Labor can bounce back as a team: Shorten

Party members and unions will have a say in choosing Queensland Labor's parliamentary leader. Source: AAP

FEDERAL leader Bill Shorten has likened the prospect of a Labor Party comeback to the form reversal of the Australian cricket team.

He told the Queensland party conference that Labor had been written off since the election like fast bowler Mitchell Johnson before the Ashes.

"But then something happened, Mitchell started running in hard, he started running in very hard and bowling very fast," he told the cheering crowd of Labor faithful in Brisbane on Saturday.

"Now no one knows what's going to happen in this Ashes series.

"It's wide open and anyone can win.

"And what's true in sport is true in politics."

Mr Shorten called for unity, but there were deep divisions over proposals to give the rank-and-file more power.

Motions called for ordinary members have an input in voting for Queensland senate candidates, the state parliamentary leader, the Brisbane lord mayoral candidate and the state party's three vice presidents.

But the powerful delegates dug in their heels.

A motion for the branch members and unions to each get 30 per cent of the vote to choose who held the state parliamentary leader was passed.

But only after a delegate's suggested amendment to give the rank-and-file 50 per cent of the vote, with the other 50 per cent split between unions and caucus, was shouted down by outraged union delegates.

Later a motion to democratise senate preselections was fiercely challenged by regional delegates, who thought it would give too much power to the southeast.

In the end there was a division, which was likely to see the motion deferred.

Another motion for branch members to have a say in choosing the state party's three vice presidents was also set to be deferred, with one delegate telling delegates that democracy would destroy their power.

"You're voting yourselves out of existence," he warned.

In the end the delegates' hardball tactics resulted in only one motion giving branch members more power being passed, with the rest set to be deferred.

But a motion to reintroduce a ban on mining uranium in Queensland was easily passed.

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Stabbed woman hails cab to NSW hospital

A NSW woman somehow waved down a cab to get to hospital after suffering critical stab wounds. Source: AAP

A NSW woman mustered the strength to wave down a cab to rush herself to hospital after suffering critical stab wounds.

Police say a 42-year-old woman waved down a taxi driver on Villiers Street in South Grafton at 11.40pm (AEDT) on Friday and asked for help, saying she had been stabbed.

A man who had been standing next to the woman fled while the taxi driver took her to Grafton Hospital, where she underwent emergency surgery for stab wounds to her stomach, upper chest area and neck.

Police believe the stabbing was related to a domestic incident and apprehended a 55-year-old man as he returned to a Villiers Street home in the early hours of Saturday.

He was taken to Grafton Police Station and charged with causing grievous bodily harm with intent to murder.

He will appear in court at a later date.

The woman remains in hospital in a critical but stable condition.

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Police charge would-be carjacker

A MAN who allegedly tried to carjack a BMW in central Sydney before hitting a bouncer outside a bar has been charged.

In the early hours of Saturday the 39-year-old allegedly pushed the driver of a BMW, parked on the corner of Sussex and Slips streets, into the passenger seat and tried to start the car, police say.

Security guards from a nearby hotel pulled the would-be carjacker from the BMW but he ran off to a bar on Lime Street.

Leaving the venue, the man allegedly assaulted a bouncer in what police say was an "unprovoked attack."

He tried to run again but was chased by doorman's colleagues, caught and restrained.

Police took the man, who had suffered a head injury, to St Vincent's Hospital.

He was released on Saturday afternoon and charged with carjacking, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and common assault.

Bail was granted and he's due before Central Local Court on Monday.

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Letter from Abbott met Indon expectations

The government says Indonesia is taking time to respond to the PM's letter about the spying scandal. Source: AAP

INDONESIA says a letter from Prime Minister Tony Abbott in response to demands for an explanation over the tapping of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's phone is in accordance with expectations.

Dr Yudhoyono was on Tuesday set to hold a high-level meeting with some of his closest advisers and senior ministers to discuss a response to the letter from Mr Abbott, which was received on Saturday.

