Finks bikie hurled off cliff by comrades

The injured Fink is taken to hospital after he was thrown off a cliff at Marino. Picture: Channel 10 Source: adelaidenow

A SENIOR member of the Finks bikie gang has narrowly survived an attempt to kill him after being bashed and thrown off a cliff at Marino in Adelaide's southern suburbs.

The violent incident, the latest in an ongoing internal dispute between Finks members, occurred on Friday night and is now the subject of an intensive police investigation.

Sources said the latest incident is believed to be directly linked to the bashing of a well-known Finks member at the gang's Thebarton clubrooms several weeks ago.

The victim, 26, is well-known to police. He operates a southern suburbs fast food outlet and has been a target of several police operations in recent years.

The burnt out Peugot sedan linked to the Fink bikie thrown off a cliff at Marino. Picture: SA Police

Police believe he was subjected to a severe bashing sometime on Friday night at an unknown location before being taken to the Marino cliff adjacent Cove Rd.

He was then thrown down the cliff face and eventually came to rest on rocks around 10m below.

He was found by people walking along the beach early on Saturday and taken to Flinders Medical Centre where he remains in a satisfactory condition.

A police officer at the spot where a Fink bikie was thrown over a cliff at Marino. Picture: Noelle Bobrige

He suffered severe facial injuries and several fractures as a result of the incident.

He told police he had fallen from the cliff, but suspicions were aroused when blood was found at the top of the cliff.

A short time later a silver Peugeot hatchback was found burnt out at Brooks Rd at Clarendon that police believe is linked to the incident.

The burnt out Peugot sedan linked to the Fink bikie thrown off a cliff at Marino. Picture: SA Police

The conflict is the most significant within Adelaide's bikie gangs since the Vince Focarelli/Hells Angels war and the dispute involving former Fink Mark Sandery and the Hells Angels that saw Sandery's young son shot twice in the legs during an attempt on his life.

Both of those disputes have been quelled for the time being with both Focarelli and Sandery in prison awaiting trial on various offences.

Senior police hold fears the Finks dispute could spill over in a public place and put innocent people at risk.

Police say the a vicious internal feud has erupted within the Finks outlaw motorcycle gang.

Police are seeking anyone who may have seen the silver Peugeot hatchback at Marino on Friday night to contact them.

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Fearful US braces for Frankenstorm

This NOAA satellite image shows Hurricane Sandy off the Mid Atlantic coastline moving toward the north. Picture: AP Source: AP

NEW York authorities have ordered the evacuation of 375,000 people from low-lying coastal areas as the imminent arrival of Hurricane Sandy forces the entire eastern seaboard into lockdown mode.

Hundreds of thousands of residents in low-lying coastal areas are under orders to clear out and an AFP reporter said the beach resort of Rehoboth in Delaware was a ghost town as the deadline passed for mandatory evacuation.

Forecasters warned that New York Harbour and the Long Island Sound could see seawater surges of up to 3.35 metres above normal levels.

"This one will do us in"

Mark Palazzolo, owner of a bait and tackle shop on the Manasquan Inlet in Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey, sits next to wood he has used to board up his business in previous major storms. He said, "I think this is going to do us in." Picture: Wayne Parry Source: AP

Meanwhile one scared New Jersey resident's words echo a growing atmosphere of fear as hurricane Sandy approaches: "I think this one going to do us in.''

Mark Palazzolo, who boarded up his bait-and-tackle shop in Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey, with the same wood he used in past storms, crossed out the names of Hurricanes Isaac and Irene and spray-painting "Sandy'' next to them.

Snow storms, storm surges and power outages are all going to be massive as hurricane Sandy moves across the eastern coast of America

"I got a call from a friend of mine from Florida last night who said, 'Mark. Get out! If it's not the storm, it'll be the aftermath. People are going to be fighting in the streets over gasoline and food.'''

America prepares

Many big cities from Washington to Boston are bracing for the onslaught of a superstorm that could menace 50 million people. And New York is directly in the firing line.

Forecasters warned that the megastorm could wreak havoc over 1300km from the East Coast to the Great Lakes. States of emergency were declared from North Carolina to Connecticut.

Stores have been emptied of bottled water and emergency supplies as residents prepare for possible power outages and disruptions to transport and services.

A shopper finds the bread shelves empty at a Supermarket in Manhattan Sunday. Picture: AP Source: AP

Transport disrupted as Hurricane Sandy approaches

Qantas has been forced to cancel flights between Los Angeles and New York because of the looming storm. 

Airlines canceled more than 7400 flights and Amtrak began suspending passenger train service across the Northeast. New York and Philadelphia moved to shut down their subways, buses and commuter trains Sunday night and announced that schools would be closed. Boston, Washington and Baltimore also called off school.

