Vic teen killed after leaning out of train

A Victorian teenager is dead after he leaned out of a train and was hit by a trackside object. Source: AAP

TRAIN safety features will be examined as part of a coroner's investigation into the death of a teenager, killed while leaning out of a Melbourne train.

THE 17-year-old was struck by a trackside object about 200 metres from Malvern station on Friday.

The boy, from Beaumaris, was travelling with friends in the rear carriage when the accident happened about 9.20pm.Emergency crews treated him at the scene and he was taken to hospital but died shortly before 11pm.The boy's friends were uninjured, and police are investigating the circumstances leading up to the accident.Acting Sergeant Andrew Kiss on Saturday described the fatality as a tragedy."It's going to impact severely on all family and friends," he told the Nine Network.Safety procedures on trains will be considered as part of the coroner's investigation, he said."It'll be up to the coroner to establish whether more safety procedures need to be put in place, whether, I guess, things like the locking system on the doors need to be looked at. It'll all be up to the coroner at this stage," he told ABC radio.Metro Trains spokeswoman Leah Waymark said it was "a tragic case of one risk too many"."Unfortunately some people take risks and the train network is not a fun park for thrill seekers," she told Nine.

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More drama over Qld chief justice pick

Queensland's controversial next chief justice had a private dinner with the state attorney-general. Source: AAP

THE appointment of Queensland's next chief justice is arousing new controversy, with the state's attorney-general accused of leaking yet another confidential letter linked to the matter.

TIM Carmody's promotion from chief magistrate to Supreme Court chief justice in just nine months has sparked growing anger among legal groups.

Queensland Council for Civil Liberties vice-president Terry O'Gorman has likened the appointment to the Joh Bjelke-Petersen era selection of Terry Lewis who "leapfrogged" numerous senior officers to become police commissioner.His condemnation comes a day after Peter Davis QC quit as head of the Queensland Bar Association, citing the leaking of confidential discussions he had with one of Attorney-General Jarrod Bleijie's senior staff about Mr Carmody's possible promotion."The leaking of confidential discussions the attorney-general had with Peter Davis QC ... is an extraordinary development that cannot be left unaddressed," Mr O'Gorman said on Saturday in a statement.Australian Bar Association president Mark Livesey QC is also questioning Mr Carmody's selection."The handling of this matter has seriously called into question the appointment process and judicial independence," he said.Opposition Leader Annastacia Palaszczuk, meanwhile, has accused Mr Bleijie of leaking a private letter she wrote to him, to conservative Courier-Mail newspaper columnist Des Houghton.In April, Mr Houghton wrote that Labor had nominated former Queensland solicitor-general Walter Sofronoff as the state's next chief justice.Mr Sofronoff, who quit his post in March, has since called on Mr Carmody to decline his appointment, claiming he is too close to the government."He shouldn't be chief justice. He should do the gracious thing and realise that all of this has been a horrible mistake and say that he wouldn't accept the appointment," he told ABC television.Mr Houghton's column also said Labor had nominated Court of Appeal president Margaret McMurdo as a possible chief justice.An angry Ms Palaszcuk on Saturday insisted her correspondence in relation to the appointment process, which had been "provided to the attorney-general in confidence", had been leaked, and called for Mr Bleijie to resign."On Monday, the attorney-general should not be walking through the doors of this Executive Building," she told reporters outside the government's ministerial offices in Brisbane."The only reason he should go through these doors is to hand his resignation in to the premier of Queensland."In a statement issued later on Saturday, a spokesman for Mr Bleijie said "nothing came from the attorney-general or his office".However, he said Ms Palaszczuk had herself breached a confidentiality by publicly disclosing her recommendations for chief justice during a press conference on 7 May.As chief magistrate in late 2013, Mr Carmody angered the legal profession by issuing a directive that all disputed bail applications made by alleged bikies be dealt with in one court room.That meant he would, most likely, be presiding over the controversial cases.Days after being appointed chief magistrate in September 2013, Mr Carmody and Mr Bleijie had a private dinner at the upmarket Urbane Restaurant in Brisbane, documents obtained by AAP show.A spokesman for the attorney-general described that meeting as social catch-up.

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US jazzman Jimmy Scott dies

American jazz man Jimmy Scott with an ethereal man-child voice has died at the age of 88. Source: AAP

JIMMY Scott, a jazzman with an ethereal man-child voice who found success late in life with the Grammy-nominated All the Way, has died. He was 88.

SCOTT died in his sleep on Thursday at his Las Vegas home, his wife, Jeanie Scott, said.

