FED:Drop tax during economic turmoil: Bishop

AAP General News (Australia)
08-05-2011
FED:Drop tax during economic turmoil: Bishop

PERTH, Aug 5 AAP - The federal government should abandon plans to introduce a carbon
tax while international markets are in turmoil, Acting Opposition Leader Julie Bishop
says.

She told reporters in Perth on Friday that business and consumer confidence in Australia
was still fragile.

"The Australian government should not be imposing a carbon tax on our economy at this time."

Ms Bishop said the proposed tax was creating enormous uncertainty, particularly among
small businesses who would not receive compensation for the increased costs they would
have to bear.

She said the government should drop plans for the tax and take it to the next election.

"The government has to accept that the Australian people do not want a carbon tax," she said.

Ms Bishop said the tax would cause "enormous economic pain for very little environmental gain".

"Australia has a resilient economy, however, we should be very, very careful to ensure
that business and consumer confidence is shored up.

"The last thing that we need in this country is an additional tax, a carbon tax that
no other country is introducing ... that will make us internationally uncompetitive and
drive up the cost of living in Australia."

Earlier, Ms Bishop dropped a pair of her shoes in at local shoe repairer Scott Mackenzie's
shop in the inner Perth suburb of Subiaco and discussed the impact of the carbon tax on
his business.

In a dig at Prime Minister Julia Gillard's comment that she would wear out her shoe
leather promoting the carbon tax, Ms Bishop said she was wearing out her own shoe leather
campaigning against it.

Nearby, Michael Dux of Subiaco's Spotless Drycleaners told reporters his business would
be badly hit by a carbon tax.

"It's something that needs to go to an election immediately and just be abolished," he said.

AAP ldj/jnb/de

KEYWORD: ECONOMY BISHOP UPDATE

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

Nambalisita, Born of an Egg

Nambalisita, Born of an Egg (Ambo/Angola) Nambalisita was the first man.

He was not born of any person, although he had a mother and father: he was born from an egg that cracked after having been in the storage basket for several days. His mother had laid other eggs, but had destroyed them. One day, when she chopped into a stump, the stump began to speak and told the woman that when she had another egg, she should not destroy it but should keep it in the granary. It was then that Nambalisita was born. When he emerged from the egg, he said that he was born of no person, that he gave birth to himself. His mother told him that she had been living with his maternal uncle but that he had been killed. Nambalisita engaged in various wonderful activities that revealed his heroic traits, and then he and his mother left his paternal home, pursued by the king of the land. Nambalisita overcame the army of the king, killing his own father when he refused to withdraw. He continued his journeying with his mother, and had various experiences as, with the assistance of various animals, he triumphed over adversities. Then he was called by Kalunga, God, who asked him who it was who boasted that he gave birth to himself. Kalunga said that he himself created all men. Nambalisita and Kalunga then vied with each other to show who was the greater: Nambalisita led his animals before Kalunga, and Kalunga revealed his great kraal of livestock. Nambalisita's rhinoceros gored Kalunga's bull. God showed off his great fields of millet and sorghum, preparing a meal for Nambalisita with two kinds of porridge. A fly warned Nambalisita to eat the dark porridge, not the light. When Kalunga shut him in a doorless room, Nambalisita called his animals, and they made a passage for his escape, at the same time filling the room with pumpkins. In the meantime, Kalunga set the room on fire. The pumpkins, when heated, burst, and Kalunga was satisfied that these were the sounds of Nambalisita dying. But Nambalisita then appeared. He left Kalunga's home, and had other experiences.

Dating, disabilities and discrimination

ARIELLA BARKER
Jerusalem Post
04-06-2011
Dating, disabilities and discrimination
Byline: ARIELLA BARKER
Edition: Daily
Section: Opinion
Type: Editorial

Over Facebook chat, my friend scolded me about my dating life. She insisted that I put myself out there more by going on TV shows, online dating sites and to matchmakers. God forbid I be single! Although I personally think my dating stories are far more interesting than my married friends' stories of laundry, cooking and diapers, I guess I too am susceptible to the desire to couple up. So I opened a new tab in my Internet browser and went to an Orthodox matchmaking website.

The first step is to fill out the questionnaire. I thought, "How hard could this be? I'll just click single, no children and Orthodox, put up some pictures, write about myself and what I'm looking for in a man, and voila."
Um, wrong! The first question alone made me feel like I was in front of a beit din. It asked with which sect of Judaism I identify? Easy enough, right? Except there were about 50 choices. (I guess the Jewish people really are divided.) Then there were questions about my level of observance: kashrut, how I dress, whether I cover my head and how I often I pray and study Torah.

Fine.

Following these questions, I had to answer the section on whether I am a convert or ba'al tshuva (newly religious). Click yes or no, right? Ha! What year did you convert? Under which organization did you convert? Who was your conversion rabbi? What's the bracha on a banana?

Okay, the last one I made up (and it's a trick question).

THEN I came upon the question, "Are you disabled?" Wait. What? Why? Am I filling out my taxes? Am I buying a train ticket? Did I just skip the line at Disney World?

But, okay, I clicked "yes," and a follow-up question appeared. It asked me to "please describe."

Okay, now I was confused. Did they want the percentage of disability the government has declared me, my actual diagnosis, my doctor's name and number, or a list of medical devices I use? Ugh!

I just wrote "wheelchair" and moved on, slightly irritated.

It wasn't until the website asked, "Are you willing to date someone with a disability?" and "Are you willing to date a ba'al tshuva?" that I got angry.

The site didn't ask: Are you willing to date a Satan worshiper? A rapist? A murderer? A child molester? A psycho? The absurdly stupid. Right. No need to explain if you are unattached due to your serial adultery. Where they draw the line is disability and returning to God.