MTA Police watch over as the last people are cleared out of Grand Central Station in New York. Picture: AFP/ Timothy A Clary Source: AFP

At least twice as many train passengers as usual crowded the Amtrak waiting area Sunday morning at New York's Penn Station. Many were trying to leave New York earlier than planned.

The noon and 1pm trains to Boston were sold out.

Ambulances line up near the Hoboken University Medical Center, where patients were evacuated in anticipation of Hurricane Sandy. Picture: AP /Julio Cortez Source: AP

"We were told to get the heck out. I was going to stay, but it's better to be safe than sorry," said Hugh Phillips, who was one of the first in line when a Red Cross shelter in Lewes, Delaware, opened at noon.

Randall Ross, a bookseller from Shreveport, Louisiana, and his traveling companion, Mary McCombs, were waiting for an Amtrak train to Syracuse, the destination they chose after attempts to book flights through eight other cities failed.

"I just want to be somewhere else except New York City," said McCombs, who will stay with friends in Syracuse until she and Ross can get a flight. "I don't want to risk it."

"Nature's going to what it's going to do

Despite the dire warnings, some souls were refusing to budge.

Jonas Clark of Manchester Township, New Jersey - right in the area where Sandy was projected to come ashore - stood outside a convenience store, calmly sipping a coffee and wondering why people were working themselves "into a tizzy."

"I've seen a lot of major storms in my time, and there's nothing you can do but take reasonable precautions and ride out things the best you can," said Clark, 73. "Nature's going to what it's going to do. It's great that there's so much information out there about what you can do to protect yourself and your home, but it all boils down basically to 'use your common sense'."

Closing doors

As rain from the leading edges of the monster hurricane began to fall over the Northeast, tens of thousands of people in coastal areas from Maryland to Connecticut were under orders to clear out Sunday. That earlier included 50,000 in Delaware alone and 30,000 in Atlantic City, New Jersey, where the city's 12 casinos were forced to shut down for only the fourth time in the 34-year history of legalised gambling there.

 But New York remains the centre of attention.

Authorities warned that the biggest US city could get hit with an 3.35m wall of water that could swamp parts of lower Manhattan, flood subway tunnels and cripple the network of electrical and communications lines that are vital to the nation's financial center.

New York called off school today for the city's 1.1 million students and announced it would suspend all train, bus and subway service Sunday night because of the risk of flooding, shutting down a system on which more than 5 million riders a day depend.

The New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq will be closed completely Monday and possibly even Tuesday due to the imminent arrival of Hurricane Sandy, its operator said.

"In consultation with other exchanges and market participants, NYSE Euronext (NYX) will close its markets on Monday, October 29, 2012 and pending confirmation on Tuesday, October 30, 2012,'' the operator said in a statement.

Earlier, the NYSE planned to suspend only floor operations, but continue electronic trading.

"We support the consensus of the markets and the regulatory community that the dangerous conditions developing as a result of Hurricane Sandy will make it extremely difficult to ensure the safety of our people and communities, and safety must be our first priority,'' NYSE Euronext pointed out, after revising its earlier decision.

Officials also postponed today's reopening of the Statue of Liberty, which had been closed for a year for $30 million in renovations.

Political response

In Washington, President Barack Obama promised the government would "respond big and respond fast" after the storm hits.

President Barack Obama speaks during a briefing at Federal Emergency Management Agency headquarters. Picture: AP Source: AP

"My message to the governors as well as to the mayors is anything they need, we will be there, and we will cut through red tape. We are not going to get bogged down with a lot of rules," he said.

He also pleaded for neighborliness: "In times like this, one of the things that Americans do is we pull together and we help out one another And so, there may be elderly populations in your area. Check on your neighbor, check on your friend. Make sure that they are prepared. If we do, then we're going to get through this storm just fine."

The storm forced the president and Republican rival Mitt Romney to rearrange their campaign schedules in the crucial closing days of the presidential race. And early voting today in Maryland was canceled.

Sandy's movements

Timeline: What to expect from Hurricane Sandy

Shelters across the region began taking in people.

Sandy, a Category 1 hurricane with sustained winds of 120km/h was blamed for 65 deaths in the Caribbean before it began churning up the Eastern Seaboard. It is currently centered about 850km southeast of New York City, moving at 24km/h, with hurricane-force winds extending an incredible 280km/h from its center, according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami.

Sandy was expected to hook left toward the mid-Atlantic coast and come ashore late Monday or early Tuesday US time, most likely in New Jersey, colliding with a wintry storm moving in from the west and cold air streaming down from the Arctic.

