Thousands flee Dreamworld after fire alert

Thousands have been evacuate from Dreamworld on the Gold Coast due to a grassfire. Source: AAP

MORE than 7000 people fled Australia's largest theme park on Saturday after a grassfire started nearby.

The fire, sending a huge plume of smoke towards the 85-hectare Dreamworld on the Gold Coast from nearby Coomera, prompted an evacuation.

Visitors described how the smoke started drifting into the park, also home to the Big Brother house, prompting rides to be closed one-by-one.

Sam Gilchrist was at the theme park with daughters Alannah, 14, Megan, 9, and Holly, 6, on the last day of a Gold Coast holiday when the smoke started to drift in.

She said Dreamworld staff started shutting down rides one at a time as the smoke started to thicken.

While some people moved to rides that were still open, the Melbourne family left just before the park was evacuated because one of the children started getting upset by the smoke.

"The kids were on a ride and I could see a mist of smoke and I could smell it," she told AAP.

"It started getting really black and blanketing the whole area.

"There was a little bit of ash falling, I think asthmatics would have had a bit of a difficult time."

She said she didn't know whether people would be compensated for having to leave.

The park will open as usual on Sunday.

A Dreamworld spokeswoman said the evacuation of guests and zoo animals had been a precaution.

"We evacuated for the safety of guests, staff and the animals," she said.

She said park visitors whose details staff had managed to obtain before they left the park would be contacted regarding possible compensation.

A Queensland Department of Community Safety spokesperson said the fire covered four hectares on Saturday afternoon, having broken out near Foxwell Road about 1.30pm (AEST).

The spokesperson said there was no immediate threat to homes but advised people to keep their doors and windows closed.

Firefighters had contained the blaze by 7pm (AEST) but the Department of Community Safety said crews would remain on scene "for some time", backburning and monitoring the fire.

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Four charged with severing US man's penis

FOUR people are accused of torturing a California marijuana dispensary owner with a blowtorch and cutting off his penis in an attempt to force him to reveal where he had buried piles of cash in the desert.

Ryan Anthony Kevorkian, 34, and his wife Naomi Josette Kevorkian, 33, were arrested on Friday in Fresno, a day after the FBI arrested 34-year-old Hossein Nayeri in Prague in the Czech Republic.

Another man, Kyle Shirakawa Handley, 34, was arrested in October 2012.

The four have been charged with kidnapping for ransom, aggravated mayhem, torture, burglary and a sentencing enhancement for inflicting great bodily injury.

Prosecutors said the victim was a prosperous medical marijuana dispensary owner who took some of his pot suppliers - including Handley - to Las Vegas last year for an extravagant weekend.

Authorities allege that after the trip, Handley told some friends that the dispensary owner was extremely wealthy and they came up with a plan to kidnap and rob him.

Orange County authorities contend that on October 2, 2012, Handley, Nayeri and Ryan Kevorkian went to the man's Newport Beach home, stole cash, bound and beat him and kidnapped him along with his room-mate's girlfriend, then drove them out to a desert spot in a van.

Throughout the drive, they allegedly burned the dispensary owner with a blowtorch.

At the spot where the men believed the victim had hidden money, they cut off his penis, poured bleach on him in an effort to destroy any DNA evidence and dumped him and the woman on the side of the road, authorities allege.

It is alleged the three men then drove away with the penis so it couldn't be reattached.

The man survived his injuries.

Handley pleaded not guilty to the charges last month.

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Aboriginal artist's work on Qantas 737

A painting by Aboriginal artist Paddy Bedford has inspired the latest aircraft for Qantas. Source: AAP

ABORIGINAL artist Paddy Bedford would often tell his daughter his work was going to end up on a plane.

"'I'm going to have a painting on a jet'," he'd tell Kathleen Watson.

She dismissed the idea at the time but is proud that the late West Australian artist's wish has come true.

Bedford's 2005 painting Mendoowoorrji - Medicine Pocket inspired the livery for Qantas's new 737-800 aircraft, the fourth in its indigenous art series.

Watson, in Seattle with Gija elders from the East Kimberley for a ceremony to bless the plane, said it was an honour to share the Aboriginal culture in this way.

"I'm proud to keep his legacy alive and sharing and promoting Aboriginal art through the world, Australia, Western Australia and the Kimberley," she said.

Medicine Pocket, which has been gifted to the National Gallery of Australia by Bedford's estate, depicts part of the artist's mother's country.

It's taken 18 months to get the aircraft ready with Boeing painters for the first time using brush and other hand painting techniques to translate the work's shading and textural elements on to the fuselage.

The white areas feature a lot of grey shading and the iconic Qantas tail has been included in the design, albeit with its trademark red changed to match the painting's earthy tones.

National Gallery Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art senior adviser Franchesca Cubillo said the Australian designers Balarinji and Boeing's painters had managed to capture the essence of the original painting.

"The team of painters here have actually worked closely with Balarinji to ensure that lovely painterly effect, the texture, even the gradient of the colours that are in the original painting have been replicated," she said.

Mendoowoorrji will arrive in Sydney on Monday before joining the Qantas domestic network from mid-November, flying east-west and intra-WA routes.

William Mora Galleries director William Mora said Bedford would have been incredibly proud to see the spirit and story of his painting on a plane.

"I think he'd want to be the first person to leave it when it landed and stand at the top of the stairs and say 'not only am I the number one painter, I have my own plane'."

* The writer travelled to Seattle as a guest of Qantas and Boeing.

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Syrian rebels launch counteroffensive

SYRIAN rebels have launched a counteroffensive in the northern city of Aleppo, recapturing a base near its international airport hours after the army had advanced into the area, activists say.

Saturday's fighting came as the main Western-backed opposition group was to begin a two-day meeting in Istanbul to decide whether they will attend a proposed peace conference the US and Russia are trying to convene in Geneva.

The Syrian National Coalition has demanded that President Bashar Assad step down in any transitional Syrian government as a condition for its going to Geneva. Syrian officials say Assad will stay in his post at least until his terms ends in 2014 and that he may run for re-election.

In Cairo, Arab League Secretary-General Nabil Elaraby told reporters upon arrival from Geneva that the UN-Arab League's top envoy to Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi, will hold a new meeting in early December with concerned parties to decide on a new date and the attendees of the Geneva conference.

"We were saddened and depressed because of the failure of the latest meetings to decide on a date and participants for the conference," Elaraby said, referring to a meeting in Geneva earlier this week that many had hoped would call for holding the talks later this month.

