NewsRoo.com.au

A compact weekly review of Aussie news for Australians abroad
By Vince Chadwick and Benjamin Hope

November 29th 2008

Covering Australian News of 22/11/2008 to 29/11/2008













Taj Mahal Hotel, Mumbai, India
Image: Stuti

Aussie travellers caught in Mumbai terrorist attacks

Acting Foreign Minister Simon Crean has condemned Thursday’s terrorist attacks in Mumbai that killed 87 people and wounded up to 250, as heavily armed Islamist militants from the group calling itself ‘Deccan Mujahedeen’ hit two luxury hotels and took foreign tourists hostage. Mr Crean described the attacks as an ‘assault on democracy’ as one Australian is dead and a representative from a New South Wales trade delegation was still missing on Friday. Two Queensland students are also in hospital after they were both shot in the leg during the street shooting and bombings that coincided with the hotel attacks. Cricket Australia has postponed travel arrangement for Australian cricketers due to leave next week’s Campion Twenty20 League as they refused to put their players or staff at risk.

Pie chart

Government mentions the D word

The Federal Opposition has derided Kevin Rudd for describing himself as a fiscal conservative as his government admitted that it may go into deficit in order to stimulate a faltering economy. Treasurer Wayne Swan struck back saying the government was ‘acting decisively to stimulate the economy to protect families and the jobs that are at risk from the global financial crisis’. A worsening economic outlook may also delay the government’s plan to introduce up to 18 weeks paid maternity leave as even the minister responsible, Tanya Plibersek said this week that ‘in very difficult economic circumstances… these things have to be worked through in the Budget context’.

Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard
Image: Adam Carr

WorkChoices Dead

The federal government fulfilled another election promise this week as Workplace Relations Minister Julia Gillard introduced Labor’s new industrial relations system to the senate, ending the controversial WorkChoices scheme introduced by the Howard government in 2006. The new system, expected to be fully operational by 2010, will remove individual contracts, protect workers from unfair dismissal and offer a safety net of minimum conditions that cannot be stripped away. Opposition leader Malcolm Turnbull said his party would reserve its right to propose amendments to the bill but would not stand in the way commenting: ‘the Coalition accepts WorkChoices is dead.’

Nicola Roxon
Image: Timeshift9

Roxon retracts homophobic appointee

The Rudd Government’s has been forced to defend it’s record on gay rights in the same week as it moved to abolish discrimination against same-sex couples in some federal laws. The changes, which include allowing same-sex couples to leave superannuation entitlements to their partner or children on their death, were overshadowed by revelations that Federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon appointed two men’s health ambassadors who had leant their names to a document arguing that homosexuality was a mental disorder. The report also claimed gay people were more likely to take drugs and molest children. When one of the men, Warwick Marsh, from the Father’s Foundation who published the paper, refused to repudiate it, Ms Roxon sacked from his role as ambassador.

Storm on the beach
Image: Binarynomad

Australia and Indonesia tackle severe weather

The Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has pledged $67 million develop a centre with Indonesia to cope better with the extreme weather wrought by climate change. The centre will open in Jakarta in April next year and will research earthquakes, cyclones and other catastrophic events to assist authorities in preparing for major disasters. The announcement came after severe storms hit south-east Queensland last week, bursting an inflatable dam on the Mackenzie River in central Queensland that held 6000 mega-litres of water, and killed a four-year old girl. Glenn Knights from the Department of Communities said some residents may take months to recover from the storms with $2.2 million in emergency payments already claimed in south-east Queensland.

Murray River
Image: suburbanbloke

Victorian households urged to save more water

The Victorian state government has announced plans to introduce personal water targets this summer to complement stage 3A water restrictions that will remain in place for the next 12 months. The voluntary targets will encourage households to use no more than 155 litres per person each day following a similar campaign in south-east Queensland. The plan comes as a CSIRO report predicted climate change would mean some Victorian farmers will miss their full water allocations 80% of the time and the mouth of the Murray River would likely close every second year by 2030. Melbourne water storage levels are currently at 33.3 % capacity compared to 40.2 % this time last year.

Flowers
Image: Mogens Engelund

Melbourne gangland mother commits suicide

The mother of convicted Melbourne underworld triple-murderer Carl Williams, Barbara Williams has been found dead in her Essendon home after an apparent suicide. Police are not treating the death as suspicious and therefore have agreed to the family’s request that there be no post-mortem carried out on the body. The death sparked controversy over whether to allow Mrs Williams’ son Carl and husband George, both of whom are in jail serving lengthy sentences, to attend the forthcoming funeral. Finally however police cited security concerns in their decision to permit only George to attend the service to be held next Tuesday.

Those seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or SANE Helpline on 1800 18 SANE (7263) visit www.beyondblue.org.au.

Wallet
Image: Martin Kingsley

Aussie's $50 note not authorised: indigenous leader

The Reserve Bank of Australia has denied a $30 million compensation claim by Aboriginal activist Allan Campbell, who claims the image of his famous author and inventor great-uncle David Unaipon which appears on the Australian $50 note was not authorised by the family. Mr Campbell claims that the Reserve Bank obtained permission to use his uncle’s face in 1994 from a woman whose claim to be Mr Unaipon's daughter may not be true. Money is not the sole object however with Mr Campbell also demanding a re-enactment of the celebration for the $50 note in Adelaide before the family grants permission for Unaipon to remain on the note.

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