Climate Commission experts to push on

EXPERTS once at the helm of the now defunct Climate Commission have vowed to continue their work and will launch an independent body after being dumped by the federal government.

The Australian Climate Council will be officially unveiled in Sydney on Tuesday, with the same six specialists volunteering their time to interpret breaking climate science from around the globe.

Professor Will Steffen said one of the first orders of business for the not-for-profit Council will be assessing the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's (IPCC) fifth assessment report, due for release on Friday.

"We will do the very best we can to pull out the main points to this report and make it understandable to the Australian public," Prof Steffen told AAP, adding that he and colleagues hoped to produce a summary document within days of the release.

The Climate Commission, set up in 2011 by the former Labor government to increase public awareness of climate change science, was disbanded by the new coalition government on Thursday.

"Since the axe fell I've gotten lots of emails from colleagues and the general public ... people airing their displeasure (at the Commission being scrapped) and we were just really encouraged by the groundswell of support to keep going," Prof Steffen said.

The Australian National University researcher said the Commission had filled "an important niche" as an a-political organisation, keeping Australians informed about "complex climate science".

Former Australian of the Year, Tim Flannery, who headed up the Commission, said it was important the work continued.

"It is crucial for tackling big societal challenges and for democracy that Australians have access to accurate scientific information," Professor Flannery said.

The two men will be joined by colleagues Roger Beale, Gerry Hueston, Professor Lesley Hughes and Professor Veena Sahajwalla.

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Motorists spending thousands each year

AUSTRALIANS are forking out more than $3800 a year to keep their cars on the road.

Fuel is a major expense, but it also costs more than $100 a year to park the car, and almost the same to clean it.

Queenslanders pay the most to keep their wheels on the road, while drivers in NSW are slugged the most at the toll booth.

Vehicle maintenance costs are highest in the Northern Territory, where vast distances separate the major centres.

Nationally, motorists spend an average of $3854 on running costs, before loan repayments and depreciation are taken into account, Commonwealth Bank credit and debit card transaction data shows.

Queenslanders pay on average $254 more than that, due to higher fuel and registration expenses.

Parking is most expensive in Western Australia, where $125 is spent each year, above the national average of $108.

Car washes are priciest in NSW, where the average annual spend totals $112.

Petrol makes up 40 per cent of Australia's annual average car bill, with a total of $7.2 billion being spent at the bowser.

A weakening Australian dollar could push that bill even higher, Commonwealth Bank economist Diana Mousina said.

"Fuel costs will always be a significant expense for car owners so I'd encourage consumers to think about putting more of their weekly budget aside to cover the increasing cost of fuel, especially those in regional Australia," she said.

Insurance costs average $407 each year.

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Biometric trick fools iPhone: German group

A GERMAN hacking group claims it can bypass the fingerprint-based security system used to unlock Apple's new iPhone 5S.

A spokesman for the Chaos Computer Club says the group managed to fool the phone's biometric sensor into accepting a fingerprint created with a household printer and wood glue.

Dirk Engling said on Monday that the exploit has been documented with several videos so independent experts can verify it.

He added that the hardest part had been getting hold of an iPhone 5S, which went on sale in Germany last week.

Apple didn't respond to repeated requests for comment.

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Council to make big difference: Mundine

THE coalition government's planned Indigenous Advisory Council will make a difference to the quality of Aboriginal life in as little as five years, says incoming chairman Warren Mundine.

The former ALP president was scathing of high spending in the area which he said had proven ineffective.

"You've got half a million indigenous people in Australia. There's only about a couple of hundred thousand of them who need support and help, and we're spending $25 billion on it on an annual basis," Mr Mundine told ABC TV on Monday.

"That just doesn't make sense to me. I'm a businessman and if I ran a business like that I'd probably go bankrupt very quickly."

Prime minister-elect Tony Abbott has promised to set up the council within a week of being sworn in to the top job on Wednesday.

The council will firstly review current indigenous spending and make recommendations to government, before being responsible for overseeing change.

After airing his frustration at the lack of progress under a Labor government, Mr Mundine is confident the coalition plan will make a difference.