He battled health problems stemming from a genetic hormone deficiency and had been under the care of a home nurse, she said.His 1992 album All the Way sold only 49,000 copies in the US but earned him cult-like popularity in Europe and Asia, particularly Japan, where he often sold out performances.Eventually, he performed with the likes of Elton John and Sting."I love show business," Scott told the Associated Press in 2004. "It's my life, honey, and I try to enjoy it."His signature high voice came from Kallmann's syndrome, which kept him from experiencing puberty and stunted his growth. He stood just under five feet (152 centimetres), and his voice did not change.Although that trait ultimately helped Scott stand out as a singer, he also suffered from congestive heart failure and had a lifestyle that included heavy drinking and smoking.Despite his youthful sound, Scott brought heavy emotion to his delivery, often dramatically drawing out lyrics and singing far behind the beat."Jimmy had soul way back when people weren't using the word," Ray Charles once said in a PBS documentary on the history of jazz.A record label dispute prevented Scott making an album in the 1950s produced by Charles. Scott's previous record company, Savoy Records, said it had an exclusive, lifetime contract with him, and the company blocked Scott's efforts to release new records for nearly 20 years.Savoy Records dropped the matter in the 1970s. By that time, Scott had returned to Cleveland, where he worked as a hotel clerk and nursing home aide.Scott was born in Cleveland on July 17, 1925. He had a difficult childhood in East Cleveland, losing his mother, who cultivated his passion for music, in a traffic accident at age 13.His first claim to fame came in 1949 when he recorded the vocals as "Little Jimmy Scott" for the Lionel Hampton Band's Everybody's Somebody's Fool. His name never appeared on the record, and he never received royalties from the jukebox hit.At age 67, he was rediscovered by a Warner Bros Records executive who heard him sing at a friend's funeral and the result was All the Way.He married Jeanie Scott 10 years ago."He was an earth angel," she said. "He was different from any person I ever met. He was kind, humble. Everyone he met he made them feel special. He had a hard life, but he didn't hold any resentment."Scott stopped touring two years ago but continued recording until about a month before his death, his wife said. He is expected to be buried in Cleveland.

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Vic teen 'forced into sex work': police

A 17-YEAR-OLD girl may have been forced into sex work for three months, Victorian police say.

A 33-year-old Warrnambool North man was arrested over the claims, but was released pending further inquiries.

He was interviewed on Monday over charges of procuring and inducing a child to take part in sex work, allowing a child to take part in sex work and living on the earnings of a sex worker.

Police on Tuesday said they had reports a girl had been forced into sex work, and appealed for anyone else in the same situation to come forward.

Detectives want to speak to anyone who has information about the girl or illegal sex work in Victoria's southwest.

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Nexus shareholders to reject Seven's offer

NEXUS Energy shares have slumped more than 35 per cent as investors worry their shareholdings could be worthless within 48 hours.

Shareholders are expected to reject Seven Group's $26.6 million takeover offer for the struggling oil and gas company at a meeting on Thursday.

Billionaire Kerry Stokes' industrial services and media group offered two cents a share for the debt laden Nexus in late March.

But on Friday Nexus revealed more than 25 per cent of the company's shareholders had voted against the offer, meaning the deal is set to fall over.

Seven Group has told investors that if the deal is voted down it will not extend bridging finance for Nexus' continuing operations.

Debt owing under the bridging finance would then become payable and the Nexus board would need to place the company into voluntary administration.

Seven says it would then try to acquire all of Nexus' shares for "nil" through the administration process.

Nexus shares on Tuesday finished 0.6 cents, or 35.29 per cent, lower at 1.1 cents - a new low for the company.

The Australian Shareholders Association (ASA) is yet to form a position on the unusual situation, but spokesman Stephen Mayne said Nexus shareholders had received a tiny takeover valuation with a serious prospect of insolvency looming.

"Clearly there are a significant number of shareholders who feel they've been dudded," Mr Mayne said.

"It's an invidious situation."

Still, it was unclear whether some proxy holders would change their votes at Thursday's meeting given the prospect of receiving nothing for their shareholdings.

Some people were prepared to gamble that Seven Group would not wipe out equity holders in an administration process, he said.

Majority shareholder Andrew Greig, who holds 10.6 per cent of Nexus, is understood to have voted against the deal.

It comes after an independent expert's report found the two cent offer to be "fair and reasonable".

Nexus has not received competing or superior proposals and it has recommended that shareholders vote in favour of the deal.

Nexus has offshore exploration and production assets in the Gippsland Basin, off the south-east coast of Victoria, and the Browse Basin off the north-west coast of Western Australia.

In December 2007 Nexus shares were trading at $1.62, but it has since suffered revenue falls as it struggled to unlock the value of its assets.

The shareholders meeting will be held in Melbourne on Thursday.

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Johnson won't be expelled: Barnett

WA's premier says rogue MP Rob Johnson is not at risk of being expelled from the Liberal party. Source: AAP

ROGUE West Australian Liberal backbencher Rob Johnson is not at risk of being expelled from the party, Premier Colin Barnett says.

Mr Johnson has been an outspoken critic of the state government since he was dropped as police minister during a cabinet reshuffle in June 2012.

Recent media reports suggested MLC Phil Edman, the government whip, was securing support to move a motion to expel Mr Johnson at a party room meeting on Tuesday.

While Mr Barnett said no motion was made during the meeting, members had discussed the need to end leaks from the Liberal party room to keep its confidentiality.

"It's courteous to let the party room or the leader know you're going to speak on some topic which is perhaps contrary to the party's position or the government's position," Mr Barnett said.

"If you want to make a comment as a Liberal you can - that's one of the freedoms within our Liberal Party. I also insist you actually put your name to it, you actually have the courage to do that.

