Gladstone fishers in compo court claim

A GROUP of commercial fishermen suing the Gladstone Ports Corporation for millions of dollars in business losses will have their case heard in Brisbane on Monday.

The group of more than 20 fishermen is seeking compensation for losses linked to an outbreak of fish disease in Gladstone Harbour on the central Queensland coast in 2011.

They claim dredging associated with a massive port development designed to accommodate liquefied natural gas exports caused the outbreak.

In 2012 an application by fishermen and business owners for a hearing was denied by the Planning and Environment Court.

On Monday a claim involving only commercial fishermen will be heard.

Former Gladstone fisherman Trevor Falzon said fishers had been offered minimal compensation and the group was seeking a fair and just outcome.

The 50-year-old said he had been forced to give up his livelihood because of the disease outbreak, which he said was still affecting the harbour.

"The Coordinator-General said any commercial fisherman affected by the development in Gladstone Harbour would be compensated," he told AAP.

"We didn't ask for this development to happen but now we're paying the price."

The hearing has been set down for one day in the Planning and Environment Court.

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NSW cabinet to discuss alcohol violence

THE NSW government will discuss ways to tackle alcohol-fuelled violence during its first full meeting of the year following weeks of pressure to act.

Premier Barry O'Farrell on Thursday announced that cabinet would consider a suite of measures to reduce incidents like the one-hit attacks responsible for the tragic deaths of two Sydney teenagers, Thomas Kelly and Daniel Christie.

The proposals to be considered by cabinet include better alcohol licensing regulation, boosted police resources and penalties targeting those who commit crimes while under the influence of drugs and alcohol.

Several community and professional groups and the NSW opposition favour the "Newcastle solution", under which shots are prohibited after midnight, a 1am lockout is enforced and last drinks are poured at 3am.

The federal Greens have called for a Senate inquiry into drunken violence.

They have been pushing for an inquiry into the promotion and advertising of alcohol but Senator Scott Ludlam believes it should be broader and look at the "epidemic" of booze-fuelled bashings.

"I don't think there has ever been a better time to look at what measures the Commonwealth can take to reduce the horrific impact on people's lives and on families," he told reporters on Sunday.

But NSW Opposition Leader John Robertson says he didn't want the premier "hiding behind yet another inquiry".

The premier, he said, must announce early lockouts in drinking venues.

"All the experts, whether it's police, ambulance officers or the other health professionals dealing with this problem, all know the solution to this is the Newcastle solution," he said.

Pressure has been mounting on Mr O'Farrell to take action following the death of Mr Christie, who died in hospital when his life support was switched off 11 days after a king-hit attack on New Year's Eve at Kings Cross.

Mr Christie's alleged assailant, Shaun McNeil, is facing murder charges.

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NSW firefighters work through night

NSW firefighters worked through the night to battle blazes and build containment lines, with high temperatures and fire danger predicted for the start of the week.

Temperatures in the mid to high 30s and another tough day for firefighters are predicted for Monday.

"The fire danger is going to be very high," an RFS spokesman told AAP.

No "significant" rain is expected for the start of the week and there are no total fire bans in place.

"The winds fortunately aren't going to be overly strong so hopefully that will give us a little bit of time to get some more work done on those containment lines," the spokesman said.

Water-bombing aircraft, heavy machines and firefighters worked throughout Sunday night on control lines at the Minjary fire, burning between Canberra and Wagga Wagga, the Redbank fire, near Bathurst, and the Minimbah fire, near Wagga Wagga.

Three homes were destroyed by the Minimbah fire.

Emergency warnings were in place for out-of-control grassfires at Singleton and the Hells Hole fire near Bathurst.

The Singleton fire was at 7pm (AEDT) downgraded to a watch and act alert.

More than 900 firefighters were deployed in NSW on Sunday, fighting 92 fires, 28 of which were uncontained.

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S Korean student killer to front Qld court

A MAN accused of killing a South Korean exchange student over a substantial amount of money is expected to front court on Monday.