"We're focusing on an area that has been lacking in this whole area of Aboriginal affairs and that is, if you're going to create jobs, that is not through government funding, that is through economic activity."

He said it was essential to work with the private sector to create job opportunities and match education and training, while on another level boost Aboriginal childhood education.

"Through that process I predict within about five to seven years you'll make a massive difference," Mr Mundine said.

The council boss said he had also spoken with incoming treasurer Joe Hockey about the coalition's proposed $42 million cuts to indigenous legal services.

"He is pulling back on that," Mr Mundine said of Mr Hockey.

Asked if it meant the cuts would not go ahead, Mr Mundine said: "No, I don't think it will be cut."

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Harper Lee settles copyright lawsuit

HARPER Lee has settled the lawsuit she filed to secure the copyright to her classic novel, To Kill a Mockingbird.

A federal judge in New York City approved the order last week dismissing the case against Samuel L. Pinkus, the son-in-law of Lee's former literary agent, and companies he allegedly created.

Two other defendants had been dropped from the suit a week earlier.

Gloria C. Phares, the Alabama author's lawyer, says the case has ended to Lee's satisfaction.

Defence lawyer Vincent Carissimi said many people misconstrued the nature of the case and that Lee's royalties were never in danger.

Filed in early May in US District Court in Manhattan, the suit alleged that Pinkus failed to properly protect the copyright after his father-in-law, Eugene Winick, became ill a decade ago.

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Small business sees long haul to recovery

AUSTRALIA faces a long road to economic recovery, even if business gains a short-term boost in confidence from the election of a majority coalition government, new research suggests.

A survey of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in August found that just 23 per cent of respondents expect the domestic economy to improve within 12 months.

The survey of 1022 SMEs by business software provider MYOB released on Tuesday found 35 per cent expect an improvement to take to one to two years, while 26 per cent expect it will take more than two years.

Confidence results were a little weaker than those reported in MYOB's previous Business Monitor released in March.

The results correspond with a dip in revenue expectations for this financial year, with only a quarter anticipating a revenue rise, down from 30 per cent six months ago.

Twenty-two per cent are expecting a fall (up from 19 per cent) and 44 per cent are expecting stable revenue (up from 42 per cent).

MYOB chief executive officer Tim Reed believes political uncertainty in the lead up to the election was likely to have had a strong influence on the results.

"We hope to see a boost in SME confidence now the election verdict is in, but our research suggests it will be a slow road to significant improvement in the health of our economy and our business outlook," Mr Reed said.

"The financial confidence of the country's small to medium business operators is closely linked to the health of our economy and it is telling us a clear story."

He said while SMEs welcome record-low interest rates, they also recognise it as a sure sign the domestic economy is experiencing slowed growth.

Two industry sectors stood out as being particularly gloomy about the outlook - only 13 per cent of agribusiness owners saw an improvement in the economy within a year, while 35 per cent of manufacturing and wholesale business owners expect a revenue fall this year.

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Rates expected to remain on hold

THE Reserve Bank is likely to keep the cash rate on hold as it waits on the outcome of the federal election and allows its August rate cut to work its magic.

All fourteen economists surveyed by AAP expect the RBA to keep the cash rate at the record low of 2.5 per cent when it meets later on Tuesday.

HSBC chief economist Paul Bloxham said the RBA would wait to see what happens to business confidence following the federal election, with governor Glenn Stevens having expressed concerns about weaker sentiment.

"The election will hopefully deliver some more certainty about the policy framework and objectives, whichever side wins," Mr Bloxham said.

He also expects the RBA's next move to be reliant on the Australian dollar, with the central bank more comfortable with a currency closer to 85 US cents.

National Australia Bank senior economist David de Garis said there was room for another rate cut before the end of 2013 - even if the Aussie dollar falls further - with unemployment forecast to push through 6.0 per cent.

"The RBA have made it pretty clear that even with the Aussie dollar going down, they still expect inflation to be within their target bands and so there's not going to be a barrier to another cut," Mr de Garis said.

