Men found clinging to Esky after boat sank

Two men were found grasping an Esky after spending the night in seas off the northern NSW coast. Source: AAP

TWO men were found grasping an Esky after spending the night in seas off the northern NSW coast.

The men are recovering in hospital after the ordeal, which began when their boat started to sink on Friday while cruising between Ballina and Evans Head.

A search was sparked after NSW water police received a mayday advising a vessel had begun taking on water.

A helicopter search of the area before last light failed to find the vessel or the men.

After refuelling, the Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopter used night vision goggles to search an area further south.

The search was called off about midnight.

It recommenced on Saturday and the pair's submerged boat was found shortly afterwards.

They were spotted nearby wearing life jackets and clinging to a large white Esky.

The men were winched to safety and taken to the Lismore Base Hospital.

The pair suffered shock and exposure and were in stable conditions, the Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopter service said in a statement.

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Govt defends approval of $6bn Palmer mine

The government says Clive Palmers parliamentary role had nothing to do approving his coal project. Source: AAP

THE Abbott government is defending its decision to approve Clive Palmer's $6.4 billion coal project in Queensland's Galilee Basin, saying his role in parliament had nothing to do with the outcome.

Mr Palmer's Waratah Coal has been given the green light to build a thermal coal project near Alpha in Queensland's central west, plus a rail line linking the project to a proposed port at Abbot Point.

Environment Minister Greg Hunt on Friday approved the environmental impact statement for the project, publishing his report on his department's website.

The federal opposition has questioned why a government that stresses it is open for business wouldn't even release a media statement about such a large infrastructure decision.

"You'd think that something worth $6 billion would be worth a mention other than a simple addition to a website," Labor frontbencher Bernie Ripoll told Sky News on Saturday.

"It's just strange."

Mr Palmer is the only member of the Palmer United Party in the House of Representatives, but from July a number of senators from his party will take their seats in the upper house.

The PUP vote in the new Senate will be important as the government tries to abolish the carbon and mining taxes, an effort blocked so far by the combined force of Labor and the Australian Greens.

Mr Palmer has campaigned to remove the carbon tax and compensate large companies for their first year payments under the scheme.

His company Queensland Nickel is one of just three firms in Australia that has not paid its carbon tax debt, and is challenging the $6.2 million bill in court.

But the government has denied any suggestion of a question mark over the Waratah Coal decision because of Mr Palmer's role in Australia's parliament.

Parliamentary Secretary Paul Fletcher said the project was considered by the environment minister on its merit alone, in accordance with legal requirements.

"The approval process quite properly is blind to the characteristics of the individual applicant," he told Sky News on Saturday.

"Mr Palmer has to comply with the law of the land like any other citizen."

He said Mr Palmer was an independent member of parliament and the coalition had "no responsibility" for him, adding they had not been briefed by the member for Fairfax.

But the Australian Greens say the decision is a "blessing" for Mr Palmer, and accused the government of quietly sneaking out the decision late on the Friday before Christmas when nobody would notice.

Conservationists deplored the Waratah Coal decision, saying the mine puts the Great Barrier Reef at significant risk and ignores growing warnings about climate change and carbon emissions from coal.

The Greens also took issue with Minister Hunt's approval of the Surat Gas Expansion project, which they claim put Queensland's land and groundwater at risk.

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Telstra sells HK business for $2b

Telstra will sell its stake in Hong Kong mobile business CSL for $A2.74b to HKT limited. Source: AAP

TELSTRA shares have hit their highest level in almost nine years after selling its stake in Hong Kong mobile business CSL for around $2 billion.

The Australian telco, along with fellow owner New World Development, has agreed to sell CSL to HKT in a deal worth $US2.42 billion ($A2.74 billion).

Telstra is expected to receive around $2 billion for its 76 per cent stake, depending on currency fluctuations, giving it a profit of around $600 million.

Chief executive David Thodey said CSL had experienced considerable success in the Hong Kong market, but the sale was in the best interests of Telstra shareholders.

"There are a number of dynamics in the Hong Kong mobiles market that means this is the right opportunity for Telstra to maximise our return on this successful asset," he said.

Telstra shares gained nine cents, or 1.8 per cent, to $5.20, their highest closing price since February 2005.

Mr Thodey said the company would continue to look for opportunities in Asia.

"We want to leverage our domestic strengths to grow our global footprint," he said.

