How shorts saved lost teen's life

British teen rescued after being lost in the Australian bush for three days. Rough Cut (no reporter narration).

OUTBACK: The search for Sam Woodhead. Picture: RACQ NQ Rescue Helicopter Source: Supplied

THE English backpacker, who survived three days without food or water after getting lost in the outback, has told how an SOS sign made out of his old rugby shorts saved him from certain death.

Sam Woodhead, 18, sparked a huge search after going for a run with a heavy backpack in high temperatures near Upshot Station, a property 90km from Longreach, in Queensland, last Tuesday.

He was rescued on Friday.

Speaking as he recovered in hospital in Longreach, Mr Woodhead, described how:

-Doctors told him he was only hours from death when he was rescued;

-He drank dozens of capsules of saline solution from his packs of disposable contact lens which stopped him dying from thirst; and,

-Howling dingoes prowled around the clearings where he slept at night.

The backpacker, who suffered kidney damage and lost more than 12kg, recalled how he was so weak he could barely crawl by the time he was rescued on Friday when a helicopter crew spotted his rugby shorts.

"I took all the clothes I had and made an SOS signal in the clearing," he said. "I used jumpers, a couple of pairs of shorts and spread them out to make the SOS signal as big as possible."

Despite his efforts, two helicopters flew overhead without spotting him on Friday morning.

Then, about 2.20 pm, another helicopter flew over and looked to be disappearing into the distance when it suddenly turned around and came back.

"I asked the pilot afterwards and he said, 'The only reason we turned around was because we saw something fly up from the ground'.

"It was a pair of my white rugby shorts that I used in the SOS sign."

He was reunited with his mother Claire Derry who flew out from the UK on the weekend.

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Assange Senate bid his ticket out

Julian Assange gave an address from the Ecuadorian Embassy last August. The WikiLeaks founder is hopeful of being elected to the Australian Senate. Source: AFP

JULIAN Assange is banking on being elected to the Australian Senate as his ticket to political freedom, saying he is sure his new WikiLeaks Party will "easily" attract the numbers to launch ahead of the federal election.

In an in-depth interview  published on website The Conversation this morning, Assange said he was counting on public support from Australians to help catapult him into the Senate and out of Ecuador's embassy in London, where he has been holed up since June to avoid extradition to Sweden over allegations of sex crimes.

According to the article Assange, who last week applied to be on Victoria's electoral roll in order to qualify for political office, will field WikiLeaks Party candidates for the Senate in several states, most likely including himself as a candidate in Victoria.

If he were elected, Assange said, the US Department of Justice would back down from its espionage investigation in order to avoid sparking an international incident, with the British government following suit.

Swedish authorities' case against him is "falling apart'', he says.

Under Australian federal law he would then have to take up his Senate seat within two months, which would require his freedom.

"In that case, the Senate could vote to evict me, but that would trigger a big political row,'' he is quoted as saying.

"Australians probably wouldn't swallow it. They've learned a lesson from the controversial dismissal of Gough Whitlam.''

Assange said if not immediately freed after his election, he could take his oath before the Governor-General "for the first time ever, by video link''.

He said he was "sure'' his WikiLeaks Party would "easily" attract the minimum 500 paid-up members required by federal law to launch, and says any technical objections to him standing for office "aren't real''.

"I've had to deal with the FBI, the British press and more than a few rank functionaries,'' he is quoted as saying.

"The Australian press are decent by comparison. No doubt the Australian Tax Office will show an interest in our campaign. Old enemies may make an appearance.''

Describing Assange as "calm, witty, clear headed'', the article reveals the former hacker's fondness for Rachmaninov, Tim Tams, Violet Crumbles and South Australian shiraz, and says he is taking boxing lessons several times a week with "an ex SAS whistleblower'' to help relieve the "visual monotony'' of life in prison.

When asked how allegations of his misogyny might affect his political campaign, Assange said his new party would be popular with women.

"I'm not interested in softening my image by planting attractive women around me,'' he said.

"I like women. They're on balance braver than men. ... Our WikiLeaks Party will attract the support of many women.''

