Students to blame for blasts: Jones

Broadcaster Alan Jones said he believes students were responsible for the Boston blasts. Picture: Kylie Davis Source: News Limited

CONTROVERSIAL broadcaster Alan Jones says he believes students were responsible for the Boston Marathon bombings, and Australia should rethink its intake of foreign students after yesterday's carnage.

''I wouldn't be surprised if this was a conspiracy among students, left wing radical students in Boston,'' Jones, from Sydney's 2GB radio, told the Seven Network's Sunrise program.

WATCH ALAN JONES ON SUNRISE

Jones said Boston was a well known university town with institutions such as Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Tony Abbott promoting Pollie Pedal 2013 in Canberra today. Picture: Ray Strange

He said Australia should rethink its own intake of foreign students following the blasts.

''I think we have to think also very seriously here about our own student numbers,'' he said.

''We're very keen to have foreign students pay the way of universities in this country without a lot of discernment about who comes in. But I think the fact that we've been spared this kind of thing, touch wood, for so long highlights, as I said, the relentless work done by ASIO (Australian Security Intelligence Organisation) and all our police organisations.''

Tony Abbott says he hopes the nature of Australian public sporting events doesn't change following the Boston Marathon bombings. Picture: Ray Strange

Aleem Nizari, president of the Council of International Students Australia, said Jones' comments were ''outrageous and insensitive'' as well as irrelevant.

He told AAP the immigration department had very strict laws in place for incoming students.

''The process of application for a visa is itself so stringent and strict and the character test as well, it goes all the way to the background of these students,'' Mr Nizari said.

''Even after they come to the country they are closely monitored.''

He said Jones needed to do more research before making comments that harmed international students in Australia.

The broadcaster's comments sparked a backlash on Twitter.

One tweeter wrote that Jones was trying to make a ''cheap domestic political point out of Boston slaughter'' and another tweeted ''Prejudice, speculation & fear should not be used to fill airtime''.

Jones had to apologise publicly last year after saying at a Liberal Party fundraiser that Prime Minister Julia Gillard's late father had ''died of shame'' over her ''lies''.

Meanwhile, Opposition Leader Tony Abbott said it would be disappointing if the dual Boston bombings change the nature of public sporting events in Australia.

Mr Abbott said this morning sporting organisers would be acutely aware of the dangers of hosting such large events following yesterday's tragedy which killed at least three and left more than 170 injured.

''Major sporting events bring together lots and lots of people and I guess any large gathering of people is a potential target,'' Mr Abbott said this morning as he launched the 2013 Pollie Pedal annual event.

''But I would be very disappointed if the nature of these events would be to significantly change.

''My expectation is that organisers will be more aware than ever of security but it would be tragic for like-minded countries, for our way of life if national sporting events were to ever become difficult to stage.''

Two pressure-cooker bombs exploded in the final stages of the Boston Marathon at 2.50pm on Monday (4.50am AEST on Tuesday) within 12 seconds of each other.

The bombs were laced with nails and ball bearings designed to cause maximum damage.

Hundreds had their limbs blown off in the chaos.

Seventeen are still in critical condition, with the death toll expected to rise.

Eight-year-old Martin Richard, who was waiting to give his dad, Bill, a hug, was among those killed.

Krystle Campbell, 29, who was watching the finish of the race with her best friend, was also among the dead.

- with AAP

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Gonski reforms 'favour private schools'

NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell says cabinet hasn't been able to find $1.7b to fund education reforms.

Independent schools were given an unfair advantage in the way the new funding model was calculated, according to Associate Professor Carmen Lawrence.Picture: Thinkstock Source: Supplied

PRIVATE schools have been given too much money in the Federal Government's school funding reform package, according to a member of the Gonski review panel.

Although the scheme is aimed at boosting support to the most disadvantaged students, independent schools were given an unfair advantage in the way the new funding model was calculated, said Associate Professor Carmen Lawrence.

"This package is giving more than we recommended," Prof Lawrence told News Ltd.

"The funding effort should go into the schools that needed it most. That's still true, these reforms are still redressing the balance. We just weren't prepared to be quite so generous."

Professor Lawrence said the socio-economic status benchmark had been set in a way that favoured well-off schools.

The criticism came as Prime Minister Julia Gillard's proposed controversial cuts to universities became a certainty, with key independents joining the Opposition in supporting the plan.

Amid widespread criticism of the Government plan to funnel $2.3 billion from universities towards the $14.5 billion school funding target, Opposition education spokesman Christopher Pyne said the Coalition could not afford to block the cuts, given that it would likely be in power after the September 14 election.

