After turmoil, Maldivians go to polls

The Maldives is voting 19 months after the ouster of its first democratically-elected president. Source: AAP

AUSTRALIA isn't the only country at the polls.

Asia's smallest nation, the Maldives, was voting on Saturday in the hope questions about the legitimacy of its government will finally be answered.

About 240,000 people were eligible to pick a leader from four candidates, including the country's first democratically elected president who says he was ousted in a coup d'etat 19 months ago.

Mohamed Nasheed, who won the country's first multi-party election in 2008, ending a 30-year autocracy, resigned last year after weeks of public protests and slipping support from the military and police.

He later said he was forced to resign at gunpoint by mutinying security forces and politicians backed by the country's former autocrat.

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We're in for a belting, says Katter

Many locals in Mount Isa turned out to vote in similar attire to Akubra-wearing MP Bob Katter (L). Source: AAP

BOB Katter believes he can hold his seat but his fledgling party is in for a "terrible belting".

He says he believes he can retain his north Queensland seat of Kennedy, despite a swing against him in early counting.

But he conceded that could change as the count goes on.

He said his party was not faring well in early counting.

"We are expecting a very bad result. They said a vote for us is a vote for the ALP in an election where the ALP was on the nose," Mr Katter told the Seven Network.

"And we were totally unable to answer that. We had no money."

"We are expecting a terrible belting. We know we're in a lot of trouble here."

He said Clive Palmer's party, which is polling strongly, was visible all the time, but "we weren't".

He added: "It's no secret we had massive disorganisation" internally, and in relation to the party's finances.

He said he did not regret forming his own party.

"Absolutely not. The party's still there."

With Mr Katter behind in the count in Kennedy, coalition MP Christopher Pyne said things were looking uncertain for the veteran MP.

"Bob won't be able to rely on all of the preferences to come from Labor and Green voters. So that will be quite messy," Mr Pyne told the Seven Network.

"I don't think Bob will know for some time whether he's back in parliament or not."

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Battle for Melbourne will be close: Bandt

THE battle to retain the Australian Greens' only lower house seat will come down to a handful of votes, deputy leader Adam Bandt says.

Mr Bandt is confident of claiming victory against Labor's Cath Bowtell in the seat of Melbourne which he holds by a six per cent margin, but admits it will be a close call.

"We've probably got our noses in front at this point but it is going to be very close and it will come down to a handful of votes," he said outside a polling booth in Melbourne.

In 2010, Mr Bandt wrested the seat from Labor for the first time in a century but won via Liberal preferences.

This time the Liberals have preferenced the Greens last and the minor party needs a four per cent boost in primary votes to win.

"We know that we are trying to do something that hasn't been done before and that is win a lower house seat here in our own right," Mr Bandt said.

Mr Bandt says voters "certainly don't want Tony Abbott" and are fed up in a race to the bottom by the major parties.

He says voters have a choice between a Labor backbencher likely to be in a demoralised opposition or a party who will be in the balance of power in the Senate and be an insurance against Mr Abbott's "brutal" agenda.

"Unlike the Labor Party, I won't vote Tony Abbott to send refugees offshore," he said.

Ms Bowtell agrees voters are worried about getting a Liberal government, but only Labor can form government and protect voters from what she says will be the impacts of the East West tunnel, expand the rail network and invest in education.

"The only party that can form government and keep the Liberals out is the Labor Party," she said, after casting her vote in Melbourne.

She says the Greens are making lots of pledges they cannot deliver on.

"The Greens are promising lots of things but that is a dishonest promise that you make to people because the Greens will not form government and you have to form government to do the things that people want," she said.

"If I'm elected, I'll be a strong voice in the Labor caucus in government or in the alternative government and really, at election day, we choose the government."

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Bright poll day ends in chaos for Abbott

TONY Abbott started in God's country, but has passed through hell before a likely finish in election paradise.

The targeting of Labor's southern Sydney seat of Barton backfired spectacularly on the opposition leader, who had to be whisked away by security after being jostled by angry protesters.