While the contents of the letter have not been revealed, a spokesman for the president said it was "just as we expected".

"I do not have the capacity to give details about the content of Prime Minister Abbott's letter," presidential spokesman Julian Pasha said at the presidential palace ahead of the talks.

"The answer from Prime Minister Abbott is in accordance to what we expected. I will stop there."

He refused to say whether the letter contained an apology.

It was unclear whether Dr Yudhoyono or a spokesman for the president would provide an official response to Mr Abbott's letter immediately following the meeting.

Indonesia has suspended all co-operation with Australia in terms of strategic partnerships as a result of the spying claims, including in combating people smuggling, intelligence gathering and anti-terrorism efforts.

Labor said earlier on Tuesday that it was worrying there had been no response from Indonesia since Mr Abbott took steps to mend ties between the nations.

But Parliamentary Secretary Simon Birmingham has played down concerns Indonesia hadn't responded yet to the letter.

"We'd expect Indonesia to take their time, and respond thoughtfully. That's obviously what's occurring," he told Sky News on Tuesday.

Senator Birmingham said the prime minister had opted for a "hand-delivered gesture" by asking retired army chief Lieutenant-General Peter Leahy to take the letter to Indonesia personally.

A spokesman for Mr Abbott said the prime minister "felt it was appropriate that his letter was conveyed with the utmost respect befitting the importance of the subject matter and his high regard for President Yudhoyono".

But Labor frontbencher Brendan O'Connor said it wasn't important how the message was sent as long as every effort was made to repair the relationship.

He said if all was well, the Indonesian president would be on the phone to Mr Abbott.

"The fact that it's taken so long for Indonesia to respond is of some concern," he told Sky News.

"Clearly they are disappointed with the government's response to date."

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Double the population by 2075: ABS

Experts forecast Australia's population is set to double to more than 46 million people by 2075. Source: AAP

AUSTRALIA'S population is set to double to more than 46 million people by 2075, experts forecast.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) on Tuesday released its predictions for coming decades - based on fertility, life expectancy and migration - including that population growth is likely to be greatest in capital cities.

"Melbourne and Sydney should be neck and neck by 2053, with 7.9 million people each," head of demography at the ABS, Bjorn Jarvis, said in a statement.

The head count in Perth will total 3 million by 2028, when it will overtake Brisbane.

A decade later the ACT's population will surpass Tasmania.

Mr Jarvis said the projections are based on "medium growth" and that the nation could reach a 46-million population as soon as 2058.

Growth is expected to continue in all states and territories except Tasmania where it is thought the population will plateau by 2040 and fall from 2047.

Increasing life expectancy will lift Australia's median age to 40 years by 2040, up by three years on 2012 figures.

Over the same period, the number of people aged over 85 is expected to almost triple to 1.2 million, while the number aged over 65 will double to 6.8 million.

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'Excited' tiger bit trainer: Qld zoo

A SENIOR tiger handler is in a serious but stable condition after being attacked by a tiger at a Queensland zoo.

The big cat became "overexcited" during a play session in a tiger show on Tuesday afternoon and bit its 30-year-old male trainer on the neck and shoulder.

Australia Zoo director Wes Mennon says a group of co-workers nearby saw the attack and helped drag the trainer away from the tiger.

"At the time of the incident, our emergency response team were on the scene immediately. They acted professionally and calmly. My hat goes off to them," he said in a statement.

The Department of Community Safety says the man suffered two large puncture wounds and was flown to a Brisbane hospital in a serious but stable condition.

He was conscious and breathing when he was loaded into the helicopter.

Mr Mennon said the trainer had nine years experience with big cats and raised the tiger since it arrived at the zoo as a cub.

"Our priority is the wellbeing of the handler, who is a valued member of our Australia Zoo family," he said.

"Our full support is with the handler and family."

Mr Mennon said Australia Zoo was conducting a full investigation in conjunction with workplace health and safety authorities.