"If we oppose these cuts then we have to find savings elsewhere in the budget," he told News Ltd.

"If we are elected, we will be able over time to balance the books... that means we can re-look at being generous with the tertiary education sector."

Independents Robert Oakeshott and Tony Windsor said the Gonski reforms were too important for Australian students for them to consider blocking the university cuts.

"I will be supportive of the funding the Government is going to use to fund Gonski. I see Gonski as possibly the biggest revolution that we have seen in education since I have been alive," Mr Windsor said.

Professor Lawrence also blamed West Australian Premier Colin Barnett for his state snaring such a small share of Gonski funding - $300 million as opposed to $5 billion for NSW.

"The (WA) State Government has gone missing in most of these negotiations so they haven't been a voice at the table to get a better deal," she said.

"Western Australian hasn't been negotiating robustly until now. It's been standing at the margins, whinging."

Professor Lawrence also said the eastern states had been "rewarded for bad behaviour", given the package effectively topped up the cuts the states had made to their own education budgets.

"Instead of penalising NSW, Victoria and Queensland, who have been ripping money out of the education system, it appears to be rewarding them for that behaviour, so I think the negotiations around state funding reflecting some fairly poor behaviour."

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Boat with 49 located at Cocos Islands

People arriving by boat without a visa run the risk of transfer to a regional processing country. Source: The Australian

ANOTHER boat carrying asylum seekers has been located on Australian waters.

Customs and Border Protection and the Australian Federal Police intercepted the vessel at Cocos (Keeling) Islands yesterday, Customs and Border Protection has confirmed.

Initial indications suggest there were 49 passengers on board.

The people on board the vessel have been transferred to Cocos (Keeling) Island, where they will have basic health and security checks.

They will be transferred to Christmas Island for more security, health and identity checks.

People arriving by boat without a visa after August 13, 2012 run the risk of transfer to a regional processing country.

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Hanson considers political comeback

Pauline Hanson, seen here with celebrity agent Max Markson at the Golden Guitar Awards in Tamworth, says she is will seek a seat at the September election in either NSW or Queensland. Picture: Tim Hunter Source: News Limited

• Says Tony Abbott will "walk in" and Coalition will win election
• Ms Hanson says she wants to make sure voters are being listened to
• Claims Tony Abbott destroyed her political career

PAULINE Hanson says she is seeking a seat in parliament at the September election to hold Tony Abbott - the man she accuses of helping to put her in jail - to account.

Speaking to News Limited this morning Ms Hanson, who co-founded the controversial One Nation party in 1997, said she would run as an independent in either Joel Fitzgibbon's NSW electorate of Hunter or in her current Queensland base of Coleyville, south of Brisbane.

Ms Hanson, 58, said she felt it was important for her to be back in federal politics so the Coalition, if elected, did not have a free run to pass legislation.

"I believe Tony Abbott is going to walk in, the Liberal party is going to win," Ms Hanson said this morning.

"It's important I be there again to create the debate, to make sure they are listening to the Australian people."

Ms Hanson said Mr Abbott had acted against her by setting up a fund to bankroll legal action against One Nation that ultimately saw her and her fellow party co-founder, David Ettridge, jailed in 2003.

Pauline Hanson with One Nation director David Ettridge in 1998.

They were convicted of electoral fraud, but the ruling was subsequently overturned and they were released several months later.

"It was a horrifying experience - I will never forget it," Ms Hanson said.

"Tony Abbott should have left it up to the voters decide and not done what he did. He destroyed my political career."

Ms Hanson said she had "strong connections" to the NSW electorate of Hunter including owning property in Maitland and having family in the region.

"It's not just where I'm thinking of standing, it's where I want to decide to live the rest of my life," she said.

However Ms Hanson said she hadn't yet made her final decision as to exactly where she would seek election, and would announce a formal position in coming months.

"It will be the Hunter or Queensland," Ms Hanson said.

Ms Hanson currently owns a home in Coleyville, south of Brisbane, which lies in the electorate of Wright held by the Liberal National Party's Scott Buchholz on a margin of 10.15 per cent.

The Hunter is held by former government whip Joel Fitzgibbon, who was one of Kevin Rudd's key backers in last month's leadership showdown, on a margin of 12.48 per cent.

In 2010 Ms Hanson put her Coleyville property on the market and was planning to resettle in Britain, but told media she would not sell her home to a Muslim.

Overnight, it was revealed that Ms Hanson's One Nation co-founder David Ettridge was seeking to sue Opposition Leader Tony Abbott for more than $1.5 million in damages.

