Bolivia: Snowden rumour 'a lie'

Several countries have rushed to reject asylum requests from fugitive US intelligence leaker Edward Snowden.

A PLANE carrying Bolivian President Evo Morales has been forced to land in Austria - on suspicion that fugitive Edward Snowden was on board.

The wanted former US National Security Agency systems analyst - whose father today declared him a modern American hero - was not found on the aircraft.

Officials in both Austria and Bolivia said that Snowden was not on the plane, which was taking Morales home from a summit in Russia, where he had suggested that his government would be willing to consider granting asylum to the American.

A furious Bolivian Foreign Minister David Choquehuanca said France and Portugal would have to explain why they canceled authorization for the plane, claiming that the decision had put the president's life at risk.

"We don't know who invented this lie" that Snowden was traveling with Morales, Choquehuanca said in La Paz. "We want to denounce to the international community this injustice with the plane of President Evo Morales."

He said that after France and Portugal canceled authorization for the flight, Spain's government allowed the plane to be refueled in its territory. From there the plane flew on to Vienna.

French government officials reached overnight said they could not confirm whether Morales' plane was denied permission to fly over France. Officials at Portugal's Foreign Ministry and National Civil Aviation Authority could not be reached to comment.

Austrian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Schallenberg told The Associated Press that Snowden was not with Morales.

Leaks by Snowden, a former NSA systems analyst, have revealed the NSA's sweeping data collection of U.S. phone records and some Internet traffic, though U.S. intelligence officials have said the programs are aimed at targeting foreigners and terrorist suspects mostly overseas.

He is believed to be in a Moscow airport transit area, seeking asylum from one of more than a dozen countries.

While Bolivia's foreign minister had earlier said officials did not know who was behind the "lie" that Snowden was on Morales' plane, the country's defense minister later expressed no doubt.

"We want to declare very firmly that it was an American story that Edward Snowden was on this flight," said Defense Minister Ruben Saavedra at the VIP terminal of Vienna's airport. "This is a plot by the U.S. government to destroy president Morales' image. We say this simply is a lie. And we will confirm this."

Morales himself was present during the improvised press conference but chose not to speak to reporters. Morales will remain at the airport until his plane has been cleared for takeoff.

In Washington, the State Department would not comment directly when asked to speak to the matter and referred the AP to statements on Snowden made at the department's daily briefing. Earlier Tuesday, department spokesman Patrick Ventrell would not discuss how the Obama administration might respond if Snowden left the Moscow airport. "We're not there yet," he said.

Snowden has applied for asylum in Venezuela, Bolivia and 18 other countries, according to WikiLeaks, a secret spilling website that has been advising him. Many European countries on the list - including Austria, Finland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain and Switzerland - said he would have to make his request on their soil.

One of Snowden's best chances of finding refuge outside the United States may hinge on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, who was also in Russia on Tuesday.

Maduro told Russian reporters that his country has not received an application for asylum from Snowden and dodged the question of whether he would take him with him when he left.

But Maduro also defended the former National Security Agency systems analyst.

"Who must protect Snowden? This is the question. This young man of 29 was brave enough to say that we need to protect the world from the American imperial elite, so who should protect him?" Maduro said in response to a question from journalists covering a ceremony to rename a Moscow street after Chavez. "All of mankind, people all over the world must protect him."

Maduro was scheduled to spend Wednesday in neighboring Belarus before returning to Venezuela.

In Venezuela, Foreign Minister Elias Jaua said that changing the flight's route without checking on how much fuel it had endangered Morales' life.

"All the countries that have denied permission for the flight of our brother president, Evo Morales, must be held responsible for his life and his dignity as president."

Another possible landing spot for Snowden is Ecuador, where Wikileaks founder and publisher Julian Assange has been seeking asylum.

"We are willing to analyze Mr. Snowden's request for asylum and this position has not changed," said Ecuadorean Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino on Tuesday. "What we have said is that we will be able to analyze the request when Mr. Snowden is in Ecuadorean territory or in an Ecuadorean mission."

