Today's Headlines
Wednesday 21st February 1996
International:
Australia's overseas trade promotion body, Austrade, yesterday announced that it had tightened security after a Brisbane businessman
was convicted of defrauding the organisation of more than Au$200,000. Maxwell Aubrey Carter defrauded Austrade's Export Market
Development Grant Scheme by falsifying documents.
1996 seems to be the year of political debates. Last night we had opposing Finance Ministers, Peter Costello and Ralph Willis having
a go. Costello raised a good point when he asked the Labor Finance Minister how come the Prime Minister was able to instruct the
Finance Department to check the Coalition funding promises yet could not release an update on the state of the economy. Willis
was unable to answer that one. Makes you wonder.
The Labor Party have built up a head of steam about the Coalition's latest political advertisement which claims that the government
are selling off Telstra by stealth. They claim that it is misleading - so what else is new in politics?
On the local state scene there was a farcicle extension of the houses special sitting in which the new labor opposition pushed for a
bill protecting their superannuation (see Global Gripe of the Day)
when the new Liberal government swore themselves in with the assistance of independent Liz Cunningham. They called for a bill
ensuring that the Liberals would not call an early election.
Business:
TNT Ltd are desperate to get rid of their shares in Ansett, Australia's major private airline. The poor performance of Ansett dragged
TNT's profit down by 36.1% to Au$46.7 million. TNT have been trying to offload their shares to Air NZ. News Limited, Ansett's other
major share holder are also trying to get out. The airline must be the most "unloved" company in Australia!
Sport:
Congratulations Sam Riley. Australia's international swimmer has been cautioned by FINA but will not be banned from swimming.
Sam was tested positive in Brazil late last year after her coach gave her a banned substance (by accident) for a headache. Sam's coach
was not so lucky. He has been banned from coaching for 2 years.
Social:
Teenage Australian children have been caught injecting heroin and sharing a needle by a hidden camera planted by the school principal.
Alarming figures show a 400% increase in the number of children charged with trafficking heroine. The video footage shattered the
traditional image of a bunch of school kids sharing a smoke behind the school shed. Another serious drug problem area is reportedly
that of "chroming" the inhalation of paint or glue fumes.
Personal trivia:
Busy day in the big smoke yesterday. Brisbane is quite a beautiful city, but the parking... oh the parking! The weather outside the global
office is quite beautiful. Sunny skies, cool winds punctuated by performing parrots flitting from tree to tree.
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