He has accused Mr Abbott of acting unlawfully in 1998 by assisting and encouraging litigation against One Nation in the Queensland courts.

Mr Ettridge alleges the court action was false and malicious and the resulting damage affected him greatly.

Mr Ettridge's lawyers served legal papers on Mr Abbott for damages on the weekend.

A spokesman for Mr Abbott said the papers had been received.

A directions hearing is set for the Brisbane Supreme Court on May 9 and Mr Abbott has received a summons to attend.

"Before Tony Abbott can become prime minister of Australia he needs to be judged on his suitability to hold the highest office in Australia," Mr Ettridge said in a statement.

"For his role in this disgraceful period of Australian political history, Tony Abbott has never been brought to account."

Ms Hanson said she endorsed the action, but was not a party and would not benefit from any successful suit.

Tony Abbott today described the legal action by Mr Ettridge as a "sideshow" and said he was not worried about the law suit.

"Obviously there are still some hard feelings from those days, but the matter is now before the courts and I am confident that everything I did back then was justifiable and could be justified," Mr Abbott said.

The Opposition Leader said he "absolutely complied" with all of the obligations on him when he raised $100,000 to help fund court cases against One Nation and had already been cleared twice by the Australian Electoral Commission.

"I was never particularly critical of One Nation supporters, but I certainly thought back then that it was a dodgy party and that position of mine was vindicated by the courts," he said.

"This is a matter which will obviously be discussed with various legal representatives and I think its fair to say this is going to be just a bit of a sideshow and I try not to get involved in sideshows if I can avoid it."

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Guilty or not? Jurors ask Facebook

JURORS are asking Facebook friends and Twitter followers to help decide the fates of criminals with no regard for the consequences, a report has found.

The Centre for Law, Governance and Public Policy, at Bond University, says existing punishments for rogue jurors - including criminal prosecution - fail to address the problems created by social media.

It warns trials around the world are being corrupted, delayed or aborted by jurors who:

CONDUCT polls of their Facebook friends as to whether a defendant is guilty.

MAKE comments about court staff through social media, such as "f**k the judge".

RESEARCH the case they are hearing through Google.

EXCHANGING Facebook messages with the accused person.

The centre's report, released today, echoes concerns expressed by Supreme Court Justice David Peek last month.

He warned witnesses were researching criminal cases before giving evidence in court, leading to tainted outcomes.

In its report, the centre says social media misuse by jurors is the "single most significant challenge" faced by the world's courts.

It says that, in the US alone, 90 cases were challenged or overturned because of juror misconduct in 1999-2010 and a further 21 in 2009-10.

In the UK, there have been 18 appeals arising from juror actions since 2005.

"Joanne Fraill was sentenced to eight months prison for contempt of court by the (UK) High Court in 2011 for exchanging Facebook messages with the accused in a drug trial while she was serving on the jury," it says.

"Another UK juror was dismissed from a child abduction and sexual assault trial after she asked her Facebook friends to help her decide on the verdict.

"(She wrote) 'I don't know which way to go, so I'm holding a poll'."

The report says judges and prosecutors have struggled to make jurors understand the problems they are causing.

It says that, in 2009, a US judge admonished five jurors for their online conduct, including one person who had posted "f**k the judge" on Facebook.

"The judge asked the young male juror about the offensive comment and was told: 'Hey judge, that's just Facebook stuff'," it says.

The centre says jurors pay little attention to the penalties for misconduct and are therefore not swayed by them.

"It has also been argued that imposing punishment is contrary to the notion that jury duty is a civic responsibility and jurors should be supported and encouraged to do it to the best of their ability," it says.

The centre recommends judges provide written directions to jurors before the start of a trial.

Those directions should clearly and unambiguously tell them not to use social media, and refrain from using electronic devices during the trial.

They should also spell out the consequences for defendants, prosecutors and courts if jurors do go rogue, such as increased cost to the community and incorrect verdicts.

The centre further recommends potential jurors undergo a "brief pre-trial training module" to better understand their duties and responsibilities.

"The model would also include a self-test of jurors' understanding... by seeking their response to 'rogue juror' scenarios," it says.

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New 'phablet' to spark giant phone war

With its 6.1 inch screen, the Huawei Ascend Mate dwarfs its nearest phablet competitor, the 5.5 inch Samsung Note II. Source: Supplied

THE war of the supersize phones reignites with the Australian launch of the giant Huawei Ascend Mate phablet on Saturday.

This mobile phone giant with its 6.1 inch screen dwarfs its nearest phablet competitor, the 5.5 inch Samsung Note II.

