten told ABC radio.

He said the commission would have already settled some of its recommendations, given its interim report was due soon.

"The commissioners, if they don't provide answers to questions, have clearly been gagged by the government."

He accused the government of trying to keep any cuts secret until at least after next month's by-election in former prime minister Kevin Rudd's seat of Griffith.

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