AAP National News Wire Round-Up for Evening, Feb 10

AAP General News (Australia)
02-10-2007
AAP National News Wire Round-Up for Evening, Feb 10
EVENING ROUND-UP: HIGHLIGHTS OF THE AAP RTV FILE AT 1630


CLIMATE (CANBERRA)

The prime minister and opposition leader KEVIN RUDD have united to slam Greens leader
BOB BROWN .. for proposing an end to coal exports in three years.

JOHN HOWARD says this would cost thousands of jobs .. while Mr RUDD says it's just plain absurd.

National Senator BARNABY JOYCE has also dismissed the plan .. saying it would leave
Australia's 26 thousand coal industry workers out in the cold.

But an unchastened Senator BROWN says jobless coal workers could be given new jobs
in a rejuvenated solar power industry .. which the government has starved of funds for
years.

Senator BROWN says a re-commitment to Australia's once-booming solar power industry
could easily absorb the workers.

Earlier .. Australian of the Year Professor TIM FLANNERY said .. the social licence
of coal was rapidly being withdrawn globally .. because of its contribution to greenhouse
gas emissions.



WORKPLACE TRUCKS (SYDNEY)

The New South Wales Premier MORRIS IEMMA says the federal government's Workchoices
legislation is compromising safety on Australian roads.

Mr IEMMA says a Senate Inquiry submission indicates long distance truck drivers were
pressured to drive further and work longer hours.

He says the report shows the pressure of Workchoices to cut paypackets .. to reorganise
schedules and rosters .. is compromising safety and this is a major concern.



NZ KAYAK AUST (CANBERRA)

A New Zealand Air Force P-3 Orion aircraft and three yachts are heading for an area
where Australian kayaker ANDREW MCAULEY may be in trouble.

Mr MCAULEY's expected to arrive in Milford Sound on New Zealand's south island tomorrow
.. after departing Fortescue Bay, Tasmania, on January 11.

Concerns about Mr MCAULEY emerged today when a garbled message was monitored in New
Zealand on the maritime distress channel 16.

Mr MCAULEY'S brother .. MICHAEL .. says the 39-year-old's emergency beacon hasn't been activated.



POISON (GOLD COAST)

The lawyer of a Gold Coast woman who allegedly forced her three young children to take
10 valium tablets when drunk .. has criticised the Child Safety Department for ignoring
his client's cries for help.

JASON BUCKLAND says he's disappointed department officers visited the 25-year-old woman's
property only four hours before her three daughters were admitted to Gold Coast Hospital
on Thursday.

They were suffering stomach aches .. headaches and drowsiness.

The department and police were also aware the woman had threatened to kill herself
and the children .. aged three .. six and nine .. only a fortnight ago.

Prosecutor CHRISTINA HEFFNER told Southport Magistrates Court today that on January
24 the woman had made a threat to police.



TOLL QLD (BRISBANE)

Police are urging motorists to comply with the road rules after a horror start to the
weekend on Queensland roads.

Seven people have died in the past 24 hours after car accidents around the state ..

some of them from injuries suffered earlier.

Another two people also died in road accidents in the 24 hours before.



PRISON DEBNAM (SYDNEY)

New South Wales Opposition Leader PETER DEBNAM has blamed the state government for
systemic problems in prisons which he says led to the the bashing of two convicted rapists
at Goulburn jail.

Mr DEBNAM says violence against inmates and guards are just one example of systemic
problems the governing Labor Party's failed to address.

He says the administration of the jails should be improved .. and the cover-up culture.



SOLOMONS RUDDOCK (CANBERRA)

Attorney-General PHILIP RUDDOCK says Foreign Minister ALEXANDER DOWNER acted properly
.. in publicly criticising Solomon Islands Prime Minister MANASSEH SOGAVARE.

Mr RUDDOCK says Mr DOWNER's a very experienced foreign minister .. who's travelled
extensively in the region .. and knows our neighbours and their sensitivities.

In an escalating war of words .. Mr DOWNER's submitted a letter to a Solomons newspaper
.. accusing Mr SOGAVARE of using shameful tactics .. to try to destroy the Australian-led
Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands.

An outraged Mr SOGAVARE has told parliament in Honiara Australia's running a parallel
Solomons government.



HICKS RUDDOCK (CANBERRA)

Attorney-General PHILIP RUDDOCK has again refused to release legal advice .. he says
shows Guantanamo Bay detainee DAVID HICKS can't be tried in Australia.

HICKS is facing trial in the US after five years in a military prison.

And Mr RUDDOCK says at this stage .. the Adelaide man might want the case heard so
the allegations against him can be properly canvassed.

Meanwhile .. more than 800 people have attended a prayer service in support of Guantanamo
Bay detainee DAVID HICKS .. in central Melbourne.



NELSON BARGE (BRISBANE)

A zinc-filled barge drifting in the Gulf of Carpentaria has had its cargo stabilised
and is posing less threat to the environment.

The ABC says the vessel .. carrying five thousand tonnes of zinc concentrate .. has
a salvage crew on board and will be towed to the Port of Weipa for repairs to its electrical
propulsion system.

The 113-metre barge .. based at Karumba on the Gulf .. sent out a distress signal about
on Tuesday night .. after taking on water and having engine problems in heavy seas whipped
up by Cyclone Nelson.



MIDEAST MOSQUE (JERUSALEM)

Israeli riot police hurling stun grenades have fought crowds of stone-throwing Palestinians
outside Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.

The clash at Islam's third-holiest shrine follows Israeli excavations near the site
that have drawn sharp condemnations across the Arab world.

The confrontation after prayers ended with no serious injuries.



BRIEFLY IN OTHER NEWS ..




A search is underway for man feared drowned after two power boats collided head-on
on the Murray River in Victoria's north.




New South Wales Planning Minister FRANK SARTOR says Sydney's East Darling Harbour will
be rezoned for redevelopment before the March election.



IN SPORT ..



TRI AUST (SYDNEY)

Fast bowler GLENN MCGRATH says Australia's loss to England in the first final of the
tri-series has deeply hurt the world champions.

MCGRATH, who will retire in April after the World Cup, is hoping to return to his best
form tomorrow for his last match at his home ground the S-C-G.

The 37-year-old says he was one of Australia's worst offenders at the M-C-G last night,
taking none for 53 and dropping a catch.

Australia must win tomorrow night to force a decider in Adelaide on Tuesday.



TENNIS DAVIS (AUST)

Australia's tennis team is also in trouble in the Davis Cup first round, losing both
opening singles matches to Belgium.

LLEYTON HEWITT and PAUL HANLEY must win their doubles match at Liege overnight to keep
the tie alive.

The United States are tied 1-1 with the Czech Republic but defending champions Russia
is 2-0 up against Chile.



SUPER AUST (SYDNEY)

Mixed results for Australian teams in Super 14 rugby action in SOuth Africa early today.

Western Force scored their first win of the season, downing the Stormers 22-3 in Cape Town.

But the NSW Waratahs made too many mistakes, losing 22-9 to the Sharks in Durban.



SOCCER ENGLISH (LONDON)

English Premier League giants Arsenal have announced a new partnership with Major League
Soccer club Colorado Rapids owned by American billionaire STAN KROENKE.

The move comes just days after the takeover of Liverpool by American tycoons GEORGE
GILLET and TOM HICKS, and represents an increasing trend of American businessmen buying
into English soccer.



ENDS EVENING ROUND-UP


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