"The team is focused on refining and enhancing our strategy across Asia and identifying further opportunities to build our capability in the region."

Telstra said the proceeds of the sale will be incremental to its free cashflow guidance of $4.6 billion to 5.1 billion for the 2014 financial year.

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Hockey okays China stake in SP AusNet

FEDERAL Treasurer Joe Hockey has granted conditional approval for the world's largest electricity company to take a 19.9 per cent stake in Australian energy infrastructure firm SP AusNet.

State Grid Corporation of China will acquire the stake from Singapore Power International, after reaching an initial agreement in May 2013.

SP AusNet owns and operates electricity transmission, electricity distribution, and gas distribution networks in Victoria.

Singapore Power will remain its biggest shareholder, with a holding of about 31 per cent.

"Australia is open for business, and we welcome foreign investment when it is not contrary to the national interest," Mr Hockey said in a statement on Friday.

State Grid have also been granted approval to acquire 60 per cent of SPI (Australia) Assets and SPI (Australia) Trust, which trade as Jemena.

Jemena owns and operates electricity, gas and water assets in eastern Australia.

State Grid's application was approved on the condition that at least half of the members to be appointed by State Grid to the SP AusNet and Jemena boards are Australian citizens residing in Australia.

Shares in SP AusNet gained 2.5 cents, or 2.1 per cent, to $1.215.

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Union polls suggest LNP loss in Redcliffe

UNION polling suggests the Liberal National Party could lose the state seat of Redcliffe to Labor at next year's by-election.

The seat, north of Brisbane, was vacated by LNP turned independent Scott Driscoll in November after he was found in contempt of parliament for being dishonest about his business dealings and fined $90,000.

The LNP has selected nurse educator Kerri-Anne Dooley to go up against Labor's former federal MP Yvette D'Ath.

Ms Dooley ran against Mr Driscoll for Family First in the 2012 state election, winning just 4.5 per cent of the primary vote.

The public service union Together says a new poll it commissioned shows the Newman government's mismanagement of the health system will hurt Ms Dooley's chances and could help Labor gain its eighth seat in parliament.

The ReachTEL survey of 774 Redcliffe residents on December 13 and 14 found that Labor would get 42.1 per cent of the primary vote, the LNP 35.5 per cent, the Palmer United Party 8.6 per cent, the Greens 5.1 per cent and Katter's Australian Party 0.2 per cent.

The polling also showed 43 per cent of Redcliffe voters believed the public health system has worsening under the LNP and only 28 per cent thought the government was managing the public health system well or very well.

Union secretary Alex Scott claimed the polls clearly show the LNP is on the nose, despite winning the seat with 60 per cent of the vote after preferences just 18 months ago.

"The Redcliffe community is deeply opposed to changes this government has made to the health system, we know the be-election will be decided on the issue of health," Mr Scott.

"Hundreds of doctors will be campaigning to make sure this is a be-election on health."

An LNP spokesman says Ms Dooley, a lifelong Redcliffe resident, would be a great advocate for the electorate that had been let down by Mr Driscoll.

"Like everyone in Redcliffe, Kerri-Anne Dooley feels let down and disappointed by the events of the past year by the previous member," he said.

The by-election is likely to be held in early February and Deputy Premier Jeff Seeney says Premier Campbell Newman will announce a date in mid January.

"I don't think anybody wants to deal with politics over Christmas," Mr Seeney said.

The Palmer United Party will not contest the by-election.

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NZ shares rise as economy takes off

NEW Zealand shares rose after the Federal Reserve announced a smaller than expected reduction in stimulus and figures showed economic growth that beat estimates.

The NZX 50 Index gained 31.182 points, or 0.7 per cent, to 4707.060. Within the index, 26 stocks rose, 16 fell and eight were unchanged. Turnover was a lower-than-average $93.5 million.

Stocks on Wall Street rallied and the gains continued across much of the Asia Pacific region after the Federal Reserve cut its monthly bond buying programme by $US10 billion ($NZ12.14 billion) to $US75b, while signalling any further tapering will be determined by the strength of the world's biggest economy.

In New Zealand, the economy grew 1.4 per cent in the third quarter.

"The taper was a little on the softer side than thought, and that's helping," said James Lindsay, portfolio manager at Tyndall Investment management.

"US markets did a remarkable turnaround, where the Nasdaq was down 1 per cent when it came out, and closed up 1 per cent."

