FED:Govt wants more competitive manufacturers

AAP General News (Australia)
08-24-2011
FED:Govt wants more competitive manufacturers

By Colin Brinsden, AAP Economics Correspondent

CANBERRA, Aug 24 AAP - The federal government wants to train manufacturers like athletes
so they can compete on the world stage.

It has appointed former Queensland premier Peter Beattie to the new role of resources
sector supplier envoy to help coach manufacturers to compete in the lucrative resources
market.

The government also will invest $50 million in a Buy Australian at Home and Abroad
scheme to help local suppliers benefit from the mining boom.

Innovation Minister Kim Carr said move was about building the capabilities and partnerships
that will give local forms a "red-hot go" to compete for new work.

"It's about giving Australian firms the opportunity to make sure they get a fair go,"

senator told reporters in Canberra on Wednesday, flanked by Mr Beattie and Resources
Minister Martin Ferguson.

Australia trained to compete at the international level, "to the very highest level".

"The least we can do is to train our companies to compete on the same scale."

The announcement comes just days after BlueScope Steel announced it was axing 1000
jobs, saying it faced a series of factors that were hitting its bottom line.

Other major employers also are shedding jobs, despite the resources industry soaring,
with manufacturers faring worst under the pressure of a strong Australian dollar.

But neither Senator Carr nor Mr Ferguson had found "concrete evidence" that Australian
steel makers had been shut out of the tender process when competing for major resource
projects.

Both ministers said they were prepared to investigate any claims.

Mr Beattie will help Senator Carr and Mr Ferguson set up a resources sector supplier
advisory forum by October.

"Helping our manufacturers better compete in the lucrative resources market is an important
part of ensuring the future of manufacturing," he said.

The forum is expected to have representatives from the steel, LNG, coal, iron ore and
mining technology and services industries.

The government has appointed Dennis O'Neill to be the next steel supplier advocate,
a position vacant since last year.

Mr Ferguson said the government wanted to promote links with global supply chains wherever
they are.

"We can help turn opportunity into commercial reality," he said.

Senator Carr said Australia had world-class manufacturers who could add value to major
global resources projects.

"I'm absolutely confident Australian manufacturing will weather this storm. It will
come through much stronger."

AAP cb/rl

KEYWORD: ECONOMY BEATTIE UPDATE

� 2011 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

SA: Hicks notes talk of Jihad and reveal his weapons training

AAP General News (Australia)
02-22-2008
SA: Hicks notes talk of Jihad and reveal his weapons training

By Tim Dornin

ADELAIDE, Feb 22 AAP - His lawyers say he no longer holds radical views and hasn't
been a practising Muslim for several years.

But a series of personal papers, notebooks and letters to his family, released by a
court this week, show David Hicks once embraced jihad, or holy war, and trained extensively
in guerilla tactics.

The material included details on how to commit armed raids and ambushes and instructions
on how to penetrate security to kill a VIP or a highly-protected political figure.

It also …

VIC:Murder charge over body found in Vic

AAP General News (Australia)
04-28-2011
VIC:Murder charge over body found in Vic

A Victorian man will appear in court charged with murder today .. after a woman's
body was found in a house south of Melbourne.

Police discovered the body of a 54-year-old woman yeaterday in Dromana .. south of
Melbourne .. and say she appears to have been bashed with a blunt instrument.

They say witnesses heard a woman scream from the general direction of the house and
heard a male voice.

After being arrested .. 22-year-old DWAINE GRANT appeared at an out-of-sessions court
hearing last night and remains in custody to appear at the Melbourne Magistrate's Court
today.

AAP RTV bm/wz/tm

KEYWORD: HOMICIDE (MELBOURNE)

� 2011 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

NSW:Inquiry into NSW ambulance computer glitch

AAP General News (Australia)
02-13-2011
NSW:Inquiry into NSW ambulance computer glitch

By Miles Godfrey and Isabel Hayes

SYDNEY, Feb 13 AAP - The NSW government says it will launch an inquiry into a glitch
that has shut down the state's paramedics' computer system.

The Ambulance of NSW's computer dispatch system was infected by a virus at about 1pm
(AEDT) on Saturday, forcing staff to shut it down.

As a result, health officials have had to revert to coordinating the state's paramedics
and ambulances via a manual paper-based system.

The NSW opposition on Sunday called on the government to explain why there was no back-up
system in place for paramedics.

Opposition health spokeswoman Jillian Skinner said lives were being put at risk by the glitch.