The League had wanted the peace conference to lead to a ceasefire and secure means to deliver humanitarian aid to Syrians, Elaraby added.

In Aleppo, rebels were able to fully recapture the military base of "Brigade 80" after government troops seized parts of it early on Friday, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and the Aleppo Media Centre said.

The main job of "Brigade 80" was to protect the government-held Aleppo International Airport, which has been closed due to fighting for almost a year.

Rebels captured the base in February and now government troops are trying to get it back.

The Observatory said 40 rebels and more than 20 troops were killed in the latest fighting, which began Friday and continued early Saturday.

Syria's state-run news agency SANA said a rocket fired by opposition fighters hit near a health centre in Aleppo's Ashrafieh neighbourhood, killing six children and wounding six others.

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Strangers to pay respects to war hero

HUNDREDS of people are expected to attend the funeral of a British war veteran they never knew after it emerged he died with no close friends or relatives.

Harold Jellicoe Percival helped with the famous Dambusters raids during the Second World War.

He died last month aged 99 in a nursing home in the UK but had lived much of his life in Australia.

Poignantly for the ex-military man, his funeral service will be held at 11am on Armistice Day on Monday.

But Percival never married, had no children and has no close family members able to attend the service.

Those involved in organising the funeral say they have been contacted by veterans' groups and other military supporters keen to acknowledge Percival's career.

Funeral director Edmund Jacobs said: "We're hoping a few faces will turn up and show their support for a war hero.

"It doesn't sit well with me that somebody who has served their country can be forgotten about, that his service can go un-noted.

"I am sure he would have had a few stories to tell."

Mr Percival was one of four siblings but lived a "nomadic lifestyle" after leaving the RAF at the end of the war.

His nephew, David Worsell, said: "He was a private man, he worked in Australia for a number of years as a decorator and would visit England for holidays.

"He travelled around England with only his backpack.

"He didn't have a postal address, he just used to get everything sent to my mother's address and would go through it when they met up."

Percival was based in the north west of England and became part of the ground crew which helped with the Dambusters, the squadron which was initially formed to destroy dams in the Ruhr valley in Nazi Germany.

After working in Australia, he later retired to England.

He was a distant relative of former British prime minister Spencer Perceval, who was shot dead by a bankrupt broker, John Bellingham, as he entered the House of Commons, in 1812.

"My uncle would be very surprised at the attention this seems to have received and the number of people wanting to attend," Worsell said.

"What with him being a very private person, forming long-term relationships didn't seem to be part of his make-up.

"He didn't really speak about his military career but he perhaps wished he didn't leave the RAF at the end of the war.

"But he was a free spirit."

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Police charge 21 Rebel bikies in blitz

POLICE have arrested 21 members of the Rebels outlaw motorcycle gang in a week-long blitz.

As part of the Attero National Task Force, state and federal police worked together to disrupt, disable and dismantle the criminal activities of the Rebels.

They charged 21 Rebels on 35 offences, including drugs, burglary, and assault.

Police said none of those arrested were high-ranking members and none had been charged under the state's new bikie laws.

Most of the arrests took place along the Sunshine Coast and in Brisbane.

Detective Superintendent Mick Niland said police would continue to target the Rebels, which he described as a "high risk threat".

He said the Rebels were the largest criminal bikie gang in Australia with 1600 members or associates across the country.

Deputy Commissioner Brett Pointing says arrests over the past week offer a snapshot into the level of criminality carried out by the Rebels.

"They started in Brisbane 44 years ago and they're a sophisticated criminal network," he told media on Friday.

Mr Pointing says leaders of criminal bikie gangs are harder to prosecute because they are protected by associates and members.

"(We're) just as interested in associates as we are in the leadership, because it's the lower level associates that sustain the leaders," he said.

Mr Pointing also says criminal bikie gangs may be consulting with public relations experts to shape public perceptions about the gangs.

"It's in the interests of these organisations to try and convince the public that they're in fact not criminal gangs," he said.

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Severe thunderstorms forecast for NSW

A SEVERE thunderstorm warning has been issued for large swathes on NSW's central west.

Damaging winds are forecast to hit parts of the central west slopes and plains and parts of the upper western forecast districts on Friday evening, the Bureau of Meteorology saysd.

Locations which may be affected include Dubbo, Parkes, Wellington, Condobolin, Coonamble, Nyngan, Bourke, Brewarrina and Enngonia.

The State Emergency Service (SES) is advising people to move their cars away from trees and secure loose items around homes.

People are also being urged to stay indoors and away from windows.

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Student injured in Melbourne uni explosion

A MELBOURNE university student has been taken to hospital following a campus lab explosion.

The student, believed to be in his 20s, had been working in the chemical engineering research lab at the University of Melbourne when an explosion caused glass to shatter, severely cutting his hands.

Paramedics took the student to hospital while firefighters evacuated the Parkville campus building.

An Ambulance Victoria spokeswoman said the student was in a stable condition.

Firefighters were still at the scene, monitoring air quality before they would let people back inside the building, a Metropolitan Fire Brigade spokesman said.

The cause of the explosion is not known.

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Ken Levy re-appointed CMC chair

THE Queensland government has extended the contract of the head of the state's crime and corruption watchdog despite criticism he was biased.

The opposition wanted Crime and Misconduct Commission (CMC) Chair Dr Ken Levy to resign after he penned an opinion piece that said the new bikie laws reflected the will of Queenslanders.

His contract has been extended to May 22, 2014.

Dr Levy has written to the head of the parliamentary committee which overseas the CMC, in a letter tabled on Friday, to insist he wasn't pressured to write the article.

When asked last week whether he'd consulted anyone about the article, he said: "No, it's my composition".

But Dr Levy's revealed the head of the government's media unit, Lee Anderson, called the CMC media unit a week before the article was published to ask if the CMC was going to do any media interviews on the legislation.

At the time, Dr Levy told his staff "we would not be spooked" by the call as they were already discussing doing broader media on the issue.

"I certainly have never had any pressure from the Premier or the Attorney General, or anyone else from government for that matter, trying to pressure me about any issue," Dr Levy wrote.

In his letter to parliamentary crime and misconduct committee chair Liz Cunningham, Dr Levy expresses regret and apologises for not remembering the contact the CMC had with Mr Anderson when he was grilled last Friday.

