Today's Headlines
Wednesday 1st May 1996
International:
Well the money men might still get Christopher Skase. The millionaire "bankrupt" Australian businessman who is living a life of luxury
in a mansion in Majorca, Spain ripped the guts out of one of Australia's largest companies, Qintex, in the 1980s. The money men are
now (nearly 10 years later mind you!) able to track down millions of dollars which he has passed off to family members.
Skase left personal debts of Au$172 million and business debts of about Au$1.5 billion before skipping the country to the safety of
Majorca as Spain and Australia do not have an extradition treaty.
The Australian government nearly got the "alleged" con man a few years ago, but a brilliant performance by Skase playing the sick and dying
dog bought him a reprieve in the Spanish courts.
Political:
There has been a most interesting development in the Federal Parliament which opened for business for the first time yesterday
since the election. There are five independents including Pauline Hanson and Graeme Campbell who want to work together as a
mini-party. Hanson and Campbell who have both been labelled racist because of their determination to break with "political correctness"
could play a very powerful part in getting some of the strange and abused funding arrangements sorted out.
Pauline Hanson did not have a very happy first day when she arrived to be sworn in. About sixty Aborigines travelled all the way
from Ipswich (where Pauline is the member) to Canberra. The trip is several hours by plane and I know who is paying. Once again the
strange result of a system where political correctness and the tax payer can buy you a ticket to go and vent your anger against
democracy - if you are indigenous. If you are white and the same anger applies, find your own way mate!
Pauline Hanson said: "This was my day to be sworn into office. I object that they protest on this special day for me and the people
in my electorate."
Business:
One of Australia's largest life insurance companies, Colonial Mutual, revealed plans to demutualise and list on the Australian
Stock Exchange, expecting to raise anout Au$2 billion. The group is the sixth largest financial institution in Australia with assets of
Au$34 billion and reserves of Au$2 billion is also considering listing in other countries like the UK.
Sport:
The Crushers (Australian Rugby League) patriots are facing a major stand-off with Penrith (ex-Super League) about Springbok star
Pieter Muller. We mentioned a few weeks ago that the ARL had said that it would refuse to allow Muller to play for Penrith as he had
a prior contract with the Crushers (under the ARL bureaucracy).
The ARL are now stiffening their stance and have said that if Penrith play Muller in any games the team will automatically forfeit the
points even if they win. Rugby League is sure having an interesting year!
Back to the big smoke.. again.. today. Such is the life of a telecommuter - one has to make these sacrifices you know, travelling for
half an hour in heavy traffic once a week to meet clients, can be a chore but it is one of the idiosyncrasies of the new lifestyle.
Today it is very cloudy after yesterday's constant rain. More welcome rain is expected - so at last are my good friends from
South Africa.
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