The Australia Zoo keeps three Bengal and eight Sumatran tigers.

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Alleged Jedi Council man to 'clear name'

AN alleged member of the Australian Defence Force's "knights of the Jedi Council" looks forward to clearing his name, his lawyer says.

Hastings Frederickson, 40, was charged on Monday at Queanbeyan in NSW with six counts of using a carriage service to cause offence.

The former army member is allegedly involved in a group of officers who exchanged degrading emails involving up to 10 female victims.

The group reportedly called themselves the "Jedi Council".

Frederickson was granted conditional bail on Monday to appear in Downing Centre Local Court on December 17.

Outside court lawyer Peter Woodhouse told reporters Frederickson looked forward to clearing his name.

"He looks forward to these matters being determined by a court where he will meet the charges and clear his name," he said.

As journalists followed Frederickson down the street, he told a Seven Network reporter while he respected the media's right to report on the case, it would be dealt with in the court of law.

Recently the ADF discharged six soldiers alleged to be at the centre of the Jedi Council ring.

They are alleged to have produced and distributed offensive material and imagery including filmed sex acts, dating back to 2010.

The ADF is still reviewing the allegations as part of a major investigation.

A cadet involved in the ADFA Skype scandal was also discharged recently and sailors allegedly responsible for misconduct aboard HMAS Ballarat were removed from the vessel and returned to Australia.

Dozens of other mostly serving army members are still being investigated.

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Cleric quits over abuse handling

AFTER 50 years in the church, an Anglican priest says he doesn't know if he can say he's a Christian.

The priest, who was central to handling a group claim from people who suffered abuse in a NSW Anglican children's home, has announced he is quitting the clergy.

In a surprise revelation at Monday's hearing into how the Anglican Church dealt with victims of abuse at a children's home in Lismore, the former registrar of the Grafton Diocese, Pat Comben, said he had relinquished holy orders.

Mr Comben was the first to hear of the allegations of abuse at the home and was central to the diocese's handling of them for three years.

He said he'd signed the papers to leave the ministry on Friday, before taking the stand at the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.

The commission is looking at how the diocese handled claims of abuse at the North Coast Children's Home in Lismore.

Mr Comben, who was once a member of the Queensland government, said he was quitting because some members of the church were trying to re-write history.

"Some of us have some guilt and take some responsibility for this," Mr Comben told reporters outside the commission in Sydney after completing two days of evidence.

"Fifty years in the church and I do not know if I can even say I am a Christian," he said.

Mr Comben had been central to the hard line the diocese took in dealing with requests for an apology and compensation from 42 people who had suffered beatings and rape in the Lismore home from the 1940s to 1984.

The commission heard that as the number of claimants increased, the diocese disputed liability, pleaded poverty and cast doubt on the veracity of some of the claims.

When questioned on Monday by counsel assisting the commission Simeon Beckett, Mr Comben said in 2006/2007 the diocese was asset-rich - to the tune of almost $200 million - but cash-poor.

Mr Comben also told Mr Beckett he had no idea why he didn't inform police of the serious allegations being made about some clergy.

The former registrar was also questioned about a press release he sent to the Northern Star newspaper in which he cast doubt over some of the allegations.

He told commission chair Justice Peter McClellan he took that stance because he perceived the lawyer for the claimants was bullying, while others in the diocese were telling him there were never any problems at the home.

He now realises the approach he took was wrong.

In a letter dated August 2010, Mr Comben apologises to Mr Richard 'Tommy' Campion, who started the group action, for treating him and his sister with contempt.

Just before the commission rose on Monday, the former Bishop of Grafton, Keith Slater took the stand and confirmed that the Professional Standards and Protocols set up by the Anglican Church to deal with allegations of child sex abuse were not followed properly in this instance.

The commission resumes on Tuesday with Bishop Slater in the witness box.

