Qld premier asks party to suspend Driscoll

QUEENSLAND Premier Campbell Newman has asked his Liberal National Party to suspend the membership of Redcliffe MP Scott Driscoll.

The rookie MP is facing a raft of allegations including sexual harassment, financial mismanagement and improper business dealings.

A whistleblower went to Queensland's Crime and Misconduct Commission last week alleging Mr Driscoll had direct control of the Regional Community Association Moreton Bay (RCAMB), while tens of thousands of dollars in consultancy fees were paid to his wife's company, Norsefire.

The premier wants Mr Driscoll to sit on the crossbench until he is cleared by all inquiries.

He hopes the MP can return to the LNP if the allegations are found to be baseless.

But for now he says the allegations have distracted the government and its ability to get its message out.

"I can't tolerate that occurring any longer," Mr Newman told reporters on Monday.

"This matter cannot continue."

Opposition Leader Annastacia Palaszczuk said Mr Newman has supported Mr Driscoll for months and there must be fresh allegations he's not sharing on why he's changed his tune.

"What's the new evidence?

"We are not being given a full and frank explanation."

She said all information should be forwarded to the Crime and Misconduct Commission.

Comment is being sought from Mr Driscoll.

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New Vic premier restores $200m TAFE funds

New Victorian Premier Denis Napthine has restored $200 million in cuts made to the TAFE sector. Source: AAP

DENIS Napthine has announced $200 million in TAFE funding in his first big funding decision as Victoria's new premier.

The decision reverses a big chunk of the $290 million the state government cut from TAFE in the latest budget, which had prompted protests and program closures.

Dr Napthine said the funding would be rolled out over four years.

But state opposition leader Daniel Andrews immediately criticised the announcement.

"TAFE announcement is too little, too late," he wrote on Twitter.

"Only a fraction of what's been cut."

Dr Napthine's announcement came on Tuesday with the release of a TAFE review panel report.

Dr Napthine said it will be up to the 14 TAFE centres to use the funding to best support their training needs.

He said it will also help TAFE centres to operate in an increasingly competitive training sector.

Higher Education Minister Peter Hall said the money will help deliver courses for students.

There had been feared closures at TAFE campuses at Lilydale and Prahran.

When asked if the campuses may still be viable, Mr Hall said both were being subjected to "very close and earnest consideration by government".

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Vic premier says his job is safe

Victoria's premier maintains his job is safe after reporting his office to the anti-corruption body. Source: AAP

VICTORIAN Premier Ted Baillieu insists he and deputy Peter Ryan will continue in their roles following the leaking of tapes involving a key adviser and former aide from their offices.

The secret phone recordings and receipts reveal Mr Ryan's former adviser Tristan Weston was paid $22,500 by the Liberal Party after he quit the deputy premier's office, according to information published by the Herald Sun.

Speculation has emerged Mr Baillieu might be asked to step aside, but after meeting his colleagues on Tuesday, he said his leadership was safe.

Mr Baillieu said he had the backing of the coalition party room and Mr Ryan, who is leader of The Nationals, would "absolutely" remain as deputy premier.

"We don't have any changes planned," Mr Baillieu said.

He said he was confident he would still be leader come the 2014 November state election.

"We don't talk about what we discuss in the party room," he told reporters.

"I don't know what commentary has been made but we are working together."

Planning Minister Matthew Guy, who is widely considered a potential future leader, has voiced support for Mr Baillieu.

"I don't believe there's a crisis for the government. I think there's issues to be managed and we're going to do that," Mr Guy told ABC Radio.

Mr Baillieu on Monday referred the tapes to the anti-corruption commission chief to determine whether an investigation was needed.

On a tape published by the Herald Sun website, the premier's chief of staff Tony Nutt can reportedly be heard promising to help Mr Weston find another job.

During another recorded conversation, leaked to Fairfax Radio, the state director of the Liberal Party Damien Mantach can reportedly be heard telling Mr Weston he had been "hung out to dry".

He reportedly said on the tapes that while Mr Weston was in a small way to blame for his own demise, he was the victim of a Liberal-National crossfire.

Mr Weston quit Mr Ryan's office in October 2011 after the Office of Police Integrity found he was involved in a plot to dethrone the former police commissioner Simon Overland.

Mr Guy poured cold water on the leadership speculation as he attended Tuesday's meeting.

"The party is behind Ted and we'll move on," he said.

He added that Mr Baillieu had acted appropriately by referring the secret tape involving Mr Nutt to the Independent Broad-Based Anti-corruption Commission.

"There has been situations in the past where other ministerial offices have been looked at, whether it's by the ombudsman, whether it's by a range of bodies, so I think people should take a cold shower," Mr Guy said.

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Kids can hunt on public land: NSW premier

CHILDREN as young as 12 who have been shooting feral animals on public land for more than a decade have been doing it legally, NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell says.