As soon as he stepped out of his car at Athelstane Public School at Arncliffe, Mr Abbott was surrounded by Labor faithful, refugee supporters and backers of a local independent.

He could barely move in the crush, as protesters screamed "you're not welcome here Tony - f*** off!", "go away Tony" and "shame Tony shame".

The opposition leader tried to soldier on, as Liberal supporters countered the abuse with their own chants of "Tony, Tony".

But after five minutes, security staff were forced to put a stop to the increasingly rowdy polling booth visit, ushering a rattled Mr Abbott through the throng and back into his car.

The debacle at the school - in outgoing Labor MP Robert McClelland's seat - was a rare blemish in the coalition's five-week campaign.

The opposition leader voted just after 8am at Freshwater Surf Life Saving Club, flanked by an at times emotional wife Margie, and daughters Bridget, Frances and Louise.

"The rhythm of life is always better on the beach, isn't it?" Mr Abbott said as he mingled with well-wishers on the glorious spring morning.

Asked who he had voted for, an upbeat Mr Abbott couldn't resist a joke at his expense.

"It's a secret ballot," he said.

Not everyone on Sydney's northern beaches was welcoming of Australia's possible next PM.

"F*** Tony Abbott. F*** that s***," said one women as she walked from the Freshwater polling booth.

Another woman held up a sign "TONY ABBOTT SEXIST RACIST BIGOT".

"Don't go there Australia," she repeatedly yelled out.

"This is the 21st century, not the 1950s."

Later, Mr Abbott handed out how-to-vote cards at Maroubra Junction Public School, in a last-minute show of support for Kingsford Smith candidate Michael Feneley.

The coalition are hoping to snatch the once safe Labor seat in southeast Sydney, vacated by Peter Garrett.

"It's a beautiful day for a spring clean," one Liberal volunteer told him.

"Absolutely," the opposition leader agreed.

"For a clean out of our parliament."

Labor's candidate, former Senator Matt Thistlethwaite, handed out how-to-vote cards nearby.

The morning was "going well" he said, but added: "It's going to be tight".

"We're not taking it for granted, and we're campaigning as hard as we can," he told AAP.

Asked if he minded being targeted by Mr Abbott, he said: "No."

"Welcome to paradise mate."

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Peaks to be named after Hillary, Tenzing

Two Himalayan peaks will be named after Sir Edmund Hillary (R) and Tenzing Norgay. Source: AAP

NEPAL will honour the men who first conquered Mt Everest by naming two Himalayan peaks after Sir Edmund Hillary and his climbing partner, Tenzing Norgay.

The two were the first to make it to the top of the world's highest mountain in May 1953.

A Nepalese government panel has recommended two unnamed mountains be called Hillary Peak and Tenzing Peak, the panel's head Ang Tshering Sherpa told Reuters on Friday.

"This is to honour their contribution to mountaineering in Nepal," he said.

The two peaks - Hillary's at 7681m and Tenzing's at 7916m - have never been climbed, but are expected to be opened to climbers in March.

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Fiji passes new constitution

Fiji's president has signed a new constitution in another step towards free elections next year. Source: AAP

FIJI'S military regime has passed a new constitution in a step that's raising both hopes and concerns among many who want democracy restored to the South Pacific island nation.

The regime that seized power in a 2006 coup says the constitution is another step towards holding free elections next year. The document lays out the framework for a democracy, including a parliament consisting of 50 representatives elected every four years on the basis of one person, one vote.

But many say the constitution also curtails freedoms and is self-serving to the regime. The constitution allows for some freedoms to be suspended when leaders perceive a threat to public safety, order or morality - exemptions that critics say are broad enough to allow rulers to repress opponents.

Fiji police on Friday arrested about a dozen people, including a former prime minister, who were apparently peacefully protesting the new constitution, highlighting the restrictions that opposition groups continue to face.

It's the country's fourth constitution since 1970. It was signed by President Ratu Epeli Nailatikau and will take effect on Saturday. It comes after a draft prepared by an outside expert, Yash Ghai, was discarded by the regime, which then came up with its own version.

