PRESS DIGEST: Australian General News Sep 10
07:09, Monday, September 10, 2007
(Compiled for Reuters by Media Monitors)
THE AUSTRALIAN FINANCIAL REVIEW (www.afr.com)
Prime Minister, John Howard, yesterday hailed the
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit a success, after the 21
regional leaders agreed on the need to set 'aspirational' goals
for carbon emission reductions. Reportedly, China committed to
the so-called Sydney Declaration at the eleventh hour, ahead of a
United Nations meeting on the issue in Bali in December. Mr
Howard's climate change accord is designed to replace the Kyoto
Protocol when it expires in 2012. Page 1.
- - - -
The Coalition Government will rush legislation through the
Senate banning an Australian Labor Party government from
'raiding' the Future Fund to pay for its national broadband plan.
Labor wants to fund A$2.7 billion of its A$4.7 billion broadband
plan from the sale of Telstra shares now held in the Future Fund
- a superannuation scheme for public servants. The Coalition has
also drafted a bill to allow federally funded plebiscites on
Queensland's local council amalgamations. Page 1.
- - - -
Prime Minister, John Howard, has dismissed speculation he
will resign before the federal election, despite the Australian
Labor Party maintaining a healthy margin in the polls. The
latest ACNielsen survey has Labor leading the Coalition by 57
percent to 43 percent on two-party-preferred terms, a trend
confirmed by the 59 percent to 41 percent result in the latest
Newspoll. Foreign Affairs Minister, Alexander Downer, yesterday
declared his support for Mr Howard, citing 'affection and
respect' for the prime minister throughout Cabinet. Page 1.
- - - -
New South Wales unions have rejected a recommendation to sell
the state's retail electricity assets, which comprise Energy
Australia, Integral Energy and Country Energy. The Owen report
on energy reform, due to be handed to cabinet tomorrow, also
recommends the lease or sale of state-owned generation
businesses, Macquarie Generation, Delta Electricity and Eraring
Energy. The United Services Union said it would lobby 'as many
government ministers as we can,' and claimed there was 'disquiet'
among backbenchers over the privatisation plan. Page 3.
- - - -
THE AUSTRALIAN (www.theaustralian.news.com.au)
At the Asia-Pacific Economic forum in Sydney on Friday,
United States (US) President, George W. Bush, invited the 10
Southeast Asian nations to a special summit at his Texas ranch
early next year. Mr Bush also plans to appoint a US ambassador
for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, a move observers
say is designed to offset criticism about his 'preoccupation'
with Iraq. Former US deputy secretary of state, Rich Armitage,
said recently Washington had neglected Asia and allowed China's
influence to spread. Page 1.
- - - -
Federal Australian Labor Party leader, Kevin Rudd, will
outline a 'national innovation system' for the manufacturing
sector at a roundtable discussion in Canberra this morning. Mr
Rudd yesterday cited figures showing 14.8 percent-a-year growth
in manufactured exports during the Labor governments of 1983 to
1996, compared with 1.8 percent a year under the Coalition
Government. Industry organisations, trade unions, manufacturers
and researchers will attend today's roundtable. Page 2.
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The Australian Democrats have proposed a A$500 million scheme
to subsidise new mothers in the workforce. Democrats senator,
Natasha Stott Despoja, has prepared a private member's bill that
she hopes will 'challenge' the Federal Government and Opposition
to re-examine the issue in the lead-up to the federal election.
Under the proposal, all working mothers, including adoptive
mothers, would receive 14 weeks' paid maternity leave in line
with the minimum wage. Page 2.
- - - -
Defence Minister, Brendan Nelson, warned yesterday Australia
would need to reconsider its military commitment to Afghanistan
if Dutch troops withdrew from Oruzgan province, where Australia's
Reconstruction Task Force is based. The Netherlands has 1700
troops stationed in the area to protect the 900-strong Australian
contingent. Dr Nelson said negotiations 'for another partner
agreement' with NATO forces were under way, but 'if the Dutch do
pull out...we will not be able to safely continue in Oruzgan as
we are at the moment.' Page 2.