The system failure meant paramedics were resorting to handwritten notes and mobile
phone calls to respond to emergencies, she said.

"There's been a complete failure of the computer aided dispatch system that allows
ambulances to respond, sometimes to critically ill patients," Ms Skinner told reporters
in Sydney.

"This could potentially cost lives."

Ms Skinner called on the government to explain what back-up systems were in place to
support paramedics.

"The health minister Carmel Tebbutt needs to explain exactly what went wrong, why there
wasn't a back-up system and how many patients were affected."

Ms Tebbutt said she had been advised that no lives were at risk. because of the computer failure.

"Of course we will launch an inquiry once the system is back up and running," Ms Tebbutt
told Channel Seven.

However, it is unclear when the system will be back online, with paramedics saying
it could take some time.

The computer system would not operate again until technicians were sure the virus has
been fully removed, Ambulance of NSW general manager of operations Mike Willis said.

Despite this, Mr Willis said he was unaware of any delays to triple-zero calls or any
"adverse patient outcomes".

"It's important to note that at no time during that shutdown procedure were any triple-zero
calls or in fact the integrity of our operation breached," he told reporters in Sydney.

"We're still taking calls and dispatching ambulances, albeit using manual operations."

The system used by the service has been in place for 10 years and had never previously
been breached by a virus, Mr Willis added.

AAP ih/msk

KEYWORD: AMBULANCE NSW WRAP

� 2011 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

VIC:Victoria Police timeline

AAP General News (Australia)
08-30-2010
VIC:Victoria Police timeline
Linnell Factbox.


Victoria Police timeline:



April 6 2003: Self-proclaimed vampire Shane Chartres-Abbott, on trial for rape, shot
dead by two gunmen.



May 30, 2007: Office of Police Integrity (OPI) launches investigation into claims senior
police figures leaked confidential information about the Chartres-Abbott murder.



September, 2007 - A Victorian detective is linked to the murder of Chartres-Abbott.



September 25, 2007: OPI private hearings call Assistant Commissioner Noel Ashby, police
media director Stephen Linnell and police union secretary Paul Mullett to attend.



November 9, 2007 - Ashby quits force as revelations emerge about his dealings with
the covert investigation into Chartres-Abbott's death.



November 12, 2007 - Linnell resigns after admitting he lied to OPI inquiry.



November 15, 2007 - Mullett is suspended after the head of the OPI inquiry said he
appeared to have interfered in a murder investigation.



July 29, 2008 - Ashby charged with 29 criminal offences, Mullett with five and Linnell 19.


November 5, 2008 - Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Christine Nixon announces she will
not renew her contract when it expires at the end of March 2009.


February 10, 2009 - Nixon is announced as head of the new Victorian Bushfire Reconstruction
and Recovery Authority, three days after the worst bushfires in Australia's history.


March 25, 2009 - Linnell avoids jail with suspended sentence after pleading guilty to
perjury charges.



May 20, 2009 - Mullett committed to stand trial on perjury charges for allegedly lying
to closed police integrity hearings. The charges are later dropped.



Feb 9, 2010 - The perjury case against Ashby is dropped.


April, 2010: Ms Nixon appears at the Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission and admits she
left the emergency control centre early on Black Saturday after a briefing on the fatalities
to dine with friends at a pub.


June 16, 2010 - Perjury convictions against Linnell quashed.


July 17, 2010 - Nixon quits as head of the bushfire recovery authority.


August 30, 2010 - Linnell releases excerpts of a book he has written examines his rise
and fall and claiming that Nixon turned down an offer to become Victoria's first female
Governor.



AAP gr/sbl/

KEYWORD: LINNELL (MELBOURNE)

� 2010 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

NSW: Palm oil protesters aping orangutans at Nestle HQ

AAP General News (Australia)
04-22-2010
NSW: Palm oil protesters aping orangutans at Nestle HQ

Activists dressed as orangutans were among the suits heading into Nestle's Sydney headquarters
this morning.

About eight Greenpeace activists dressed up as part of a global campaign on Earth Day
to protest against the use of palm oil in many of Nestle's products.

Greenpeace spokesman STEPHEN CAMPBELL says Nestle's use of palm oil spells disaster
for the world's last remaining rainforests .. and the shrinking of the rainforest threatens
Indonesia's orangutans .. which live in the tree tops of the forests.

