Sarah a victim of a career killer

Steven James Hunter is arrested over Sarah Cafferkey's murder. Picture: Jake Nowakowski Source: Herald Sun

CONVICTED killer Steven James Hunter's parole had expired just nine days before he murdered beautiful young Sarah Cafferkey.

In the days after her stabbing death last November, Hunter, 47 - who first murdered a co-worker in 1986 - attracted little attention from police as he went about trying to conceal his crime, despite a tipoff about him.

Hunter pleaded guilty to murdering the Melbourne woman - his second frenzied stabbing slaying in a criminal career spanning more than two decades.

Sarah's mother, Noelle Dickson, shook as she came face to face with the man who killed her only child.

Sarah's final words to her mum

The girl you'll never get to know

Read Steven Hunter's disturbing rap sheet

And she is angry the justice system allowed a convicted killer, on parole over other offences, to be placed in the small Bacchus Marsh community to kill again.

"I'm exhausted and feel sick to my stomach sitting so close to this man in the courtroom who brutally took my only child's life," Ms Dickson said.

Victorians were shocked by the brutal murder of popular Bacchus Marsh woman Sarah Cafferkey. Picture: Jon Hargest

"As I look at him I don't understand, considering his past criminal history, how on Earth he was ever released or why.

"I want to know why he was released. That's all I kept thinking. How could this happen?"

Although Hunter pleaded guilty and is set to spend the rest of his life in prison, the early plea has not dulled the pain.

Ms Cafferkey's last hours were spent with her disgruntled ex-boyfriend, Chris Stewart, before she bought alcohol to visit Hunter.

The student and budding justice worker had no idea of Hunter's criminal history. He served a 13-year term for stabbing 18-year-old Moonee Ponds woman Jacqueline Mathews in 1986.

Video shows Ms Cafferkey leaving the Foodworks where she bought alcohol and then driving her silver Astra to Hunter's unit in Simpson St, where it is believed he had been placed by Loddon Mallee Housing Services.

Hunter, a suspected ice dealer, argued with Ms Cafferkey before hitting her with a blunt instrument, possibly a dumbell, and then repeatedly stabbing her. The remorseless killer than tried to hide his crime by;

SENDING text messages from Ms Cafferkey's mobile phone.

Sarah Cafferkey's mum Noelle Dickson (centre), and partner Laurie Seery. Picture: Steve Tanner

MOVING her body in his car to a Point Cook property and entombing her in a wheelie bin filled with concrete and lime.

BUYING 20 litres of hydrochloric acid,

TELLING local police Ms Cafferkey had been at his house, leaving her with the keys.

Ms Cafferkey was officially reported missing on November 12 by her mother. A text message was sent to Hunter at 9.45pm to contact Bacchus Marsh police station.

In a call from Bacchus Marsh police he divulged Ms Cafferkey had been with him on November 10 at his unit, they consumed alcohol, but he left about 5pm and left her the keys.

Hunter explained he had returned the next day and she was gone.

He gave police his new address in Point Cook, where he had just hid the body.

According to a police summary, police attended Hunter's Bacchus Marsh unit on November 14 and shone torches in the windows.

Steven James Hunter is taken into custody by police over the murder of Sarah Cafferkey. Picture: Herald Sun

On November 15, Wyndham detectives attended the Point Cook property, but found no one home.

On November 17, crime scene examiners at the Bacchus Marsh unit found blood stains at the rear of a sofa and a black leather jacket in the lounge room.

"As the forensic examination of Simpson St, Bacchus Marsh, continued, it became apparent that a serious assault had occurred," the police summary said.

Police returned to Point Cook where the wheelie bin was seized and scanned for her body.

Hunter was picked up hiding in Hawthorn and charged.

During the police interview he admitted his crime - stating he knew Ms Cafferkey, they had argued and he killed her.

Hunter will next appear before the Supreme Court on April 11.

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RBA tells homeowners to resist loans

RBA tells homeowners to save and not take on attractive home loans. Source: Supplied

HOUSEHOLDS are being urged to continue bolstering their saving and resist the attractive loans on offer from the major commercial banks by the Reserve Bank, as the economy works its way out of its historically high debt levels.

Despite financial stress and mortgage arrears falling in most parts of the country, the RBA said the household savings rate of just over 10 per cent, which is well above its 20-year average, must be maintained and debts paid down.

And the central bank's half-yearly Financial Stability Review warns investors the upward swing in global markets this year may only be temporary with the crisis in Cyprus a clear warning of the risks that still remain as the global economy works its way out of its financial hangover.

The RBA's increasingly optimistic outlook has seen JP Morgan yesterday push back its tip of another and final interest rate cut, to take the official cash rate to a record low of 2.75 per cent, from May to November.

This comes as the RBA confirms the cost of wholesale funding - the level at which banks borrow from each other - has dropped to its lowest level since the GFC began in 2008.

But instead of using this drop to lower borrowing costs for consumers, the banks have continued to strengthen their capital, funding and liquidity positions.

The Financial Stability Review also said that while ANZ accounted for a large part of the growth in Asia with its super regional strategy to generate 25-30 per cent of its business from the region by 2017 - all the big banks have increased their exposure in the past five years.

International Banking Statistics shows Australian banks assets in Asia has risen from $27 billion in 2007 to $112 billion at the end of last year.

But the report warned that while the more prudent approach of the post global financial crisis period has helped bring household debt-to-income ratio down from 153 per cent in late 2006 to 148 per cent it was still to high and paying down debt must continue to be priority.

The US rate peaked at 133 per cent during the sub-prime boom.This more cash-conscious approach has however seen household's mortgage buffer surge to over 20 months - this is scheduled repayment plus interest - in the past five years.

"Housing loan arrears rates have continued to improve across most parts of the country and other indicators of household financial stress remain low," the RBA report said.

"Nonetheless, household indebtedness and gearing remain around historically high levels. It would therefore be undesirable from a financial stability perspective if households were to exhibit less prudent behaviour than they have over the past few years.

"This increasingly conservative approach to family finances has seen the net worth of the average household rise to $721,000 - this includes property assets, superannuation and savings in the March quarter.

It is back from a low of $632,000 in mid-2008 but still below its 2007 peak of $772,000 before the crisis hit.

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Nest eggs facing $80,000 cut

The PM has left open the possibility the govt will raid wealthy people's superannuation tax concessions.

Andrew Main asks Clime Investment Management's John Abernethy how superannuation will go and what the Australian dollar will do in 2013.

Penny Wong has refused to comment on 'gossip' about the government's budget plans for superannuation.

High income earners could face cuts to their retirement nest eggs. Source: Supplied

HIGH income earners could have their retirement nest eggs slashed by $80,000 as a result of tax hikes being considered by the Gillard Government to buttress the budget bottom line.

Exclusive modelling by the National Centre for Social and Economic Modelling for News Limited reveals a 50 year old earning $180,000 today, and with a typical nest egg for that age and income of $250,000, could expect to watch it grow to $914,000 by aged 67 under current arrangements, assuming they made no additional contributions beyond the compulsory rate.

This would be reduced to $835,000  or $79,000 less - if Labor were to increase the tax rate on super contributions to 30 cents in the dollar, up from 15 cents currently, for people earning above $180,000.

The Gillard Government has already increased the tax rate on super contributions to 30 cents for people earning over $300,000.

There is speculation Labor will extend this measure in the May budget as a key budget savings measure.Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, yesterday failed to rule out a raid on the super of high income earners to boost the tax revenue base as the population ages.

Asked directly if the contributions and earnings of the superannuation funds of high-income earners would be used to pull the budget out of its debt hole, Ms Gillard yesterday would not give a clear answer.

"Any decisions we make will be about the long term interest of the superannuation system," Ms Gillard said yesterday.

"I can assure people superannuation is a Labor creature and we will always nurture it well."

Treasury Secretary Martin Parkinson last year urged the government to cut superannuation tax concessions in the May 14 budget in order to secure its revenue base as the population ages.

However, a key cabinet minister, Craig Emerson, yesterday indicated any tax grab would be directed at very high income earners.

The trade minister said Labor was "not interested in increasing taxation on the everyday working men and women of Australia."

However, "if there is any capacity for, at the very high end, in different areas . . . I'm not saying we could never even look at something like that".

A research fellow at NATSEM, Dr Marcia Keegan, said tax increases on the super of high income earners would be felt hardest by those nearing retirement who had planned to make additional voluntary contributions.

"For some households, an increase in the contributions tax may be the difference between full independence from the age pension at retirement and drawing a small part age pension.

"However, according to Dr Keegan, high income individuals would still have an incentive to salary sacrifice into super, as the 30 per cent tax rate would still be lower than their marginal tax rate of 45 per cent.

Furthermore: "The households affected by these increases are a small minority of high wealth households, and even with a higher contributions tax rate, most would still have enough for a comfortable retirement according to the Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia's standards."

Tony Abbott yesterday said the Coalition would absolutely not make any "adverse unexpected changes" to the superannuation system in his first term if elected as prime minister on September 14.

"I want to say to people that super is safe under the Coalition," he said.

But the Liberal party has previously confirmed it is their policy to reintroduce the 15 per cent tax on superannuation for 3.6 million Australians earning $37,000 and under.

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Grant Denyer calling it a long day

Grant Denyer with the team from Sunrise / Pic: Channel 7 Source: The Daily Telegraph

AFTER 10 years as Sunrise's resident rover, Grant Denyer will quit the show today, Confidential can reveal.

The Seven presenter is expected to announce his departure from the breakfast show during his live cross this morning, two years after returning to the role he had from 2004 to 2006.

