Man shot twice as police swarm suburban street

Police at the scene of a shooting in Denison Court, Capalaba, in Brisbane. Picture: Adam Smith. Source: CourierMail

A MAN has been shot by police at Capalaba after throwing an officer through a glass-plated window.

Police swarmed the Denison Crt home at around 7.25pm.

It is understood the man was shot twice by a female police officer after he charged at her partner when a Taser did not work.

The man was taken to Princess Alexandra hospital where he is in a serious condition.

Police sources said the man was shot twice in the stomach.

The male police officer who went through the glass-plated window had sustained severe lacerations. The officer is in a serious but stable condition after undergoing surgery.

It is understood the same unit complex was the scene of a similar police shooting 18 months ago.

Police at the scene of a shooting in Denison Court, Capalaba, in Brisbane. Picture: Adam Smith.

As detectives and officers from the ethical standards section investigated, shocked neighbours told how they had heard two shots then a woman shouting "he's dead".

Nearby residents said the public housing complex where the home sits had been the scene of repeated disturbances.

"My wife and I were inside the house and we heard two pops," one neighbour said.

"We came outside and we heard someone screaming, a female, saying somebody had been shot then we heard someone say someone was dead, so we called police and basically everybody started rocking up.

"What we saw from people who came out was one male with a shirt and what appeared to be a police belt was staggering out being assisted by two police officers. He was out in the first ambulance.

"A significant amount of time later, I believe it was a man, he was carried out on a gurney and taken to a second ambulance. Then the ambulance left a significant amount of time later."

Police said in a statement: "A man has been taken to the Princess Alexandra Hospital following a shooting incident at Capalaba this evening.

"Around 7.25pm, police were called to a Denison Crt residence in relation to a disturbance.

"A man was injured when an officer discharged his firearm and he is currently being treated at hospital. Ethical Standards Command have been advised and investigations are continuing."

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US restaurant chain 'bans' Putin

MIGHTY Taco, a Buffalo-based chain of Mexican fast-foot restaurants, has banned Russian President Vladimir Putin from all of the company's 23 locations in western New York.

The company, known for its quirky ads, announced on social media this week that, effective immediately, Putin is banned from Mighty Taco for seizing Crimea from Ukraine.

Mighty Taco's posting says Putin may be ordering around Crimea, but he won't be ordering a Super Mighty, one of the chain's most popular menu items.

The posting, which features a red-tinted photo of a gesticulating Putin, says he'll be "welcomed back" at Mighty Taco when he stops acting like a bully and "picking on people".

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Gunmen kill 22 in Nigeria attack

AT least 22 people have been killed in an attack by suspected members of Islamist extremist sect Boko Haram in northern Nigeria, officials say.

Gunmen on about 50 motorcycles attacked two villages in Zamfara State, Maitsaba and Birnin-Tsab, on Thursday evening, attacking residents and torching dozens of homes and grain stores, Zamfara Commissioner of Commerce Alhaji Hassan Zurmi told DPA

Boko Haram, which means "Western education is sinful", has been active in the Muslim north of the West African country, carrying out attacks against government institutions and civilians.

Since 2009, more than 6000 people have been killed in the violence.

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Cameraman awarded OBE by Prince Charles

AN Australian-raised cameraman now working for the BBC says an OBE he received from the Prince of Wales is recognition for all journalists who've lost their lives covering conflicts.

Darren Conway, who has worked in war zones including Afghanistan, Syria, Kosovo and the Arab Spring, collected his Officer of the Order of the British Empire at Buckingham Palace on Friday.

Mr Conway was brought up just outside Brisbane but now lives in Bangkok.

He thought someone was playing a joke when the embassy in Thailand called to say he had been recognised for his services to British broadcast journalism.

"We work in a field where so many people make it happen so to single out one person is a bit hard to comprehend," the cameraman said.

"If you think about how many people in our field have risked everything for their job - they have lost their lives, have been disappeared or have not come back - I hope it is a good recognition for all of them and not just me."

Mr Conway was speaking after it was revealed veteran Associated Press photographer Anja Niedringhaus, 48, had been killed when an Afghan policeman opened fire while she was sitting in a car in eastern Afghanistan.

AP reporter Kathy Gannon was also wounded in Friday's attack.

Mr Conway in London said his job was all about giving a voice to others so being the centre of attention was out of the ordinary.

