Fed: Beazley disappointed at latest ABC cuts

AAP General News (Australia)
12-01-2000
Fed: Beazley disappointed at latest ABC cuts

SYDNEY, Dec 1 AAP - Federal Opposition Leader Kim Beazley today said he was disappointed
to learn of the latest victims of ABC cost-cutting.

The ABC yesterday sacked Media Watch presenter Paul Barry, disbanded its TV science
unit and said science show Quantum would end in May.

Mr Beazley said he hoped the ABC would change its mind and reinstate the science program
which played an educative role for regional Australia.

He described the latest cuts as "unfortunate" and "disappointing".

"I thought that what the CEO of the ABC has been saying recently, is that he wants
to increase the ABC's role in educative services particularly in regional Australia,"

Mr Beazley told reporters.

"I hope very much that in keeping with what the CEO has said about the educative role
that he wants the ABC to play, that he'll change his mind."

AAP sal/mk/de

KEYWORD: ABC BEAZLEY

2000 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

Diary for Wednesday April 19, 2000

AAP General News (Australia)
04-19-2000
Diary for Wednesday April 19, 2000
EVENTS ARE IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER AND IN LOCAL TIME UNLESS STATED OTHERWISE

ADELAIDE

1130 - The Commissioner of Police, Mr Mal Hyde with the Minister for Police, the Hon.

Robert Brokenshire, to launch SAPOL's Easter Road Safety Operation. The Weighbridge, Pt
Wakefield Road, Burton. Contact: Roberta Chan 8204 2904 or 0412 602 161.

1315 - Announcement of new Commonwealth Bank Cricket Academy scholarship holders, Adelaide
Oval No. 2, Pennington Terrace, North Adelaide. Contact: Tiffany Henderson 02 9492 7796
or 0413 626 372.

1400 - Port Power news conference with Mark Williams and Gavin Wanganeen, Stadium Room,
Football Park. Contact: Hitaf Rasheed 8447 9912 or 0414 826 813.


BRISBANE


0730 - Year nine student Birra Reithmuller leaves Toowoomba airport, en route to Sydney
and Gallipoli as winner of the Simpson Prize. Contact: Emma Brown at Veterans' Affairs
0411 272 667.

1000 - Department of Natural Resources officers and animal keepers to discuss the bilby
and how it is affected by feral animals, Australia Zoo, Glasshouse Mountains Tourist Route,
Beerwah. Contact: Sharron Middleton 3406 2864 or 0418 734 161.

1130 - Employment, Training and Industrial Relations Minister Paul Braddy to launch a
new agreement between the Moreton Institute of TAFE and its industry partners Microsoft
and Unisys, Block A, stage area, Mount Gravatt Campus, Moreton Institute of TAFE, 1030
Cavenish Road, Upper Mount Gravatt. Contact: Valerie Pringle 3225 2210 or 0408 704 526.

CANBERRA


1000 - Three times Australian rally champion Neal Bates and FAI Insurance group marketing
manager Brendon Drake to announce world's biggest rally prize, Main Arena, Exhibition
Park. Contact: Karen Smith 02 6205 0692.

1000 - House of Representatives Parliamentary Committee on Public Accounts and Audit into
Auditor-General's Report Inquiry, Committee Room 1R1, Parliament House, Canberra. Contact:
Margot Kerley 02 6277 2316.

1300 - ACT Government to hand over cheque for $250,000 to Biotron Limited for AIDS drug
(C9) research, Florey Theatre, John Curtin School of Medical Research, Mills Road, Australian
National University, Canberra. Contact: Clarissa Thorpe 02 6249 5575 or 0416 249 245.

1400 - AFL NSW/ACT chief executive officer John Livy to make AFL announcement, Canberra
Room, Hyatt Hotel, Canberra. Contact: Jill Moss 02 9955 1722.