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Rudd clashes with pastor over gay marriage

MONDAY night television is not a usual venue for theological discussion but Prime Minister Kevin Rudd showed off his knowledge of the Bible as he clashed with a Brisbane pastor over gay marriage.

Mr Rudd turned feisty after first attempting to calmly explain to the ABC Q&A audience his conversion to support same sex marriage.

"If you call yourself a Christian why don't you believe the words of Jesus in the Bible?" Pastor Matt Prater then asked.

"Well mate, if I was going to have that view, the Bible also says that slavery is a natural condition," Mr Rudd replied, to extended applause.

"St Paul said in the New Testament, 'Slaves be obedient to your masters'.

"Therefore we should have all fought for the Confederacy in the US civil war? For goodness' sake."

He said the New Testament's fundamental principle was one of love for fellow man and that people shouldn't get "obsessed" on a particular definition of love based on sexuality.

"If you think homosexuality is an unnatural condition then, frankly, I cannot agree with you."

The prime minister also pledged a Labor government would "as soon as the budget opens up" reverse changes that led to many single parents being put on Newstart and losing money.

He faced several questions on the economy, the state of the budget and his claims about the opposition's plans.

Mr Rudd told a dairy farmer he was predisposed to not let Coles and Woolworths "have the power to smash the farming sector to bits" but he'd wait to see what the competition watchdog had to say about milk prices.

The final two questioners of the night wanted to know about Mr Rudd's plans if Labor lost government and what he saw as his legacy.

"How about we get a question which ends with 'if you do win the election'?" Mr Rudd replied to laughter.

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Rudd offers health hub to woo Tassie

KEVIN Rudd will pledge a multi-million dollar health and sports science centre when he visits Tasmania, saying it will boost much-needed jobs in the north of the state.

The prime minister will be in Launceston on Tuesday to announce a $28 million contribution over four years towards a University of Tasmania's health and sports science training and research centre, if Labor wins the election.

He says the project will boost jobs in the state's north, and create 345 new jobs during construction.

Tasmania has the highest unemployment rate in Australia at 8.2 per cent.

"This is exactly the kind of shot in the arm northern Tasmanian needs," Mr Rudd says.

Once complete, an extra 700 health students, including those studying nursing and physiotherapy will be trained at the centre each year. There will also be an extra 70 teaching jobs.

Building work could start next year, but the $83.5 million project also needs money from the state government.

Mr Rudd will be campaigning in the seat of Bass, which Labor backbencher Geoff Lyons holds by 6.7 per cent.

He's facing a tough challenge from the Liberal Party's star candidate former army brigadier Andrew Nikolic.

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Businesses still gloomy about 2013

NEITHER the conclusion of the federal election nor the most recent interest rate cut is likely to stimulate Australia's slowing economy, says credit information bureau Dun & Bradstreet.

D&B's latest Business Expectations Survey, released on Tuesday, showed that expectations for sales, investment and employment in the last three months of 2013 are flat and at a low level.

Many companies had found the last year tough and now were focusing on reducing debt, controlling expenses and managing their core operations.

The biggest barrier to growth was rising operating costs.

Cash flow was also a significant issue, with companies taking much longer to pay bills.

"Business expectations for the final quarter of the year have fallen flat in a sign that the economy's long-awaited revival will not occur in 2013," D&B said in a statement.

"The outlook for the remainder of the year suggests that businesses do not view the conclusion of this month's federal election as a potential springboard for the economy.

"Businesses also appear to consider the Reserve Bank's latest rate cut as reason for continued caution, rather than investment."

The percentage of businesses expecting increased sales has fallen from 18 per cent in the previous quarter to 11 per cent in the fourth quarter.

Only two per cent of businesses plan to lift spending in the next quarter, and only three per cent intend to hire new staff.

The services and the wholesale sectors were the least positive.

The manufacturing sector was the most positive, buoyed by the falling value of the Australian dollar.

D&B chief executive Gareth Jones said business expectations had been tracking downwards and were only just stabilising at a low level.

"The year-end outlook for businesses is not particularly cheery," he said.

He said businesses will be hoping for a traditional pick-up in consumer spending in the New Year and the summer months.

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