RUSH HOUR: The stories you need to know today
LINDT cafe gunman Man Haron Monis was given refugee status after fooling the Australian government into thinking he was an Iranian spy.
Good morning, and welcome to our morning news coverage. We will be bringing you the best of what’s happening this morning, so you can get across the news quickly.
9.45am
Queenslanders could be heading to the polls as early as January 31, with Premier Campbell Newman set to announce the date for the state election today.
On his Facebook page, Mr Newman confirmed he would be heading to Government House this morning to ask the acting Governor to issue writs for a state election.
“Queensland’s economic recovery is too important to be jeopardised by ongoing election speculation,” he wrote.
9.30am
The long-awaited trial of Boston Marathon bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev began Monday with jury selection, 20 months after the shocking attack that killed three at the city’s signature race.
Tsarnaev, a 21-year-old Muslim of Chechen origin, faces the death penalty if convicted in federal court for what was the worst act of terror on US soil since the September 11 attacks in 2001.
Tsarnaev appeared dressed in a dark pullover and light pants and with a shock of tangled hair and small beard.
9.10am
A fire in the Adelaide Hills has destroyed at least 26 homes with heartbreaking photos of the devastation have emerged.
While residents are lucky that no lives have been lost in the fires so far, many animals have been killed.
Jo Morris and her husband Gregg have run a shelter for kangaroos for the past seven years. The fire ripped through their property on Friday, and Mrs Morris recalls pleading with the CFS to “please save my kangaroos”. While they managed to save some animals, others perished in the blaze.
The biggest battle this past week has been in South Australia, but there have also been fires in Victoria and Western Australia.
8.50am
NSW Police have released images of a “cat burglar” involved in an alleged armed robbery of a supermarket in Mount Hutton last week.
The man is described as possibly being of Caucasian appearance and was seen wearing a black lycra body stocking over his body, along with black gloves with blue finger tips.
The man entered the supermarket on Wilsons Rd just before midnight on Monday, December 29.
Police have been told the man threatened a woman at the service counter and a fellow employee with a knife.
He fled the scene a short time later, taking cash. No one was injured during the incident.
Anyone with information should call Lake Macquarie Police via Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
8.40am
Indonesia’s transportation ministry has revealed harsh measures against everyone who allowed AirAsia Flight 8501 to take off without proper permits — including the suspension of the airport’s operator and officials in the control tower.
The licenses and schedules of all airlines flying in the country also will be examined to see if they are violating the rules, said Djoko Murjatmodjo, acting director general of air transportation.
The crackdown comes as searchers continue to fight bad weather while combing the Java Sea for bodies and wreckage of the Airbus A320 that crashed December 28, killing all 162 passengers and crew on board.
8.20am
Prime Minister Tony Abbott has met with the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi in Dubai and visited an airbase.
The Prime Minister excluded Australian media from his secret trip to Baghdad on the advice of diplomats.
During this visit Mr Abbott has not ruled out expanding Australia’s commitment to the fight against Islamic State in the Middle East.
“I certainly don’t rule out doing what we reasonably can to make the world a safer place,” Mr Abbott said after meeting with the prince.
Australia is part of the US-led coalition carrying out air strikes against ISIL in Iraq and has deployed special forces troops to assist in training the local army.
8.10am
The Irish tourist who critically injured his brother in a one-punch attack in Sydney said he wanted to visit the hospital where his brother is being treated.
Barry Lyttle, 33, was released on $2000 bail straight into the arms of his father Oliver as he emerged from Central Local Court.
The magistrate was told he wanted to “spend time” at his brother’s bedside at St Vincent’s Hospital — where Patrick is in a grave condition.
The brothers’ 74-year-old father is caught between caring for one son, who is fighting for his life, and another, who is facing serious time behind bars if found guilty.
7.40am
Perth experienced its sixth hottest day on record yesterday, reaching 44.4C just before 2pm.
The extreme heat even sent the internet into meltdown with iiNet shutting down some of the systems at its Perth data centre. This also impacted customers in other states, some reported that their internet was down for six hours.