"In the embarrassment on Friday afternoon, I indicated to you that perhaps I should consider standing down, particularly in light of the call by the leader of the opposition," he wrote.

But Dr Levy says Mr Anderson's call only referred to the broad area of the CMC's powers to deal with the outlaw bikie gangs and there was no pressure to write the opinion piece.

Instead, Dr Levy was inspired by imbalanced press, which was pitting judges and lawyers against politicians and ignoring the community.

"My article was not politically motivated," he wrote.

"As I said to the Committee last Friday, Criminal motorcycle gangs are really criminal cartels. The Government was being responsible in legislating."

Attorney-General Jarrod Bleijie says he is supportive of the CMC being more open with the public, but any decisions regarding media is clearly a matter for them.

"The Newman government respects the independence of Queensland's judiciary and statutory bodies," Mr Bleijie said.

The acting role is effective up to and including May 22, 2014 and a permanent appointment is expected next year.

In a statement released on Friday evening, Dr Levy said the letter tabled in parliament on Friday outlined previous contact made to the CMC by staff in the government's media unit.

"This contact occurred a week before I sent my comments to the Courier-Mail and did not influence me in any way to write the opinion piece," he said.

"I did not consult with the part-time commissioners, senior management or the CMC's media unit before sending my comments to the Courier-Mail."

Dr Levy says both he and the CMC remain independent.

"I look forward to continuing to lead the CMC through a period of change," he said.

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Third suspect chemical haul found in WA

A THIRD suspicious package has been discovered in the same region south of Perth where highly volatile explosive chemicals were recently found.

Bomb squad technicians are at a disused caravan park at Peppermint Grove Beach in the Capel region working to render the area safe, a police spokesman said.

The spokesman said roadblocks were in place around the caravan park.

The discovery comes after a Tactical Response Group dawn raid of a Bunbury home on Friday, which led to a man being taken into custody for questioning over the chemicals.

Last Tuesday, a member of the public discovered about 3kg of the substance - TATP - hidden underwater near a jetty at Leschanault Estuary, Australind.

A second package was found at the same site 36 hours later.

Both packages were destroyed in controlled detonations.

On Friday, police resumed scouring the waterway, having previously scaled back the search for more of the chemicals.

Four jetties were cleared on Friday, Deputy Commissioner Chris Dawson said.

Road blocks have been put in place at the raided house on Moore Street and at an industrial facility in Harris Road, Picton, which is believed to be the workplace of the man in custody.

Police guards are at both locations, which are not at this stage considered unsafe and have been declared 'protected forensic areas'.

Homes in the Peppermint Grove Beach area may be evacuated while the package is detonated, police say.

"The only location that we are presently concerned about is the Peppermint Grove caravan park," Mr Dawson said.

He said the four jetties were not considered unsafe, but divers would search the entire estuary on Saturday.

"That will be an ongoing operation," Mr Dawson said.

"We have no reason to believe at this point there are any matters that will cause any immediate (risks) to the safety of the public, but we are broadening our search and that's because we need to be thorough."

He said no charges had yet been laid against the man in custody.

TATP, also known as "Mother of Satan", was used in the London terrorist bombings in 2005.

It is created through the chemical reaction between hydrogen peroxide and acetone, is highly volatile, and particularly susceptible to heat, friction and shock.

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Man found with stab wounds in west Sydney

A MAN has been found with two stab wounds to his chest in Sydney's west.

Police said the man, believed to be in his 30s, was treated by paramedics who responded to a call to go to Constitution Hills at about 8.20pm (AEDT) on Thursday.

The man was taken to Westmead Hospital where he was in a stable condition.

Detectives hope to speak to the man once he is well enough, to determine how he came to be injured.

A crime scene has been established and is being examined.

Navy reels from new sex scandal

SAILORS on board HMAS Ballarat may face jail terms over bizarre hazing rituals involving sexual assault with objects such as carrots and pens.

Students injured in 'mini-tornado'

A FREAK willy-willy swept through a primary school sports carnival in Perth's southern suburbs, injuring a teacher and several students.

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Details of abuse aboard navy ship emerge

A woman claims inappropriate behavior aboard a naval ship involved sexual assaults on male soldiers. Source: AAP

A WOMAN claims the "inappropriate behaviour" that prompted the navy to launch an investigation into sailors involved sexual assaults on young male sailors on HMAS Ballarat.

The Navy has confirmed the ship involved in the allegations is Anzac Class Frigate HMAS Ballarat, which is currently deployed on border protection operations.

Chief of Navy, Vice Admiral Ray Griggs, said the navy was being as open and transparent as it could within the limits of its investigation processes.

"Allegations such as these are serious and it is critical that the investigative process is properly followed. As such I will not speculate on any aspect of the allegations," he said in a statement on Thursday.

"We have dealt with the allegations swiftly and I reiterate that inappropriate behaviour is not consistent with our values and is not tolerated in Navy."

The woman who made the sexual assault claims is a former navy member who alleged younger male sailors were set upon and sexually assaulted by their crewmates.

Navy reels from new sex scandal

SAILORS on board HMAS Ballarat may face jail terms over bizarre hazing rituals involving sexual assault with objects such as carrots and pens.

Students injured in 'mini-tornado'

A FREAK willy-willy swept through a primary school sports carnival in Perth's southern suburbs, injuring a teacher and several students.

"People were set upon by other members, stripped off and had things essentially put in their bums," the woman, identified only as Bridget, told Network Ten on Thursday.

In one instance, a sailor was left with a bleeding rectum after being anally penetrated by a whiteboard marker, she claimed.

Bridget said her friends still serving in the navy had asked her to get the truth out, because people were scared.

"If it happened in a normal workplace, the police would be called, charges would be laid," she said.

The Australian Defence Force opened a formal investigation on Tuesday after allegations against some members of an unnamed ship's company were made by a sailor.

However investigators will not be able to join the ship for several days.

HMAS Ballarat responded to a distress call from an asylum-seeker boat off the coast of Indonesia.

Australian Customs and Border Protection and the Australian Maritime Safety Authority could not comment on Thursday. The federal government is not scheduled to brief the nation on border protection until Friday.

However Indonesian search and rescue agency, BASARNAS, has confirmed to AAP that a distress call had been received from a vessel in the Sunda Strait earlier on Thursday.

The Indonesian spokesman said HMAS Ballarat had responded to the distress call from the boat.

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Bank of England keeps rates unchanged

THE Bank of England has decided to keep its key interest rate at a record low of 0.5 per cent as it monitors the economy's strengthening recovery.

