Candelight vigil for Venezuela's Chavez

HUNDREDS of Venezuelans have held a candlelight vigil for President Hugo Chavez, praying for their leader while he remained in a hospital undergoing cancer treatment.

Chavez's supporters gathered on Friday night on a wide stairway in a hillside park near the presidential palace. They lit candles at sunset and sang along with a recording of a healthy Chavez belting out the national anthem.

Some wiped away tears. Others closed their eyes and prayed.

Some said they felt sad, yet still hopeful that Chavez might be able to survive.

"We're praying for the president, for him to get through all of this," said Ana Perez, a seamstress holding a candle and shielding her flame from the breeze with a piece of paper.

Her eyes filled with tears as she talked about Chavez. "There is no other president like this one. He's unique," she said, wiping a wet cheek.

"He's going to come out of all of this, and he's going to get better," Perez said. "He's survived many hard things. He's strong."

Chavez hasn't been seen since he returned to Venezuela on Monday from Cuba, where for 10 weeks he was recovering and fighting complications following his latest cancer surgery December 11.

Vice President Nicolas Maduro said that he and other officials had met with Chavez at the military hospital.

Maduro said Chavez is continuing to undergo treatment for "respiratory insufficiency" and is breathing through a tracheal tube, which hinders speech.

"He communicated with us through various written ways to give us his guidance," Maduro said, speaking on television alongside other aides at the hospital.

Maduro said Chavez was smiling and in an energetic mood, "with an immense strength of will".

The government has not given details about the treatment Chavez is undergoing, and hasn't identified the type or exact location of the tumours that have been removed from his pelvic region.

Venezuela's opposition has demanded the government provide more specific information about Chavez's condition, and has criticised a decision by MPs last month that indefinitely postponed his swearing-in ceremony for a new six-year term.

Two prominent Venezuelan jurists asked the Supreme Court on Thursday to determine whether Chavez is fit to remain in office.

Former Supreme Court President Cecilia Sosa Gomez and professor Jose Vicente Haro called for the court to appoint a board of medical experts to determine whether Chavez is in physical and mental shape to remain president.

They argued that if Chavez is fit to be president, the court should proceed to hold a public swearing-in.

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Zed's ACT Senate win could face challenge

SUPPORTERS of ousted sitting Liberal senator Gary Humphries will try to have his preselection loss overturned, accusing a triumphant former ACT opposition leader Zed Seselja of winning a rigged vote.

Many vented their frustration at the result outside the Eastlake Football Club in Kingston, labelling the preselection process "corrupt" and "disgusting".

Mr Seselja's push for the ACT Senate spot has divided the Liberal Party in Canberra, with Humphries supporters complaining they were effectively locked out of Saturday's vote.

The 35-year-old won the ballot by 114 to 84 - but more than 400 Liberal members were ineligible because they hadn't attended a branch meeting in the past six months.

Mr Seselja is alleged to have urged supporters to attend meetings just days before he announced his nomination, while other Liberal members were kept in the dark.

The new senate candidate dismissed talk of the preselection being rigged or unfair, saying, "It is a clear result from the party and I'm humbled by it."

"I think what we've had today is an exercise in democracy," Mr Seselja told reporters outside the football club.

"These processes are difficult, there is no doubt about it. Democracy is sometimes difficult - it can be messy."

Senator Humphries - who had been in the job for 10 years and had the support of opposition leader Tony Abbott - congratulated Mr Seselja on the win.

He said he would abide by the result despite talk of a challenge from his supporters.

"I would obviously dearly have loved to have been there to fight that fight and have been the person who took on Labor and the Greens in September," he said.

"I'm sad after a very long career in politics to have to bow out, but one's time is up sooner or later and obviously today the view of members is my time is up."

Former Canberra Liberals president Gary Kent said a full divisional council of the party would be convened in the next few weeks, triggered by a petition from members angry at the Seselja coup.

That meeting would have the power to overturn what he dubbed Saturday's "unfair and corrupt" preselection.

"I'm a Liberal (and) I'm ashamed of what happened today," Mr Kent told reporters.

"There will be a meeting in the middle of March at which hopefully 640 party members will be able to judge what happened here today.

"It was less than one in three voters. That was deliberate.

"Many people were not told about qualifying meetings."

