PRESS DIGEST: Australian General News : June 7 07:19, Wednesday, 7 June 2006
(Compiled for Reuters by Media Monitors)
THE AUSTRALIAN FINANCIAL REVIEW (www.afr.com)
New South Wales Treasurer, Michael Costa, predicts an improvement in the state's economy based on a recovery in the housing sector and cutbacks in public spending, after revealing a deficit projection of A$696 million for the 2006-07 financial year in yesterday's budget. With the state government facing an election next March and struggling in the polls, Mr Costa unveiled the first budget deficit in a decade and confirmed a plan for A$41 billion in infrastructure spending over the next four years. 'The deficit was inevitable,' Mr Costa said. P1.
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Queensland Government has delivered a surprise A$2.8 billion surplus fuelled by the resources boom and a buoyant property market. The 2006-07 budget includes A$6.6 billion in health funding, A$5.2 billion for education and a A$10 billion program to build roads, rail, port and water infrastructure. Although it would be forced to borrow to deliver on these commitments, Queensland remained the lowest-taxed state and would outperform the rest of the country 'on just about any economic measure you care to choose,' said Treasurer, Anna Bligh. Page 1.
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Uranium enrichment must take precedence over the development of nuclear power to ensure Australia's viability in the global market, says Prime Minister, John Howard. Announcing yesterday the formation of a taskforce to review uranium mining, Mr Howard said that if Australia wanted a seat at the world nuclear table, it had to begin enriching uranium. 'If we're not a nuclear fuel supplier, then that shuts us out of certain gatherings,' he said. The inquiry will be headed by former Telstra chief executive, Ziggy Switkowski. Page 3.
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Business groups are disappointed at New South Wales Government's (NSW) failure to offer tax cuts to industry, warning this will drive investment from the state. NSW Treasurer, Michael Costa, offered no new tax cuts or incentives to business in the 2006-07 budget, despite concerns the state is too expensive for industry. 'It makes no sense to increase the burden on business when NSW is the slowest growing state in Australia, with the highest business taxes and the highest unemployment,' said lobby group, ABL State Chamber. Page 4.
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THE AUSTRALIAN (www.theaustralian.news.com.au)
Hom osexual couples in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) are set to lose their newly won right to celebrate civil unions after the Federal Government vowed yesterday to overturn the corresponding laws in the territory by August 1. Prime Minister, John Howard, confirmed that Cabinet had agreed to abolish the ACT legislation, saying it was an attack on the institution of marriage. Gay rights activists condemned the announcement as another piece of the Government's undeclared 'straight Australia policy.' Page 1.
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West Australian Premier, Alan Carpenter, has taken control of the state's school curriculum from Education Minister, Ljiljanna Ravlich, following criticism over 'new-age' courses recently introduced in secondary schools. Mr Carpenter has insisted that the new music course require students to learn a musical instrument, and instructed curriculum writers to remove a 'values' component worth 25 per cent of all science courses. It is understood Australian history will become a compulsory component of the new history course. Page 1.
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A carbon tax on coal will be considered as part of a Federal Government inquiry into nuclear energy that could lead to more uranium mines and the introduction of nuclear power plants. Prime Minister, John Howard, yesterday announced former Telstra chief executive, Ziggy Switowski, would head a taskforce to consider ways to 'add value' to Australia's uranium reserves. Deputy Prime Minister, Mark Vaile, last night said he believed nuclear energy could be operating within 20 years, despite concerns over the placement of power plants. Page 1.
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Soaring petrol prices will be targeted under a separate energy review flagged yesterday by Industry Minister, Ian Macfarlane. Mr Macfarlane said his department would consider a range of energy options, including biofuels such as ethanol, to provide relief to motorists and business. The minister was particularly concerned that savings generated by ethanol were not being passed on to motorists. 'That is something we will look at,' he said. Page 2.
