Today's Headlines
Thursday 4th April 1996
International:
The world is getting to be a small place! Time caught up with millionaire Philip Bell who is an alleged paedophile who preyed on small boys
on the beaches of Sydney in the 1950s. Bell fled to the luxurious resort of Gstaad in Switzerland and lived his twilight days in a two
room flat hoping that his past had been lost. The boys, now men, have eventually gone to the police in Sydney, Bell was tracked down
by the media and has fled with Interpol hot on his trail!
Political:
The new Coalition Federal Government yesterday warned that there would be losses in public service jobs. The cuts would have to
be implemented if the large cuts in the deficit were to be met. The Coalition originally threatened to cut 2,500 jobs but now it appears
that the figure will be closer to 15,000.
Sounds like the days of the cushy public servant job might be coming to an end!
Business:
I would not like to be in Rupert Murdoch's shoes at the moment. First there was the Super Leaue, now rugby union is being challenged
by the indominable Packer through Optus Vision - then from left field the sale of Ansett Airlines to New Zealand Airlines (a real drain on funds) has been blocked
by the New Zealand Commerce Commission. The value of TNT's shares together with the value of Ansett as one of their assets
is expected to plunge following the decision. News Corporation as a 50% shareholder in TNT must be wondering what went wrong in 1996.
Their shares have drifted quite badly to Au$7.43 losing 10 cents yesterday.
Talking about Kerry Packer the wiley old man apparently won Au$2.2 million at Jupiters Casino on the Gold Coast and gave a Au$25,000
chip to a woman who was watching him play. With the gift came the comment "Go and have some fun." Packer, it appears, has reason
to celebrate with his New Regency Enterprises joining Hollywood's US$38 billion merger frenzy with a bid for the venerable MGM Studios.
If successful it would deliver Packer's company 1,500 films and provide him with a chance to take on Rupert Murdoch's Fox Studios.
Guess Rupert could be paying for a piece of the action through pending damages claims over Super League. Oh the irony of it all!
Sport:
Queensland have rocketed to the top of the Super 12 rugby union Series with a 36-26 victory overy the South African Western Province
team yesterday. Queensland have only lost one match in six leading Auckland by 1 point with 23.
Social:
New figures just released show that more Australians are living alone or in smaller groups.
The most common household contains only 2 people aged 15 or more according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. People who live
alone represent nearly a quarter of all households. Australian National University demography Professor (Wow that's a new one on me!)
Peter MacDonald said yesterday that 55% of homes only had one or two people.
Personal trivia:
A quiet day in the Global Office yesterday getting the finishing touches together for our Japanese client. Really fun putting a Japanese
web site together... you should see what it looks like on an English computer! Another beautiful day today to be enjoyed from the Global Office.
Whisps of clouds in a blue sky with a cacophony of sulphur crested cockatoos creating havoc in the gums nearby!
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