"When members of parliament go outside and, with respect, talk to the media, or divulge what's said in the party room, that undermines confidence in (the party room) process."

Mr Barnett urged party members not to personally criticise each other and instead focus on debating policy.

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Remains of NT croc attack victim found

Water police are searching a billabong in the Kakadu National Park for a man taken by a crocodile. Source: AAP

THE remains of a man taken by a crocodile in front of his family in the Northern Territory's Kakadu National Park have been recovered.

Two crocodiles were shot and killed by police officers who were searching for the 62-year-old on Sunday.

One of the crocs, which was 4.7 metres long, contained the remains of the man, a police spokesman told reporters.

The man was on a boat with his son, wife and daughter-in-law when he was attacked on a billabong near Cooinda, on Saturday afternoon.

"During daylight hours today Kakadu rangers using their expertise of crocodile management behaviour managed to locate two large saltwater crocodiles in the billabong," Sergeant Andrew Hocking said.

"Two of the crocs were shot and killed.

"One of those crocs was later examined and a quantity of human remains was recovered."

Sgt Hocking said the remains were yet to be formally identified. The reptiles were found about 1.5 kilometres from where the man was taken.

There's no indication the man was swimming when the incident happened, although investigations are continuing, Sgt Hocking said.

He also said reports the man and his family were in a closed area of the park were incorrect, as the area had recently been opened to the public.

Crocodile expert Graeme Webb said it was unusual for a croc to attack at this time of year, as the reptiles usually laid low during the cooler months.

"They tend to move around a lot more when it warms up... and that's when they're more dangerous," he told AAP.

"But crocs will still take prey during the cooler months.

"I don't know what has happened in this case but it just sounds horrific. It's just awful, you just can't begin to understand how [the man's family] must feel."

Mr Webb, chair of the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Crocodile Specialist Group, said there have been a number of reports in the past of reptiles approaching and going aboard boats.

Police haven't released the dead man's name.

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Woman critical after Sydney bus hit

A WOMAN is in critical condition in hospital after being hit by a bus in central Sydney.

The woman, aged in her 30s, was crossing George Street when she was hit and has been taken to the nearby St Vincents Hospital in a with severe injuries.

"She's currently undergoing surgery," police said.

Police weren't able to say what her injuries were or whether she had crossed against the lights.

No one else was injured but one northbound lane of George Street has been closed as forensic specialists investigate.

"A city bus had a smashed windscreen and light at the front and the pavement has been cordoned off," an AAP reporter at the scene said.

Earlier on Sunday police expressed fears safety warnings aren't sinking in, after a second death on the state's roads this holiday weekend.

A 21-year-old driving through Binnaway, veered onto the wrong side of the road on Sunday before crashing and being thrown from the car.

It's believed the young man, who died at the scene wasn't wearing a seatbelt.

A teenage girl died and her four friends were injured when their four-wheel-drive car left the trail through Lowes Mount State Forest near Oberon, in NSW's central west, and rolled just after midnight on Saturday.

"Two people have now lost their lives on the state's roads this long weekend, which is two too many," Acting Assistant Commissioner Smith said on Sunday.

"Today's fatality was a tragedy.

He said it was disappointing so many people were still speeding, with more than 2100 speed infringement notices handed out so far this holiday period.

He urged drivers to remaining vigilant, drive to the conditions, take rest breaks, stay away from alcohol or drugs and the distractions by mobile devices.

"These steps could easily save a life," he said.

Major roads in the CBD will be closed on Sunday night as part of Sydney's Vivid festival.

"Anyone attending (Sunday)'s event should leave the car at home and catch one of the extra 3500 trains and buses operating," the Transport Management Centre said.

"All roads are expected to be reopened by midnight."

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GM makes more recalls: air bags, chimes

GENERAL Motors Friday issued another four recalls, this time for air bag and warning chime problems in about 89,000 models from 2012 to 2015.

It was the latest of dozens of recalls this year that covered at least 15.9 million cars worldwide, mostly for ignition switch problems linked to numerous fatal accidents. The problem cars reached back to 2001 models.

This time, GM said there were no known fatalities, and only one crash with an injury related to the problems.

The recall affects 57,512 Silverados, Sierras, Tahoes, Suburbans and Yukons from 2014-2015; 31,520 Buick Veranos and Chevrolet Camaros, Cruzes and Sonics from 2012; and a handful of Chevrolet Sparks, Buick Encores and Corvettes from 2013-2014.

In the largest of Friday's recalls, the problem was with the warning chime which failed to alert the driver to an open door or unbuckled seat belt. The other recalled cars have defects that prevent airbags deploying properly or totally disabling them.

On Thursday, GM felt the consequences after months of debacle.

Fifteen employees were sacked or left the company over their actions regarding a safety flaw in ignition switches.

The problem has been linked to at least 13 deaths, including many cases in which the ignition switch failure kept airbags from deploying in collisions.

The dismissals followed an internal investigation of the deadly flaw, but new chief executive Mary Barra was cleared of wrongdoing.

The switch was present in about 2.6 million smaller cars produced during the last decade, most prominently the Chevrolet Cobalts.

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