The announcement comes following a spate of absences the 35-year-old has had from the show in recent months, which industry sources say is due to a chronic fatigue-type illness which has left him constantly exhausted and unable to cope with the early mornings and endless travel.

Sunrise weather presenter Grant Denyer passed out live on air as he took to the skies in a stunt plane while pulling 8G.

Last month the former V8 Supercar driver caused alarm after passing out on-air while crossing from a stunt plane.

It's expected Weekend Sunrise weatherman James Tobin, who has been filling in for Denyer on his days off, will take over the role until Seven announces a replacement.

 Insiders say the news was a long-time coming, with Denyer expressing his desire to quit breakfast TV and spend more time with his wife Cheryl and daughter Sailor more than a year ago.

"You get to see some of the great places of the country, (but) it is at breakneck speed and it can't be sustained," he said in November 2011.

"There has to be some normality pretty soon. I am not going to sacrifice my lifestyle just for a breakfast television show; it's not worth it."

Seven refused to comment on Denyer's departure.

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Freed hostage's missing wife had key role

The family of freed Australian hostage Warren Rodwell have thanked Philippine and Australian authorities.

Julia Gillard says Australians will be pleased that hostage Warren Rodwell has been released.

Miraflor Gutang wife of Warren Rodwell. Photo: Supplied Source: Supplied

Warren Rodwell on Facebook. Picture: Facebook Source: Supplied

Warren Rodwell before he was held hostage. Picture: Facebook Source: Supplied

Warren Rodwell before he was held hostage. Picture: Facebook Source: Supplied

THE MYSTERY surrounding the split between freed hostage Warren Rodwell and his wife deepened yesterday as the politician who orchestrated his release revealed the missing-in-action partner played a key role.

Basilan Vice-Governor Al-Rasheed Sakkalahul told News Limited that Miraflor Gutang and her family approached him three weeks ago to negotiate with the Islamic terrorists.

Mr Sakkalahul confirmed that Ms Gutang and her cousin Roger had facilitated the payment that led Mr Rodwell's release.

However, it has since been revealed that Mr Rodwell - who was held captive for 15 months - is reportedly refusing to see her. News Limited can expose that Ms Gutang was used as part of a strategy to minimise the ransom payment and deflect attention away from the Australian family who had also raised cash.

By using Ms Gutang as the "local wife", it helped ensure that the kidnappers wouldn't increase their ransom demands at the last moment.

"As far as I knew the money was raised by Miraflor. They sold their properties. That is what she and Roger her cousin told me," Mr Sakkalahul said.

"She rang me about three weeks before the release and came to see me personally.

"They already had direct contact with kidnappers but they didn't trust just anybody to bring the money."

Mr Sakkalahul said he did not know why Mr Rodwell and Ms Gutang had not been reunited since the release of the former Australian soldier.

Australian national Warren Rodwell is greeted by Philippine National Police officials and Basilan Vice-Governor Al Rashid Sakalahul before he delivers a short statement to the media at Manila International Airport on March 25, 2013 in Manila, Philippines. (Photo by Veejay Villafranca/Getty Images) Source: Getty Images

It is understood the couple had a falling out before Mr Rodwell was kidnapped.

As Ms Gutang continued to avoid media yesterday, Mr Rodwell continued his recovery at an undisclosed location in Manila and declined to make any comment.

Fresh images of Mr Rodwell from his Facebook page have revealed the physical impact 15-months in captivity has had on the Tamworth-raised adventurer.

The photos reveal a stark contrast to Mr Rodwell's current physical condition, which has seen the 54-year-old lose up to half of his body weight.

Australian national Warren Rodwell delivers a short statement to the media at Manila International Airport on March 25, 2013 in Manila, Philippines. (Photo by Veejay Villafranca/Getty Images) Source: Getty Images

Mr Rodwell is expected to return home to Australia next month after he recovers his physical condition and undergoes questioning by Filipino anti-kidnapping police.

The Rodwell family is believed to be considering signing a deal with an Australian media outlet to tell the story.

Filipino government officials maintain that they are looking at all potential suspects involved in Mr Rodwell's kidnapping.

Mr Sakkalahul said he believed that rogue Islamic group Abu Sayyaf was behind Mr Rodwell's kidnapping from his Mindanao home.

Filipino Defence Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, who also confirmed that Ms Gutang had been central in the release of her husband, said the government was concerned that paying ransom money could trigger a fresh wave of abductions in the trouble prone region.

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Fake prince's treasure could be bogus

Leonie Hourigan paid more than $2000 for two Louis Vuitton bags at the auction of fake ''Tahitian prince'' Joel Morehu-Barlow and has alleged the items are imitations. Picture: Megan Slade Source: The Courier-Mail

A WOMAN who paid more than $2000 for two Louis Vuitton bags at the auction of fake "Tahitian prince" Joel Morehu-Barlow has alleged the items are imitations.

Leonie Hourigan, of Mooloolaba, said she is preparing to lodge an application with the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal after questioning the authenticity of a Louis Vuitton document case and graphite canvas soft suitcase she bought for $2380.

Louis Vuitton Brisbane stated it does not offer an authentication service, however she approached collector and authenticator Paul Pluta, of collectinglouisvuitton.com, who inspected the bags for a fee and concluded they were not genuine.

However, auction house Leonard Joel is standing by the catalogue description and the authenticity of the items it puts up for auction.

Ms Hourigan said she thought she had nabbed "premium products with a good story" when she won the lots during the frenzied bidding at Antique and Fine Art Auctions at Woolloongabba on March 10.

GALLERY: Fake prince auction in Brisbane

The auction sold Morehu-Barlow's estate to recoup some of the $15 million he conned from Queensland Health. He is serving a 14-year jail sentence.

When Ms Hourigan's bags arrived, she was suspicious about the authenticity. "When I touched them, I knew in my head that it wasn't right," she said.

Mr Pluta said he believed the Louis Vuitton soft suitcase was not genuine because the handle end trim was incorrect, the interior had the wrong pattern and layout and the metalware was wrong.

He said the Louis Vuitton document case was also a "poor fake".

'These particular items are bad, bad, bad fakes," he said.

But in a written statement, John Albrecht, managing director for Leonard Joel, said all items put up for auction were inspected by specialists.

"We attended to this particular purchaser's query when raised with us for the first time, being four days after the auction and advised them that we were confident with our description but that we were happy and willing to investigate the purchaser's claim," he said.

"In the event that we discover that an item has been mis-described, we would as a normal course of our business offer a refund of the full purchase price."

He said Leonard Joel had been unable to obtain a third party opinion so far as the bags were in Ms Hourigan's possession.

According to the website of the Office of Fair Trading Queensland, consumer guarantees do not cover goods bought at auctions, where "the auctioneer acts as an agent for the owner of the goods", and said that it is the responsibility of the buyer to check the standard of the goods.

JAILED: Joel Morehu-Barlow

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Gay lover takes cut for housekeeping

FLORAL arrangement, overseeing pool cleaners and exercising the household dogs have earned one man a slice of his gay ex-lover's multi-million-dollar estate.

The couple's three-year legal battle landed the former partner of a property entrepreneur a 12 per cent share of an almost $7 million nest egg, including a harbourside home they once shared.

In a Family Court judgment, which runs to 115 pages, the lover was rewarded for tasks such as laying out his former partner's gym gear every morning and buying and preparing his vitamins.

Family Court Justice Peter Young said the lover identified other "principal homemaker activities" such as shopping, making meals, co-ordinating paid cleaners, pool and maintenance staff and feeding, grooming and exercising dogs.

He also took responsibility for weekly flower arrangements in their properties and "paid attention to the finer details and presentation therein".

"I do find that the (businessman) was a perfectionist, as he properly acknowledged, and thus the pressure and responsibility on (the lover) within this particular unique relationship was substantial," Justice Young said.

"I find (the businessman) did not materially contribute to the homemaker duties. Thus I find (the lover) did supervise, manage and otherwise undertook and carried out almost all of the household domestic duties and that they were performed at a level that satisfied the very exacting standards of (the businessman)."

He awarded the lion's share of assets to the businessman after the breakdown of the five-year relationship.

According to the judgment, the lover lied about having his own property portfolio when he met the businessman, who had already amassed $2 million in property assets.

Justice Young found the lover falsely claimed to have almost $200,000 invested with the Bank of Cyprus.

However, the businessman's legal team found no trace of the money in the trial lead-up.

As part of the lover's claim, he sought $1700 in compensation for six mini magnolia trees planted at the property they shared.

He also sought payment for $1200 worth of fresh flowers and $28,000 he claimed he withdrew from his Cyprus account to pay for painting, electrical work, blinds, carpets, antennae and plumbing.

But Justice Young said the lover "finally acknowledged" at the trial that the invoices were fraudulent after it was revealed he loaned the $1700 to another person and splurged on "high-end men's clothing and goods".

"I am satisfied ... (the lover) made no such contribution and that the disclosure of the ... invoice was a deliberate and intentional fraud ... to better secure his contribution to the relationship and more particularly to defraud (the businessman)," Justice Young said.

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Overqualified? Why you can't get a job

Job application. Picture: ThinkStock Source: Supplied

MAYBE you got looked over for a job requiring a bachelor's degree when you had a PhD.

Or maybe you didn't get a call-back for a position asking for five years' experience when you have 10.

But why don't employers want someone who is more than qualified for their job openings?

Well, there are three main reasons, according to AOL Jobs.