"This is a little bit different to what I normally do," he said.

"It is a bit impressive, a bit more glamorous, but fun."

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Four dead in Bangladesh gas blast

AT least four workers have been killed after a gas cylinder exploded in a ship-breaking yard in southern Bangladesh, police said.

The explosion occurred while workers were removing parts from an old ship in the Kadam Rasul area of Sitakunda, 200 kilometres southeast of the capital Dhaka.

Six people were injured, four of whom later died in hospital, police officer Iftekha Hasan said.

"The workers might have died of inhaling toxic gas," the officer said.

Bangladesh is the third largest country in terms of dismantling obsolete ships.

Safety measures in the yards are still inadequate.

At least 20 people were killed in 2013 in Bangladeshi ship-breaking yards, which are mostly located in Chittagong district, according to a human rights group.

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Rate rises may be limited: IMF

AS consumers and businesses worry about an interest rate rise from the Reserve Bank before long, a new analysis suggests any increases are likely to be limited.

The International Monetary Fund says worldwide interest rates are expected to increase in the medium term with global economic conditions normalising, reversing the decline into negative territory due to the 2008-2009 global financial crisis.

But in the analytical chapters of its forthcoming world economic outlook, the IMF does not believe real, or inflation adjusted, interest rates will return to high levels.

"The increase from current levels is expected to be modest, because the factors that have mostly contributed to low real rates in the past recent years are unlikely to reverse substantially," the report released in Washington on Thursday said.

It says the "scars" from the GFC have resulted in a sharp and persistent decline in investment in advanced economies, while there will be only a modest impact from lower savings in emerging market economies as a result of slower economic growth.

There has also been an investment shift to safer interest-rate yielding bonds away from riskier equities, which has kept rates low.

Using data from a number of countries, including Australia, it found that 10-year real interest rates declined from an average of 5.5 per cent in the 1980s, to 3.5 per cent in the 1990s, to two per cent between 2001 and 2008 and to slightly negative territory of 2012.

While continued low real rates will help borrowers to lower debt ratios, they also raise new policy challenges.

"The envisioned low real rate environment ... may re-emerge as a constraint to monetary policy should risks of very low growth in advanced economies materialise," it said.

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Queen meets Pope Francis at Vatican

BRITAIN'S Queen Elizabeth II has paid a private call on Pope Francis at the Vatican, making him the fifth pontiff she has met.

She arrived on Thursday afternoon wearing a lilac-coloured spring coat and matching hat that are practically the same colours as the wisteria blooming over much of the Italian capital.

The monarch, accompanied by her husband, Prince Philip, was ushered into a small room near the Vatican's public audience hall for the 30-minute meeting.

Previously, Elizabeth had met with four pontiffs, starting with Pius XII in 1951, a year before her accession to the throne.

Earlier in the day, Elizabeth lunched with Italian President Giorgio Napolitano at the Quirinal palace.

Illness had forced her to cancel a 2013 trip to Rome when she was supposed to see Napolitano.

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Death toll in US mudslide rises to 30

AS medical examiners painstakingly piece together the identities and lives of the 30 people known killed when a mudslide wiped out a small Washington community, one mystery troubles them.

One set of remains does not fit with the description on the missing persons list, which, as of Thursday, includes 17 people.

The medical examiners know it is a male, but his remains give no clue as to who he was, or who might be looking for him.

They can't even identify his age range, and at this point, gold teeth are all they have to go on.

The mystery underscores the tedious process of identifying remains more than a week after the March 22 landslide that broke off a steep hill, roared across the North Fork of the Stillaguamish River and buried a community at Oso, about 90km north of Seattle.

Like the homes, the cars and the other parts of people's lives swept away by the torrent of mud, some bodies are in pieces.

Norman Thiersch, the Snohomish County Medical Examiner, said the goal of the team - made up of medical examiners, detectives, dentists and others - is to make sure there's no doubt as to the identities of the victims.

"This is not television," he said.

"These are methodical, painstaking processes we go through."

Although the identities of 28 of the 30 confirmed dead have been determined, officials have so far released the names of only 27.

Other names are expected to be released by the end of the week.

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Google pays fine for Italy privacy breach

INTERNET giant Google has paid a one-million-euro ($A1.5 million) fine in relation to privacy breaches in Italy, the country's privacy watchdog says.