Today's protest was an attempt to engage with Nestle staff at the company's Australian
headquarters in the Sydney suburb of Rhodes.

AAP RTV bc/wjf/crh

KEYWORD: NESTLE (SYDNEY)

� 2010 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

Vic: Elderly man may have stabbed himself: police

AAP General News (Australia)
12-08-2009
Vic: Elderly man may have stabbed himself: police

MELBOURNE, Dec 8 AAP - Homicide detectives are awaiting further test results on the
body of a 70-year-old man they believe may have died outside his home from self-inflicted
stab wounds.

The man's body was found at the corner of Catherine and Fowler streets in bayside Chelsea
shortly after 10pm (AEDT) on Monday.

He was only three blocks from the local police station.

Ambulance crews attended and treated the man for possible stab wounds, but he died
and a crime scene was established.

Officers believe that he wasn't a victim of an attack.

"We're investigating the possibility he died of self-inflicted wounds," a police spokeswoman
said.

But the post-mortem examination, conducted on Tuesday afternoon, was not conclusive,
Victoria Police spokeswoman Marika Fengler said.

Homicide detectives remained on the case, she said.

"Investigators are still yet to establish the circumstances surrounding the death and
are awaiting further results from the post-mortem," she said.

A neighbour told 3AW radio that the man was very friendly and loved working in his garden.

AAP jrd/jnb/de

KEYWORD: BODY WRAP

2009 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

WA: Smuggler caught with one of world's deadliest snakes

AAP General News (Australia)
04-30-2009
WA: Smuggler caught with one of world's deadliest snakes

PERTH, April 30 AAP - One of the world's most venomous snakes has been found in a haul
of 35 reptiles being smuggled out of Western Australia, authorities say.

WA Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) officers say they intercepted the
animal trafficker at Perth Airport on Saturday before he boarded a flight to NSW.

They said the illegal haul, which including geckos, dragon lizards, a blue-tongue lizard
and pythons, could fetch between $35,000 and $40,000 on the black market.

Also found within the plastic containers carrying the animals was a highly venomous
Pilbara death adder, which the DEC said had one the world's deadliest bites.

Authorities were tipped off by police in the Pilbara after the man boarded a flight
from Newman to Perth.

The NSW man has been charged with attempting to export protected fauna without a licence
and the unlawful possession of protected fauna.

All the reptiles were native to WA, with most found only in the Pilbara and Kimberley regions.

DEC senior investigator Rick Dawson said wildlife smuggling was a cruel practice and
an ongoing problem.

He said the seized reptiles were receiving health checks and some would be returned
to the wild, while others would go to a suitable home.

AAP ap/was/sn

KEYWORD: REPTILES (PIX AVAILABLE)

2009 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

NSW: One dead, one injured after light plane crash: police

AAP General News (Australia)
12-25-2008
NSW: One dead, one injured after light plane crash: police

Police say one man's dead and another's injured following a light plane crash in rugged
NSW terrain.

The single-engine Cessna left Mudgee yesterday en route to Glen Innes .. flown by a
38-year-old man with a 32-year-old male passenger on board.

The pilot was able to radio an approximate location of the crash site yesterday.

The upturned plane was spotted on the side of a steep ravine in The Great Dividing
Range near Merriwa in the Upper Hunter at about 10 (AEDT) this morning.

Police say the 32-year-old passenger was found dead at the scene.

The pilot's in a stable condition with leg injuries and is expected to be airlifted to hospital.



Eds: One man found dead - updated police information.



AAP RTV ad/af

KEYWORD: PLANE (SYDNEY)

2008 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

Ath: Thompson misses qualification for long jump final

AAP General News (Australia)
08-19-2008
Ath: Thompson misses qualification for long jump final

Australia's BRONWYN THOMPSON has failed to qualify for the Olympic final of the women's
long jump after placing 17th in the heats at the National Stadium.

The triple Olympian jumped 6.53 metres on her second attempt but it was still seven
centimetres shy of the top 12 cut off for Friday's final.

THOMPSON, the final jumper in the field, required a leap of 6.60m to make the cut but fouled.

American BRITTNEY REESE led the field with her leap of 6.87m making her just one of
three jumpers to exceed the 6.75m automatic qualification length for for the final.

AAP RTV tb/mo

KEYWORD: OLY08 ATH AUST (BEIJING)

2008 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

NSW: Hair transplant company denies rorting safety net

AAP General News (Australia)
04-12-2008
NSW: Hair transplant company denies rorting safety net

A hair transplant company is being investigated for abusing the Medicare safety net
.. with allegations it told patients accommodation and domestic flights would be covered
under the scheme.