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THE SYDNEY MORNING HERALD (www.smh.com.au)
Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) jets yesterday fired flares
at a light plane that had strayed into the security zone for the
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Sydney. Two F/A-18
Hornet fighters intercepted the Cessna 337 before escorting the
single-seater to Bankstown Airport, where the pilot, a solicitor,
was questioned. In a separate incident yesterday, two hot-air
balloons were ordered to make emergency landings after they
strayed near the RAAF airbase at Richmond, northwest Sydney.
Page 1.
- - - -
Federal Agriculture Minister, Peter McGauran, yesterday
announced a A$110 million rescue package for the horseracing
industry, amid an outbreak of equine influenza in New South Wales
(NSW) and Queensland. Payments will be made to farriers, horse
transport operators, thoroughbred trainers, not-for-profit
equestrian organisations and others affected by the crisis.
However, the NSW Government has declined to provide financial
assistance, saying it has contributed enough through its efforts
to contain the flu. Page 2.
- - - -
Health experts have called for a ban on television
advertisements for junk food in a bid to halt a growing obesity
crisis in Australia. The newly formed Obesity Policy Coalition,
representing the Cancer Council Victoria, Diabetes Australia and
the Centre for Obesity Prevention at Deakin University, also
recommends sugary breakfast cereals be subject to goods and
services tax. Senior policy adviser, Jane Martin, says many food
labels - such as '99 percent fat free' - are disingenuous and
confusing for consumers. Page 3.
- - - -
Australia's Cate Blanchett has won the best actress award at
the Venice Film Festival for her portrayal of Bob Dylan in I'm
Not There, a study of the singer's life and influence. Blanchett
could not attend the ceremony and Australian actor, Heath Ledger,
accepted the award and read a message on her behalf. 'I am sorry
I can't be standing up here, throwing my arms around [the
director, Todd Haynes], weeping in public and behaving just like
a woman,' the statement said. Page 3.
- - - -
THE AGE (www.theage.com.au)
Carlton Football Club is likely to proceed with the
redevelopment of Princes Park in Melbourne, including the
construction of a new training facility for its Australian
Football League (AFL) players and the demolition of traditional
grandstands. The redevelopment is part of a financial package
launched by the Victorian Government and the AFL to rejuvenate
Melbourne's suburban grounds. Melbourne City Council, which
controls the lease for the oval, will contribute A$2 million to
the project. Page 2.
- - - -
The Victorian Opposition has criticised the Australian Labor
Party Government for the number of advisers employed by its 20
cabinet ministers, who together have nearly 300 staff, leaked
documents show. The Opposition will use the documents to
challenge Premier, John Brumby, to slash the number of 'Labor
hacks and spin doctors' in ministerial offices. The Opposition
estimates the political advisers cost taxpayers about A$30
million a year. Page 3.
- - - -
Victorian Government backbencher, Kirstie Marshall, has
conceded that taking payments for presentations to seminars,
which she then passed on to two charities, was a 'stupid
mistake.' Ms Marshall became embroiled in controversy when the
company behind the improvement program, Mental Blank, posted
clips of her endorsing the A$1000 seminars on YouTube. The
Opposition's scrutiny-of-government spokesman, David Davis, said
yesterday: 'Kirstie Marshall needs to ensure she is not working
for a fee and there is not conflict of interest.' Page 4.
- - - -
The National Generators Forum says a continuation of the
drought will adversely affect Victoria's brown coal-fired power
stations. 'A continuation of the big dry could result in the
volatile electricity market we have seen during the winter of
2007; this is of deep concern,' the forum's executive director,
John Boshier, said yesterday. Recently, two major Victorian
generators - Yallourn and Loy Yang B - bought emergency supplies
of water over the Internet because low inflows sabotaged their
water allocations. Page 4.
--
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,
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