3AW programs broadcasting Friday 3rd September:

-  Afternoon Program

-  Drive Program

Programs broadcasting Saturday 4th September:

-  Buy, Swap & Sell

-  Gardening

-  Big House

-  Streetwise

Programs broadcasting Sunday 5th September:

-  Buy, Swap & Sell

-  Gardening

-  Sunday Morning

Follow the appeal via Alfred Health's Twitter site: http://twitter.com/alfredhealth

ABOVE: Neil Mitchell wants to know if listeners think the video or images of the 'smoking baby' in Indoensia could be used in an anti-smoking commercial.

'Arrogant little twit that he was," said Neil of the two-year-old.

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REPORT: A two-year-old Indonesian boy who smoked about 40 cigarettes a day has kicked the habit after receiving intensive specialist care, a child welfare official said on Thursday.

Ardi Rizal shocked the world when a video of him drawing heavily on cigarettes appeared on the internet in May and drew attention to Indonesia's failure to regulate the tobacco industry.

"He has quit smoking and the most important thing is he doesn't ask for cigarettes any more," national commission for child protection secretary-general Arist Merdeka Sirait told AFP.

Two-year-old Indonesian boy Ardi Rizal. Photo: AHMAD NAAFI

Six months after his father gave him his first cigarette, the overweight boy was smoking two packs a day and threw violent tantrums if his addiction was not satisfied.

Accompanied by his mother, the boy left his village on Sumatra island in July to undergo treatment in the capital.

"He received psychosocial therapy for one month, during which therapists kept him busy with activities and encouraged him to play with kids of the same age," Sirait said.

"We diverted his addiction from cigarettes to playing."

Ardi's case has highlighted the tobacco industry's aggressive marketing to women and children in developing countries like Indonesia, where regulations are weak and many people do not know that smoking is dangerous.

Sirait said the government had given financial support to Ardi's parents, who were ignorant of smoking's dangers and used cigarettes to keep the toddler happy as they worked long hours at a street market.

"Ardi was very happy when he left Jakarta this morning as he has really missed his father in the village," Sirait said.

Cigarette consumption in the southeast Asian archipelago of some 240 million people soared 47 per cent in the 1990s, according to the World Health Organization.

AFP via Fairfax

A multi-vehicle crash is causing major traffic delays for people heading to Melbourne Airport this morning.

Three people were taken to hospital following the crash between two cars and a truck at the Calder and Tullermaine Freeways interchange.

An outbound lane on the Tullaramine Freeway remains blocked as police investigate.

No one has been seriously injured.

RELATED AUDIO:

Neil Mitchell - Do we need someone to die?

Witness on 3AW -  The victim tried to run away

3AW NEWS: The state opposition is using last night's attack at Malvern Train Station to talk up its pre-election promise to improve commuter safety.

A 38-year-old man's suffered cuts and bruising after being attacked by a gang of six youths just after 9:30pm last night.

Shadow Transport Minister Terry Mulder says it wouldn't have happened if armed guards were there.

POLICE REPORT: Police are appealing for public assistance following an assault at Malvern railway station last night.

Investigators have been told the victim and his attackers were travelling in carriage two on a Frankston bound train that departed from Flinders Street railway station at 9.16pm.

The 38-year-old observed two teenage boys smoking on the carriage shortly before he exited the train at Malvern train station about 9.40pm.

The Caulfield North man glared at the boys upon exiting before they signalled to four to five other youths and yelled for them to ‘bash’ him.

Whilst standing on platform two, he observed the teens inciting one another to attack him so ran at them in an attempt to knock them down and allow him to escape.

The man knocked three of the teens to the ground before he was then dragged to the ground by the remaining boys where he was repeatedly punched and kicked to the face, head and body.

Other commuters called for assistance and Metro staff came to the aide of the man at which point his attackers fled the area on foot.

As a result of the assault, the man received swelling, bruising and soreness to his left eye, swelling to the back of his head and a minor laceration to his forehead.

During the assault, the man’s clothing was torn and he received a laceration and swelling to his left elbow and lacerations to both knees.

The six attackers are described to be Caucasian, 17-22 years, medium build and about 185cm tall.

One male was wearing a blue and black stripped windcheater whilst another was wearing a light coloured hooded windcheater with black insignia on the front.

Four of the men were wearing street clothing and baseball caps.

Police believe a number of the commuters filmed the incident on their mobile phones and police are appealing to anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or www.crimestoppers.com.au

Gunman on the loose

A gunman remains at large after holding up two Armourguard security staff in Northcote. The incident follows a dramatic police operation in Croydon earlier on Thursday. Read the full report by clicking the image on the right.

RELATED AUDIO:

Victim's father: 'If you cross-dress you can walk free!'

HINCH: I’ve got this crazy idea. I’ll put on a frock and a blonde wig and I’ll go out and I’ll kill somebody. And then when I go to court I’ll argue that I am a cross-dresser, and maybe I’ll throw in that I take illegal drugs (not for recreational purposes) because I am depressed.

And the judge will say ‘I understand’ and I won’t be sent to jail. Because people will tease me and bully me.

Now that’s pretty far-fetched but something like that has happened in a Melbourne Court.

A cross-dressing Victorian P-plater who was speeding, lost control of his car crashed his car and killed his girlfriend.

Twenty-one-year-old Jaybe Baldwin pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing death. He could have been sentenced to up to 10 years in jail.

But County Court Judge Marilyn Harbison decided Baldwin could be attacked in prison because of his sexuality – even in a youth unit – so she sentenced him to three years jail, totally suspended, and he walked free.

It’s an extraordinary case. And in my view an extraordinary decision. Surely our prisons must be safe enough for all sorts of prisoners.

Even though I’ll concede Baldwin could be at risk in the general prison population.

Even the judge said the sentence was not ‘a totally appropriate one’ but let Baldwin walk free nonetheless.