A spokeswoman for Mr Abbott said he would not be commenting on the ACT preselection.

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Perth public nurses poised for mass strike

WEST Australian nurses will go on strike for 24 hours if the government does not offer them a 20 per cent pay increase over three years by Monday, the Australian Nurses Federation says.

The demand is up from 12.75 per cent, which the nurses said previously they would be prepared to accept.

The nurses' union voted on Friday to keep one in five beds closed at hospitals over the weekend and to wait until Monday to decide if they should take industrial action over wages and conditions.

The union also wants nurses to stop having to perform menial tasks normally done by orderlies and cleaners, and objects to big hikes in parking fees at hospitals.

ANF state secretary Mark Olson told a mass meeting of 1200 nurses the atmosphere of his meeting earlier on Friday with Health Department director-general Kim Snowball was "toxic" and said the health boss had told him to "f*** off".

But a spokeswoman for Mr Snowball said the department boss would not describe their meeting as heated and he did not swear.

"Absolutely at no point did he tell him to 'eff-off' or anything else like that," she told AAP.

Mr Snowball issued a statement saying he had handed a letter from Health Minister Kim Hames to Mr Olson and reiterated that he was unable to make a binding offer during the caretaker period ahead of the March 9 state election.

"(But) we are able to negotiate with the ANF to reach a position that we could present to an incoming government after the election," Mr Snowball said.

"I asked Mr Olson to carefully consider the letter, which I believe provides a way forward to establish a clear wages offer soon after the election."

Mr Snowball said he told Mr Olson the department was prepared not to dock the wages of nurses who attended Friday's meeting.

Earlier, Premier Colin Barnett agreed to meet with the union leader in a last-ditch effort to avoid a mass strike.

After saying little on the matter for several weeks, Mr Barnett said he would meet with Mr Olson if it would help avert strike action.

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NZ stocks surge 1.1 per cent

NEW Zealand equities stormed past 4,200 on the NZX50 Index, recovering ground lost since mid-January despite a mixed week of corporate earnings.

The NZX50 index of leading stocks rose 44.175 points, or 1.1 per cent, to 4,214.603, a level not seen since Jan 18, when there was a surge of pre-earnings season optimism about earnings quality.

Total turnover was unusually heavy at $200.5 million, at the end of the biggest week of the mid-year earnings season.

Within the index, 26 stocks rose, 17 fell and seven were unchanged.

Pre-season optimism had looked in danger of being snuffed out this week as leading stocks either disappointed or only just made earnings guidance.

However, announcements of job cuts in both New Zealand and Australia by heavyweights such as Fletcher Building gave investors heart that senior managers had strategies to deal with sub-par earnings in the weak New Zealand economy.

Fletcher, Telecom and Contact Energy, together worth 26.3 per cent of the NZX50, all rose after announcing hundreds of job cuts along with barely adequate earnings.

"We've got more to go. We've just started the process," said Shane Solly at Mint Asset Management.

"We've been concerned that there's been a bit of phony war going on" in New Zealand, with large employers delaying lay-offs until signs of an improving economy emerged.

Telecom was the third strongest riser on Friday, up 3.85 per cent to $2.29.

Fletcher took a pummeling earlier in the week, but rallied 1.52 per cent on Friday to close at $8.68.

Contact surged during the trading day, although it finished only 1.73 per cent up for the week after reporting solid half year earnings and a plan to cut 10 per cent of its staff of 1,100.

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Bushfire threatening WA homes and lives

LIVES and homes are under threat from a bushfire burning northeast of Perth.

A watch and act alert has been issued for people in Tea Tree Road, Brennan Road, Cockatoo Drive and Corella Road in the southern part of Bindoon in the Shire of Chittering.

The fire started between Lennards Road and Cockram Road in Lennard Brook and is burning in an easterly direction towards Bindoon.

"There is a possible threat to lives and homes as a fire is approaching the area and conditions are changing," the Department of Fire and Emergency Services said.

"You need to leave or get ready to actively defend."

Fire crews are at the scene and aircraft have been sent to assist ground crews.

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Echo yet to place its bet on casino site

CASINOS operator Echo Entertainment Group is still considering its options on the construction of a $1 billion new intregrated casino resort in Brisbane.