MELBOURNE

1000 - Transport Minister Peter Batchelor to launch Rural School Bus Safety program, Kyneton
Secondary College, Ferguson St, Kyneton (VicRoads Country Directory ref 288 G10). Contact:
9651 5799.

1100 - Premier Steve Bracks to present the VCE Premier's Awards to the outstanding high
achievers of 1999, Government House, Government House Drive. Contact: 9651 5799.

1100 - Environment and Conservation Minister Sherryl Garbutt to launch Healthy People,
Healthy Parks program, Yarra Bend Park, return section of Yarra Bend loop road. Contact:
Lisa Maguire 9816 7201, 0417 582 034 or Jacqui DeKelvit 9816 7020, Mb 0407 568 004.

1100 - Health Minister Michael Wooldridge to announce new funds for groundbreaking medical
procedure for people with life-threatening cancer, Royal Children's Hospital, Historical
Room, first floor, Main Building, Flemington Road cnr Gatehouse Street, Parkville. Contact:
Serena Williams 9822 1388 or Kay McNiece 0412 132 585.

1100 - University of Ballarat student and ex-student of the School of Mines, Ballarat,
mother-of-four Jan Murrahee to receive Premier's Award for top state score in VCE Contemporary
Society, Government House. Contact: Marilyn Enders 5327 8262, Peter Kerwan 5327 8087,
0407 867 618, Roy Taylor 5327 9707 or Gabrielle Hodson 5327 9510, 0419 570 584.

1200 - Dr David Pennington to release report and recommendations from Drug Policy Expert
Committee with Health Minister John Thwaites to present the government's response, Melbourne
Room, Department of Premier and Cabinet, 1 Treasury Pl, Melbourne. Contact: Bram Alexander
9616 8803 or 0412 260 811.

1200 - Victoria Police to launch Operation Eastercare, media conference room, Victoria
Police Centre, 637 Flinders St, Melbourne. Contact: Fiona Kaegi-Balint 9247 6894.

1215 - Housing and Aged Care Minister Bronwyn Pike to open the Lakes Entrance Community
Health Centre's new aged care and allied health facility, 18-26 Jemmeson St, Lakes Entrance.

Contact: James Sutherland 9651 5799.

1230 - City of Melbourne Street sport holiday program with AFL players from Melbourne,
Kangaroos and St Kilda, Outside Town Hall, Swanston Street. Contact: Kate Ryan 9658 9475,
0413 274 991.

1300 - National Party leader Peter Ryan to open campaign office of National Party candidate
for Benalla Bill Sykes, 46 Bridge Street, Benalla. 2000 - National Party open forum, TAFE
Institute, Samaria Road, Benalla. Contact: Jon Richards 9651 8526, 0419 008 337.

1500 - Minister Assisting the Planning Minister, Justin Madden, to launch a book on the
history of the Treasury Reserve titled The Treasury Reserve by Frances O'Neill, senior
historian at Heritage Victoria, JJ Clark Room, Old Treasury Building, Spring St, Melbourne.

Contact: Jane Thomas 9655 9758 or 0419 568 949.

1500 - Easter Bunny to make a surprise early visit to cancer patients at the Royal Melbourne
Hospital, 5 West (meet at public affairs office next to patient enquiries desk), Royal
Melbourne Hospital, Grattan St, Parkville. Contact: Sarah Higginbottom or Allison Sloan
9342 7469 or 9342 7086.

1730 - Municipal Association of Victoria Working for Local Government tour. MAV offices,
Level 12, 60 Collins Street. Contact: Brad Matheson 0418 179 872, 9667 5521.


PERTH


1710 - City of Perth Lord Mayor Peter Nattrass to host a civic reception for the Canadian
High Commissioner James Bartleman, 11th floor, Council House, 27 St Georges Terrace. Contact:
08 9461 3333.


