AAP Internet Bulletin 1700 Tuesday, Dec 1, 1998

AAP General News (Australia)
12-01-1998
AAP Internet Bulletin 1700 Tuesday, Dec 1, 1998

[A][RUSSIA TRAPPED RESCUE][NAT]

Helicopter arrives to rescue Siberian film-makers

MELBOURNE, Australia A helicopter rescue team on Tuesday reached a three-man television
crew that had been stranded on a remote Arctic island for more than six weeks, rescuers said.

The helicopter, sent by international medical emergency company
AEA International SOS, landed on frozen Wrangel Island, about 0200
GMT, said Mark Crawford, the company's spokesman in Australia.

"They're in fair spirits," Crawford said of the crew, which
includes a Russian, a Japanese and an Australian.

"They're surviving of course, but they were down to their last
three days of food."

The crew Australian cameraman Rory McGuinness, Tatsuhko
Kobayashi, a producer with NHK, Japan's largest state television
network, and Russian scientist Nikita Ovsyanikov arrived on
Wrangel Island on Sept. 2 to make a documentary on polar bears.

The trio intended to leave Oct. 15, but was delayed by bad
weather which had also prevented a helicopter rescue by Russia's
Emergency Situations Ministry.

The three had been holed up in a cabin on the island's northeast coast, about 550 kilometres
(350 miles) west of Alaska.

As the crew's food supplies had dwindled, residents of a Russian village about 130
kilometres (80 miles) from the hut tried to drive a snow tractor carrying emergency supplies to
the crew. The effort was also frustrated by the weather.

The temperature has been around minus 30 Celsius (minus 22
Fahrenheit), with a strong wind. The crew has a diesel generator, a
computer, a cellular phone and access to e-mail, but was running
low on fuel, news reports said.

Crawford said the trio would be flown to the Russian mainland at
Pevek. The helicopter was due there by about 0700 GMT.

The rescue was extremely difficult given the remoteness of the
area, he said.

Crawford said his company had been contracted to conduct the
rescue by the filmmakers' employer Natural History Pty. Ltd. in New
Zealand.





[A][CASINO VIC][VIC]

Crowns government ties make scrutiny essential - judge

MELBOURNE - Crown Casino's links with Victorias government and policy-makers
made it important to release documents ministers had received during bidding for the casino
license, a judge said today.

The Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) today ordered the release of 21
documents containing financial information about the competing bids, which were seen by
government ministers during the 1993 bidding process.

The decision is the culmination of a two-year legal battle by opposition gaming spokesman
Rob Hulls for access to the papers under Freedom of Information.

VCAT vice-president Tim Wood said the release was in the public interest, given that the
casino site was crown land, the selection of the license-holder undertaken by a statutory
authority, and the government depended on casino revenue to finance its major works program.

In addition, the position of Crown director Ron Walker as the federal treasurer of the
Liberal Party made the transparency of the bidding process even more important.

"By reason of the position of Mr Walker, notwithstanding the absence of any impropriety on
his part ... the public has a legitimate entitlement to be satisfied to a higher degree than
perhaps would otherwise be the case," Judge Wood said in a written statement.

He refused to release about 10 documents prepared for cabinet briefings as they were
covered by cabinet confidentiality, but ordered the release of cover sheets and copy letters
attached to six of them.

The government has 28 days to comply with his orders, or make other arrangements.

Premier Jeff Kennett and Treasurer Alan Stockdale have maintained they did not know details
of the competing bids before Crown Casino was announced as the successful bidder in September
1993.

Judge Wood emphasised he had heard no evidence suggesting any impropriety on the part of
the then Casino Control Authority, government ministers, or senior public servants.

Premier Jeff Kennett said he would take advice on whether the government would appeal
the finding.

He denied it was a victory for the opposition, saying the judgment backed the government's
position that there had been no impropriety involved in the bidding process.





[A][NATION HILL][FED]

Two legal challenges to One Nations Hill

BRISBANE - A disgruntled former One Nation candidate today became the second person to
launch legal action seeking to bar the partys Queensland senator-elect Heather Hill from
entering parliament.

Terry Sharples lodged a writ in Brisbane today in the High Court, sitting as the Court of
Disputed Returns, challenging the validity of Mrs Hills election on the grounds she had not
renounced her British citizenship at the time she nominated and was elected.

Under section 44 (1) of the constitution, members of parliament must be Australian citizens
and not hold dual citizenship.

Earlier today, Sydney businessman Chuck Hong launched legal action in the High Court on
similar grounds.