- They worry the candidate will be too expensive

- They assume the candidate will leave as soon as a better opportunity comes up

- They are concerned the candidate will be unhappy in the position

But how can you make sure you stay in the running for the job? AOL Jobs has four tips:

Target appropriate jobs

Apply for jobs that suit your background and experience. Find jobs that require the skills that you have, and make sure your resume addresses the job requirements. Network with people in the organisations or industry that you want to work in.

Address the salary issue

If there is a salary requirement with your application, make sure it's appropriate for the position. In your cover letter and conversations with recruiters, explain why you're applying for the job, and why a high salary may not be the most important thing for you.

Make a time commitment

Be clear on your commitment to the position - either make it clear that the job is not a stepping stone to a better opportunity, or make a commitment for a specific amount of time.

Make a convincing case for why the job is a good match

Every candidate needs to prove they fit a job description, but if you're overqualified, this is even more important. Take care to be specific about why you would fit the position perfectly.

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MKR's Ashlee and Sophia 'spineless'

Angela Kennedy has lashed out against her fellow gatecrashers Ashlee Pham and Sophia Poh after her eviction along with Melina Bagnato on My Kitchen Rules. Picture: Channel Seven Source: Supplied

ANGELA Kennedy has lashed out at rivals Ashlee Pham and Sophia Pou after being eliminated from My Kitchen Rules.

The Victorian mum, who teamed with Melina Bagnato, has labelled the New South Wales pair "spineless".

The two teams have been bitter rivals ever since they entered My Kitchen Rules in the Gate Crashers round.

Ashlee and Sophia's Top 12 priceless quotes

"We so badly want Angela and Melina to go home tonight," Pham said during a recent episode.

Pham and Pou got their wish when Kennedy and Bagnato were eliminated after a sudden death cook-off against Queensland's Jake and Elle Harrison.

My Kitchen Rules' "Real Housewives" Angela Kennedy and Melina Bagnato are at war with Sophie Pho and Ashlee Pham. Picture: Channel 7 Source: Supplied

Kennedy and Bagnato crashed with 37 out of 60 for their menu of Mediterranean octopus, roast duck and poached pears.

Kennedy was full of praise for the Harrison siblings after the exit but took aim at Pham and Pou.

MKR Gatecrashers Ashlee Pham and Sophia Pout. Picture: Attila Szilvasi. Picture: Szilvasi Attila Source: The Sunday Telegraph

"I consider their behaviour to be quite spineless," Kennedy says.

"They never said anything to our faces. Everything (criticism) was done behind our backs.

"It is a real disappointment and I actually feel sorry for them."

Kennedy says she was so shocked by the level of bitchiness on My Kitchen Rules that she has had second thoughts about appearing on the show.

"If I had known what I know now, I'm not sure I would have done it (been a contestant)," Kennedy says.

"I have a three-year-old son, Patrick, and I don't think it is nice for him to see his mum in that situation.

"I am proud of the way Melina and I handled it…but in hindsight I didn't realise it was ever going to be that bad."

Kennedy and Bagnato came unstuck when their dessert. The pears were undercooked.

Judge Pete Evans said that their technique had let them down.

The Harrisons triumphed with 50 out of 60 for their menu of Vittello Tonnato, John Dory, and Chocolate Molten Cake.

Pham and Pou are still in the competition.

My Kitchen Rules Ashlee and Sophia execute a cracking main dish which really impresses the judges.

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Kim has daughter, says Rodman

BFFs Kim Jong Un and former NBA star Dennis Rodman watch North Korean and US players in an exhibition basketball game in Pyongyang, North Korea. Source: AP

DENNIS Rodman has claimed that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is the father to a baby girl.

Rodman made the revelation in an interview with The Sun newspaper, saying Mr Kim's wife, Ri Sol Ju, was a gushing first time mother.

"[Ri Sol Ju] kept talking about their beautiful baby daughter," Rodman told The Sun.

There had been speculation that Ri Sol Ju was pregnant. If she had given birth to a boy, a future leader, it is almost certain that the news would have been broadcast widely.

Rodman said Mr Kim's wife was "very elegant and quite tall for a Korean - maybe 5ft 5in."

The former basketball star said the North Korean leader "doesn't want to kill anyone" and "wants to talk peace."

"Kim is not one of these Saddam Hussein-type characters that wants to take over the world," he said.

Meanwhile, Mr Kim oversaw a live fire military drill using drones and cruise missile interceptors, state media said, amid heightened tensions on the Korean peninsula.

The official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said Kim had personally guided the exercise that involved training attacks by "super-precision drone planes".

It did not specify the timing or location of the drill, which came a week after Mr Kim presided over a live-fire artillery exercise near the disputed sea border with South Korea.

Military tensions on the Korean peninsula are at their highest level for years, with North Korea - angered by UN sanctions imposed after its nuclear test last month - threatening a second Korean War backed by nuclear weapons.

Pyongyang has also denounced ongoing joint South Korea-US military manoeuvres, involving nuclear-capable B-52 bombers, calling them a provocative rehearsal for invasion.

The North Korean drones used in the exercise were assigned flight paths and timings "with targets in South Korea in mind", KCNA quoted Mr Kim as saying.

North Korea has no confirmed drone capability, although South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported last year that it was developing unmanned strike aircraft using old US target drones imported from the Middle East.

Still photographs of the exercise broadcast on state television seemed to show what looked like a rudimentary drone being flown into a mountainside target and exploding.

The exercise also included tests of small rockets that KCNA said were capable of bringing down cruise missiles.

Last month the South Korean military released video footage of a newly deployed cruise missile that it said could carry out high precision strikes on command centres anywhere in North Korea.
 

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Block winner rewarded for hard labour

The Block Winners Phil and Amity at their house in Bondi. Source: News Limited

NOTHING compares to the birth of a child, but for The Block victor Amity Rankine the dizzying moment when her Bondi heritage terrace emerged the winner of the series' climactic auction reminded her of the blur of emotion and confusion which followed the delivery of her daughter, Poppy.

Like that life-changing moment when she had to ask husband Phil to "double-check" the couple had in fact welcomed a baby girl, Rankine says she was not sure, amid the cries and jubilation, the pair had pulled ahead in the bidding to clinch the first All-Stars series of the Channel 9 ratings hit.

In the dramatic finale, the blue house favourites pocketed $295,000 profit and $100,000 prize money after their renovated Federation cottage sold for $1.67 million under the hammer, beating out rivals Josh and Jenna Densten by just a $20,000 margin.

The action-packed auctions took contestants and viewers alike on a roller-coaster with the Denstens first to market and scoring a massive profit of $275,000 on their property which sold for $1.375m.

But celebrations were soured when the hard luck pairing of Mark Bowyer and Duncan Miller took a hit on their terrace, selling for just $25,000 above their $1.345m reserve.

It was a bitter blow for the tradie mates who endured a torrid time on the series, with Bowyer's wife diagnosed with skin cancer and then rushed to hospital himself after suffering a suspected heart attack.

Spirits were lifted in the third auction when Melbourne couple Dani Wales and Dan Reilly banked a tidy $220,000 profit for their terrace (selling for $1.575m), but it came down to the last bid on the last auction to seal it for the Adelaide couple, who juggled the supervision of their two children during the renovation.

Professional singer, Amity, who will leverage her TV fame with an east coast tour of her stage show starting in May, said the heady auction experience made for a better time than when the couple finished last during their first appearance on The Block in 2003.

"I could have thrown up or passed out...I've never been so nervous about anything in my whole life. The pressure of everyone saying we were going to win felt like we were jinxed."

But after host Scott Cam confirmed the result, she said: "literally all the cliches in the book, my head was spinning, I couldn't hear anything, I was crying, it was just amazing."

Phil Rankine, who earned fan favouritism for his love of coffee martinis, revealed they toasted their victory with more of the cocktails and champagne and a party that ended in the wee hours yesterday.

Their win was vindication after the final weeks of competition became a tense affair after Dan and Dani conspired with Josh and Jenna to rob the Rankines of a room victory.

But Amity said last night: "everyone congratulated everybody. Aside from Mark and Duncan, which was really upsetting, everybody did so well how could you not be happy walking away with between $200,000 and $275,000. That certainly cooled any tensions because everyone got a reward for their efforts."

The show's producers were also popping the cork on another successful spin-off, with the All-Star season earning its contenders a total of $815,000 in profits.

But local property experts warned while the auction results were "strong" for the Bondi area, there was no "real world" profit in the outcome.

Bondi real estate expert Ric Serrao, principal at Raine & Horne Double Bay, said the results achieved at The Block auction were strong for the current Bondi market. But when taking into consideration what had been spent on the homes, there is not that much profit left over.

"If you'e looking to flick a Bondi house like that then you'd need to spend somewhere in the area of $250,000 to $300,000 to renovate, then consider stamp duty and holding costs," Mr Serrao said.

"I think The Block is a great show, I think it's fun. But if people really think they can do the same thing themselves, and they're not professionals, then they're getting the wrong message," he said.

THE  BLOCK ALL STAR PROFITS

$815,000

Auction reserves and sale prizes

Phil and Amity
Reserve $1.375m
Sales $1.67m
Profit: $295,000

Josh and Jenna
Reserve $1.375m
Auction result $1.65m
Profit $275,000

Dani and Dan
Reserve $1.355m
Auction result $1.575m
Profit $220,000

Mark and Duncan
Reserve $1.345m
Auction result $1.370m
Profit $25,000
 

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Labor buried secret pro-Rudd polling

Kevin Rudd in Parliament during Question Time. Picture: Kym Smith Source: The Daily Telegraph

JULIA Gillard faces the most crucial 24 hours of her leadership as it emerged Labor polling taken on the eve of Kevin Rudd's political assassination revealed a rebound for the overthrown PM.