Telecom rose 2.6 per cent to $2.35, Ebos gained 2.3 per cent to $9 and Fletcher rose 2.2 per cent to $8.53.

A2 Corp, which markets milk with a protein variant said to have health benefits, climbed 2.7 per cent to 77 cents and has advanced 42 per cent this year.

Sky Network Television rose 1.7 per cent to $5.84 and Contact Energy rose 1.4 per cent to $4.94.

Airworks ended its first day as a listed company at $2.75 after majority shareholder Hugh Jones sold down his stake in an initial public offering at $2.60.

"It's pleasing to see another company listed with a good record and good brand," Mr Lindsay said. "It's exactly what the capital markets need."

Chorus, the network operator, fell 2.1 per cent to $1.40. MightyRiverPower fell 1.5 per cent to $2, having been sold in a government IPO this year at $2.50.

Auckland International Airport rose 1.1 per cent to $3.60.

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School in shock after boy dies in crash

A SYDNEY school community is in shock after a young boy on holidays from Malaysia died after he was hit by a car on the last day of the school year.

The six-year-old was struck as he was walking with his mother and two female cousins, aged four and five, near Carlingford Public School on Rickard Street, Carlingford in Sydney's northwest on Wednesday morning.

The car, with a woman and two children inside, was turning into the driveway of a child-care centre when it ploughed into them as they were walking past.

The boy died at the scene.

The Nissan Dualis sedan also hit his four-year-old cousin who is in The Children's Hospital at Westmead with pelvic injuries.

The boy's 38-year-old mother, a Malaysian national, was taken to Westmead Hospital with non life-threatening injuries while the other young girl was not injured.

Parents rushed to the school on Wednesday afternoon to find most of the street being cordoned off by police tape.

Magdalena Kowalska, a mother of three children at the school, went to pick up her children about lunchtime after hearing the news.

"I was at work and heard about it ... I thought I'd come and check on the children and collect them from school," she said.

"There was counselling inside just to reassure them that everything is fine."

Her son Alex, 11, said school staff had talked to students about the accident.

"I just heard someone died in a car crash and was pretty sad about it."

The driver of the car, a 46-year-old Carlingford woman, was taken to hospital suffering shock.

Police said she would undergo mandatory blood and urine testing.

Superintendent John Duncan, from Ryde Local Area Command, said the driveway where the accident happened was not a designated drop-off area, and it was still too early to tell what caused the accident.

"This is a tragic incident, it's a week before Christmas, it's the last day of school," Supt Duncan said.

"It's a timely reminder for everybody to just take your time on the roads."

Police are yet to formally interview the driver or the mother of the boy who died.

The Department of Education has organised counselling for teachers and students.

Premier Barry O'Farrell said it was a terrible day for the entire school community.

"It's a shock to everybody," Mr O'Farrell said.

"A shock, not least because this, the last day of school, is normally a day full of excitement for students and school communities.

"A shock because for all of us in this country, schools are happy, safe, learning environments."

Police will prepare a report for the coroner.

The latest school death comes one year after five-year-old Kevin Quintal was struck on his way to kindergarten at a school in Kingsgrove in Sydney's south.

The driver, Lidija Sutevska, was found not guilty of negligent driving occasioning death in November with the magistrate saying it was "a series of unfortunate events".

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Ten chases ratings on the shiny floor

Ten Network's boss says the broadcaster's new focus on older viewers is starting to deliver results. Source: AAP

SPORT, reality shows and "shiny floor" TV will be Ten Network's big guns as it fights its way back into ratings contention, chief executive Hamish McLennan says.

Mr McLennan has vowed there will be no repeat of the broadcaster's recent "unacceptable" errors in program choices as it pursues its new target market of cashed-up older viewers.

After years of Ten trailing its commercial rivals Nine and Seven in ratings, Mr McLennan told investors at the network's annual general meeting in Sydney a focus on 25 to 54-year-olds undertaken since his arrival in March had stabilised advertising revenues and shown a lift in viewer numbers.

"The programming execution mistakes Ten made during 2012 were unacceptable and will not be repeated," he said.

"Ten Network's ratings performance this year was clearly not good enough.

"We are not hiding from the fact our ratings performance in 2013 was unacceptable and that we must improve in 2014."

Mr McLennan said the push to lift ratings in 2014 would be driven by sport, reality and "shiny floor" talent, singing and dancing shows on Ten's main free-to-air channel.

