Pressure on new minister from Qld graziers

Federal Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce says he plans to mend trade ties with Indonesia. Source: AAP

AS summer looms, drought-stricken Queensland graziers and farmers are hoping Tony Abbott's government will help pull them out of strife.

Charles Burke, CEO of the state's peak rural body Agforce, says graziers in the north, northwest and southwest have been struck by a "perfect storm".

"I can't say that the drought is any worse than any other year," he told AAP from the annual Agforce conference in Townsville on Thursday.

"But many factors have exacerbated the problem: a high Australian dollar, we had fires in northwest of the state last November and no rain in those areas since.

"We've got legacy impacts from the live cattle export ban, so we've had more cattle queued up than we normally would have.

"It's just been a perfect storm as far as a drought goes."

The Queensland Government extended the drought area this week to include 60 per cent of the state.

Mr Burke hopes new Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce will boost growth in the industry, mend ties with Indonesia, develop trade with other countries and offer more support to struggling graziers and farmers.

"There are some assistance measures under the state government but we now need the federal government to start considering more support measures," he said.

"Rural Queenslanders are financially, physically and emotionally stressed."

Graziers say a temporary live cattle ban in 2011, brought on by claims animals were being mistreated, has crippled the cattle industry.

Although the export ban was lifted later in 2011, Indonesia reduced its import quota from 660,000 head of cattle to 260,000 per year.

In his first public address since becoming minister, Mr Joyce told those at the Agforce conference that he plans to mend the relationship between the two countries in an attempt to boost the market.

His list of "critical tasks" also includes plans to finalise Free Trade Agreements with trade partners including Korea, China and Japan.

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Abbott gets to work on stopping the boats

THE Abbott government insists it will honour its election promise to stop asylum seekers arriving by boat despite Indonesian opposition to its controversial plan to turn back vessels.

Mr Abbott says the coalition "absolutely, totally" respects Indonesia's sovereignty despite comments by Indonesian MP Tantowi Yahya that the turn-back policy is "offensive", "illegal" and could jeopardise good relations between the countries.

"I have no argument with anyone in the Indonesian establishment or parliament," Mr Abbott said in Sydney on Thursday.

"My argument is with people smugglers and my point to the people smugglers is 'the game is up'."

Mr Abbott said he is confident his coalition government will be able to work effectively with Indonesia, as former coalition governments had done.

Not everyone in Indonesia feels the same.

"The policy which is going to be implemented by Mr Abbott clearly ... annoys our sovereignty as independent country," Mr Yahya told ABC television.

And Indonesia's Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa said last week that Jakarta was opposed to Mr Abbott's plan to turn boats around - as well as his proposal to buy Indonesian fishing boats to stop them falling into the hands of people smugglers.

Labor MP Matt Thistlethwaite says Mr Yahya's comments accurately reflect the Indonesian government's position on Mr Abbott's policy.

"This is quickly turning into a diplomatic disaster for the new government," Mr Thislethwaite said.

But Australian National University foreign policy specialist Andrew Carr says the Indonesian MP's remarks may really be aimed at a domestic audience.

"This is an issue that does have some resonance with the Indonesian population," Dr Carr told AAP.

"Traditionally, that has not been as much a factor in (Australia's) international relations with Indonesia and I don't think it will be a major factor here."

Mr Abbott will use his first international trip as prime minister to visit Jakarta to hold bilateral talks with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on September 30. Trade and people smuggling are expected to be at the top of the agenda.

Mr Abbott repeatedly said during the recent federal election campaign he wanted his first international visit as prime minister to be to Indonesia and that his government would be focused on Asia.

Meanwhile, Deputy Chief of Army Angus Campbell was formally tasked on Thursday with leading operations against asylum-seeker boats under Mr Abbott's Operation Sovereign Borders policy.

The former SAS commander will report directly to immigration minister Scott Morrison and coordinate the 16 departments and agencies that deal with refugee boats.

Mr Morrison met with Lieutenant General Campbell shortly after his appointment.

"The Australian people want that stopped and they have tasked this government to get that job done," Mr Morrison said in Canberra.

"We won't let them down."

Lieutenant General Campbell replied: "There's some work to do."

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Man dies after stabbing in Sydney fight

A MAN has died after being stabbed during an argument on a footpath at Doonside in western Sydney.

The man, aged in his early 30s, was taken to Westmead Hospital on Wednesday afternoon with stab wounds but later died, police say.

A crime scene has been established and local and homicide police are investigating.

No arrests have been made over the fatal attack.

The dead man is yet to be formally identified.

No further detail was available.

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Indi goes indy as McGowan trumps Mirabella

Independent candidate Cathy McGowan set out to run a community campaign in the seat of Indi. Source: AAP

GRASSROOTS independent Cathy McGowan says she will work across party lines to deliver for her community after she bumped former Liberal frontbencher Sophie Mirabella from parliament.