SYDNEY


0700 - Former Wallaby Nick Farr-Jones to attend the Wesley Mission Easter Breakfast, Wesley
Mission, Pitt Street. Contact: David McGovern 9285 6911 or 0419 620598
0730 - International Computer Driving Licence executive briefing, The Grace Hotel, 77
York Street. Contact: 9299 3666
0900 - The Prospects for peace and conflict resolution in West Papua, conference, International
House, City Road, University of Sydney. No contact number.

1000 - Launch of new treatment for Type 2 Diabetes, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital Diabetes
Centre, Level 10, Queen Mary building , Grose Street, Camperdown. Contact: Kylea Tink
0419 185 671 or Elise Brown 0417 064 411
1030 - World Premiere of Carry The Flame, The first song released for the Sydney 2000
Olympic Games, Circular Quay West, 140 George Street. Contact: 9929 8058


1115 - NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research director to conduct a media briefing
in media room on level 6 in Parliament House on the latest crime statistics. No contact
numbers given.


1230 - Interfet peacekeepers welcome home parade, start from Circular Quay finishing at
Town Hall. Contact: Gabrielle Leonello 9363 0714 or 0401 216 163. (Prime Minister Howard
to speak at approx 1.10pm)
1345 - Eight high school students from around Australia to leave for Gallipoli as winners
of the Simpson Prize, Singapore Airlines Departure Lounge, Kingsford Smith Airport, Mascot.

Contact: Emma Brown 0413 994 704


SPORT


EQUESTRIAN -
Royal Sydney Show, round four selectors show jumping series

SURFING -
Women's Classic, Bells Beach

Rip Curl Pro, Bells Beach
WATERPOLO -
Women's Six-Team Challenge, Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre
GYMNASTICS -
Women's National Club Championships, Canberra

GALLOPS -
Hawkesbury
Ballarat
Ipswich
Murray Bridge
Bunbury
TROTS -
Fairfield
Charlton
Cranbourne
Parkes
GREYHOUNDS -
Bulli
Sandown
Gold Coast
Ballarat
Maitland
Warrnambool
Ipswich


ENTERTAINMENT


0900 - Dolly Model contest, Eastlands Shopping Centre, Maroondah Highway, Ringwood, Melbourne.

Contact: Selena O'Hare 0413 546 661.

1900 - Actress Frances O'Connor to attend the premier of Mansfield Park, a screen adaptation
of the Jane Austen classic, Cinema Europa, Jam Factory, Chapel Street, South Yarra, Melbourne.

Contact: Mandy Confoy 0413 494 061.


AAP Diary Contact: Nartira Carlson Phone: 02 9322 8673 Fax: 02 9322 8679



AAP RTV nac/sb/hu/wz

KEYWORD: DIARY WEDNESDAY APRIL 19, 2000

2000 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

Vic: Reduced flights to Melbourne may result from airport row

AAP General News (Australia)
02-03-2000
Vic: Reduced flights to Melbourne may result from airport row

By Peter Barber, State Political Correspondent

MELBOURNE, Feb 3 AAP - Melbourne has not only lost Virgin's regional headquarters -
the new airline may reduce its service to the city as its battle with Tullamarine Airport
worsens.

Premier Steve Bracks received his first piece of bad economic news in Davos, Switzerland,
when Virgin boss Richard Branson phoned last night to tell him the airline would base
its headquarters in Brisbane.

Virgin was unhappy with the cost and design of the terminal offered by the Melbourne
Airport, …

AAP National News Wire Round Up for Breakfast, Dec 2

AAP General News (Australia)
12-02-1999
AAP National News Wire Round Up for Breakfast, Dec 2
Breakfast Round-Up: HIGHLIGHTS OF THE AAP RTV FILE AT 0430

WTO ARRESTS (SEATTLE)

Seattle police have arrested at least 25 people in efforts to contain anti-trade protests
after a day of violence that prevented some world trade meetings.

At least 15 protesters were seen handcuffed by police on a street several blocks from
the World Trade Organisation meeting headquarters.