Patino added that two weeks ago a hidden microphone was found in Ecuador's embassy in London, where Assange is holed up. "We want to find out with precision what the origin of the apparatus is."

Snowden, who recently turned 30, withdrew a bid for asylum in Russia when he learned the terms Moscow had set out, according to Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov. Putin said on Monday that Russia was ready to shelter Snowden as long as he stopped leaking U.S. secrets.

At the same time, Putin said he had no plans to turn over Snowden to the United States.

Rebuffed by Russia's president, the Obama administration has recently toned down demands Snowden be expelled from the Moscow airport in a sign that the U.S. believes he is not worth scuttling diplomatic relations between the former Cold War enemies.

On Monday, WikiLeaks posted a statement attributed to Snowden on its website, in which he slams Obama for "using citizenship as a weapon."

"Although I am convicted of nothing, (the United States) has unilaterally revoked my passport, leaving me a stateless person," Snowden says in the statement. "Without any judicial order, the administration now seeks to stop me exercising a basic right. A right that belongs to everybody. The right to seek asylum.

"Their purpose is to frighten, not me, but those who would come after me."

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No service for shopper on mobile

"And then I was like 'NO! And he was like 'YES!" Picture: Thinkstock. Source: Supplied

MOBILE phones. We use them first thing in the morning, driving, on the toilet, at the dinner table, in bed. We can't get enough of them.

But now, a checkout worker has refused to serve a customer on her phone, sparking furious debate: Is it OK to use your mobile at the check-out?

The incident happened at a London supermarket, when 26-year-old Jo Clarke made a call to her brother while waiting in line at the checkout.

"I was standing at the foot of the (cash register) waiting to bag my shopping up, yet the lady on the checkout was just staring at me," Miss Clarke, who works in corporate real estate, told The Daily Mail.

"When I stopped my conversation and said 'Is everything okay?', she said: 'I will not check your shopping out until you get off your mobile phone.'

"I ended my call swiftly, and said to the lady on the checkout, 'Apologies, I didn't realise that it was Sainsbury's policy that you are unable to use your phone at the checkout', to which the checkout worker replied: 'You learn something new every day'."

Miss Clarke complained to the service desk at Sainsbury's over the incident and was told there was no such policy, as well as being reimbursed with vouchers for the store. However she swears she won't shop there anymore.

The incident has sparked plenty of debate online, with commenters divided on the issue.

"It was plain bad manners, there are self-serve checkouts for a reason. No wonder this country is in turmoil if we forget to use basic manners &reward the use of them" wrote Melissa Mackenna of Glasgow.

While others said "It's not your duty to make small talk with a checkout assistant? I was sure these comments would be pro-phones! Oh well. There's not enough time in the day for small talk. By all means don't be rude to the assistant but there's nothing wrong with being on the phone?!"

The issue also raised the hackles of Australian checkout workers. Karen Ritson, who works at Big W, said people chatting on their phone at the checkout was her pet hate.

"I think it's the height of ignorance. It really is. You're trying to engage with the customer even if it's just 'Hi how are you?' And they're chatting away and they throw the money at you and you think 'oh you pig'."

"I feel like saying 'Get off that phone before I serve you', but I'm not allowed to do that ... I wish we could, but you can't tell people get off the phone."

Ms Ritson said customers use mobiles through the checkout around two or three times per shift, and even more on the weekend.

"I just find it rude as you're doing them a service; it's not rocket science that they should appreciate that service," she said.

"Nothing is so important you can't wait five minutes."

Alayna Cole, 19, who works at Coles said mobile phones are often part of the "tearoom" discussion at her work, although there are plenty of different ways customers can be rude to workers.

"I'm trying to do a job, I'm a person. I'll say 'Hi how are you going?' And they won't say anything back. It might be because they're on the phone or it might be talking to the person next to them or they might just be staring at the wall behind me," she said.