Ms Mirabella conceded defeat on Wednesday, handing the once safe Liberal seat of Indi to the independent.

"This election is over and the responsibility for the outcome is mine," Ms Mirabella, who was expected to be a minister in the Abbott government, said in a statement.

A feeling in the northern Victorian electorate that their views had not been adequately represented by Ms Mirabella apparently helped Ms McGowan win.

"Today is not just not about me or my story," Ms McGowan told orange-shirted supporters in Wangaratta.

"We have given the community of Indi ownership.

"We have given them a choice of who and how they are represented and, as a result, we now have 98,000 stories to hear."

Ms McGowan listed the local train service, health and broadband as her top priorities and said she has good relationships with all sides of politics.

She said one of her first priorities will be to join the long list of people knocking on Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull's door about the NBN.

Ms McGowan said she realises she won't be a kingmaker or queen bee given the state of parliament, but says she will deliver for her constituents.

"I will do my very best to be the very best member for Indi that we have ever had," she said.

"The rest of Australia is going to look upon what Indi does and say 'that is a good idea, I think we could try that'."

After 11 days of vote counting, Ms McGowan found herself nearly 400 votes ahead on Wednesday morning with only about 500 to be counted.

Ms Mirabella telephoned Ms McGowan to concede defeat before emailing a statement to media organisations.

"Despite the closeness of the count, I have decided not to seek a recount," the statement said.

"I unreservedly accept the decision of the democratic process."

Ms McGowan's campaign sprung from a grassroots group called Voice 4 Indi and grew to national prominence when former independent MP Tony Windsor told a television program Ms Mirabella won the "nasty prize".

An army of 600 McGowan volunteers combined traditional on-the-ground campaigning with social media, aiming to make the seat marginal before realising Ms McGowan could win.

"This is not an end of a campaign, this is the beginning of being a community member of the Commonwealth Parliament of Australia and I'm so proud to be the member for Indi," Ms McGowan said.

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Regis doubles full year profit

REGIS Resources has more than doubled its full year profit due to a boost in gold sales and higher prices.

The gold miner made a net profit of $145.7 million in the year to June 30, up from $68.2 million in the previous year.

Gold sales more than doubled to 253 ounces, from 107 ounces during the same period in the previous year.

That helped to boost gold sales revenue to $416.1 million.

The average sale price increased to $1,599 per ounce, up from $1,574 per ounce.

However, the cash cost of production rose 10 per cent in the full year, due to cost increases at the company's Moolart Well operation in Western Australia.

Regis said the development of its Rosemont Gold project, also in WA, would be completed in the December quarter.

"Gold production will commence in the December 2013 quarter and is expected to contribute 48,000 to 53,000 ounces of production for the 2014 financial year as the operation is ramped up," the company said.

Meanwhile, Regis forecasts gold production at WA's Garden Well for 2014 to be between 190,000 to 210,000 ounces and Moolart Well is expected to produce between 95,000 and 105,000 ounces during the same period.

Regis declared a maiden dividend of 15 cents per share, fully franked.

Regis shares dropped 30 cents, or 7.5 per cent, to $3.70.

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Further rate cut possible, but not yet

The RBA has signalled that another rate cut is possible, but says it is not going to happen soon. Source: AAP

THE Reserve Bank is inclined to make another interest rate cut, but it doesn't look like it will happen soon.

"Members agreed that the Bank should neither close off the possibility of reducing rates further nor signal an imminent intention to reduce them," the RBA said in the minutes of its September 3 board meeting.

The central bank said June quarter economic growth was a little below trend, but housing market conditions were continuing to improve in more recent months in response to low lending rates.

The RBA last reduced the cash rate in August, by quarter of a percentage point, to a new record low of 2.5 per cent.

It said the historically low lending rates and the lower Australian dollar are continuing to provide a substantial degree of stimulus to the economy.

The RBA said this would help the Australian economy negotiate its transition away from being driven by investment in resources.

JP Morgan economist Ben Jarman said the RBA did not want to declare an end to its cycle of reducing the cash rate, but stopped short of saying there was scope to cut further.

"The minutes struggled to get very excited about the progress achieved so far," he said.

"Officials are not totally defeatist, and still are putting emphasis on monetary policy's long and variable lags."

The decision to cut the cash rate again will be dependent on future economic data and how far the Australian dollar will fall, Commonwealth Bank economist Diana Mousina said.

But she added that 2.5 per cent will be the low point for the cash rate in this easing cycle.

"On balance, the economy is progressing at a pace in line with the RBA's expectations. So a rate cut is not imminent," Ms Mousina said.

"We also suspect that policy makers would prefer to see any further easing in monetary conditions to come via a lower Aussie dollar."

The release of September quarter inflation figures on October 23 - two weeks before the RBA's Melbourne Cup day board meeting - is one of the key pieces of economic data to be released in the coming months.