I am not sure why these questions are there. They do not seem intended to link up people with similar worldviews and parallel lifetime goals, such as marriage, children and a Torah-centered home. These questions seem to cater to a bias to make the matchmaker's life easier. Weed out the undesirables. Rather than go to the trouble of finding an appropriate match or looking at my actual characteristics, the matchmaker would only have to look at a small pool of men - that is, religious men in Israel who would date a disabled girl.

Sure, this may be convenient. Limit the number of men you need to sift through. But most people don't even know anyone with a disability. People know stereotypes. When they think of a disabled person, they think of Christopher Reeves or Jerry's kids, who are often portrayed as sad, deformed and drooling. Disability is not normally linked with an attractive blonde with a bachelor's and juris doctor degrees, and who is independent, worldly and witty, yet artistic. (And who, by the way, is neither deformed nor drools. Well, except on my pillow at night).

So, yeah, they click "no" to that question. So would I avoid a deformed drooler who is also an absurdly stupid, Satan-worshiping, psychotic, child molesting rapist? (Oh, yeah, they forgot to ask about those hobbies).

A close friend of mine once told me that before we met, he signed up for a dating website. It asked him whether he would date someone with a disability. He answered "no." After meeting and getting to know me, he went back to the website and changed his answer.

THE WEBSITE superimposes its own biases on the Orthodox community. Ba'alei tshuva and the disabled are undesirable. No need to allow users to make the choice for themselves. The site asks a question that its users are too uninformed to answer. At the same time, the site denies users, such as yours truly, the chance of being matched with a suitable candidate. The website does not ask whether its users are unwilling to date someone based on their race, national origin, criminal background, IQ, bank account, family tree or mental health. No. The only undesirable traits are how God made us and whether we have returned to Him. In doing so, the website discriminates against the disabled and ba'alei tshuva.

One of the greatest interpreters of Torah was Rabbi Akiba. He was a ba'al tshuva. It would be hard to see him on this site. Moses was the father of all prophets - our rabbi, our teacher. When God saw Moses, He saw a man disabled by a speech impediment, who grew up unaware that he was a Hebrew. He was not "frum from birth," but rather converted with the rest of the Jewish people at the foot of Sinai. So it's a good thing Zipporah didn't use this website. She may never have met our greatest prophet.

Well, as the song says, "I'll be seeing you."

Though perhaps not on this site. To help when we meet, I am the blonde, modestly dressed lawyer. Excuse me if I don't stand up.

The writer is a Tel Aviv-based attorney with a doctorate in law from Emory University. She made aliya in 2008.(c) Copyright Jerusalem Post. All rights reserved.

Illustrations/Photos:
Caption: WHY SHOULD questions like 'Are you disabled?' and 'are you
a convert?' appear on a dating website?

(Copyright 2011 The Jerusalem Post)

The main stories on 2200 2GB News

AAP General News (Australia)
12-20-2010
The main stories on 2200 2GB News

SYDNEY, Dec 20 AAP - Main stories in today's 2200 2GB News:



- The final cost of having a NBN connection is not clearer, despite the release of
the business plan, with retailers likely to mark up projected draft costs.

- Ron Medich is out of jail on bail, but will be closely monitored by police before
his next court appearance on murder changes.

- There's been joy in the Snowy Mountains with unseasonal snowfalls, but Christmas
Day is looking wet across NSW.

- There's good news for 3000 stranded Qantas international passengers, with European
weather-hit flights about to resume.

- Another vessel carrying 60 people has been stopped in Australian waters.

- Labor powerbroker Eddie Obeid is yet to confirm reports he'll quit NSW politics.

- Police admit they're looking into a possible link between a road death and the stabbing
of a man at Mirrabooka in the Lake Macquarie area.

- A central coast woman, caught seven times over the legal limit, has sparked a warning
to Christmas holiday motorists.

- Two Australian soldiers have been wounded, one seriously, in Afghanistan.

- North Korea hasn't retaliated against the South after a live-fire exercise.

- 12 men have been arrested in raids across Britain on suspicion of plotting a large
scale terrorist attack.

- Julia Gillard has laughed off speculation over a ring on her finger.

- Briefly: An Australian human rights lawyer has hit back at US vice-president JOE
BIDEN's comments that WikiLeaks' founder JULIAN ASSANGE is more of a high-tech terrorist
than a whistleblower; Simply Red has played its last gig.

- SPORT: Ricky Ponting will wait until Wednesday to decide if his fractured finger
will allow him to play in the 4th Ashes test; NSW-Qld Sheffield Shield; South Sydney NRL
club will make a decision this week on Greg Inglis; St Kilda AFL photo controversy; Cadel
Evans to miss the Tour Down Under.



AAP RTV ajw/

KEYWORD: MONITOR 2200 2GB

� 2010 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

POLL10 BEROWRA NSW

AAP General News (Australia)
08-12-2010
POLL10 BEROWRA NSW

CANDIDATE PARTY VOTES % SWING
------------------------------------------------------
EVANS, Steve CDP 0 00.00 00.00
+RUDDOCK, Philip LP 0 00.00 00.00
WRIGHT-TURNER, Toni GRN 0 00.00 00.00
STOVE, Michael ALP 0 00.00 00.00
ELLIS, Christian FFP 0 00.00 00.00
GALLAGHER, Mick IND 0 00.00 00.00

FORMAL 0 00.00 00.00

INFORMAL 0 00.00 00.00

TOTAL 0

Two Candidate Preferred:

Candidate1 XXX 0 00.00 00.00

Candidate2 XXX 0 00.00 00.00

2007 result: FFP 1,049; LP 44,525; IND 1,456; GRN 7,653; DEM 974; ALP 25,563; CDP
2,125; Formal 83,345; Informal 4,188; Total 87,533.

Notional swing needed 10.01 per cent.

KEYWORD: BEROWRA - New South Wales. 94,850 enrolled. 00.00% counted.

