Serial sex offender Fardon released in Qld

SERIAL sex offender Robert Fardon has been released into secure accommodation after a lengthy court battle in Queensland.

Queensland Corrective Services says the 65-year-old was released into a facility on the grounds of Brisbane Correctional Centre, west of Brisbane, on Friday afternoon.

Fardon will be subject to the strict conditions of his court order including intensive supervision, GPS electronic monitoring, home visits, drug and alcohol testing and restrictions on where he goes and who he associates with.

However child safety advocates and past victims have condemned the court ruling and are concerned he will reoffend.

They include Sharon Tomlinson, who was 12 when raped and choked by Fardon, and who says the courts are "laughing" at the community.

"All I can say is just be very, very careful with children and keep an eye on those that you love because predators are allowed to walk within our community," she told reporters.

Attorney-General Jarrod Bleijie blamed the previous Labor government's "weak" dangerous prisoner legislation for Friday's decision and said he's receiving advice on whether to appeal in the High Court.

"I am also consulting with the legal fraternity to find possible ways to strengthen Labor's failed legislation," he said in a statement.

Fardon has spent most of his adult life in prison for sex offences against women and girls dating back to 1967, when he was 18.

In 2003 he became the first prisoner detained indefinitely - subject to periodic review - under new laws designed to keep the state's worst prisoners locked up.

Since then he's been released twice but each time was locked up again for breaking court orders, including absconding to Townsville.

In October Supreme Court Judge Peter Lyons deemed Fardon fit for release, prompting an immediate appeal by Mr Bleijie.

The minister also rushed through contentious "Plan B" laws that gave him power to overrule court orders releasing dangerous prisoners if it was in the public's interest.

But on Friday the Court of Appeal dismissed Mr Bleijie's appeal and declared his legal amendments invalid.

Judges Catherine Holmes, John Muir and Hugh Fraser found Justice Lyons' decision was sound, and Mr Bleijie's amendments were incompatible with the institutional integrity of the state's highest court.

The ruling provided ammunition for the LNP government's opponents, with Opposition Leader Annastacia Palaszczuk calling it an embarrassing blow to Mr Bleijie.

Corruption fighter and former judge Tony Fitzgerald labelled the state government inexperienced and arrogant.

And the Queensland Council for Civil Liberties said Mr Bleijie's "grandstanding" had resulted in laws that were a flagrant breach of the separation of powers.

"No one is going to dispute that Robert Fardon is not a particularly nice man. But he has his human rights," the council's chairman Michael Cope said.

However Mr Bleijie said he made no apologies for doing everything possible to protect the community.

"We will continue to fight for the safety of Queensland families," he said.

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Foreign fishing boats stopped off Darwin

Scott Morrison says foreign fishing boats have been intercepted off Darwin for illegal fishing. Source: AAP

TWO foreign fishing boats have been stopped in northern waters in the past week for alleged illegal fishing, Border Protection Minister Scott Morrison says.

A Border Protection Command "asset" intercepted the first alleged illegal foreign fishing vessel last Friday and a second on Wednesday, Mr Morrison said in a statement.

"A significant volume of fresh and stowed catch was discovered on the first vessel including giant clams, live crayfish, hawksbill sea turtles, sea cucumbers, shark and frozen fish. The second vessel was found with an amount of reef fish on board," his statement said.

The Australian Fisheries Management Authority is conducting further investigations into the activities of the vessels found off Darwin and considering charges against the crew.

The maximum penalty for illegal foreign fishing can be up to $1.275 million depending on the size of the vessel.

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Apple guides shoppers with iBeacon

Apple has introduced an in-store GPS system called iBeacon which guides shoppers around its stores. Source: AAP

GPS will tell you how to get to the nearest Apple store. With iBeacon, Apple hopes to guide you around once you're inside.

On Friday, Apple will begin using the technology at its 254 US stores to send you messages tailored to where you are inside, provided you have downloaded the Apple Store app and have given Apple permission to track you.

The company demonstrated the technology in New York this week.

One day, commuters might get information on subway delays as they stand on the platform, while museum visitors might get details on the painting they are standing in front of.

In-store location technology does raise privacy concerns, though many shoppers have shown a willingness to be tracked for discounts.

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Smog at hazardous levels in Shanghai

Shanghai has kept children indoors as its air quality index hit extremely hazardous levels. Source: AAP

SHANGHAI authorities have ordered schoolchildren indoors and halted all construction as China's financial hub suffered one its worst bouts of air pollution, bringing visibility down to a few dozen metres and obscuring the city's spectacular skyline.