Another dozen arrested protesters were seen in city buses waiting to be taken away.

Meanwhile, Trade Minister MARK VAILE says protests that delayed the opening session
of world trade talks in Seattle won't derail the process.

Mr VAILE says he expects an agreement on the future of trade talks by the end of the week.

Prime Minister John Howard last night criticised the demonstrators, saying the disruption
would only hurt poor countries.

AIDS World (LONDON)

The world marked the last World AIDS Day of the millennium today with ceremonies, protests
and calls for greater efforts to fight the disease in the next millennium.

In London and South Africa public buildings were dramatically bathed in red light as
World AIDS Day dawned.

In Washington hundreds of protesters charged the United States on the eve of the event
with hindering the access of developing countries to AIDS drugs.

In France, the French medical charity Medecins du Monde urged countries meeting at
the World Trade Organisation summit to allow Third World states to import and produce
anti-AIDS drugs cheaply without fear of trade sanctions.

AIDS UK (LONDON)

Barbie, the world's most famous doll, has been recruited in the fight against AIDS.

And more than 50 top names in art and fashion reinvented the icon to raise money on
World Aids Day today.

The Elton John Aids Foundation, launched the project with toymaker Mattel saying the
Art of Barbie exhibition celebrates 40 years of the doll and helps a worthwhile cause.

Data (CANBERRA)

The federal opposition has urged tighter privacy codes despite Prime Minister JOHN
HOWARD'S assurance there is nothing to fear from a giant database on 15 million Australians.

The database - with details ranging from spending habits to family pets - is part of
a joint venture between media magnate KERRY PACKER'S Publishing and Broadcasting Limited
and the US-based Acxiom Corp.

Privacy groups have expressed concern about the venture.

Sanderson (MELBOURNE)

Australia's former army chief has warned that Australians should accept the possibility
that Australia may need to intervene again in the Asian region.

Lieutenant-General JOHN SANDERSON says there appears to be no one else to assume such
regional leadership and Australia may well be more acceptable than the United States.

Delivering Asialink's annual Sir EDWARD "Weary" Dunlop Asia Lecture, he said it's as
important for Australia's political health as for Asia's to support human rights and justice
in the region.

Boat Woomera (ADELAIDE)

A medical centre at Australia's newest detention facility for illegal immigrants at
Woomera, north of Adelaide, is expected to be fully operational by midday today.

The population at the facility has swelled to more than 300 this week, consisting mainly
of illegal immigrants from the Middle East

A teacher has also arrived on site.

Taxis (CANBERRA)

The Productivity Commission has found that severe restrictions on taxi numbers and
fares can't be justified and cost consumers hundreds of millions of dollars a year.

But the Commission warns it could cost billions of dollars to compensate taxi owners
if the industry is fully deregulated.

Government regulations restricting the number of taxis on Australian roads and the
fares they charge make taxis an extraordinarily lucrative assets.

Bug (SYDNEY)

Australian companies are bracing for a new wave of computer viruses, with a bug striking
Sydney computers.

The Daily Telegraph reports that at least three major companies in Sydney are believed
to have been forced to shut down part of their computer networks because of a worm.

One of those affected was accountancy giant KPMG with a spokesman saying they were
still assessing the damage.

The worm, which spreads rapidly and destroys Microsoft files, first emerged four months
ago but yesterday hit computers in the United States, Switzerland and Sydney.

Deals (SYDNEY)

The cash-for-comment inquiry will resume today after a two-week break and two resignations
from radio 2UE, the station currently under scrutiny.

The ABA has been investigating the sponsorship deals of 2UE's two stars, JOHN LAWS
and ALAN JONES.

The hearing resumes after a tumultuous fortnight where it lost its rugby league broadcast
rights, its program director JOHN BRENNAN and night host STAN ZEMANEK.