� 2010 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

Qld: Outrage over lack of pilot on grounded ship

AAP General News (Australia)
04-04-2010
Qld: Outrage over lack of pilot on grounded ship

Another oil spill off the Queensland coast has sparked outrage among conservationists.

Capricorn Conservation Council spokesman IAN HERBERT says ships between Gladstone and
Cairns should be required to have a marine pilot guide them through the Great Barrier
Reef.

Authorities are still trying to determine how much oil has leaked from a 230 metre-long
Chinese coal carrier that ran aground on a reef 70 kilometres east of Great Keppel Island
yesterday .. rupturing a fuel tank.

Mr HERBERT says a year ago Moreton Island was polluted by an oil spill .. now it's
Great Keppel .. and the potential for further damage will only increase as the number
of ships transporting coal and LNG from Gladstone and Rockhampton explodes over the next
decade.

He says the Queensland government's been acting like snake oil salesmen .. spruiking
the riches to be made from LNG and coal exports .. without acknowledging the environmental
harm.

AAP RTV stg/jmt

KEYWORD: CARRIER CONSERVATION (BRISBANE)

2010 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

Main stories in today's 1300 2UE news

AAP General News (Australia)
08-21-2009
Main stories in today's 1300 2UE news

SYDNEY, Aug 21 AAP - Main stories in today's 1300 2UE news:

- Sydney police say they can't find any reason for the sudden disappearance of a Lidcombe woman.

- Police expect to lay charges against two Sydney men after a robbery on an armoured
cash van in Potts Point earlier this year.

- An elderly woman is recovering in Westmead hospital after being rescued from a house
fire in Toongabbie.

- Federal Education Minister Julia Gillard will meet with students who will be adversely
affected by changes to the Youth Allowance scheme.

- Environment Minister Peter Garrett says he expects to make a decision within a week
on whether to approve the Gorgon gas project.

- Round 24 of the NRL kicks off on Friday night, with the Tigers playing Parramatta
and the Dragons playing the Broncos.

AAP bm/wjf

KEYWORD: MONITOR 1300 2UE SYDNEY

2009 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

NSW: Man dead after saving sister and friend from surf

AAP General News (Australia)
04-12-2009
NSW: Man dead after saving sister and friend from surf

SYDNEY, April 12 AAP - A man has died trying to save his younger sister and her friend
in rough surf on the NSW far north coast.

The 35-year-old man rushed to the aid of the two 14-year-old girls when they got caught
in a rip on New Brighton Beach, just north of Byron Bay, at about 2pm (AEST) on Sunday.

"One of the 14-year-old girls entered the surf and encountered some difficulties and
she signalled to a friend who also entered the surf to assist," Superintendent Darren
Steel told the Nine Network.

The man managed to pull the pair to the safety of a sandbar, but he was dragged under by the rip.

Passers-by pulled the unconscious man from the water and two nurses conducted resuscitation
until paramedics arrived at the beach.

He died at the scene.

His sister was rushed to Tweed Heads Hospital, where she remains in a stable condition.

It's believed the family were from the New Brighton area, the Nine Network said.

AAP ab/apm

KEYWORD: DROWN UPDATE

2009 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

NSW: Man injured after drive-by shooting

AAP General News (Australia)
12-08-2008
NSW: Man injured after drive-by shooting

SYDNEY, Dec 8 AAP - A Sydney man has been injured in a drive-by shooting in the city's
north-west.

It was the first of three drive-by shootings reported by police within four hours.

The man injured in the first shooting, believed to be from Carlingford and aged in
his 40s, was shot in the stomach and shoulder by a passenger in a white Holden Commodore,
police said.

He was standing on the corner of Coleman Ave and Pennant Hills Rd, Carlingford, when
the Commodore slowed down and several shots were fired at him about 10pm (AEDT) on Sunday.

He was taken to hospital, where he is in a stable condition.

A crime scene was established and police investigations are continuing.

The second and third shootings occurred within 10 minutes of each other in Sydney's
west early on Sunday morning.

Several shots were fired into a home on Collette Crescent, penetrating the front of
the house in Kings Langley about 1.20am (AEDT) on Sunday.

Six people were home, but no one was injured.

Shortly after 1.30am several shots were fired into a car and a house on Yvonne Street
in Seven Hills.

Four people were home asleep, but no one was hurt.

AAP krc/rs

KEYWORD: SHOT

2008 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

Fed: Nelson prepared to wait for Costello decision

AAP General News (Australia)
08-04-2008
Fed: Nelson prepared to wait for Costello decision

CANBERRA, Aug 4 AAP - Opposition leader Brendan Nelson says he is prepared to wait
until mid-September for Peter Costello to make a decision on his future.

With speculation mounting about a leadership challenge, Liberal MPs want the former
treasurer to declare his ambitions well before his memoirs are published in six weeks
time.

Mr Costello returned home from an overseas holiday last Saturday reportedly convinced
that his party wants him to take over the leadership.

But he is not expected to make any announcement until his memoirs are released.

Dr Nelson, who leaves on an official visit to the US and Britain tomorrow, said he
was not going to press Mr Costello for a decision.

"I am going to wait," Dr Nelson told Fairfax Radio Network.

"You might well say that it's in my interests if you like to put demands on Peter Costello
or otherwise.

"Peter Costello in my view has earned the right to make a decision in his interests
and that of his family and the electors of Higgins in due course and announce it when
he's ready to do so.

"I'm not worried about myself, I'm worried about Australia."

Some senior Liberals want Dr Nelson to step aside in favour of Mr Costello.

Dr Nelson repeated that he would lead the opposition to the next election, and said
Mr Costello would be welcome in shadow cabinet.

"I would be very happy if Peter Costello makes the decision to stay and he obviously
would come straight on to our frontbench," he said, without specifying in which position.

Dr Nelson said average Australians were not interested in the leadership speculation.

Critics, including former Liberal leader John Hewson, have accused Mr Costello of not
having the courage to challenge for the leadership.