The financial district on Friday was shrouded in a yellow haze and noticeably fewer people walked the city's streets. Vehicle traffic also was thinner, as authorities pulled 30 per cent of government vehicles from the roads. They also banned fireworks and stopped all public sporting events.

Protective masks and air purifiers were selling briskly at local stores.

"I feel like I'm living in clouds of smog," said Zheng Qiaoyun, a local resident who kept her six-month-old son at home. "I have a headache, I'm coughing, and it's hard to breathe on my way to my office."

Shanghai's concentration of tiny, harmful PM 2.5 particles was 602.5 micrograms per cubic metre on Friday afternoon, an extremely hazardous level that was the highest since the city began recording such data last December. That compares with the World Health Organisation's safety guideline of 25 micrograms.

The dirty air that has gripped Shanghai and its neighbouring provinces for days is attributed to coal burning, car exhaust, factory pollution and weather patterns, and is a stark reminder that pollution is a serious challenge in China.

Beijing, the capital, has seen extremely high smog several times over the past year. In the far northeastern city of Harbin, some monitoring sites reported PM 2.5 rates up to 1000 micrograms per cubic metre in October, when the winter heating season kicked off.

As a coastal city, Shanghai usually has mild to modest air pollution, but recent weather patterns have left the city's air stagnant.

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DFAT confirms Dili embassy protest

Federal authorities have confirmed a protest was held outside Australia's embassy in East Timor. Source: AAP

FEDERAL authorities have confirmed a protest was held outside Australia's embassy in East Timor amid a spying row between the two countries.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) on Friday confirmed a protest had taken place outside the embassy.

"The Australian Embassy in Dili has advised that a small-scale protest was held outside the embassy on 5 December," DFAT told AAP in a statement.

A spokeswoman for East Timor said the protest was small and non-violent.

The protesters, mostly students and young Timorese rights activists numbering about 20, carried banners reading "Australia is a thief" and "Australia has no morals", Agence France-Presse reported.

The protest comes after East Timor expressed outrage over reports that Australia secretly bugged ministerial deliberations in Dili in 2004 to gain leverage in negotiations on an oil and gas revenue-sharing deal.

On Tuesday, Australian intelligence agents raided the Canberra office of a lawyer representing East Timor in an arbitration case at The Hague over the deal.

East Timor says it won't be deterred from challenging the multi-billion dollar oil and gas treaty with Australia despite the raid.

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Australia promises not to spy on Indonesia

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop gave Indonesia assurance Australia will not spy on Jakarta anymore. Source: AAP

AUSTRALIA has agreed to a six-point plan aimed at repairing relations with Indonesia, with Foreign Minister Julie Bishop also providing assurances during talks in Jakarta that the Abbott government will not deploy intelligence assets against its northern neighbour.

A so-called "hotline" will also be established in the hope of avoiding future diplomatic rows, it was announced on Thursday following high-level talks in Jakarta between Ms Bishop and Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa.

However, Dr Natalegawa also insisted that military and police co-operation, as well as sharing of intelligence, will not be restored until all six points in President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's roadmap are addressed.

He also refused to nominate a time-frame for discussions around the code of conduct which Dr Yudhoyono demanded in the wake of revelations his phone, and those of his wife and inner circle, were monitored by Australian spies in 2009.

Dr Natalegawa said he had already reported to the president following the talks, adding that Dr Yudhoyono had been pleased with the progress made at the meeting.

A more detailed report would later be given to Dr Yudhoyono, who was in East Java on Thursday, after which it would be decided if the discussions could move to step two in the president's roadmap - the drafting of the code of conduct.

"Essentially, the president expressed he was pleased that we were able to communicate today and he is pleased by the progress that has been made, and asked that further efforts be made (so) that we can address in full all the various bilateral issues that must be addressed," Dr Natalegawa said.

He refused to reveal if a more detailed explanation was given in relation to the spying activities that have seen relations between Jakarta and Canberra sink to their lowest point since the East Timor crisis in 2009.

"Certainly, our communication today helped elucidate some issues that were not specifically mentioned in the letter from the prime minister," Dr Natalegawa said.

Ms Bishop said after the talks, which came two weeks after the suspension in co-operation on November 26, both sides had expressed a commitment to restoring the relationship and building it to its fullest potential.

The foreign minister, for the first time, confirmed Australia had agreed to follow Dr Yudhoyono's roadmap to normalising relations, while also promising that the Abbott government would never undertake espionage activities in the future that might damage Indonesia.

"We note the steps set out by President Yudhoyono that must be taken in order to normalise the relationship and, of course, we agree to adhere to those steps," Ms Bishop said.

