NewsRoo.com.au: A compact weekly review of Aussie news for Australians abroad

A compact weekly review of Aussie news for Australians abroad

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By Vince Chadwick and Benjamin Hope

December 13th 2008

Covering Australian News of 06/11/2008 to 12/11/2008

Image: Ralphbijker

Consumers told to ‘shop for Australia’

Recipients of the Federal Government’s $10 billion stimulus package have been urged to ‘shop for Australia’ both by the Prime Minister and by executive director of the Australian Retailers Association, Richard Evans. Mr Evans said the cash needed to flow through supply channels in order to prevent job shedding in an ailing economy. The $4.8 billion for pensioners and $3.9 billion for families that arrived in bank accounts this week was criticised by the leader of the opposition Malcolm Turnbull, who believes the money would have been better spent as a tax cut, rather than a one-off payment which was more likely to be saved than spent in the current economic climate.

Government under fire over asylum seekers

The Rudd Government has come under increasing pressure to begin using a $400 million detention centre on Christmas Island to process asylum seekers as officials this week captured the sixth boat of people-smugglers to be found in Australian waters since the government abolished temporary protection visas in August. Opposition leader Malcolm Turnbull claimed the recent arrivals showed the government’s policy has failed, while Home Affairs Minister Bob Debus hit back, announcing an investment in a new navy vessel and surveillance aircraft to patrol Australia’s top end. The government had previously said it regarded the Christmas Island detention centre as a relic of the Howard era, though now admits it may be used if numbers necessitated it.

Image: Aschaf

Australia’s first political TV channel unveiled

The Prime Minister launched a new free-to-air and subscription TV channel focused on political news and current affairs this week, hailing the project as a good move for Australian democracy. The Australian Subscription Public Affairs Network, or A-SPAN will provide live coverage of parliamentary debates as well as coverage of Australian state parliaments, British and New Zealand parliaments. The network will initially be released on Pay-TV next January to coincide with the inauguration of US president-elect Barak Obama, and will move to digital free-to-air broadcasts at a later stage. The venture is a joint initiative from Foxtel, Austar and the Australian News Channel, leap frogging the ABC’s recent announcement of a planned dedicated news and public affairs channel.

Australia to discuss Bill of Rights

Australia’s title as the only liberal democracy not to have a bill of rights may be set to change after Attorney-General Robert McClelland announced this week the establishment of a consultation committee designed to investigate whether Australia needs a bill of rights. The committee, to be headed by Frank Brennan along with former SBS newsreader Mary Kostakidis, former Australian Federal Police commissioner Mick Palmer and Aboriginal barrister Tammy Williams will travel the country next year in search of consultations. The ACT and Victoria are currently the only states to have a human rights charter though this occupies a slightly lesser standard than normal regulation.

Image: DeSnousa

Australian Special Forces make progress in Afghanistan

Special Operation Commander, Major-General Tim McOwan, claims that Australian special forces have inflicted critical damage on the Taliban in southern Afghanistan, including the killing of four senior leaders and capture of seven others in the past eighteen months. Major McOwan said the losses are a blow to Taliban networks as new less experienced leaders take the place of those captured. The announcement came as the Taliban’s fugitive leader, Mullah Omar, promised more violence over the next year in response to plans from the US to deploy thousands more troops in the region. Special forces have suffered six of the seven Australian fatalities since 2001 as well as fifty injuries, including some serious and life threatening wounds.

Melbourne hosts World Cup with a difference

Melbourne this week played host to the 6th annual Homeless World Cup, uniting players who had experienced hardship from 56 countries for a 4-a-side street soccer tournament. Afghanistan ultimately prevailed 5-4 over Russia in the men’s final while Zambia won the inaugural women's final 7-1. However all benefited from the event, as newly elected Lord Mayor Robert Doyle said 'over 70 per cent of players are so positively affected by the experience that they go on to change their lives for the better.' The competition has ended though it appears at least 15 players from countries including Zimbabwe and Afghanistan have sought to remain in Australia as asylum seekers, with the Department of Immigration currently considering their claims.

Image: Golbez

Native Title recognised in the Gulf of Carpentaria

Indigenous people in the Gulf of Carpentaria have been granted native title over 121,775 hectares of land across 23 Islands following a decision by Justice Jeffrey Spender in the Federal Court on Tuesday. The decision recognises exclusive and non-exclusive native title rights for the Lardil, Yangkaal, Gangalidda and Kaiadilt peoples on several island groups [groups of islands] around 400 kilometres north of Mount Isa. Carpentaria Land Council Chairman Thomas Wilson attributed the success to the positive approach and co-operation between the Queensland State Government, the land council and traditional owners. The negotiations took two years and included areas of state land, special leases, land leases, permit land and reserves, on which the indigenous population won the right to camp, hunt, conduct ceremonies and protect significant sites.

Image: anyaka

Tassie population to top 500,000 mark

According to statistics released this week by state Treasurer Michael Aird, the population of Tasmania has almost reached a record high of nearly 500,000 people. Tasmania becomes the fifth state to move pass the mark thanks partly to its population growth having been mostly lower than the rest of the country since 1972. Premier David Bartlett also used the milestone as an opportunity to promote Tasmania as the perfect location for a new AFL club, as 500,000 is roughly the proportion of Victorians who support each of the 10 clubs. It took Tasmania 36 years to move from 400,000 to 500,000 people.

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