The polling, which suggested Labor could still have won an election in 2010 under Mr Rudd's leadership, was kept a secret from him, most senior ministers and the majority of the Labor caucus for fear it could have unravelled plans for the coup already under way.

The secret polling also contradicts the official Labor research used at the time to convince MPs to replace Mr Rudd.

The revelations come as former minister Joel Fitzgibbon last night warned that there was "unrest" among Labor MPs and the party faced being "wiped out" at an election, in comments that other MPs said had stirred up leadership tensions.

Mr Fitzgibbon, who is the Chief Government Whip but supports Mr Rudd, said "it's so obvious something's going on" inside the Government.

With Federal Parliament to sit today for the last scheduled session before the May 14 Budget, Mr Fitzgibbon appeared to start a countdown for a leadership change, saying it was a "silly concept" that Labor could make a switch between the Budget and the September 14 election.

The PM's support says she has lost votes in caucus, but not enough to deliver the leadership to Kevin Rudd.

The Government faces another disastrous day today. Draconian media regulations proposed by Communications Minister Stephen Conroy are in disarray.

Mr Rudd's numbers men also claimed the former PM had 47 solid votes, Ms Gillard 42 with the rest of the 102-member caucus undecided.

Ms Gillard's backers are claiming support of almost all 30 ministers, despite at least five well known to be backing a Rudd return.

It has emerged that while Labor officials had cancelled a round of scheduled polling the week before the June 24 coup, one had already been commissioned and was "in the field".

The survey was conducted by UMR research on June 22-23, 2010 in the marginal South Australian seat of Kingston. Results had started to filter back on the night of the coup.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard faces another tough day in Parliament. Picture: Kym Smith

They showed Mr Rudd well in front of Tony Abbott as preferred prime minister - 50 to 39 per cent.

More critically, the numbers showed the swing against Labor was nowhere near as dire as was suggested to MPs, with only a 0.5 per cent swing against the Government in that marginal seat.

Senior Cabinet sources confirmed no one had been told about the Kingston numbers, claiming they would have been seen as "inconvenient".

A spokesman for the PM said she had no knowledge of the Kingston numbers.

Several Cabinet sources now claim they believe the research shown to ministers and key MPs had been "cooked" up to support the case to dump Mr Rudd.

"Things weren't great for the Government then, but they were nowhere near as bad as what was being suggested internally," said a senior Cabinet source.

"There was certainly no case for changing the prime minister."

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Holes appear in Abbott's uni account

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott in the House of Representatives. Picture: Gary Ramage Source: The Daily Telegraph

IT'S the wall-punching episode Tony Abbott insists "never happened" but now another mystery witness has emerged claiming the Liberal leader did try and intimidate university rival Barbara Ramjan.

The saga of whether Mr Abbott punched the wall on either side of Ms Ramjan's head prompted a strong denial from Mr Abbott when they first emerged.

But the allegations are backed up today in journalist David Marr's new extended book version of his Quarterly Essay: Political Animal by a mystery man claiming to be a witness.

"Suddenly a flying squad of yahoos led by Abbott came down the stairs. Abbott is unmistakable," the man said.

"Everybody knew Tony Abbott. He was all over campus all the time. He walked past me quickly but his gang screamed 'commie' and 'poofter' and the guy behind him grabbed me by the shoulders and threw me against the wall. I was furious. I picked myself up and immediately followed these thugs down the corridor.

"I saw Abbott raise his elbow above his head and his fist was clenched and then he drove his fist down. I did not see a punch land. As I pushed along the corridor, I saw Barbara being helped up very ashen-faced."

The biomedical professor, who asked not to be named, now insists he saw it happen July 28, 1977, only two days after the birth of the child Mr Abbott thought was his son conceived with a university girlfriend. Years later the child was revealed to be the son of another man.

Ms Ramjan is suing Nationwide News, the publisher of The Australian newspaper over claims Liberal Party powerbroker Michael Kroger made in an article that the Supreme Court has been told conveyed imputations that she was a serial manufacturer of false complaints against her political opponents and that she had fabricated an allegation that Tony Abbott had physically intimidated her in 1977.

Ms Ramjan's then campaign manager David Patch, now a Sydney Barrister who also says: "She told me that Abbott had come up to her, put his face in her face, and punched the wall on either side of her head."

The new edition also quotes Mr Abbott's letters to BA Santamaria in 1987 discussing joining the Liberal Party complaining that: "To join either existing party involves holding ones nose.

"The Liberal Party was divided between surviving trendies and the more or less simple-minded advocates of the free market," Mr Abbott writes.

He was ultimately encouraged to join the Liberals, rather than the Labor Party, by BA Santamaria.

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What made Pink stop mid-song?

Pink stopped a concert to check on the welfare of a crying girl in the audience. Source: Supplied

TURNS out rocker Pink is just a big softie these days after stopping her show to comfort a crying girl.

Pink was performing in Philadelphia on Sunday night when she noticed the girl crying in the audience.

The So What singer told her guitarist to 'hold on a second' and then asked "Is everything okay right here? Is this little girl all right?"

Apparently the girl was crying because of a fight in the crowd.

"Y'all are fighting around a little girl?", the mother of two-year-old Willow said incredulously.

She then walked off stage brought back a stuffed frog toy and a Rice Krispy treat, telling her 'you look beautiful.'

The little girl was too shy to get the gifts herself but the crowd passed them back to her.

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Injured Kerr 'hit by drunk driver'

Miranda Kerr has been left wearing a neck brace after a car accident in Los Angeles.  Picture: Justin Lloyd Source: The Daily Telegraph

SUPERMODEL Miranda Kerr has been injured in a car accident in Los Angeles, leaving her with whiplash and damage to her back.

Annie Kelly, Kerr's Australian publicist, confirmed the face of David Jones, who was a passenger in the car, was the victim of an alleged drunk driver.

The mother-of one was with an assistant when another vehicle apparently rammed into them.

Kerr was taken to hospital and underwent scans and is now recovering at home. Neither her movie star husband, Orlando Bloom, or young son Flynn was in the car at the time.

Kelly said Bloom was now by her side.

"He's taking very good care of her. He's an amazing husband," she said.

"Luckily, Flynn wasn't in the car," Kelly says of Kerr's two-year-old son.

The driver of the other car has been arrested and is expected to be charged by Los Angeles by police.

The accident is not expected to disrupt Kerr's commitments and she is due to return to Sydney next month for the launch of the new Qantas uniforms, designed by Paris-based Australian fashion designer Martin Grant.

When she was only 15 Kerr said went through a deep depression after her boyfriend Chris Flynn was killed in a car crash. Her child Flynn is named after him.

NSW police are still investigating a hacking incident when Kerr was in Sydney last month.

She told NSW Cyber crime police one of her social media accounts had been compromised and threats made against her and her family.

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Vital clue to finding Jill's attacker

Adrian Bayley caught on CCTV at the Caltex service station in Sunbury. Source: Herald Sun

HI-TECH police work, including mobile phone tracking and tollway data analysis, provided the crucial breakthrough in the hunt for Jill Meagher's attacker.

Court documents reveal homicide detectives identified Adrian Ernest Bayley as their prime suspect by tracking the movements of Ms Meagher's phone after she disappeared.

After establishing the phone had travelled through a CityLink gantry the details of all vehicles in the frame were examined.

The dominoes then fell, leading police to Bayley in a CSI-style investigation. Police checked the movements of his phone during the same hours.

"The data for the mobile phones of the accused (Bayley) and deceased (Ms Meagher) mirrored each other, moving from the Brunswick area, along CityLink and Calder Freeway to the Sunbury area," a police document said.

Court documents have also revealed:

HEARTBREAKING images, including Jill's discarded handbag and an ABC pencil.

Video evidence shown to the court allegedly shows Adrian Bayley's movements over three days from a laneway, to an out-of-town petrol station and a suburban carwash.

JILL planned to buy a house and start a family with husband Tom before her life was cut short.

BAYLEY enjoyed kebabs and movies with his de facto in the afternoon after the attack.

Bayley, 41, has pleaded guilty to a single count of rape. He has pleaded not guilty to murder and two charges of rape.

Hi-tech trail led to arrest

THE careless act of carrying a dead woman's phone proved crucial to police in making an arrest in the Jill Meagher murder case.

Previously unseen footage shows tragic Jill Meagher's walk home and a hooded man, believed to be her accused killer Adrian Bayley running toward her on the night she died.

It was midday on Saturday, September 22, when Tom Meagher reported to police that his wife, Jill, had disappeared after going out to drinks with colleagues the night before.

He had sent her several worried text messages and scoured Brunswick streets without success.

The first steps of the police investigation were routine: local uniformed officers made general inquiries, including questioning Mr Meagher, local bar owners and hospitals.

It wasn't until police conducted a preliminary search of the streets that the picture began to look grim.

A search of the Hope St laneway, near the streets where Ms Meagher regularly walked, found a dropped ABC pencil.

Soon after, a local man found Ms Meagher's handbag containing items including her ABC ID card.

Brave: Jill Meagher's parents, George and Edith McKeon, and her brother Michael McKeon and husband, Tom, far right, at court. Picture: Jon Hargest

Homicide detectives from Crew 4 then took charge.

"My initial assessment of the disappearance was that it was possibly suspicious and that the investigation would need to be immediately escalated," Detective Senior Sergeant David Butler said.

Police inquiries would later determine that accused man Adrian Bayley cleaned the inside and outside of his Holden Astra on Sunday, September 23.

It was in the boot of that vehicle that Bayley had placed Ms Meagher's body and driven her to Gisborne South.