The US-based company came under fire in 2010 over its street-mapping service.

It used unmarked cars to collect the necessary digital images, meaning that bystanders could not ascertain whether and by whom they were being filmed.

Italian authorities subsequently asked Google to apply stickers to its cars, and to publicise its movements three days in advance on radio stations and in local newspapers.

Though the company complied with the requests, the watchdog ruled that Google had to pay a fine for "the illicit collection of data destined for a large database of particular significance".

The privacy watchdog added that the case had been settled "a few weeks ago".

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Jimmy Savile probe man 'took own life'

THE first person to be charged with sex offences as part of the investigation triggered by allegations of abuse against Jimmy Savile took his own life by a deliberate drug overdose, an inquest has heard.

Chauffeur David Smith, 67, was found dead at his home after failing to turn up at Southwark Crown Court in London for the start of his trial on October 28.

A warrant was issued ordering Smith to turn up at court the following day, but when officers arrived at his home in London, they found his body.

Dr Peter Jerreat told the inquest at Southwark Coroner's Court that the cause of death was drug intoxication.

"He had been drinking, but not a significant amount," he added.

"There were no signs of injury."

Senior Coroner Dr Andrew Harris concluded that the case contained all the "ingredients" to prove he killed himself.

Smith had faced two counts of indecent assault, two of indecency with a child, and one of buggery, all relating to a 12-year-old boy, between June 1 and July 21 1984.

Smith was a prolific sex offender with 22 convictions, the first in 1966.

Court documents from the criminal case said there was "no evidence to suggest any connection" between Smith and Savile, though the former "was contracted to work as a driver for the BBC in the relevant period", it added.

The corporation reported that in the latest court case, it was alleged that Smith met his victim at a swimming pool and invited him back to his flat, where he sexually abused him.

He also took the boy on a visit to the BBC studios at White City in west London. The boy claimed he was indecently assaulted during the journey.

The victim's partner contacted police after the ITV documentary Exposure: The Other Side Of Jimmy Savile, which was broadcast in October 2012.

* Readers seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467.

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Amazon cancels Czech distribution plan

US retail giant Amazon says it has abandoned plans to build a distribution centre in the Czech Republic's second largest city after it was rejected by local authorities.

Brno councillors three times rejected the plan, which would have created up to 2,000 jobs, arguing the land Amazon wanted to build on was not zoned for such projects.

Tim Collins, who is in charge of Amazon's European operations, said in a statement on Wednesday that Amazon respects this decision and will look to open its centre in another Eastern European country. No details were given.

Czech Finance Minister Andrej Babis called Brno's rejection "absurd".

Collins says Amazon's existing plan to build a similar centre near Prague's international airport has not been affected by the failure of the Brno project.

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Amazon unveils Fire TV streaming device

AMAZON is introducing a set top box that allows streaming of online video content.

The company says the Amazon Fire TV device has better speed, performance and search functions than other streaming services such as Apple TV and Google Chromecast.

The device runs Google's Android operating system and will offer Netflix, Hulu and other streaming channels in addition to Amazon Prime instant video.

It has voice search via its remote control to make searching easier.

The announcement comes as the online retailer faces increasing pressure to boost its bottom line after years of furious growth.

As more Americans shop online, Amazon has spent heavily to expand its business into new areas - from movie streaming to e-readers and groceries - often at the expense of its profit.

Meanwhile, Amazon.com Inc has invested heavily on making TV shows and movies available to customers who pay $US99 ($A107) a year for Amazon Prime.

Currently, the service relies on third-party devices like the Roku box to stream its programs to TVs.

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Pyne accused of keeping cuts in the dark

LABOR is asking what the Abbott government has to hide after it apparently failed to consult with stakeholders about any proposed changes to the Australian Education Act.

The federal opposition says Education Minister Christopher Pyne wrote to stakeholders pledging to consult with them on any changes to the legislation in March.

But Labor education spokeswomen Kate Ellis said the deadline had come and gone, suggesting cuts to "vital" funding could be on the agenda.

"Despite his promises, major education stakeholders haven't seen a draft of the act," Ms Ellis said in a statement on Wednesday.

She said the government's failure to be transparent in this case raised many questions, including whether they would be including the fifth year of Gonski funding in the upcoming budget.

Mr Pyne's office has been contacted for comment.

