Get off your phone, motor-mouth

PET HATE: Bad drivers who talk on the phone, hog the righthand lane and can't drive in wet weather. Picture: Thinkstock Source: Supplied

HOGGING the right-hand lane, tailgating and using mobile phones are the traffic sins which aggravate Perth drivers most.

"Forget rain - what about the idiots with their mobiles, breakfast bowls, make-up, shavers - the list goes on," one commented on our story about bad drivers in wet weather.

"I do not know if [Perth drivers] are totally bad, but the fact is they are not thinking at all when driving.

"Also their attention is constantly distracted by their iPhones, tablets, children, pets, newspapers, loud music and some other things I have noticed driving across Perth … The mobile phones are the worst though."

Figures released by Main Roads show West Australians can't drive in the wet; there are 16 per cent more crashes in winter than summer.

That's why the RAC, the state's biggest car insurer, is calling for drivers to adjust their road habits to cope with the wet weather.

"The roads are going to be slippery, you're going to need extra distance to stop and visibility will be reduced," RAC head of member advocacy Matt Brown said.

Readers used the PerthNow Facebook page to vent their frustration with careless wet-weather drivers.

"Safer to stay off the roads, too many speeding soccer mums in SUVs that don't know how to control their vehicle," John Dix posted.

Kerrie-Lea James said drivers on the Kwinana Freeway were easily the most dangerous.

"It's the people that slow down too much that cause the problems," she wrote. "If people don't have the confidence and defensive driving skills to maintain their speed at least within 20km/h of the limit, then they shouldn't have a licence."

Another reader, Liam Kenny, posted: "The amount of people who drive around with their lights off and then flip you off when you flash them really baffles me."

Mr Brown said that on rainy days drivers should be extra vigilant of motor bike riders, cyclists and pedestrians, who should do everything they could to make themselves more visible.

"Everybody needs to be extra cautious when driving in wet conditions. Turn your lights on so others can see you, be courteous to other road users and be patient," he said.

The Main Roads statewide data show there were 10,294 crashes in winter last year compared with 8871 in summer.

The seasonal increase was more pronounced in the metropolitan area, where there were 8757 crashes in winter compared with 7441 in summer.

Parts of the state were battered by a double-barrelled storm this week, which brought destructive winds and heavy rain.

SES crews received nearly 40 calls for help for storm damage in the past three days.

About 60 volunteers were called out on Friday night to make temporary repairs to homes, fix roof damage and remove fallen trees from homes, cars and fences. Damage was reported in Banksia Hill, Heathridge, Beldon, Swan View, Halls Head and Silver Sands.

Strong winds and heavy rain also caused damage in Kalgoorlie, Moora and York.

A dangerous weather warning is active this weekend between Lancelin and Windy Harbour, in the state's south.

The Bureau of Meteorology has warned that a deep low-pressure system could bring 100km/h winds, hail and possibly thunderstorms.

Cruel lie that tore a family apart

DESPAIR: Selvamalar knows her son is dead, but cannot accept the tragedy. Picture: Rante Ardiles Source: Supplied

MY BEAUTIFUL SON: Baby Darnasen, who drowned on the way to Australia. Source: PerthNow

About 1000 asylum seekers have died trying to get to Australia illegally by boat since the Labor Government was elected. The Sunday Times was on the scene in the immediate aftermath of the latest boat tragedy this week and, in a common but rarely captured story, can tell why one woman took an extraordinary risk to reach her husband in Perth and suffered the most painful loss of all. Special report by Paul Toohey in Java and Ashlee Mullany in Perth.

SHE was sold a cruel lie by the people smugglers. He will never meet his son.

She was told she would travel on a luxury ocean liner from Indonesia to Australia. They showed her photos of the ship that would transport her, her beautiful son and her brother to their new life in Australia. It was a superb vessel, with three storeys of cabins.

"I believed them,'' she said.

He had warned his wife not to do it, to never get on a boat. They would achieve their dream of being together again as a family but not like that. He knew first-hand how dangerous it was, having escaped to Australia four years earlier on a boat to build a new life in Perth for his wife and unborn son, their first child.

He had left Sri Lanka when she was five months pregnant.

His life on hold in a cluttered share-house with three other men in Langford in Perth's south-eastern suburbs, he spent his days working, eating, sleeping and dreaming. He dreamt of them being together, even cutting up photos to make a collage of the three of them in a typically Australian scene. The tragic montage is now the only way they would be together.
 

BROKEN MAN: Balamanokaran Nagaraga at his home in Langford holding a picture of his late son Darmasen. Picture Theo Fakos Source: PerthNow

  
**********

Wind back a few days. We are in the village of Cidaun, on the southern coast of West Java, at one of the closest points between Indonesia and Christmas Island.

Two Sri Lankan women are weeping. One says that her three children and husband are missing, lost at sea after their boat sank. The second woman says her only son is missing. Someone calls her name. She turns, in horror.

She knows that over where the voice came from is the makeshift morgue they have set up at the clinic in the fishing village.

An ambulance has just arrived with another body rescuers have pulled from the water.