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Aussie scientists discover embryo secrets

AUSTRALIAN researchers have used high-tech imaging equipment to capture the secret beginnings of the embryo.

The research shows how the first eight cells change shape in a process that determines whether an embryo will develop or not.

So far the research has been conducted on mice, but the scientists from Monash University are optimistic it could help improve in vitro fertilisation (IVF) for humans.

The pioneering imaging and video technique shows the cells becoming elongated and compacted against each other, before returning to their rounded shape and repeatedly dividing.

"Our findings reveal a completely unanticipated mechanism regulating the earliest stages of embryo development," said lead researcher Dr Nicolas Plachta.

"Arm-like filopodia are hugging the cells, squeezing them into shape. We can apply this knowledge to human IVF treatments," he said.

"Now that we know what controls early development, we are designing non-invasive imaging approaches to see if human embryos used in IVF form normal filopodia and undergo normal compaction."

It had not previously been understood how the cells changed shape, said Dr Melanie White, co-lead author of a paper on the study published in the journal Nature Cell Biology.

"With IVF we are always looking for ways to pick the best embryos to implant. This could help with the screening process for the most viable embryos."

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PM urges Senate repeal vote before Xmas

Prime Minister Tony Abbott is demanding the Senate votes on his carbon tax repeal before Christmas. Source: AAP

PRIME Minister Tony Abbott is demanding the Senate votes on his carbon tax repeal bills before Christmas.

The move will hand him his first double dissolution election trigger.

The repeal package cleared its first hurdle the lower house last week but the real battle to axe the tax begins in the Senate in early December.

Labor and the Australian Greens have vowed to block the laws in the Senate, and they collectively hold the balance of power until the upper house changeover in July.

Mr Abbott released a video clip on Youtube, Facebook and Twitter on Sunday evening challenging the Senate to pass the repeal package.

"The House of Representatives has voted to scrap the carbon tax, now it's up to the Senate to do the same and I want this done by Christmas," he said.

He repeated the government claim that removing the carbon tax will save households $550 a year.

But the federal government has threatened a double dissolution election if Labor and the Greens stand in the way.

A second rejection of the bills before June 30 will give the government its full double-dissolution election trigger, to be used at its discretion.

Labor wants to terminate the $24.15 per tonne fixed carbon price but bring forward its conversion to an internationally-linked emissions trading scheme which could result in a price fall to $6.

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No let up as more storms forecast this evening

NT residents are being urged to make final preparations as tropical Cyclone Alessia heads for the coast.

SEVERE thunderstorm warnings remain in place across parts of SEQ, as well as other areas of Queensland.

The weather bureau said the Wide Bay and Burnett, the Central Highlands and Coalfields, Capricornia and Southeast Coast districts should prepare for damaging winds and large hailstones.

Areas expected to be affected include the Gold Coast, Brisbane, Maroochydore, Gympie, Bundaberg and Blackwater.

At 5.5pm the bureau said storms had also been detected near Montville and Mapleton, heading in an easterly direction.

The Gabba is hit by a quick but intense storm cell that produced small hail during day four of the first Ashes Test. Picture: Adam Head

The storm front was expected to impact Maroochydore and Nambour by 6.20pm.

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Storms that sprang up on the city's doorstep earlier on Sunday produced marble to golf ball-sized hail which damaged some cars at the bayside suburb of Manly.

There also were reports of hail at Mt Tamborine on the Gold Coast hinterland, while a 107 km/hr wind gust was recorded at the Sunshine Coast Airport.

Hail at the Gabba as a storm hits day four of the first Ashes test. Picture: Jono Searle.

An Emergency Services Department spokeswoman said nine homeowners sought help from emergency services at Jimboomba, Macleay Island, Mt Tamborine, Upper Coomera and Coolum.

"It wasn't too bad,'' she said. "There was no damage of any significance and the calls were for trees down and leaking roofs.''