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Australia's trade performance sinks

AUSTRALIA'S standing as a global trade competitor has tumbled with exporters dogged by regulatory barriers, the Australian Industry Group says.

The World Economic Forum's global "enabling trade" index released on Wednesday showed Australia dropping six places to 23rd in 2014 from 17th in 2012, and having been ranked 14th in 2009.

Singapore topped the table, while neighbouring New Zealand was fourth.

Ai Group chief executive Innes Willox said the survey results yet again highlight Australia's poor performance in the global economy relative to its peers and competitors.

"Australian exporters continue to face many hurdles, including access to foreign markets, transport costs and regulatory barriers," Mr Willox said in a statement.

"Some of these barriers are due to the old 'tyranny of distance', but others are due to our own regulatory and procedural arrangements for outbound and inbound trade."

On market access that measures the extent and complexity of a country's tariff regime, Australia now ranks 74th, having been 44th in 2008.

On the quality, transparency and efficiency of border administration Australia stands 22nd having been 11th six years earlier, while on infrastructure it is now 20th, down from a peak of 14th in 2009.

Similarly, on its operating environment it is 19th versus 14th in 2009.

"Australian trade policies, regulations and procedures require attention in a similar manner to the many other areas of regulatory burden that are currently under scrutiny," Mr Willox said.

The results highlight the importance of free trade and multi-lateral agreements, including those with China and Japan, Australia's two largest trading partners, as well as the Trans-Pacific Partnership

He said government is putting a welcome focus on expediting these agreements and strengthening Australia's trade performance.

He said Australia hosting the G20 Leaders Meeting in November will provide another opportunity to address trade barriers and encourage expanded global trade.

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Inflation slowing in developed countries

INFLATION slowed in major developed countries in February amid a steep drop in energy prices, a report shows.

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development said on Tuesday consumer price inflation in its 34 member countries slowed to 1.4 per cent in February from 1.7 per cent in January.

Low inflation has become a key concern for many developed countries. Consumers and businesses delaying purchases in the hope of cheaper deals later can hurt growth.

An outright drop in prices, called deflation, can be very hard to reverse. Japan was stuck in deflation for about two decades, during which time its economy barely grew.

The US inflation rate was 1.1 per cent in February, while the European Union's was just 0.8 per cent, well below the 2 per cent many economists deem a suitable level.

The OECD, a think-tank for the world's most developed countries, said however excluding volatile food and energy prices, core inflation for its 34 members was stable for a fourth month running at 1.6 per cent.

Inflation in G-20 countries, which includes major developing countries such as Indonesia, India and Brazil, slowed to 2.3 per cent in February from 2.6 per cent in January, the OECD said.

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Airline accident death toll fell in 2013

AIRLINE crashes killed 210 people last year, half as many as the five-year average, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) says.

The Geneva-based industry group said on Tuesday that of the 81 airline accidents in 2013, 16 resulted in fatalities.

The Asia Pacific area was among the regions where airline safety decreased last year, as the rate of 0.7 serious accidents per million flights was worse than the 2009-2013 average of 0.64, according to IATA.

Accidents involving Asian airlines last year included the Asiana Airlines crash in San Franscisco, which left three dead and 181 injured, as well as the Lao Airline crash into the Mekong river, which killed all 49 on board.

The former Soviet states were the worst-performing region last year, with 2.09 serious accidents per one million flights.

Safety improved significantly in Africa last year but the continent's airlines are only marginally safer than the ones in former Soviet countries, the statistics showed.

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Japan deeply disappointed at whaling loss

JAPAN is "deeply disappointed" that the UN's top court has ruled in favour of Australia by declaring its Southern Ocean whale hunt illegal, but nevertheless insists it will abide by the decision.

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Monday demanded Japan cease its whaling program "with immediate effect" as it didn't comply with the country's obligations under the international whaling convention.

The court agreed with Australia's long-held view that Japan's JARPA II research program wasn't "for purposes of scientific research" as allowed under Article 8 of the 1946 convention.

The Australian government welcomed the historic win, but stressed it would have no effect on diplomatic and trade ties with Japan.

Tokyo's agent at the ICJ, Koji Tsuruoka, addressed the world's media at the Peace Palace in The Hague after the judgment.

"Japan regrets and is deeply disappointed that JARPA II ... has been ruled by the court as not falling within the provisions of Article 8," he told reporters.