Medicare's looking into the National Hair Institute .. after a company letter surfaced
telling a female patient an all inclusive treatment package would be covered by the safety
net.

The Australian newspaper reports the package included domestic flights .. luxury accommodation
and limousine transfers .. and was priced at more than 10-thousand dollars.

The safety net refunds 80 per cent of expenses once patients have spent a particular amount.

The company has denied rorting the safety net .. with medical director RHETT BOSNICH
saying the cost of the package didn't include flights or hotel stays.

AAP RTV ab/tm

KEYWORD: HAIR

2008 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

HighLights of the AAP National Wire at 14:45, Dec 9 = 2

AAP General News (Australia)
12-09-2007
HighLights of the AAP National Wire at 14:45, Dec 9 = 2

BRECKENRIDGE - An Australian man facing assault charges for throwing a snowball at
a co-worker refused a plea bargain and instead insisted on a trial to clear his name,
his mother said. (US Snowball)



LONDON - She weighs 90,000 tonnes, cost nearly $A700 million and is heading to Australia's
east coast. (UK Victoria)



CANBERRA - Peter Shergold will leave his post as Australia's top public servant to
head a new social research centre at the University of New South Wales (UNSW). (Shergold.

Eds: Embargoed until midnight (AEDT) Sunday)



CANBERRA - Australians had recognised the role of trade unions by throwing out the
federal coalition and its Work Choices changes, ACTU secretary Jeff Lawrence says. (Workplace
Lawrence)



SYDNEY - A 22-year-old man has critical head injuries after an alleged road rage incident
on the M4 freeway, in Sydney's west, police say. (Rage. N/L to come)



SYDNEY - A Sydney man has been charged after police discovered more than $50,000 in
his car during a random breath test. (Cash)



SYDNEY - Please let your loved ones know you are OK is the Christmas message Australian
Federal Police want to sent to thousands of Australians who have gone missing. (Missing)



SYDNEY - Seven people have been taken to hospital after a balcony gave way and crashed
to the ground at a house party in inner Sydney. (Balcony)



MELBOURNE - Firefighters believe they will have the last of several bushfires burning
in Victoria under control by lunch time today. (Bushfires Vic. Outseeking more)



MELBOURNE - Two men have been charged with car theft and one faces a charge of endangering
life following a police car chase in Melbourne's south-east last night. (Seaford)



MELBOURNE - A man missing in Victoria's northeast has been found tired and disoriented
after covering himself in bark to keep warm overnight. (Whitfield Found)



BRISBANE - A new development has come to light in the case of an abducted man found
with his ears cut off in bushland on the Gold Coast hinterland, police say. (Motorcycle.

N/L to come)



BRISBANE - An 18-year-old man has been bashed and robbed after his car broke down in
Gladstone, on the central Queensland coast. (Robbery)



BRISBANE - A 25-year-old man has been run over and killed while apparently lying on
the road in Queensland's Sunshine Coast hinterland. (Toll Qld)



BRISBANE - A recognition of native title rights announced today will hand the Eastern
Kuku Yalanji people in far north Queensland a major role in managing 126,900 hectares
in the Daintree. (Native. Eds: Embargoed until 1100 AEDT today)



BRISBANE - The rail line between Brisbane and the Gold Coast has been reopened after
a death of man on the tracks earlier today. (Track lead)



ADELAIDE - Owners of a tourist retreat on SA's Kangaroo Island are preparing to defend
their property as three major bushfires continue to burn out of control. (Bushfires SA.

N/L to come)



ADELAIDE - Five South Australian high school students will travel to the World War
One battlefields of the Western Front to commemorate Anzac Day next year. (Anzac)

AAP jlw

KEYWORD: HIGHLIGHTS NATIONAL 2 SYDNEY

2007 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

Vic: Water board investigates country footy clubs lush oval

AAP General News (Australia)
04-26-2007
Vic: Water board investigates country footy clubs lush oval

A Victorian country football club is being investigated by a water authority .. after
a mysterious pipe was found leading to the club's home ground .. and the disappearance
of water from the town's reservoir.

South Gippsland Water is examining if there's a link between a small water pipe which
leads to the dam at the Poowong Football Club's oval .. and the town's depleting water
supply.