"People aged 25 to 54 are the largest and most lucrative age group for Ten to target," he said.

"They represent the biggest slice of the television audience.

"They drive the success of the highest rating programs on television."

Ten has secured rights to the T20 Big Bash cricket, the 2014 Winter Olympic Games and, as of 2015, to V8 Supercars, winning the motorsport away from Seven.

In a boost for Ten's finances, shareholders approved a new debt funding arrangement under which billionaires and major shareholders Lachlan Murdoch, James Packer and Bruce Gordon will underwrite a $200 million loan, providing much more favourable conditions than traditional lenders and enabling the company more freedom to pursue its strategy.

Major shareholder and Ten director Gina Rinehart did not attend the meeting and did not participate in the funding arrangement, with the mining billionaire represented by her Hancock Prospecting employee John Klepec.

Mr Murdoch faced questions from Australian Shareholders' Association (ASA) representative Allan Goldin about Mr McLennan's workload.

Ten's chief executive is also chairman of real estate group REA Group, which recently lost its chief executive Greg Ellis and CFO Jenny Macdonald.

Mr McLennan now faces the task of finding a new CEO and CFO for REA Group at a key time for Ten.

Asked if he could say that Mr McLennan was available at all times for Ten, Mr Murdoch said Mr McLennan was "wholly, holistically and whole-heartedly committed to all the shareholders and stakeholders of Network Ten".

The Ten board was also asked by ASA representative Stephen Mayne whether having four billionaire directors was a workable arrangement.

Director Brian Long said no individual shareholder had undue influence on the board.

"I can understand the observation that you have made and that sometimes gets made in the press about the dominance at the board table of the billionaire shareholders," Mr Long said.

"That's a complete myth and a story that journalists like to write because it sounds interesting. There's no truth in it whatsoever."

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Victoria set to swelter, finally

SUMMER is set to finally arrive in Melbourne, with the mercury tipped to reach 40C for the first time this season.

Victorians will sweat through three successive days of 30 degrees or higher from Wednesday with the temperature expected to top 40 degrees in some parts of the state including Melbourne on Thursday.

Those in the Mallee region will be hit hardest as forecasters predict three 40-plus days in a row for Victoria's northeast.

Australian Medical Association Victoria president Dr Stephen Parnis on Tuesday warned parents not to leave children unattended in cars during the heatwave, even with the windows down.

"This is a criminal offence in Victoria as it can have fatal consequences," Dr Parnis said.

"Never leave children or pets unattended in cars, not even for a short period. It's not worth the risk."

Temperatures inside a parked car can be as much as 20 or 30 degrees higher than the outside forecast.

Bureau of Meteorology senior forecaster Terry Ryan said Victorians will swelter through a warm Thursday night before relief arrives around midday on Friday.

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NBN rollout is scattered: Switkowski

TELSTRA management has directly contradicted claims by its workforce that the company's copper network is in disrepair, a Senate Select Committee into the National Broadband Network has heard.

Under questioning from Greens Senator Scott Ludlum, Telstra director of government relations James Shaw would not guarantee an audit of its copper network would be conducted ahead of its sale to the Australian taxpayer.

"They are matters that will be discussed in the context of negotiations," Mr Shaw said.

Key parts of a strategic review into the NBN presented by Mr Turnbull last week have been blacked out - including an estimation of the cost of Telstra's copper network.

The committee heard two weeks ago from Telstra staff, who said 70 per cent of the network's joiners were being patched up with plastic bags, gaffer tape and gel to protect parts of the network contained in pits.

Mr Shaw on Tuesday refuted the figure.

"Do you want to hazard a statistic," Senator Ludlum asked.

"I can't," Mr Shaw said.

Earlier, NBN Co executive chairman Dr Ziggy Switkowski told the committee he would not "buy into" questions asking him to guarantee internet speeds.

"One of the problems I have found in reviewing the past is there has been a too-quick take-up of words like 'guarantee'," Mr Switkowski said.

"It's clear after four years of the NBN, guarantees have lost currency."

Committee chair Senator Stephen Conroy repeatedly asked Mr Switkowski if the roll-out was being deliberately slowed.

Liberal Senator Anne Ruston accused the chair of trying to verbal Mr Switkowski.

"We have inherited a somewhat dissatisfied group of partners who are dissatisfied with us, who have slowed deployments," Mr Switkowski said later.

