Google chairman Schmidt to visit Myanmar

GOOGLE chairman Eric Schmidt is planning to visit Myanmar (Burma) weeks after a trip to North Korea.

Schmidt will speak in Yangon (Rangoon) on March 22 as part of an Asian tour, the Internet giant said.

He is aiming to boost web access in a country long cut-off from the rest of the world by sanctions.

Internet penetration is poor and those with web access have slow connections.

Schmidt's visit aims "to connect with local partners and Googlers who are working to improve the lives of many millions of people across the region by helping them get online and access the world's information for the first time", Google said in a statement.

Schmidt made a private visit to North Korea in January.

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Sydney toddler drowns in backyard pool

A one-year-old boy has died after being pulled unconscious from a backyard pool in Sydney's west. Source: AAP

A TODDLER has drowned in a backyard pool in Sydney's west.

Police and paramedics were called to a house on The Northern Road at Luddenham after the one-year-old boy was pulled unconscious from a backyard pool on Saturday afternoon.

The boy was treated by paramedics and taken to Nepean Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

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Queensland gets GST windfall, WA big loser

THE Queensland government has no more excuses to cut services after gaining a windfall $700 million in the annual carve-up of the GST revenue pie, the federal government says.

However, the Gillard government faces another row with newly re-elected Western Australian Premier Colin Barnett as his state is the biggest loser in the recommended 2013/14 GST distribution announced on Friday, losing more that half a billion dollars.

An angry Mr Barnett said it was a "flashpoint" in state/federal relations.

Senior government minister Craig Emerson said the independent Commonwealth Grants Commission's latest assessment was a "great boost" to Queensland.

He said the state's premier Campbell Newman had now run out of excuses for his savage cuts to jobs and services.

"Mr Newman has $700 million more coming Queensland's way as a result of the GST distribution ... stop sacking nurses and other frontline service providers," Dr Emerson told reporters in Canberra.

Treasurer Wayne Swan said Mr Newman owes Queenslanders an explanation as to what he will use this money for, given his recent savage cuts to jobs and services.

In its annual recommendations to the federal government, the Commonwealth Grants Commission estimated GST revenue will total $51 billion in 2013/14, up from $48.25 billion in 2012/13.

It said the main changes in its distribution recommendations were for Queensland and WA, mainly reflecting contrasting developments in the mining industries.

Commission chairman Alan Henderson said WA mining production had continued to grow to the point where by 2011/12 it had the capacity to raise near $2200 per person in mining royalties, compared with about $450 per person for all states.

"This sustained growth and the associated impact on employment and wages elsewhere in the state gives it an unprecedented fiscal capacity," Mr Henderson said.

"Compared to last year, we conclude they need $549 million less GST revenue."

Dr Emerson said this was an independent assessment, which by convention the federal government accepted, but noted the reduction was about $100 million less than the WA government had forecast.

But Mr Barnett said what was particularly galling was that for the first time, a state's share had fallen below 50 cents in a dollar.

"That is the flashpoint in commonwealth/state relations," he told reporters in Perth.

"This deal is akin to chopping two arms and a leg off, but saying 'you've got another leg'."

Mr Henderson said coal prices in 2011/12 were much lower than in 2008/09 and that Queensland coal production was also somewhat lower.

"This, combined with a sluggish property market, has resulted in Queensland's overall fiscal capacity falling below the average and therefore it becoming a net beneficiary under the equalisation arrangements for the first year since 2007/08," he said.

"We have assessed that Queensland needs $696 million GST (more) than we assessed them as needing last year."

The commissioner also said new 2011 census data on the distribution of Indigenous people showed a smaller share of the cost of delivering indigenous services falls to the Northern Territory.

As a result, the NT's GST share has been reduced by $107 million.

The commission said changes for other states are small.

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NSW man to be sentenced over Kiesha death

THE stepfather of Kiesha Weippart is to be sentenced in May over the killing of the six-year-old girl in western Sydney.

Kiesha was allegedly knocked unconscious by another person, who cannot be named, at her Mt Druitt home in July 2010.

Robert Smith, 33, has pleaded guilty to her manslaughter on the grounds of negligence and to being an accessory after the fact of murder.

During a brief appearance on Friday, the NSW Supreme Court was told that Smith, who was wearing a white shirt and had his short black hair slicked down, would not be putting forward further submissions on his sentencing.

Justice Megan Latham listed his sentencing for May 3.

Evidence was given to a court last month that after the little girl was injured, Smith left her in a "comatose" state when he went off to work, only to return home that night to find her dead.

After Kiesha died, the court heard Smith stuffed her body into a suitcase and left it in her room for about five days before he and his co-accused took it to a pre-prepared grave at nearby Shalvey on July 18, 2010.

