NSW CEOs get ready to sleep out

Some of Sydney's top bosses are getting ready to sleep rough for the annual Vinnies CEO Sleepout. Source: AAP

WRAPPED in a red leather coat, pearls the size of Maltesers dangling from her ears, Caroline Hong is a picture of success.

And that's the way she likes it.

"When I was 12 in Malaysia, I was homeless," she said.

"I dress in luxury items now because I want to show people you can.

"It's a symbol."

Forced to leave her mother and siblings, Ms Hong was eventually taken in by a temple before moving to Australia in 1976.

Now, almost 40 years on, she will take part in her fifth Vinnies CEO Sleepout on June 19, joining the 28,000 people who sleep rough every night in NSW.

The founder of her own consulting business, she says the initiative is more important than ever because more women and children are experiencing homelessness.

But unlike single men, they're not as visible on the streets.

"When we talk about females and families, we generally don't see them," she said.

Speaking from personal experience, she is also determined to raise the profile of Asian people and immigrants who become homeless but are too proud to ask for help.

"It took me a long, long time to talk about my story," she said.

"For Asian people, it's all about face and when they're poor they don't talk about it."

Homelessness NSW spokesman Digby Hughes agrees there has been a demographic shift with more women and children without a roof over their heads.

Unless it's addressed, he says this trend could take a long-term toll on society.

"It's making it more generational," he said.

"Children who are homeless are more likely to be homeless as adults."

This year the Sleepout aims to raise $7 million - topping up the $20 million already raised since it began in 2006.

For Ms Hong, the event will undoubtedly bring back painful memories, but it is worth it if she can inspire others to give generously.

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Asset sales, cuts or tax to fund Qld dams

Queensland Premier Campbell Newman has proposed building dams with money raised from asset sales. Source: AAP

ASSETS will have to be sold, taxes raised or services reduced if southeast Queenslanders want their homes protected from floods.

Premier Campbell Newman has ruled out borrowing any more money to fund a new suite of flood-mitigation projects announced on Wednesday.

Up to eight new dams could be built and the wall of the Wivenhoe Dam, upstream of Brisbane, could be raised.

He says if Queenslanders want the projects, they have to choose between the three options.

"If Queenslanders give us the green light, the nod, we will make this happen, but there are some big choices to make because we cannot borrow any more money," Mr Newman said.

"We can do these things if Queenslanders give us a clear path, and support one of these options.

"We're having a very open conversation about the fact that Queensland needs billions of dollars' worth of infrastructure."

If Queensland signs up to asset sales by 2016, federal Treasurer Joe Hockey has said it would receive cash payments from the Commonwealth.

"The time frames put up by Mr Hockey would work with the conversation that we're having with Queenslanders," the premier said.

Shadow Treasurer Curtis Pitt said the government has been saying for the past two years that asset sales were to pay down debt.

But their tune has changed, he said - the sales will be used to fund election promises.

"They are going around the state promising a range of different things, akin to political bribery," Mr Pitt said.

"The LNP believes that a magic pudding exists, and for them that's asset sales."

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New home sales at near three year high

New home sales are at a near three year high, driven by a boom in detached house sales. Source: AAP

NEW home sales are at a near three year high, driven by a boom in detached house sales.

Detached house sales jumped 6.9 per cent in February, according to data from the Housing Industry Association.

That led to an increase in total new home sales of 4.6 per cent, seasonally adjusted - the highest level since May 2011.

Sales of multi-units fell 6.8 per cent.

The construction of detached houses creates more jobs than multi-units.

"Both sales and building approvals for detached housing are signalling faster momentum ahead for this component of new dwelling construction, compared to what was evident in the first phase of the recovery," HIA chief economist Harley Dale said.

"This signal suggests more balanced growth ahead in the composition of new home building and adds a further positive dimension to the recovery for many of Australia's manufacturers and suppliers."

Dr Dale said the housing recovery was spreading across the country, having previously been dominated by NSW and Western Australia.

In the three months to February, detached house sales in South Australia were up by 32.5 per cent and by 19.8 per cent in Queensland.

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GST carve-up best left independent: Labor

Bill Shorten is happy to leave the issue of carving up GST revenue to an independent process. Source: AAP

OPPOSITION Leader Bill Shorten is happy to leave the process of carving up GST among the states with the independent Commonwealth Grants Commission.

The commission released its latest recommendations for the 2014/15 financial year on Friday, which saw Western Australia as the only jurisdictions that would get less GST revenue in 2014/15 compared with the previous financial year.

Addressing reporters in Perth, where he is drumming up support for this Saturday's WA Senate election re-run, Mr Shorten said he supports an independent process.

"I believe when you get something as complex and vexed in who should get what, you are better having that process being done at arm's length," he said.

The nation's treasurers at a meeting on Friday failed to resolve the long-running saga over GST on low-value foreign goods, which has remained at a $1000 threshold since its introduction in 2000.

Treasurer Joe Hockey said his counterparts had gone away to have another look at lowering the threshold but he wanted to bring this issue to a head this year.