Forecasters said the monster combination could bring close to 30cm of rain, a potentially lethal storm surge and punishing winds extending hundreds of kilometres outward from the storm's center. It could also dump up to 60cm of snow in Kentucky, North Carolina and West Virginia.

High winds blow sea foam onto Jeanette's Pier in Nags Head, N.C. as wind and rain from Hurricane Sandy move into the area. Picture: AP Source: AP

Louis Uccellini, environmental prediction chief for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, said that given Sandy's east-to-west track into New Jersey, the worst of the storm surge could be just to the north, in New York City, Long Island and northern New Jersey.

"This is the worst-case scenario," Uccellini said.

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Savile gropes young woman on live TV

Jimmy Savile, host of Top Of The Pops is caught allegedly molesting a young woman on live TV in 1976.

SHOCKING footage has emerged of British television icon Jimmy Savile groping a young woman live on air, while an Australian man is thought to be among 300 victims abused by the presenter.

Disturbing YouTube footage taken from Top of the Pops in 1976 shows a teenage Sylvia Edwards wriggling away from Savile who had his hand up her skirt and was groping her bottom with one hand while he calmly introduces the next act to the camera.

The 19-year-old blond jumps about and shrieks in reaction to Savile's wandering hands during live filming for the popular music show on November 25 1976 at the BBC's West London TV centre.

She has told British newspaper The Sun  that when she complained to a BBC employee she was told to "get lost" as Savile was only "messing about".

"I felt his fingers go towards my bottom. It was disgusting," the now 55-year-old told The Sun.

"He just laughed and carried on mauling me while talking to the camera."

Jimmy Savile groped Sylvia Edwards live on TV during an episode of Top of the Pops in 1976.

In the clip Savile says to the camera: "I tell you something, a fella could get used to this, as it happens, he really could get used to it."

Ms Edwards said the experience damaged her and later contributed to the collapse of her marriage.

Ms Edwards' claims come amid what has been described as a "tsunami of filth", with British police following 400 lines of inquiry involving more than 300 victims of alleged abuse by Savile from the 1960s through to the 1980s.

News Limited has learned one victim is an Australian man from NSW who has contacted authorities in the UK with details of abuse believed to have been while he was growing up in the UK more than two decades ago.

It was thought most of the victims were female but top law firm Pannone has confirmed most of the people it is representing are males.

Ms Edwards said she was told the presenter was only "messing about" when she complained about the incident to a BBC staff member.

Partner Alan Collins - who has prosecuted high profile child abuse claims including the infamous Jersey childrens' home abuse case from three years ago - said yesterday he was to travel to Australia next month to interview one victim in person.

"We are representing victims from the UK, Europe and I can confirm at this stage one victim is from Australia," he said.

"It is being reported that a lot of the alleged Savile victims were women but that is not right. We are representing mostly men. These were boys in the 1960s and '70s from good quality homes who were victims but are today upstanding people who would not normally come to the attention of the law."

Mr Collins declined to say any more about the case but it is understood he has been in email and telephone contact with the NSW man and was arranging to meet when he was to be in Australia on unrelated business.

He described the Savile case as staggering and said he would be looking at making a claim on behalf of clients on Savile's multi-million dollar estate which included homes cars and cash.

When he died last year, Savile bequeathed most of his fortune to charities.

A number of law firms are representing victims.

Meanwhile, police are preparing to arrest up to 12 people allegedly linked with Savile's child abuse. The British press has reported that nine of those being investigated are current employees and or contributors working at the BBC.

Chairman of the BBC Trust Lord Patten described the scandal as a tsunami of filth that had created "terrible damage" to the network.

Scotland Yard had seven chances to stop Savile before he died last year but complaints were either not followed through or did not have enough evidence.

Thirty police officers were now investigating the Savile case; in contrast 178 officers were currently investigating the media in the wake of the phone hacking scandal.

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Rudd has new view of knifing

Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard. Source: AFP

KEVIN Rudd has penned his own account about the "betrayal" of being dumped as prime minister and his secret offer to deliver Julia Gillard the leadership.

The document, obtained by The Sunday Telegraph, describing the leadership coup in his own words, was provided to author Maxine McKew in the preparation for her book, Tales From The Political Trenches.

Responding to the new details today, opposition leader Tony Abbott suggested Labor should be given a stint in opposition to sort out their internal problems.

"I think the public are sick of the soap opera," Mr Abbott told reporters in Canberra.

"The Labor Party leadership is a soap opera and the only way to end the soap opera is to change the government."