Mr Sharples, who unsuccessfully stood as an independent for the Senate, said he understood
Mrs Hill had only recently renounced her British citizenship.

He said she failed to take out Australian citizenship for the 26 years she was living here,
only becoming naturalised this year, prior to the state election where she won the seat of
Ipswich.

"I dont think Heather Hill has got the right to be running in the senate ...," he told
journalists.

"It seems to me anyone who can enjoy this country for 26 years and the benefits it brings,
but not take out Australian citizenship until it serves her for some selfish purpose to run in
the state election, has got no right to claim to Queenslanders shes there for their
interests.

"This ladys a member of a party blatantly against immigrants, and here she is not even an
Australian citizen."

Mr Sharples wants Mrs Hills position to be declared vacant by the court and another
one-off election held to elect a new Senate representative.





[A][TODDLER JURY][VIC]

Jaidyn jury retires to consider verdict

MELBOURNE - The jury in the Jaidyn Leskie murder trial this afternoon retired to consider
its verdict at the end of the 34-day hearing which began on October 12.

Gregory Nick Domaszewicz, 30, formally of Narracan Drive, Newborough, near Moe, eastern
Victoria, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of the 14-month old boy.

Jaidyn disappeared on the night of June 14-15 last year.

His body was recovered from the Blue Rock Dam, 19km from Moe, on New Year's Day.

The court has heard Domaszewicz was babysitting Jaidyn while his mother Bilynda Murphy went
to a party and to a Traralgon hotel.

Domaszewicz told the police he collected Ms Murphy and returned to find his front windows
smashed, a severed pig's head on his lawn and no sign of Jaidyn.

Four people, including a former girlfriend of Domaszewicz, Yvonne Penfold, and her brother
Kenny, admitted being involved in the attack.





[A][NUCLEAR][FED]

Govt denies Australia to become nuclear waste dump

CANBERRA -The federal government today denied Australia was on the brink of
becoming an international nuclear waste dump.

The denial followed the release of a promotional video from US-based radioactive waste
management company Pangea Resources, which claims Australias barren landscape is ideal for
storing the hazardous material.

Pangea president James Voss said Australia and several other countries possessed geology
that was the best in the world for the long-term isolation of radioactive waste.

"So if Australia meets other social, legal, political tests, it may well be a candidate for
some future exploration," Mr Voss said.

Pangea had held discussions at a bureaucratic level on understanding regulatory processes
involved in Australia but had not spoken to anyone in government, he said.

"We have not sought any winks, nods or approvals, because thats something that only comes
in the public process," Mr Voss told ABC Radio.

"We think that those in industry that weve spoken to have expressed interest in Australia
doing the right thing for the world to help rid the world of nuclear weapons and nuclear
waste."

The Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) would be broadly
interested in any international repository in any country because it accomplished the broader
goal of removing plutonium from circulation, he said.

But a spokeswoman for Resources Minister Nick Minchin said Australia had no intention of
accepting nuclear waste from overseas and said there had been no ministerial level meetings.

"It is not government policy to accept nuclear waste from overseas countries and there is
no intention to change that policy," the spokeswoman told AAP.





[I][Canada Quebec][northam][CANADA.JPG]

Separatists win re-election in Quebec

MONTREAL - Quebec's pro-independence government was re-elected Monday, an outcome that could
move Canada closer to another traumatic showdown over secession.

Early returns showed the governing Parti Quebecois and the anti-separatist Quebec Liberal
Party relatively close in popular vote.

But in 1994, when the two parties virtually tied in popular vote, the separatists won 77 of
the legislature's 125 seats to 47 for the Liberals. Television networks and other analysts
projected that the separatists, whose support is far more evenly spread than the Liberals, were
headed for a solid victory again.

With 20 percent of the polling stations reporting, the separatists had 44 percent of the
votes, to 41.5 for the Liberals and 12.5 for a third party, Democratic Action. The separatists
were on track to win about 76 legislative seats, and the Liberals about 48.

The victory was a personal triumph for Quebec's charismatic premier, Lucien Bouchard. He
plans to call another referendum on independence whenever he feels conditions are right for a
separatist triumph.

Bouchard's main rival was Liberal party leader Jean Charest, who tried to convince voters
that the province would prosper only if the decades-old threat of secession was abandoned.

Charest, 40, became an early favourite when he quit federal politics in March to enter the
Quebec race; in English-speaking Canada he was viewed as the potential saviour of national
unity.

