AAP National News Wire Round-Up for Midday, Aug 7

AAP General News (Australia)
08-07-2007
AAP National News Wire Round-Up for Midday, Aug 7
Midday Round-Up: HIGHLIGHTS OF THE AAP RTV FILE AT 1130


Indigenous Wrap (CANBERRA)

The Law Council of Australia says the federal government's rushing indigenous takeover
legislation through parliament .. to avoid public scrutiny.

Indigenous Affairs Minister MAL BROUGH is about to introduce the legislation to parliament
(Eds: expected around 1230 AEST) .. and expects it to pass both houses by the end of the
week.

Law Council President TIM BUGG says the government's trying to avoid scrutiny .. not
just from Aboriginal communities .. but also from other community bodies with legitimate
concerns.

A group of indigenous leaders led by JOHN AH KIT arrived in Canberra a few hours ago
but hasn't had any luck trying to arrange a meeting with JOHN HOWARD and KEVIN RUDD.

Labor's indigenous affairs spokeswoman JENNY MACKLIN's discussing her reservations
about the legislation in caucus .. which is meeting to discuss the 500-page package it
only received yesterday.

Indigenous Affairs Minister MAL BROUGH has defended ramming the legislation through
.. he says there's nothing new .. it's all just detail on what everyone already knows.



Timor Violence (WELLINGTON)

The streets of Dili are relatively calm at the moment .. following violence sparked
by the news that XANANA GUSMAO will be prime minister of East Timor.

However the situation remains volatile .. with the former ruling Fretilin party refusing
to accept President JOSE RAMOS-HORTA's decision to break an election deadlock and appoint
GUSMAO to head a coalition government.



States Hospital (CANBERRA)

Two federal government backbenchers are calling for immediate intervention by the commonwealth
in hospitals in their electorates .. at Batemans Bay in NSW and Cairns in Queensland.

Health Minister TONY ABBOTT arrives in Tasmania early this afternoon and will be at
the Mersey Hospital at 3:30 (AEST) to talk to the Devonport community about how the hospital
will be funded.



Newspoll MPs (CANBERRA)

Federal government MPs say the polls are wrong .. and voters are happy with the performance
of JOHN HOWARD and his team.

A Newspoll published in The Australian gives Labor a 56-to-44 lead over the government
.. similar to other recent polls

But Queensland Liberal CAMERON THOMPSON says people in his electorate support the government
.. and assistant treasurer PETER DUTTON says Labor's support is based entirely on mastering
the media.



Rudd Kevin07 (CANBERRA)

Deputy Labor leader JULIA GILLARD's urging people to click on to the new Kevin07 website
.. to see what her boss is all about.

But she says the cold Canberra weather stopped her wearing one of the Kevin07 T-shirts
this morning.

Government members have attacked the website and branding as part of a concerted drive
by Labor to base its campaign on Mr RUDD .. rather than policy.



Workplace Ad Actor (CANBERRA)

A former painter turned actor .. who features as a concerned parent in a government
Workplace Authority ad .. has denied ripping off a young worker.

DAMIEN RICHARDSON says he employed ERIN GEBERT as a sub-contractor .. and paid him
at the end of each painting job.

He denies the now 20-year-old ever signed up as an apprentice .. and has told ABC radio
the matter's only come up now because ERIN'S father PETER is connected to the union movement.

PETER GEBERT'S told the ABC that when his son asked his boss for the two thousand dollars
he believed he was owed .. he was told to go away and never come back.

The ad's been pulled by Workplace Minister JOE HOCKEY.



Pay Brown (CANBERRA)

The Australian Greens will oppose a pay rise for federal MPs.

The increase .. about 150 dollars a week extra for the average backbencher .. will
bring the total pay increase for federal politicians to 14 per cent in the past 18 months.

Greens leader BOB BROWN will introduce a motion in parliament today to disallow the
seven per cent pay rise .. which he says it outrageous while pensioners get no increase
and the lowest paid workers get only a two per cent rise.

Senator BROWN says his motion will probably be defeated .. but at least it'll force
debate on the issue.



Rates (CANBERRA)

Home-buyers are bracing for another interest rate rise .. as the Reserve Bank board meets today.

The central bank's expected to announce another rate increase at 9:30 (AEST) tomorrow morning.



