Saturday 11th January 1997
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Tony Bullimore, his upturned boat seen here, will not only "make a million" thanks to the Australian tax payer and a country that he has never even set foot in before, but his family have already appointed an agent, Max Markson, to help him do it.
The shipwrecked yachtsman and his French counterpart Thierry Dubois have made no comment at all at this stage about contributing to the cost of the multimillion dollar rescue by the Australian Defence Force. This despite being assured of big pickings and sponsorships - in the case of Bullimore, for example, Markson claims that he has already been offered Au$500,000 for exclusive rights in the British newspapers. It has been reported that movie star Kevin Costner wants to play him and... yes here it is - the media has appointed Bullimore the GREAT BRITISH HERO.
What a load of codswallup - his boat could not take the seas it was in, he hung on for dear life as anyone would and the Australian tax payer roled out a nice little rescue package for him.
And the rescuers? Well our overseas readers might not be aware but the Adelaide based Royal Australian Air Force 492nd Division which played a major role in the rescue is already cash strapped and pilots (like those who found the sailors) are paid very low wages as a result. The chances are that next year they will be flying for the higher paying commercial airlines. So what has this unexpected multi-million dollar rescue done? Knocked a big hole in their budget....
To cap it all Bullimore's business partner and nephew Stephen Mulvany said he was making "two heavyweight deals" to sell his uncle's story which could help replace the Au$1 million yacht. Mulvany said, "He put his mortgage and everything on the line so naturally he needs to recoup his losses."
Bullimore's sponsors, battery manufacturer Exide, even offered to send his wife Lalel to Australia to meet him when he arrived back in Australia.
You mark my words within days Markson and Mulvany will both be going at it in the courts fighting over who represents Tony Bullimore and the whole thing will become another Britich comedy....
My greatest fear is that when the organisers of the Vendee Globe solo yacht race run the event next year you will have a bunch of crazies out there in inferior boats hoping that they have to be rescued - because the good old Australian taxpayer will pick up the tab and they reap the rewards, like these others, when they go home.
The uncertainty generated by the High Court's Wik decision widened yesterday with two states having legal advice that all but freehold land is vulnerable to native title claim.
In Queensland the result could mean native title challenges over areas such as ports, harbours islands and even oyster leases.
Concern has continued to escalate in Queensland where some 800 mining leases have been issued since 1994. These could all be subject to review because they did not involve any native title negotiations.
Acting Prime Minister Tim Fischer hit the nail on the head when he said on ABC National Radio yesterday, "What we do not want to see is four more years of imprecise ligitation and confusion where barristers get richer... and the Aboriginal people get nothing."
Readers Digest singled out former federal Labor attorney-general Michael Lavarch who lost his Brisbane seat in last year's Federal election at the age of 34.
It has been claimed that Mr and Mrs Lavarche could receive as much as Au$2.5 million from the taxpayer in their lifetime - this after Lavarch only contributed Au$82,000 over nine years to the parliamentary superannuation fund.
Hello
Well, my name is Fiona Spice. I am an exchange student from Albany in Western Australia, and have spent the last 12 months in Sweden, going to school. Since I have been doing an Internet class, I have been looking up your pages on the daily news of Australia. I think it is so wonderful because it is not often that I hear news from Australia. My mum writes all the local stuff, but its good to hear it all. Actually, on boxing day they had a minute section on the sports news about the Sydney to Hobart Yatch Race. Who won, by the way?? Very soon I won't be needing to use this, cause on January 18th I fly home. But, I just wanted to say thanks for all the news.
Hälsningar
Fiona
The company had put up a Au$160 million restructuring package which failed dismally leaving the company as cannon fodder for predator Placer Dome which should easily gain over 50% of the shareholding when trading resumes on the Australian Stock Market next week.
Have a great one... and check out Today's Webster Moment
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