News Limited newspapers report while football leagues around Victoria have put their
seasons on hold .. fearing players will injure themselves on ovals baked hard by drought
.. the home ground of the Poowong Magpies is lush and green.

South Gippsland Water tests have revealed the presence of chlorine at the oval .. indicating
town water had been used to water it.

But Poowong Magpies president PETER NOTMAN says he knew nothing of the pipe or any
subsequent investigation.

The pipe, made in sections of galvanised metal and flexible tubing, has been cut and
sealed by South Gippsland Water

AAP RTV jrd/rh

KEYWORD: WATER VIC POOWONG (MELBOURNE)

2007 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

NSW: All quiet on the Bondi front

AAP General News (Australia)
12-25-2006
NSW: All quiet on the Bondi front

By Vincent Morello

SYDNEY, Dec 25 AAP - Cool and wet weather, plus the alcohol ban seems to have kept
Sydney's iconic Bondi Beach quiet on Christmas Day.

The mercury has peaked at 26 degrees Celsius today but is far from the record low of
15 degrees set in 1924.

But just 10,000 people today enjoyed the intermittent sunshine at Bondi - one-fourth
of normal number for a summer day of leisure.

"A lot of people, because of the rain this morning, haven't dressed for the beach,"

Waverley Council senior lifeguard Rod Kerr said.

The Christmas Day alcohol ban on the sand and surrounding park areas has also deterred
Sydneysiders and holidaymakers.

The ban began three years ago after consistent reports of disorderly behaviour, public
drunkenness and an unsightly mass of rubbish and glass bottles.

Security guards were positioned at every entrance to the beach and searched bags for
glass bottles and anything containing alcohol.

Only small quantities of alcohol turned up in about one in 20 bags searched, security
guards said.

And council rangers patrolled the park areas for similar contraband.

It appears the alcohol ban may be having an impact.

"I think people from overseas tend to want to have a bit of a picnic and a couple of
drinks, which is fair enough," Mr Kerr said.

Surf rescues are also way down.

Nearly 250 people were rescued one summer day last year, a record for recent times,
but lifeguards performed only 40 on Thursday and have averaged about 20 a day since then,
Mr Kerr said.

Alcohol rarely plays a role in surf rescues, he said.

"We can do 200 in a day but it's purely on the fact of the (sea) conditions at the
beach - it doesn't really matter about the alcohol," he said.

The same goes for behaviour on the beach, which was quite orderly with or without an
alcohol ban, Mr Kerr said.

NSW Police, patrolling the beach and immediate areas, said people were behaving in
an orderly manner.

But they took no chances.

Officers have been conducting random breath tests, stopping vehicles on Campbell Parade
since yesterday.

They will continue well into tomorrow, police said.

AAP vpm/cdh

KEYWORD: XMAS BONDI

2006 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

NSW: Sydney man refused bail over multiple child sex offences

AAP General News (Australia)
08-17-2006
NSW: Sydney man refused bail over multiple child sex offences

A man charged with committing multiple child sex offences against a 15-year-old boy
.. has been refused bail by a Sydney court.

67-year-old KEITH COLES has appeared in Burwood Local Court .. after being charged
with attempting to have sexual intercourse with a child aged 14 to 16 .. and three counts
of aggravated indecent assault.

It's alleged COLES assaulted the boy at a Liverpool Road unit in Croydon yesterday afternoon.

After inquiries .. the man's home was raided about 3.30 (AEST) this morning .. and
COLES was arrested.

Magistrate JANE MOTTLEY has refused COLES bail .. and adjourned the matter to the same
court on next Monday.

AAP RTV nr/hn/cp/wf

KEYWORD: CHILD SEX (SYDNEY)

) 2006 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

FED: Dick Smith says $1m War Memorial donation an obligation

AAP General News (Australia)
04-11-2006
FED: Dick Smith says $1m War Memorial donation an obligation

By Kylie Williams

CANBERRA, April 11 AAP - Entrepreneur Dick Smith today donated $1 million towards a
memorial to Vietnam veterans at the Australian War Memorial, saying he felt obliged to
recognise those who had fought for their country.

Mr Smith and his wife, Pip, made the donation for a yet-to-be-built Iroquois helicopter
display that will be housed at the Australian War Memorial.

He said he believed the donation was an obligation in recognition of Australia's Vietnam
veterans.

"I won the lottery of life," he said.

"I was born in 1944, which meant I was too young for the Korean War and too old for
the Vietnam War, and I admire people who went off to fight for Australia and I don't think
they've had adequate recognition," Mr Smith said.