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Budget boost from jobs package

Despite the Government boasting it was a $1 billion jobs package, the cost to the Budget is only $421 million over four years. Source: News Limited

TREASURER Wayne Swan will bank a surprise $600 million windfall from the government's jobs and industry package to provide a much-needed boost to his troubled Budget bottom-line.

Despite the Government boasting it was a $1 billion jobs package, the cost to the Budget is only $421 million over four years.

The rest of the package is money already allocated and $378 million is "off-Budget" and related to venture capital spread over 14 years. This is the same way it treats Australia Post and the National Broadband Network.

It means most of the "matching $1 billion'' clawed back by axing research and development tax breaks for 15 to 20 of the nation's biggest companies goes directly to the Treasury.

Mr Swan's office confirmed this saying "with revenues falling dramatically, making a net saving of just over $600 million is the fiscally responsible things to do".

The government said the top 20 companies would still get ordinary tax deductions on research spending but while they made up 0.1 per cent of businesses, they enjoyed a massive 18 per cent of the total cost of R&D tax breaks.

But leading accountant Paul Drum from CPA Australia said the cuts were at odds with the ideas in the Asian Century White Paper to boost innovation.

He warned it could lead to "a flight of much-needed expertise and capital".

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Self-defence classes are kids' stuff

Former Israeli Academy of Sport coach Haim Sasson gets a hand block from Amelia, 4. Picture: David Caird Source: Herald Sun

CHILDREN as young as three are being taught self-defence techniques used by the Israeli military.

Melbourne childcare centres are offering a modified version of Krav Maga, using play, games and self-defence moves to increase children's safety awareness and protect them from paedophiles, bullies and other threats.

Dynamight Kids founder Leann Webb said children were not being taught to use their fists, but to identify danger and react appropriately.

"It's not about hurting other children, but being safe," she said. "It might be using their voices to say 'Stop' and running away from danger, as well as self-defence skills."

Do you think children should be taught self-defence? Have your say below

Former Israeli Academy of Sport coach Haim Sasson is conducting demonstrations in Melbourne this week.

Melbourne mother Lisa, 38, said she was happy for her daughter, Amelia, 4, to have the Krav Maga lessons at Minikins Kindergarten and Child Care Centre.

"It is sad that in this day and age we need to do this, but it's the world we live in," she said.

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Rudd campaigning on Gillard's turf

Kevin Rudd's itinery is increasingly busy. Picture: Tony Gough Source: News Limited

Kevin Rudd arrives at Noble Park for a Labor Party fundraiser. Picture: Tony Gough Source: News Limited

KEVIN Rudd last night took his travelling roadshow to Melbourne, playing the star attraction at a fundraiser for one of his top Labor backers.

In the latest stop in an increasingly busy itinerary, the Queensland backbencher ate with Labor MP Alan Griffin and about 200 supporters at a dinner in Mr Griffin's electorate of Bruce.

The $75-a-head private function, at an undisclosed location in the southwestern suburb of Noble Park, was sold out and expected to include a speech from Mr Rudd.

Mr Griffin said Mr Rudd had agreed to be at the event months ago and he saw nothing unusual about his attendance so far from his Brisbane elctorate.

"He is a popular public figure and a former prime minister," Mr Griffin said.

Mr Rudd's latest event - in Prime Minister Julia Gillard's home state - came as she was forced to hose down more damaging opinion polls while visiting Mr Rudd's Queensland turf to spruik her industry package.

After Mr Rudd's increasingly cold references to leadership talk - from taking a cold shower, to an ice bath, to cryogenic freezing - Ms Gillard hammed it up for the cameras in a coldroom at Primo Smallgoods in a Brisbane marginal seat.

The PM would not comment on a Nielsen poll showing Labor's primary vote sliding back to 30 per cent.

"I don't do commentary on opinion polls," she said.

But veteran MP Simon Crean said: "It's a wake-up call isn't it? You can't gild the lily."

Meanwhile, Mr Rudd has been forced to ease jumpy ALP troops in his Griffith electorate over concerns he has not yet ordered new campaign signs, despite being short on supplies.

One campaign worker said they felt the local campaign was holding off buying more "Kevin For Griffith" signs because they would get free "Kevin For Australia" signs from national office if he became PM again.