The woman runs, then stops, not wanting to go closer, but compelled to do so. She knows without doubt what she'll find. She begins to scream. She rushes and grabs her small son's grey and wet body and clutches him, her overwhelming lament  unbearable to behold.

Local villagers circle her, staring at her pain. And then she and her dead boy are gone.

In Perth, husband Balamanokaran receives a phone call from his wife. His baby boy is dead.

Until now, he had no idea his wife and child had boarded a boat to try to get to Australia.

"It's not the correct way. I never wanted her to go on a boat. I came by boat and I know about the travel,'' he said.

"I told her not to stay in Indonesia, don't waste your life. Go back to Sri Lanka and I'll send you money and she said OK. I didn't know about the boat.''

Balamanokaran planned to bring his family to Australia next year, when he expected to get citizenship in the final year of his five-year visa.

"I wanted a life here with my wife and son,'' he said. ``A good future, good opportunities here.''

Now, all he wants is to hold the son he never knew.

"I want to see my son's face because I've never seen him,'' he said, sobbing quietly in a bedroom in his Langford home.

He is urgently trying to get a passport to go to Jakarta, but says he has been told to wait until next week.

"I'm asking the Australian Government to let me go to Indonesia. Send me to Indonesia,'' he said. ``If I can't do that, please bring my wife and baby here to stay with me for a couple of weeks and then send my wife back to Sri Lanka. I just want two weeks with my wife and child.''

**********

Selvamalar tells her heartbreaking story to Paul Toohey. Picture: Rante Ardiles Source: Supplied

We pick up this extraordinary story on Wednesday at noon. There are so many tales of loss after an asylum boat, believed to be carrying 187 people, most of them Sri Lankans and Iranians, broke down and sank soon after leaving Cidaun for Christmas Island on Tuesday morning.

There are also remarkable stories of survival. Most of the passengers somehow escaped with their lives after the smugglers cruelly overburdened the small wooden cargo vessel in their soulless pursuit of profit.

None of the Sri Lankans seems to know much about the screaming woman. They nicknamed her Radha, and say she, her son and brother travelled with, but were not part of, a bigger group of Tamil asylum-seekers.

By Thursday morning, we have tracked her down on the other side of Java, in Jakarta, at the police hospital. She is with a young couple who have also lost their son, a one-year-old.

The Disaster Victim Identification Unit wants to DNA-match the dead children to their parents.

The woman comes out a doorway in a daze. Her name is Selvamalar. She is 39. Her son's name is Darmithan. He was four.

She speaks passable English. She says the police won't let her see Darmithan. They took him from her when they arrived here in the ambulance, the day before. ``I want my baby, I want to see my baby,'' she cried.

Selvamalar tells how it came to this. Late last year she, her brother Rahulan, 25, and Darmithan left their home in Vavuniya, in Sri Lanka's Northern Province. She said husband Balamanokaran faced serious ethnic and political problems as a Tamil in Sri Lanka.

FAMILY ALBUM: A photograph father Balamanorkaran had stuck together of him with his wife and child. Source: PerthNow

Selvamalar said she'd tried to join her husband through legal means, but was refused a visa. ``I don't know why,'' she said.

In mid-November, feeling she had no alternative, she set off from Galle, in the south of the troubled island nation, with her son, brother and 43 other Australia-bound asylum seekers.

Each paid the equivalent of around $7200 for passage to Indonesia. The engine stopped as they got close to Indonesia in their 2000km journey.

"We were 45 days in the boat,'' Selvamalar said. ``After 25 days, there was no food. Then a ship stopped and give us food. After 36 days, we got more food from a New Orient ship. We just floated. On January 1, we are rescued by a ship and come to Indonesia.''

They were taken to Medan, capital of north Sumatra, and put in an overcrowded migration detention facility with other Sri Lankans and Iranians, Afghans and Burmese.

"On April 4, eight Rohingya (Muslim) persons from Myanmar were murdered by Buddhists in the jail,'' she said.

"I don't know why. They were stabbed. My son saw this. My son is very afraid. We are all very afraid.''

After more than three months, the International Organisation for Migration secured their release into the community. Selvamalar found a smuggler who arranged for their three-day journey by inter-island ferry and bus to Jakarta.

By April 22, the three were in Cisarua, in central West Java, the place where most asylum seekers register with the UNHCR in the hope of gaining legal resettlement in Australia, or to make contact with the smugglers.

She and her brother had no trouble finding the smuggler network. At least 40 brokers operate on behalf of the kingpins in the area, looking for passengers.

The deal was that Selvamalar and her brother would pay $7200 each. Darmithan would travel free.

They were taken from Cisarua to another town on the evening of July 22, where she said a large number of Sri Lankans were gathered. They were driven down to the coast, arriving on Tuesday morning.

``When we saw the boat, very shocked,'' she said. ``But they are saying that this boat will take us to the ship.''

They motored to sea for two hours. Selvamalar began to realise there was no ship. They were put on a boat that quickly began taking water through a hole in the hull. ``We are very afraid,'' she said. ``The boat is in danger.''

The captain responded to passengers' pleas and turned back for Java, limping on half power for three hours until the boat swamped and began to quickly sink. Selvamalar tells of something strange, but something we have heard from others: that a bigger, more- modern boat was just 50m from them as people began to struggle and drown.