"However, as a state that respects the rule of law, the order of international law and as a responsible member of the global community, Japan will abide by the decision of the court."

Mr Tsuruoka refused to discuss whether Japan would design a new research program in the hope of resuming whaling at a later date.

He said Japan would digest the complex judgment before officials would "be able to consider what future course of action we should take".

Australia's agent, Bill Campbell QC, welcomed the decision, but emphasised differences over whaling wouldn't impact on the overall bilateral relationship between Canberra and Tokyo.

"The decision of the court today, important as it is, has given us the opportunity to draw a line under the legal dispute and move on," Mr Campbell said.

Monday's judgment comes seven years after then-opposition leader Kevin Rudd first pledged a future Labor government would take legal action against Tokyo.

Rudd was duly elected prime minister in November 2007, but it took another 18 months before the government instituted proceedings in mid-2010.

Current Labor deputy leader Tanya Plibersek said Monday's ruling meant a program which saw thousands of whales killed in Antarctic waters had at last been ended.

"The (coalition) government should now take up discussions with Japan to co-operate on genuine and non-lethal methods of whaling research," she said.

The court criticised Japan for not focusing more on research methods that didn't involve killing whales.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott travels to Japan in early April and will meet with his counterpart, Shinzo Abe, in an attempt to finalise a free trade agreement.

A Japanese delegation spokesman in The Hague told AAP it wasn't yet known if the pair would discuss whaling.

"But we are thinking Mr Abbott's visit to Japan is with a view to strengthening our ties," Noriyuki Shikata said.

Australia had argued before the 16-judge ICJ panel that Tokyo was cloaking a commercial whaling operation "in the lab coat of science" despite agreeing to a 1980s ban on harpooning.

Japan, however, countered during a three-week hearing in mid-2013 that the court didn't have the authority to decide what was, or wasn't, science.

But the court on Monday dismissed Tokyo's argument.

President Judge Peter Tomka ruled: "The evidence does not establish that the (whaling) program's design and implementation are reasonable in relation to its stated (scientific) objectives."

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Big banks should pay for govt protection

SMALL financial institutions want the federal government's financial system inquiry to bring an end to the "age of entitlement" enjoyed by the big four banks.

In its submission to the inquiry, the Customer Owned Banking Association (COBA) says banking rules make the "big banks bigger" and give them an unfair advantage while limiting real competition for consumers.

"The current financial system gives some of the world's most profitable banks billions of dollars in funding advantages for free," COBA chief executive Louise Petschler said.

The submission discusses the "too big to fail" banks - ANZ, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, National Australia Bank and Westpac - which are likely to be bailed out by the government in a crisis.

Ms Petschler said this could be a serious risk to the Australian economy.

COBA - which represents credit unions, building societies, mutual banks and friendly societies - recommends a levy on the big four to pay for the government support they receive.

Among its other proposals, it says there should be a banking regulator that is more focused on fostering competition and a tax cut on deposits to lift national savings.

"True competition can only be achieved if barriers and subsidies are removed, so smaller players don't have to compete with one hand tied behind their backs," she said.

In a separate new report, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) says government protection for banks considered too important to fail creates an uneven playing field, excessive risk-taking, and large costs for the public sector.

It says in the analytical chapters of its soon-to-be-released global financial stability report that this problem intensified after the global financial crisis.

This protection gives these banks an unfair advantage because they can borrow at lower rates than their smaller competitors while being able to take bigger risks.

"Policymakers should aim to remove this advantage to protect taxpayers, ensure a level playing field and promote financial stability," the IMF says in the report released in Washington on Monday.

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More businesses planning to hire

BUSINESSES are growing more confident about their growth in 2014, prompting more plans to hire new workers and borrow money.

Employment expectations are at their highest level since March 2011, according to Dun & Bradstreet's latest Business Expectations survey.

Twenty two per cent of businesses are planning to employ new staff in the June quarter, suggesting they are preparing for increased activity in the year ahead, the survey said.

Sixty six per cent of businesses expect stronger growth in 2014 than in the previous year, while 18 per cent indicated they will seek finance or credit to grow their operations in the next three months.

"After seeing a steady pick up in the outlook for sales, selling prices and profits from late last year, we're now seeing employment intentions improve," Dun & Bradstreet chief executive Gareth Jones said.