Fiji's leader, Frank Bainimarama, said the constitution enshrines principles including an independent judiciary, a secular state, and a range of civil, political, and socio-economic rights. He said it provides a blueprint for the country to move forward.

"On any fair reading, it safeguards the rights of every Fijian and finally lays the basis for the development of a modern, progressive and enlightened state," he said.

Bainimarama plans to contest next year's elections.

Mick Beddoes, a spokesman for the opposition group United Front for a Democratic Fiji, said the constitution was not a document of the people. He and former prime minister Mahendra Chaudhry were among those arrested and taken into custody for about two hours during Friday's protests.

Advocacy group Human Rights Watch said provisions in the constitution that grant forgiveness for past abuses and coups will give complete immunity to coup leaders.

"Rarely has a whitewash of past rights abuses been so sweeping and absolute," said Phil Robertson, the group's deputy Asia director, in a statement.

He said Bainimarama's government has consistently attacked its critics and that the military and police have indiscriminately arrested and detained human rights defenders, journalists, and labour leaders.

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Xenophon launches attack on the Greens

Independent Senator Nick Xenophon has accused the Greens of lying over his preference deals. Source: AAP

INDEPENDENT Senator Nick Xenophon has launched a stinging attack on the Australian Greens, accusing the party of lying over his preference deals.

On the eve of the federal poll, Senator Xenophon said he would "rather lose an election than lie."

"By only telling half the truth the Greens are telling a lie," the South Australian senator told reporters on Friday.

His comments continued his stoush with the Greens which has been waging for most of the election campaign after the two groups failed to do a deal on preferences in the state.

SA Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young probably needs Senator Xenophon's help to retain her seat in the parliament.

He has decided instead to split his preferences between the Liberal and Labor parties.

Senator Hanson-Young says that gives the Liberals the opportunity to take a third Senate seat in SA and possibly take control of the upper house.

"Nick Xenophon has done the wrong thing in this election campaign," Senator Hanson-Young said.

"He is giving (opposition leader) Tony Abbott the opportunity to take another seat.

"I know Nick's been a bit upset about me going and telling the truth. The fact is I wanted to work with Nick ... he decided to work with Tony Abbott."

Independent MP Andrew Wilkie backed Senator Xenophon, saying the Greens were running a misleading campaign about the hardworking South Australian.

"I've worked closely with Nick Xenophon over the past three years and I know for a fact that he is fiercely Independent and not beholden to anyone," Mr Wilkie said in a statement.

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North and South Korea restore hotline

NORTH Korea and South Korea have reopened a cross-border military hotline, paving the way for the reopening of their shared Kaesong industrial complex, officials in Seoul say.

"The first test call was successfully made between the two Koreas this morning," said an official at South Korea's Unification Ministry on Friday.

The call was made after the two sides agreed on Thursday to restore the telephone and fax lines used for cross-border communications, which North Korea shut down on March 27.

Kaesong has been shuttered for the past 163 days amid heightened tensions on the peninsula.

The two Koreas agreed in August to work towards reopening the Kaesong industrial complex, which hosted 123 South Korean factories and employed more than 53,000 North Korean labourers before Pyongyang closed it in April.

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SA man arrested over Vic indecent assaults

A MAN who allegedly followed two women in the Melbourne CBD and indecently assaulted them will be charged on summons.

A 22-year-old South Australian man was arrested over the two incidents on Queen Street on July 26.

He will be charged on summons with two counts of indecent assault and will appear in a Melbourne court at a later date, police said on Thursday.

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Harbour Bridge robots are winners

ROBOTS that do most of the dirty work on the Sydney Harbour Bridge have been recognised in a prestigious science award.

The Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) and the Sydney University of Technology collaborated on the technology and are the finalist in the ANSTO Eureka Prize for innovative use of technology.

"It's a fantastic recognition for the two grit-blasting robots which help carry out two-thirds of the dirty work to maintain our iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge," an RMS spokesman said.

"The 25 kilogram robots use internal sensors and cameras to locate old paint and grit to then blast the material away as part of the $20 million annual maintenance program on the bridge."

The technology is a culmination of six years of development and can be applied to any steel infrastructure around the world.

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