"They are watching our boat,'' she said. ``We say, `Please help us'. We remove our life jackets and wave. They don't help our rescue. They are watching, watching. We called out, `Help us, save our life'. They not help.''

She had become split from her brother (who would survive) and was floating, holding Darmithan. Each had a life jacket, but she didn't know how to swim. She didn't want to float further out to sea with her boy.

"A man came and took my son,'' she said. ``A Sri Lankan man. He could swim. I gave him my son to take him to safety, to take to land.'' But Darmithan arrived dead.

What happened? ``I don't know, I don't know,'' she said, bursting into tears again. ``On Wednesday I see my son, dead. Very cute boy, very cute boy.''

She does not know if the man who took her son made it back to shore. She does not know if someone stole her son's life jacket.

When we speak to Selvamalar in the police hospital, she says someone had given her a phone so she could call her husband.

Selvamalar cannot let go. She cannot accept her son is dead.

"My baby was a good dancer, a very good singer,'' Selvamalar said. ``Every day he's saying, `Mama, I want to see my papa. When will I see my papa? When are we going to Papa?'.

Darmasen died on the way to Australia. Source: News Limited

"My baby is always saying to me, `Don't cry Mama, don't cry Mama'. He was very cute, very cute.''

She doesn't know what will happen now. ``I don't want to go to Australia,'' she said. ``My life is my baby. My future is my baby. I want my baby. I want to see my baby.''

Asked what she thinks of the people smugglers, she says: ``They are very cheaters. No life do they understand. Not babies, not pregnant ladies, nothing. They not understand.''
 

Radical reshape: City of Perth just got bigger

EAST: The city boundary changes will include Burswood, as pictured from the top of Central Park today. Picture: Kerris Berrington. Source: PerthNow

THE City of Perth's boundaries will be expanded to include Kings Park, the new Perth Stadium at Burswood, Leederville, the University of WA, Beaufort St and other landmarks under historic local government reforms.

The changes, announced today by Premier Colin Barnett and Local Government Minister Tony Simpson, will swallow up large parts of the City of Vincent and the City of Stirling.

MAP: SEE THE CITY BOUNDARY CHANGES

The City of Perth will expand from 782ha to 1,893ha to also include QEII hospital, the Leederville cafe strip and Beaufort St as far as Walcott St.

The extension of the city's western boundary will take in Kings Park, which is not currently included in a local government area.

The new boundary will also take in UWA, which now falls within three local government areas.

After years of wrangling, the process to reduce WA's 40 local councils will be finalised on Tuesday. The full plans will outline the Government's amalgamation blueprint in a briefing to mayors, shire presidents and CEOs from Perth's 30 local councils.

It is understood South Perth and Victoria Park will merge, and a super council will be formed in some of Australia's most affluent suburbs of Cottesloe, Peppermint Grove, Nedlands, Cambridge, Claremont, Subiaco and Mosman Park.

NORTH: The view towards Beaufort St, Mt Lawley. Source: PerthNow

The City of Vincent and the City of Stirling could also come together, against the wishes of both.

City of Vincent Mayor Alannah MacTiernan told PerthNow she was "totally opposed'' to Vincent being split in two, and supported the entire council being amalgamated into the City of Perth. 

"The City of Vincent was originally part of the City of Perth before the very stupid decision to split us apart.

"And we see this as an opportunity to fix that."

Ms MacTiernan said the City of Perth would be better able to cater for the unique identity of the City of Vincent than the "monolithic suburban council" of Stirling.

She will run a community campaign to oppose the split and support the whole of Vincent becoming part of the City of Perth.

TOTALLY OPPOSED: City of Vincent Mayor Alannah MacTiernan, pictured in Mary St, Highgate, will rally against Vincent being split in two. Source: PerthNow

"We're meeting this afternoon," she said.

"I've already been down to the North Perth coffee strip to speak to some of the business owners, and they're not happy".

And the mayor of the City of Stirling has told the ABC that cultural events such as the Beaufort Street Festival could be at risk under new metropolitan council amalgamation plans.

Mayor David Boothman told the ABC that a number of projects would be revised under that amalgamation.

"All local governments as well were required to sign off on 10-year plans this year which we have just done," he said.

"[We are] committed to about $120 million worth of major projects.

"The delivery of those projects now is going to be compromised."

Mr Boothman says it would be difficult to accommodate both councils' plans and priorities under such a merger.
"There's going to be a significant impact one way or another on rate payers on either side," he said.

"Any major changes can hurt us badly as far as being able to deliver on the commitments we currently have."

Premier Colin Barnett ascended to the 53rd floor of a Perth office block to announce the expansion of the City of Perth authority, and a significant increase in revenue for the council.

CENTRAL PARK: Colin Barnett outlines the boundary plan today. Picture: Kerris Berrington Source: PerthNow

Premier Colin Barnett ascended to the 53rd floor of a Perth office block to announce the expansion of the City of Perth authority, and a significant increase in revenue for the council.

The Premier said the changes, which would take effect from July 2015, signalled a new era for the State's capital and were the first step in the State Government's reforms which aimed to meet the demands of a growing city.

