Man jailed 17 years for mum's murder

A man has shouted in court that his own jail sentence for murdering his mother is "manifestly inadequate".

Adam Owens, 35, has been sentenced to at least 17 years in jail for stabbing 69-year-old environmental campaigner Doris Owens several times in her bed in Swanhaven, on the NSW south coast, in 2006.

The murderer had pleaded guilty. In sentencing submissions, he said he felt no remorse and he regretted not killing his mother 20 years earlier.

Justice McCallum sentenced Adam Owens to 23 years' jail with a non-parole period of 17, saying there was no apparent motive for the attack.

Adam Owens shouted "manifestly inadequate" as the sentence was read out.

He was taken away by court officers.

Quote: A quick 17 years? He could be on to something here? No one gets parole anyway so he should add the other six years before complaining.

Sea-level rise threat to coast

SYDNEY'S iconic beaches, coastal houses, commercial property and roads will be threatened by rising sea levels by 2050, while the city's temperature is expected to rise by at least 2 degrees, a new scientific study, launched by the Premier, Nathan Rees, reveals.

"Today, the science is in for Sydney," Mr Rees said yesterday as he proclaimed the influence of the climate sceptic and former treasurer Michael Costa at an end in NSW.

"The Costa era of ambiguity around this issue is over. Along with the rest of the NSW public, I recognise that climate change is a reality and that the NSW Government needs to prepare for it," the Premier said. "There is no longer a climate-change sceptic at the centre of government decision-making in this state".

The study commissioned by the NSW Department of Climate Change, and adopted by the Government, was carried out by the University of NSW and uses research from the United Nations' peak scientific body, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

It examines the effect of climate change on the greater Sydney metropolitan region from the Central Coast to Wollongong, along with other regions in rural NSW. The full state study is expected to be released in January.

"We've used world's best science to understand what will happen in different parts of this state so we can start planning now for the future," Mr Rees said. "We will all have to change the way we live to some degree."

The study finds that bushfires are likely to be more intense while rainfall may become more erratic, creating water shortages. But while winter rains decline, intense summer rain in parts of Sydney could increase flash flooding.

This, combined with higher temperatures, is expected to put the state's emergency services and health services under stress.

The study has enormous implications for urban planning, building standards and flood-risk mapping as well as agriculture. It finds by 2050 the expected sea level rise is likely to be 40 centimetres, reaching 90 centimetres by 2100. While the figure sounds deceptively small, a one-centimetre sea-level rise can cause erosion effects of up to one metre.

The projections would mean changes to the Sydney coastline, including the harbour, Parramatta River and the Georges River, said Professor Andy Short of the University of Sydney's coastal studies unit.

"Beaches with a low gradient like Narrabeen, Dee Why and Curl Curl are going to be the most heavily affected," he said.

This sea-level rise would also affect river estuaries and bays. As seawater invades estuaries, fish populations are likely to decline and water birds disappear.

A senior scientist with the Department of Climate Change, Peter Smith, told the forum, "Where you've got a hard promenade at beaches like Manly, you can expect a reduction in beach shape and the actual width of the beach. In some cases, beaches will possibly disappear."

The temperature rises, coupled with more erratic rainfall, are expected to hit southern NSW hardest, said Gary Allan, the project leader for climate risk management in the NSW Department of Primary Industries in NSW.

"In the Riverina, we have to consider the possibility of fairly significant change to agricultural practices as we have known them," he said.

Mr Rees said he would strongly support the federal Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme and bring forward spending on energy efficiency measures to cut greenhouse gas emissions that cause climate change.

He said a proposed $63 million energy efficiency program to help low-income households cut their emissions would start next month in Orange and Bathurst, and move to Sydney early next year.

The plan, which had been flagged by the previous climate minister, Verity Firth, will affect up to 200,000 people including pensioners, public-housing tenants and Aborigines.

Bushland remains are of double murderer

THE hunt for one of the state's most wanted men is over, with the discovery of the double-murderer Stanley Maguire's corpse in bushland north of Sydney.

The skeletal remains of the 59-year-old were found on Tuesday evening by a bushwalker about 40 metres from the Old Pacific Highway.

A preliminary examination suggested Maguire may have killed himself with a shotgun, possibly the one he used to kill a Wollongong miner, Stephen Holmes in November.

Some articles were recovered near the corpse.

Maguire has been on the state's most wanted list since he killed the 41-year-old father of four with a shotgun after an argument.

Mr Holmes's widow, Angela, said her husband had gone across the road to confront Maguire about the "insanities" he was repeating "over and over".

"My husband had had enough," she said last year. "He asked him to be quiet. And he pulled a gun and killed him."

Maguire's red Nissan Pulsar hatchback was discovered a day later, abandoned on the side of a road near Mount White north of Sydney. Police scoured the area but failed to find him.