"Obviously we regret the events that lead to this situation. We regret the hurt caused to President Yudhoyono and to the Indonesian people.

"As Prime Minister (Tony) Abbott has said and I reiterate, the Abbott government will not undertake any act or use our assets and resources, including intelligence assets, in any way to harm Indonesia."

It was Ms Bishop's fourth trip to Indonesia since the Coalition won office three months ago but her first since details of the spying came to light.

Underlining the importance of the talks, Ms Bishop was accompanied by the former head of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) and now Defence Department secretary Dennis Richardson.

Peter Varghese, the secretary for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Andrew Shearer, who was the last foreign policy adviser in John Howard's office and currently a senior adviser for national security to Mr Abbott, have also made the trip to Jakarta.

Ms Bishop revealed that Australia had also agreed to Indonesia's suggestion that a hotline be established between herself and Dr Natalegawa, which would be aimed at avoiding or minimising diplomatic tensions in the future.

"We have agreed to establish a special communications channel, a hotline if you like, to ensure that we can resolve any issues in implementation, that we can avoid any unintended consequences," Ms Bishop said.

Dr Yudhoyono has demanded Australia sign up to the "code of ethics and protocols", insisting it is needed to map out the future bilateral relationship.

The president has insisted that the code of conduct must address the spying issue and contain protocols to ensure similar espionage activities do not occur again, and that it is signed by himself and Mr Abbott.

However, even if the code of conduct is implemented, there would be a period of evaluation, before Indonesia would agree to restoring co-operation in areas such as the military and police, including joint efforts aimed at combating people smuggling.

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Indigenous shake up on council's agenda

Improving children's school attendance is a top priority of the indigenous advisory council. Source: AAP

THE man charged with leading Tony Abbott's indigenous affairs shake up hopes to help reverse the trend of prime ministers leaving office regretting they didn't do enough for Australia's first people.

Former ALP president Warren Mundine, who chairs the prime minister's newly formed indigenous advisory council, and the body's 11 other members met with Mr Abbott for the first time in Canberra on Thursday.

Improving indigenous children's school attendance and educational levels is their top priority, followed by boosting employment opportunities and reviewing land ownership and other drivers of economic development.

Mr Abbott told the council they had a mammoth task ahead.

There has been much goodwill in recent years and lots of money spent but not enough change at the grassroots, he said.

"Let it not be said in three years' time that this was just another talkfest," Mr Abbott said.

"Let people be able to say ... that practical change is happening."

Mr Mundine said efforts to close the gap on Aboriginal disadvantage, social stability and empowering communities were key issues.

"We're going to be looking at that through economic and commercial eyes," Mr Mundine told AAP.

Mr Mundine hopes the advisory council can help reverse an historic trend.

"Every prime minister in our lifetime has left office and they have always said that one of the saddest things is they didn't do enough in this area," he said.

Council members include Westpac Bank chief executive Gail Kelly and Rio Tinto Australia managing director David Peever.

The council will also be involved in mining magnate Andrew Forrest's review of indigenous employment and training programs as well as a separate review into Indigenous Land Corporation and Indigenous Business Australia.

The federal government is reviewing two embattled government-funded indigenous bodies to determine if they should be merged.

The Land Corporation has been under fire for going $200 million into debt to purchase Ayers Rock Resort for $317 million in 2010.

The resort has hit financial woes, reporting losses of more than $100 million.

Indigenous Business Australia was last year warned not to hold conferences that looked like "junkets" after senior staff travelled to Gold Coast theme parks.

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I'm not proud of drug use: Nigella

British celebrity chef Nigella Lawson says the idea that she is a habitual drug user is ridiculous. Source: AAP

NIGELLA Lawson has told a court she would rather be "honest and ashamed" than "bullied with lies" after revealing details of her past drug use.

The television chef said she was not proud after admitting she has taken cocaine and cannabis but denied her admission was damage limitation.

"I'm not proud of the fact I have taken drugs but that does not make me a drug addict or a habitual drug user," she said on Thursday.

Lawson said she objected to stories "peddled" by her ex-husband Charles Saatchi, including that he was checking her nose for cocaine when he was photographed gripping her throat outside Scott's restaurant in central London.

"The fact is, I would rather be honest and ashamed.... I wasn't going to be bullied with lies," she said.

"Mr Saatchi was not examining me for cocaine. That's a story he made up afterwards to clear his name."

Lawson was continuing her evidence in the fraud trial of two of her former personal assistants.