"It is fitting that the reforms begin with the City of Perth. These changes will give it the status it should hold as Australia's west coast capital and an increasingly important city in the Asia region,'' Mr Barnett said.

"What we have is a one in 100 year opportunity to really enhance the city of Perth. You have seen this with projects such as Elizabeth Quay and Perth City Link and these reforms will further improve the city. 

"They bring the iconic features that are Perth's great selling points under one umbrella which makes good sense from a planning and tourism point of view.

"The changes lay the foundations for building a greater capital. A bigger City of Perth will be better equipped to respond to the demands of a growing State - and better represent WA internationally."

The City of Perth would gain about $10m in revenue from the acquisition of the Burswood site - which will include the casino and the new stadium but not the residential area or Belmont racecourse, Mr Simpson said.

He said the Government would work with Victoria Park and South Perth to compensate for losing Crown casino.

Mr Simpson also said the changes would not mean immediate job losses for council staff as all employees have a job guarantee of two years when a new boundary comes into place.

After the two years it would be up to the new councils how much staff they needed, he said.

OUTLINE: The new boundaries take in parts of the Town of Vincent and City of Stirling. Source: PerthNow

 CLOSER LOOK: SEE A MAP OF THE BOUNDARY CHANGES

The City of Perth boundary changes are the first part of State Government's response to the Robson report, which recommended the number of Perth metropolitan councils be reduced.

Mr Simpson will outline the Government's amalgamation blueprint in a briefing to mayors, shire presidents and CEOs from Perth's 30 local councils on Tuesday.

"This will be a critical step in updating local government boundaries for the first time in decades and ensure that we have modern local councils that can meet the challenges facing Perth now and in the future," the Minister said.

"It's essential that local governments merge to create economies of scale to provide quality and affordable services and better facilities for residents now and into the future."

Voters in dark on light-rail promise

UP IN THE AIR: An evaluation of the government's light-rail promise is ongoing. Source: News Limited

COLIN Barnett's showpiece light-rail election promise was under review in the lead-up to the March 9 poll - but the concerns of transport officials were kept secret from voters.

A document obtained by The Sunday Times reveals that on February 1 the Department of Transport launched an investigation into whether a cheaper rapid bus service was a better option than light rail between Perth and Mirrabooka.

"It is necessary to consider the option of providing an equivalent public transport service using a Bus Rapid Transit model over the currently proposed 22km light-rail route," the document says. "A BRT option was discounted previously in the early stages of the development of the Public Transport Plan for Perth, however, more investigation is now required to understand if the earlier assessment is correct."

The investigation  with an evaluation phase of four to six weeks  was to determine if the bus system could be built cheaper and faster and still carry the same number of passengers.

The Sunday Times has been told the evaluation is "ongoing".

But well-placed sources claim the bus system could save taxpayers up to $800 million  money that could go towards putting another storey on the new children's hospital.

Opposition Leader Mark McGowan said the Barnett Government lied to voters during the election campaign by not revealing that light rail was still up in the air.

"Why wasn't the public told about these inquiries? Instead, they were told the light rail was a sure thing," he said.

"It was a significant election issue and these reviews are done at public expense (so) I think the public deserved to be told."

Mr McGowan called on the Barnett Government to immediately release the findings of the DOT investigation when it was concluded. The document was obtained by The Sunday Times under a Freedom of Information request. Initially, the application was totally denied, but on appeal the newspaper was granted access to three out of 28 relevant documents.

Transport Minister Troy Buswell said he was aware that the department was putting together a comprehensive business case for the light rail.

But he said the Government was committed to delivering light rail and BRT "is not an option".

"Light rail is more efficient than a bus rapid transport system in areas of congestion and $15.8 million has already been allocated by state and federal governments to the engineering and design studies," he said.

A DOT spokeswoman said the February investigation was commissioned as part of standard business case process.
 
 

Call for sport venues to cut drink size

Health authorities are calling on sports venues to cut the size of soft drinks. Picture: AFP Source: AFP

WA health authorities are calling on sports venues to stop selling sugar-laden soft drinks in only "super-sized" portions.

Healthway, the WA Government's health promotion foundation, says drink sizes smaller than 600ml should be made available at sporting events, particularly so parents have more options for their children.

A 600ml soft drink has 16 or more teaspoons of sugar  about 70 per cent of the recommended daily sugar intake for adults.

Perth Glory, which recently dropped soft drink and junk food sponsors in exchange for a Healthway sponsorship to promote the LiveLighter campaign, will next week pitch the idea, which it called a "responsible argument", to the managers of its home ground, nib Stadium.

Healthway board chairwoman Rosanna Capolingua said families should have the option of a "kid-sized" container, so parents could choose the amount of sugar and calories they and their children consumed, especially given the role sugar played in causing obesity and diabetes.

"Sugary drinks have a huge impact on being overweight and obese, it's a very easy way of consuming calories and sugar," Dr Capolingua said.

"A size of 150ml is more like what we think should at least be on offer, not just for kids, but even for adults who feel they don't need to be having a soft-drink treat that is oversized.