There he buried her in a roadside grave, about 3 1/2 hours after he raped and allegedly murdered her in the laneway.

Homicide investigators would learn that about 8.15am on the Monday, Bayley took the Astra to Brakes Plus in Fawkner and asked for some work to be done.

Court releases a series of CCTV recordings that show Jill Meagher, and her accused killer Adrian Bayley, at various locations on the night she was killed.

"Adrian said that he had to put a boot mat into the Astra which he got from the wreckers," manager Glen Sadiq told police.

Bayley also had the car's four tyres changed.

Investigators would establish that about 1pm, Bayley asked for a roadworthy certificate so he could transfer ownership of the Astra into his de facto's name.

Alex Volpe, who did the roadworthy, noticed Bayley had a bruised gash on the bridge of his nose.

"He said that he was in a bit of a brawl on the weekend," Mr Volpe said in his statement.

"I just joked and said, 'You need to learn how to duck sometimes.' Adrian just laughed it off."

Adrian Ernest Bayley has pleaded not guilty to murdering Jill Meagher in a Melbourne laneway last year.

As part of their investigation, detectives canvassed the Brunswick area and spoke to business owners and licensees.

They seized all available CCTV footage showing Ms Meagher's movements in the early hours of September 22.

They also identified her Vodafone mobile phone details, and tracked the phone's movement on that morning.

According to the police summary: "The recorded movement indicated that (Ms Meagher's) mobile phone had remained in the Brunswick area until 4.24am, when it began to record movement outside the Brunswick area.

"After analysing the recorded movements it was discovered that (Ms Meagher's) mobile was moving north along CityLink in the vicinity of Moreland Rd at 4.40am and then continued north along the Calder Freeway to Sunbury."

The detectives' next move was to try to identify the vehicle, which at that stage they considered could have been driven either by Ms Meagher or an unknown person of interest.

Jill Meagher and husband Tom, pictured before her tragic death. Picture: supplied.

CityLink records provided a list of vehicles that passed under the Moreland Rd gantry. Each was checked against further databases, leading police to Bayley.

Investigators gained details of his mobile phone, and found its movements from Brunswick and along CityLink and the Calder Freeway "mirrored" those of Ms Meagher's phone.

Detectives were now confident they had identified their prime suspect.

They arrested Bayley on Thursday, September 27 - the same day Bayley's de facto partner, after washing Bayley's clothes, found a broken Vodafone SIM card in the bottom of her washing machine.

"Inquiries with Vodafone in relation to the broken SIM card revealed that it was registered to the deceased (Ms Meagher) at the headquarters of the ABC," the police summary said.

Bayley's de facto told detectives: "I was shocked when I saw the SIM card, and wondered where it had come from."

Adrian Bayley has pleaded not guilty to murdering Jill Meagher. Picture: Facebook

Detectives who executed a search warrant at the Coburg home seized the broken SIM card and pieces of a broken mobile phone.

When asked what he did with Ms Meagher's phone, Bayley told detectives: "I smashed that at home, in the driveway."

Police also took the clothes Bayley wore on the night of Ms Meagher's death, his Astra, and the shovel he used to dig the makeshift grave.

Detective Jennifer Booth showed Bayley's partner some images.

"I produced still photographs taken from the CCTV footage outside the Duchess Boutique (on Sydney Rd) depicting Adrian Bayley wearing a light powder-blue hoodie, a pair of light coloured jeans and a pair of white trainers," Sen-Det Booth said in her statement.

Sen-Det Booth also played the woman CCTV footage.

"'Oh, my God, that's him ... My boyfriend. Adrian Bayley'," the woman exclaimed.

During his interview with police, Bayley made some admissions. He took detectives to where Ms Meagher lay buried and gave investigators a DNA sample.

Bayley, 41, has pleaded not guilty to murder and two charges of rape.

He has, however, pleaded guilty to a single count of rape.

paul.anderson@news.com.au

Jill Meagher's life in pictures

The search for Jill ends in tragedy

Bayley's first court appearance after arrest

An evil deed ends in a dark place

'Devastated' family can now grieve

Worldwide reaction to disappearance on social media

Leave your tribute to Jill Meagher  

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Aussie citizen tortured in Africa

Manyang Maker Tulba at his graduation from Perths Edith Cowan University in 2011, where he received a Bachelor of Criminology and Justice. Facebook picture Source: Supplied

AN Australian university graduate is being tortured with daily beatings and whippings and starved of food and water in a South Sudan prison, according to relatives who are pleading for his release and return to Australia.

Manyang Maker Tulba, 22, is one of about 100 young men being held in a military prison in Rumbek, in the country's north, as part of a state investigation into violent ethnic clashes last month.

Mr Tulba, an Australian citizen who was born in South Sudan but has lived in Perth since 2003 and was visiting his family at the time of his arrest.

A Sudanese news website reported he and his mum were arrested for having "witnessed" the clashes, which left six people dead and four wounded.

Cousin Adhel Maker said Mr Tulba's sister, who has been visiting him and his mother separately in jail, had told family members in Australia he was being tortured daily by prison guards.

"She said they sort of beat him up pretty much every day for the first two weeks of his arrest and they whipped him about 100 times a day," she said.

"You have to pay to give him food and you have to pay to buy water for him, he's not allowed to see his family, so she says she hopes the guards give him the food she brings.

"They're literally just torturing him."

Ms Maker said the family felt "hopeless". Her cousin graduated from Perth's Edith Cowan University in 2011 with a bachelor's degree in criminology and justice and was enlisted in the Army Reserve.

She said Mr Tulba had plans to get married in Rumbek and return to Perth to start a family and undertake his masters degree when he was arrested.

"I'm really worried ... about his well being and because he hasn't been in that sort of condition before, it's very different to somebody that grew up in Sudan," she said.

"He was taken away when he was a kid and he grew up half his life in Australia so it's a bit hard for him, and we wonder how much he can take."

Mr Tulba's brother Makur Maker Tulba said he was terrified his younger sibling would receive the death penalty, and said the family had so far received little help from Australian authorities.

A spokesperson for the Foreign Affairs and Trade Department yesterday said consular officials from the Australian Embassy in Nairobi were liaising with South Sudanese authorities in order to obtain consular access to Mr Tulba.

A spokeswoman for Foreign Affairs Minister Bob Carr said Mr Tulba had been detained as part of a mass arrest, but it was not clear why.

"We have been unsuccessful in obtaining information on the reasons for his detention, from either the South Sudanese Government and from Rumbek provincial officials," the spokeswoman said.

Consulate officials had been in touch with Mr Tulba's brother, she said.

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Sumatran tiger decapitates farmer

A Sumatran tiger has apparently decapitated a cocoa farmer in Indonesia. Source: AFP

A SUMATRAN tiger has killed a cocoa farmer in Indonesia as the rare wild cat's habitat is rapidly cleared for plantations.

The body of Karman Lubis, 32, was found decapitated around one kilometre from a cocoa plantation on Sumatra island at 2am on Tuesday (6am Tuesday AEDT), while his head was found hours later in another area, a relative said.

Lubis' right hand was still missing, Amiruddin Nasution added, saying he was likely attacked by a tiger sighted days earlier near their village of Rantau Panjang, adjacent to the Batang Gadis National Park on the island's north.

A national park office staff member said there were no witnesses to confirm a tiger was to blame.

"Given the body's condition, he could have been attacked by a bear, a clouded leopard or a tiger," said the staff member, who declined to be named.

The Sumatran tiger is the world's smallest tiger and is critically endangered, with only an estimated 400 to 500 alive on the Indonesian island.

Rampant deforestation and poaching have led to a decrease in the number of Sumatran tigers, experts say.
 

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Miley Cyrus, Liam Hemsworth 'split'

Actor Liam Hemsworth and singer Miley Cyrus in happier times last year. Picture: Getty Images Source: Getty Images

MILEY Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth are "very, very much apart" at the moment.

The young stars got engaged in June 2012 but have been beset by problems over the last few weeks. There have been claims that Liam, 23, has struggled to cope with his 20-year-old fiancée's image overhaul, which has seen her bleach her hair blonde and shave most of it off.

There is also speculation that Liam was caught in a clinch with Mad Men star January Jones, while Miley was recently spotted without her engagement rings.

Liam is spending time in his native Australia at the moment and according to New York Post the pair are no longer in a relationship.

"Miley and Liam are done; it's over. She likes to party really hard and can be pretty wild. It became a problem for him," an insider told the publication.

Another source added: "They have broken up before, and are broken up again now. There was drama because she suspected he had a wandering eye. And she recently tweeted a denial that he cheated.

"While Miley has insisted they are still together, right now they are very, very much apart."

Liam has been spending time with his brother Chris Hemsworth and his wife Elsa Pataky and daughter while in his home country.

Miley has been focusing on her music, something she promised to start doing on her Twitter page last week. After rumours about Liam and January reached fever pitch, she took to the social networking site to slam the speculation.

"I am so sick of La. And sick of the lies that come with it. I didn't call off my wedding. Taking a break from social media. #draining," she wrote.

"my new music is gonna shut everyone up. not discussing anything but my music from now on (sic)."

Although Liam is thought to be taking some time out from the relationship, Miley is reportedly determined to make things work.

"Miley is a fiery character, and they do fight, but she is crazy about Liam. She isn't ready to accept it might be over for good," a source explained.

Neither of the couple's representatives has commented on the report.

Miley and Liam met while shooting movie The Last Song together in 2009. They had an on/off relationship during 2010, before working out their differences and getting engaged.