South Korean national Sanghyun Hwang, 28, was charged with murdering Min Tae Kim after his body was found in a shallow grave on an Algester property in Brisbane's southwest last month.

Mr Kim, also 28, disappeared after he went to exchange $15,000 for South Korean currency for his return home.

He had posted an ad on the Gumtree website looking for someone to give him a good exchange rate.

He left his share house in Cannon Hill, east of Brisbane, with his cash to do a deal with an unknown person on December 16.

His murder came not long after 22-year-old South Korean woman Eunji Ban was bashed to death while walking to work in Brisbane's inner city.

A 19-year-old Spring Hill man has been charged with her murder.

The cases are not linked.

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UK party suspends gay rant councillor

THE UK Independence Party has suspended a councillor who claimed recent floods were the result of the British government's decision to legalise gay marriage.

David Silvester claimed the country had been "beset by storms" since the passage of the new law on gay marriage because David Cameron had acted "arrogantly against the Gospel".

He was suspended by the party after defying a request not to do further interviews on his beliefs following his initial claims made in a letter to a local newspaper.

The move came as leader Nigel Farage launched a clearout of "extremist, nasty or barmy" views from the party ahead of polls in May.

Henley-on-Thames councillor Silvester said he had warned the prime minister of "repercussions" if gay marriage had gone ahead and told BBC Radio his daily prayers convinced him the recent flooding was the consequence.

He said the new law, paving the way for the first gay marriages in Britain this spring, was the latest mistake which would anger God - following on from abortion laws, which he likened to the Holocaust.

In the radio interview, which followed his initial claims about the link between flooding and gay marriage in a letter to the Henley Standard, Silvester said: "I don't have a problem with gay people.

"I believe as a Christian I should love gay people and indeed, I do. My prayer for them is they will be healed."

Silvester said he was convinced that there were "repercussions for a nation persisting in what is wrong", and that he had clear beliefs "there are things that are right and wrong".

"Over the years we have done many things that have caused problems," he said.

"One, for example, is the abortion laws in which something like six million children, as many as the people killed by the Nazis in the death camps, have been killed as a result of the abortion laws.

"Now, this is a process. The latest in this process is these homosexual laws and the homosexual marriage."

The councillor said Ukip, to whom he defected from the Conservative Party, had told him not to give any more interviews.

The party, which initially supported him after his letter to the Henley Standard, has now used emergency powers to suspend him.

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EU advice sought on Kit Kat ruling

A UK judge deliberating on a legal dispute relating to the shape of a Kit Kat has decided to have a break - and wait for a decision from a European court.

Justice Richard Arnold is analysing a High Court argument between confectionery giants Nestle - which sells Kit Kat bars - and Cadbury.

Nestle wants to register the three-dimensional shape of a Kit Kat as a trademark. Cadbury has objected.

The judge heard legal argument from both sides at a hearing in London in December - and outlined his thoughts in a published ruling.

He said aspects of European trademark law were "unclear". And he said he would seek clarification from the Court of Justice in the European Union.

"Certain aspects of the relevant law remain unclear," said Justice Arnold.

"I have decided it is necessary to seek clarification of the law from the Court of Justice of the European Union in order to determine the (dispute)."

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GE profit rises five per cent in 4Q

GENERAL Electric Co says its net income rose five per cent in the fourth quarter on rising profits from the sale of aircraft engines, oil and gas drilling equipment and appliances.

Its adjusted earnings matched Wall Street expectations.

Its shares edged higher in premarket trading.

GE reported net income of $US4.2 billion ($A4.7 billion) for the fourth quarter of 2013 on revenue of $US40.38 billion.

That's up from net income of $US4.01 billion on revenue of $US39.16 billion in the fourth quarter of 2012.

Adjusted to remove the effects of one-time items and discontinued operations, GE earned 53 cents per share.

That matches what analysts polled by FactSet expected, on average.

GE's adjusted earnings per share rose 20 per cent compared with the prior quarter.

Profit in the company's aviation, oil and gas, and appliances divisions all rose 20 per cent or more in the quarter.

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