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Iemma resigns amid factional strife

New South Wales Premier Morris Iemma has resigned the day after he fired Treasurer Michael Costa. Dr Iemma announced he would leave politics altogether after failing to obtain the support of colleagues in the ALP Right faction for a proposed cabinet reshuffle. Emergency Services Minister Nathan Rees was elected unopposed as leader, with former Education Minister Camel Tebbutt as his deputy. Newly promoted Police Minister Matt Brown also resigned after just three days in the job when it emerged he had acted inappropriately at a post-budget party three months ago, allegedly dancing in his underwear and simulating a sex act with Wollongong MP Noreen Hay. Ms Hay denied the claim.

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Mixed bag for Nationals as WA election result still unclear

The incumbent Labor Government has come close to losing the state election in Western Australia with Premier Alan Carpenter and Opposition leader Colin Barnett vying to form a coalition government with the Nationals. With votes still being counted the key seats of Riverton and Wanneroo appeared to be edging towards the Liberals, though speculation has already begun that Alan Carpenter would be forced to step down as Premier even if the ALP managed to form government. Federal Nationals leader Warren Truss welcomed the WA result while lamenting the loss of former treasurer Mark Vaile's federal seat of Lyne in a by-election to Independent Rob Oakeshott.

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First female Australian Governor General sworn in

Quentin Bryce has been sworn in as Australia’s first female governor general at an official senate ceremony by High Court Chief Justice Robert French. The 65-year old former Queensland governor, lawyer and national sex discrimination commissioner is the 25th governor of Australia. Following the ceremony Bryce told the Prime Minister and assembled dignitaries she was honoured by the position, and emphasised the Australian ability to ‘embrace change as a natural and necessary consequence of our evolution.’ She replaced out-going Governor General of five years, Major General Michael Jeffery.

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Most Australians back climate change measures regardless of cost

A Newspoll survey has revealed the majority of Australians back the prime ministers proposed greenhouse emissions scheme, with 58% of those surveyed saying they would even be prepared to pay more for energy. The results come after criticism for the Garnaut report - which recommends Australia reduce its carbon emissions by 10% before 2020 - from a group of Australian authors on the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change who said the recommendations do not go far enough to reduce the impact of greenhouse gases. The Reserve Bank said the preparedness of the Australian public to accept a one-off increase in prices would help to contain inflation should the scheme go ahead.

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More Jobs losses on the way: RBA

The Reserve Bank of Australia predicts unemployment will rise 5% over the next 18 months with recent interest rate relief coming at the cost of lower employment and the outside chance of a recession. A Senesis survey found New South Wales residents are the most concerned about losing their jobs after national figures show the number of newspaper and internet employment advertisements recorded their sharpest fall in over 7 years. Commonwealth Bank chief economist Michael Blyth predicted lower petrol prices and interest rates may help ease a period of sluggish growth and upward unemployment pressure as record lows in the service sector weigh on the economy.

Costello: I was the only chance for an election win

Peter Costello has declared the Coalition’s only chance of winning last year’s election was to appoint him leader, but insists he is not now seeking to rescue the Opposition. The comments came as Mr Costello prepared to release his memoirs and the leadership debate within the Liberal Party intensified with key members conceding Malcolm Turnbull will be the next leader ‘for better or worse’ if Costello refuses to make a move. Current Opposition leader Brendan Nelson has assured the public that he will be in the position in two years time but has not been helped by poor results in two federal byelections last week.

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Governments swoop to replenish river system

The Federal and NSW governments have joined forces to buy back a 91,000 hectare cotton farm as part of a federal government plan to revive the Murray-Darling river system. The $23.7 million purchase of Toorale Station in north-western NSW will see anywhere between 20 and 80 billion litres of water returned to the river system each year as the property becomes part of the National Reserve System. Conservationists generally welcomed the move though warned it would do little to alleviate the situation further downstream near the Murray, while federal Opposition water security spokesman John Cobb described the policy as 'anti-rural', saying local residents feared the consequences from the expected loss of 100 jobs.

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Terrorism conviction in NSW

A Sydney man has been convicted of knowingly making a document connected with assistance in a terrorist act. Belal Saadallah Khazaal had compiled and posted a 110 page book on the internet entitled The Provisions On The Rules Of Jihad - Short Judicial Rulings And Organisational Instructions For Fighters And Mujahideen Against Infidels. The jury is yet to return a verdict on the second charge of attempting to incite a terrorist act. The Forum on Australia's Islamic Relations however expressed concern about anti-terror legislation, saying the laws should focus on the intention of those charged as well as the capability to carry out that intention.

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September 13th 2008

Covering Australian News of 06/09/2008 to 12/09/2008