AAP National News Wire Round Up for Midday, April 29

AAP General News (Australia)
04-29-2001
AAP National News Wire Round Up for Midday, April 29
Midday Round-Up: HIGHLIGHTS OF THE AAP RTV FILE AT 1130

Election Beazley (CANBERRA)

Opposition Leader KIM BEAZLEY says Prime Minister JOHN HOWARD is under pressure to
call an early election to resolve economic uncertainty.

Mr BEAZLEY says he believes the government should run its full term to the end of the year.

But he says Mr HOWARD effectively brought on the federal election early with the Ryan
by-election in March.

He says that since then, people have watched the prime minister backflipping and pirouetting
while apparently in full election mode.

He says that's created uncertainty in the community and among businesses, putting pressure
on the PM to bring things to a head earlier.

Mr BEAZLEY says he also wants to know the reasons behind the federal government's decision
to block Shell's $10 billion bid for Woodside after months of dithering.



Tax Beazley (CANBERRA)

Opposition Leader KIM BEAZLEY says dramatic rises in the cost of services have exposed
more lies about the GST.

Australian Bureau of Statistics figures show many services have risen by more than
the 10 per cent GST.

House and car insurance rose by 38.5 per cent between July 2000 and March 2001, well
above the predicted seven per cent rise.

Sports fees went up 12 per cent, hairdressing 11.7 per cent, electricity 12 per cent,
public transport and taxi fares 11 per cent, takeaway and restaurant meals 10.4 per cent,
and cigarettes 18 per cent.

Mr BEAZLEY has told the Seven Network that Labor's GST rollback would depend on available
resources because it doesn't want to solve one problem by creating another.



Immigration Ruddock (Canberra)

The federal government is defending its decision to boost migrant numbers amid predictions
of rising unemployment in the current economic climate.

Immigration Miniser PHILIP RUDDOCK says half of the skilled migrants entering the country
are seeking jobs unable to be filled by Australians.

Australia's immigration program is to rise by 6,000 places to 85,000, to offset an
anticipated drop in population growth.

During an interview on the Nine Network, Mr RUDDOCK sidestepped the question of whether
the government could provide tax concessions or other measures in the May Budget to encourage
people to have children.

China Ruddock (CANBERRA)

Immigration Minister PHILIP RUDDOCK has rejected suggestions that tension between Australia
and China could disrupt cooperation on combating people-smuggling.

Mr RUDDOCK says Australia has a very good relationship with China on dealing with people
who enter Australia unlawfully.

He's told the Nine Network that a sound relationship is important even though there
will be matters of agreement and disagreement between the two countries.

US President GEORGE W BUSH created a storm after an arms sale to Taiwan and a promise
to back Taiwan in any military conflict with the mainland.

Prime Minister JOHN HOWARD then brought Australia into the furore by saying he thought
Mr BUSH understood regional tensions, prompting the Chinese Embassy in Canberra to label
his comments inappropriate and unhelpful.



G7 (WASHINGTON)

Finance leaders from the Group of Seven wealthy industrial countries have pledged to
remain vigilant and forward-looking in a bid to fight the global slowdown.

The finance ministers and central bank presidents from the United States, Japan, Germany,
France, Britain, Italy and Canada have promised to pursue appropriate policies in each
of their countries that will lead to stronger growth.

In a joint statement, the G-7 finance officials urge the US Federal Reserve to keep
pursuing policies that will contribute to sustained growth with stable inflation.



Economy Beazley (CANBERRA)

Opposition Leader KIM BEAZLEY says the current economic slowdown in Australia is the
direct result of federal government mismanagement, not of overseas factors.

Mr BEAZLEY has told the Seven Network he doesn't believe a deficit is on the cards,
but the economy is slowing.

He says that has nothing to do with the Americans and everything to do with the GST
and government incompetence in implementing the tax.



ABC (CANBERRA)

More than 2,000 people have turned out for today's Save the ABC rally in Sydney to
protest against staff and program cuts.

The rally at the Sydney Opera House comes just three days after the final screening
of the science show Quantum.

The CSIRO staff association says it's appalled at the damage to the ABC's science unit
under managing director JONATHAN SHIER.



Reef (BRISBANE)

Experts are waiting for high tide to salvage a helicopter that crashed on the Great
Barrier Reef on Friday night.

The Bell 407 from the Capricorn Rescue Service hit Swain Reefs off the central Queensland
coast about midnight after it went to the aid of two people on a grounded yacht.

The two helicopter crewmen and the two men from the yacht were rescued at first light
yesterday and flown to Gladstone.



ISS computers (WASHINGTON)

NASA says two malfunctioning computers at the International Space State have been brought
back on-line, allowing astronauts to carry out a manoeuver using the station's robotic
arm.

The software problems caused delays in the team's work schedule and created uncertainty
around the trip to the station of US businessman DENNIS TITO.

TITO, the world's first paying space tourist, is now on his way to the ISS aboard the
Russian rocket SOYUZ.

A NASA spokesman says the US space shuttle Endeavour should be able to undock from
the space station in time for the arrival of the Soyuz spacecraft.



Mideast (GAZA CITY)

The Palestinian Authority has taken radical steps to try to stop anti-Israeli attacks
after threats of reprisals by the Jewish state.

The high council of Palestinian national security, meeting in Gaza City, has dissolved
the Fatah body responsible for shelling Israeli settlements.

Speaking by phone from the West Bank town of Ramallah, Palestinian leader YASSER ARAFAT
had told the council that the firing of mortar shells must stop.

The measures follow Israeli threats of reprisals after three mortar attacks on Jewish
settlements, one of which left five people wounded in the southern Gaza Strip.



Briefly in other news...

Two men are dead and a third is fighting for his life after a car crash in the northern
Melbourne suburb of Coburg.

The Transport Workers' Union says it will bring central Sydney to a halt this week
with a blockade by over 200 trucks, vans and other industrial vehicles protesting against
WorkCover legislation.

A union will take a Victorian timber company to the Industrial Relations Commission
tomorrow over the retrenchment of 15 workers on Friday.

Twenty-nine people have been killed in a fresh wave of rioting in Algeria's north-eastern
Kabylie region.

Mexican police have rescued 96 illegal immigrants who were in danger of freezing to
death in a refrigerated banana truck on their way to the United States.

In sport...

Golf PGA (Greensboro, North Carolina)

AARON BADDELEY has produced his best score on the US PGA Tour - a six-under-par 66
- to jump within four strokes of leader SCOTT HOCH after the third round at the Greater
Greensboro Classic in North Carolina today.

Asupberb short game ensured BADDELEY did not drop a shot despite some wayward tee shots
and he's tied for 12th place going into tomorrow's final round.

Soccer English (London)

Two petrol bombs have been thrown at police during riots prior to an English second
division soccer match.

A series of fights broke out in Oldham, Greater Manchester, before a match between
Oldham Athletic and Stoke City.

A spokesman for the Greater Manchester Police Force says no-one was injured and a number
of arrests were made.

AAP RTV /jmt

KEYWORD: MIDDAY ROUND-UP

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