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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Third suspect chemical haul found in WA

Poms make diva demands

IF you thought your three-year-old was fussy, they've got nothing on the English team's list of dietary demands.

'Human Ken doll' has 128 plastic surgeries

WHILE Justin Jedlica's mates were saving up for cars and stereos, he was planning his first nose job. More than 100 procedures later, the 'human Ken doll' has no plans to stop.

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Poor weather lead to NT family crash: ATSB

THE pilot of a light aircraft which crashed into water killing himself and his young family had probably struggled with poor weather before making the fatal descent, investigators have found.

Stuart Sceney, 45, his wife Karmi Dunn, 53, and their daughters Mekdes, 12, and Kal, 15, were killed on April 1 when their Cessna 210H crashed off the coast of Cape Ford, south-west of Darwin.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau on Thursday released its final report into the crash, including that flight plans for the trip, from the Northern Territory's Bullo River Station to a private airstrip near Darwin, had been delayed by poor weather including thunderstorms.

"During the flight ... the pilot continued to track along the planned coastal route towards a thunderstorm, probably encountering conditions such as low cloud, reduced visibility and turbulence, and as a result of one or more of those factors the aircraft descended and collided with water," the report found.

Parts of the aircraft and bodies were found on a nearby beach the day after the crash.

The Bureau warned that while visual tracking along a coastline can be beneficial in bad weather, there is an increased risk of disorientation and a subsequent lack of surface definition when over water.

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Asylum seekers rescued off Indonesia

A GROUP of more than 50 asylum seekers has been rescued off the coast of Indonesia after earlier issuing a distress call while en route to Australia.

Indonesian authorities have confirmed a distress call was received from a boat, carrying about 56 people, which had reported engine trouble in the early hours of Thursday morning.

A spokesman for the Indonesian search and rescue agency, BASARNAS, said the boat was about 60 nautical miles off the south coast of Java when contact was made with authorities.

The official said that discussions were underway to organise offloading the asylum seekers in Indonesia, after earlier suggesting they would be escorted to Christmas Island.

It's understood HMAS Ballarat initially responded to the distress call and that an Australian Customs vessel later became involved in the operation.

A spokesman for Australian Immigration Minister Scott Morrison has confirmed the incident.

"Australian authorities are liaising with their Indonesian counterparts in relation to a vessel that has requested assistance as the vessel is within Indonesia's search and rescue zone," the spokesman said in a statement on Thursday night.

It was expected more details would be provided at the weekly Operation Sovereign Borders media briefing on Friday.

Both Customs Border Protection and Australian Maritime Safety Authority declined to comment.

The Abbott government has ended the previous government's practice of detailing asylum seeker boat arrivals as they happen.

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Former ACCC boss says sell Australia Post

The federal government should sell Australia Post, a former head of the competition watchdog says. Source: AAP

THE federal government should sell Australia Post, a former head of the competition watchdog says.

Graeme Samuel, who chaired the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) from 2003 to 2011, told a business lunch that Australia's postage services don't belong in government hands.

"Why it is that we own Australia Post when you've got so many other providers, private providers of carriage of mail and services?" Professor Samuel said.

Professor Samuel also criticised opponents of US food giant Archer Daniels Midland's proposed $3.4 billion takeover of GrainCorp.

The government gives billions of dollars to foreign companies investing in the motor vehicle industry to support local jobs, but may also block a US company from owning a major grain industry business, he said.

The Nationals are opposed to the GrainCorp deal, and Treasurer Joe Hockey is due to make a decision on December 17.

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Morrison disappoints on Christmas Island

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.

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Suicide attack in Iraq kills 7 police

A SUICIDE attack targeting the police in Iraq's east has killed at least seven policemen and wounded 14, officials say.

A police officer says the bomber drove his explosives-laden truck into the concrete blast walls outside the police headquarters in the town of al-Salam early on Wednesday morning.

The town is about 75km northeast of Baghdad and close to the city of Baqouba, a former al-Qaeda stronghold.

A medical official confirmed the casualty figures. Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorised to talk to media.

Baqouba and its surroundings are seeing scores of attacks as part of a nationwide spike that has gripped Iraq in the past few months. More than 5500 people have been killed since April.

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