Mr Rudd's spokesman denied the claim, but confirmed the shortage.

"In the last couple of weeks, an increased number of volunteers and a few `borrowed' corflutes (signs) has depleted our supply," he said.

"Like most local campaigns across Australia, the ALP Griffith campaign will order new signs in coming months."

Australian Workers Union boss Paul Howes yesterday said he had sworn off opinion polls and admitted he was wrong to be caught on them at the time he helped remove Mr Rudd as leader.

"Absolutely. You just heard me eat humble pie," Mr Howes said.

"I regret that I was one of the people that used to engage in this constant useless chatter on various opinion and chat shows around the country.

"I am sick of it, I am not doing it any more."

JUST A QLD BACKBENCHER

Tuesday - Interview Sky News about the mining tax

Wednesday - Reconciliation Breakfast in Adelaide, Canberra dinner for departing MP Robert McClelland with Simon Crean

Thursday - On Valentine's Day, tweets: "Roses are red, violets are blue. If you don't have a date, Question Time starts at 2 :)" Liberals send him chocolate roses during question time.

Friday - Sunrise spot and also ABC24 interview

Sunday - Sky News Australian Agenda interview. Newspaper column in Sunday Telegraph talking about his family.

Yesterday - ALP fundraising dinner in Melbourne

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$15m Anzac plan to mark centenary

Prime Minister Julia Gillard, pictured last week attending a naming ceremony for HMAS Canberra at the BAE shipyard in Williamstown, with Chief of the Navy Vice Admiral Ray Griggs and Minister of Defence Stephen Smith, will announce boost to Anzac commemorations today. Picture: Jake Nowakowski Source: Herald Sun

EXCLUSIVE: WAR memorials will be restored and schools given cash for Anzac-themed projects under a $15 million grassroots scheme to commemorate the centenary of the Gallipoli landing.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard today will announce grants worth $100,000 will go to every federal electorate and could include money for interpretative displays or exhibits of memorabilia.

"These grants will give communities an opportunity to remember our Anzacs in their own way," Ms Gillard told the Herald Sun yesterday.

"Just about every town, city and community in Australia has ties to the Anzacs or our diggers who fought and died in the Great War."

Communities will choose their own projects but they must relate to the involvement, service and sacrifice of Australian servicemen and women.

Projects can cover any World War I battles, including those on the Western Front.

They can include remembering significant anniversaries that have particular meaning to a community, restoring memorials and honour boards, creating interpretative displays and exhibits of memorabilia.

Schools will be able to apply for money for extra study or projects related to World War I.

Community committees will be created in all 150 federal seats and include veterans' groups such as the RSL, as well as businesses, schools and the local federal MP.

Ms Gillard said the grants were being made because the community was keen to remember the service and sacrifice of those who went to the Great War.

"The centenary of Anzac Day gives us special reason to pause and reflect on the great sacrifices made by our Diggers," she said.

"Almost 62,000 Australians were killed in the First World War (and) some 8700 died at Gallipoli."

The plan to boost local involvement coincides with thousands of Australians likely being denied the chance to be at Gallipoli for the 2015 dawn service.

Australia, New Zealand and Turkey have agreed that only 10,500 people will be able to attend.

There will be 8000 places for Australians, 2000 for New Zealanders and 500 for official guests and diplomats.

The Government said the number was set by an independent report based on safety, geographic limits and heritage factors.

Veterans' Affairs Minister Warren Snowdon said one million Australians were able to trace a direct family link to the Gallipoli Diggers. A public ballot will be held next year to decide who gets the tickets.

anzaccentenary. gov.au

phillip.hudson@news.com.au

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Rescuers suspect teen of Man v Wild stunt

LOST AND FOUND: British backpacker Sam Woodhead talk to the media following his ordeal in the Queensland outback. Pic Tim Marsden Source: The Courier-Mail

EXPERTS have called for increased awareness about the dangers of the Outback as rescuers question the motives of a British tourist who sparked a three-day search.

Backpacker Sam Woodhead, 18, spent three nights living off his own urine and contact lens fluid, when he became lost on a jog from Upshot Station, 130km south of Longreach.

More than 50 people searched a 450,000sq km zone for the British teen.