The Monetary Policy Committee also voted on Thursday to refrain from pumping more money into the economy. The bank has so far pumped STG375 billion ($A636.83 billion) into the economy since January 2009.

The decision had been widely expected because of the bank's new "forward guidance" policy, which new Governor Mark Carney introduced this summer.

The guidance offers markets, individuals and businesses a clear steer on where interest rates will be in coming months.

Carney has indicated rates will remain low until unemployment - currently at 7.7 per cent - drops significantly to a 7 per cent threshold.

Navy reels from new sex scandal

SAILORS on board HMAS Ballarat may face jail terms over bizarre hazing rituals involving sexual assault with objects such as carrots and pens.

Students injured in 'mini-tornado'

A FREAK willy-willy swept through a primary school sports carnival in Perth's southern suburbs, injuring a teacher and several students.

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Knoxville walks red carpet in Sydney

Beer in hard, Johnny Knoxville walked the red carpet for the Australian premiere of his new film. Source: AAP

COMPARED to his stunts on Jackass, Johnny Knoxville says his trips to the hospital for Bad Grandpa were nothing.

Beer in hand, Knoxville greeted fans at the Australian premiere of Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa in Sydney on Thursday night.

The movie has Knoxville donning prosthetics to play 86-year-old Irving Zisman, who travels across America with his eight-year-old grandson (Jackson Nicoll) - a road trip filled with pranks, stunts and captured with hidden cameras.

"I fractured my elbow and had to have surgery on my hand, but other than that it was pretty good," Knoxville says of his resulting injuries.

Particularly in comparison to breaking his penis on Jackass.

"In comparison to a Jackass film, yeah it was alright," he says.

Bad Grandpa also gave Knoxville the freedom to pull stunts on the public again, and perhaps push the boundaries a bit further while playing Irving.

Navy reels from new sex scandal

SAILORS on board HMAS Ballarat may face jail terms over bizarre hazing rituals involving sexual assault with objects such as carrots and pens.

Students injured in 'mini-tornado'

A FREAK willy-willy swept through a primary school sports carnival in Perth's southern suburbs, injuring a teacher and several students.

"I can prank the public again as an old man and when you're an old man, people think you're harmless and give you a wider berth," Knoxville says.

"Plus I have this cute little chubby boy next to me, who's an assassin by the way.

"Some kids when they do stunts, they freeze up and get scared. Jackson you had to back down from people.

"He would yell at people if they didn't give the desired result."

And although it's not Jackass 4, fans seem to be enjoying the more story-driven movie, with Bad Grandpa earning more than $US60 million in the US alone since opening there two weeks ago.

"There's all the pranks and stunts of a Jackass film, so I knew our fans would love it," Knoxville says, adding it's in the same spirit as those films.

"The thing was just figuring out the story and making it work with the pranks and stunts. That was our big concern."

* Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa releases in Australian cinemas on November 14

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240 jobs to go at WA power company

MORE than 200 workers are to be made redundant at state-owned West Australian energy company Horizon Power.

Workers were told on Thursday that 130 jobs would be gone by Christmas, and another 110 staff would be out of work by June next year.

Managing director Frank Tudor said factors including the slow-down in the mining industry in the north-west meant a major restructure was needed.

"We have decided to look fairly radically at the way we conduct our business," Mr Tudor told Fairfax radio.

"It is a business-driven decision supported by government."

Horizon employs 540 people, and supplies power to about 100,000 residents and 10,000 businesses in regional WA, including the Pilbara, Kimberley, Gascoyne, Mid West and southern Goldfields regions.

Mr Tudor said he was confident that power supplies would not be affected by the job losses, with some people being able to reapply for some positions.

Navy reels from new sex scandal

SAILORS on board HMAS Ballarat may face jail terms over bizarre hazing rituals involving sexual assault with objects such as carrots and pens.

Students injured in 'mini-tornado'

A FREAK willy-willy swept through a primary school sports carnival in Perth's southern suburbs, injuring a teacher and several students.

"It will be predominantly office jobs and there will be very few jobs affected in the regions," Mr Tudor said.

"This is a program we can implement and not affect the safe, reliable, cost-effective delivery of electricity to the regional centres."

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Court hears balcony murder accused 'rage'

Prosecutors in the murder trial of Sydney man Simon Gittany say he was an intensely jealous partner. Source: AAP

SHE was "completely and utterly isolated".

Controlled by her intensely jealous and possessive partner who tracked her every movement.

And Lisa Cecilia Harnum's life was brutally taken from her when her fiance threw her off the balcony of their high-rise Sydney apartment in a fit of rage because she was planning to leave him.

These are the allegations crown prosecutor Mark Tedeschi, QC, put to accused murderer Simon Gittany at the end of an intense day of cross-examination in the Supreme Court in Sydney.

To each of the eight questions, Gittany had the same emphatic answer: "Absolutely not."

The public gallery was packed on Wednesday for Gittany's second day in the witness box, which at times became heated as he repeatedly denied Mr Tedeschi's allegations that he was "extremely controlling, possessive and domineering".

The Crown alleges he threw 30-year-old Canadian Ms Harnum off their CBD balcony in a fit of rage on July 30, 2011.

Gittany has pleaded not guilty to murder.

The court has heard Gittany installed CCTV in his apartment and used a computer program to monitor Ms Harnum's text messages, emails and internet usage.

"The purpose of these surveillance and tracking devices and programs was so you could keep tabs on Lisa Harnum's every movement because of your intense jealousy and possessiveness," Mr Tedeschi said.

"Absolutely not," Gittany replied.

He said he only tracked Ms Harnum's texts because she had a shameful secret which she wouldn't divulge.

The court has previously heard Ms Harnum suffered from bulimia and was too afraid to tell Gittany.

A handwritten note that said: "There are surveillance cameras inside and outside the house" was found in Ms Harnum's pocket after her death, but Gittany said he didn't know what it was about.

The court also heard Gittany failed to tell police about an external hard-drive of the CCTV device which he kept hidden in his ceiling and later had removed.

But Gittany said he didn't think of it because police already had his computer, which contained the same material as the hard-drive.

Mr Tedeschi said Gittany was "apoplectic" and "berserk with rage" when he discovered two of Ms Harnum's acquaintances were helping her to leave him.

"I was angry, yes," Gittany replied.