But Dr Nelson said no one could criticise until they had experienced the heavy burden
of public office.

"I respect him, I respect his wife Tanya and their family. They've worked damned hard
for this country," he said.

"It's not until you walk in somebody else's shoes you get a feel for what they put
up with - the gruelling year-in, year-out, hard decisions and work that he put in, sacrifices
by his family, to get us into the position we were in in November last year before Mr
Rudd took control of things.

"As far as I'm concerned Peter Costello has made us a better country, he's earned the
right to make a decision when it suits him."

The leadership speculation had been tough on his family, Dr Nelson said.

"Obviously I wouldn't be human if I didn't say that there are some times when you wonder
what is on the mind of some people and of course your family read the papers and hear
these things," he said.

"But that's what we've all signed up for and my job is to make sure that I do the very
best I can for Australians."

AAP mfh/rl/jt/nf

KEYWORD: COSTELLO NELSON

2008 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

AAP long-term news diary for February 11 - March 11 =4

AAP General News (Australia)
02-10-2008
AAP long-term news diary for February 11 - March 11 =4



MONDAY MARCH 3



ADELAIDE:



BRISBANE:



GOLD COAST

QUICKSILVER AND ROXY PRO SURFING

February 23-March 5, 2008

Gold Coast



CANBERRA:



DARWIN:



HOBART:



MELBOURNE:

MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL MOTOR SHOW

February 29-March 10, 2008

Melbourne Exhibition Centre

MELBOURNE FOOD & WINE FESTIVAL

February 22-8 March, 2008

Various Venues

Website: www.melbournefoodandwine.com.au



SYDNEY:

BREAST CANCER NETWORK AUSTRALIA HOSTS FREE FORUM

Harnessing Hope, Overcoming Hurdles.

Contact: (03) 9805 2572

Email: jcolgan@bcna.org.au



PERTH:





TUESDAY MARCH 4



ADELAIDE:



BRISBANE:

SECOND TRI-SERIES CRICKET ODI FINAL

Gabba



GOLD COAST

QUICKSILVER AND ROXY PRO SURFING

February 23-March 5, 2008

Gold Coast



CANBERRA:



DARWIN:



HOBART:



MELBOURNE:

MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL MOTOR SHOW

February 29-March 10, 2008

Melbourne Exhibition Centre

MELBOURNE FOOD & WINE FESTIVAL

February 22-8 March, 2008

Various Venues

Website: www.melbournefoodandwine.com.au

THE MELBOURNE MINING CLUB - CUTTING EDGE SERIES

The Supper Room, Level 3, Melbourne Town Hall.

"The Lion Cubs Road".

Email: mmc@minerals.org.au



SYDNEY:

SYDNEY INSTITUTE PRESENTS LIBERALS AND THE FUTURE, THREE PERSPECTIVES.

Guests include Kevin Andrews, Senator Marise Payne and Christopher Pyne.

Contact:(02) 9252 3366

Fax: (02) 9252 3360

Email: mail@thesydneyinstitute.com.au



PERTH:





WEDNESDAY MARCH 5



ADELAIDE:



BRISBANE:



GOLD COAST

QUICKSILVER AND ROXY PRO SURFING

February 23-March 5, 2008

Gold Coast



CANBERRA:

VICE PRESIDENT AND SUN FELLOW SUN MICROSYSTEMS JAMES GOSLING ADDRESS PRESS CLUB,

National Press Club, 16 National Circuit, Barton, ACT.

Contact: 02 6121 2199.



DARWIN:



HOBART:



MELBOURNE:

THE 13TH OTTAWA INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON CLINICAL COMPETENCE

March 5-8, 2008

Melbourne Exhibition & Convention Centre

Website: www.ozzawa13.com

MELBOURNE JESUIT LENTEN SEMINAR

Keynote speaker: Don Henry, Australian Conservation Foundation executive director.

Website: www.eurekastreet.com.au

MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL MOTOR SHOW

February 29-March 10, 2008

Melbourne Exhibition Centre

MELBOURNE FOOD & WINE FESTIVAL

February 22-8 March, 2008

Various Venues

Website: www.melbournefoodandwine.com.au

AUSTRALIAN WATER SUMMIT

March 5-7, 2008

RACV Club Melbourne

Contact: Nigel Dique 02 9080 4108, 0423 024 819.

Website: www.iir.com.au/watersummit



SYDNEY:



PERTH:





THURSDAY MARCH 6



ADELAIDE:



BRISBANE:



CANBERRA:



DARWIN:



HOBART:



MELBOURNE:

THE 13TH OTTAWA INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON CLINICAL COMPETENCE

March 5-8, 2008

Melbourne Exhibition & Convention Centre

Website: www.ozzawa13.com

MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL MOTOR SHOW

February 29-March 10, 2008

Melbourne Exhibition Centre

MELBOURNE FOOD & WINE FESTIVAL

February 22-8 March, 2008

Various Venues

Website: www.melbournefoodandwine.com.au

AUSTRALIAN WATER SUMMIT

March 5-7, 2008

RACV Club Melbourne

Contact: Nigel Dique 02 9080 4108, 0423 024 819.

Website: www.iir.com.au/watersummit



SYDNEY:



PERTH:





FRIDAY MARCH 7



ADELAIDE:

THIRD TRI-SERIES CRICKET ODI FINAL

Adelaide Oval

(if needed)



BRISBANE:



CANBERRA:



DARWIN:



HOBART:



MELBOURNE:

THE 13TH OTTAWA INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON CLINICAL COMPETENCE

March 5-8, 2008

Melbourne Exhibition & Convention Centre

Website: www.ozzawa13.com

MOOMBA WATERFEST

March 7-10, 2008

Yarra River, Melbourne

Contact: 03 9658 9658

Website: www.moombawaterfest.com.au

MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL MOTOR SHOW

February 29-March 10, 2008

Melbourne Exhibition Centre

MELBOURNE FOOD & WINE FESTIVAL

February 22-8 March, 2008

Various Venues

Website: www.melbournefoodandwine.com.au

AUSTRALIAN WATER SUMMIT

March 5-7, 2008

RACV Club Melbourne

Contact: Nigel Dique 02 9080 4108, 0423 024 819.