However Ms Cole said it's not always the case, with some customers making an effort to apologise for being distracted.

"I've had a customer come in on the phone and come back five minutes later to apologise."

"If you have a good heart you find a way to make it not rude even though you are on the phone, you still say hello or you apologise," she said.

Australian Retailers Association spokesperson Russell Zimmerman said common courtesy is required from both sides of the equation.

"From a retailer's perspective, in this day and age when business is hard to get hold of, I would be reluctant to not serve a customer on that issue," he said. However he also added that if shoppers do get an urgent call, there is a right way to handle it.

"It's common courtesy to set the ground rules. You've got to judge the situation individually, the consumer has to be mindful of the sales assistant but the assistant has to be mindful that the consumer may need to take a call."

Do you use your mobile phone at the check-out? Tell us your views in the comments below.

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Is this our most expensive carpark?

The parking sign outside the new Woolworths concept store in Woolloomooloo, Sydney. Supplied Source: Supplied

LINGER any longer than an hour before fetching your car at the new Woolies concept store in Woolloomooloo, Sydney, and it will cost you $65, more than a dollar a minute.

Stay over two hours and it's $95, and anywhere between 3 hours and overnight will set you back $125, pretty much a weekly shopping trip.

A Woolworths spokesman said there were a limited number of parking spaces on the site, and it was close to the CBD, so they wanted to discourage commuters from parking there.

The new store doesn't even feature the Woolworths name, just the logo and the suburb, which fortunately is spelt correctly, unlike the word "surpermarket" on the parking sign.

"On this occasion, our spelling of the word supermarket was, well, less than super. We're reprinting a new, correctly spelt, sign as we speak," the spokesman said.

"The fees at the car park reflect there are actually very few spaces available and the intention is that those spaces should be available for the use of our customers - hence why the first hour is free."

The fancy 900 sqm concept store on the corner of Crown and Suttor streets, in the old City Ford building, opened last Friday.

It features food to eat on-the-go, a juice bar and barista-made coffee, as well as groceries, and is "dedicated to the residents of Woolloomooloo" according to its website. Most likely those who walk.

Is this Australia's most expensive short-term car park? Tell us if you've been stung for more.

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Kevin Rudd ready to rumble

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott surprises Kevin Rudd at Parliament House in Canberra. Picture: Gary Ramage Source: Herald Sun

KEVIN Rudd has challenged Tony Abbott to three debates and cast the election as a battle between the nerdy "glasses-wearing kid in the library" and the Oxford boxing champion.

While the Prime Minister continues to keep the nation guessing about the election date, he attacked the Opposition Leader's "ticker".

Mr Rudd said he wanted debates on the subjects Mr Abbott has campaigned on - debt and deficit, asylum seekers and the carbon tax.

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It's a tale of two Kevins, but which one is real

Truth goes a long way

"Mr Abbott, I think it's time you demonstrated to the country that you had a bit of ticker on this. I mean, he's the boxing Blue, I'm the glasses-wearing kid in the library," Mr Rudd told ABC TV's 7.30 program.

"Let's have the Australian people form a view about whether his policies actually have substance, whether they actually work or whether they're just slogans.

"It's time we have a properly moderated debate by the National Press Club and that it should be on his chosen subjects to start with. He can have one on debt and deficit, he can have one after that on boats, he can have one after that, if he likes, on the carbon price."

Mr Rudd said Mr Abbott's "whole program for government rests on a house of cards". But Mr Abbott, who won his boxing Blue at Oxford, said Mr Rudd should name the election date or recall Parliament to have debates every day.

"If you want to have a formal debate, name the election date and let the debate begin," he said.

Mr Rudd denied his return as PM was revenge against Julia Gillard for taking the job from him in 2010.

"Good grief, no," he told 7.30 host Leigh Sales. "If I was so wounded by the events of 2010, I would have gone off whimpering into the corner some time ago.

"Had we been travelling in much better circumstances, then I'm sure none of these events would have happened. That didn't occur and I'm determined to take the fight up to Mr Abbott so the people at this election have a real choice."