Rudd: 'My ambition was to hand over to Julia'

Kevin rents out mansion, lives it up at Hyatt

As Ms McKew's book reignites Labor's leadership wars, senior Labor figures clashed over the fallout with:

• Former Labor leader Simon Crean declaring it was "a mistake" to dump Mr Rudd as leader but warning MPs "we can't change again".
• Senior Labor frontbencher Penny Wong was humiliated by the ALP after the faceless man Don Farrell, who plotted Mr Rudd's downfall, was awarded the Number 1 spot on the Senate ticket.
• Labor frontbencher Anthony Albanese attacked the decision as an "act of self indulgence" by Senator Farrell, his frontbench colleague.

In his written account of the leadership coup Mr Rudd writes that the political ambush was made worse by the fact he backed Ms Gillard's ambitions.

"I was married to a strong woman, I was the son of one and I was the father of one," Mr Rudd writes.

"And I too wanted to see a female prime minister. So given all of that, I was stunned when the coup occurred."

"Did I feel let down and indeed betrayed?," Mr Rudd writes. "Well of course. I am as human as the next person.

Mr Rudd writes he was blindsided by Ms Gillard and the Treasurer Wayne Swan who gave him no indication there was a problem in 2010.

The Queenslander reveals he repeatedly discussed handing over the leadership to Ms Gillard.

"I also said to her in my office one day in early 2010 that I had no intention of breaking the record book for being the longest serving Labor prime minister," Mr Rudd writes.

But in an olive branch, he has apologised to the ALP for his failures as PM and also urged Labor MPs to "put this whole chapter of ugly political history behind us".

Former Labor leader Simon Crean told The Sunday Telegraph that he believed it was "a mistake" to dump Mr Rudd as leader but warned MPs they could not go back to the future.

Mr Crean said this was not a criticism of Ms Gillard, but an assessment of the political damage caused by Labor's revolving door of leaders.

"We shouldn't have changed leader. But we have and we can't change again," Mr Crean said.

"It's always wrong to change the leader.

"But that's what we've done and we've got to stick with it."

But a fresh war erupted yesterday in the ALP over the Labor Party's decision to humiliate Finance Minister Penny Wong by awarding her the Number 2 spot on the SA Senate ticket.

Senator Farrell, dubbed one of the "faceless men", was one of the key players in the plot to remove Mr Rudd as prime minister secured the Number 1 spot in a 112-83 vote yesterday.

Senator Wong previously ran in the Number 2 spot in 2007 but the outcome is regarded as embarrassing because Ms Wong is now one of the government's most senior ministers.

The decision sparked a furious response from federal Labor frontbencher Anthony Albanese. "This is an act of self indulgence which highlights the need for ongoing reform of the Australian Labor Party, Mr Albanese told The Sunday Telegraph.

"Penny Wong is obviously our most talented Senator from South Australia. Full stop. End of Story. Full Stop.

"ALP operatives need to understand that the end audience is always the voting public, not ourselves," he said.

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Rail rage woman dealt with

A woman has attacked a group of men on a Sydney train, spitting, cussing and challenging them to a fight. Unimpressed, they removed her from the train.

The abusive young blonde woman on a Sydney train who passengers kicked off after 10 minutes of torment. Picture: YouTube Source: Supplied

A YOUNG woman filmed swearing and abusing people on a train in Sydney was thrown off and dumped on the platform by other passengers.

The video, which was been posted on YouTube on October 26, shows the blonde woman in a red top spitting, swearing and hitting rail commuters, Mail Online reported.

Commuters initially try to ignore the woman's rants as she spits at them and shouts "f*** off you c****, come on you little dogs step up!"

After 10 minutes of non-stop abuse, the patience of passengers runs out.

A middle-aged man standing nearby attempts to calm the woman down, but instead she begins to hit him.

Shortly afterwards as the train pulls into a station, five of the abused passengers decide to take action.

They gather her bags and throw them onto the platform, swiftly followed by the woman herself.

After landing on the platform floor on her bum the woman stares sheepishly at the vigilante travellers in disbelief who in turn laugh and cheer in triumph.

Eventually as the video ends a security guard at the station escorts the woman away.

The video has provoked fairly strident responses.

A user, called Nik Nak, posted: "If she wants to act like a bloke and get in their faces and spit on them she should be treated like a bloke and get knocked out.

"I dont (sic) promote violence against women at all but in circumstances like this the first time she spat on me I would've knocked her out."

Craziewill wrote: "She deserves it and there is nothing un-gentlemen or violence in this."

Warning: Explicit Language

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Black belt, 83, turns tables on burglar

SELF DEFENCE: Jutta and Edwin Dowdy in their Kenmore home. PIC: Rose Brennan Source: The Courier-Mail

POLICE are trying to find a home invader who was badly hurt when he tried to force his way past an 83-year-old black belt home owner last night.

The home invader, a muscular man in his thirties who may be linked to other burglaries, broke into the high-set home in Gilruth Rd, Kenmore at about 8.30pm.