Along with the Treasury casino in Brisbane, Echo operates The Star casino in Sydney, and the Jupiters casinos at the Gold Coast and Townsville.

Echo said the development of a large-scale integrated resort in Brisbane and the relocation of its existing Treasury casino in Brisbane could generate significant value for Echo.

The company and the Queensland government are evaluating potential sites for the Treasury casino's relocation.

"The scope of investment is being looked at across both Brisbane and the Gold Coast," Echo chief executive John Redmond told reporters on Thursday.

"But, (it's) safe to say that investment in the Brisbane market would probably be in the order of magnitude of a billion dollars, to build the type of resort that would make sense for this market.

"And there would be some re-investment in the Jupiters facility (at the Gold Coast) to keep that product (casino) competitive as well."

Mr Redmond said a new, "amazing" integrated casino resort that could offer more accommodation, restaurants and non-gaming facilities would put Brisbane back "on the map".

He said Brisbane could only support one casino.

"Anything beyond that starts to fragment the market and to minimise the amount of investment," Mr Redmond said.

In late 2010, before Echo was split from gaming giant Tabcorp, Tabcorp had said it planned to spend $625 million on expanding its three Queensland casinos.

But, Mr Redmond said on Thursday, that only about $50 million had been spent on upgrading the Queensland casinos due to speculation of a second casino at the Gold Coast and in Brisbane.

The consequent environment of uncertainty had made it hard to make investment decisions.

Echo on Thursday booked a net profit of $66.5 million in the six months to December 31, down 5.3 per cent from $70.2 million in the prior corresponding period.

Profit fell due to lower tax paid in the previous corresponding period and higher depreciation in the six months to December 31, 2012, following Echo's big investment in upgrading The Star casino in Sydney.

The performance of its Queensland casinos was softer in the first half of the 2012/13 financial year, due to a "tough consumer environment".

Echo said trading for the start of the second half of the financial year had been mixed.

Revenue in the first part of the second half of the financial year was down 16.7 per cent from the same period in the previous year.

Mr Redmond said that in the second half, Echo would focus on strategies to enhance revenue, cut costs and get a stronger return on investment at The Star.

The Queensland casinos continued to experience soft revenue trends and were likely to trade in line with general market conditions.

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WA's Elizabeth Quay election debate rages

PERTH'S $440 million Elizabeth Quay has become a hot election issue as the riverside development causes major traffic congestion in the city.

WA Labor leader Mark McGowan has said he will stop the bulldozers if elected on March 9 and explore renegotiating a $200 million contract.

But Premier Colin Barnett says Labor's planned changes would be too expensive and turn the project into an inner-city pond.

Mr McGowan said he would like to keep Riverside Drive open or come up with better traffic arrangements.

"Contracts are renegotiated all the time," he told ABC radio.

"If it's possible, and we'll save money from it, that's what we'll do."

Mr McGowan said the traffic congestion in the city was outrageous, and the Elizabeth Quay works were only going to make it worse.

Putting a land bridge over Riverside Drive would be much cheaper and would bring the city to the river - instead of the other way around under the current project, Mr McGowan said.

He said Labor would create a piazza on an area cleared for the project.

Mr Barnett said while Labor's changes could be implemented but they would impose a "massive cost" on taxpayers.

"I can't work out whether Labor supports Elizabeth Quay or not," he told Fairfax radio.

"We get conflicting, sitting-on-the-fence comments all the time.

"To put a bridge over the top of it would mean that it would destroy the whole concept."

The premier said Elizabeth Quay was meant for families and pedestrians - not cars.

While there had been major disruptions while it was being built - and there would be more - it was an important project that was supported by most people, he said.

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BHP appoints new boss as profit slides 58%

BHP Billiton's CEO is stepping down after nearly six years as head of the mining giant. Source: AAP

BHP Billiton has appointed a new chief executive to chart a course beyond the iron ore boom and in search of new sources of profit growth.

New boss, 56-year-old Scotsman Andrew Mackenzie, insisted he would not change much about the world's biggest miner's current strategy.

However, outgoing chief executive Marius Kloppers said BHP could no longer "rely on the tailwind of prices" and he did not think the recent spikes in iron ore prices - which it is already committed to expanding - would be sustained.

That was highlighted by a worse-than-expected 58 per cent fall in first half profit, driven by lower iron ore, coking coal and oil and gas prices, cost increases and a weak US dollar.