The Chinese-made phone will go on sale exclusively at Harvey Norman for $429, which includes a $40 prepaid Boost sim.

Despite the size of the super screen, Huawei claims its massive 4050mAh battery will provide up to two days typical use between charges.

The Ascend Mate, which was unveiled back in February at the 2013 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, runs on a 1.5Ghz Huawaei quad core processor, has a 8 megapixel camera and runs on Android 4.1 Jelly Bean.

Although the phone will not run on 4G networks, Huawei says it is compatible with all international 3G and 2G networks.

The phone runs on Huawei's ''emotional interface'' which changes the typical Android interface to group apps into folders and puts your four most-used apps into a widget on the main display.

The giant screen has a 1280 x 720 resolution but has a feature where you can still use the keyboard one handed.

It also has a ''magic touch'' interface which means people can still navigate the touch screen while wearing gloves.

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Business lobby's call to arms

Tony Shepherd, President of the Business Council of Australia, addresses the National Press Club in Canberra. Picture: Ray Strange Source: News Limited

AUSTRALIA'S peak big business lobby has called for a radical overhaul of economic and social policy including the "aim" of having 50 per cent of business executive positions held by women within a decade.

In an election-year call to arms, Business Council of Australia president Tony Shepherd has also called for nuclear power to be placed "on the table" as part of a broad-ranging national energy policy that cuts costs and reduces greenhouse gas emissions.

The corporate leader also favoured four-year electoral terms to help politicians embark on long-term and sustainable reform "plan" that looks beyond the next six months.

In a wide ranging speech to the National Press Club, Mr Shepherd challenged both sides of politics to look beyond their narrow self-interests and the ballot box.

"The plan we're putting forward for Australia requires political leaders who are prepared to lose their jobs to get things done," he said.

"The test of reform for us is whether it advances national prosperity over the long term. Not whether it advances the attainment or retention of power."

He was unwilling to say whether the BCA - which represents more than 100 of the biggest firms in Australia - supported Tony Abbott's policy of repealing the carbon tax, saying the business lobby would wait to see the Coalition's final policy.

But he did call for business red tape to be slashed and claimed regulation was "choking" business and that Australia ranked 96th out of 144 in an international measure of "regulatory burden".

Just days before Julia Gillard's showdown with the State Premiers over the Gonski education reforms, the BCA chair called for the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) structure to be axed.

"Despite the best intentions, COAG has failed," he said.

The address by Mr Shepherd, who is chairman of Transfield Services, came as the business lobby also launched a nationwide advertising campaign - "When business works, Australia works" - which reinforces the call for longer-term thinking about Australia's future.

The newspaper advertisements say: "In many countries, creating jobs, raising living standards and securing long-term prosperity is a challenge. In Australia, it's a choice."
 

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PM laughs off fashion critics

Prime Minister at a student forum at Nunawading Christian College in Melbourne. Picture: Derrick Den Hollander Source: Herald Sun

THE PM has laughed about the media focus on what she is wearing during a visit with students in Melbourne today.

"I joke with my female friends that most women who spend a lot of time worrying about what they're wearing want other people to comment on it and say how well-dressed they are," Julia Gillard said during a question and answer session with Nunawading Christian College students.

"I spend a lot of time having to worry about what I'm wearing so no-one comments on it. It's a complete reverse of how most women think about their wardrobe."

Ms Gillard, in Melbourne today doing the hard sell on her education funding reforms package ahead of Friday's Council of Australian Governments meeting, said that being the first female PM inevitably brought a different image of leadership.

"I joke with my male colleagues about how easy they get it. All they have to do is pick a suit, pick a shirt, pick a tie. They get to wear sensible, flat shoes and no-one ever says anything about it and if they wear the same suit a few days a week, no-one ever says 'gee they have got the same suit on'."

Ms Gillard said for her the questions were asked "how come she's got the same jacket on? Why is she wearing flat shoes? If she's in high heels is she going to stumble over today?"

She said the focus was slowly switching from commentary about her clothes to the things that matter.

Ms Gillard later told media she would be urging state premiers and chief ministers on Friday to "do the right thing" and back her new $14.5billion schools funding plan to ensure every Australian school is properly resourced.

"I don't want any of our children to be left behind.

"I want every child to get a great education. I want every school to have the resources to offer a great education and I want to make sure our nation gets stronger and smarter and fairer in the future and that all starts in Australian schools."

At Nunawading Christian College, students asked Ms Gillard her advice for female students, about asylum seeker policies and what legacy she wants to leave.

The PM also attended the Maroondah Schools ANZAC Service, staged by the Rotary Club of Ringwood.
 

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