Gold Coast: Woman hurt in home invasion

Inside were Edwin Dowdy, 83, and his wife Jutta, 76, who have in the property in the quiet Kenmore street since 1966.

A blood trail on a path beside the property. PIC: Rose Brennan

When the couple - who both have black belts in the Japanese art of Aikido - realised there was an intruder in the house Mr Dowdy grabbed a knife from the lounge room he had kept for security and went to confront the burglar and warn him he was armed.

He said he confronted the intruder and told him he had a knife, but the man tried to push past him and ran onto the blade.

The injured burglar - who was bleeding heavily from a knife wound to his stomach - took two of Mrs Dowdy's handbags and ran onto the balcony and jumped to the ground.

A large amount of blood was visible there this morning.

He then fled down with the Dowdys in pursuit and tried to steal a car from a few doors down.

The vehicle, which belonged to a P-Plater, had blood on it this morning and there was a lengthy blood trail on the street.

When the thief was unable to break into the car he fled on foot and police today issued a plea for public help to locate him, advising that the amount of blood at the scene "indicates that the man needs urgent medical attention".

They say he is likely to have a "noticeable injury to his lower front or side torso".

Police have warned homeowners that while they have a right to defend themselves from intruders only "reasonable" force should be used.

"Our advice is that people should avoid confronting anybody it's not my advice that people should arm themselves and confront anyone in a house," Detective Inspector for Brisbane West Robert Hitch said.

"People have a right to take action to defend their own person, to defend their dwelling and to defend other people. The force that they use must be reasonable and must fit the circumstances, it must be considered in relation to the threat that they're facing," Det Insp Hitch said.

Det Insp Hitch said police were unsure how seriously injured the intruder may be and said they are investigating how he was hurt.

Blood was found inside the house and a trail of blood was found in streets around the home.

"The owner of the home has been interviewed....the reality is we don't know what injuries have been caused, we don't know who the injuries have been caused to. We have insufficient evidence in relation to what sort of actions have taken place in the house," Det Insp Hitch said.

"We're appealing for anyone who may have information in relation to who the intruder is (to come forward)," he said.

Det Insp Hitch said police were investigating if last nights break and enter was linked to other recent burglaries in Kenmore.

Police are door knocking homes in Kenmore today.

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AFL detectives raid Crows HQ

AFL investigators arrive at the Adelaide Football Club Administration in the wake of deals made with former player Kurt Tippett Picture: Sarah Reed Source: Herald Sun

AFL investigators arrive at the Adelaide Football Club Administration in the wake of deals made with former player Kurt Tippett - STEVEN TRIGG PA comes downstairs to meet the investigators Picture: Sarah Reed Source: Herald Sun

The AFL investigation into the Kurt Tippett "exit clause" has now turned to possible salary cap breaches. Picture: George Salpigtidis. Source: Herald Sun

Embattled Adelaide CEO Steven Trigg says he's trying to protect the club as the AFL probes the Crows' books for evidence in the Kurt Tippett controversy.

AFL-appointed accountants arrived at the Crows' West Lakes offices today to claim material AFL salary cap watchdog Ken Wood and integrity officer Brett Clothier will need to determine the extent of payments made outside the salary cap to Tippett.

Tippett faces possible deregistration as an AFL player and the Crows could be fined and lose draft picks after admitting they had a secret deal with the star forward, who wants to be traded to Sydney.

Tippett was not traded by today's 2pm deadline and could be headed for the draft - if he is permitted by the AFL.

"Everything we are doing is in the best interest of the footy club and protection of the footy club,'' Trigg said.

Trigg said Adelaide had "initiated the investigation''.

"The extra examination is really because what this whole situation throws up is doubt and we want to eliminate doubt,'' he said.

"We've invited the AFL to send in their forensic guys, work through the whole lot and make sure, so that at the end of it, we can sit there and we can say 'right, everything is clear'.''

The Crows last Friday confessed to the AFL they struck a secret deal in 2009 with Tippett and his management to trade him to the club of his choice for a second-round draft pick.

Trigg denies legal action threat

The deal was also believed to include an agreement to pay Tippett an extra $200,000 when his contract expired.

But the Crows didn't tell the AFL of the deal - on the surface, a breach of the league's rules.

Trigg's future was in jeopardy given he helped broker the deal.

"There is lots of pressure on all sorts, but in terms of specifics, don't want to talk about it,'' he said.

"The investigation is still going - you'll ask me about people's roles and sanctions and be asked about potential outcomes, I just can't give it to you at the moment.''

The AFL has not put a timeframe on completing its investigation.

The payments relate the secret side deal written for Tippett in 2009 when he signed a three-year contract extension.

The evidence gathered today will play a major part in determining how the AFL sanctions the Crows, Tippett and his management.