"I've been able to do something, which I think is an obligation, and that is make a
donation which is going to give due recognition to our Vietnam veterans."

Mr Smith said he had discussed his donation with the war memorial and the Vietnam Veterans'
Association, which had advised him how to make best use of the money.

The display would show an Iroquois helicopter landing under fire at night and would
be highly emotive, he said.

"The million dollars is going to be spent on an incredible display of an Iroquois helicopter
doing what they call a hot insertion - landing troops in the jungle at night under fire.

"And so people will go in and see this display, there'll be obviously not live ammunition
going off but it will be as if it is, and they'll see the incredible risk."

Mr Smith said he supported the Iraq War and believed the Australian government's intentions
were good.

"My stance is that, because our serviceman and women are over there at the moment,
I support them," he said.

"And I think our intentions are good with Iraq, history will say whether we've succeeded
or not, but I think the intentions are good, and while our servicemen are there under
government directions I'll never criticise them."

Australian War Memorial director Steve Gower said the centre needed donations like
Mr Smith's to produce outstanding displays.

"The government's been very generous in supporting the war memorial but to really produce
outstanding galleries you need support from the private and public sector," he said.

AAP klw/so/jm/de

KEYWORD: VETERANS NIGHTLEAD

2006 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

Vic: Name change for Melb's Spencer Street Station

AAP General News (Australia)
12-13-2005
Vic: Name change for Melb's Spencer Street Station

Melbourne's Spencer Street station has been renamed Southern Cross station.

The station's been Melbourne's main transit point for generations of country and interstate
travellers.

And Victorian premier STEVE BRACKS says a 700-million dollar redevelopment will make
it one of the top 10 railway stations in the world .. and a must-see icon in Melbourne.





The refit features an innovative wave-shaped roof covering the platforms and concourse.

The station's entrance will feature a 12-tonne steel and glass door.

Mr BRACKS says the project .. which has been dogged by delays .. will be completed
before the Commonwealth Games in March.

AAP RTV nl/gfr/ibw/rt

KEYWORD: STATION (MELBOURNE)

2005 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

NT: Pundits gambling on Pope's sucessor

AAP General News (Australia)
04-04-2005
NT: Pundits gambling on Pope's sucessor

By Karen Michelmore

DARWIN, April 4 AAP - An Australian betting agency is taking bets on who will succeed
Pope John Paul II.

One of Australia's largest bookmakers, Darwin-based Sportingbet Australia, said it
had opened a book on the Pope's successor several months ago.

Favourites include Italy's Dionigi Tettamanzi at $3.50, Nigerian cardinal Francis Arinze
at $3.85 and Honduras hopeful Oscar Rodriguez Maradiaga, who had firmed from $8 to $5.

Australia's Archbishop of Sydney Cardinal George Pell is a long-shot at $41.

Some have criticised the betting - taken up by a number of sports bookmakers around
the world - as being in poor taste and potentially offensive to those mourning the death
of the 84-year-old pontiff on the weekend.

"I think it's in pretty poor taste," said Gerard Daffy, manager of bookmaker Centrebet
and himself a Catholic.

"Obviously there are a lot of things that have surfaced that people can bet on.

"But betting on the election of the Pope ... I think is in pretty poor taste and I'm
surprised that there are bookmakers around the world who actually want to accept bets
on that."

Sportingbet Australia chief executive officer Michael Sullivan said the agency was
simply providing a service to punters who wanted to bet on an event of global significance.

"With a name like Michael Sullivan I obviously mourn the Pope," Mr Sullivan, also a
Catholic, said.

"The fact is that we now have to concentrate on the new leader of the Catholic Church
and give the people the chance to have an opinion.

"Sportingbet wishes to emphasise that ours is an election market, betting on the election
of a leader of global significance.

"We bet on all major elections.

"We do our best to provide a service on current events or on anything that generates
interest among our punters."

Mr Sullivan said the book was opened some months ago before the Pope became seriously ill.

When his health deteriorated the agency removed the Pope's picture and reference to
the betting market from its home page, he said.

Sportingbet Australia said that interest in the papal election had mainly been from
"bread and butter" pundits, placing $5 or $10 bets.

But the wagering was expected to increase as the conclave, where 117 cardinals from
52 countries will elect the next Pope, drew nearer this month.

The biggest bet so far was $800 placed on Honduras's Cardinal Rodriguez Maradiaga.