Website: www.iir.com.au/watersummit



SYDNEY:

ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE ARCHIBALD, WYNNE AND SULMAN PRIZES

Contact: (02) 9225 1791 or 0412 268 320

Email: susanneb@ag.nsw.gov.au or claurem@ag.nsw.gov.au

NEWTON'S PLAYGROUND FESTIVAL

Featuring air sports and live music.

March 7-9, 2008

Contact: (02) 6333 6236

Website: www.bathurst.nsw.gov.au



V8 SUPERCARS RD 2

March 7-9, 2008

Eastern Creek, Sydney



PERTH:





SATURDAY MARCH 8



ADELAIDE:



BRISBANE:



CANBERRA:



DARWIN:



HOBART:



MELBOURNE:

THE 13TH OTTAWA INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON CLINICAL COMPETENCE

March 5-8, 2008

Melbourne Exhibition & Convention Centre

Website: www.ozzawa13.com

MOOMBA WATERFEST

March 7-10, 2008

Yarra River, Melbourne

Contact: 03 9658 9658

Website: www.moombawaterfest.com.au

MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL MOTOR SHOW

February 29-March 10, 2008

Melbourne Exhibition Centre

MELBOURNE FOOD & WINE FESTIVAL

February 22-8 March, 2008

Various Venues

Website: www.melbournefoodandwine.com.au

BALLARAT BEGONIA FESTIVAL

March 8-10, 2008

Contact: 03 5320 5757

Email: begoniafestival@ballarat.vic.gov.au



AUSTRALIAN CUP RACES

Caulfield

AFL PRE-SEASON GRAND FINAL



SYDNEY:

ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE PEOPLE'S CHOICE FOR THE ARCHIBALD PRIZE

Contact: (02) 9225 1791 or 0412 268 320

Email: susanneb@ag.nsw.gov.au or claurem@ag.nsw.gov.au

NEWTON'S PLAYGROUND FESTIVAL

Featuring air sports and live music.

March 7-9, 2008

Contact: (02) 6333 6236

Website: www.bathurst.nsw.gov.au



V8 SUPERCARS RD 2

March 7-9, 2008

Eastern Creek, Sydney



PERTH:





SUNDAY MARCH 9



ADELAIDE:



BRISBANE:



CANBERRA:



DARWIN:



HOBART:



MELBOURNE:

MOOMBA WATERFEST

March 7-10, 2008

Yarra River, Melbourne

Contact: 03 9658 9658

Website: www.moombawaterfest.com.au

MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL MOTOR SHOW

February 29-March 10, 2008

Melbourne Exhibition Centre

BALLARAT BEGONIA FESTIVAL

March 8-10, 2008

Contact: 03 5320 5757

Email: begoniafestival@ballarat.vic.gov.au



SYDNEY:

NEWTON'S PLAYGROUND FESTIVAL

Featuring air sports and live music.

March 7-9

Contact: (02) 6333 6236

Website: www.bathurst.nsw.gov.au



V8 SUPERCARS RD 2

March 7-9, 2008

Eastern Creek, Sydney



PERTH:





MONDAY MARCH 10



ADELAIDE:



BRISBANE:



CANBERRA:



DARWIN:



HOBART:



MELBOURNE:

MOOMBA WATERFEST

March 7-10, 2008

Yarra River, Melbourne

Contact: 03 9658 9658

Website: www.moombawaterfest.com.au

MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL MOTOR SHOW

February 29-March 10, 2008

Melbourne Exhibition Centre

BALLARAT BEGONIA FESTIVAL

March 8-10, 2008

Contact: 03 5320 5757

Email: begoniafestival@ballarat.vic.gov.au



SYDNEY:

NORTH WEST SYDNEY TRANSPORT FORUM

Contact: (02) 9351 7199 or 0431 586 146

Email: aleciad@eng.usyd.edu.au or d.dent@eng.usyd.edu.au



PERTH:





TUESDAY MARCH 11



ADELAIDE:



BRISBANE:



CANBERRA:



DARWIN:



HOBART:



MELBOURNE:

4TH ANNUAL PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS IN HEALTHCARE SUMMIT

March 11-12, 2008

Rendezvous Hotel, Melbourne

Building successful partnerships to strengthen Australia's healthcare infrastructure.

Contact: Nigel Dique 02 9080 4108, 0423 024 819

Website: www.informa.com.au/ppphealth



SYDNEY:

SYDNEY INSTITUTE PRESENTS EARLY COLONIAL SOCIETY, BLIGH AND WENTWORTH

Authors Peter Cochrane and Penelope Nelson will speak.

Contact:(02) 9252 3366

Fax: (02) 9252 3360

Email: mail@thesydneyinstitute.com.au



PERTH:



AAP szp/nf

KEYWORD: DIARY 30DAY 4 (FEB 11 - MAR 11)

2008 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

SA: Andrews says he shares AFP concerns over transcript

AAP General News (Australia)
08-23-2007
SA: Andrews says he shares AFP concerns over transcript

ADELAIDE, Aug 23 AAP - Federal Immigration Minister Kevin Andrews says he shares the
concerns of the Australian Federal Police (AFP) over the release of a transcript of an
interview with Mohamed Haneef.

The AFP said it had complained to the Queensland Legal Services Commission over the
release yesterday of the interview between police and the Indian-born doctor on July 13
and 14.

Dr Haneef's lawyers said they had released the transcript, which they say shows the
former terror suspect has nothing to hide, to counter "slander" by federal authorities.