Adelaide Crows CEO Steven Trigg arrives at West Lakes as investigators - who are already in the building - seize bank and computer records. Picture: Sarah Reed Source: News Limited

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$660 million crash to hit investors

Banksia's customers are fearful about the fate of their investments following the collapse of the company.

Banksia Financial Group has been placed into receivership. Source: Herald Sun

UPDATE: QUESTIONS are being asked of government regulator the Australian Security and Investment Commission over what actions it took prior to the $660 million collapse of the Banksia Financial Group.

Thousands of investors are facing hundreds of millions of dollars in losses after the shock collapse.

Julie and Les Bailey, former dairy farmers from Numurkah, say they have potentially lost several hundred thousand dollars invested in Banksia superannuation.

"We have lost all our super," Mrs Bailey said from her Queensland home.

She said it was not only Victorians who were suffering.

Others interstate, including the couple's son, stood to lose significant investments, Mrs Bailey said.

ASIC was allegedly informed about the precarious position of Banksia, and a subsidiary Statewide Secured Investments 18 months ago, according to NSW property developer David Hawkins who was involved in litigation with the firm.

"The regulator has been on to them for about 18 months ... (but) ASIC have sat on their hands," Mr Hawkins claimed.

"I've been waging war against them (Banksia), as have about four other people in relation to their lending practices," he said.

Are you affected by the collapse? Leave a comment below or call our newsroom on 03 9292 1226

Mr Hawkins was involved in court action with Banksia over a $2.2 million property deal after Banksia withdrew their support for the project.

But he said Statewide had been lending money in NSW "like a drunken sailor" when Banksia amalgamated with it in 2009.

He claimed Statewide had contested liabilities of $28-$30 million at the time but Banksia had insisted it would not inherit the firm's debt, even though it provided security for costs in a number of court cases.

Mr Hawkins said major residential, hotel and commercial developments in Sydney had faced multi-million dollar valuation and financing problems, helping to bring the collapse on.

ASIC said it was "aware" of yesterday's developments with Banksia but did not disclose when it was first notified about the financial group's problems.

ASIC spokesman Andre Khoury said the commission was "actively engaged" with Banksia's trustee and receiver.

Mr Khoury said ASIC was not a prudential regulator.

"ASIC's historical work in this sector reflects the fact that a disclosure regime is in place for debentures, coupled with the requirement that a trustee is in place to monitor the issuer and seek to protect the interests of debenture holders," Mr Khoury said.

Banksia appointed receivers yesterday owing investors $660 million.

Banksia fell into receivership after a recent review of its non-performing loans.

About 3000 investors in eight towns and cities in regional Victoria have had their investments frozen while receivers McGrathNicol work their way through the non-bank lender's accounts.

About 100 workers also are set to lose their jobs.

The collapse has shocked communities across the state.

Kyabram District Plan Group member and accountant Peter Nelson, whose firm shares an office building with Banksia's now-closed transaction centre, said there may be hope for investors to recoup at least some of their cash, given Banksia's advances were secured by first-ranking property mortgages.

Mr Nelson, himself a Banksia investor, said everyone from retirees to sporting clubs and schools in the Goulburn River Valley region had money in the firm, describing it as a financial icon in the region that has built a strong reputation since forming in the 1960s.

"Unless there's some real bodgies in there (Banksia's accounts), we'd be hopeful something will come out in the wash," he said.

"Hopefully this won't be as bad as people believe."

Kyabram resident Jason Dunn said the town was reeling.

"People are in tears," he said.

He said many locals feared they would lose their retirement fund.

"People who worked hard all their life have just lost the lot. It's really going to affect the town. It's a black day here," he said.

Kyabram local Lynne, 50, opened up an account two weeks ago with about $8000 for a holiday.

"I'm devastated, but I got off lightly," said Lynne, who asked that her surname not be used.

"One retired lady lost the lot - $400,000. Now it has probably just gone, disappeared like that," she said.

She said Banksia was an institution that locals had trusted.

The pastor of Kyabram Baptist Church, Robert Arnold, said it was likely the church would lose money.

He said there had been no warning signs that the firm was in trouble.

"Our banking goes through them," Mr Arnold, 70, said.

"It has come as a shock. I would have thought it would have been pretty well managed."

Victorian Farmers Federation vice president Peter Tuohey said farmers had been hit by the collapse.

"Farmers are just trying to recoup after going through a lot of pretty tough years," he told 3AW today.

"A few farmers that have got a few savings and put away carefully in a local investment company  - it's going to hurt them pretty dearly so (it will) really set the whole area back."

Victorian Shadow Minister for Finance Robin Scott said the collapse was a terrible blow for families, and called on the Victorian Goverment to "step in and assist those communities most impacted".