He conceded he dragged a screaming Ms Harnum back into their apartment 69 seconds before she plunged to her death.

But he denied he continued to struggle with her once inside and he maintained he made her a hot drink while she sat on the lounge, before suddenly running towards the balcony.

Mr Tedeschi suggested there was no way this occurred immediately after Gittany "forcibly subdued her, forcibly stopped her from crying out for help and forcibly dragged her back into the apartment".

"She didn't even have an opportunity to take off her handbag before you threw her from the balcony," Mr Tedeschi said.

"No," Gittany said loudly.

Gittany also denied he deliberately tried to make out to police that Ms Harnum had killed herself in order to hide his own involvement.

At one point, Gittany was asked to close the open Bible beside him on the stand, with Mr Tedeschi suggesting he was reading it during questioning.

The judge-only trial continues before Justice Lucy McCallum.

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Morrison disappoints on Christmas Island

Immigration Minister Scott Morrison is visiting Christmas Island and touring the detention centre. Source: AAP

CHRISTMAS Island residents are disappointed they didn't get a formal opportunity to voice their concerns about the treatment of asylum seekers during Immigration Minister Scott Morrison's visit.

Mr Morrison made his first official visit to Christmas Island on Wednesday and toured the detention centre housing 2184 asylum-seeker boat arrivals.

Mr Morrison, accompanied by Operation Sovereign Borders commander Lieutenant General Angus Campbell, arrived on the island off Western Australia late on Tuesday night for the 30-hour visit.

They met with Christmas Island residents on Wednesday night.

Christmas Island councillor Gordon Thomson told AAP many residents had been expecting a town hall-style meeting and were disappointed they did not get an opportunity to raise their concerns.

"It turned into a cup of tea session. He (Mr Morrison) went round talking to people individually," Mr Thomson said.

"It was more conversations where he got to dominate and do the talking. That's not satisfactory."

Mr Thomson said he would put his concerns to Mr Morrison in writing.

Jon Stanhope, the administrator of the Australian Indian Ocean Territories of Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, cut short a week-long visit to the Cocos to meet with Mr Morrison.

In a statement on Wednesday night a spokesperson for Mr Morrison said: "A community afternoon tea had been arranged and the minister engaged with everyone who sought his attention. Local issues were discussed and useful feedback was obtained from the local community."

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Outlook bleak for Carnaby's black cockatoo

The outlook is bleak for a threatened bird species that's unique to WA's southwest, research shows. Source: AAP

THE outlook is bleak for a threatened bird species that's unique to Western Australia's southwest, research shows.

As the habitat of Carnaby's black cockatoo is progressively destroyed by land clearing, hundreds of members of the public volunteer their time to the annual Great Cocky Count one night each year to monitor numbers of the rare bird in the Swan Region, including the Perth metropolitan area.

While this year's tally of 5800 cockies was a 44 per cent increase over the past two years, numbers are still well below the 6700 recorded in 2010.

"Paradoxically, the increased numbers seen this year may not be a good sign," BirdLife Australia's threatened cockatoos project manager Matt Fossey said.

"The greater number of Carnaby's seen north of the Swan is probably due to parts of the Gnangara, Pinjar and Yanchep pine plantations being cleared - by about a thousand hectares a year - which has removed a vital feeding and roosting area.

"As a result, the cockatoos have been forced to move into areas where they are more easily observed."

Cockies were seen north of the Swan River, while numbers recorded at regular sites further south were well down.

Mr Fossey said the WA government should halt the clearing of Carnaby's habitat on the Swan Coastal Plain until a strategic assessment of the Perth and Peel regions had been completed.

The number of Carnaby's black cockatoos has declined by at least 50 per cent over the past 45 years.

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BAE axes 1775 Jobs at UK shipyards

BRITISH defence giant BAE Systems is to axe 1775 jobs across its naval ships business and end shipbuilding at one the country's most historic yards.

The firm said 940 jobs will be lost in Portsmouth, on the south coast, and a further 835 in Glasgow, Rosyth and Filton, near Bristol.

Shipbuilding operations will end in Portsmouth in the second half of next year, but an engineering team will be retained to support the new Type 26 warships, which will be built in Glasgow.

BAE said it remained committed to continued investment in Portsmouth as the centre of its maritime services and high-end naval equipment and combat systems businesses.

BAE said it was being hit by a "significant" reduction in workload following the peak of activity on the current aircraft carrier program.

The grim news was given to workers at a series of meetings on Wednesday across the affected sites, before they were allowed to go home for the rest of the day.

David Hulse, GMB national officer and chair of the Confederation of Shipbuilding and Engineering Unions' (CSEU) shipbuilding national committee, said: "There is no doubt that this is a devastating day for the UK shipbuilding industry and the company will have to justify to us the job losses planned.

Hugh Scullion, general secretary of the CSEU, said: "The CSEU has been assured that further discussions will take place in the coming weeks with BAE over the future of its marine division, which has huge strategic importance for the UK's defence industry.

"Getting an agreement which avoids the need for compulsory redundancies will be central to our discussions with the company. The CSEU will also make it a priority to protect the future of the UK shipbuilding industry by securing investment to ensure the industry doesn't just survive but prospers in the future."

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Roo and dingo paintings to stay in Britain

Australia has lost its attempt to secure the first non-indigenous paintings of a kangaroo and dingo. Source: AAP

AUSTRALIA has lost out to the British in a tussle to purchase the first non-indigenous paintings of a kangaroo and dingo, made after Captain James Cook's voyage on the Endeavour.

London's National Maritime Museum has secured the 18th century works by George Stubbs following a public fundraising campaign and a STG1.5 million ($A2.55 million) donation from shipping magnate Eyal Ofer.

The National Gallery of Australia (NGA) had been trying to acquire Kongouro from New Holland and a companion painting, Portrait of a Large Dog, for more than 40 years.

The paintings were commissioned by Joseph Banks who accompanied Cook on his 1768 voyage to Australia and made sketches of the then-unknown specimens.

It was from these sketches and the skins of animals that Stubbs made his iconic paintings of a kangaroo and a dingo back in the UK.

The works were sold in late 2012 to a buyer outside Britain but in January the UK government put a temporary export ban in place stating the works were "so closely connected with our history and national life".

Sir David Attenborough supported the maritime museum's fundraising efforts and was thrilled to hear of its success.

"Exciting news that these two pictures, so important in the history of zoological discovery, are to remain where they were commissioned and painted," he said in a statement.