It quickly emerged that Mr Holmes was the second man Maguire had killed. In 1993 Maguire ran over and shot another miner, John Vickers, in the car park of a Central Coast RSL.

Maguire was found guilty of manslaughter and spent seven years in jail before being released in 2002. He moved to Woonona but fled after he shot Mr Holmes.

Yesterday the mother of Mr Holmes, Yvonne, said the discovery meant they wouldn't have to "face him in court". "We won't have to relive it all."

ICAC recommends criminal charges

The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) has released its final report into corruption at Wollongong Council and is recommending that 11 people be charged with criminal offences.

The commission has asked the Department of Public Prosecutions to look at prosecuting the former Wollongong council planning officer Beth Morgan.

The commission found she abused her position to provide favours to developers with whom she was intimately involved.

ICAC also made corrupt conduct fndings against the developers Frank Vella and Bulent "Glen" Tabak, as well as senior council staff and former councillors.

The first ICAC report, released in March, questioned development consents granted by senior planner Ms Morgan to developers Frank Vellar, Glan Tabak and Michael Kollaris.

It also investigated alleged corrupt conduct by four ALP councillors, including former deputy mayor Kiril Jonovski.

It recommended the council be sacked.

The second report delivered a month later recommended suspension of a development application for the $100 million Quattro development.

Related:

Greens call for Royal Commission: NSW development
The New South Wales Greens say new concerns about the ICAC investigation into Wollongong Council are valid, after comments by standover man Ray Younan.

NSW to act on corruption findings
The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) has found former council planner Beth Morgan and her ex-lover, developer Frank Vellar, engaged in corrupt conduct.

NSW Labor faces royal commission call
The New South Wales Greens have called for a royal commission into state planning decisions, following a number of allegations the Government overrode advice to deliver huge windfalls to ALP donor.

NSW premier dumps Noreen Hay

The female Labor MP Wollongong MP Noreen Hayhas been sacked from her role as the parliamentary secretary for health.

The Premier, Nathan Rees said, historically parliamentary secretaries have come some time ... the announcement of them has come some time after the Cabinet itself.

"There is simply only so many things you can consider in any given day and that's the reason for that."

Related:

NSW police minister quits
THE new NSW Police Minister, Matt Brown, has quit the state cabinet just three days after being promoted.

Rees names top ministers
NSW Premier Nathan Rees has finalised his new cabinet, naming Eric Roozendaal as the state's new treasurer and putting John Della Bosca in charge of health.

Meagher resigns to avoid Rees demotion
The embattled health minister stood down last night, after Mr Rees indicated she would be demoted if she stayed on. It is believed she went to factional heavyweight Eddie Obeid to discuss her dilemma but he advised her to stand down.

Budget worse than expected - Rees
NEW South Wales Premier Nathan Rees says the economic outlook for the state is more bleak than he expected, and difficult decisions will have to be made.

Rees confirmed as new NSW premier
Mr Rees is currently the Minister for Water and Emergency Services and was widely tipped to put his hand up as a non-factional premier. His selection has emerged from a full Caucus meeting at State Parliament in Sydney.

NSW Premier Morris Iemma resigns
Mr Iemma faced a caucus revolt this morning and Mr Rees had the numbers to overthrow Mr Iemma.

Gone: NSW Treasurer Michael Costa has been sacked
New South Wales Premier Morris Iemma has sacked his unpopular Treasurer Michael Costa in the wake of the state's failed electricity privatisation push.

Carmel Tebbutt named NSW deputy premier
Ms Tebbutt left the frontbench 18 months ago for family reasons
Labor MP Carmel Tebbutt has been chosen as the next deputy premier of New South Wales.

NSW police minister quits

Police Minister Matt Brown has tendered his resignation to the Premier

THE new NSW Police Minister, Matt Brown, has quit the state cabinet just three days after being promoted.

It is understood the Premier, Nathan Rees, spoke to Mr Brown earlier yesterday evening and the minister tendered his resignation.

"Matt has tendered his resignation to the Premier tonight and the Premier has accepted his resignation, a spokesman for Mr Brown said last night. "He apologises for any embarrassment he has caused the Government."

The resignation will force the Premier to find a replacement for Mr Brown, who has yet to indicate whether he will resign from Parliament.

Mr Rees will still have the headache of moving a senior politician into the difficult police portfolio.

Rees moves quickly to replace disgraced minister

New South Wales Premier Nathan Rees says Tony Kelly will be the state's new Police Minister following the resignation of Matt Brown, who has quit.

Boy housed at DOCS office 'last resort'

The New South Wales Department of Community Services (DOCS) has confirmed a violent nine-year-old boy spent four nights sleeping at its Wollongong office because of a lack of suitable accommodation.