Shadow Treasurer Joe Hockey said the Federal Opposition was "desperately trying to find out much more on how Banksia was structured".

"I think it's important to recognise that if an institution is not supervised by APRA, if it's not an authorised deposit-taking institution then there is a certain amount of risk," he told 3AW.

"When someone advertises themselves as a non-bank lender or as a non-bank financial institution then the money is at risk."

Banksia, which was founded in Kyabram, offered investment products including fixed-term, superannuation and pensioner deeming accounts and mortgage schemes.

Banksia has a network of 14 branches across Victoria, NSW and SA with headquarters in Melbourne.

Its other Victorian branches are in Echuca, Ballarat, Bendigo, Geelong, Shepparton, Tatura and Warrnambool.

Campaspe Shire chief exeuctive officer Keith Baillie said there were a lot of nervous people in northern Victoria after the shock announcement.

"Our concern is the impact on not only the investors but the staff employed at the Kyabram and Echuca offices, with Kyabram supporting Banksia's administration office," Mr Baillie told The Weekly Times.

McGrathNicol receiver Tony McGrath said it was too early to know what caused the collapse.

He said an urgent review of Banksia's financial position, loan book and properties was under way.

"Our primary concern is to ensure the interests of debenture holders are being protected," Mr McGrath said.

Staff will work on during the review.

The group, which bills itself as a "non-bank alternative", was founded as Kyabram Housing Investments by Patrick Godfrey in 1968. In 1999, it merged with other small investment companies to form The Banksia Financial Group.

Mr Godfrey stepped down as chief executive in August and was replaced by Warren Shaw, a former National Australia Bank general manager in charge of overseeing its retail branches.

Mr Godfrey continues to serve as a board member.

- with  Christopher Gillett

john.dagge@news.com.au

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Black hole in our galaxy erupts

NASA's Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array, or NuSTAR, has captured these first, focused views of the supermassive black hole at the heart of our galaxy in high-energy X-ray light. Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech Source: NASA

IS THIS a sign of the impending Mayan apocalypse? NASA has observed an eruption - from a supermassive black hole at the centre of our galaxy.

A series of blurry pictures snapped by NASA's NuSTAR telescope has captured the moment the black hole "burped" after chowing-down on a nearby star.

The pictures - blurry as they must be filtered from light-years worth of dust and intervening stars - are a lucky bonus for the $165 million observation campaign launched in June.

"This data will help us better understand the gentle giant at the heart of our galaxy and why it sometimes flares up for a few hours and then returns to slumber," a NASA spokesperson said.

The spectroscopic telescope was built to study high-energy events such as the turmoil around black holes.

It will spend most of its time examining violent black holes at the centre of galaxies.

The Milky Way's resident supermassive black hole - Sagittarius A - is unusually quiet. And that's probably a good thing.

The flares are believed to be caused when matter - usually dust or gas from nearby stars - falls within a black hole's irresistible grasp.

As the matter is pulled down, it heats up to over 100 million degrees Celsius and emits a blast of radiation - shortly before it is pulled beyond the point where even light cannot escape.

This particular eruption was also captured by other observatories: the Chandra X-ray Observatory and Hawaii's Keck Observatory (infrared).

This simulation shows the approach and capture of a gas cloud by the black hole Sagittarius A, at the heart of our galaxy, that is due to take place between now and 2020.

All three will soon shift devote much of their attention to Sagittarius A.

And likely just in time: A huge cloud of dust and gas is known to be getting close enough to be sucked in sometime next year.

Scientists are so excited they have dedicated super-computer time to build simulations of what may happen to the cloud as it swirls around the black hole.

Some doomsday predictions citing the Mayan calendar and interpretations of mythological references say the Earth, Sun and centre of the Milky Way will come into alignment in December - causing an energetic chain of events that will disrupt our planet's magnetic field and lead to disaster.

NASA says there is no such special alignment, and, even if there was, it would produce no effect.

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Terror Australis: Snakes, and other death traps

What you need to look out for this summer. Picture: Soraya Asmar (news.com.au) Source: news.com.au

• Snake season is here, and they're everywhere
• Experts: Don't try to catch or kill a snake
• More: Sharks - Jellyfish - Fires - Mosquitoes
• Tell us your snake and danger stories

THEY are fast, clever and dangerous. And this summer - they're going to be everywhere.

It's officially snake season. And all around the country, from Darwin to the Blue Mountains, a snake or snakes will be slithering to a patch of grass near you.

Experts say the warmer months, and for some species the coinciding wet season, lures thousands of snakes out of hiding so they can hunt, breed and warm up their cold blood.

And it's not just in bush paddocks and grassy outback trails you'll have to be alert; some of the deadliest snakes can be found in suburban backyards.