While his supporters were agitating for his return and claiming to have a petition to remove Ms Gillard, Mr Rudd denied breaking his promise not to challenge.

"Julia Gillard decided to call a leadership ballot and, secondly, she then vacated the leadership and it was invited for all to put their hand up and to nominate, and I did that," he said.

Mr Rudd said Labor had been headed for a catastrophic election defeat.

"I wasn't about to stand idly by and see everything we've worked for, for the last five or six years, go down the gurgle as Mr Abbott set about ripping it apart," he said.

Mr Rudd, who travels to Indonesia today, said Mr Abbott's plan to "turn back boats" needed more words: "How will you turn the boats back?"

Mr Rudd last night wrote to Mr Abbott offering him briefings on border integrity matters and national security from ASIO, the National Security Adviser, public service chiefs, Immigration, the Federal Police, Customs, the Australian Secret Intelligence Service and Foreign Affairs.

Mr Rudd also met the United States and Chinese ambassadors today.

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Gandolfini leaves bulk of estate to son

Actor James Gandolfini from the TV program "The Sopranos". The 51-year-old actor died of a heart attack while vacationing in Italy.  Source: AP

ACTOR James Gandolfini has left the bulk of his estimated US$70 million ($77 million) estate to his 13-year-old son and infant daughter.

The late Sopranos star also left millions to his wife and relatives.

The New York Post reports that a will dated December 19 was filed Tuesday in Manhattan Surrogate's Court.

Gandolfini's son, Michael, is to get the largest chunk through a trust set aside for him until he turns 21.

He'll split his father's Italian property with his half-sister, 8-month-old Liliana, when she turns 25.

Michael Gandolfini, left, son of James Gandolfini, arrives for his father's funeral service in New York's the Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine, Thursday, June 27, 2013. Picture: Richard Drew

The newspaper says the remainder of Gandolfini's estate will be split among his wife, sisters and daughter.

He left US$200,000 ($221,000) each to his personal assistant and secretary.

The will is the first and primary filing of his estate; more documents are expected to be filed.

Gandolfini died June 19.

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Money on Packer to win casino battle

The winning design for James Packer's proposed Barangaroo casino. Source: Supplied

James Packer. Picture: Kym Smith Source: Supplied

IF you follow the so-called "smart money" then James Packer will today achieve what eluded his father - a Sydney casino licence.

Bookmakers are betting on Mr Packer's Crown Ltd winning its battle against Echo Entertainment's The Star when Premier Barry O'Farrell declares his hand this afternoon.

It would end an 19-year wait by the Packer family to enter the Sydney casino market after Kerry Packer missed out on being awarded Sydney's first licence to the Showboat-Leighton consortium in 1994.

A report by an independent panel led by former banking chief David Murray, which assessed the rival billion-dollar proposals by Crown and Echo, is expected to be considered by state cabinet today.

Panel head says only one will be approved

Mr Packer is proposing a $1.5 billion six-star hotel and casino resort at Barangaroo if the government grants Crown a licence when The Star's exclusive arrangements end in 2019.

In a bid to extend its monopoly, Echo has offered to spend $1.1 billion transforming its Pyrmont venue into an integrated report, featuring two new hotels and a pedestrian bridge across to Barangaroo.

Echo Entertainment tries to get Packer to go VIP-only

Business leaders have suggested the goverment should consider allowing both projects to go ahead, but Mr O'Farrell has said this would be "impossible".

Corporate bookmaker Sportsbet has tightened the odds on Crown winning to $1.30, while Echo was priced at $3 yesterday. After the release of Echo's plan late last month, Crown and Echo were both at $1.85.

The Star casino strikes back at James Packer in $1.1b revamp

The sharemarket was taking a more subdued view yesterday, with Crown closing 22c down to $11.95, while Echo was 1c down to $3.04.

Kimber Capital head of research Greg Fraser said he expected the Echo shareprice to fall if Crown got the nod.