DOCS says the boy was placed in its care just over a week ago because his mother could no longer manage his outbursts.

The department initially paid for him to stay in a motel, under the supervision of a caseworker, but he lashed out, damaging property, and the manager demanded he leave.

He was taken to DOCS' Wollongong office last Saturday where he spent four nights.

The executive director of Operational Support for DOCS, Helen Freeland, says the decision was a last resort.

"This is exceptional circumstances and it really was a decision taken only because there were no other placement options available at the time," she said.

"While we think this is very, very undesirable and exceptionally rare, it was the only option available to our caseworkers at the time."

Ms Freeland says the situation has since been resolved.

"The good news is that the boy is now safe with a foster carer, and DOCS is looking at strategies to make sure the situation doesn't happen again," she said.

Related:

Taking the scalpel to DOCS
"People assume because a child is in the child protection system he or she is getting help, but usually they don't get anything, and certainly not the intensive family support they need," says Jane Woodruff, chief executive of Burnside, a non-government child welfare agency.

10 years for 'gullible' bodies-in-barrels

A man who helped kidnap a New South Wales south coast couple, whose bodies were later found burning in barrels, has been sentenced to 10 years in jail.

The bodies of Gregory Hosa and Kathryn McKay were found in smouldering barrels in the Tomerong State Forest, near Nowra, in January 2006.

Thirty-three-year-old Andrew Wayne Flentjar was accused of assisting Kim Leanne Snibson and Stacey Lea Caton in the couple's abduction and murder.

They were bound and gagged before being suffocated and put into 44-gallon drums.

Flentjar pleaded guilty to kidnapping but was found not guilty of their murder.

He said held the couple down while they were tied up but played no role in strangling them and putting their bodies in barrels.

During the trial, Flentjar's barrister, John Stratton QC, told the jury Snibson was the face of evil, who recruited Flentjar because he was gullible.

Mr Stratton said Flentjar was not told of plans to kill the victims and was not even aware the couple had been killed until he heard it in the media.

In sentencing, Justice Terrence Buddin said while Flentjar's role was not a major one, it was still important as he had helped detain the couple before their murders.

Flentjar will be eligible for parole in 2013.

Caton is serving 22 years for the murders while Snibson, who changed her plea to guilty during the trial, is still waiting to be sentenced.

Keys-in-throat killer gets 19 years

A man who bashed his 65-year-old neighbour and forced a set of house keys down his throat has been sentenced to almost 19 years in jail.

Forty-four-year-old Michael Barbetta pleaded guilty to murdering David Smedley on the NSW south coast in March last year.

The court heard Barbetta took a cocktail of amphetamines and sleeping pills before bashing and strangling Mr Smedley at his Fairymeadow home.

Police said the victim, who had Parkinson's disease, was found covered in blood. An autopsy found six keys on a metal ring had been forced down his throat.

Barbetta said he attacked his neighbour because he had made racist comments about his parents.

A Supreme Court judge sentenced Barbetta to 18-years-and-10-months, with a non-parole period of 13-years-and-nine-months.

Greens call for Royal Commission: NSW development

The New South Wales Greens say new concerns about the ICAC investigation into Wollongong Council are valid, after comments by standover man Ray Younan.

Mr Younan has said he had sources inside the ICAC team, who leaked sensitive information to him before the scandal was made public.

Mr Younan is currently living in Lebanon after he failed to appear before the inquiry in February. A warrant for his arrest has been issued.

Greens MP Sylvia Hale says her party's concerns will not be alleviated until there is a Royal Commission into the development process both in Wollongong and across New South Wales.

"I think there's been a failure to follow up on the activities of a number of people who have been persons of interest in the community but whose ... involvement in corrupt activities has not been properly investigated or brought to light," she said.

Bodies-in-barrels: Man 'not guilty'

One of three people accused of abducting and murdering a couple on the New South Wales south coast has been found not guilty.

The bodies of Gregory Hosa and Kathryn McKay were found in smouldering barrels in the Tomerong State Forest, near Huskisson, in January 2006.

Thirty-three-year-old Andrew Wayne Flentjar was accused of assisting two others in their abduction and murder.

They were bound and gagged before being suffocated and put into 44-gallon drums.

During the trial, Flentjar pleaded guilty to kidnapping but continued to plead not guilty to murdering them.

Another two people, Kim Leanne Snibson and Stacey Lea Caton, pleaded guilty to the murders.

Caton is serving 22 years for the murders while Snibson, who changed her plea to guilty during the trial, is still waiting to be sentenced.

NSW to act on corruption findings

'Seriously corrupt': Beth Morgan

The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) has found former council planner Beth Morgan and her ex-lover, developer Frank Vellar, engaged in corrupt conduct.

Ms Morgan slept with and received bribes from Mr Vellar and other developers while assessing their applications.