Last year, Miley insisted she wasn't too young to be engaged but wasn't planning to tie the knot any time soon.

"I don't really care about the wedding or the piece of paper as much as I do the promise we've made to each other. And we want to have a long engagement," she said.

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Fed-up Raiders to axe Dugan today

Josh Dugan will be sacked from the  Raiders today.

CANBERRA and their troublesome fullback Josh Dugan will part company today.

The Daily Telegraph understands Dugan will work out some form of a release from the final two years of his Raiders contract.

First though, he could be sacked. Either way, Dugan is certain to have played his final match with the Raiders.

Last night, Brisbane and Penrith emerged as clubs interested in Dugan, a former NSW Origin fullback.

There were also suggestions he may opt for a stint in French rugby union.

The drama comes after Dugan and teammate Blake Ferguson were photographed drinking on the roof of a Canberra home on Tuesday. Police were called over the antics of Dugan, who was supposed to be in rehab.

NRL match centre - now optimised for mobile

Paul Kent reveals Raiders fullback Dugan will be sacked.

Raiders players were angry yesterday at the pair's off-field behaviour. Most claimed to be "fed up".

Ferguson is expected to be retained by the club today but will be given a final warning.

Canberra coach David Furner was uanvailable for comment last night.

Some Raiders players have told management they would baulk at re-signing if Dugan remained.

One Raiders source said: "Furnsey has backed Dugan time and again, even to the point where other players expressed surprise.

"This is the thanks he gets. The coach has spent another full day discussing and acting on Dugan and Ferguson.

Josh Dugan in action for the Raiders on the weekend and (inset) a picture he posted of himself on Instagram.

"He should be spending that time preparing his team for the match against Gold Coast (this Sunday).

"If Dugan goes, there won't be too many tears."

Talented and elusive, Dugan was once touted as being a long-term Canberra and NSW fullback.

Injuries and ill-discipline, though, have hampered and stalled his career.

The Panthers have money and have been touted as a possible suitor for Dugan. The Broncos maye also join in any negotiations.

Both clubs would need to impose a strict disciplinary code on Dugan, whose personal problems have mostly involved alcohol.

Dugan even took a photo of himself on the roof while drinking and posted it on Twitter. He was also showing his middle finger.

Reece Robinson will play fullback in Dugan's place against the Titans.

The Raiders haven't wielded the axe on a high-profile player since Todd Carney's dismissal in 2008.

In that case the club was successful in convincing the NRL to impose a one-year exile, forcing Carney to play the following season with the Atherton Roosters in Queensland.

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Watch it live: Pope election

Cardinals attend the Pro Eligendo Romano Pontifice Mass at St Peter's Basilica, before they enter the conclave to decide who the next pope will be. (Photo by Franco Origlia/Getty Images) Source: Getty Images

BLACK smoke has billowed from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel, meaning Roman Catholic cardinals have not elected a pope in their second or third rounds of balloting.

Cardinals voted twice on Wednesday morning (Vatican time) in Michelangelo's famed frescoed chapel, but no candidate received the necessary 77 votes.

The 115 cardinals held a first inconclusive vote in the Sistine Chapel in Rome earlier as they began the process of finding a successor to Pope Benedict XVI, 85, who made history last month by becoming the first pope in 600 years to step down.

The black smoke, created from the burning of the ballots in a stove in the chapel and aided by some added chemicals including potassium and sulphur billowed above the Vatican, indicating that no-one had gained the two-thirds majority needed to become the 266th Roman pope.

"I'm not happy to see black smoke. We all want white," said the Reverend ThankGod Okoroafor, a Nigerian priest studying theology at Holy Cross University in Rome. "But maybe it means that the cardinals need to take time, not to make a mistake in the choice."

The Vatican's $29m stake in Europe's biggest gay spa

White smoke, produced by mixing the smoke from burning ballots with special flares, would indicate that a new head of the Roman Catholic Church has been chosen.

As they awaited the outcome of the first vote, suspense mixed with hopes among the tens of thousands of pilgrims in St Peter's Square - and in the Catholic Church worldwide, which is struggling in many parts with scandals, indifference and conflict.

Thousands gather on St Peter's square waiting for the smoke announcing the result of the first vote of the conclave at the Vatican. AFP PHOTO / JOHANNES EISELE

The Vatican spokesman the Rev. Federico Lombardi insisted that the continued balloting was part of the natural course of the election and didn't signal divisions among cardinals. He noted that only once in the past century had a pope been elected on the third ballot: Pope Pius XII, elected on the eve of World War II.

"This is very normal," he said. "It's not a sign of particular divisions within the college, but rather of a normal process of discernment."

Among the cardinals Italy's Angelo Scola, Brazil's Odilo Scherer and Canada's Marc Ouellet - all conservatives like Benedict - are the three favourites but there is no clear frontrunner and conclaves are notoriously difficult to predict.

Cardinal Peter Erdo of Hungary has the backing of European cardinals who have twice elected him as head of the European bishops' conference.

On the more pastoral side is Cardinal Sean O'Malley of Boston, the favourite of the Italian press, and Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the back-slapping, outgoing archbishop of New York who has admitted himself that his Italian is pretty bad - a drawback for a job that is conducted almost exclusively in the language.

The American candidates, however, did get a boost of sorts on Wednesday: President Barack Obama, who has clashed with American bishops over his health care mandate, indicated the Catholic Church could certainly tolerate a superpower pope since Catholic bishops in the US "don't seem to be taking orders from me."

In an interview with ABC News, he said an American pope would preside just as effectively as a leader of the Catholic church from any other country.

Some analysts suggest that Benedict's dramatic act - the first papal resignation in over 700 years - could push the cardinals to take an equally unusual decision and that an outsider could emerge as a compromise candidate.

Cardinals have held an inconclusive vote in the Sistine Chapel as they begin the process of electing a pope.

Hopes are high in the Philippines for the popular Archbishop of Manila, Luis Antonio Tagle, and on the African continent for South Africa's Wilfrid Napier, the archbishop of Durban, but in practice their chances are very slim.

Two-thirds of the cardinals are from Europe and North America and the view among many experts is that only someone with experience of its inner workings can reform the scandal-tainted Vatican bureaucracy, the Roman Curia.

The drama is playing out against the backdrop of the church's need both for a manager who can clean up an ungovernable Vatican bureaucracy and a pastor who can revive Catholicism in a time of growing secularism.

The difficulty in finding both attributes in one man, some analysts say, means that the world should brace for a long conclave - or at least one longer than the four ballots it took to elect Benedict in 2005.

"We have not had a conclave over five days since 1831," noted the Rev. Thomas Reese, author of Inside the Vatican, a bible of sorts for understanding the Vatican bureaucracy. "So if they are in there over five days, we know they are in trouble; they are having a hard time forming consensus around a particular person."

Breakfast was served for the cardinals in Domus S. Marthae at 6:30am (4:30pm AEDT). They will be transferred to the Sistine Chapel at 7:45am (5:45pm AEDT).

Today's timetable for the cardinals is:

08:15 (6:15pm AEDT) – Mass

Morning vote(s) (scrutiny(ies) taken

12:30pm (10:30pm AEDT): Cardinals return to Domus Sanctae Marthae

1pm (11pm AEDT) – Lunch

4pm (2am Thursday AEDT) - Cardinals return to Sistine Chapel

4:50pm (2.50am AEDT) – Scrutinies taken

7:15pm (5.15am AEDT) – Vespers

7:30pm (5.30am) – Cardinals return to Domus Sanctae Marthae

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Dog saves woman from killing herself

A German Shepherd, like the one pictured here, has been credited with saving a woman's life. Picture: Bob Barker Source: The Daily Telegraph

A FRENCH woman's loyal German Shepherd dog saved her from committing suicide by knocking aside a rifle she tried to fire into her heart, local police said.

The 63-year-old woman had walked into her garden in the southern town of Sorgues in the Vaucluse region, fired several test shots of a 22-calibre rifle and then turned the gun on her chest.

"At the moment she pulled the trigger, her dog jumped on her and diverted the shot," a local police officer said, adding that the dog "probably sensed things and knocked into her to save her."

The woman was found by her husband, conscious but suffering from a chest wound. She was taken to hospital but her injury is not considered life-threatening.

For help with emotional difficulties, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or www.lifeline.org.au

For help with depression, contact Beyond Blue on 1300 22 46 36 or at www.beyondblue.org.au

The SANE Helpline is 1800 18 SANE (7263) or at www.sane.org

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Shark alarm over drugs bombshell

The Cronulla Sharks remain at the centre of the ASADA investigation into drug use in rugby league. Picture: Brett Costello Source: The Daily Telegraph

TONIGHT'S NRL season opener has been reduced to a sideshow with revelations as many as 14 Cronulla players implicated in ASADA's anti-doping investigation have been threatened with immediate suspension.

The Daily Telegraph can reveal current Sharks players who have been contracted since 2011 - when sports scientist Stephen Dank worked at the southern Sydney club - are all part of the investigation.

As bookmakers suspended all Sharks-related markets last night it was revealed former ASADA senior counsel Richard Redman had been hired by Cronulla to help guide the club through the crisis.

There are serious concerns that two separate peptide-based supplements given to Sharks players might have contravened the World Anti-Doping Agency code.

Andrew Webster: Allegations cast shadow over entire season

Mr Redman was hired several weeks ago, shortly after Cronulla was identified as one of the six NRL clubs in the Australian Crime Commission report into performance-enhancing drugs, organised crime and match fixing.

According to a Sharks insider, Mr Redman has been reassuring players about their situation for the past fortnight. But the landscape changed dramatically on Tuesday morning when some players received a text message advising them to attend an emergency meeting.

