Vic premier says his job is safe

VICTORIAN Premier Ted Baillieu maintains his job is safe after deciding to call in anti-corruption investigators on his own office.

Mr Baillieu emerged from a Liberal party-room meeting on Tuesday morning as pressure mounted on the government following the airing of secret police tapes.

He said he was confident he would still be leader come the 2014 November state election.

"We don't talk about what we discuss in the party room," he told reporters as he emerged from the meeting.

"I don't know what commentary has been made but we are working together."

Other MPs left the meeting without speaking to reporters.

Earlier, Treasurer Kim Wells sought to ease concerns that the premier's job was under threat while Planning Minister Matthew Guy, who is widely considered a potential future leader, also voiced support for Mr Baillieu.

"I don't believe there's a crisis for the government. I think there's issues to be managed and we're going to do that," Mr Guy told ABC Radio.

Mr Baillieu had asked the anti-corruption commission to investigate secretly recorded tapes that reportedly show his chief of staff Tony Nutt had promised to help a former adviser to Deputy Premier Peter Ryan find a job.

Tristan Weston quit as adviser to Mr Ryan after the police watchdog found he was involved in a plot to bring down the former police chief, Simon Overland.

Secret tapes detailing the phone conversations, obtained by the Herald Sun, have exposed the crisis in recent days, leading to speculation that Mr Baillieu will be asked to step aside as leader.

But Mr Guy poured cold water on that speculation as he attended Tuesday's meeting.

"The party is behind Ted and we'll move on," he said.

He added that Mr Baillieu had acted appropriately by referring the secret tape involving Mr Nutt to the Independent Broad-Based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC).

"There has been situations in the past where other ministerial offices have been looked at, whether it's by the ombudsman, whether it's by a range of bodies, so I think people should take a cold shower," Mr Guy said.

He said Mr Nutt was a very experienced political player.

"Tony has certainly got the support of myself and my colleagues," he said.

Mr Guy said he was unaware the Liberal Party had paid Mr Weston $22,500 after he quit.

The Nationals later joined the Liberals for a joint meeting.

Mr Ryan and the premier entered that meeting together.

"I'll be speaking in due course," Mr Ryan said.

"All will be well."

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Kids can hunt on public land: NSW premier

CHILDREN as young as 12 who have been shooting feral animals on public land for more than a decade have been doing it legally, NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell says.

The Games Council has issued junior hunting permits since 2002 but concerns have been raised that these permits could contravene the Firearms Act, which states children can only use a gun for the purposes of instruction.

Critics say this means minors could face potential criminal charges carrying sentences of up to five years' detention.

But Mr O'Farrell on Tuesday said he had spoken to NSW Police Minister Mike Gallacher, who "has made clear there are no concerns about that".

"Police have indicated that what is happening is absolutely in line with all the regulations," the premier told reporters in Sydney.

However, Greens MP David Shoebridge said the act was clear and stated that it was unlawful for a child to use a firearm for the purpose of hunting.

"A minor's permit only entitles a child to use a firearm for the purpose of instruction in its safe use or for authorised target shooting," he said.

"Children out hunting in state forests are there for the purpose of killing animals, not for instruction.

"They are almost certainly breaking the law."

Last week, Mr O'Farrell announced the Game Council would be subjected to a full review following revelations that charges could be laid against its acting chief executive Greg McFarland.

He's been suspended over allegations of illegal hunting, trespassing and the inhumane killing of a feral goat in central NSW.

The taxpayer-funded body is assigned with overseeing the rollout of amateur hunting of feral animals in 77 national parks and reserves, which has been put on hold until a review is completed.

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Block other mines, residents tell premier

RESIDENTS want the NSW government to block other coal mining projects after Premier Barry O'Farrell indicated he would kill off a controversial project on land owned by Eddie Obeid.

It comes as the directors of Cascade Coal sought to distance themselves from corruption allegations involving its Mt Penny project in the Bylong Valley.

Mr O'Farrell on Thursday said he would take into account matters of public interest when considering Cascade's application for a mining lease worth $1 billion.

That included evidence before the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC), which is investigating claims former mining minister Ian Macdonald rigged a 2008 tender process for coal exploration licences to benefit Mr Obeid.

It also heard the Obeid family took a secret stake in Cascade Coal.

A spokesman for Cascade Coal said the company's directors were concerned about the activities outlined at the ICAC.

But Cascade Coal and its directors had at all times acted in good faith and were not involved in any corrupt conduct, he said, "and on the relevant evidence, were misled and deceived by other parties".

The ICAC is also probing the Yarrawa Coal project by Loyal Coal and the Doyles Creek project by NuCoal Resources at Jerrys Plains.

Lock The Gate Alliance Hunter regional coordinator Steve Phillips called on Mr O'Farrell to block those projects as well.

"They have been forced onto unsuspecting and unwilling local communities through a dodgy process that is now the subject of one of the most far-reaching investigations in ICAC history," he said.

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