BHP's net profit fell to $US4.24 billion ($A4.14 billion) in the six months to December 31 from $US9.94 billion ($A9.70 billion) in the previous corresponding period.

The result included $US1.4 billion ($A1.37 billion) in one-off costs from asset sales and write-downs.

Excluding one-off items, the underlying profit was $US5.7 billion ($A5.56 billion), down 43 per cent but in line with analysts' expectations.

Mr Mackenzie's appointment on Wednesday was seen by analysts as a necessary change of direction because BHP under Mr Kloppers had tried to pull off massive deals and posted record iron ore-driven profits, but the environment had changed.

In the first six months of the year it stripped out $US944 million ($A916.33 million) in costs, aiming to achieve $US1.9 billion ($A1.84 billion) for the year, in a move welcomed by analysts.

The pricing future is expected to be brighter for copper, oil and gas than iron ore and coking coal, as China moves from infrastructure investment to energy consumption.

"I want to continue the momentum we built together with Marius and put an even sharper focus on the execution of that strategy," Mr Mackenzie, who is BHP's current non-ferrous metal chief, said.

"There are some quite powerful synergies that you can unlock between mining and petroleum ... I think petroleum has a fundamental part to play in our company and we are one of the only companies - possibly the only company - that can create value through unlocking those synergies."

Iron ore, which generated about half of BHP's earnings, fell 39 per cent to $US4.8 billion ($A4.66 billion).

Petroleum disappointed, down by 23 per cent to $US3.2 billion ($A3.11 billion), contributing 33 per cent of earnings.

Higher copper prices and volumes contributed to a 20 per cent lift in earnings for base metals to $US1.967 billion ($A1.91 billion).

Meanwhile, BHP paid a $US77 million ($A74.74 million) instalment of the federal government's mineral resources rent tax for the December half.

Morningstar resources analyst Mark Taylor said he believed Mr Kloppers probably had not wanted to take on a new role "eking out value" after having such big-picture strategies.

"Marius was in there as a big strategy guy, trying to pull off some of the deals of the century that didn't quite get pulled off, such as the ($US147 billion) Rio Tinto merger, PotashCorp," he told AAP.

"Petroleum is potentially one of BHP's divisions that can be a growth area ... I don't really see energy prices collapsing myself and it will be much harder to keep on top of growing energy demand."

BHP lifted its interim dividend two cents to 57 US cents and its shares closed 35 cents weaker at $38.65.

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Olympic boxer Damien Hooper in Qld court

Olympic boxer Damien Hooper (L) has appeared in court over allegations he spat on a police officer. Source: AAP

OLYMPIC boxer Damien Hooper has briefly appeared in court over allegations he exposed himself to police and spat on an officer at a Queensland nightclub.

The incident allegedly happened about 2am (AEST) on January 6 at Dalby, west of Brisbane.

Hooper, 20, of Toowoomba, was charged with wilful exposure, obstructing police and serious assault of a police officer.

He appeared briefly in Dalby Magistrates Court on Tuesday, where his case was adjourned until April 30.

Hooper got into hot water with Olympic officials in London last year, when he strode to the ring wearing a T-shirt with the Aboriginal flag on it.

His action contravened the International Olympic Committee's charter, which prevents political statements at the Games.

Hooper was forced to apologise to Australian team boss Nick Green, but later said he didn't regret his actions, despite them having breached an athletes' agreement.

Hooper failed to make it beyond the second round at the Olympics, going down to Russian Egor Mekhontcev 19-11.

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Royal prank cuts Southern Cross profit

The royal prank call by Sydney's 2DayFM cost the radio station's owners $2.8 million in lost profit. Source: AAP

THE prank hospital call to the pregnant Duchess of Cambridge by Sydney's 2DayFM cost the radio station's owners $2.8 million in lost profit.

Southern Cross Austereo (SCA) said the scandal had a $2.2 million hit to revenue and added $1.4 million in expenses.

SCA did not give a breakdown of the net profit effect but said there was an 0.4 cent decline to earnings per share due to the "Hot 30 impact".

The figure translated into a $2.8 million hit to first half net profit, which SCA reported as falling 52 per cent to $45.1 million.