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THE SYDNEY MORNING HERALD (www.smh.com.au)
Environmental groups have criticised the appointment of former Telstra chief executive, Ziggy Switowski, as head of the Federal Government's inquiry into nuclear power, citing a conflict of interest. Earlier this year, Dr Switkowski began a four-year term on the board of the Australian Nuclear Technology and Science Organisation. He will chair a panel that includes the head of Australian National University's research school of physical sciences, George Dracoulis. Professor Dracoulis yesterday called for a 'rational' debate on nuclear power. P2.
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Former Federal Opposition leader, Mark Latham, received a two-year good behaviour bond in a Sydney court yesterday over an assault charge involving Daily Telegraph photographer, Ross Schultz. Campbelltown Local Court admonished both Mr Latham, 45, and Mr Schultz over their clash outside a Hungry Jack's restaurant last January, which ended with Mr Schultz's camera being destroyed. 'The photographer was out of line [but] Mr Latham's conduct was way out of line,' said magistrate, Michael Stoddart. Page 3.
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Eight elephants bound for Australia remain stranded in trucks in western Thailand after a meeting between Australian zoo officials and animal rights activists failed to resolve a standoff. Last night the elephants, bound for Sydney and Melbourne, had been in the trucks for more than 24 hours as activists blockaded a quarantine station and Australian officials refused to unload the animals. Federal Environment Minister, Ian Campbell, has reportedly asked the Thai Government to intervene to disperse the protesters. Page 3.
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A rescue package for New South Wales' ailing pre-schools has been criticised for providing insufficient funds and failing to target centres in urgent distress. The state government's budget yesterday included A$77 million over four years to reduce fees and provide extra places at 800 preschools. However, community group, Children's Choice, said the government had mishandled immediate one-off grants to save up to 300 preschools in debt, describing the allocations as 'frenetic, haphazard and ill-informed.' Page 4.
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THE AGE (www.theage.com.au)
Melbourne underworld figure, Mick Gatto, revealed his business relationship with sacked Primelife Corp chief executive, Ted Sent, when he testified in Mr Sent's wrongful dismissal case in Victoria Supreme Court yesterday. Mr Gatto said his dealings with Primelife started when he was hired to take care of death threats made against Mr Sent in the mid-1990s. The court heard Mr Gatto tracked down Bert Kidd, who had been approached to carry out the threat, and took him out 'for a drink.' Asked how much that drink cost, Mr Gatto replied, 'about A$60,000.' Page 1.
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High-profile Queensland doctor, David Grundmann, is delaying an application to the Therapeutic Goods Administration for the right to prescribe an abortion drug until the deaths of six women who took the drug in the United States (US) are fully investigated. Dr Grundmann said he believed mifepristone, or RU-486, was safe, but 'because of a very faint shadow of doubt' would delay prescribing the drug at his Brisbane and Newcastle clinics. Regardless of the US inquiry, RU-486 was not 'appropriate' for use at his rural facilities due to lack of supervision, he said. Page 3.
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Commonwealth employment agency, Centrelink, may be able to verify the identity of people who call its offices through speech recognition technology being tested by the Government. Within the next month, Centrelink is expected to begin a pilot of the system, which can match a customer's voice with voices held on a database. Human Services Minister, Joe Hockey, said callers gave their name or personal identification number before an automated system checked if their voice matched the one on file. Page 3.
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The Socceroos were welcomed yesterday with Australian flags and chants of 'Aussie Aussie Aussie, Oi! Oi! Oi!' on their arrival in the town of Oehringen, 60 kilometres north of Stuttgart in Germany. The World Cup squad is training at the stadium of local soccer team, TSG Oehringen, whose pitch has been relaid at a cost of A$335,000, and staying at a hotel in nearby Friedrichsruhe. 'Everything's fantastic...we got a wonderful reception from the locals,' said head of delegation, Phil Wolanski. The Socceroos open their World Cup campaign against Japan on June 15. Page 3.
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Looking for more information from local sources? Factiva.com has 112 Australian sources including The Australian, Sydney Morning Herald and The Age. ((Reuters Sydney Newsroom, 61-2 9373 1800, [email protected])) Keywords: DIGEST AUSTRALIA GENERAL