Mr Shorten said there are competing pressures around this issue.

He said small businesses in the high street are feeling pressure from people being able to go online and buy their items cheaper.

"But of course you have to balance against that (that) you have got consumers who are able to beat cost of living pressures by being able to secure the best deals possible," he said.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott was equally non-committal about changes to how the GST is carved up.

He said the GST was a tax that went to the states, and as such it was up to all of the states to collectively make any changes.

"I'm not going to make any change. I'm not aware the states have a collective position on this," he told reporters in Perth.

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Asset plan will boost company tax: Cormann

Federal Finance Minister Mathias Cormann refused to detail how the government pays for incentives. Source: AAP

FEDERAL Finance Minister Mathias Cormann has refused to detail how the government will pay for incentives to states to sell off assets, but says company tax revenue will be boosted by any privatisation.

Federal Treasurer Joe Hockey last week struck an historic deal with all his state and territory counterparts, which would see public assets sold-off and the profits directed into major infrastructure projects.

As an incentive, the commonwealth will give the states an additional 15 per cent of the value of an agreed asset sale.

Senator Cormann said people would have to wait until the May budget for details of how the payments would be funded.

But he pointed out that state-owned assets were exempt from paying the company tax.

"Once any state-owned asset is sold into the private sector they will end up paying company tax to the commonwealth," he told ABC TV on Sunday.

"The 15 per cent payment ... is an incentive to get (the states) to do the right thing. But it is also recognition that the commonwealth will be increase its tax base on the back of those sorts of asset sales."

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Aust ship off to find MH370 black box

Officials say objects scooped out of the ocean are not part of the missing Malaysia Airlines plane. Source: AAP

THE Australian navy ship given the job of finding the black box recorder of Malaysia Airlines flight 370 is preparing to leave Perth with still no clue as to the missing plane's whereabouts.

But it could potentially have a longer window to track down the black box in the vast expanses of the Indian Ocean than had been feared.

The Ocean Shield, which leaves Perth on Monday on an initial 30-day mission, has been fitted with US Navy equipment designed to electronically hunt for the box, including a towed pinger locator and unmanned underwater drone.

With the ship not likely to reach the search zone west of Perth for several days, it had been feared the 30-day life of the satellite "pinger" within the black box could expire before the equipment arrived.

But Captain Mark Matthews, the US Navy supervisor of salvage and diving, revealed on Sunday that while the pinger is certified for 30 days, it could last for up to another 15 days.

That gives authorities more precious time to find the box, which should provide crucial clues as to the fate of MH370 and its 239 passengers and crew.

"These are rated to last 30 days, but that is a minimum. In my experience they do last a little bit longer than that," Capt Matthews said.

"I would say 45 days is the realistic limited expectation."

The towed pinger locater on the Ocean Shield has a range of 1.6km and depth capability up to 6000m, with the search set to be conducted at a speed of just 5km/h.

An unmanned underwater drone will also be on board, ready to dive once the pinger locater has found a signal to map the sea floor and photograph potential debris there.

As 10 planes and eight ships descended on the search zone on Sunday, there was still no confirmation of any debris from MH370 being found.

Captain Matthews said without solid proof of the crash, they would not be able to begin to search for the black box.

"We don't have a defined search area yet. We have our challenges in front of us," he said.

In the meantime, the crew, along with Australian and Chinese ships, would join the surface search for debris.

Also on Sunday, Prime Minister Tony Abbott announced former Defence Force chief Angus Houston would lead a new joint agency co-ordination centre in Perth that would communicate with all international search partners and the families of those on the missing plane.

"Should our responsibilities increase as time goes by, there is no one better placed than Angus to co-ordinate and liaise given the quite significant number of countries that all have a stake in this search," Mr Abbott said.

Australian Navy Commodore Peter Leavy said the aim was still to locate debris and confirm it was from flight 370, then to work backwards to a possible crash site.

Chief of Navy Vice Admiral Ray Griggs said the best people in the field were now involved in the search.

"It is a significant co-ordination challenge which is proceeding extremely well. These are an exceptionally talented group of people," Admiral Griggs said.

Ocean Shield will leave the naval base at Garden Island south of Perth with enough supplies for 45 days before having to return to shore.

Flight 370 disappeared on March 8 after veering sharply off course while heading from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.

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Thousands march in Thai capital

TENS of thousands of anti-government protesters have marched through the streets of the Thai capital, reviving their whistle-blowing, traffic-blocking campaign to force the resignation of the country's prime minister.

The protest on Saturday came after a lull in anti-government rallies and amid growing concern of violence between opponents and supporters of embattled Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

Yingluck's opponents have previously tried to force her ouster by blocking Bangkok's major intersections, and have stormed government offices.

The protesters have demanded that the government yield power to an interim appointed council to oversee reforms before new elections.

They say Yingluck is a proxy for her brother, former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in a 2006 coup after being accused of corruption and abuse of power.

The march was the first major rally since Thailand's Constitutional Court ruled on March 21 to nullify last month's general election.