There, Mr Redman gave the players an ultimatum - voluntarily stand down for six months or risk ASADA's maximum two-year ban. It is believed the players were given a 48-hour deadline to make up their minds.

There's major concern surrounding the Cronulla Sharks, and the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority's investigation into the club.

With the scandal threatening to completely overshadow this weekend's opening round, Cronulla officials last night went to ground.

Rothfield: ASADA investigation compounds Sharks' woes

The NRL and ASADA also refused to comment.

When approached yesterday, Cronulla coach Shane Flanagan denied any players would be stood down and miss Sunday night's season opener against the Titans. He refused to comment further.

As well as a casting a cloud over a number of current players in the Sharks NRL squad, there are also concerns the net could be widened to implicate ex-Cronulla players who have since moved to other clubs.

Sources stated as many as 22 players across the code are under the spotlight. A Sharks source last night said the players implicated in the scandal were concerned, rattled and distressed.

"They had no reason to question the club and its performance staff about what supplements they were taking," the source said.

NRL 360 weigh in on the ASADA investigation of the Cronulla Sharks.

"They trusted that what they were being given was safe."

Mr Dank left Cronulla after just four weeks, with club doctor David Givney concerned about the supplement program the club's players had been placed on.

The Daily Telegraph last month revealed at least one Sharks player was given the blood-thinning agent Warfarin. Mr Dank also used a room inside a former Bankstown medical centre to treat players away from the club.

Yesterday's news sent a scare through bookmakers, who shut down all markets relating to Cronulla. TAB Sportsbet closed its market at 4pm in response to rampant speculation that Cronulla's team could soon be demolished.

Spokesman Glenn Munsie revealed the Gold Coast had attracted $2300 of a total of $2700 wagered on the head-to-head market. There had also been $239 worth of bets on Cronulla to lose the most games this season.

"We won't open those markets until there's an official statement from either Cronulla, the NRL or ASADA," Munsie said.

"At the moment we don't know what's happening."

Sportsbet identified no suspicious betting but closed the markets as a precaution.

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Troll Tristan charged with assault

Are they Super XD Trollz, cyber-bullies or brats with brains? You decide if Nebz and Tristan from Facebeef have too much time on their hands.

INTERNET troll Tristan Barker has been charged by New Zealand police over an alleged assault of Today Tonight reporter David Eccleston.

The Seven Network journalist travelled to the Bay of Plenty region of Haumurana to interview Australia's most prolific troll.

He landed back in Sydney this afternoon and was receiving medical attention.

Today Tonight executive producer John Choueifate told News Ltd his reporter had arranged to meet and interview Mr Barker.

It is alleged that he turned up and in the course of the interview, Mr Eccleston was assaulted.

"He was understandably shaken, the matter has been reported to police," Mr Choueifate said.

Tristan Barker has been arrested and charged for an alleged assault in New Zealand on a TV reporter. Picture: Kerry Grant/ Herald on Sunday NZ

There is video footage of the alleged assault.

A New Zealand police spokesman said: "Following an allegation of assault at an address in Rotorua earlier this week an 18-year-old Rotorua man has been arrested and subsequently charged with common assault. He will appear in Rotorua District Court later the month. As the matter is before the court Police will be making no further comment."

Mr Barker's encounter with Today Tonight follows a nasty campaign against A Current Affair's host Tracey Grimshaw which saw manipulated images of the star in pornographic poses posted to the internet last year after the show began investigating the troll.

The assault allegations come on the same day Mr Barker's father avoided being dumped from this weekend's WOMADelaide festival after publicly supporting his son's online antics.

The event's promoters ignored calls to dump The Swamp Thing from the bill, featuring Michael Barker of former Split Enz and The John Butler Trio fame, despite his support for his son's antics online.

A spokesperson for the event said today that The Swamp Thing "will be appearing at Womadelaide this weekend".

Today Tonight reporter David Eccleston was allegedly assaulted by internet troll Tristan Barker.

"Other than that, we have no comment."

Tristan Barker has made international headlines for his cyber attacks. The 18-year-old is currently wanted for questioning by Melbourne police in relation to allegations of a sustained harassment campaign against a small business owner. Police cannot do anything until he returns from Rotorua, New Zealand where he is living with his father in the Haumurana region.

WOMADelaide's promoters had received a number of calls from concerned sponsors including Coles, but the festival has confirmed Barker's act will play this weekend.Matters intensified last night with Tristan Barker using Facebook to mobilise his 300,000-plus "fans" to bombard the internet site of Austereo's Triple M with pro-Hitler messages.

"Hitler never did anything illegal," wrote one poster under the name Melinda Winterford.

Triple M's Grill Team managed to have a rough time interviewing Tristan Barker who is dubbed 'Australia's worst internet troll'.

Internet troll Tristan Barker singing with his dad Michael Barker in bottom right corner, on drums.

The parents of internet troll Tristan Barker - musician Michael Barker and his wife Cathy.

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Gay Mardi Gras violence inquiry

NINE'S A Current Affair has interviewed the victim of alleged police brutality during Mardi Gras. See the full segment here. Credit: NINE

Sydney MP Alex Greenwich has released more footage of a Mardi Gras incident between a reveller and police which has sparked widespread outrage.

A Mardi Gras reveller who was handcuffed when police apparently threw him to the ground has been charged.

Jamie Jackson the Mardi Gras reveller at the centre of the YouTube clip. Picture: Facebook Source: The Daily Telegraph

POLICE have begun investigations into two separate incidents of alleged brutality involving revellers at the Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras.

In the first incident a man, 18, was arrested and charged with assaulting police, resisting arrest and using offensive language.

Footage on the website YouTube appears to show the man, Jamie Jackson, handcuffed and with a head wound, repeating: "I didn't do anything wrong."

A policeman is then seen to roughly push him to the ground and put a foot on his back, pinning him for about 20 seconds.

The incident allegedly happened about 10pm on Saturday on Oxford St near Riley St.

Police are also investigating officers' response to the alleged assault of another officer an hour later, near Crown St.

Assistant Commissioner Mark Murdoch said police would investigate both incidents.

"We have not received a complaint from either of the gentlemen involved but we ourselves have initiated an internal complaints process," Mr Murdoch told the Wentworth Courier yesterday.

Police Minister Mike Gallacher said the Ombudsman would also review the incident.

The YouTube footage of the first incident also shows the officer telling a bystander to turn off a camera because its use was illegal.

Mr Murdoch said the demand was not part of police policy and it was against their media procedures.

More than 1000 extra officers assisted with Operation Cromwell at Mardi Gras, but Mr Murdoch said the allegations of brutality did not directly arise because western Sydney officers were brought into unfamiliar terrain.

In response to the Greens party suggestion that officers be screened before being assigned to an event such as the Mardi Gras he replied: "Leave policing to the police."

The two incidents and the graphic YouTube footage have tarnished what was planned as a parade celebrating the improvement of social acceptance of the gay and lesbian community on the event's 35th anniversary.

Mardi Gras organiser Peter Urmson said police presence in the three weeks of the Mardi Gras festival had been a lot stronger this year, and at times had been "heavy handed".

"We want a full, open and transparent investigation," he said.

"Mardi Gras was born out of the problem of police brutality and this shows there is still work to do.

"In prior years we've enjoyed a healthier relationship (with police) than we do today."

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Gang rape girl helps police

A young woman has been kidnapped and assaulted by a gang of young men in Sydney. SKY News

The area where the young woman walked - Merindah Rd, Baulkham Hills / Pic: Bill Hearne Source: The Daily Telegraph

A SCHOOLGIRL abducted and sexually assaulted by five men has given police vital information as they hunt for her attackers.

The 18-year-old victim yesterday spent several hours with specialist rape victim counsellors and investigators, recounting the horrific ordeal that began as she walked home from a party at Merindah Rd in Baulkham Hills early Sunday morning.

Today, police are expected to conduct a walk-through of the young woman's ordeal to gain more information about what took place.

At the high school she attends, classmates were called into a meeting and spoken to about the dangers of walking alone and given an update on the young woman's condition.

Police said it had taken almost three days for the highly traumatised young woman to be in a state where she could be interviewed.

Police said the victim was able to provide information about where she was taken during the three hours from when she was dragged into a car about 1am Sunday, until she was dumped in a Castle Hill street at about 4am.

"We are meticulously going through every detail, along with information from witnesses," a police spokesman said. Until now the best clue police had to track down the attackers was a description of the green-coloured sedan they were travelling in.

Police yesterday denied the car had been found.

School friends of the victim said they had been spoken to about staying safe and supporting the young woman when she returns to school.

"Everyone's pretty upset about it," one student said.

The school principal declined to speak about the incident or the support being offered to classmates.

The Hills Neighbourhood Watch program organiser Marilyn Stoneham said the young woman's attack had frightened people.

"This just doesn't happen here, we've never heard of anything like it out here, so it's very worrying," Mrs Stoneham said.

She said a Facebook page dedicated to safety in the Hills district had been inundated with people posting messages of concern since the attack, and the local police page had also been flooded with messages of support to the victim.

"All we can say to people is don't ever walk on your own, no matter where you are or how safe you think it might be," she said.

Anyone with information about the attack, who hasn't already contacted police, should call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000

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Ted Baillieu resigns as Premier

Premier of Victoria Ted Baillieu resigns and says 'I love this state but a change in leadership is needed'. Watch the raw resignation media presser courtesy of TEN

TED Baillieu has quit as Premier of Victoria and Leader of the Victorian Liberal Party.