But despite his family roots in Quebec, he was widely perceived by the province's
French-speaking majority as more of an outsider than Bouchard, and less likely to do battle for
the province in any confrontations with the federal government.





[F][GST CREDIT UNIONS][fed]

GST would make $32m withdrawal from credit unions

SYDNEY - A goods and services tax would have a "dramatic adverse impact" on 3.5 million
credit union members, an independent report by PricewaterhouseCoopers said today.

The report, prepared for the peak credit union group Credit Union Services Corp (CUSCAL),
found that the additional GST burden on credit unions would be three and four times the amount
saved in tax through abolishing existing taxes.

The report said that the additional net GST paid after the removal of wholesale sales tax,
financial institutions duty (FID) and bank account debit tax (BAD), would be "at least $32
million per annum" for the industry.

The PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) report was based on a cost analysis of every expenditure
for a sample of credit unions.

"It is clear from the detailed financial analysis by PWC that the GST will have a dramatic
adverse impact on credit unions and their members," CUSCAL chief executive Vern Harvey said in
a statement.

"An additional tax burden of $32 million per annum simply cannot be absorbed by Australias
credit unions, whose combined surplus in 1997/98 was $116 million, an amount required to
maintain prudential capital ratios," Mr Harvey said.

"These results have confirmed what we have been saying privately to the government about
the impact of the GST on credit unions and their members.

"The unfair impact of the GST on credit unions arises because credit unions are relatively
small, member-owned institutions which must outsource most of their activities to remain
competitive, whereas large banks can provide services in house and not pay GST."

Mr Harvey said CUSCAL had urged Treasurer Peter Costello, to address the unintended effects
of the GST through legislative measures.





[I][Indonesia-Suharto][Report]

Suharto corruption netted huge forest tracts: minister

AKARTA, Indonesia Ex-President Suharto, his family and cronies control huge swathes of
rain forest and other valuable timber resources in Indonesia, a newspaper Tuesday quoted
Cabinet minister as saying.

Forestry and Plantations Minister Muslimin Nasution said officials had found nine million
hectares of forest concessions linked to the former leader.

"We found strong indications that those properties were acquired by the Suharto family and
their cronies through (corruption, collusion and nepotism)," Muslimin said as reported by The
Jakarta Post.

Muslimin said the concessions were controlled by the family of
Suharto through shares held in various companies, including some
owned by timber tycoon and close Suharto associate Mohamad "Bob"
Hasan.

Suharto, 77, who had ruled the world's fourth most populous
country with an iron hand since 1966, resigned in May amid
widespread student protests and riots that claimed about 1,200
lives.

The government is currently investigating the former president's
wealth amid mounting calls for him to stand trial for corruption
allegations.

Suharto has denied any wrongdoing and has stated that he will
cooperate with any investigation into his affairs. He has also
denied that he has squirreled away a fortune in foreign banks.

Critics have since accused him of siphoning off state wealth to
benefit his family's massive business empires.

Forbes magazine this year estimated Suharto's wealth at $US4 billion. Some opponents claim
it is many times that.

Environmnetalists have long criticised the cutting down of Indonesia's jungles, which are
home to many endangered species as well as indigenous tribespeople.





[F][BOPS][FED]

Howard says Australia still the strong economy of Asia

CANBERRA - Prime Minister John Howard today defended economic data out today, saying
Australia remained the strong economy of the Asia-Pacific.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics said the economy posted
its second highest quarterly current account deficit on record
in the three months to September.

The deficit blew out by $1.2 billion or 20 per cent to a
seasonally adjusted $7.3 billion in the September quarter, it
said.

In parliament, the federal opposition said the data
revealed the worst ever foreign debt figures on record. The
ABS said net foreign debt rose to $232.8 billion in the
quarter from $220.4 billion in the June quarter.

But Mr Howard said it was more relevant that the debt
servicing ratio - the capacity of the nation to service the
foreign debt - stood at 9.8 per cent.

"It is the lowest debt servicing ration in 14 and a half
years," he told question time.

"That is an indication of the capacity of the 1998
Australian economy to repay foreign debt.

"(And) the measure of our economic strength in the context
of foreign debt is the capacity of this nation to service this
foreign debt."

Mr Howard said the countrys economic credentials were
widely respected in Asia and throughout the world.

"We have turned the fortunes of the Australian economy
around," he said.





[A][WOOL AWRAP VAILE][FED]

Fed govt announces wool marketing taskforce

CANBERRA - Agriculture Minister Mark Vaile today announced a taskforce to
investigate better ways to sell Australian wool after the board of the wool marketing body
AWRAP was dumped.