Survival expert Bob Cooper said visitors must be told the Outback is life-threatening.

"We need ourselves to be more responsible in our attitude to visitors, and visitors to the Outback, whether they're from the city or overseas," Mr Cooper said.

"They make it into a challenge and it's more than that. It's not challenging, it's life-threatening."

The concerns come as locals who searched for the teen - who dreams of joining the army - raised questions about his motives when he set off on the afternoon jog armed with a bag of clothes.

Bear Grylls. Photo: Discovery Channel, Luis Enrique Ascui.

Mr Woodhead told The Courier-Mail he was using the bag as a weight for the run.

He said it was "just a run that went wrong".

"It seemed more of an interesting run than around the airfield that I had been going around," he said.

Mr Woodhead will donate money received from a UK media deal to tell his story back to his rescuers.

While happy with the search's successful result, locals voiced their concerns that the 18-year-old was deliberately testing his survival skills in a Bear Grylls-style adventure.

"Just a few things don't add up . . . it's a funny feeling," local Norman Philp said.

SEARCH crews look for Sam Woodhead last week.

"You get a feeling he wanted to go bush."

Many other locals have spoken out, including Adrian Roots, who has been involved in several other searches for people lost in the Outback.

"From what his mum told us about him wanting to be in the Royal Marines and being big fan of Bear Grylls, that's probably why people are angry, thinking that's what he was doing.

"There's just the unanswered questions."

Outback Queensland Tourism general manager Lloyd Mills, based in Longreach, said it was the responsibility of tourists to research the dangers of the Outback.

"At the end of the day, (if) you're making a trip to a place in outback Queensland you need to do your research," he said.

"The information is available, you just have to look for it."

Tourism Research Australia data shows about 25 per cent of international tourists to Queensland travel outside the state's major cities.

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MasterTafe chefs cook off to save jobs

SAVING BACON: Four Gold Coast TAFE chefs will be cooking to save their job after being forced into a MasterChef-style competition. Source: National Features

FOUR Gold Coast TAFE chefs have been forced into a MasterChef-style competition, with the one judged the worst to lose their job.

And adding to the nightmare, two of the chefs fear the assessment panel was not independent because one judge had worked with the other two cooks.

Gold Coast Institute of TAFE CEO Aaron Devine yesterday confirmed the four chefs were forced into the "practical cooking assessment" in front of a panel made up of an independent chef, senior educational manager and a human resources representative.

Even though the panel has given the name of the person for redundancy, it is now on hold after the Queensland Teachers Union stepped in.

Mr Devine said a reduction in enrolments had forced the institute to cut its cookery workforce from five teaching positions to three. One person had taken a voluntary redundancy.

He said he had been contacted by a union official several days after the elimination round cook-off, raising concerns from one of the chefs that the independent panellist had previously worked alongside two of the candidates.

Mr Devine would not release the names of any of those involved.

"The complaint indicated that the independent industry member of the selection panel had knowledge of some of the candidates being assessed," Mr Devine said.

"GCIT has put the selection process on hold to consider the complaint and as a result the consequent redundancies are also on hold.

"Should the complaint be upheld, GCIT will be undertaking a new selection process, either in part or in full."

The union's TAFE officer David Terauds said the chefs were required to demonstrate their cooking skills in front of the panel two weeks ago.

"A member that went through the process did raise concerns about the process," he said.

"If there has been an error of process, we'll call on the institute to remedy that so that all members of the team are treated fairly and equitably."

Mr Terauds expected to meet with TAFE representatives soon to discuss "the best option to move forward with the teaching team".

Industrial law expert Emma Thornton, from Maurice Blackburn, said employers were required to follow due process before terminating staff, and employees could seek advice about suspected wrongful dismissals. "If processes under the award or their work contract haven't been followed, then workers have clear rights," she said.

The cooking faculty is among several departments to have the axe taken to it, with Mr Terauds saying the Queensland system was among the "most underfunded" in Australia.

Already, 39 staff have been axed after a massive drop in overseas students left a $5 million funding shortfall.

Last month, 10 language teachers were made redundant, and Mr Devine flagged further cuts would happen in cooking and other trades affected by the drop in international students.

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