In mid-August the NGA stated it remained committed to acquiring the two iconic paintings made in 1772.

"The two Stubbs paintings remain central to the history of both Australian art and our colonisation," director Ron Radford said at the time.

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CSG projects face less hurdles in NSW: BCA

CSG projects in NSW could face fewer regulatory hurdles with a new plan for environmental approvals. Source: AAP

MINING companies wanting to develop coal seam gas (CSG) projects in NSW could soon face fewer regulatory hurdles, after the O'Farrell government signed up to a new federal plan for environmental approvals.

The Business Council of Australia (BCA) said the NSW government had helped overcome one of the barriers to CSG projects in the state by signing up to the Abbott government's approvals overhaul.

NSW on Tuesday followed Queensland's lead by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the federal government to create a "one-stop-shop" for environmental approvals.

The proposal promises to deliver faster approvals and eliminate regulatory duplication, but opponents claim it will erode crucial environmental protections by handing federal powers to the states.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott said the "same strict environmental standards" would apply, but businesses would only need to obtain one approval for projects instead of two.

"The federal government is on track to sign-on all states and territories within 12 months and fast-track the eradication of red and green tape for environmental approvals," Mr Abbott said in a statement.

BCA chief executive Jennifer Westacott said the NSW government, which imports 95 per cent of its gas from interstate, had taken a critical step to securing its own gas supply.

"Today's MOU helps overcome one of the barriers to developing coal seam gas projects that would enable New South Wales to develop its own gas supply," Ms Westacott said in a statement.

NSW has been under pressure from the federal government to expand gas mining, including CSG operations, as they search for a solution to energy price spikes and a crisis in natural gas supply.

CSG has proved a powder keg in NSW, with the government the target of frequent protests from farmer and conservationists who warn expanding gas operations threatens agricultural land and water supply.

The NSW Minerals Council praised the O'Farrell government for supporting the plan they claim will address the "overly bureaucratic and cumbersome" approvals process in the state.

"We look forward to seeing fast progress on delivery of these promised reforms, so that the words expressed in the MOU are matched by real action," chief executive Stephen Galilee said in a statement.

The Minerals Council of Australia said the one-stop-shop would eradicate unnecessary green tape without compromising environmental standards.

But Greens senator Larissa Waters said the plan would "gut" environmental protections, and blasted the duplication argument being put forward by Mr Abbott and "his big business buddies" as a furphy.

"Tony Abbott is laying the groundwork to hand federal environmental approval powers to NSW, giving his conservative state cronies open slather over our nationally significant environmental assets," she said in a statement.

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Aung San Suu Kyi to visit Australia

Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi (R) will make her first visit to Australia this month. Source: AAP

AUNG San Suu Kyi will make her first visit to Australia in late November.

The Burmese opposition leader will attend public events in Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne and meet members of the Burmese community from November 27 to December 2.

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop first met Ms Suu Kyi in 1995 and said she was delighted to be able to welcome her to Australia.

"Australia has long been a staunch supporter of Aung San Suu Kyi's efforts to bring democracy to the Burmese people," she said in a statement on Tuesday.

Australia and other nations have been gradually easing their sanctions against Myanmar (Burma) as the country has allowed greater political and media freedoms in past few of years.

The Nobel Peace Prize laureate accepted the invitation from former foreign minister Bob Carr back in June and remarked that she fondly remember growing up with the song Kookaburra Sat In The Old Gum Tree.

The former political prisoner won a parliamentary seat in April 2012 and she became opposition leader of the National League for Democracy.

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US man skydives on 100th birthday

After getting a doctor's certificate, a 100-year-old man in the US has skydived for the first time. Source: AAP

WHEN Vernon Maynard's friends asked him what he wished he had done in his 100 years of life, the US man said he had always wanted to jump from a plane with a parachute.

The retired car dealer from southern California got the chance to mark his centenarian birthday on Monday by doing just that.

Jean Walcher of the US Parachute Association says Maynard and his two great nephews made their first skydive along with trained instructors from 13,000 feet (3,900 metres) southeast of Los Angeles.

Skydive Perris manager Dan Brodsky-Chenfeld says Maynard obtained a doctor's note before making the jump.

Maynard's daughter Linda Hironimus says her father's friends made arrangements for him to skydive after he said he always wanted to try it.

Maynard, who hails from Nebraska, lives in Palm Desert.

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Family of shot Sydney girl talk to police

The family of a teenage girl who was shot in her western Sydney home are now talking to police.

A schoolgirl has been shot at a home in Sydney's west, in what police say is a targeted attack. Source: AAP

AFTER a day of being condemned for their silence, the family of a teenage girl who was shot in her western Sydney home are talking to police.

On Tuesday morning, as the girl lay injured in hospital, NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell and the state's top officers vented their frustration at the family of the 13-year-old, who was shot by gunmen at her Blacktown home late on Monday night.

The men were reportedly looking to settle a score with the girl's brother, who is suspected of having links to the notorious Brothers 4 Life gang.

After having the door slammed in their faces, the men allegedly opened fire, hitting the girl in the back.

On Tuesday morning, Mr O'Farrell expressed outrage at the parents' lack of co-operation.

"What sort of parents, whose daughter's been injured in an attack like this, will not co-operate with police?" he asked.

Deputy Police Commissioner Nick Kaldas called on the family to take responsibility.

"This poor girl had nothing to do with anything, but someone in her family did," he said.

Late on Tuesday afternoon, it appeared the family's silence had been broken, with the premier issuing a statement saying family members were talking to police.

The girl's father told media on Tuesday his daughter was "settled", adding he was disappointed by the gunmen's actions.

"Everyone's disappointed in the community; they do the wrong thing," he said.

Inspector Dave Lagats said what police feared had become a reality after a string of recent shootings.

"Our greatest fears have now been reached ... an innocent person, a 13-year-old girl, has now become the victim of this type of senseless activity," he said.

Neighbours woken by the fracas thought they were hearing thunder or fireworks until the screaming began.

Father-of-three Sarn Pulefele lives two doors away on Sunnyholt Road and said he was woken by a loud bang.

"At first I thought it was thunder because I'd never heard guns before," Mr Pulefele told AAP.

"Then I got up and I could hear screaming. And then I realised someone's been shot."

A neighbour said police had been to the house before.

The latest incident comes after one man was killed and two were injured in shootings linked to Brothers 4 Life.