Wearing an all-black outfit, she was greeted by a huge pack of photographers, reporters and cameramen as she arrived for a second day at Isleworth Crown Court in west London.

Jurors were previously read an email sent to Lawson from Saatchi in which he said the defendants would get off on the basis that she was "so off her head" on drugs she allowed them to spend whatever they liked.

On Wednesday Lawson denied being a drug addict and spoke of the "intimate terrorism" she suffered at the hands of Mr Saatchi.

She said she first took the class A drug (cocaine) with her late husband John Diamond when he found out he had terminal cancer and on another occasion later during her troubled marriage to Mr Saatchi.

But the 53-year-old, who also admitted to smoking cannabis, said the idea that she is a "drug addict or habitual user of cocaine is absolutely ridiculous".

"I did not have a drug problem, I had a life problem," she said.

Francesca Grillo, 35, and her sister Elisabetta, sometimes referred to as Lisa, 41, are accused of committing fraud by abusing their positions by using a company credit card for personal gain.

Prosecutors claim the Italian sisters lived the "high life", spending the money on designer clothes and handbags from Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior and Vivienne Westwood.

The pair are accused of using credit cards loaned to them by the TV cook and her ex-husband to spend more than STG685,000 ($A1.25 million) on themselves between 2008 and 2012.

The Grillo sisters, of Kensington Gardens Square, Bayswater, west London, deny the charge against them.

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Storm hits Europe, kills one in Scotland

GALE-FORCE winds have hit Scotland, causing a fatal truck accident, halting all trains and leaving tens of thousands of homes without electricity as much of northwestern Europe braced for a storm that was expected to bring flooding to coastal areas.

Winds gusting up to 229 kilometres per hour were measured overnight in the Scottish Highlands, and many roads and bridges were closed. All train services in Scotland were suspended; Network Rail spokesman Nick King said that "there's too much debris and too much damage to equipment to continue".

A truck driver was killed and four people were injured in an accident west of Edinburgh when high winds toppled his vehicle on to several cars, police said.

A number of flights serving Scotland were also cancelled, and power companies said up to 100,000 homes were without electricity.

Glasgow's central rail station was evacuated after debris smashed glass in the roof, though no one was hurt.

Weather forecasters predicted winds gusting up to 140km/h on Germany's North Sea coast. Britain's Environment Agency said tidal surges could bring "significant" coastal flooding, and the Thames Barrier was closed to protect London.

Ferry operators cancelled services to some of Germany's North Sea islands and the country's national railway, Deutsche Bahn, warned of likely disruption across a swathe of northern Germany.

The Netherlands braced for the storm by closing water barriers that protect the low-lying country from high tides. The Oosterscheldekering in the southwestern delta region of the country was being closed to protect the land behind it for the first time since 2007.

National carrier KLM cancelled dozens of flights to European airports as a precaution.

The German Weather Service said the storm front, which was gathering strength as it headed eastward from the Atlantic Ocean off Greenland, would also bring polar air to Europe - meaning that it could bring snow to low-lying areas.

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Govt, opposition deny Holden pull out plan

THE federal government and the opposition have quickly poured cold water on speculation Holden will pull out of Australia from 2016, both saying no decision had been made on the company's future.

The ABC sparked concerns the car company's Australian manufacturing operations were nearing an end with reports senior ministers believed the company would cease local production from 2016.

"It's understood Holden will close its doors as early as 2016," the ABC reported.

Holden issued a statement saying its discussions with government were continuing.

This was swiftly followed by comments from a spokeswoman for Industry Minister Ian Macfarlane and Opposition Industry spokesman Kim Carr, also denying a decision had been made.

Mr Macfarlane's spokeswoman Kylie Barron said the minister had met with Holden on Thursday and talks were continuing as they had been.

"They haven't made a decision about their future in Australia," Ms Barron told AAP.

"There is no change."

The speculation came as the productivity commission continues an inquiry into the future of the car industry that is expected to determine Holden's future.

If the commission sides with continued government help, the commonwealth is likely to negotiate a new assistance package.

But if it recommends against ongoing funding, Holden is likely to follow Ford and close its assembly facilities.

In a submission to the inquiry, Holden said a long-term Australian policy that was globally competitive was needed to keeping its manufacturing alive in the country.

"Without public assistance, Holden's local manufacturing cannot compete globally," the submission said.

Preliminary findings are expected to be released on December 20 ahead of a final report by March 31.

Senator Carr urged the government to act to ensure the company would continue its Australian manufacturing operations.

"I frankly cannot understand why they haven't had a delegation to Detroit by now to discuss these questions with the global leadership of General Motors," Senator Carr said.

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