Mr Knepp said there would be little chance of rain saving England at the Gabba tomorrow despite Sunday's storms stopping play on Day 4 of the first Ashes Test. 

The hailstorm left the grounds looking  like a winter wonderland about 2pm.

Earlier, The Courier-Mail reported sunny conditions are forecast for the first cricket Test at the Gabba on Monday while in the north graziers are bracing for storms and showers as the first cyclone of the season pushes moisture inland over the drought-hit Gulf of Carpentaria.

The Gabba is hit by a quick but intense storm cell that produced small hail during day four of the first Ashes Test. Picture: Adam Head

It follows a weekend of storms that started in the Maranoa and Warrego yesterday before sweeping southeast, roughing up the Inglewood, Warwick, Lockyer Valley, Laidley, Rosewood and Ipswich districts.

Weather Bureau forecaster Michael Knepp said there would be little chance of rain saving England at the Gabba.

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At least one home has been destroyed by a tornado that whipped through northern NSW.

"Of course we still might get a storm or showers today,'' he said. "But after that, the whole week should be okay," he said.

"The next round of activity won't be until late Friday or Saturday when a trough comes through.

"There's very little chance of any interruptions with the cricket tomorrow.''

Large hail fell in the Tamborine area, south of Brisbane, on Sunday afternoon.

Mr Knepp said Cyclone Alessia was moving east towards Queensland at 20km/hr and - despite being a long way away - its moisture-laden winds were expected to bring showers and storms to the Gulf and northern parts.

The cyclone was 100km off the coast at 9am and flood warnings had been issued for the NT.

The monsoon trough is expected to drift south through the week, allowing monsoon rain areas to extend from the Gulf Country to Queensland's east north coast and Tablelands.

This rainbow was captured at Narangba, following the first storm that swept through the southeast on Sunday.

It will see scattered showers and thunderstorms from the northern interior across to the central coast.

Rollingstone just north of Townsville had 120mm overnight, the highest falls recorded in the state in the 24 hours to 9am.

"There have been falls of 50mm to 60mm around Normanton, Kowanyama had 28mm, Miranda Downs 30mm but it's likely there were heavier falls around that that,'' he said.

Storms roll over Brisbane, as seen from Kangaroo Point Cliffs. Pic: Adam Smith

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"We don't have a lot of rain gauges out there in the Gulf so we just don't know.

"How much we get up there is highly dependent on the movement of the tropical cyclone. If it moves towards the NT-Queensland border as a low, we could get quite a lot of rainfall.''

Storms roll over Brisbane, as seen from Kangaroo Point Cliffs. Pic: Adam Smith

Some cumulative rainfall totals over the past week include Bowen 295.3mm, Georgetown 74mm, Richmond 44.8mm and Charters Towers 53.6mm.

Overnight in the southeast, Junction View, southeast of Toowoomba, had 69mm, Nanango 62mm, nearby Brooklands 72mm, Amberley 52mm, Churchill 55mm, Coolangatta 26mm, Currumbin Creek 42mm, North Stradbroke Island 37mm, O'Reilly's 36mm, Tallebudgera Creek Dam 41mm.

Goondiwindi had 31mm while in the north Mareeba had 79mm, Chillagoe 50mm, Ingham 58mm and Coen on Cape York 67mm. Falls around Brisbane were mostly in the teens.

Storms roll over Brisbane, as seen from Kangaroo Point Cliffs. Pic: Adam Smith

By tomorrow, the monsoon trough should extend from the northwest, across the tropical interior and south to the Fraser Island area with showers and thunderstorms contracting to its north.

A drier air mass should dominate to the south.

Last night, forecasters said the line of storms that barrelled through the southeast corner had started to weaken by 10.30pm and were likely to reach the Sunshine Coast by 1am.

Storm clouds north of Moonie, Western Darling Downs, Saturday afternoon. Pic: Jeff Higgins. Higgins Storm Chasing

"They have weakened over the past hour but we are still seeing some intense bursts of rainfall and the odd significant wind gust," said Bureau of Meteorology senior forecaster Brett Harrison.