"The fact that the election has been nullified means that our campaign is successful," protest leader Thaworn Senniem said.

Yingluck's ruling Pheu Thai party and its predecessors have easily won every national election since 2001. It had been expected to win again in February, especially because the opposition Democrat Party boycotted the election.

Election officials say it would take at least three months for a new vote to be held, prolonging Thailand's political paralysis.

Yingluck's Red Shirt supporters have vowed to stage their own mass rally next Saturday, though they have not yet said if it will be held in the capital, which many fear could lead to clashes between the two sides.

The sporadic violence over the past four months has left at least 23 people dead and hundreds hurt.

Thailand has seen political conflict since 2006, when Thaksin was ousted by a military coup.

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Teen girl missing in inner Brisbane

A TEENAGE girl with a suspected medical ailment has gone missing from an inner Brisbane suburb.

Alice Barlow, 13, was last seen on Friday afternoon in Ascot, and has not made contact with her family since.

Police are concerned for her welfare.

She is described as caucasian, about 169cm tall with a fair complexion and long, dark hair.

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Total sex offenders monitor 'unrealistic'

NO scheme can guarantee that sex offenders won't abuse again and more needs to be known about whether a public register can prevent offending, a top Victorian policeman says.

Victoria Police Deputy Commissioner Graham Ashton said without 24-hour-a-day physical monitoring it is not possible to completely mitigate the risks sex offenders pose to the community.

"It is unrealistic to expect that a registered sex offender is supervised to the point that it is impossible that they find opportunity to reoffend," Mr Ashton told a conference.

The parents of Queensland schoolboy Daniel Morcombe, who was abducted and murdered by serial child sex offender Brett Peter Cowan, want a public child sex offenders' register.

Experts at a two-day Asia Pacific Sex Offenders Registry Conference are discussing the idea of a public register but Mr Ashton said the research is incomplete.

"A lot of research tends to focus on the experience of the registrant on the public register - the fact that they feel intimidated in the community by everyone knowing who they are and where they are," he told reporters on Wednesday.

He said he wanted more victim-focused research on how a public register could prevent offences.

Mr Ashton said whatever model for managing sex offenders is adopted, the focus must be on the protection of potential victims.

"I think some of the crimes that have been impacting on the community, some of the high-profile crimes, have certainly been great learning opportunities for us in terms of how we're intervening and how heavily we are monitoring," he said.

There are more than 5300 registered sex offenders living in Victoria alone.

Improved communication between Victoria Police and the Department of Human Services had enabled child protection authorities to act on incidents straight away, Mr Ashton said.

Mr Ashton said social media presents a challenge for authorities, with predators able to prey on victims without ever leaving home.

"Further impacting on the management issues is the increase in social media and other mediums of communication that make it easy for these individuals to contact potential victims, especially the young and the vulnerable, without leaving their premises."

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Female ADF members facing sexist backlash

AUSTRALIA'S sex discrimination commissioner says commanding officers should be made more accountable for the sexist culture that exists within the military, while warning efforts at change had led to a backlash against female members.

Elizabeth Broderick on Wednesday said the Australian Defence Force (ADF) had made progress in terms of its treatment of women, including adopting new recruitment targets and establishing a sexual misconduct response office.

But the sex discrimination commissioner warned that the attempt at cultural change had also led to a backlash against female ADF members.

"We are out everyday talking to thousands of people across the military, both women and men," Ms Broderick said in Sydney on Wednesday, as she released the Australian Human Rights Commission's final audit report into the treatment of women in the ADF.

"In all our discussions, our focus group and the work we have been doing, we have heard of a backlash," she said.

Ms Broderick said the backlash included comments linking the promotion of women to their gender rather than ability, and that it had also been suggested that the ADF's standards had been lowered because too many women were being recruited.

"My message to defence is simple," Ms Broderick said.

"More needs to be done to better communicate the case for change and the rationale for many initiatives that are now in place.

"That case needs to be particularly communicated at the mid and junior levels."

But the commissioner also called for commanding officers to be made more accountable for the culture in their units.

"The research is clear," Ms Broderick said.

"Individual leaders create that environment that determines the nature of the culture of their organisation."

In responding to the report, ADF chief General David Hurley said tangible actions such as establishing the Sexual Misconduct Prevention and Response Office, demonstrated a commitment to change.

"However, the results from the audit report indicate that we still have some way to go to achieve the deep cultural reform we seek," he said.

The audit also recommends a sexual ethics program be put in place as soon as possible.

In a further step aimed at overturning the culture of sexism within its ranks, General Hurley on Wednesday also announced that women's advocate Julie McKay had been appointed to provide specialist advice on gender issues to help the ADF become more welcoming to women.

"Defence is committed to enhancing diversity in the workplace. We want to create an inclusive environment that respects, values and utilises everyone's contribution, regardless of their background, experiences or perspectives," he said in a statement.

Ms McKay, the executive director of the Australian National Committee for UN Women, and who has been a member of the Secretary and Chief of the Defence Force Gender Equality Advisory Board since 2012, will begin working in her new part-time role next week.

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