"(Smith) then doused the deceased's body in petrol and set the deceased's body alight," crown prosecutor Keith Alder has previously told the court.

Kiesha was eventually reported missing from her home on August 1, sparking a large-scale police search and nationwide media interest.

Another person, who cannot be named for legal reasons, will stand trial for Kiesha's murder later this year.

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Lower rates helping building sector - RBA

LOWER interest rates have been helping the residential building market to recover, with prices in many markets rising, a Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) official says.

RBA assistant governor (economic) Dr Christopher Kent said dwelling construction was beginning to pick up and he expected further growth in the months ahead.

"In line with this, our expectation is that there will be a further gradual increase in dwelling construction activity over this year and the next," Dr Kent said in a speech to the Australian Institute of Building at the University of Technology, Sydney.

"This moderate growth in dwelling investment will play some role in helping to support a gradual pick-up in economic growth more broadly from what is expected to be a rate a little below trend this year."

The RBA has cut the cash rate six times since November 2011, the most recent reduction being a quarter of a percentage point to three per cent in December.

"Overall, the data over recent months suggest that demand in the established housing market is strengthening gradually," Dr Kent said on Thursday night.

"This general strengthening has been helped, no doubt, by 175 basis points worth of cuts to the cash rate since late 2011, and the decline in mortgage interest rates that has followed from these cuts."

However, he warned that trends in housing finance indicate that the next upturn in the housing sector would not be as strong as previous increases.

"Lower interest rates have given households more scope to make payments on their mortgages ahead of schedule," Dr Kent said.

"This means that for a given growth rate of new lending, credit growth will be a bit lower than otherwise.

"From early 2012, shortly after mortgage rates started to decline, owner-occupier housing credit has been growing at a slower pace than investor housing credit."

Dr Kent said there has been stronger growth in approvals for higher-density housing, such as apartment blocks, since early 2012.

He said there had been little sign of a rise in approvals for detached houses.

"This may be an early indication of a new trend in the housing market," he said.

"As the price of land has increased relative to incomes over the past few decades, it makes sense that there is an incentive to economise on the use of land, that is, by living in higher-density housing.

Dr Kent said there may have also been a shift in people's preferences towards living closer to the city in flats and townhouses to save on travel time and take advantage of the better infrastructure.

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'Darth Vader' wanted on West Coast

NEW Zealand police are on the hunt for Darth Vader over a stolen credit card.

The card was stolen from a house on the South Island on Saturday and has been used four times since then.

Security camera footage showed a person in a black Darth Vader costume had used the card, withdrawing a considerable amount of money at a supermarket ATM, the Greymouth Star reported.

Police suspect the culprit was among 12,000 people at the Wildfoods Festival and want to hear from anyone who can help unmask the Star Wars copycat.

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Budget needs tough choices, Gillard says

PRIME Minister Julia Gillard could be asking the nation to bear some tough decisions in this year's budget, if forecasts Labor is heading for a $20 billion deficit are correct.

Ms Gillard declined to comment on the analysis by the Australian arm of British bank Barclays suggesting the 2012/13 deficit will be double the size most economists expect.

But she told parliament: "In line with our fiscal strategy, we are asking the nation to take some tough decisions and to make some tough choices."

Ms Gillard also used question time to attack the opposition for voting against past "reasonable and legitimate" government savings measures, even though it railed about the need to get back to surplus.

"How anywhere can that possibly add up," she said.

Treasurer Wayne Swan was also asked by shadow treasurer Joe Hockey to guarantee the government won't exceed the $300 billion national debt ceiling in the May 14 budget.

Mr Hockey said Labor had changed the debt limit on numerous occasions.

"Wayne Swan and Labor are addicted to spending and addicted to debt," he said.

Mr Swan said the government's estimates would be updated in the budget.

"We will be within the cap," he added.

Barclays Australia chief economist Kieran Davies believes the government has been successful in containing spending and that its main problem is weak revenue.

While personal income tax and other forms of revenue had grown solidly - by eight and 14 per cent respectively - during 2012/13, company tax had likely declined 22 per cent.

This was due to lower mining sector revenues, following a sharp decline in commodity export prices and subdued growth in finance sector income.

Mr Davies said the government's dumped $1.1 billion budget surplus forecast for 2012/13 had always been too ambitious.

If it happened, it would be the largest turnaround in the budget bottom line in a single year since what he described as the "horror" budget of 1951/52.

In that year, spending cuts and tax increases were used to combat an inflation surge caused by a massive commodities boom.

"The forecast return to surplus this year always seemed to us driven by political rather than economic considerations," Mr Davies said.

Two major and costly government policies, the Gonski education reforms and the National Disability Insurance Scheme, are expected to be incorporated into the 2013/14 budget.