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Endangered tamarins born in Adelaide

A PAIR of endangered golden lion tamarins have been born at the Adelaide Zoo.

Officials said the twins were born to parents Aurora and Rio on September 6 following the introduction of Aurora from Florida's Palm Beach Zoo in March.

She was introduced to help spread the genetic diversity of the captive population in the Australasian region.

Senior primate keeper Althea Guinsberg says mother and babies are doing well.

"Both babies are a good size and their positions holding onto mum and curled tails are a good sign that they are both healthy and strong," she said.

Golden lion tamarins are found along the coast of Brazil and are an endangered species due to deforestation and the illegal pet trade.

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Indie game development scene targets apps

GAME developers left out of work after some of Australia's biggest studios closed their doors have poured into the growing independent scene.

The unrelentingly high Australian dollar spelt the end of many developers over recent years including Team Bondi, which made the critically acclaimed L.A. Noire, THQ Australia, Pandemic Studios and more recently SEGA Studios Australia.

Sydney-based Leigh Harris - who started Flat Earth Games with his brother Rohan after leaving Grand Theft Auto developer Rockstar Games - said the big developers in Australia had all but vanished, prompting some talented folk to seek work overseas.

But others had embraced the freedoms - and the financial challenges - of independent development.

"Australia has been re-shaping its game development teams for the past four or five years now, away from the big AAA studios and those that were owned by overseas companies, and into indie, so now we have a fairly strong indie scene," Harris told AAP.

"There are a lot of cool start-ups, incubators and things like that that are pushing things along."

Harris said one of the saddest losses was the closure of KMM Interactive, which comprised the remnants of the L.A. Noire team, but a couple of mini studios were formed out of the wreckage.

"So there's, I suppose, a silver lining.

"We managed to get one of their designers and one of the programmers to help us out for a couple of weeks."

Flat Earth's small team can't yet afford to work on games full time, but that's the plan.

The small firm has spent the past two years developing an app-based resource management game called TownCraft in their spare time, so no-one has been paid a wage, but they plan to share the profits.

The Harris brothers agreed it was liberating working on a small project, without needing to jump through hoops to get signed-up by a video game publisher.

And they knew they were on the right track when all who beta-tested their game - which was inspired by city-building hits Caesar, Pharaoh and Settlers - became instantly addicted.

"That's when I knew we were doing OK ... I was playing and almost missed my train."

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Comedian Simon Pegg in Perth for film

Shaun of the Dead star Simon Pegg has arrived in Perth to film Kill Me Three Times. Source: AAP

ENGLISH actor and comedian Simon Pegg has arrived in Perth to work on the Australian film, Kill Me Three Times.

The star of Hot Fuzz, Shaun of the Dead and the recently released The World's End tweeted on Friday: "G'day Perth. Let's make a film."

Pegg seemed to enjoy Perth's sunshine on Sunday too, tweeting: "Beautiful day in Perth, WA. I might even leave the hotel, if I can find the exit."

An hour later he joked: "People keep recommending a bar called The Lucky Shag. Australia, you beautiful bitch, I don't think I could love you more at this point."

The Lucky Shag is a waterfront bar in Perth's CBD.

Written by James McFarland and steered by Red Dog director Kriv Stenders, Kill Me Three Times is a crime thriller set in the Australian surfing town of Eagle's Nest.

It tells the story of a young woman linked to three tales of murder, blackmail and revenge.

Pegg will play a murderer in the film, in stark contrast to his previous good guy roles.

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Worst over in Vic baby illness mystery

More than a dozen babies in Melbourne's Royal Women's Hospital have fallen ill to a mystery bug. Source: AAP

VICTORIAN Health Minister David Davis says the worst is over after more than a dozen babies in a hospital nursery came down with a mysterious infection.

Fifteen newborns being cared for in The Royal Women's Hospital's intensive and special care nursery were quarantined when the illness emerged nine days ago.

Two babies had to have surgery for an inflammatory bowel condition.

Mr Davis said the outbreak was a challenge that had been well-managed.

"An infection in neonatal has been worked through and followed up with the support of the chief health officer of Victoria," he said.

"We are now eight days since any further infection. This can happen from time-to-time but has been handled appropriately and carefully."

Mr Davis said state opposition allegations that funding cuts were to blame for stress in neonatal units were false and bed numbers were at record numbers.

He said adequate bed numbers in neonatal units was a long-term challenge for government that was separate to the infection.

"From time-to-time there are peaks in demand (of beds) and there is pressure. However the state government is working to ensure their sufficient capacity," he said.

A hospital spokeswoman said there was no danger to new arrivals and that the babies are getting better.

Australian Nursing Federation state secretary Lisa Fitzpatrick said she was concerned about the stress on neonatal care units across the state.

"There is continuing pressure put on those units and we know that there has been an issue this week with 20 babies still being barrier nursed," Ms Fitzpatrick said.

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