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Thai turmoil leaves Aussies stranded

Australians trapped in Bangkok after anti-government protestors blockaded the city’s major airports began to arrive home this week aboard a specially chartered Qantas flight from Phuket to Singapore. Thousands of travellers were caught up in a protest by the anti-government People’s Alliance for Democracy that ended on Thursday after Thailand’s Constitutional Court dissolved the ruling People Power Party and banned the Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat from politics for 5 years. The ban came after finding him and key members of his party guilty of vote fraud in last year’s election. The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) urged travellers to think twice before travelling to the Thai capital after attacks involving hand grenades and other explosives resulted in a number of fatalities and injuries.

Interest rates at seven year low

The Reserve Bank of Australia has now cut interest rates by 3 per cent since September with the latest drop this week of a full 1% taking the official cash rate to 4.25%, its lowest point in seven years. The move came as the Australian economy recorded its slowest third quarter growth in eight years amid heightened fears of a recession. Treasurer Wayne Swan meanwhile criticised the banks for not passing on the rate cut in full, as the ANZ became the only bank to pass on the full 1% cut on key credit cards, though not on home loans.

Image: F10n4

Victoria Police rat review

Victoria Police will review its state surveillance squad after Deputy Commissioner Simon Overland confirmed top secret target profiles, which identified the personal details of people currently under investigation, had been leaked to alleged serious criminals. According to the accusations, alleged drug Baron Jon Higgs received information from the leaked files, as did other members of the Black Uhlans motorcycle gang. Deputy Commissioner Overland told journalists there was at least one corrupt officer within the force and the Office of Police integrity would investigate the source. The surveillance team would continue to operate under the new management of Superintendent Paul Sheridan and no officers have yet been suspended.

Qld constitution to recognise Aborigines

The indigenous peoples of Queensland are set to be recognised as the first peoples of the land in a formal preamble to be inserted into the State’s constitution in time for the State’s 150th anniversary next year. Premier Anna Bligh said the idea stemmed from a preparatory forum prior to the 2020 summit last year and would constitute a symbolic and positive gesture rather than an apology. Indigenous leaders welcomed the initiative while, aboriginal activist Stephen Hagan said the government should go further by making inclusive teaching of indigenous history compulsory in schools across the state.

Image: KeithBurtis

ABC reporter jailed for drug offences

New Delhi-based ABC correspondent Peter Lloyd has been jailed for 10 months by a Singapore court for drug offences, after pleading guilty to three charges of possessing 0.41 grams of the methamphetamine known as ‘ice.’ Lloyd claims he began using the drug to ease nightmares associated with post-traumatic stress disorder after covering some of the most traumatic events in the Bangkok and New Delhi region over the past five years. The ABC, who has spent over $65,000 on initial legal support, counselling and travel expenses, said Lloyd’s employment has been terminated due to the commencement of his sentence during which he ‘would be unavailable to work.’ The television reporter had been free on bail until the sentencing but began his jail term on Tuesday.

Image: Stannered

Aussie kids risk becoming couch potatoes

A new study has revealed that two thirds of Australian children watch more than 4.5 hours of television a week, with almost half of those watching more than 9 hours. The report entitled Growing up in Australia found that TV was “an integral part of family life,” but parents claimed they were easily able to manage children’s access to TV and computers. The results come on the back of a US study which found that TV watching leads to long-term unhappiness. The 40,000 ‘not happy’ people were estimated to watch 30% more TV per day than ‘very happy’ people.

Image: Rod Edwards

Iconic town flooded

Country music hub Tamworth has been declared a natural disaster area after 164mm of rain fell in 24 hours leaving 130 homes inundated and 10 people in need of rescue from cars, houses and trees. One man was swept away in flood waters at Loomberah, 30 kilometres east of Tamworth, only to be found about an hour later clinging to a tree. The floods, which locals have labelled the most severe in over 30 years, were described by NSW Premier Nathan Rees as part of the ‘dual-edged sword that rural Australia is so used to’, in that it followed months of severe drought.

Image: Hallom

Cruise liner denies pirate attack

Classic International Cruises has denied claims a ship carrying nearly 400 Australian tourists was surrounded by up to 30 pirate vessels on Tuesday. The luxury cruise ship Athena was travelling through the Gulf of Arden between Somalia and Yemen when it was said to have been surrounded by 30 vessels. Manager of Classic International Cruises, Grant Hunter, said the boats were actually 24 tuna fishing vessels which were located between half and three nautical miles from the Athena and posed no danger to passengers. The scare came after another cruise liner, the Nautica, managed to outrun two boatloads of pirates who opened fire on the vessel last Sunday. There have been almost 100 attacks on ships off the Somali coast by pirates this year.

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December 6th 2008

Covering Australian News of 30/11/2008 to 05/11/2008