"Last year's soft conditions forced businesses to manage their costs closely and become more efficient in their operations.

"With confidence returning, interest rates remaining low and global conditions recovering, businesses now appear ready to focus on growth."

Dun & Bradstreet economic adviser Stephen Koukoulas said economic activity was continuing to improve.

"Expected sales have risen strongly since the middle of 2013 and are almost three times the 10 year average, suggesting that economic growth is poised to rise to an above trend pace when the official data for the first half of 2014 is released," Mr Koukoulas said.

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Libs defend Downer's London appointment

THE political appointment of Alexander Downer as Australia's high commissioner in London is justified because he's clearly the best man for the job, the head of the Liberal Party in the UK says.

Labor has hit out at the government's decision to move Mike Rann from the high-profile diplomatic post prematurely to make way for the Howard government minister.

Former South Australian Labor premier Mr Rann, whose term was not due to expire for another 18 months, will head to Rome as ambassador to Italy in May as part of a switch the opposition has branded "blatantly political".

But Australian Liberals Abroad president Jason Groves said on Monday having a high commissioner politically aligned with the government was in the nation's best interest.

Mr Groves claimed nobody was better qualified for the role than Mr Downer, Australia's longest-serving foreign minister.

"To have a high commissioner who is listened to and respected by the government of the day is very useful," Mr Groves told AAP.

"Alexander Downer is someone who is incredibly well-connected in the UK already and someone who can hit the ground running.

"He has experience that's almost unparalleled by any other Australian in foreign affairs matters.

"With a lot of big issues going on in Europe at the moment, and with Australia's presidency of the G20, it's important having someone who is very familiar with all of these issues and able to talk to the British government with authority."

Opposition foreign affairs spokeswoman Tanya Plibersek called for Foreign Minister Julie Bishop to explain the "abrupt" installation of Mr Downer while Labor MP Bernie Ripoll accused the government of delivering "jobs for the boys".

Mr Groves dismissed the criticism as "petty 24-hour news cycle politics".

"Labor in the past have made political appointments, as have we, and I think on both sides frankly these can be very helpful," Mr Groves said.

Mr Rann, whose wife Sasha is of Italian origin, did not comment on the move on Monday aside from a post in Twitter saying he was excited about the new role.

"Looking forward to taking up posting as Ambassador to Italy, Libya, Albania, San Marino in May. Busy with language training. Sasha helping!," he tweeted.

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Jailed activist 'vindicated' over whaling

ENVIRONMENTAL campaigner Pete Bethune waited decades for Japan to be hauled before the international court over its whaling in the Southern Ocean, and his patience was tested one final time when the judgment was delivered in The Hague.

International Court of Justice president Peter Tomka took almost two hours to read out Monday's ruling that should end years of diplomatic wrangling and violent clashes in Antarctic waters.

"It took a long time for the moment to come," Bethune said of the moment Judge Tomka stated Tokyo's hunt was "not for purposes of scientific research", as had been asserted by Australia, and was therefore illegal.

"It wasn't until the very end (of the ruling)."

The former Sea Shepherd activist could just as easily have been talking about the decades-long campaign to end Japan's hunt which has seen 10,000 minke whales killed since a 1986 ban on commercial whaling.

For Bethune the fight is deeply personal.

The New Zealander was detained by Japanese authorities for five months in 2010.

He was seized after he boarded a whaler with the intention of making a citizen's arrest of its captain, for the attempted murder of the crew on the speedboat Ady Gil, which had previously sunk after colliding with the larger ship.

"To come here today to this court and be vindicated - it's an amazing day," a clearly emotional Bethune said at the Peace Palace.

"I was paraded around like a common criminal (in 2010) and yet I was fighting something that I always knew was illegal and to have it proven here today, in the highest court in the world, I couldn't be happier."

The 48-year-old said "everything" had been on the line in the legal stoush between Canberra and Tokyo.

If Japan had won it would have legitimised so-called "research whaling" in Antarctica and other countries may joined Tokyo's fleet heading south each summer, he said.

"I was pretty nervous walking into the court."

The ICJ focused on whether Japan's whaling program was genuine scientific research.

During the three-week hearing in mid-2013, Australia argued Tokyo was cloaking a commercial whaling operation "in the lab coat of science".

Lawyer Philippe Sands QC argued: "What you have before you is not a scientific research program it is a heap of body parts taken from a large number of dead whales."