The dramatic move was decided in a vote of no confidence in the board of the Australian
Wool Research and Promotion Organisation at an angry annual meeting in Goulburn yesterday.

Mr Vaile said he had been advised that 74 per cent of registered wool taxpayers supported
the no-confidence motion, and announced interim arrangements.

"As a result the board has stood down and the (AWRAP) managing director, Adrian Kloeden,
will act as a caretaker until a new chairman is appointed by me within 30 days as required
under the act," he said in a statement.

"I propose to establish a future direction taskforce which will undertake a benchmarking
study of wool against its competitor fibres and review the structures for wool marketing and
promotion and research and development.

"The taskforce will also develop a strategic path for the industry to achieve its desired
outcomes."





[F][EXPORTERS][euro]

Exporters not likely to embrace Euro: economist

SYDNEY - Australian exporters will not switch to the Euro after its introduction on January
1 next year, but it will be "very interesting" for the bond market, a French economist said
today.

Societe Generale (France) head of economic research
Philippe Ithurbide also told a luncheon here that in the
future the Euro could join the US dollar as a king of
currencies, but the new currency would require stability and
liquidity.

Mr Ithurbide said there were two main reasons Australian
exporters would not change to the Euro.

"The first one is that the connection of Australia with the
Euro block is not that important," Mr Ithurbide said.

"And I dont see some industrialised countries such as
Australia moving from the dollar to the Euro.

"I think that this move will occur for lesser developing
countries."

Mr Ithurbide also told the luncheon that non-European bond
issuers would have to take into account massive changes in
Europe from the beginning of next year - including a major
reallocation of assets.

"The culture in terms of credit is changing radically in
Europe because of the Euro," he said.

"Because of this we will have radical change in the
structure of the bond market."





[T][SHIELD NSW][CRIK][simoncook.jpg]

Cook looking to make Shield comeback

SYDNEY - Luckless New South Wales fast bowler Simon Cook said today he was ready to make his
Sheffield Shield comeback after another frustrating year of injuries and mishaps.

Cook, who took 7-75 on his Test debut against New Zealand in Perth a year ago, is eager to
return to the WACA next week following Australias demolition of England in the second Test.

The 26-year-old returned to grade cricket in November after being run over by a steamroller
during the pre-season while working with South Sydney council.

On his third day back with Balmain, Cook sprained an ankle at North Sydney Oval but today
said he was fit.

NSW notched its first win in four games on Sunday, rolling Western Australia by 58 runs at
the SCG after three frustrating away games.

The Blues have been hampered by a lack of penetration with the new ball and Cook said he
was the man to turn it around.

The former Victorian has broken a leg twice since moving north in 1995 but a great start to
last season earned him three Tests against the Kiwis.

"Were not going that well with our opening bowlers at the moment," he said.

"Im hoping to play next game and do something about it. Im happy the way theyre coming
out and the ankles fine."

Leg spinner Stuart MacGill, fresh from taking 8-128 against WA, is likely to be recalled to
the Australian team for the third Test in Adelaide at the same time as the Perth Shield match.





[F][ACTU WAGES]

Union body seeks MPs pay freeze

LORNE, Victoria - Politicians wages should be frozen, as an incentive to force a fairer tax
and wage system, ACTU president Jennie George said today.

As the council's annual three-day meeting at the Victorian
seaside resort of Lorne prepared to debate tactics for the
coming year, Ms George accused the government of victimising
low wage earners.

"If (Workplace Relations Minister Peter) Reith wants to set
standards for the community instead of targeting those earning
less than $20,000 he could start by introducing laws in
parliament which would freeze politicians wage rates," she
said.

"Then they might actually get around to ensuring companies
like Mr Kerry Packer's actually pay some modicum of revenue to
sustain the kind of services the community needs," she said.

Ms George was also highly critical of economists' reports
used by the government to back up claims that higher wages
created more unemployment.

"A lot of Mr Reith's argument has been based on analysis
provided by the Productivity Commission and we believe the
analysis in that report is fundamentally and deeply flawed,"
she said.

According to an audit prepared for the current council
meeting by the University of Western Sydney, the government
has been relying on flawed data to support its policy of
increasing employment by lowering wages.

By using movements in average weekly earnings to criticise
minimum rates of pay, a false picture was being created,
author Professor Raja Junankar told AAP.