"Even in 150ml you'll get four teaspoons of sugar, and parents are suggesting that is something they would like to be able to choose, rather than having to purchase a large drink.

"I would call on all sports venues and other public venues in WA to offer kid-sized drink containers. You don't want to serve your child a very unhealthy portion of something which is meant to be a once-in-awhile treat."

National Heart Foundation WA chief executive Maurice Swanson said while he preferred no sugary soft drinks were sold at events, the plan was a "step in the right direction" for WA, where 66 per cent of people were overweight or obese, including 25 per cent of 12-17-year-olds.

Nib's management said the smaller drink proposal, which is also supported by the Australian Medical Association WA, "will be considered along with our full range of beverage offerings for the 2013-14 season" and that the stadium would support the LiveLighter message "where reasonably possible".

A spokesman for Patersons Stadium, which also sells only 600ml soft drinks, said the venue "continually reviews all product offerings".

Perth grandmother Carol McLoughlin, whose grandson Conor, 9, attends Glory matches, said 600ml was too much for her let alone him, and that offering smaller sizes helped teach children moderation.

Eagles finals hopes all but dashed

WEST COAST v SYDNEY: Eagle Nic Naitanui takes a fall. Picture: Justin Benson-Cooper Source: PerthNow

TONGUE OUT: Eagle Chris Masten goes for a handpass. Picture: Justin Benson-Cooper Source: PerthNow

TACKLED: Ashley Smith. Picture: Justin Benson-Cooper Source: PerthNow

WEST Coast is set for a sweeping review of playing stocks as planning for next season kicks into high motion after Sydney effectively bundled the Eagles out of this year's finals at Patersons Stadium today.

Eagles' finals hopes for this season are all but dashed at a 7-9 win-loss record and the fourth defeat to a top-four contender from their past five engagements since West Coast's Round 12 bye a month ago.

The Eagles were roundly considered genuine premiership candidates heading into 2013 and have not beaten a side inside this season's top eight.

And prolific ball-winner Luke Shuey could join a lengthy injury toll and miss several weeks in this tail-end of a stumbling season after suffering recurrence of a hamstring injury before half-time that had forced him out of the past three outings.

Questions should also be posed why dangerous on-baller Daniel Kerr wasn't played against Sydney's blue chip midfield instead of spending an entire match at local WAFL level with East Fremantle when the 220-game veteran had 32 possessions coming back from missing two Eagles games with knee trouble.

West Coast started full of the brave vigour that has highlighted their game over the past month but the Swans assumed supreme authority through the important midfield and ran out comfortable 34-point winners 17.11 (113) to 11.13 (79).

Eagles list managers and recruiting staff are expected to target an influx of nippy midfielders and goal-finishing smaller forwards in a bid to urgently replenish necessities to compete heavily with AFL heavyweights for a premiership.

Exciting Carlton line-breaker and goal-kicker Chris Yarran is expected to become a strategic target as Eagles powerbrokers start an ambitious rejuvenation of their squad ahead of a planned finals revival next season.

West Coast will probably need to win at least four of their remaining six appointments starting with a struggling Western Bulldogs in Melbourne next Sunday.

It's then a run to September against Gold Coast and the game's finest player Gary Ablett in Perth, Essendon away, Geelong back at home, Collingwood at the MCG before finish with Adelaide at Patersons.

The reigning premiers crashed into the game to snatch control around the ball and big guns firing as Josh Kennedy, Kieren Jack, Ryan O'Keefe and Daniel Hannebery on the back of West Coast's bright start.

Kennedy and Hannebery, with 12 disposals each for the opening term, were especially prominent as the Swans assumed midfield supremacy as another epic tussle of two emerging AFL rivals was snuffed out.

Hannebery, 22, accumulated a massive 40 damaging disposals in a best-afield day out, while Kennedy, 25, was belligerent as the classy on-ball play-maker rattled up 29 touches in the destructive creative run of the Swans young co-captain Jack who collected 30 possessions.

By half-time Kennedy, Hannebery and Jack had racked up 55 possessions between and ripped West Coast's middle to shreds.

The reigning champions smashed the game open with five unanswered goals from nine minutes into the second term and the start of time-on to lead by 39 points.

Sydney surged into fourth spot and a full game clear of nearest top-four contender Fremantle after the Dockers went down to Richmond in Melbourne by 27 points earlier in the day.

West Coast finally got some enthusiastic service from boom recruit Sharrod Wellingham, while the former Collingwood star was among an Eagles midfield completely over-run by the relentless Swans machine.

West Coast has waited virtually the entire season to get something special from Wellingham and the 2010 Magpies premiership midfielder delivered early with strong set-shot finish and goal to level scores 18 minutes into the opening term.

Wellingham, 25, was making only his fourth appearance with West Coast after his high-profile crossing from the Pies last October.

His initial role against the imposing Swans midfield division was a defensive forward role trying to curtail the potentially dangerous run of veterans Jarrad McVeigh or Nick Malceski from backward of centre.

Wellingham was serviceable and finished on the edge of his adopted side's best players.

West Coast made a blistering and threatening start they needed with two straight goals inside the opening four minutes from the boots of nippy winger Bradd Dalziell on the run and veteran big man Dean Cox from a tumbling mark and sure-finishing set-shot.