Winning Barangaroo design from British architects Wilkinson Eyre

s"It's hard to know if a loss has already been factored in, but Echo still has to work hard to generate returns on the previous $870 million investment in The Star," he said.

If Crown enters the Sydney market, it could help dramatically expand the city's take of international VIP revenue in the years ahead, lifting The Star's take as well.

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Smith leaps into first Test mix

Australia's Steve Smith drives for another boundary as he puts up his hand for selection in the first Test with an impressive stint in the middle on day two of the tour match against Worcester. Source: Getty Images

Steve Smith is congratulated by Phil Hughes after reaching his half century. Source: Getty Images

STEVE Smith is making a late charge for next week's first Test at Trent Bridge.

Called into the Ashes squad last week as a reserve batsman, the talented right-hander played a rapid fire innings against Worcester overnight.

Resuming on 21, Smith bolted to 68 not out in the opening hour of day two as Australia raced to 4-396 before Michael Clarke declared. Phil Hughes was 19 not out.

At tea Worcester was 2-155 in reply with recently dumped England opener Nick Compton unbeaten on 71 as a guest player for the county.

Despite his dropping from the Test team Compton is having a good time against Australia, scoring 81 and 34 against the tourists for his county, Somerset, last week.

Smith left Hughes in his wake, adding 47 yesterday as Hughes spent much of the time as a spectator at the other end, creeping from his overnight score of 10.

Smith brought up his half-century with a lovely straight six from spinner Moin Ali after a series of lovely cover and square drives to the boundary.

His 50 came in 70 balls with seven fours and two sixes but yesterday's component was 29 runs in 28 balls with five fours and a six.

Smith had been called up as cover for the suspended David Warner, with concerns about Michael Clarke's back given he missed the entire Champions Trophy.

However because he is playing in Australia's last pre-Ashes warm-up match ahead of Usman Khawaja, Smith is clearly a chance to grab a place in the first Test, which begins next Wednesday.

He had a mixed tour with Australia A leading into this match but scored 133 in a first class match against Ireland last month.

Smith was unlucky not to be part of the original Ashes squad after being one of the few success stories on the disastrous tour of India earlier this year.

He had a modest season for NSW, averaging 37 and failing to score a century, but he was chosen for India on the basis of his ability to play spin and was given an opportunity in the third Test when Shane Watson was among four players suspended for homeworkgate.

With Clarke injured for the last Test Smith kept his place, scoring a total of 161 runs with an average of 40 and a best of 92 in the series.

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Oakeshott: Are you worthy, Kev?

Kevin Rudd has regained the Labor leadership, three years after he lost it. Source: News Limited

KEVIN Rudd said he resumes the task he began in 2007 "with humility" and he praised the "extraordinary intelligence" of Julia Gillard who had been "a remarkable reformer."

Mr Rudd said his role is "to forge consensus wherever I can" and to rid the national debate of the vitriol which he says has characterised this parliament.

"In recent years politics has failed the Australian people. There's just been too much negativity all around," he said.

IN PICTURES: Kevin Rudd wins Labor spill

"I intend to lead a government that brings people together and gets the best out of them," he said.

Mr Rudd told young people he understood why they have switched off politics, but he now asks them to re-engage.

"We need you, we need your ideas, we need your enthusiasm," he said.

Julia Gillard visited Governor-General Quentin Bryce to ask her to commission Kevin Rudd as Prime Minister after she lost the Labor leadership.

"In view of his election I have written to the Governor-General asking her to commission Mr Rudd as Prime Minister," Ms Gillard said.

Following her defeat, Ms Gillard confirmed she would not contest the safe seat of Lalor at the 2013 election and has nominated the NDIS, carbon tax and Gonski reforms as key achievements of her minority government.

She said she was "proud" to be the nation's first female prime minister and despite the attacks she says she suffered, she thinks over time it will get easier for women to hold the top job.