US Mine (HUNTINGTON)

Rescuers in the US state of Utah have smashed through walls of rock .. in a desperate
race to reach six coal miners trapped 460 metres below ground.

Searchers have been unable to contact the miners .. and can't say whether they're dead or alive.



US Freeway (MINNEAPOLIS)

The difficult job of extracting tons of broken concrete .. metal bridge beams and submerged
cars from the Mississippi River is proceeding .. six days after a main Minneapolis bridge
suddenly collapsed.

Divers are scheduled to head back into the river to search for eight people still missing
after the disaster .. with the death toll standing at five.



Timor US (WASHINGTON)

The United States is backing the new East Timor government under prime minister XANANA
GUSMAO .. pledging to continue helping the small nation.

East Timor President JOSE RAMOS-HORTA says GUSMAO will be formally appointed this week
to form the new government.



SCI Fossils (CHICAGO)

A new analysis of the dental fossils of human ancestors suggests Asians played a larger
role than Africans in colonising Europe millions of years ago.

The findings challenge the prevailing "Out of Africa" theory .. that modern man first
arose from one point in Africa .. and fanned out to conquer the globe.



US Lohan (LOS ANGELES)

LINDSAY LOHAN's entered an alcohol rehabilitation centre for the third time this year
.. following her arrest last month for drink-driving.

The 21-year-old actor's checked into the Cirque Lodge drug and alcohol treatment centre
in Utah .. for an intensive 30-day program.



US Pfeiffer (LOS ANGELES)

She may be playing a villain in two new movies .. but MICHELLE PFEIFFER was all smiles
and grace when she received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame today.

She thanked her mother for teaching her she could do anything .. and her father for
teaching her she could make something of herself if she worked hard.

PFEIFFER's the nasty Velma Von Tussle in her latest movie .. Hairspray .. she'll soon
be seen as the evil witch Laima in the fairy tale Stardust.



Briefly in other news ..



Haneef Greens (CANBERRA)

Greens senators are to press for an inquiry into the detention and release of Indian
doctor MOHAMED HANEEF.



UK Disease New (LONDON)

A cull of 50 cattle has been ordered at the site of Britain's second suspected foot
and mouth disease outbreak.



Med Caffeine (WASHINGTON)

French researchers say three or more coffees a day helps protect older women against
some age-related memory loss .. but it doesn't do anything for men.



Wine Exports (ADELAIDE)

For the first time .. Australian wine exports have topped three billion dollars a year
.. we've shipped out more than 800-million litres .. Bitain's still our biggest market
.. but growth was strongest in the US.



in Finance ..




At 1101 AEST, the benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index was UP 82.8 points to 6003, and the all
ordinaries index was UP 79.8 points to 6029.3.

The Australian dollar was trading at 85.81 US cents, UP from 85.51 US cents at Monday's close.

It was at 62.12 euro cents, UP from 61.82 euro cents on Monday.

In Sydney, the spot price of gold was $US670.70 per fine ounce, DOWN $US2.60 from Monday's
close of $US673.30.



in Sport ..



AFL DRUGS (MELBOURNE)

The manager of West Coast player MICHAEL BRAUN .. and his club .. say they'll pursue
every legal option available to fight baseless allegations linking the AFL player to performance-enhancing
drug use.

BRAUN's manager PAUL CONNORS says the Eagles star vehemently denies ever using performance-enhancing
drugs and is shocked and bitterly disappointed by allegations made against him.



LEAGUE JUDICIARY (SYDNEY)

BRAD MORRIN will throw himself at the mercy of the NRL Judiciary on Wednesday night
over a biting charge, but the Bulldogs forward will not be going down without a fight.

MORRIN has admitted to biting Parramatta centre TIMANA TAHU during the Bulldogs loss
to the Eels last Friday but maintains he was provoked into a reaction by a dangerous head
slam.



Tennis Masters Hewitt (MONTREAL)

LLEYTON HEWITT has kicked off his preparations for the US Open in style with a straight
sets win over JUAN CARLOS FERRERO in the opening round of the Montreal Masters.

The match was HEWITT'S first of the North American hardcourt season .. he's using the
Masters series to tune-up for the final grand slam of the year in three weeks.



ENDS MIDDAY ROUND-UP

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