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Since October 1995

Wednesday 17 January 1996

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International:

Prime Minister Paul Keating yesterday tried hard to sway the inflexible approach of Malaysia's Dr Mahathir on the APEC issue. His comment that profound changes towards Asia in Australia are taking place was an attempt to woo the Malaysian Prime Minister into softening his stance which excluded Australia from APEC (Asian Pacific Economic Group) which is made up of Asian nations to our North. The men who met in Malaysia seemed to be on good terms but Dr Mahathir did warn Australia to stop meddling in Malaysia's affairs. The Australian media have often exposed Malaysia's poor record on human rights - an issue which gets under Dr Mahathir's skin.

Political:

The number of long term jobless has dipped to its lowest levels in Australia in more than four years with 224,500 being out of work for over 12 months. This result has buoyed the Federal government which has poured Au$ 9 billion into cutting the dole queue through iits Working Nation program.

Business:

Woolwoths sales hit an amazing Au$7.5 billion in its first 6 months of the current financial year. This is a rise of over 10% on the previous year's sales. Woolworths shares closed firmer yesterday rising 2 cents to Au$3.41

Sport:

What a fantastic day-night match between Australia and Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka won by two runs in the last over with Australian fast bowler Glen McGrath having a horror match being hit for 76 runs in less than 10 overs. Highlights were Michael Bevan's 43 not out. This amazing batsman has only been out once in the entire series - a run out. He has averaged 298 runs during the series - this has got to be a world record!
The final scores were Australia 243 and Sri Lanka 245. The match was played before a full house at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Social:

The Childrens Court President, Judge Fred McGuire, expressed a view that most Australians have believed for some time - that the law is soft on the Aborigine juveniles. He went on to agree with the Criminal Justice Commission report that found that the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander juveniles were grossly over-represented in the justice system. He said "Aboriginal children appearing before the courts are, if anything, given more lenient treatment than non-Aboriginal children in comparable cases."
One of the problems that we face in our fine city is a small group of mainly Aboriginal children who take the law into their own hands in the main shopping centre. They act like a pack, occasionally attacking someone, often breaking into a store and taking things while the owner and shoppers watch, and generally creating a disturbance. They have been arrested so many times that the police no longer try to do anything about it as the kids immediately contact the Aboriginal Legal Service who (in a round-about way) threaten to close down anyone who causes trouble for them.

Global Gripe of the day:

The high living lifestyle of tax funded politicians.
I know that this happens around the world, but when you read of five politicians based in Queensland leasing the most expensive offices in town you tend to get annoyed. The politicians have leased the top floor of the Waterfront tower at Au$750,000 per annum. Now for a viable, self-funding business I would say good-on-them. But think about it, these five fellows will hardly ever be there. will spend Au$14,500 per week just on the lease... and the small end of the wedge at that as it is expected that it will cost Au$2 million to fit the 2000 sq metre area. Just the weekly lease alone equates to the average earning of an Australian in a year. I say to Federal ministers Michael Lavarch and Gary Johns, and coalition senators, Warwick Parer, Bill O'Chee and Ron Boswell shame, shame, shame on you as there is no way on this good earth that you can claim to represent the majority of Australians - the battlers.

Personal trivia:

Another warm one at the office yesterday. Today I will be enjoying some time at the Gold Coast training staff at a property group on the use of the Internet. The Ingles Group are well established property developers catering for overseas investors.

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