"It will be easier for the next woman, and the woman after that and the woman after that. And I am proud of that," she said.

Earlier this evening, Kevin Rudd regained the job he lost to Ms Gillard, three years and three days to the day he was forced out by a leadership ballot.

He won the ballot 57- 45 votes and it is understood he will call an August election.

Treasurer and Deputy Leader Wayne Swan quit the frontbench and Anthony Albanese was elected in his place.

In his outgoing speech, Mr Swan said it was a "privilege"to serve as Deputy Prime Minister and Treasurer.

Craig Emerson, Joe Ludwig and Communications Minister Stephen Conroy have quit. Penny Wong has been elected as the new Labor leader in the Senate, a position previously held by Mr Conroy with Jacinta Collins as deputy. Dr Emerson also said he will not contest the next election.

Climate Change Minister Greg Combet has resigned.

Peter Garrett has also quit and will not contest the seat of Kingsford-Smith at the election.

Julia Gillard said she was proud of the NDIS and carbon tax. Picture: Kym Smith

Returning Officer Chris Hayes said the meeting was quite sombre but people were glad the issue was resolved.

The Governor-General is tonight seeking high-level advice before confirming Kevin Rudd as Prime Minister for the second time.

News Limited has learned that Ms Bryce was waiting to meet with the Acting Solicitor-General to discuss the constitutional impact of the leadership change before agreeing to commission Mr Rudd.

It is understood Ms Gillard is scheduled to travel the short distance to Government House to resign her office at prime minister.

But Ms Bryce will examine the resignation letter before seeking legal advice. Once satisfied she is expected to invite Mr Rudd to form government.

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has warned Coalition MPs about getting too comfortable.

He warned his colleagues against getting "too cocky'' following the leadership change, according to one MP.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard calls for a ballot tonight to determine the leadership of the Labor Party. Courtesy: Sky News

GOVENOR GENERAL SEEKS ADVICE ON RUDD RETURN

HOW DID WE GET HERE

KEV'S TO DO LIST

RUDD SUPPORTERS SOUND OUT WILKIE, CROOK

RUDD'S ATTACK OF THE BLUES

COALITION READY TO FIGHT RUDD

WINDSOR EXCEEDED ALL EXPECTATIONS

ONE AMIGO LEFT STANDING

RUDD HAS THE NUMBERS: SUPPORTERS

KATTER BACKS RUDD

WINDSOR AND OAKESHOTT CALL IT A DAY

PM'S STRATEGY TO EXPOSE ENEMIES

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Nannycam captures shocking home invasion

A shocking US home invasion has been captured on nanny cam. Courtesy GDNY FOX FIVE

THIS is the frightening moment a mother was brutally attacked in a violent home invasion while her three-year-old daughter looked on and her young baby slept upstairs.

The woman, from Millburn, New Jersey was watching television last Friday night when the intruder kicked down her door and began violently assaulting her.

The entire attack, which lasted more than ten minutes, was caught on the home's nannycam and police now hope the footage will lead to an arrest.

The footage shows the woman being repeatedly punched and choked in front her daughter.

At one point, he leaves the woman alone as he goes upstairs and steals her jewellery, before coming back downstairs to continue his brutal attack.

"The brutality in front of my daughter, she saw the whole thing," she told Fox5.

The woman was taken to hospital suffering leg and facial injuries.

Police were hunting for a black man around 180cms tall and weighing about 110kg.

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Charges laid over racist bus attack

The woman, who police have expressed interest, sitting behind the boys claiming the pair are blocking her view. Source: Supplied

In a screen grab of the video, the bus driver confronts the woman and asks her to stop swearing. Source: Supplied

THE woman allegedly at the centre of last month's verbal racial attack on a young boy on a Sydney bus has been identified and charged, according to police.

While no complaint was formally lodged by the victim or his family, police were so horrified at the "disturbing" footage they sought the woman after an intensive search spanning nearly three weeks.