The court on Monday backed Canberra's view.

"The court dissected Japan's scientific program, pulled it to bits, and proved that the amount of science is tiny relative to the commercial aspect," Bethune said.

"In the end justice has been served here today.

"I'd be surprised if they ever go back to Antarctica."

Greenpeace spokesman John Frizell hopes Japan's vessels do return to the Southern Ocean - just minus their harpoons.

He said the long-distance ships would be great for sight-seeing or non-lethal research.

Frizell congratulated Australia on Monday's successful outcome but noted it had been a long journey.

"In the run-up to this Australia said they would try every diplomatic means possible to convince Japan to stop whaling in the Southern Ocean and they would only go to the ICJ as a last resort," the veteran campaigner said.

"They followed that through over years and years, with a lot of people very concerned that they should have moved more quickly, but they exhausted every possible diplomatic channel before finally going to this.

"Their judgment has now been spectacularly vindicated."

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Former 'Dynasty' star Kate O'Mara dies

ACTRESS Kate O'Mara, best known for her role in the 1980s soap opera Dynasty, has died at the age of 74.

Her agent Phil Belfield says O'Mara died on Sunday in a nursing home in southern England after a short illness.

The actress, who began her television career in the 1960s, became a household name for playing Alexis Colby's scheming sister Cassandra "Caress" Morrell in Dynasty.

She also appeared in the original run of British series Doctor Who and BBC drama Howards' Way.

In the 1990s she starred in the comedy show Absolutely Fabulous with Joanna Lumley.

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ACCC should probe business card fees: Tyro

THE nation's competition watchdog needs to investigate why small businesses are paying millions of dollars more in transaction fees than large companies, a submission to the federal government's financial system inquiry recommends.

Independent EFTPOS provider Tyro Payments believes small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) are paying $400 million more in fees than big business on debit and credit card interchange fees.

It says that on average SMEs are charged 53 cents per transaction on Visa and MasterCard credit and debit cards.

In comparison, big retailers only pay about 16 cents per transaction.

"The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission needs to investigate why Australia's major banks can treat our small and medium sized businesses with such contempt," Tyro chief executive Jost Stollman said in a statement on Monday.

He said the financial system inquiry was a one-off opportunity to bring Australia up to a competitive international level when it comes to encouraging innovation, productivity and healthy market competition.

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MH370 black box finding mission underway

AN Australian navy vessel is heading out from Perth with special equipment able to detect signals from the black box recorder on missing Malaysia Airlines flight 370.

The Ocean Shield was due within the Indian Ocean search zone early on Monday to join an international array of ships and aircraft scouring the seas for any sign of the lost plane.

But it will not be able to use the specialist US Navy technology to detect the "pinger" within the black box until a more confined search area is identified after confirmed debris from the airliner is found.

The plane went missing with 239 people on board on a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on March 8.

Though satellite cameras and aircraft crews have spotted objects in the water, no confirmed debris from the Boeing 777 had been picked up by surface vessels by late on Sunday.

As more planes and ships joined the hunt on the weekend, Australia appointed one of its most decorated military figures to help co-ordinate the search for MH370.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott says retired Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston, the country's former defence force chief, will lead a new joint agency co-ordination centre (JACC) in Perth.

The headquarters will help communication between international search partners, while trying to keep the families of those on the missing flight informed.

"There is no one better placed than Angus to co-ordinate and liaise given the quite significant number of countries that all have a stake in this search," he said.

Officials on Sunday said the first debris picked up by ships combing the updated search area about 1850km west of Perth was not from the stricken plane.

"It appeared to be fishing equipment and just rubbish on the (ocean's) surface," said a spokesman for the Australian Maritime Safety Authority, which is in charge of the operation.

It had been feared the 30-day life of the black box could expire before the equipment arrives.

But Captain Mark Matthews, the US Navy supervisor of salvage and diving, says the device is certified for 30 days but could last up to 15 days longer than that.

Australian Navy Commodore Peter Leavy said the focus was still to find debris and confirm it was from flight MH370, then work backwards to a possible crash site.

"The search area remains vast and this equipment can only be effectively employed when there is a high probability that the final location of Flight MH370 is better known," he said.

The Ocean Shield is also carrying an unmanned submersible vehicle which can be used to sonar map and photograph debris on the seafloor if the black box signal is located.

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