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Early reports suggested one house was completely demolished and up to 30 other homes were reportedly damaged in the Rosewood and Pine Mountain area near Ipswich, although this could not be confirmed by emergency services.

Top of Bunya Mountains looking west out over the Darling Downs. Things are really brewing up out here today! Picture courtesy: Jeff Higgins / Higgins Storm Chasing

"We have dodged three big storms lately, but we really copped it tonight,'' said Ipswich Mayor Paul Pisasale late on Saturday.

"One has collapsed completely and 25 to 30 have got damage at various degrees.

"No-one has been injured so far as we know.''

Bowen certainly has copped some rain!! Thankfully tide was out bit still water is still through some houses and cars. Picture: Tash Edwards

On Saturday night, the heaviest falls were recorded at Junction View, south of Gatton, with up to 62mm of rain dumped in just over an hour.

Wind gusts of up to 92km/h were recorded at Amberley at the height of the storm.

Golf ball-size hail was dropped near Inglewood, Ipswich and Warwick, but senior forecaster Brett Harrison said there had been no reports since 5.30pm Saturday.

Bowen certainly has copped some rain!! Thankfully tide was out bit still water is still through some houses and cars. Picture: Tash Edwards

Energex reported more than 5000 homes across the southeast were without power at around 10pm.

More showers and thunderstorms are expected to brew on Sunday, with the activity likely to be closer to the southeast coast.

Mr Harrison said November had certainly made up for a late start to the storm season.

Bowen certainly has copped some rain!! Thankfully tide was out bit still water is still through some houses and cars. Picture: Tash Edwards

"This time of year is when we expect there to be a large number of severe thunderstorms," he said.

"The main trigger is the upper trough."

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A severe thunderstorm warning had been issued at 10.58pm for damaging wind and heavy rainfall in the Sunshine Coast and Cherbourg Shire areas and for parts of the Gympie, Moreton Bay, Somerset, South Burnett and Toowoomba areas.

Damaging winds and heavy rainfall that may lead to flash flooding were likely, the Bureau of Meteorology warned.

The warning came after several thunderstorms rolled across southern Queensland throughout Saturday.

Residents reported seeing hail stones, lightning strikes, strong winds and heavy rain across the area.

By 9.15pm, the State Emergency Services had received 47 requests for help through the Rosewood, Hatton Vale, Marburg, Amberley, Ipswich and Brisbane CBD areas.

A spokeswoman said the requests related to structural damage to homes, fallen trees and general storm and flood damage.

"There was significant roof damage to houses in Lower Mt Walker, near Laidley," she said.

A 92 km/h wind gust was recorded at Amberley Airport at 7.45pm, an 87 km/h wind gust was recorded at Gold Coast Seaway at 8.30pm and a 79 km/h wind gust was recorded at Inner Beacon (Moreton Bay) at 8:55pm.

Wild weather also battered northern NSW on Saturday, with a twister destroying at least one home.

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- additional reporting by Kate McKenna

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Sheep stolen from RSPCA's WA shelter

TWO sheep have been stolen from Perth's RSPCA headquarters.

It comes after RSPCA inspectors took 71 ill-treated animals from a property on the outskirts of Perth on Friday.

Sheep, dogs, cats, birds, guinea pigs and rabbits were found to be living in filthy conditions without adequate food or water.

RSPCA spokesman Tim Mayne said on Sunday that the charity was reviewing CCTV footage from Friday night and had contacted police.

"The sheep are unwell and need urgent veterinary treatment," he said.

"We want to ensure the sheep are returned safely and quickly so we can continue with their medical treatment."

The RSPCA is currently at crisis point after a massive influx of animals pushed the shelter beyond its capacity by about 200 animals.

There are currently more than 370 animals on site.

Anyone with information about the missing sheep is asked to call the RSPCA on 9209 9300.

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