"There's no change in the current strategy. We are rolling out fibre to the premises where we can.

"We have a machine ... that is running at four or five thousand (homes) a week, which it was during Senator Conroy's time."

The coalition on Thursday released a strategic review of the NBN, which found that under Labor's plans, the rollout would miss its 2021 target by three years and cost $73 billion - up from $43 billion - to complete.

Mr Switkowski said the rollout had been largely scattered, and involved many contractors doing sub-critical work.

The committee heard that divisions within NBN Co had been providing different sets of figures on the same subject.

The review also found the government would not be able to meet its pledge of delivering 25 Mbps to all Australians by 2016, and its NBN plans would cost 40 per cent more than the $29.5 billion estimated in April.

Mr Turnbull said the coalition remained committed to limiting its equity investment in NBN Co to $29.5 billion, with the excess cost to be made up through debt.

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Kiwi extends gains over Aussie dollar

THE New Zealand dollar has extended its rally against its trans-Tasman counterpart as the divergence between the neighbouring economies makes New Zealand interest rates more attractive.

The kiwi rose as high as 92.49 Australian cents on Monday, the highest since October 2008, trading at 92.40 cents at 5pm in Wellington from 92.26 cents on Friday in New York.

The NZ dollar traded at 82.78 cents from 82.56 cents at 8am and 82.63 cents on Friday in New York.

The kiwi has been making fresh five-year highs against its Australian counterpart as the slowing economy in Australia and burgeoning local recovery underline the different stages of the interest rate cycle each nation's central bank is in.

New Zealand's Reserve Bank is keen on hiking rates next year, while Australia's is sitting on record-low rates to keep the stimulus coming.

Investors will be looking to see any hint of an easing bias when the minutes to this month's Reserve Bank of Australia policy meeting are released on Tuesday.

"Their central bank is quite determined to get the Aussie dollar lower to get a more sustainable mix in their economy," said Dan Bell, head of corporate sales at HiFX in Auckland.

"It looks like the kiwi/Aussie could get up to the 95 cent level" over the next month before it "runs out of puff," he said.

The kiwi fell to 85.04 yen at 5pm in Wellington from 85.31 yen on Friday in New York, and was little changed at 60.16 euro cents from 60.19 cents.

The trade-weighted index was steady at 77.92 from 77.90.

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Wesfarmers sells underwriting operations

DIVERSIFIED conglomerate Wesfarmers is selling its Australasian insurance underwriting operations to Insurance Australia Group (IAG) for about $1.85 billion - its biggest ever divestment.

Wesfarmers managing director Richard Goyder said the sale followed approaches by a number of parties that were interested in the underwriting business.

Wesfarmers had spent a lot of money in recent years getting the Australian and New Zealand insurance underwriting business into much better shape.

"But it hasn't delivered satisfactory returns on average over the last five years to Wesfarmers," Mr Goyder told reporters.

"And over a period of time, if any of our businesses don't generate satisfactory returns, we'll look and see what we do with it."

Mr Goyder said the sale of the insurance underwriting business also reduced some of the risk in Wesfarmers' portfolio of industrial, mining, retail and financial businesses.

There was inherent volatility in the insurance business because of catastrophic events like earthquakes in New Zealand, and Cyclone Yasi.

The sale does not include the insurance division's broking operations in Australia, New Zealand and the UK, and its Australian and New Zealand premium funding businesses which will remain part of Wesfarmers.

Wesfarmers expects a pre-tax profit of about $700 million to $750 million from the transaction, which will be included in the financial results for the second half of the 2014 financial year.

Mr Goyder said Wesfarmers had not yet decided what to do with the proceeds from the sale.

The sale is subject to regulatory approval, which is expected to take several months.

The acquisition comprises Wesfarmers' underwriting companies trading under the WFI and Lumley Insurance brands, and a 10-year distribution agreement with Coles.

IAG chief executive Mike Wilkins said the acquisition was a compelling strategic fit for IAG.

"Acquiring these businesses supports the group's strategic priorities of accelerating profitable growth in Australia and sustaining our market-leading position in New Zealand, and we expect attractive EPS (earnings per share) accretion," Mr Wilkins said.

IAG expects the acquisition will lift earnings per share by a modest amount in the first full year of ownership and by at least five per cent in the second year.

The acquisition will be partly funded from a $1.2 billion placement of shares to institutional investors, at $5.47 per share.

