AAP General News (Australia)
08-08-2007
AAP National News Wire Round-Up for Breakfast, Aug 8
Breakfast Round-Up: HIGHLIGHTS OF THE AAP RTV FILE AT 0430
Indigenous Pass (CANBERRA)
Draft laws underpinning the federal government's radical intervention into Northern
Territory indigenous communities have passed parliament's lower house.
The bills give the government power to take over leases in Aboriginal communities for
five years .. remove a requirement for a permit to visit some indigenous towns .. and
ban alcohol and pornography.
The House of Representatives has also approved welfare reforms that mean any parents
who neglect their children .. or fail to ensure they go to school could have payments
quarantined for use on essentials.
The Northern Territory National Emergency Response Bill 2007 .. the Social Security
and Other Legislation Amendment (Welfare Payment Reform) Bill 2007 .. and three other
bills were introduced as a package earlier today.
They passed the lower house with Labor support.
Rates (SYDNEY)
Interest rates are tipped to go up for the ninth time today .. just months out from
a federal election.
A stronger-than-expected climb in inflation has convinced economists the Reserve Bank
will have to act sooner rather than later.
The potential cash rate increase to 6.50 per cent .. comes as the federal government
argues Labor state governments are responsible for putting upward pressure on interest
rates.
But economists say strong economic growth and Treasurer PETER COSTELLO's latest tax
cuts are more likely to have fuelled inflation.
Flu (MELBOURNE)
Victoria's Department of Human Services is investigating the death of a five-year-old
Melbourne boy .. but says it's too early to say if he died from influenza.
Paramedics were called to a house at Berwick in Melbourne's outer-east about 9am (AEST)
yesterday but the little boy was dead when they arrived.
The department's BRAM ALEXANDER says influenza is a notifiable condition and staff
have already begun investigating the child's medical history.
Cruise (SYDNEY)
A Sydney man's died on a Pacific cruise holiday .. which he won for himself and his
family in a radio competition.
Police in Noumea are investigating the 31-year-old man's death at sea .. in the early
hours of yesterday morning aboard the P&O cruise ship Pacific Sun.
P&O spokeswoman SANDY OLSEN says there's no evidence to suggest the man's death is suspicious.
The incident follows the controversy surrounding the 2002 P&O cruise ship death of
DIANNE BRIMBLE.
Workplace Ad (MELBOURNE)
One of the faces of the federal government's Workplace Authority advertising campaign
.. at the centre of claims he underpaid young workers in his employ .. has been accused
again .. this time by his estranged son.
Fresh allegations arose yesterday against DAMIEN RICHARDSON .. who's accused of underpaying
young workers he employed in his now defunct Melbourne painting business.
Workplace Minister JOE HOCKEY pulled the ad .. Protection for under-18s .. after it
was revealed Mr RICHARDSON is being investigated by the Workplace Ombudsman .. over allegations
from a former worker that he owes him more than two thousand dollars in wages and superannuation.
Mr RICHARDSON denies the claim.
Now Fairfax newspapers have reported his son .. AARON MOORE .. saying his father paid
him just 100 dollars for 11 weeks of work in 1999.
Councils (BRISBANE)
Queensland mayors have applauded JOHN HOWARD's intervention in the state's local government
reforms.
The Prime Minister's announced the Australian Electoral Commission will conduct referendums
on forced council amalgamations for any councils that wish to hold them .. with Canberra
picking up the bill.
GARY PEOPLES .. Mayor of Aramac in central Queensland .. says the prime minister's
intervention will allow Queenslanders a much-needed voice.
Queensland Premier PETER BEATTIE has dismissed Mr HOWARD's announcement as shifty and
dishonest .. and says commonwealth-funded referendums will have no binding legal status
and won't stop amalgamations going ahead.
Football (PERTH)
A 48-year-old father's been banned for life from attending junior football games ..
after being charged with knocking a boy out for scuffling with his son during a game in
Perth.
The man ran on to the field and repeatedly punched his son's 13-year-old opponent ..
during a match in south suburban Attadale on Saturday.
Stockman (BRISBANE)
Defence force personnel will today join the search for a stockman who's been missing
in harsh terrain in far north Queensland for almost a week.
The 53-year-old failed to return to the Silver Plains Station .. about 50k's east of
the township of Coen .. last Thursday.
An extensive search by police .. Emergency Management Queensland and local SES personnel
using helicopters .. four-wheel drive vehicles .. and horses has failed to locate the
man.
Limbs (SYDNEY)
Australian scientists will reportedly unveil a world-first treatment .. that promises
to save thousands of people every year from having to undergo amputations.
According to The Australian newspaper .. the technique uses an implanted device to
pump blood at high pressure into dying limbs .. and has already saved the leg of the first
patient to complete treatment.
The patient who's been successfully treated .. 52-year-old MALCOLM BROWN from Newcastle
in NSW .. was told by three surgeons a year ago that a below-knee amputation was his only
option.
Students (CANBERRA)
A
new report says one in eight university students regularly go without food because
they can't afford it.
Almost half of undergraduate students are surviving on less than 10 thousand dollars
a year .. according to the study .. which found students struggle to balance study while
earning an income and paying for the bare essentials.
Briefly in other news ..
Lawyers for Indian doctor MOHAMED HANEEF will today argue for his work visa to be reinstated
in the Federal Court in Brisbane.
The British government says it's confirmed a second case of foot and mouth disease
on a farm in the south of England.
A
new survey shows Thailand beat Hong Kong .. with China and Japan tied for third ..
in terms of the most popular Asian travel destinations for Australians.
Australia's department store fashion war started up again last night with David Jones
firing the first salvo .. launching its 2007 summer collection in Sydney.
in Sport ..
RUGBY SAFRICA JONES (DURBAN)
South Africa have confirmed former Wallabies coach EDDIE JONES will serve as the country's
technical advisor at next month's World Cup.
JONES was publicly criticised in Australia last month after media reports of his imminent
appointment .. but he's told a news conference he's comfortable with the decision .. saying
he's done nothing disloyal.
OLY08 AUST (SYDNEY)
Australian athletes will arrive in Beijing only four or five days in advance of their
events at next year's Olympic Games .. in a bid to avoid pollution problems.
Australian Olympic Committee president JOHN COATES has called Beijing's choking pollution
"a prevailing worry" .. and says the possibility of picking up respiratory or gastric
illness increases the longer you are there.
BOXING MUNDINE (SYDNEY)
ANTHONY MUNDINE has no vision in his left eye and will spend at least a week in hospital
.. as doctors try to determine the extent of a severe infection before any decisions are
made about his boxing career.
It's believed MUNDINE picked up the infection after cleaning a contact lens with his
mouth while in
New Zealand last week.
LEAGUE SCHEDULE (SYDNEY)
The NRL has decided to shelve Monday night football for the final round of the competition
.. to offer all clubs an even playing field ahead of the finals.
The final match of the 2007 regular season will now be held at 7pm on Sunday evening
.. with Melbourne to host newcomers the Gold Coast in a game that could decide both the
final eight and the minor premiership.
ENDS BREAKFAST ROUND-UP
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