Of Cardinal Pell's chances, Mr Sullivan appeared sure about the principal reason for
his long odds.

"Distance is probably George Pell's biggest problem," he said.

"The remoteness of Australia from the Vatican will probably work against him."

AAP km/was/jlw t

KEYWORD: POPE AUST BET

2005 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

tort

tort A civil wrong other than one relating to a contract. The law of tort is concerned with providing damages for personal injury and damage to property resulting from negligence. It is also concerned with protecting against defamation of character and preserving personal freedom, enjoyment of property, and commercial interests. A person who commits a tort is called a tortfeasor.

Eagle-Picher Industries, Inc. Announces Lloyd E. Cotsen and Prof. Dr. Pierre J. Everaert Join Board of Directors.

PHOENIX -- Eagle-Picher Industries, Inc. and its parent company Eagle-Picher Holdings, Inc., are pleased to announce today that Lloyd E. Cotsen and Prof. Dr. Pierre J. Everaert have joined their Boards of Directors.

Mr. Cotsen is currently President of Cotsen Management Corporation and was formerly Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Neutrogena Corporation prior to its sale to Johnson & Johnson. Dr. Everaert is currently Chairman of Interbrew SA, and previously has been Vice Chairman and Executive Vice President of Philips Electronics NV, Chief Executive Officer of Baan Company NV, Chief Executive Officer of Ahold NV, and Vice Chairman of General Biscuits Co.

Mr. Cotsen's successful career in building Neutrogena from a small cosmetics manufacturer into a worldwide brand gives him an ideal background to help Eagle-Picher achieve its growth objectives. Dr. Everaert's experience and knowledge in the electronics industry in particular positions him to provide valuable insight and advice to Eagle-Picher's technology-driven businesses.

Dr. Joel P. Wyler, Chairman of Eagle-Picher, commented, "We are fortunate to have two world class businessmen with the experience and reputation of Lloyd Cotsen and Pierre Everaert join our Boards. We are convinced that they will be invaluable assets to Eagle-Picher."

John Weber, President and Chief Executive Officer of Eagle-Picher, commented, "We will capitalize on the tremendous business experience of Mr. Cotsen and Dr. Everaert to help Eagle-Picher realize its vision to be 'Simply the Best.' I could not be more pleased with the caliber of talent willing to serve on our Boards."

Eagle-Picher Industries, Inc., headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, is a diversified manufacturer and marketer of advanced technical and industrial products for aerospace, defense, automotive, filtration and commercial applications worldwide. The company has 4,000 employees and operates more than 30 plants in the United States, Canada, Mexico, the U.K. and Germany. Additional information on the company is available on the Internet at http://www.epcorp.com/ .

This release contains statements which, to the extent that they are not recitations of historical fact, constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These include any statements about future business operations, financial performance or market conditions. Such forward-looking information involves risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. These risks and uncertainties are discussed in Eagle-Picher Holding's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission

Make Your Opinion Count - Click Here http://tbutton.prnewswire.com/prn/11690X53629871

CONTACT: John H. Weber of Eagle-Picher Industries, Inc., +1-602-923-7200

Web site: http://www.epcorp.com/

Right Management Consultants, Inc. Second-Quarter Results to Exceed Market Expectations.

Business Editors

PHILADELPHIA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 19, 2001

Right Management Consultants, Inc. (Nasdaq:RMCI), a global consulting firm specializing in career transition and organizational consulting services, today announced that its preliminary results for the second quarter, ending June 30, 2001, are expected to substantially exceed market expectations.

The company said its revenues for the quarter will be in excess of $70 million and that earnings per share will be in excess of $0.50, based on results to date.

These results reflect economic conditions experienced in its career transition business year to date, the company added. By comparison, in the second quarter of 2000 (restated for the impact of the Securities and Exchange Commission Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 101) revenues were $45 million and earnings per share, adjusted for the company's subsequent 3-for-2 stock split, were $0.24.

Further guidance on revenues and earnings for the remainder of 2001 will be in the news release announcing the company's second-quarter results which is scheduled for the morning of Monday, July 23, 2001, to be accompanied by a conference call.

The updated outlook for the second quarter will be discussed in a conference call the morning of Friday, June 22, 2001, at 9:00 a.m. EDT. You may participate by calling 612-332-0932 at about 8:45 a.m. EDT. This will also be available on the Internet at www.streetevents.com and at the company's own Web site, www.right.com.