The 55-year-old woman, who lives in Sydney's inner west, was charged shortly after 5pm yesterday and issued with a field court attendance for offensive language under the summary offences act.

"This type of [alleged] racial abuse, especially where young children are involved, is completely deplorable and will not be tolerated. With the communities support, we will put a stop to these unacceptable acts," Commander, Police Transport Command, Assistant Commissioner Max Mitchell said.

The woman will face a Burwood court in August.

"It's not f---ing right. Sit the f--- down. Get a passport bro," she says in the video. "I'm born here, I know what I'm doing. Go back on your f---ing boat and f--- off".

Bankstown Police Transport Command Inspector Robert Danks confirmed to news.com.au yesterday police were looking into the case and indicated they had identified the woman.

Officers of the Transport Command questioned the woman yeserday afternoon and subsequently charged her.

According to one police source things were "moving very quickly".

The officer was so appalled by what he had seen he said: "If I was in charge I'd have a couple of blokes to go out and charge her immediately.

"This message just won't be tolerated".

The maximum penalty for an offensive conduct charge is three months imprisonment.

A State Transit spokesman confirmed they were assisting police with their investigations into the matter.

"It is pleasing they have made progress," he told news.com.au.

"We expect all passengers to respect each other and comply with basic common courtesy when travelling on buses.

"Should anyone experience any anti-social behaviour, such as racial abuse, they can approach the bus driver who may try to intervene and ask the offending passenger to leave the bus. If required, the driver can contact a supervisor via radio and organise for police to meet the bus."

Police leads intensified after a public appeal for assistance to locate the woman was released last Friday.

"About 3.30pm on 17 April 2013, a woman was involved in a verbal confrontation with a school student on a State Transit Authority (STA) bus route number M41 travelling through Burwood," it reads.

"Police from the Police Transport Command are investigating the incident and have today released an image of a woman they believe may be able to assist them with their inquiries.

"The woman depicted is described as being caucasian in appearance, about 50 years of age, with long light brown hair in a bun, with a tattoo on her upper back of medium build. She is shown wearing a black crochet jumper."

In an email forwarded to news.com.au, Transport Minister Gladys Berejiklian described her "concern" about the incident with a frustrated citizen.

"Whether it is on public transport or not, racism is never acceptable," she wrote.

"It is an offence for bus customers to use obscene, offensive or abusive language."

She continues to say it is responsibility of the bus driver to ask customers to cease with unacceptable behaviour in the case an incident like this occurs.

"If customers do not comply, the bus driver may ask them to leave the bus. If necessary, the bus driver may seek help from State Transit's Network Control Centre to contact police.

"As Minister for Transport, I am very keen to make sure all public transport is as safe as possible."

After a string of abuses on public transport Minister Berejiklian announced the launch of the Police Transport Command last February.

The Command saw NSW Police Force take full control over security of the entire public transport network - including trains, ferries and buses - and launched May last year.

The new command will see 610 dedicated police officers allocated to patrol trains, buses and ferries by the end of 2014.

"This was a decision about safety and what is in the best interest of the travelling public," said Minister Berejiklian.

"Safety and security is one of the key concerns of customers, and there is nothing more reassuring than a high visibility, high profile police presence on trains, buses and ferries.

"Only police have police powers."

Inspector Danks urged victims and witnesses on incidents on public transport to contact the police during or immediately after the incident.

"My advice would be to somehow contact the police so they could stop the fight.

"Video footage helps us at court but we don't want to put anyone in a position of jeopardy."

"We wouldn't have known about it if it wasn't for the media," said Inspector Danks.

In February, ABC News presenter Jeremy Fernandez was kicked off a Sydney bus after enduring 15-minutes of verbal racial taunts.

More recently, Perth commuters have shamed a passenger who refused to remove her bags from a seat to allow a pregnant woman to sit down.

In one of the most shocking instances seen yet, video emerged of teens pouring an energy drink over a man on a Melbourne Metro train.

Continue the conversation via Twitter @newscomauHQ | @the_mattyoung

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