Sydney retaliated with three unanswered goals approaching time-on in the first term and led at -16-minute with a good finish from a Hannebery set-shot on the back of a diving mark, in an opening that momentarily masked a hiding the Swans were about to hand out.

DETAILS
SYDNEY              4.4    10.8    12.9   1711 (113)
WEST COAST      3.4     5.6      6.8     11.13 (79)

BEST
SYDNEY: Hannebery, K. Jack, Kennedy, O'Keefe, Rampe, Richards, Mumford.
WEST COAST: Priddis, Masten, Glass, Kennedy, LeCras.

GOALS
SYDNEY Tippett 3, K. Jack 2, Lamb 2, Pyke 2, Hannebery 2, Bolton 1, White 1, Kennedy 1, , Parker 1, Mumford 1, B. Jack 1.
WEST COAST Kennedy 3, Darling 1, Naitanui 1, Masten 1, Cox 1, Morton 1, Dalziell 1, Wellingham 1,

INJURIES
SYDNEY: O'Keefe (head)
WEST COAST: Shuey (hamstring)

REPORTS
SYDNEY: Nil
WEST COAST: Nil
 

Cattle killed in truck head-on

CRASH SCENE: The road train crash on Minnie Bridge, near Willare. Pictures: WA Police Source: Supplied

EMERGENCY: Cattle had to be destroyed after two road trains crashed head-on. Source: Supplied

MORE than 20 cattle have been destroyed and two road trains were fused together after a crash in the state's north.

The trucks collided head on at the Minnie Bridge, 10km from Willare, near Broome, about 8.45am.

One driver is in a serious but stable condition with head injuries and the other driver received minor injuries, St John Ambulance said.

One truck was carrying cattle and the other had empty diesel drums.

Police said more than 20 cattle were either killed instantly or were put down by police by gun.

The single lane bridge will remain blocked until later today with Main Roads assessing the damage before it can reopen.

Iron causes house fire in Bassendean

SMOKE INHALATION: A family are led from a home in Bassendean after fire caused $100,000 damage. Picture: Kerris Berrington Source: PerthNow

BLAZE: A fireman on the roof of a house in Bassendean which was damaged by fire. Picture: Kerris Berrington Source: PerthNow

A YOUNG man and his grandmother have been taken to hospital for smoke inhalation after an unattended iron caused a fire in Bassendean this morning.

Fire crews were called to the Walter Road East home about 9.15am.

They administered first aid to the man and his grandmother who were then taken to Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital by St John Ambulance for observation.

The fire was extinguished by 10.20am and caused about $100,000 damage.

Bassendean Station Officer Aaron Barwick said the fire was contained to one room in which an iron had been left on and unattended on an ironing board.

He said the fire caused smoke damage to other parts of the house.
 

Crusade for teen poisoned by methanol

Liam Davies died from methanol poisoning while on holiday and now his parents are hoping to prevent anyone else suffering the same fate. Picture: Supplied Source: PerthNow

THE parents of a Perth teenager who died after drinking a methanol-laced cocktail in Lombok are set to employ three Indonesians to help educate bar and hotel owners about the methanol menace in Bali and nearby islands.

Lhani and Tim Davies say they are far from completing their mission to save lives there, seven months after their 19-year-old son Liam, right, was served the deadly vodka and lime cocktail.

The family is preparing to meet major hotel stakeholders and the Indonesian Government next month. They also intend to employ three Balinese to spread awareness.

Mrs Davies told The Sunday Times the group would work with hotels, bars and nightclubs to warn them about the menace and the signs to look for if someone has been poisoned.

"Nothing's going to change the nightmare, the hell that we go through every day," Mrs Davies said.

"But if someone else died and we'd done nothing, to me I would feel like I had blood on my hands."

The Davies, who have two other teenage boys, will go to Bali next month with a Perth toxicologist to visit the Sanglah Hospital to provide expert medical training and share the tragic story of their son's death.

Both initiatives will be paid for by the Davies family, with the help of government grants and donations to Liam's charity - Lifesaving Initiatives Against Methanol.

"The more we spread the word with locals, the more it will become common knowledge," she said.

"Hundreds of Indonesian people are dying from methanol poisoning  it's not just about Westerners."

Liam was holidaying with a group of friends on Gili Trawangan island when they went for drinks at the popular Rudy's Pub on New Year's Eve.

Hours after drinking a "vodka and lime" he became violently ill and was taken to a local hospital. Soon after, he was flown to Perth for treatment at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, where his parents made the agonising decision to switch off his life-support on January 6.
 
Remarkably, their campaign has reached one of the world's biggest alcohol companies, Diageo, which has the popular vodka brand Smirnoff.

Mrs Davies said Diageo representatives had travelled to Indonesia regularly since Liam's death to test spirits being sold on the islands.

She said she had received support from several bar-owners in Bali, but others wanted her to "go away".

Mrs Davies said she was confident those responsible for Liam's death would be caught.