However, the AFP has attacked the release of the transcript, saying attempts by Dr
Haneef's lawyers to use the media to run their case is both unprofessional and inappropriate.

Mr Andrews said the transcript was something the AFP controlled but he agreed with
the criticism of its disclosure.

"They are obviously very concerned about this, they regard the release of that transcript
as irresponsible and unprofessional and that's why thev've taken that stand," the minister
told reporters.

"I share their view.

"This is a balance of public information on one hand and national security on the other.

"I don't think Dr Haneef's lawyers, running around, conducting some sort of public
relations campaign the way they are, is doing anything in terms of the national security
of the country."

Mr Andrews said both he and the AFP were concerned about the release of any information
which could jeopardise ongoing investigations of the British attack both in Australia
and the UK and the prosecutions in the UK.

"Information should not be released which jeopardises those investigations," he said.

Dr Haneef was charged with a terrorism-related offence on July 14, but released when
the Director of Public Prosecutions withdrew the charge on July 27.

AAP tjd/maur/de

KEYWORD: HANEEF ANDREWS

2007 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

NSW: Wages uncertainty leaves bosses facing fines

AAP General News (Australia)
04-09-2007
NSW: Wages uncertainty leaves bosses facing fines

Large numbers of employers could face large fines for underpaying their workers ..

because the wages watchdog won't tell them what they are legally obliged to pay.

The Work Choices legislation has created thousands of new Australian Pay and Classification
Scales .. which set minimum wage entitlements.

But Fairfax newspapers report no government agency is publishing legally reliable copies of them.

It means an estimated two million workers cannot be sure they are being paid properly
.. while their employers don't have a definitive guideline explaining their legal obligations.

Several employer organisations have raised the issue in their submissions to the Fair
Pay Commission for its minimum wage review .. which started this month.

Industry groups are calculating the rates for their members .. but can't guarantee
they would stand up in court in a dispute.

Business groups say the fines under Work Choices are more than 30 thousand dollars
for each breach.

AAP RTV sk/nc

KEYWORD: WORKPLACE FINES (SYDNEY)

2007 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

Fed: Coup was illegal, says new Fiji PM

AAP General News (Australia)
12-07-2006
Fed: Coup was illegal, says new Fiji PM

The prime minister installled by Fiji's coup leaders has admitted the military takeover
of the country is an illegal act.

But JONA SENILAGAKALI says it was a lesser evil .. in comparison to the corruption
of the ousted government.

The military doctor's told ABC radio the coup was designed to clean up the mess of
much bigger illegal acts.

SENILAGAKALI also says his appointment as Prime Minister took him totally by suprise
.. and he merely followed orders .. and took the job.

He says he wasn't even aware of his new position .. until it was announced at a media
conference by coup leader FRANK BAINIMARAMA.

AAP RTV dep/wf/rt

KEYWORD: FIJI SENILAGAKALI (CANBERRA)

2006 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

N.J. BRIEFS

Kevin G. Demarrais; Jennifer Caballero; Martha McKay; Bloomberg News; Prashant Gopal
The Record (Bergen County, NJ)
07-13-2006

N.J. BRIEFS
Kevin G. Demarrais; Jennifer Caballero; Martha McKay; Bloomberg News; Prashant Gopal
Date: 07-13-2006, Thursday
Section: BUSINESS
Edtion: All Editions
Column: N.J. BRIEFS

Wyeth predicting robust earnings

MADISON — Wyeth reaffirmed its forecast for 2006 on Wednesday, saying full-year earnings would reach "at least the upper end" of its guidance of $2.97 to $3.07 a share if current business trends continue.

"Our expectations for 2006 reflect solid ongoing operating performance driven both by revenue growth and cost control," said Robert Essner, Wyeth's chairman and chief executive. "We expect to deliver on our stated goal of growing earnings at a meaningfully faster rate than revenue."

The drug maker announced also that it had submitted "a timely response" to the May 8 warning letter it received from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration concerning manufacturing at its Guayama, Puerto Rico, plant.

Wyeth was cited for manufacturing lapses involving at least a dozen drugs, including one instance in which a screw and two washers wound up in a bottle of a blood-pressure medicine and another that prompted the recall of 20 lots of a contraceptive.

The company said it hopes to resolve those issues by the end of the year.

— Kevin G. DeMarrais

* * *

Schering makes executive change

KENILWORTH — Schering Plough Corp. announced two executive changes for its research and development arm, Schering-Plough Research Institute.

Thomas P. Koestler will become executive vice president, president and a member of the company's executive management team. He will also become a member of the Pharmaceutical Leadership Board, which steers product development, registration, and launches.

He succeeds Cecil B. Pickett, who retired to join Biogen Idec.

Catherine D. Strader, the current executive vice president of discovery research at the institute, will become executive vice president and chief scientific officer for the institute.

Koestler and Strader will begin their new jobs on Sept. 1.

— Jennifer Caballero

* * *

'Megachurch' pastor and Audible team up

WAYNE — Audible Inc. and "megachurch" pastor T.D. Jakes are joining forces, the company said Wednesday.

Audible, a provider of spoken audio over the Internet, will offer a digital subscription service — for $14.95 per month — to join "The Potter's House Audible Listener Plan," which will let customers download Bishop Jakes' sermons, spiritual teachings and motivational messages to a computer, MP3 player or iPod.

Jakes and his ministry are known to millions of people around the world, Audible said. Audible will officially unveil the new service at Jakes' third annual MegaFest event in Atlanta, scheduled for July 19-22. Last year, MegaFest drew more than 100,000 attendees.

— Martha McKay

* * *

Wal-Mart will sell Plan B pill in Conn.

WOODCLIFF LAKE — Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the world's largest retailer, has agreed to sell a morning-after contraceptive pill in Connecticut, bringing to at least three the number of states where it will carry the drug.