There's speculation the government may publish a longer run of forecasts than the usual five years forward estimates and including figures for the remainder of this current financial year.

If so, this would reflect the full impact of those two policies, and indicate how the government intended to pay for them.

The budget deficit for 2011/12 was $43.7 billion.

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Patel found not guilty of manslaughter

Jurors will continue deliberating on Wednesday in the manslaughter trial of ex-surgeon Jayant Patel. Source: AAP

A RELIEVED Jayant Patel has exchanged a bear hug with his barrister after learning of his acquittal over the death of a patient at Bundaberg Hospital.

At the end of a 23-day trial in the Supreme Court in Brisbane, a jury on Wednesday afternoon found the former surgeon's decision to operate on 75-year-old Mervyn Morris did not constitute criminal negligence amounting to manslaughter.

Patel had been accused of causing Mr Morris's death after he removed part of his colon in an attempt to address rectal bleeding in 2003.

However, his defence team successfully argued Patel had an "honest and reasonable belief" the operation was necessary, and that his actions were supported by a number of expert witnesses.

This is the second time Patel has stood trial for the manslaughter of Mr Morris.

He was convicted in June 2010 of killing Mr Morris and two other patients, and was also found guilty of the grievous bodily harm of Ian Vowles.

Patel was sentenced to seven years' jail.

However, his convictions were overturned by the High Court in August last year and separate retrials were ordered.

Patel walked from court on Wednesday with his head held high, but remains on bail for the other charges.

Prosecutor David Meredith said in court the crown would still proceed with "some matters" but would not indicate which ones.

Outside court, defence barrister Ken Fleming QC said there would be a submission to the crown in the near future that the charges be dropped.

Attorney-General Jarrod Bleijie refused to comment on the verdict but said Director of Public Prosecutions Tony Moynihan was working on a "course of action" in relation to the other matters.

Mr Fleming, who did not allow Patel to speak, said his client was "very happy" with the verdict, and that he felt justice had been done.

"The evidence was there, and the jury acted responsibly as well," he said.

"I think it was a very intelligent jury and they worked very hard."

Patel will face court again on Friday for a mention.

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Fire sparks evacuation in southwest Vic

FIREFIGHTERS waterbombing a fast-moving grassfire burning around the Cashmore area in Victoria's southwest have succeeded in reducing the threat.

An emergency warning has been downgraded to a watch and act alert for the fire in the Cashmore area, which was expected to impact the areas of Portland West and Trewalla, the CFA said.

"The fire is still going however fire activity has reduced a bit because of suppression activities and the weather situation," a CFA spokeswoman said.

"Waterbombing has had significant success in protecting assets and against spot fires."

The spokeswoman said 130 firefighters and seven aircraft are still fighting the blaze.

Firefighters are also still working to protect 30 homes on Dougherties Road in Portland West.

Residents have been urged to follow their bushfire survival plans.

Fire Services Commissioner Craig Lapsley said strong winds on Tuesday and Wednesday were the most important focus for fire authorities.

"The weather conditions will see very strong winds not only during the day but also during evening and night hours," Mr Lapsley said.

"The key factor is we have seen winds come back again that we haven't experienced for over a week or so."

A total fire ban is in force in the southwest and Wimmera fire districts for Tuesday.

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Bushfire burning south of Adelaide

A BUSHFIRE continues to burn in a pine forest south of Adelaide but firefighters are hopeful of bringing it under control.

The Country Fire Service (CFS) said the blaze had destroyed about 25 hectares at Wattle Flat by Tuesday afternoon and was being attacked on both the ground and from the air.

It was sparked as temperatures across the state surged into the high 30s ahead of a cooler change moving in from the west.

The Bureau of Meteorology expected the change to reach Adelaide late on Tuesday, dropping maximum temperatures on Wednesday into the mid-20s.

The CFS said a shift in winds with the change could help push the fire front back on itself.

While there were some farms in the vicinity of the fire, no properties were under immediate threat.

The CFS said crews were also responding to a bushfire late on Tuesday in the Onkaparinga area of the Adelaide Hills.

Local residents were urged to follow their bushfire survival plans.

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Afghan leader alleges US-Taliban collusion

President Hamid Karzai has accused the United States of colluding with the Taliban. Source: AAP

PRESIDENT Hamid Karzai has accused the United States of colluding with the Taliban to justify its presence in Afghanistan, dumbfounding US officials during a problematic visit by the new Pentagon chief.

A joint news conference by Karzai and US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel was cancelled on Sunday, as the Afghan leader's allegations compounded the troubled nature of the visit after a security scare from twin bomb attacks on Saturday.

"The bombs that were detonated in Kabul and Khost were not a show of force, they were serving America," Karzai said in a televised speech, referring to the two suicide blasts in which 19 people were killed.