2DayFM announcers Michael Christian and Mel Greig were suspended and their Hot 30 program cancelled after they made a prank call in December to London's King Edward VII Hospital posing as the Queen and Prince Charles.

Nurse Jacintha Saldanha, who took the call at the hospital, was later found dead in a suspected suicide.

SCA chief executive Rhys Holleran on Tuesday said the company had "put our processes under the microscope" in response to what he described as an "unforeseen tragedy".

"We are reasonably happy with what we have seen and we have seen some areas where we think we can do better than we previously did," he said.

SCA said any continuing financial effect would be immaterial and that the broadcaster's radio brands remained strong with audiences.

"We have done a lot of research into our own brands and I think with our own audiences and we just wrapped that up recently and they seem to be in pretty good shape," Mr Holleran said.

SCA suspended advertising on 2DayFM in December after a public backlash over the prank call, as major retailers such as Coles and Telstra pulled their advertising from the station.

Mr Christian has since returned to the airwaves, while Ms Greig was expected to return at a later date.

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Pac Brands shares rise as profits return

RETAILER Pacific Brands is pinning its future on the success of Bonds underwear and Sheridan sheets as it focuses on key brands and online sales to improve earnings.

The company on Monday cheered investors with a return to the black, with a first half net profit of $38.9 million.

The result for the six months to December 31 was a dramatic turnaround from a $362 million loss in the previous corresponding period which included large restructuring charges.

However sales fell 6.6 per cent, with the growth in underwear brands Bonds, Berlei and Jockey offset by weak sales in workwear brands Hard Yakka and King Gee.

"Restoring the company to sales growth is a top priority," chief executive John Pollaers said.

"The strategy, which includes focusing on key brands and diversifying channels to market, is the right one."

Mr Pollaers said the company had improved its margins and reduced its costs by $7.4 million by increasing its direct-to-consumer sales.

This was achieved by rising online sales across its key brands, opening more outlet stores for top-selling lines like Bonds, and its workwear division selling directly to businesses.

Mr Pollaers said the company was investigating ways to sell Bonds clothing, Sheridan homewares and some workwear brands in overseas markets such as the UK, US, China and southeast Asia.

"One of our ambitions is to become known for Australian design and innovation and I think it is time that the company reclaim that space," he said.

"Our business is already being studied by other overseas apparel brands and our designers are acknowledged internationally and I think there is more awareness than people think.

"But when we do it I think it will be a combination of some wholesale, some licensing opportunities that show up and then we'll explore other avenues over time."

Mr Pollaers said the company was still be looking at opportunities to grow its smaller brands and had no plans to sell any of them.

Morningstar analyst Michael Higgins said the market was pleased with the turnaround in the company.

"It's the first time in quite a while that company is showing some stability and stability in underlying earnings," he said.

"Although the results didn't show huge growth just the sign that things were stable was positive enough for the market."

While the company's key brands were doing well, Mr Higgins said it was a bit disappointing to see its second-tier brands produce softer results.

He said while the focus on internet sales was good there was still a question mark over the viability of the Bonds stores after fellow Australian retailer Billabong's strategy of opening its own outlets failed.

Pacific Brands shares closed 2.5 cents, or 3.4 per cent higher, at 75.5 cents.

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US unions to help Australian workers

AMERICAN unions are joining forces with the Australian Workers' Union (AWU) to take on multinational companies and "union-busting" political parties.

The AWU, which is holding its national conference on the Gold Coast, has entered into an alliance with one of the biggest union bodies in the US ahead of the federal election, as more global companies look to outsource work to China and Central America.

The 500 delegates endorsed the agreement with the International Association of Auto Machinists and Aerospace Workers, following a similar deal with the US steelworkers' union eight years ago.

Thomas Baffenbarger, president of the US machinists' union, told the conference the alliance with "could not come at a more critical time"

"Above all, it ... means taking it right to those companies that are hell-bent on union busting and their political cronies who make it easy for them to think that they could be successful," he said.

Mr Baffenbarger said the alliance would target specific multinational companies for "organising and collective bargaining activities" and co-ordinate on issues such as responding to new global trade agreements and "national policies".

Bob King, the US United Auto Workers president, told the conference his union was willing to work more closely with the AWU on political campaigning.

Mr King's union was credited with playing a key role in the re-election of US President Barack Obama.