The Games Council has issued junior hunting permits since 2002 but concerns have been raised that these permits could contravene the Firearms Act, which states children can only use a gun for the purposes of instruction.

Critics say this means minors could face potential criminal charges carrying sentences of up to five years' detention.

But Mr O'Farrell on Tuesday said he had spoken to NSW Police Minister Mike Gallacher, who "has made clear there are no concerns about that".

"Police have indicated that what is happening is absolutely in line with all the regulations," the premier told reporters in Sydney.

However, Greens MP David Shoebridge said the act was clear and stated that it was unlawful for a child to use a firearm for the purpose of hunting.

"A minor's permit only entitles a child to use a firearm for the purpose of instruction in its safe use or for authorised target shooting," he said.

"Children out hunting in state forests are there for the purpose of killing animals, not for instruction.

"They are almost certainly breaking the law."

Last week, Mr O'Farrell announced the Game Council would be subjected to a full review following revelations that charges could be laid against its acting chief executive Greg McFarland.

He's been suspended over allegations of illegal hunting, trespassing and the inhumane killing of a feral goat in central NSW.

The taxpayer-funded body is assigned with overseeing the rollout of amateur hunting of feral animals in 77 national parks and reserves, which has been put on hold until a review is completed.

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Premier rubbishes PM's $1bn road offer

Julia Gillard defends her visit to Western Sydney saying 'her visit like any other visit in the past'. Courtesy Sunrise Network Seven

NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell has rubbished an offer by Julia Gillard for a $1 billion-plus down-payment to start building the western Sydney motorway network as election grandstanding by a government which "hasn't done its homework".

Mr O'Farrell said the Prime Minister's proposal, revealed in The Daily Telegraph today, could add five to eight billion dollars to the West Connex project.

"The prime minister is prepared apparently to offer a billion dollars," Mr O'Farrell said.

"A billion dollars with what is estimated to be a five to eight billion additional price tag.

"That's half a billion dollars less than what Tony Abbott's offering for the existing program."

He said the increased cost would come from the construction of additional works and removing tolls from the M4.

Mr O'Farrell revealed he had not been informed of the plan by the PM despite talking to her on Saturday about other announcements.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard arrives at the Rydges Hotel at Rosehill to attend a special dinner reserved for Labor members ahead of her long week out in the Western Suburbs. Picture: Adam Taylor

"The first I heard about today's plan was when I picked up the newspaper," he said. "This is back of the envelope stuff."

"The only plan the Prime Minister has is to try and win the September election."

Earlier, the PM's breakfast on the campaign that isn't a campaign began with a protest.

More than 30 Rooty Hill residents waved banners and electricity bills at the Novotel hotel where the PM is staying during her five day western Sydney sleepover in protest of rising power prices and the carbon tax.

"We shouldn't have to live like this," Rooty Hill locals Keith and Laura Seeley said. "Every electricity bill is a struggle."

"We don't use our freezer, we don't cook in the oven, we have to make sure to unplug everything."

The couple said they felt betrayed by Gillard.

"She made all these promises last time she was out here and not one was honoured," Ms Seeley said.

"The West Link, the carbon tax, the mining tax. She doesn't keep the promises she makes."

Protesters said they were disappointed the Prime Minister did not meet with them.

"She said she was here to talk to people," resident Tony Robinson said. "Where is she? Why did she lie?"

The protesters were joined by climate change sceptic Lord Christopher Monckton.

On Sunday night, Ms Gillard said western Sydney residents needed recognition and respect and shouldn't be viewed as second-rate,  in an address to about 1000 Labor faithful.

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Block other mines, residents tell premier

RESIDENTS want the NSW government to block other coal mining projects after Premier Barry O'Farrell indicated he would kill off a controversial project on land owned by Eddie Obeid.

It comes as the directors of Cascade Coal sought to distance themselves from corruption allegations involving its Mt Penny project in the Bylong Valley.

Mr O'Farrell on Thursday said he would take into account matters of public interest when considering Cascade's application for a mining lease worth $1 billion.

That included evidence before the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC), which is investigating claims former mining minister Ian Macdonald rigged a 2008 tender process for coal exploration licences to benefit Mr Obeid.

It also heard the Obeid family took a secret stake in Cascade Coal.

A spokesman for Cascade Coal said the company's directors were concerned about the activities outlined at the ICAC.

But Cascade Coal and its directors had at all times acted in good faith and were not involved in any corrupt conduct, he said, "and on the relevant evidence, were misled and deceived by other parties".

The ICAC is also probing the Yarrawa Coal project by Loyal Coal and the Doyles Creek project by NuCoal Resources at Jerrys Plains.

Lock The Gate Alliance Hunter regional coordinator Steve Phillips called on Mr O'Farrell to block those projects as well.

"They have been forced onto unsuspecting and unwilling local communities through a dodgy process that is now the subject of one of the most far-reaching investigations in ICAC history," he said.

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