The president said the United States was in "daily" talks with the Taliban and that insurgent suicide attacks enabled the international military force to vindicate its deployment in Afghanistan.

"It is their slogan for 2014, scaring us that if the US is not here our people will be eliminated," he said, as US-led combat troops begin a long withdrawal after more than a decade of war.

Karzai, who has frequently lashed out at perceived US slights through inflammatory language, was angered by a new delay to the planned transfer of the controversial Bagram jail from US to Afghan control.

He is also adamant that his government must be involved in any US-Taliban contacts, although the Islamist militia dismisses him as a US puppet and says no dialogue has taken place with the Americans since a year ago.

Karzai insisted that in "Europe as well as in Gulf countries, the Taliban and the Americans and foreigners are in talks on a daily basis".

The president's news conference with Hagel was scrapped just a few hours before it was due to be held at the presidential palace in Kabul, with US officials citing unspecified security concerns.

The Pentagon chief, on his first official visit to Afghanistan after he endured a difficult confirmation process by the US Senate, tried to downplay tensions with Karzai after they met in private.

"He has his ways," Hagel said. "There will be new challenges, there will be new issues. It shouldn't come as a surprise ... but I don't think any of these are challenges that we can't work (our) way through.

"I told the president that it was not true that the United States was unilaterally working with the Taliban," he added. "The fact is any prospect for peace or political settlements, that has to be led by the Afghans."

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Insulation inquest hears of teen's death

AN employer of a teenager who was electrocuted while installing home insulation in 2009 told an inquest that power was never turned off before workers went inside a roof.

Richard Jackson, a director of central Queensland firm Arrow Property Maintenance, which employed Rueben Kelly Barnes, 16, said no one in "the building game"ever did it.

Mr Barnes was electrocuted on November 19, 2009, when he came in contact with a metal batten that was "live", the inquest in Brisbane Coroners Court heard.

Mr Thompson admitted under cross-examination that before Rueben Barnes began installing insulation he was given no training by the company.

" I told them to keep their eyes out, their ears open, look out for things," Mr Jackson said.

"I considered that training."

Mr Jackson said his brother Christopher organised registration for their work installing insulation under the Federal Government's Home Insulation Program.

When asked if he ever discussed Arrow's obligations he said he asked his brother if they needed to do anything else. He said his brother said a government bloke just said "Go and make money while the sun shines".

"That was about it."

Mr Barnes was electrocuted while installing insulation in a home near Rockhampton as a result of 10 year old defects in the ceiling cavity, an inquest has heard.

He had no training in electrical safety in roofs and he was not wearing any personal safety gear, the inquest before State Coroner Michael Barnes has been told.

The power had not been turned off and a metal batten in the ceiling cavity of the house in Cocks Rd, Stanwell, south of Rockhampton, was "live", the inquest heard.

The first two witnesses have appeared in the inquest into the deaths of three young men who were electrocuted while installing home insulation under a Federal Government scheme.

Matthew James Fuller, 25, Rueben Kelly Barnes, 16, and Mitchell Scott Sweeney, 22, died between 2009 and 2010, the inquest has heard.

The $2.45 billion home insulation program was shut down in February 2010, after the deaths.

In his opening address, counsel assisting the Coroner, Ralph Devlin SC, said Rueben Barnes's electrocution on November 18, 2009, resulted from pre-existing defects in the ceiling cavity.

Mr Barnes, who had been working for Arrow Property Maintenance for only three weeks, had been laying fibreglass insulation bats and a ceiling batten was "live", Mr Devlin said.

Gavin Thompson, an electrical safety officer who inspected the accident site on the day of Mr Barnes 's death, said he found a screw head had penetrated an electrical cable in the ceiling cavity.

Mr Thompson said a metal ceiling batten with a very low resistance reading had allowed electrical current to flow through.

Under cross-examination by lawyer Bill Potts, for Rueben's father, Mr Thompson said he would never go into a roof or ceiling without isolating or cutting off the power.

He agreed it was inherently dangerous and potentially fatal.

The inquest also heard that a metal pole had been used in the ceiling cavity.

The inquest heard that Mr Barnes was wearing only a pair of Crocs sandals and socks on his feet, but he did not have any personal protective gear, such as rubber-soled shoes or electric-proof gloves on.

Mr Barnes's employer Arrow Property Maintenance was fined $135,000 after being charged under the Electrical Safety Act and Workplace Health and Safety Act.

The inquest will look at 11 key issues covering training, supervision and safe work policy.

The inquest will look at why metal staples were allowed to be used, why it was not mandatory to turn off electricity before the installation and whether the three young men were adequately trained and supervised.

It also will look at the response of the state and federal progress of state and federal governments to the deaths.

The coronial inquest will hear evidence for five days this week, before being adjourned until early May.

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