Today's Headlines
Saturday 30th March 1996
International:
Australia and Malaysia would continue to have differences but they should not contaminate the strong bilateral relationship between the
two countries, Prime Minister John Howard said yesterday. Mr Howard was speaking after a meeting with Malaysian Prime Minister
Mahathir Mohamad in Brisbane yesterday during which he put his own stamp on Australia's oftened strained relationships with Malaysia.
Issues discussed included: the continuing tensions between Taiwan and China, the bid by Australian banks to do business in Malaysia,
and Transfield's bid for a lucrative Malaysian patrol boat contract.
What a shame the issue of the Gillespie kids who were hi-jacked by their Malaysian father, a prince, from Australia a few years ago wasn't aired!
Australia has banned British beef because of the risks of mad cow disease.
Political:
Prime Minister John Howard issued a sharp warning to unions yesterday that a push for large wage rises could lead to higher levels of unemployment.
Howard also took issue with comments made by the Reserve Bank Governmor, Bernie Fraser, that interest rates could rise as the government's
spending cuts might have little effect on them. The banks, true to form, were quick to jump on the bandwagon with National Australia Bank
raising the honeymoon rate on its five year home loan package to 8.25%.
Business:
The former Chief Executive of the failed state bank of South Australia (which fell into bankruptcy after the share market crash in 1987)
was sued Au81.7 million dollars yesterday after being found guilty on a number of charges. The charges included
negligence, breaching his duties, failing to disclose the bank's position, concealing conflict of interest and pressuring staff to reach a deadline
for his own benefit. In a move that typified the way in which the high(f)lyers jumped ship as it sank, Marcus Clark, after leading the State Bank
for six years resigned in 1991 with a Au1 million dollar payout, most of it in private superannuation, and left Adelaide the day before
South Australian taxpayers were straddled with a Au$3 billion hole - the debt of the bankrupt state government bank.
Sport:
The Australian Rugby League's (ARL) conciliatory mood is being tested by the Brisbane Broncos over sponsorship deals. Ansett wants the jersey naming
rights for the Broncos but rival airline Qantas is sponsor of the ARL's final series.
On Monday the ARL board will discuss the issue and may allow Ansett to maintain the rights for all matches except the premiership - if the
Broncos make it!
In other ARL news, a key match between two top teams, Parramatta and the Queensland Crushers drew a crowd of onyl 12,000 well down
from the average last season. The Queensland Crushers took out the match 24-20.
Social:
The quality of childcare could be hurt by a Queensland Industrial Relations Commissions decision that childcare workers do not
have to be as qualified as kindergarten and pre-school teachers, an early childhood educator said yesterday.
This ruling allowed day care centres to pay unqualified staff less.
Personal trivia:
Another day in the big smoke yesterday visiting clients and buying some more computer gear. Today we will be visiting the Lone Pine
Koala Sanctuary so that we can add more tales to Alex's famous
Koala Trouble web site.
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