The integration of Wesfarmers' underwriting businesses is expected to generate pre-tax net benefits of about $140 million a year, with a significant proportion derived from reinsurance.

The integration process is expected to be substantially complete within two years, with pre-tax integration costs of $120 million.

Shares in Wesfarmers were 20.5 cents higher at $41.51 at 1515 AEDT. IAG shares are in a trading halt until the start of trading on Wednesday, December 18. They last traded at $5.70.

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I don't expect marriage bill, says Abbott

PRIME Minister Tony Abbott says he does not expect gay marriage legislation to come before parliament, despite a senior colleague saying it is "likely" coalition MPs will be allowed a conscience vote on the issue.

As attention shifts from the High Court's decision to strike down ACT gay marriage laws, Liberal MP Malcolm Turnbull said if he were given a free vote "I will certainly vote in favour of a marriage equality bill".

Legislation to allow gay marriage was voted down in the last parliament, with then opposition leader Tony Abbott refusing to allow his party a conscience vote.

But Mr Turnbull, a supporter of gay marriage, believed that could change if the issue is revisited in the next three years.

"I think it is likely that we will (have a free vote), but as Tony Abbott has said, it is a decision for the party room, not for him," he told Sky News on Sunday.

Mr Turnbull said it was too early to predict whether the new parliament would back same-sex marriage legislation, but added that Australia was lagging behind other countries such as New Zealand, the UK, Canada and the United States.

"So people of the same sex can get married in Auckland and Wellington, Toronto and Ottawa and Vancouver, in New York and Los Angeles, and Baltimore, in Cape Town, but not Australia," Mr Turnbull said.

"It does start to look as if we're the ones out of step."

However, Mr Abbott gave no indication of allowing a free vote on same sex marriage, instead saying he did not expect legislation to come before the parliament.

"I'm not expecting any legislation to come before the parliament because when legislation came before the last parliament it was fairly decisively dealt with," the prime minister told reporters in Sydney.

"But if legislation comes before the parliament, it will be considered by our party room in the usual way.

"It is really up to individual members of parliament to propose private member's bills if that's what they want."

Deputy Labor leader Tanya Plibersek has announced she will introduce a private member's bill to legalise gay marriage, but only if Mr Abbott allows a conscience vote.

She has also called on Mr Turnbull to co-sponsor the legislation, but the eastern Sydney MP ruled out such a move.

"I can't co-sponsor a private member's bill because I'm a member of the cabinet," Mr Turnbull said.

Gay marriage advocate Rodney Croome said Mr Turnbull's comments reflected growing support within the coalition for a conscience vote and the principle of marriage equality.

"An increasing number of Australians feel embarrassed by the fact that marriage equality has moved forward in countries that are our closest friends and allies, including New Zealand, the UK, the US and Canada," Mr Croome said in a statement.

The Greens Sarah Hanson-Young last week introduced a same-sex marriage bill into the Senate.

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Police officer stabbed in the neck

A 28-YEAR-OLD man has been charged with attempted murder after a north Queensland policeman was stabbed in the neck during a national crackdown on alcohol-fuelled violence.

The officer was stabbed with a knife at a Townsville bar about 12.30am (AEST) on Saturday and was rushed to hospital in a serious condition.

"His injuries were significant but luckily he is fit enough now to continue his recovery at home," a police spokesman told AAP on Sunday.

The 33-year-old officer was taking part in Operation Unite, a blitz on alcohol-related crime across Australia and New Zealand.

His alleged attacker was arrested at the scene.

Another officer sustained an injury to his hand during the incident.

A 28-year-old Townsville man has been charged with attempted murder, serious assault of police while armed, entering premises with intent to commit an indictable offence, possession of a knife in a public place and creating a disturbance in licensed premises.

He was also charged with two counts of obstructing police and is due to appear in the Townsville Magistrates Court on Monday.

Premier Campbell Newman said assaults of police attracted serious penalties.

"Assaults on police are totally unacceptable on all accounts," he told reporters on Sunday.

"People who assault police need to know there are significant penalties."

The maximum penalty for assaulting a police officer was increased from seven to 14 years and the murder of a police officer attracts a non-parole period of 25 years under tough penalties introduced by the Newman government last year.

A total of 430 arrests were made in Queensland during the crackdown on alcohol-fuelled assaults, anti-social behaviour and drink-driving across Australia and New Zealand since Friday night.

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