"By going down to the delegate level, by going down to the local union level, and the commitments of every local union leader to talk every day to their members about why the election was important, we won an amazing victory," he said.

"I know you can do the same thing here."

AWU national secretary Paul Howes said his union would be learning from industrial bodies in the US how to campaign and engage with communities.

"We must use the collective strength of working people ... to take on the gigantic corporations who threaten our way of life and the stance we have taken on fair work conditions," he said.

Earlier, Mr Howes told the conference mining companies - led by "corporate robber barons in their shiny-arse suits" - weren't paying their fair share.

He later told reporters he would not resile from his criticism of some of the nation's wealthiest people, who would be "sitting at the de facto cabinet table under an Abbott government".

The conference, which ends on Thursday, is expected to endorse motions calling for a domestic gas reserve for Australia and "zero tolerance" for union corruption, following recent scandals involving the alleged misuse of member funds.

The AWU gave life membership on Monday to national president Bill Ludwig, who has resigned as Queensland state secretary.

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Carr asks Israel for answers on Zygier

FOREIGN Minister Bob Carr is asking Israel for some answers about the mysterious death of Prisoner X, believed to be an Australian man and suspected Mossad spy Ben Zygier.

Senator Carr says his department is compiling a report on the case and wants information from the Israeli government.

"We have asked the Israeli government for a contribution to that report," he told reporters in Sydney on Sunday.

"We want to give them an opportunity to submit to us an explanation of how this tragic death came about."

Mr Zygier was arrested by Israeli authorities in February 2010 and was held in a maximum security cell under a false name until he died, apparently by his own hand, in December 2010.

It is believed Mr Zygier - also known as Ben Alon and Ben Allen - worked for Israeli spy agency Mossad and was in fact the shadowy figure known as Prisoner X.

Israel this week admitted for the first time it had held a man with dual citizenship under a false name for security reasons.

The Australian government's handling of the case has been criticised amid continuing confusion over who knew about his arrest and detention.

Australian spy agencies told the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) about Zygier's detention for alleged Israeli national security offences shortly after his arrest.

But it remains unclear whether officials passed on the news to then-prime minister Kevin Rudd or then-foreign minister Stephen Smith.

Mr Rudd, who said he was surprised to learn about the case this week, urged a "robust" response, even if Australia and Israel had shared very friendly relations for decades.

"I think we need to get to the bottom of this," he said on Sunday.

Mr Rudd said the government took such action in 2010 when it emerged Israel had used Australian passports in an operation to assassinate a Hamas operative in Dubai.

Senator Carr has ordered a review of the Zygier case to "satisfy" himself that enough is being done by Australian consular staff and to identify any potential areas for improvement.

It's not known when it will be completed but the report, being overseen by DFAT head Peter Varghese, will canvass all contact between Australia and Israel's consulates and security agencies.

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One in five Aussies struggle to find $1000

ALMOST one in five Australians would struggle to come up with $1000 to deal with an emergency, while one in three people spend everything they earn.

A survey of almost 5000 Australians shows a deep divide exists between households that are financially prepared to cope with current and future expenses and those barely able to meet their everyday commitments.

It shows many Australians, including higher income earners, are unprepared for financial obstacles.

A total of 17 per cent of people surveyed would struggle to find $500 to $1000 to deal with an emergency, while 30 per cent were living from pay cheque to pay cheque.

More than 40 per cent of respondents said they were able to meet their monthly expenses, but a third admitted they were worried about their ability to do so.

Deanne Stewart, General Manager of BT, which financed the survey, says the results clearly show there are a large number of people struggling to cope financially day to day, and the problems are not always linked to the size of someone's pay packet.

"In many instances people are living in the hope that they will achieve their goals rather than planning for a fulfilling and secure future," Ms Stewart said.

"This has implications for their health and lifestyle, impacting on their levels of stress, and in the longer term influencing their enjoyment in the years after they finish work."

Surprisingly, 57 per cent of those surveyed had no regular savings plan.

This figure peaks among 45 to 54 year olds who are often nearing the height of their earning capacity.

It showed almost 40 per cent of people would not have enough savings to maintain their present lifestyle if they lost their income for three to six months.

A third of people worry about not being able to meet normal monthly living expenses and more than half can't save what they want to save.

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