The agreement was reached four months after Attorney General Richard Blumenthal ruled Wal-Mart could be excluded from Connecticut's health-insurance network if it refused to dispense the pill, Blumenthal said in a statement Wednesday.

Wal-Mart will continue to allow pharmacists to refuse to fill the prescription and to refer customers to other pharmacies, the statement said.

Wal-Mart said in March it would sell the Plan B emergency contraceptive made by Barr Pharmaceuticals Inc. of Woodcliff Lake after Illinois and Massachusetts pressured the company to do so. Wal-Mart hadn't offered the pill, which women can take 72 hours after intercourse to prevent conception, because, it said, there wasn't enough demand for the pill.

— Bloomberg News

* * *

Opteum acquires assets of Aclarian

PARAMUS — Opteum Financial Services, a wholly owned subsidiary of publicly traded Opteum Inc., said Wednesday that it has acquired the assets of Aclarian Mortgage, a private retail mortgage lender based in Sarasota, Fla.

The Opteum subsidiary, a mortgage lender with 37 branches nationwide, said the acquisition strengthens its position in Florida's high-growth west coast market.

Opteum will now have five branches in Florida, including two in Sarasota.

— Prashant Gopal

Keywords: BUSINESS

Copyright 2006 Bergen Record Corp. All rights reserved.

Fed: Tough, smart and busy: McGuire an asset for Nine

AAP General News (Australia)
02-10-2006
Fed: Tough, smart and busy: McGuire an asset for Nine

(Eds: This replaces the story repeated earlier today)



By Mike Hedge, Senior Correspondent

MELBOURNE, Feb 9 AAP - Until now, the most important public role among the many that
Eddie McGuire performs was his presidency of Australia's best-supported football club.

Now he heads the country's top-rating television network.

As well as being president of the Collingwood Football Club, McGuire, 41, is a top-rating
TV football commentator and host of the country's most popular football and games shows.

When he has a spare moment, he is a newspaper columnist, a major figure in the republican
movement, on the board of the Victorian Major Events Company, Logies host, head of a cancer
charity and husband and father.

He's also available for weddings and bar mitzvahs, and, seemingly, he does them all rather well.

But now, Eddie will no longer be everywhere.

McGuire has succeeded to one of the most powerful positions in the country.

The kid whose first jobs were compiling football statistics for the Melbourne Herald
and cricket reports for Australian Associated Press will run the TV station that, until
last Christmas, was ruled by Kerry Packer.

McGuire's rise and rise has been as well-managed as it has been spectacular.

And his best manager has been himself.

A popular sport in Melbourne has been to take pot-shots at the kid from working-class
Broadmeadows who made it to Toorak without seriously offending anyone - except the considerable
body of AFL fans who hate Collingwood.

It has been a largely futile sport.

McGuire first appeared on television in 1982 on the Ten Network, where he remained until 1993.

The following year he switched to Nine and soon after became the host of a football
show that was as unique as it was successful.

His Victorian version of the Footy Show topped the ratings despite suffering the disadvantage
of not being allowed to show any football footage.

At the same time, McGuire formed his own media company which produced and packaged
radio shows as well as a children's football program and a series of other specials.

Despite the obvious workload, the biggest problem for McGuire has been dealing with
the conflicts of interest, real or apparent, that arose from having so many irons in the
same football fire.

Some of the same issues are bound to follow him into his new job, but they will only
be short-lived.

From next year, Nine won't be broadcasting AFL matches.

Even if it had, McGuire wouldn't have been part of the picture - or sound.

As pointed out by Fairfax newspapers TV commentator Ross Warneke, one of the big questions
surrounding McGuire's appointment concerns whether he's a bigger asset to Nine on the
screen or off.

AAP mh/dk/it/sd/br/de

KEYWORD: MCGUIRE PROFILE (REPEATING)

2006 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

Vic: Fire damages a Visyboard paper mill

AAP General News (Australia)
12-27-2004
Vic: Fire damages a Visyboard paper mill

MELBOURNE, Dec 27 AAP - Fire has damaged a Visyboard paper mill at Campbellfield in
Melbourne's north today, causing up to $3 million in equipment damage.

Melbourne Fire Brigade Commander Ian Yates said the build up of paper dust appeared
to have caused a fire in the duct work.

"Fire crews arrived in less than three minutes, following the activation of the automatic
fire alarm," Commander Yates said.

"The fire took 25 minutes to bring under control and the damage was confined to the
No. 4 paper mill, during plant and associated duct work."

About 40 firefighters on 14 appliances attended the Visyboard fire around midday.

AAP jt/jlw

KEYWORD: VISY FIRE

2004 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

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Choice One Activates First Clients in Three Pennsylvania Markets; Company Plans to Offer Both Voice and Data Services to Local Businesses.

ROCHESTER, N.Y., Feb. 29 /PRNewswire/ --

Choice One Communications (Nasdaq: CWON), an Integrated Communications Provider offering telecommunications services to small and medium-sized businesses in the Northeast, today announced that it has opened three new sales offices and turned up services in Harrisburg, Allentown and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Pennsylvania.

The company also confirmed plans to supplement the data services initially being offered in these markets with voice services during the third quarter of this year. Choice One clients in Harrisburg, Allentown and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton are currently using high-speed data services and Internet access utilizing state-of-the-art DSL technology.

Choice One began selling telecommunications services in the three new Pennsylvania markets this past January, and activated its first data clients within the last week. Choice One has been providing voice and data services in Pittsburgh since February of 1999.

"Our initial experiences in eastern Pennsylvania have been very positive," said Steve Dubnik, Choice One chairman and CEO. "Small and medium sized businesses are taking advantage of the benefits of DSL technology, which can be provided cost-effectively over existing phone lines at speeds up to 35 times faster than 28.8 Kbps dial-up modems.