Mickey Arthur breaks silence on law suit

LAW SUIT: Sacked Australian coach Mickey Arthur says he was "truly shocked and devastated'' by his dismissal. Picture: Kerris Berrington Source: PerthNow

STATEMENT: Arthur arrives at Perth Airport today. Source: PerthNow

SACKED Australian cricket coach Mickey Arthur has spoken for the first time since details of his law suit with Cricket Australia were leaked, telling media he had "no option" than to launch legal action.

Speaking at Perth Airport after arriving home from Johannesburg today, Arthur said he was disappointed that details of the dispute were made public.

Last week details of a $4 million law suit by Arthur against Cricket Australia were leaked.

Reading a written statement, Arthur said: "It's very unfortunate that my private dispute with Cricket Australia was made public by others.

"Due to the sensitive matters involved I had taken extensive steps in co-operation with the Fair Work Commission to keep the case entirely confidential.

"Selective leaks by others have ruined my attempts to protect the Australian Cricket team and everyone involved."

Arthur said no one associated with him had released the confidential document.

He also said Cricket Australia failed to notify him in writing of his dismissal or pay him out properly, despite efforts of contacting senior level management for days.

"After my dismissal, I received nothing in writing from Cricket Australia, no contact and no payment at all, even on my basic leave pay, until I was forced to bring in lawyers to assist in the process," Arthur said.

"I was really trying for a private resolution that would not have any collateral damage to the reputation of any of us."

Arthur said he thought "perhaps naively" that Cricket Australia would have talks with him in "good faith".

"Sadly this hasn't happened and here we are today," he said.

"I never wanted to launch legal action, but Cricket Australia simply left me no option."

Arthur claimed Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland even told him he was being made a "scapegoat."

"I find that a totally unfair basis to end my career, the damage to my reputation and career has been immense," he said.

"Which means the chances of me getting another senior job are that much less."

Arthur said he was shocked and devastated by his sacking and had met all job requirements.

"I had received a positive appraisal on all my key performance indicators just prior to  departing for the Ashes tour,'' he said.

"I'm told that (suspended opening batsman) David Warner's conduct was the last straw for the board, I received no hearing at all for that issue.''.

"No one was doing more to improve discipline in this young Australian cricket team than I was."

The former coach said he still wanted to resolve the matter on a "fair and just basis" and for mediation talks on Wednesday to be productive.

Arthur declined to answer questions and finished his statement by wishing the Australian team the best of luck in the Ashes.

According to documents lodged with Fair Work Australia, Arthur claims he was sacked because of racism and that he was caught in a bitter feud between team captain Michael Clarke and Shane Watson.

Arthur was appointed coach in November 2011 and since that time Australia has struggled with inconsistent performances and some off-field controversies.

Warner was suspended after punching England opener Joe Root at a pub prior to the Ashes.

Australia has won 10 of 19 Tests, 18 of 39 ODIs and seven of 16 T20s with Arthur at the helm.

Two men injured in motorbike crashes

The RAC rescue helicopter prepares to land at Royal Perth Hospital. Source: PerthNow

A 37-YEAR-OLD man was injured in an off road motorcycle crash in Chidlow this afternoon.

The RAC Rescue helicopter transferred the man to Royal Perth Hospital at about 12.40pm today, after a crash on Flynn Road.

A spokeswoman for RPH said he was in a stable condition.

The helicopter was also dispatched to a separate motorcycle crash on the Pinjarra-Williams Road near Dwellingup shortly after 2.30pm today.

It was due to land at RPH at 3.45pm.

It was the third serious crash involving a motorcycle this weekend.

A 40-year-old man was killed when he crashed an unlicensed trail bike on Montrose Avenue in Girrawheen on Friday night.

WA man to be deported from Saudi Arabia

Shayden and Junaid (right) Thorne. Junaid could return to Australia from Saudi Arabia this week. Picture: Supplied Source: Supplied

THE Perth-based family of a man jailed in Saudi Arabia on terrorism offences say his younger brother, who has been in hiding, could be deported to Australia within a week.

Junaid Thorne has lain low since being detained twice for protesting the imprisonment of his older brother Shayden, who was found with a laptop containing terrorism-related material.

Shayden claimed innocence, saying he had borrowed the computer and had no knowledge of its contents, but was tortured into confessing.

In May, he was sentenced to four and a half years in jail, but his lawyer is working on an appeal.

Junaid was sought for questioning by local authorities and feared to come forward but has now turned himself in.

His aunt Stephanie Riley said he was being detained in a police station awaiting finalisation of deportation arrangements.

The local authorities had promised to return his passport on Sunday but if they didn't, the Australian embassy in Riyadh would issue him an emergency passport, she said.

A Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) spokeswoman confirmed that was the case.

Ms Riley said the family was cautiously optimistic Junaid could be back in Perth within a week.

"We're hoping in the next two days, we'll know when he'll be coming home,'' she said.

The DFAT spokeswoman said Saudi authorities had indicated they intended to deport Junaid shortly.

Ms Riley said local authorities had imposed very strict conditions on his return, stipulating the airline and route he must use.

It was unclear whether he was being treated well and he was unhappy with his situation, but he was being strong, Ms Riley said.

The brothers, both Australian citizens, have lived in Saudi Arabia since 1996.

