The Prime Minister Tony Abbott says there is no time limit on his political recovery declaring he is a fighter and that he hopes to substantially pass the test on his leadership every day. After weeks of growing discontent with Mr. Abbott’s performance, Liberal MPs today voted 61 to 39 against opening up the nation’s top leadership positions to contenders. Mr. Abbott has pledged to make changes to appease his backbench critics and will consult them more on policy. 

 

The mothers of two Australians facing execution in Indonesia have met the country’s human rights commission in an attempt to get support to save their sons’ lives. They met the commissioners who again call for the abolition of death penalty and a moratorium on executions. Andres Chung and M. S. were sentenced to death for organizing the so-called Bali Nine heroin smuggling group. 

 

Experts have been called in to help identify what type of shark attacked and killed the surfer on the New South Wales north coast. The 41-year-old Japanese national was mauled while he was surfing at xx beach in xx this morning. He died at the scene from blood loss.