Mr Baillieu made the announcement after a snap Liberal party meeting was called at 7pm in Parliament.

The meeting lasted about 20 minutes and applause could be heard throughout.

At 9.51pm, Mr Baillieu was seen entering Government House to resign his commission as premier.

And at 10.40pm, Victoria's racing minister Denis Napthine was sworn in to the top job.

Mr Baillieu earlier announced: "This evening I have tendered my resignation as leader of the Parliamentary Liberal Party in Victoria and I will shortly visit the Governor to tender my resignation as the Premier of Victoria.

"Can I say I love this state, I love the Liberal party and I love this role that I have had the honour to enjoy over the last two and a bit years.

"I have appreciated the honour immensely of being the leader of the Parliamentary Liberal Party over the last seven years but it is apparent to me that a change of leadership is in the best interests of the government."

Mr Baillieu revealed Dr Napthine would be the new Liberal Party leader and Premier of Victoria.

"I want to put my full support behind the new leader of the Parliamentary Liberal Party Denis Napthine and to indicate that I will be staying on in Parliament to support him."

Ted Baillieu avoids the cameras as he heads into Government House to officially resign as premier. Picture: Ian Currie

Dr Napthine is Minister for Major Projects. He is also the Minister for Ports, Minister for Regional Cities and Minister for Racing.

He paid tribute to Mr Baillieu saying he was "proud to have served in his government".

"Ted Baillieu certainly served the state very well," he said.

"I am honoured and proud to say he is not just a colleague but a great friend."

He said he was proud to lead the party.

"I look forward to providing strong, stable and positive government for the people of Victoria."

Big Ted walked instead of fought. Blog with Susie O'Brien

During the shock resignation speech, Mr Baillieu was brought to tears as he thanked his staff and family for their support.

"I want to thank the Deputy Premier Peter Ryan in particular, members of the National Party and the Coalition team, I want to thank the members of the Cabinet," he said.

"I want to thank also all my very special friends, timeless friends who shall remain nameless and I want, of course, to thank my wife Robyn and our three children, I also want to thank my extended family. I am sure I will be having a good close cuddle with many of them later this evening."

Ted Baillieu - A life in politics

Mr Baillieu paid tribute to the legacy of the Victorian state.

"Victorians enjoy a legacy I believe unmatched across this country, unmatched across the world and its an honour to stand in this room and understand that over 160 years this Parliament has represented not just a beacon of democracy but also an icon of what's possible.

"The core character of Victorians is one of aspiration and ambition and Victorians have since first settlement days...demonstrated that core character over and over again."

Mr Baillieu said the multicultural community it enjoys was it's strength.

"Above all I want to thank the people of Victoria for the trust they placed in me over several years, particularly those who were good enough to afford us the opportunity to be in Government in 2010."

Prime Minister Julia Gillard pledged to work with Dr Napthine for the good of Victoria and wished Mr Baillieu the best for the future.

"The resignation of Victorian Premier Ted Baillieu tonight is significant news for all Victorians," Ms Gillard said.

Denis Napthine is sworn in as premier at Government House. Picture: Ian Currie

"This decision must have been a very difficult one for Mr Baillieu and for his family. I wish Mr Baillieu all the best for the future."

"I will seek to work in the interests of all Victorians with Mr Baillieu's successor, Denis Napthine."

Opposition leader Tony Abbott also thanked Mr Baillieu for his service to the people of Victoria.

"For the last two years Ted has worked hard to address the problems left behind after 11 years of Labor neglect," he said. "Ted has put Victoria's finances on a sustainable footing and made significant investments in the infrastructure the state so desperately needs.

"In recent months Ted has successfully taken the fight to the federal government after Julia Gillard ripped $1.6 billion out of Australia's public hospitals.

"I have worked closely with Ted Baillieu over the last few years. Ted is a man of integrity and honour and I wish him well for the future.

"I congratulate Denis Napthine on his election as leader of the Victorian parliamentary Liberal Party and I look forward to working closely with him."

Mr Baillieu's resignation comes as Geoff Shaw, who earlier today quit the Liberal Party, released a statement saying Victorians had lost confidence in the Baillieu leadership.

He said: "This morning I advised the Premier of Victoria of my resignation from the Parliamentary Liberal Party, effective immediately.

Ted Baillieu announces he is stepping down as Victoria's Premier at Melbourne Parliament. Picture: Alex Coppel

"As always my focus is on how I can best represent the people of Frankston and at the moment I believe that is from the cross bench.

"Labor left Victoria in a mess and Victorian's elected a Coalition Government to fix the problems and build for the future.

"While the government has made significant progress in that direction, I believe my actions reflect the general loss of confidence Victorians are feeling in the leadership of the government."

Earlier, Deputy Premier Peter Ryan had defended the Premier saying he was "made for the job".

High time for leadership

Editorial: Suddenly, it was all over

Editorial: Napthine has trials to come

Mr Baillieu's leadership had been in the spotlight for his handling of the secret police tapes revealed by the Herald Sun on Monday.

Mr Ryan, who fronted the media this afternoon said the police crisis tapes were in the hands of IBAC, who will make a decision in due course.

Denis Napthine is taking over as Liberal leader after Victorian Premier Ted Baillieu's resignation.

"He (Premier Ted Baillieu) is doing a magnificent job on behalf of Victoria," he said.

"He is the Premier of a government which now has the most successful economic performance in the nation according to the ratings agencies.

"It is an outstanding performance in very difficult circumstances and we intend to ensure, we continue to govern Victoria under the Premiership of Ted Baillieu."

Emerging from a special Coalition party room meeting this morning, Mr Baillieu said the Coalition will continue to govern.

"I can tell you as I am sure you are aware Geoff Shaw has resigned as a member or the parliamentary Liberal Party," Mr Baillieu said.

"That means that he will, I understand, I haven't spoken to him but others have, that he will sit on the cross benches.

"He has, as I understand, indicated that he may not be here for today... but that aside, the government will continue to govern and we will continue to govern decisively in Coalition and we are looking forward to doing just that."

Mr Baillieu said he was confident the parliament would continue to be workable and said he hasn't spoken to the Governor.

"I'm not going to get into the details of what might or might not happen, what I can tell you is that we are committed, we have a very strong forthcoming agenda and we have been able to govern with a narrow margin and I believe we can continue to govern and we will continue to govern," he said.

Ted Baillieu makes his way out of Parliament in Melbourne after resigning as Victoria's Premier and Liberal leader. Picture: Alex Coppel

Mr Baillieu said Mr Shaw hadn't given any reasons for his departure.

"He has provided us with a very short letter and I think in that letter he indicates he wants to do this in the interest of his electors," he said.

Opposition Leader Daniel Andrews earlier said the government was in crisis.

"There is no one in the Baillieu Government today thinking about jobs, or hospitals or transport or schools, this is a government that has stopped governing," he said.

"The Premier is not so much running a government as running a complete and utter circus, it'd be funny if it weren't so serious."

Liberal Party colleagues yesterday admitted they were also "despairing" over the police crisis tapes ordeal.

The tapes, which were secretly recorded, and later obtained by the Herald Sun revealed a secret payout and job help for a former adviser that forced Mr Baillieu to refer to his chief of staff and party boss to IBAC.

In May, the  Sunday Herald Sun revealed claims Mr Shaw's parliamentary car had been used to frequently undertake long-distance deliveries for his private business.

Earlier today, Mr Ballieu distanced himself from the police tapes crisis, saying he had complete confidence in the pair involved - his chief of staff Tony Nutt and Liberal Party chief Damian Mantach.

New Premier Denis Napthine leaves the meeting after Ted Baillieu resigns. Picture: Ian Currie

"I don't know, and I can't make assumptions about the provenance or the origin of this material," Mr Baillieu said on Neil Mitchell's program on 3AW today.

"Nor do I know if this material has been previously supplied to the OPI or Ombudsman.

"The successor is IBAC and it is appropriate that they examine this material and assess whether any further consideration is required."

However, Mr Baillieu said he had referred the tapes to the Independent Broad-based Anti-Corruption Commission.

"I provided the information to IBAC, I've asked them to assess whether the matter requires further consideration," he said.

"IBAC has power to refer matters to other bodies, including Victoria Police and the ombudsman, as it seems fit."

He said he had not asked Mr Nutt to stand down, nor had he offered to stand aside while IBAC investigated the matter.

"I don't agree with standing down Tony Nutt," he said.

Mr Baillieu said he had now read "slabs" of the transcripts, published on the heraldsun.com.au on Monday.

Geoff Shaw in Parliament. Picture: Norm Oorloff

The Premier said he agreed that a third person on the tapes, Police Minister Peter Ryan's former adviser Tristan Weston, had gone through a difficult time personally and that his position had became untenable due to the OPI report.

The lack of action by the leaders of the Coalition has been slammed by the State Opposition, who accuse Mr Baillieu of running a "complete circus".

In Parliament, the Deputy Premier stood by his original testimony to the OPI over the police command crisis - which has been disputed in the secret tapes - saying it was Mr  Weston who was found to be at fault.

Mr Ryan said Mr Weston had been severely censored or "excoriated" by the OPI.

"I, at all times, co-operated very appropriately with the Office of Police Integrity. At all times I have told the absolute truth," Mr Ryan told parliament.

During Mr Ryan's attack on Mr Weston, Mr Ryan's former parliamentary secretary, Bill Tilley, was comforted by Liberal MP Christine Fyffe.

- with James Campbell, Annika Smethurst and Michelle Ainsworth

Deputy Premier Peter Ryan congratulates new Premier Denis Napthine. Picture: Ian Currie

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