Due to record breaking temperatures, iiNet Toolbox, Email and our Corporate Websites are unavailable. Apologies for any inconvenience caused
— iiNet (@iiNet) January 5, 2015@iiNet Hi, as we were offline for up to 6 hrs 30 mins, will you be compensating us that were impacted.?
— Rod (@Rod75961266) January 5, 2015Others questioned why the company was not prepared.
“@iiNet reporting air conditioners failed. Get real iiNet this is Australia! It’s hot here. How abt backups and backup generators,” Jane Wiles tweeted.
Thankfully the forecast for today is a balmy 33C.
7.20am
The Australian dollar has slumped to its lowest level since the middle of the global financial crisis.
According to The Australian, the fall was driven by renewed concerns about European stability and Australia’s economic prospects. The dollar dropped as low at US80.42c last night.
Economists believe it could now fall through US75c — a level Reserve Bank governor Glenn Stevens said last month was more appropriate given the state of the economy.
The lower dollar will help some sectors, including manufacturing, local retailing, travel and exporters, but corporate leaders yesterday warned it would take more than a weak currency to breathe life into the economy, with major structural reform needed.
7am
Detectives are today expected to charge former Sydney Swans player Tony Smith for the alleged kidnapping of a bank executive, which also involved Clive Palmer’s media adviser.
According to the Daily Telegraph, Smith, 48, is accused of plotting with Mr Palmer’s adviser Andrew Crook and former detective Mick Featherstone to lure the bank executive to a luxury Asian resort on the pretence of a job offer. But the offer was allegedly used to lure the man to change his statement in a lawsuit in which Smith had been involved.
Smith’s lawyer, Peter Shields, said his client had an appointment to meet police today. He declined to comment further.
The alleged kidnap plot that saw Mr Palmer’s adviser arrested last month was first reported to Queensland Police two years ago but was not investigated.
According to ABC, the Crime and Corruption Commission has also been asked to investigate the police fraud squad over its failure to act.
The National Australia Bank provided detailed evidence just days after the alleged unlawful detention of one of its employees in Indonesia in January 2013.
6.20am
The privileged son of a millionaire hedge-fund founder in Manhattan has allegedly killed his father after having his monthly allowance cut by $200.
According to the New York Post, Thomas Gilbert Jr told his mother to get him a sandwich before executing his father with a single bullet to the head.
“He (Thomas Gilbert Sr) was cutting his allowance. He had been giving him $2400 a month for rent and $600 for spending money, and he was cutting that to $400 a month for spending money,” a source told the Post.
The 30-year-old gave himself up and is expected to be charged with the killing.
6am
A strong 5.6 magnitude earthquake hit New Zealand’s South Island early Tuesday morning, US seismologists said, but there were no immediate reports of damage or casualties.
The quake struck near the centre of the South Island at a depth of 10 kilometres (6.2 miles) at 6.48am local time (17:48 GMT), the United States Geological Survey said.
The epicentre of the quake was located about 45km from Methven, the nearest town, and 101 kilometres from the major city of Christchurch, according to USGS.
To read more, click here.
5.40am
Lindt cafe gunman Man Haron Monis was given refugee status after fooling the Australian government that he was an Iranian spy familiar with state-sponsored terrorist attacks, which would put his life in danger if he was sent home.
According to the Daily Telegraph, the Islamic extremist also presented a signed letter on an Amnesty International letterhead, which lobbied the Department of Immigration on his behalf in 1997.
In a copy of the letter dated April 30 from that year, Amnesty’s refugee co-ordinator said the organisation assessed as “credible” outlandish claims made by Monis he was a dissident poet, a senior cleric and an Iranian intelligence officer.
A Freedom of Information inquiry shows his case was never sent for closer scrutiny by the Refugee Review Tribunal or the Federal Court.
To read more, click here.
‘Unbelievable’: Crackdown on housing rort
Social housing tenants in one state are earning far above what they should for a taxpayer-subsidised home.
‘Apocalyptic’: Once-stunning islands in ruins
A host of once-glittering island resorts are abandoned and crumbling and the government is fed-up with their owners, vowing to seize control if they don’t start redeveloping.
All changes coming for Aussies next month
From minimum wage increases to a crackdown on tobacco, here are all the changes coming into effect across Australia from July 1.