Burwood (MELBOURNE)

In the lead up to the Burwood by-election, the battle for JEFF KENNETT'S old seat
has degenerated into squabbling over electoral handouts.

Former KENNETT staffer STEPHEN MAYNE has attacked Liberal candidate LANA MCLEAN'S claim
that she grew up in the electorate.

When Ms MCLEAN stood unsuccessfully for the seat of Melbourne at the September general
election she told voters she grew up in Flemington in the Melbourne electorate.

Retirees (CANBERRA)

A study released by the National Centre for Social and Economic Modelling reveals that
self-funded retirees will have double the disposable income of pensioner households by
the end of the next decade.

The Centre says despite there being twice as many pensioners, self-funded retirees
will be forking out $23 billion a year by 2010 on recreation and entertainment.

In contrast, the vast pool of pensioners will spend only 13 per cent of their weekly
allowance or $20 billion a year on living it up.

Boat Villages (CANBERRA)

A parliamentary committee has heard that Immigration Minister PHILIP RUDDOCK has anecdotal
intelligence that entire middle eastern villages are packing up to come to Australia illegally.

But, the committee has been told, he doesn't know which ones.

An immigration department official says Australia's intelligence gathering sources
on illegal immigration are stronger than ever before.

Mandela (CANBERRA)

A federal minister is refusing to reveal whether the prime minister's department tried
to put a stop to a visit by former South African president NELSON MANDELA to the 1997
reconciliation convention.

Opposition Senate leader JOHN FAULKNER asked whether it had been quietly conveyed to
President MANDELA that it would not be suitable time for a visit.

Government Senate leader ROBERT HILL disagreed, as did officials of the department
of prime minister and cabinet.

AND BRIEFLY..............

The first pictures from NASA's Mars Polar Lander will be relayed to the world by Australian
engineers at Canberra's Tidbinbilla tracking station on Saturday afternoon.

A regional government in Spain has come up with a novel idea for promoting safe sex,
offering discounts at youth hostels to discourage young people from having hurried sexual
encounters in cars, doorways and parks.

Elite model agency European chairman GERALD MARIE, who resigned following a documentary
showed him soliciting sex says his behaviour was inexcusable but denies any criminal acts.

AND IN SPORT..............

CRICKET AKHTAR (LONDON)

A former coach of Pakistan's cricket team has joined Australian assertions that fast
bowler SHOAIB AKHTAR uses a sometimes suspect delivery.

WASIM RAJA, a former Test player who coached Pakistan until two months ago, has told
the BBC that AKHTAR uses an illegal action to get extra speed for a bouncer.

Such claims made in Australia recently caused outrage in Pakistan and a denial by AKHTAR
and the team.

CRICKET MULLER (SYDNEY)

Channel Nine has attempted to settle the controversy over the sledging of fast bowler
SCOTT MULLER by interviewing the cameraman who made the "CAN'T BOWL, CAN'T THROW" jibe.

Cameraman JOE PREVITERA apologised to MULLER for any hurt caused by the incident, saying
he was just making a comment he didn't mean to a fellow cameraman.

GOLF AUST (BRISBANE)

CRAIG PARRY will start favourite for the $800,000 Players Champioship that gets underway
at Royal Queensland golf course today.

Teenage amateur AARON BADDELEY is also in the field, comingoff his win in the Australian
Open last weekend.

ENDS AAP RTV BREAKFAST ROUND-UP

AAP RTV as

KEYWORD: BREAKFAST ROUND-UP

1999 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

SA: No bail for "hate speech" historian = 2

AAP General News (Australia)
04-13-1999
SA: No bail for "hate speech" historian = 2

Former federal MP Graeme Campbell called on Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer to
intervene to secure Dr Toben's immediate release, saying his imprisonment was an outrage
against an Australian citizen.

Mr Campbell, a former Labor MP who now heads the Australia First party, said criminal
penalties for holocaust denial had been resisted in Australia and it was time they were
scrapped in Germany.