She approved Mr Vellar's $100 million Quattro development during their affair.

The ICAC says the pair's actions could constitute criminal offences punishable by jail.

It has also recommended Planning Minister Frank Sartor suspend the consent granted for the Quattro development, which it says grossly exceeded council standards.

Mr Sartor says consent has already been suspended until June 18.

"If I have to exercise my powers to suspend the consent for another six months, then I will do so," he said. "I will have no hesitation in taking ICAC's advice on board."

Premier Morris Iemma acted swiftly on a previous recommendation to sack Wollongong Council in March.

The Greens say the ICAC investigation demonstrates the need for a wider look at corruption in the NSW planning process.

'Lovers' scheme'

ICAC Commissioner Jerrold Cripps QC called for prompt action in a statement earlier today.

He said Ms Morgan failed to properly asses the Quattro development application as part of a scheme with Mr Vellar.

The ICAC said Mr Vellar requested Ms Morgan be assigned to assess the application when she returned from maternity leave in March 2004.

It said she began a sexual relationship with Mr Vellar two months later.

The watchdog said he gave the planner gifts and benefits worth thousands of dollars, including cash, holidays and home appliances.

The findings are included in the second report released as part of ICAC's investigation of 14 people over Wollongong Council's planning processes.

The first report recommended the council be sacked in March, after 11 days of evidence about breaches of the council code of conduct on planning matters.

A final report will be released later this year.

Related:

NSW Labor faces royal commission call
The New South Wales Greens have called for a royal commission into state planning decisions, following a number of allegations the Government overrode advice to deliver huge windfalls to ALP donor.

NSW cracks down on rock-throwers

The New South Wales Government is introducing laws to make it illegal to throw rocks at vehicles or boats, whether the rock hits them or not.

Under the changes it will no longer be a defence for an offender to say they did not mean to hurt anyone.

NSW Attorney-General John Hatzistergos says under the new laws someone found guilty of the offence could spend five years in jail.

"The offence will apply to any person who intentionally throws or drops on or towards a vehicle or vessel on a road, rail or waterway and it delivers on a commitment by the [NSW] Government to legislate against this type of behaviour," he said.

"Rock throwing is a stupid and idiotic act which is extremely dangerous and won't be tolerated."

The laws have been announced a day after three teenagers were questioned by police over a rock-throwing incident in Sydney's West.

A driver called police about 4:30am (AEST) yesterday and reported the boys throwing rocks from the overpass at Cowpasture Road in Bossley Park.

Detective Acting Inspector Bob Tunks says officers found the 17-year-olds in nearby scrub.

"The boys ran off and were caught a short time later by police. All the boys have been spoken to," he said.

"At this stage police are making further enquires. The boys will be brought back to the station in a couple of days time and a decision will be made in regard to what action will be taken in regards to them."

Debate about rock-throwing laws was prompted by an incident in which a rock thrower caused a woman permanent brain damage.

The rock shattered the car's side window, hitting the rear passenger, 22-year-old Nicole Miller, in the head and shattering her skull.

In March 2008, a 25-year-old man was sentenced to four years in jail for the attack.

Quote: The fact is that children and youths will always throw something. For instance; if a person skipped a rock across the water and it landed next to a vehicles or boat do they get 5 years jail anyway? Why should taxpayers pay for that stupidity? What the state government is saying is we have got plenty of taxpayers money to throw away on learning curves? This is nothing but cheap political stunts and diversionary grandstanding over law and order issues. I'm sure the laws already cover throwing misiles at a person or property and 'depending on the damage caused' to that person or property, then a fine or punishment is imposed. Quote: "In March 2008, a 25-year-old man was sentenced to four years in jail for the attack."

Rock thrower gets 4yrs' jail

A 25-year-old man has been sentenced to four years' jail for critically injuring a beauty therapist when he threw a rock at a car on the Princes Highway, on the New South Wales south coast.

Twenty-five-year-old Peter Hodgkins pleaded guilty to maliciously inflicting grievous bodily harm on Nicole Miller in July 2007.

Ms Miller had been travelling in a car near Kiama when a rock thrown by Hodgkins hit her on the head.

She spent four days in a coma with a fractured skull and a brain laceration before surgeons removed part of her skull. She then spent several months recovering in hospital.

Hodgkins was today sentenced in Wollongong District Court. He will be eligible for parole in two years.

During sentencing submissions, Ms Miller read a statement to the court describing the physical damage she sustained as a result of the attack, including hearing loss, loss of peripheral vision, memory loss and the insertion of a titanium plate in her head.

She also spoke of the psychological impact but was unable to continue. Her mother finished the statement on her behalf.

Hodgkins later apologised to Ms Miller, describing his actions as the lowest things you could do to an innocent person.