"With the addition of local and long distance voice services, we are looking forward to providing local businesses with an even wider range of bundled services from a single source, on one convenient bill."

Dubnik said that the company will continue to aggressively deploy DSL services in all three markets while voice services are under development. He also noted that the company's strategy of co-locating telecommunications equipment inside the central offices of Bell Atlantic allows Choice One to reach the majority of businesses in all three cities.

Choice One recently announced that it had completed a successful Initial Public Offering for a total of $164 million of common stock at $20 per share. The proceeds will be used to fund the continued expansion of Choice One markets and infrastructure.

The official launch of the three newest Pennsylvania markets brings the total number of Choice One markets in service to 12. Choice One plans to begin providing voice and data services in Hartford and New Haven, Connecticut this summer, and is currently evaluating several other Northeastern markets for its continued expansion.

About Choice One Communications

Headquartered in Rochester, New York, Choice One (Nasdaq: CWON) offers local exchange and long distance telecommunications services, and high-speed data, Internet and DSL solutions, primarily to small and medium-sized businesses in second and third tier markets in the Northeast, U.S. The Company is making significant long-term commitments in its target markets by deploying integrated switching and data platforms, including DSL technology, to offer its clients fully integrated, high quality solutions for telecommunications services. Choice One currently serves customers in Albany, Rochester, Syracuse and Buffalo, New York; Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and Allentown, Pennsylvania; Providence, Rhode Island; Manchester and Portsmouth, New Hampshire; and Springfield and Worcester, Massachusetts.

On February 23, Choice One announced that it had completed its Initial Public Offering for a total of $164 million of common stock at $20 per share.

For further information about Choice One, visit the company's web site at http://www.choiceonecom.com or contact them at 888-832-5800.

Choice One in Pennsylvania

Allentown: Iron Run Corporate Center, 7150 Windsor Drive, 610-530-0112; Thomas Oberecker, General Manager

Harrisburg: Pennsylvania Place, 301 Chestnut Street, 717-213-4278; Grant Cate, General Manager

Pittsburgh: 650 Smithfield Street, Centre City Tower, 8th Floor, 412-201-2799; Jeanne Minnicks, General Manager

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton: Hanover Industrial Park, 1090 Hanover Street, Wilkes-Barre, 570-819-2535; Sharon Michno, Director of Sales for Pennsylvania

Bell Atlantic Selects Concord's Network Health to Improve Customer Communication and Satisfaction.

MARLBORO, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 9, 1999--

Market-leading Network Health Provides Bell Atlantic

Customers with Daily Network Performance Reports on the Web

Concord Communications(R), Inc. (NASDAQ:CCRD), the leader in Web-based network performance reporting and analysis solutions, today announced that Bell Atlantic is leveraging Network Health and the Internet to communicate network performance status and information to customers.

Bell Atlantic Data Solutions Group, a unit of Bell Atlantic, recently installed Network Health in their state-of-the-art enterprise management centers and uses the solution's automated, industry-leading reports to document the performance of their customers' networks. Customers in assorted industries, including global corporations, educational institutions and government agencies, access performance reports via the Internet daily to make informed and timely decisions about their network services.

"We selected this software tool because it's a cost-effective solution that can be quickly implemented, enabling us to provide customers easy access to useful data about their networks via the World Wide Web," said Don Montgomery, product manager of Network Management Services for the Bell Atlantic Data Solutions Group.

"With Network Health, we can arm our customers with the information they need to maximize the performance, availability and reliability of their data networks."

Delivers Better Customer Communication

Network Health enabled Bell Atlantic Data Solutions Group to move from an administratively expensive and time-consuming monthly customer report process to daily Web-based reports that customers can access anytime, anywhere through a Web browser. By "webifying" the way they document network performance, information is thirty times more timely and Bell Atlantic Data Solutions customers know they are receiving the most up-to-date information on their network performance.

"Organizations are increasingly turning to top service providers for maximum performance on the enterprise networks that drive their day-to-day business," said Dan Phillips, vice president of sales for Concord Communications. "Top service providers like Bell Atlantic need to constantly analyze and report performance back to their customers. Concord has tailored Network Health to help service providers painlessly communicate network performance and ensure the highest customer satisfaction."

Concord also works with other leading service providers including MCI Worldcom, Sprint, AT&T, Qwest and Level3, and generates approximately one-quarter of its business with service providers.

About Network Health

The Network Health family of analysis and reporting solutions includes ATM, Frame Relay, LAN/WAN, Remote Access, Router/Switch, Server, Service Level Reports and Traffic Accountant modules. These award-winning solutions share the same underlying database and acclaimed presentation format to provide a consistent and fully correlated "total view" of the entire IT infrastructure. The combined suite of Network Health products offers a complete solution, or an incremental migration path for performance analysis and streamlined reporting of an organization's entire client/server infrastructure--from servers to the backbone and wide-area connections.

About Bell Atlantic's Data Solutions Group

The Bell Atlantic Data Solutions Group is dedicated to providing globally integrated network solutions that seamlessly connect businesses with their customers, partners and employees. The Data Solutions Group provides all aspects of data networking from the management and operation of customer networks and network integration, to network transport and advanced IP services such as intranets and extranets, virtual private networks, web hosting, messaging and multimedia services. The Data Solutions Group offers complete, end-to-end solutions through third party alliances and partnerships it is forming nationally and globally.

About Concord Communications

Concord Communications, Inc. is the leading developer of Web-based network reporting and analysis solutions that provide customers with the information they need to measure the effectiveness of their IT investment. The premier service providers, ISPs and Fortune 1000 companies turn to Concord each morning to assess the health of their corporate networks. Concord is headquartered in Marlboro, Massachusetts. For more information about Concord, call 1-800-851-8725 or visit Concord's World Wide Web site at http://www.concord.com.

The Total View is a trademark, and Concord, the Concord logo and Network Health are registered trademarks of Concord Communications, Inc.