"I am pleased that Dr Toben and others who dare to challenge any detail of the holocaust in
Australia are still free to do so," he said in a statement.

"It is time the German people informed their government that they will no longer accept the
ridicule which is theirs for allowing such gross infringements of freedom of expression."

AAP sn/was/it

KEYWORD: GERMANY TOBEN N/L 2 ADELAIDE (REOPENS)

1999 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

NSW: Sydney New Year s Eve spectacular biggest ever

AAP General News (Australia)
12-29-1998
NSW: Sydney New Year s Eve spectacular biggest ever

By John Kidman

SYDNEY, Dec 29 AAP - More than five tonnes of fireworks worth $2 million will set Sydney
alight twice this New Year's Eve - the biggest pyrotechnics display in the city's history.

The double-barrelled extravaganza, a major forerunner to the harbour city's much
anticipated second millennium celebrations, will feature almost 20,000 crackers.

As well as the traditional 9pm sky show over central Sydney, a 10-second countdown to
midnight will be marked by a second eruption lasting 10 minutes.

Almost 1,600 firework shots will explode on the arch of Sydney Harbour Bridge alone,
including mosaic candles, flares, shells and crosette comets.

The coathanger will also form a platform for the creation of a 400m waterfall of fireworks
designed to cascade into the water.

Organisers say the display will be visible from the Blue Mountains.

"This year has to live up to the expectations that have been built up now over some years,"
Sydney Lord Mayor Frank Sartor said today.

"It gets better every year and I am absolutely certain that it will live up to its
promise."

With more than a million revellers expected to attend the annual event, some 800 police
have been rostered from City East Region to watch over the festivities.

The record contingent of officers from the mounted police, rescue squad, highway patrol and
transit police will patrol trouble hotspots such as Darling Harbour and The Rocks.

The focus of the operation would be to make sure partygoers were not hassled by drunken
thugs, Superintendent Bob Myatt said.

"High spirits are one thing but antisocial, dangerous and foolhardy behaviour will not be
tolerated," he told journalists here.

"There'll be a lot of families celebrating New Year and we'll be working hard to ensure
their night is not spoiled by the activities of the minority hoodlum element."

The night will kick off with a two-hour New Year's Eve kid's concert in Hyde Park featuring
the Wiggles and Playschool's Monica Trapaga from 4pm.

From 10pm to 1am revellers in the park will be treated to a free concert headlined by 80s
boom band Mental As Anything.

Trains will run until 4am and buses will run on major routes until 6am.

AAP jk/tsm/kr/br

KEYWORD: EVE FIREWORKS

1998 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

FED:Rudd's sister quits the Labor Party

AAP General News (Australia)
12-13-2011
FED:Rudd's sister quits the Labor Party

CANBERRA, Dec 13 AAP - Kevin Rudd's sister has resigned from the Labor Party because
of its support for same-sex marriage.

Loree Rudd sent a letter to her Nambour branch last week after the party voted in support
of a policy shift at the ALP national conference earlier in December.

"I couldn't work for a party that had endorsed homosexuals marrying," she told Fairfax
on Tuesday.

Ms Rudd did not resign from the party when her brother was dumped as prime minister in June 2010.

"It is a horrible thing for them to be discriminated against and that's why my brother
introduced laws so they are not discriminated against," she said.

"But to make that huge leap from their rights to breaking a commandment of Moses, to
say homosexuals' relationships is marriage, is utter nonsense."

In July, Ms Rudd threatened to quit the party if it endorsed gay marriage, sparking
outrage from the Jewish community when she accused some Labor Party members of being brainwashed
by a "global gay Gestapo".

Labor MPs will have a conscience vote if a bill to change marriage laws comes before parliament.

The opposition is opposed to any changes and will not grant its MPs a conscience vote.

AAP lpm/rl/wf

KEYWORD: GAY RUDD

� 2011 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.