Smith backs MacTiernan's campaign

Federal member for Perth Stephen Smith and candidate Allanah MacTiernan at Perth Central Railway Station. Picture: Kerris Berrington Source: PerthNow

RETIRING Defence Minister Stephen Smith will mastermind Alannah MacTiernan's campaign for the seat of Perth.

At a media conference today to officially announce his support for Ms MacTiernan, Mr Smith said he intended to direct her campaign for the seat, which he has held for the past 20 years.

"In 1993 when I was the candidate, the then-member Ric Charlesworth was my campaign director and Alannah was on my campaign team," he said.

"I was always very grateful to Ric because as I said, anecdotally or half tongue in cheek at the time, in that campaign he worked harder for me than he had for himself. And that's my commitment to Alannah.

"I would like to be the campaign director and Alannah and the National and State secretaries have agreed to that so that gives me a role in the campaign, I am very pleased about that.

"I will give Alannah 110 per cent support."

Stephen Smith could lead WA Labor

Ms MacTiernan, a former state Labor Minister, was announced as the ALP candidate for the seat on Thursday.

She said was "absolutely convinced" Kevin Rudd's appointment as leader of the ALP had already re-engaged West Australians with the party.

"People want there to be a contest," she said.

She said the state government could not be expected to fund key infrastructure projects, such as light rail, alone.

"We need the active engagement of the Federal Government,' she said.

"And we have [a] very clear statement in the Liberal Party. They're not getting involved.

"They're not interested in ensuring that our cities work. But Federal Labor put $230 million into this project, they're prepared to put money into the max light rail, they're prepared to put money into the much, much needed link to the airport.

"And I'm going to be out there fighting for those projects to make sure that we can get those projects delivered for Perth and for Western Australia."

Elderly driver killed in Jarrahdale crash

The man, 92, was transferred to RPH but later died from his injuries. Source: PerthNow

AN elderly man has died in hospital following a crash in Jarrahdale yesterday morning.

The Port Kennedy man was driving a white Toyota Yaris east on Shanley Road about 10.50am when it collided with a green Toyota Corolla at the intersection with South Western Highway.

The man was airlifted to Royal Perth Hospital by the RAC Rescue Helicopter, however he later died.

His male passenger was also injured in the crash and was taken to Armadale Hospital.

The 33-year-old female drive of the Corolla sustained minor injuries.

Major Crash Investigators are asking anyone with information about the crash, or who saw either of the vehicles beforehand, to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
 

Live bets are off at sporting venues

The state government wants to crack down on live betting at sports venues. Picture: Luke Marsden Source: The Sunday Mail (Qld)

THE Barnett Government is set to clamp down on gambling promotion at sporting venues with a complete ban on live betting odds.

Premier Colin Barnett will today announce tighter controls on betting promotion at venues such as Patersons Stadium and NIB Stadium to prevent gambling being "rammed down the throats of fans".

Mr Barnett said the legislation would close a loophole, which allowed live betting odds to be displayed at sporting venues and give the Government greater power to restrict advertising on signs and billboards.

"I think the images of very attractive, well-dressed young men, very smart elegant young girls are promoting gambling as a way of life, as a cool thing to do. It's not a cool thing to do," the Premier said.

"People don't want to go to the football and see gambling rammed down the throats of fans and particularly children."

The move comes after the Federal Government cracked down on live betting odds during sports broadcasts and banned bookmakers such as Tom Waterhouse from broadcasting at venues.

In June, Free TV agreed to former prime minister Julia Gillard's push for live odds to be banned from all national sports broadcasts and created a new draft code for broadcasters.

Patersons Stadium stopped showing betting odds during games a year ago when public concerns were raised about the proliferation of gambling.

But Mr Barnett said amendments to the Gaming and Wagering Commission Act 1987 would offer a permanent ban and the power to introduce further restrictions.

He said the amendments, which still had to be drafted, would be introduced as a priority when Parliament returned.

"We will regulate to stop live odds. It can't come back in different forms," he said.

"We don't want young people growing up thinking gambling is a normal part of sport. They're there to either participate or watch the sport and enjoy it.

"We're not trying to ban gambling across the community. Gambling is part of life as long as people don't get addicted or spend money they can't afford to. But we do not want to see that promoted at public events."

Sports Minister Terry Waldron said the ban would provide "more protection" for children and at-risk gamblers, but ruled out a ban on alcohol advertising at major venues.

"The linking of gambling so close to sport was the part that I wanted to control," Mr Waldron said.

"We're not making any movements on that (alcohol advertising) at this stage."

Police Commissioner Karl O'Callaghan has rallied for the liquor industry to suffer the same backlash as bookmakers, arguing that blanket alcohol advertising during sports broadcasts cause more harm than betting promotions.

Addressing a national alcohol forum in Canberra, Mr O'Callaghan said binge drinking and alcohol-fuelled violence had reached epidemic proportions nationwide.

"No police officer has ever been assaulted on the streets because the perpetrator had a gambling addiction," Mr O'Callaghan said.

"We can't link 40 per cent of all domestic violence to gambling.

"Key players in the sporting industry are not interested in addressing this issue and continue to ignore the dangers of exposing children to alcohol advertising,"