On Sunday, a 27-year-old man, named by media as suspected Brothers 4 Life gang member Michael Odisho, was found with multiple gunshot wounds at Winston Hills.

A man, believed to be the cousin of Brothers 4 Life boss Bassam Hamzy, was shot dead in Revesby a week ago and another man, Omar Ajaj, suffered multiple bullet wounds in the attack.

Police said it was too early to tell whether Monday's shooting was a revenge attack.

Mr Kaldas would not rule out that Hamzy might have influenced recent shootings from jail. He also refused to say whether the intended shooting target had been interviewed, or whether he was even at home during the attack.

However, Mr O'Farrell said a man had "fled out the back door" seconds before the shooting began.

The NSW opposition accused Mr O'Farrell of allowing gun crime to spiral out of control.

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Bold and the beautiful play at the Cup

Sunset hues of red, tangerines and bright yellows ruled the fashion stakes on Melbourne Cup Day. Source: AAP

THE bold and the beautiful lit up Flemington in the fashion stakes on Melbourne Cup day, with American swimwear model Kate Upton and AFL star Lance ''Buddy'' Franklin causing a stir.

Reds, tangerines and bright yellows popped in a crowd of about 100,000 people, who enjoyed a summery Cup.

Upton and Australian beauty Jennifer Hawkins chose fiery red numbers by Antonio Berardi and Yeojin Bae, respectively.

Franklin sat next to Upton on the Emirates balcony, and the pair set tongues wagging as they chatted and laughed.

The Sports Illustrated cover girl, who showed off her figure in a plunging red dress, said it was her first Melbourne Cup.

"I have been enjoying myself. It's so great here with the fashion and the horses," Upton said.

Former Spice Girl and Australia's Got Talent judge Geri Halliwell selected a vintage cream lacy dress for her outfit.

She won about $3500 after betting $500 on Fiorente, vowing to give the money to a Melbourne charity rather than splash out on a new pair of shoes.

"The only reason why I went for this one is because the lady that I'm staying at her house is Gai Waterhouse.

"Apparently she is the girl power of horse training."

US burlesque star Dita Von Teese and Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora were also among celebrity guests to enjoy the Birdcage.

The crowd at the track was relatively well behaved, with only three arrests and 86 evictions by late afternoon.

Ciara Wallace, of Dublin, enjoyed her second Melbourne Cup with a picnic on the lawn.

"It's a brilliant day. The sun is shining and we are all having a crack," she said.

"The whole of Victoria gets into the buzz of the Melbourne Cup - that's what makes the Melbourne Cup."

Cleaner Emma Brasser, who was working a 13-hour shift, said the crowd was generally well behaved - so far.

"I haven't had any calls for throw ups yet, so I'm doing pretty well."

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Skype sex victim lashes out at Defence

The female army cadet at the centre of the Skype sex scandal is suing the Department of Defence. Source: AAP

A FEMALE army cadet secretly filmed having sex with a colleague claims Defence degraded her following the incident and hopes suing the department will force it to change its attitude towards women.

The woman known as Kate is taking legal action over the incident, in which a fellow army cadet filmed himself having sex with her on a webcam and streamed it live to friends in a nearby room.

Kate alleges Defence not only failed to support her but actively tried to discredit her name, including most seriously by leaking her personal medical records to the press.

"It was just yet another invasion of my privacy," she told ABC's 7:30 program on Monday.

"The only place that it could come from is the defence force."

Defence has vehemently denied the claims, with a spokesperson telling AAP the department never provided her medical information to the media.

"Defence has only provided records to official investigators, in accordance with the Privacy Act," Defence said in a statement.

"Defence has provided extensive support including logistics, medical, administrative and legal support to assist the member and will continue to do so."

The department said complaints from Officer Cadet Kate had been investigated with the highest priority and it had not yet received a legal claim.

But Kate is expected to take her complaint to the Human Rights Commission within days in a bid to seek compensation over the March 2011 incident.

Kate had entered a "friends with benefits" arrangement with fellow cadet Daniel McDonald, with rules including that no one should know about their sexual relationship.

She stipulated in advance the sex would remain secret but later learned another cadet Dylan Deblaquiere had streamed the act via Skype to a room of friends.

She said her privacy was invaded but Defence started degrading her further, with colleagues labelling her "that Skype slut" at every base she went to.

"It follows you everywhere you go," she said.

McDonald and Deblaquiere, both 21, were found guilty over the incident in an ACT Supreme Court and last month received 12-month good behaviour bonds.

Kate lashed out at the sentencing and urged the Department of Public Prosecution to appeal, saying it set a "scary example" and would deter other victims of sexual assault from coming forward.

She didn't regret speaking out about the incident, but was at "ground zero" after losing her career, health and livelihood.

Kate said she was about to be discharged from the army on medical grounds but hoped her legal case would spark cultural reform within the Australian Defence Force.

"It's about bringing about cultural change within the defence force and it's also about getting me the resources I need to start my life again," she said.

"When are we going to see victims better protected and supported?"

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Parties consider WA senate poll challenge

With the declaration of the WA senate result, the timer has started on a possible court challenge. Source: AAP

THE Abbott government is relishing the prospect of a fresh Senate election in Western Australia, claiming it will be a referendum on its carbon tax repeal legislation.

The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) on Monday declared the final result with Liberal senators David Johnston, Michaelia Cash and Linda Reynolds and Labor senator Joe Bullock keeping the seats they won at the original count.

The Greens' Scott Ludlam and the Australian Sports Party's Wayne Dropulich claimed the seats which had been initially awarded to Labor's Louise Pratt and the Palmer United Party's (PUP) Zhenya Wang.

The official declaration starts a 40-day clock toward a possible challenge to the result in the Court of Disputed Returns, after 1255 formal ballots and 120 informal votes had disappeared between the original count and recount.

Former federal police chief Mick Keelty will on Tuesday start a two-week investigation into the missing ballots and his finding will underpin whether the AEC will challenge the outcome of the vote in court.

The AEC and other potential parties to the case, the ALP and the PUP, are also considering whether to petition the court.

The court could let the result stand or order a fresh election of all six Senate positions in WA.

Electoral commissioner Ed Killestyn appeared to concede this on Monday, saying there was a "nagging and almost irreconcilable doubt" about the outcome.

He apologised unreservedly to WA voters who had been "disenfranchised" by the loss of the ballots.

Finance Minister Mathias Cormann, a WA senator, said a fresh Senate election in his state - which has a massive mining and energy industry - would be another referendum on Labor's carbon tax.