[Scroll down for more dangers of summer: Sharks - Jellyfish - Fires - Mosquitoes]

"We get calls in Surry Hills," snake catcher Yo Matthews told news.com.au. For those outside of Sydney - Surry Hills is a heavily populated urban neighbourhood about 1km from the CBD.

The Eastern Brown snake is one of the deadliest and most common seen during summer as well as breeds like the red-bellied black snake and the odd tiger and carpet snakes.

Snakes on a beach: These Eastern Brown Snakes were spotted at Emerald Beach, NSW by news.com.au reader Charlotte Miller. Source: news.com.au

Mr Matthews is expecting around 2,000 calls this summer from Sydney through to the Blue Mountains, while NT reptile expert Chris Peberdy expects similar activity in the Top End.

"Alice Springs is the biggest hotspot in Australia for brown snakes, and Darwin fields more calls for general snake sightings than anywhere in the country," he said.

OK, so we know they're going to be about. But before you completely freak out, there's a few things you can do to avoid seeing and, in a worst-case scenario, being bitten.

"Almost all snake bites come from someone trying to catch or kill a snake. Do not attempt to do either of those things," a spokesman from NSW National Parks and Wildlife told news.com.au.

"Snakes are very good at keeping themselves hidden because they're more threatened by us than the other way around.

"If you can't back away safely from a snake, stand still and don't panic - it will get itself out of the way."

You can also take the following precautions to avoid bringing a hive of snakes to your place:

- Keep you grass short and mow the lawn regularly;
- Clear the yard of excess scrubs, branches and loose leaves;
- Pick up pet food, particularly bird seeds, chicken scratch and excess foodstuffs;
- Keep pets and kids away from bushy areas where snakes may be hiding;
- Take a first-aid course, especially if you're a parent.

In the rare case of a snake bite, call 000 immediately.

SHARKS

Out of the 13 shark attacks this year, 11 have come from great whites. Source: news.com.au

There have been 13 reported shark attacks in Australia this year, including 11 from great whites.

Western Australia is the hotspot with five, including the only two deaths of 2012, followed by NSW (4), SA (2), VIC (1) and TAS (1).

John West from the Taronga Conservation Society says the attacks are unprovoked and difficult to predict, but expects more during summer.

"The more populated areas are more likely to have shark attacks," he said.

"The numbers are very small. It's pretty hard to indicate when or where they're more likely to happen."

FIRES

Queensland, NSW and Victoria are most at-risk, with 60 bushfires already alight in Queensland.

Western and south-west Sydney are in danger of bushfires over summer, while west of Melbourne is set for a bad grassfire season.

"If you draw a line through Victoria just west of Melbourne, anything to the west of that is basically at a high fire danger," a CFA spokesman told news.com.au.

"Grass fires are a real problem because they move very quickly and burn very hot and do a lot of damage in a short space of time.

"They run fast and it's just about impossible to outrun them. It's important that people start now - slashing grass and moving vegetation from around their house."

JELLYFISH

Box jellyfish are prevalent in far-north Queensland. Source: news.com.au

Far-north Queensland, particularly on the Barrier Reef, is notorious for stingers.

The two you have to watch out for are the box jellyfish and the irukandji, according to stinger expert Colin Sparkes.

"Box jellyfish are large, swim fast and they're clever," he said.

"They'll give you big welts that stay for a long period of time."

Stinger nets have drastically reduced the number of incidents, but Mr Sparkes says you should also consider wearing stinger suits or long-sleeved clothing if you're swimming up north.

"Irukanji are a lot smaller and can be around all-year round, but they definitely come in more during the summer months with northerly breezes."

"They cause muscle cramps, nausea and then you feel like the world's going to end. It's terrible, terrible pain."

Further south, bluebox jellyfish are commonly seen around the Gold Coast and the NSW coast. They'll give you a nasty sting - and don't forget the old pee treatment.

MOSQUITOES

Dengue Fever is a danger in far-north Queensland. Source: news.com.au

Dr Cameron Webb from the University of Sydney says the most common problem with mosquitoes is Ross River Virus - but that can essentially be contracted anywhere.

"There's no typical area, but Perth and south-west WA have experienced a lot more activity in Ross River in the past couple of years," he told news.com.au.

They mosquito hotspot in Australia is far-north Queensland, upstate from Townsville, the only place in the country you can contract Dengue Fever.

"On the east coast, from south-east Queensland through to the far northern NSW border, you also get lots of nuisance of biting from mosquitoes and the chance of Barmah Forest Virus," he said.

What do you do if you're bitten and experience a fever and joint pain?

"See a GP immediately for a blood test," Dr Webb added.

On Twitter: @christoforpaine

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