You can hear a recording of the conference call starting on Friday, June 22, 2001 at 2:00 p.m. EDT through Friday, July 6, 2001 until 11:59 p.m. EDT by calling (320) 365-3844 and giving access code 592264.

Right offers services to corporations of all sizes through a global network of more than 200 service locations and the Internet. The company is a worldwide leader in customized career transition solutions and also offers a wide range of organizational consulting services, including talent management, leadership development and organizational performance services.

In combination, the two lines of business enable Right to help businesses manage the entire life cycle of their employees.

Certain statements contained in this press release are or may be deemed to be "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including discussion and analysis, results of operation, and business plans or strategies that are not statements of historical fact. Such Forward-Looking Statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors regarding the Company's business, operations and competitive environment that may cause the actual results of the Company to be materially different from historical results or from any future results expressed or implied by such Forward-Looking Statements. Forward-Looking Statements also include projections of financial performance, statements regarding management's plans and objectives and statements concerning any assumptions relating to the foregoing, or statements regarding potential benefits related to use of the Company's services. These forward-looking statements reflect management's opinions only as of the date hereof and the Company assumes no obligation to update.

On RadioWallStreet.com: The Linux League Monday Edition With Caldera CEO.

Business Editors/Hi-Tech Writers

PHILADELPHIA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--August 7, 2000

Philadelphia CEO of Caldera Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq: CALD) Ransome Love will be a guest on the Monday edition of "The Linux League" on RadioWallStreet.com today, August 7, 2000 at 5:30 PM ET.

The topics will include Caldera's acquisition of professional services and Unix-based assets of The Santa Cruz Operation, Inc. (Nasdaq: SCOC).

Also, host Francis Gaskins will talk with Gary Lawrence Murphy, CEO of TCI, and Tom Adelstein, CEO of Bynari Inc regarding Linux trends, with comment on Corel Corporation (Nasdaq:CORL), International Business Machines Corporation (NYSE:IBM), VA Linux Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq: LNUX), Microsoft Corporation (Nasdaq:MSFT), Sun Microsystems, Inc. (Nasdaq: SUNW), and Red Hat, Inc. (Nasdaq: RHAT).

This event will be broadcast on Monday, August 7, 2000 at 5:30 PM ET and will be available for replay. Click here for the live webcast or a replay http://www.radiowallstreet.com/NASApp/RWS/EventPage?ID=32645 or access via www.radiowallstreet.com.

Replays will be available beginning approximately one hour after the live event ends. It may be necessary for first-time visitors to RadioWallStreet.com to go to the website at least fifteen minutes before these events to download and install any necessary audio software.

Questions for this RadioWallStreet.com event may be submitted in advance by e-mailing rob@radiowallstreet.com. Please reference date and time of the interview in the Subject of the e-mail.

About Investor Broadcast Network

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With a complete portfolio of web-based broadcast communication services, the company gives investors access to the inner circle of corporate executives and industry thought leaders, while providing public companies with an efficient online investor relations strategy that meets their financial needs and reduces the high-risk of selective disclosure.

For more information on Investor Broadcast Network visit www.investorbroadcast.com

Smith cool on sledge test.

South Africa skipper Graeme Smith feels Australia's feared on-field 'sledging' will not be the same without spinner Shane Warne in their ranks. The Proteas are looking for a first series win Down Under, and Australia look vulnerable despite bouncing back from their series defeat in India with a comprehensive victory over New Zealand. Smith was put to the sword last time he took South Africa to Australia, when they lost 2-0 back in 2005-2006. But ahead of the three-Test series he believes the absence of Warne could well make life for his batting line-up that little bit easier. He said: "The real positive attitude, the forward thinking, the aggression, the positiveness that he brought to the Australian team was huge. It's hard to replace that sort of guy. His ability to pick up wickets, his ability to change the game. "Also to get into other people's psyche. He was very good at that. "From our perspective it's obviously nice just to see him at a barbecue." Smith is confident his side will be able to give as good as they get against Ricky Ponting's battle-hardened Aussies on the pitch when they square up at the WACA on December 17. "Things will pick up as the build-up goes towards the first Test. I'm sure there'll be a few things flying each way. "But I just think there's a general really good respect for each other and the ability of both teams. Most of it is going to be played out in the middle and pretty tough. "If it does happen it will be things that happen along the way. I'm comfortable with the team that I've got with me and people around me and that makes a big difference."

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