"It will be another opportunity for the people of Western Australia to send a strong and clear message to Bill Shorten that they want the carbon tax gone," he said in Canberra.

The Labor opposition has said it won't repeal the bills unless the government agrees to proceed to an emissions trading scheme - an option the coalition has rejected outright.

"We will argue that case in any by-election, any general election that comes our way," opposition climate spokesman Mark Butler said.

A fresh election could allow the government to pick up an extra spot in the upper house, making it a little easier to push its repeal bills through after the Senate changeover on July 1.

But Labor could find itself embroiled in an internal battle over its candidate list.

Senator Pratt, who was controversially bumped to Labor's number two spot on the senate ticket behind Senator-elect Bullock, said she would stand if a new WA poll was called.

"There would have to be some flexibility about what political parties put forward for any prospective ballot. In some situations they would have to (change)," Senator Pratt said.

Senator Ludlam believes court action is almost inevitable and appropriate.

WA's chief electoral officer Peter Kramer said the commission was "horribly disappointed", but would be able to run any fresh election very quickly.

PUP leader Clive Palmer says the AEC is conspiring to deny his party the balance of power in the Senate after the recount cost Mr Wang his seat.

"It indicates our voting system isn't fair and it indicates the powers at be don't want to see someone else have the balance of power in Australia, that's what it boils down to," Mr Palmer told AAP.

Mr Palmer said his party was planning to lodge an appeal in the Court of Disputed Returns.

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Egypt court adjourns Morsi trial

The Egyptian government says ex-president Mohamed Morsi won't appear at the opening of his trial. Source: AAP

AN Egyptian court has adjourned to January 8 the trial of ousted president Mohamed Morsi over his alleged involvement in the death of protesters during his year in power.

Morsi, in his first public appearance since the army deposed him in July, rejected the proceedings and told the court on Monday: "I am Dr Mohamed Morsi, the president of the republic... This court is illegal," a correspondent attending the trial reported.

He slammed his overthrow by the army and called on military leaders to face trial.

"This was a military coup. The leaders of the coup should be tried. A coup is treason and a crime," Morsi said.

Defiantly, Morsi arrived in court wearing a suit rather than the customary white detention clothes.

Two of his co-defendants, senior Muslim Brotherhood leaders Essam al-Erian and Mohammed al-Beltagui, chanted "Down with military rule" at the start of the hearing, and applauded Morsi when he walked in.

Morsi came to power in June 2012 in the country's first free elections, made possible by a popular uprising a year earlier.

He and 14 others are charged with inciting the deaths of protesters outside the presidential palace in December 2012.

They face the death penalty or a life sentence.

The trial is seen as a test for Egypt's new authorities, who have come under fire for their heavy-handedness.

With more than 1000 people killed since Morsi's overthrow and thousands of Islamists arrested, hopes for a political settlement are slim.

Amnesty International's Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui said Morsi should be granted a "fair trial, including the right to challenge the evidence against him in court".

"Failing to do so would further call into question the motives behind his trial."

But analysts believe the political nature of the trial will drive its outcome.

"This is first and foremost a political trial and an important one. There is zero chance of it being free and fair," said Hamid. "The trial is a clear reminder of a polarised Egyptian society at this moment of time."

Morsi was catapulted from the underground offices of the long-banned Muslim Brotherhood to become Egypt's first democratically elected president in June 2012.

His victory was made possible by the 2011 uprising that toppled autocratic president Hosni Mubarak.

But his stint at the helm was marred by political turmoil, deadly clashes and a crippling economic crisis.

In November 2012, Morsi decreed himself sweeping powers, prompting opponents to accuse him of failing the ideals of the revolution.

It was a turning point that launched the worst polarisation in Egypt's recent history.

A month later, deadly clashes erupted outside the presidential palace between the Islamist's supporters and opponents. Morsi is facing allegations of inciting that violence.

Accusing police of failing to protect the president, the Brotherhood called on its supporters to confront the protesters. At least seven people were killed in the clashes that erupted on December 5 last year.

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'Illusion' distorts dentists' work: study

A new study has found dentists are drilling bigger holes than necessary when performing root canals. Source: AAP

AN optical illusion that can make the area of tooth decay appear larger tricks dentists into drilling bigger holes than necessary, a study has found.

An Australian visual perception expert teamed up with New Zealand dentistry researchers to determine whether visual illusions affect dental treatment.

The study, published in the journal Plos One, involved eight New Zealand dentists preparing 21 teeth for root canals by drilling cavities in each.

Professor Robert O'Shea, a psychology expert in visual perception from Southern Cross University, says all of the dentists drilled larger holes than necessary.

He said this was due to an optical illusion which makes a small enclosed area (the decay) appear larger when surrounded by a larger area (the tooth).

"We do not know if dentists are aware of this," Prof O'Shea said.

"The critical aspect for the illusion is the ratio between the size of the tooth and the size of the small area.

"We think that dentists think, either consciously or unconsciously, after they have made a hole of a particular size: 'That looks rather small - I need to make that hole bigger'."

Dental researcher Nicholas Chandler, an associate professor at New Zealand's University of Otago, says removing more of the tooth than required can lead to the tooth splitting or cracking.

Prof O'Shea says in light of the new research dentists should consider measuring the area that needs to be drilled, rather than relying on their eyes to determine how big the hole needs to be.

The study could be helpful to other healthcare providers, such as doctors, to ensure as much healthy tissue is saved as possible when carrying out treatment, he says.

"It is important for them to know that their eyes can deceive them into removing more healthy tissue than necessary," he said.

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Search scaled back for swimmer at Bondi

The search for a man feared drowned off Sydney's Bondi Beach has been suspended due to fading light. Source: AAP

THE search for a man feared drowned off Sydney's Bondi Beach has been suspended.

A man, believed to be in his 20s, went missing off Bondi Beach sometime after 5pm (AEDT) on Monday.

His disappearance sparked a search and rescue operation that included surf lifesavers, an ambulance helicopter and police.

But a police spokeswoman told AAP that the operation was suspended just before 8pm due to dangerous sea conditions and fading light.

There has been no sign of the man, she said.

Police will continue to patrol the beach on foot overnight, with the full search to resume at first light on Tuesday.

The man is believed to have gone swimming with another person when the pair found themselves in difficulty.

One of the swimmers was rescued but the man hasn't been seen since.

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