He said the (Productivity Commission) study only looked at
the link between average wages and employment but missed the
link between minimum wages and actual wages.

"Minimum wages are created by the government and set in
law, but all the different firms set average wages and they
are a fluid thing, so linking one to the other is a false
approach," he said.





[F][TELSTRA][][]

Telstra cuts charges on international and STD calls

SYDNEY - Telstra Corp Ltd is cutting international call rates by 15 per cent from December
28.

Australias largest telecommunications company is also cutting long distance rates by 15 per
cent from January 18 next year.

Telstra said the long distance pricing was expected to save customers $88 million a year.

"STD rates have fallen by 70 per cent in real terms over the last 15 years or by 35 per cent
over the last six years and international direct calls now cost half of what they did six years
ago in real terms," said Stuart Lee, Telstras managing director long distance.

The move comes as Telstra revamps its international presence.

Market players have previously questioned Telstras strategy, which over this decade has
been particularly focused on emerging markets rather than developed economies which Telstra is
fast realising it is better suited to serve.

Mr Pretty, speaking with reporters by telephone from Japan, said the company has now "turned
its attention to large markets, targeting Japan, Europe and the U.S., upgrading our profile and
investment profile in these countries".

Telstras largest offshore commitment to date is in Vietnam, where it has kicked in some
$200 million developing networks there.





[I][China-Dissidents][World]

Chinese detain dissidents in crackdown on party

BEIJING Chinese police have detained prominent dissident Xu Wenli and four others,
in a crackdown Xu's wife said Tuesday appeared aimed at crushing a budding opposition party.

About 20 police officers went to Xu's home Monday evening, took
him away and ransacked his apartment, seizing a computer, a fax
machine, address books, video tapes, a typewriter, more than 1,000
pages of documents and even a telephone, said his wife, He Xitong.

She feared that authorities were planning to charge and convict
Xu to end his campaign for an opposition party. Unlike previous
occasions when Xu was held only for short periods of time, police
produced an arrest warrant and a search warrant that identified him
as a criminal suspect, He said.

"Xu Wenli has already paid heavily for democracy. I understand
that he is ready to pay again," said his wife. "Xu Wenli won't give
up."

Xu, 56, is one of the most prominent, active democracy
campaigners left in China. He was jailed after the Democracy Wall
protest movement of the late 1970s and freed in 1993, having served
all but three years of a 15-year sentence, much of it in solitary
confinement.

As Xu was being detained, another prominent dissident, Qin
Yongmin and two other members of the would-be China Democracy Party
were taken away by police Monday from their homes in the central
city of Wuhan, a Hong Kong-based human rights group said.

A fifth member of the party, Lai Jinbiao, also was detained
Monday afternoon in eastern Hangzhou city after making a speech in
a public park demanding the ruling Communist Party carry out
political reforms, the Information Center of Human Rights and
Democratic Movement in China said.

Encouraged by China's recent signing of key U.N. human rights
treaties, dissidents in many parts of the country have since June
been trying to set up the China Democracy Party to challenge the
Communist Party's monopoly on power.

Authorities have rebuffed dissidents' requests to officially
register the party and detained many of its supporters, usually for
short periods. Despite police harassment, Xu, Qin and other
dissidents have continued their efforts, setting up local party
branches, taking party oaths and nominating people for party posts.





[I][BABE][][]

Babe sequel flops at US box office

LOS ANGELES - The expensive sequel "Babe: Pig in the City" flopped at the Thanksgiving
weekend box office against tough family-oriented competition in "A Bug's Life" and "The Rugrats
Movie," final figures showed Monday.

Produced for more than $US90 million, "Pig in the City" grossed just $US8.2 million over the
five-day weekend for a disastrous fifth-place debut. Its dismal performance came as Universal's
parent Seagram Co. ousted film division chief Casey Silver.

"A Bug's Life," meanwhile, did stellar business, grossing $US45.7 million to lead the North
American box office, while "The Rugrats Movie" collected $US27.4 million for second and "Enemy
of the State" had $US25.9 million for third. "The Waterboy" was fourth with $US19.6 million.

Universal's other recent underachiever, "Meet Joe Black," had $US8.1 million for sixth.

"I Still Know What You Did Last Summer" had $US6.4 million for seventh, "Home Fries" opened
to a disappointing $US5.3 million for eighth, "Ringmaster" debuted with $US5 million for ninth
and "Very Bad Things" did very badly with $US4.7 million for 10th.

KEYWORD: NETNEWS 1700

1998 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.