From: brad@winnie.cs.adelaide.edu.au (Brad Alexander )
Newsgroups: soc.culture.australian
Subject: oznews, 22nd of August, 1992.
Date: 22 Aug 92 08:29:56 GMT


              News from "The Weekend Australian" 22-8-92
              ------------------------------------------
"Greiner cleared, ICAC on trial"- The NSW Supreme Court vindicated the
former premier, Mr Nick Greiner, yesterday by rejecting the Independent
Commission Against Corruption's finding  he and a former minister had acted
corruptly over the Metherall affair. 
  "He (ICAC Commissioner Mr Ian Temby QC) approached the question as though
the matter was to be determined by his own personal and subjective
opinion.. in this respect he exceeded his jurisdiction," the NSW Chief
Justice, Justice Gleeson, said in the majority judgement.
  The Court of Appeal said Mr Temby had made "erroneous determinations" in
in his report on the $110,000-a-year public sector appointment of former
Independent MP Dr Terry Metherall. 
  It was the ICAC finding that Mr Greiner had engaged in corrupt conduct

which set in train the political events that forced his resignation....
  Mr Temby said he accepted the courts decision with some regret, defending
the integrity of the report and said he was considering challenging the
decision in the High Court....
----------

"Cautious Fels backs ABC role in pay TV plan"- The Trade Practices
Commission indicated yesterday its qualified support for an ambitious plan
to rewrite the Federal Government's pay television policy to allow the ABC
an immediate role in the service. 
  The TPC chairman, Professor Allan Fels, said there was some attraction in
the ABC's proposal because it would mean more competition. 
  The managing director of the ABC, Mr David Hill, called on the Government
last week to give the public broadcaster one of the four satelitte
transponders earmarked for the first pay television operator...
----------

"Hewson opens fire on Dawkins tax confusion"- The Leader of the Opposition,
Dr Hewson, yesterday capitalised on the Federal Government's blunder over
possible post-election tax increases, accusing it of being in an "absolute
shambles"
  "We've had three versions in the last couple of days," Dr Hewson said on
Sydney radio. 
  "We are either going to have a discussion paper, or they will tell us
before the next election, or they'll drop it"...
  In the Budget the Government flagged the possibility of expanding the tax
base in order to meet its twin goals of delivering tax cuts and restoring
the Budget to surplus by 1995-96. 
  But in the Parliament on Thursday, the Treasurer, Mr Dawkins, opened the
option of dropping the political millstone of unspecified future tax
increases, saying the Government would decide before the next election
whether the move was still necessary...
  The confusion surrounding the tax issue put Mr Dawkins on the defensive
at a bussiness breakfast in Brisbane yesterday. 
  He said he had raised the possibility of a tax rise in 1995-96 to support
the Governments contention that the $8.6 billion in personal income tax
cuts promised in Februrary's One Nation statement were still achievable. 
  "We wanted to emphasise the point that Australia can both afford the tax
cuts that have been promised.. and at the same time return the Budget to
balance in the years ahead," he said...
---------

"Court sees war crimes document"- Australia's third war crimes hearing has
been shown Soviet court documents including one relating to a convicted war
criminal who is expected to give evidence later in an Adelaide court.
  Senior Ukraine prosecutor Mr Yakov Osipov yesterday produced a document
used by the KGB in its prosecution of Mr Ivan Zhilun, who was sentenced to
25 years' jail in 1947 for taking part in the execution of Jews in Ukraine
during World War II.
  Mr Zhilun, who was released after serving eight years, is expected to be
a key witness in the hearings against the accused, 68-year-old South
Australian pensioner Heinrich Wagner. 
  Wagner is charged with the murder of 19 part-Jewish children and a
railway construction worker, and with being involved in the murder of 104
people near the village of Izraylovka, in Nazi-occupied Ukraine, between
1942 and 1943.
---------

"Manpower the key, says Medicare mastermind"- The architect of Medicare, Dr
John Deeble, says the Federal Government will raise enough money under the
proposed Medicare levy increase to wipe out public hospital waiting lists
in a year.
  But the $300 million will not solve the problem because there are simply
not enough eye and orthopaedic surgeons to complete all the work in that
time..
  Theoretically, by raising the Medicare Levy from 1.25 per cent to 1.4 per
cent next July, the Government would raise enough money to pay hospital
costs of all these people on the waiting lists.
  "But you won't do it because the problem is the availibility of skill"..
----------
 
            News from "The Advertiser" (Adelaide) 22-8-92
            ---------------------------------------------
"Keating campaigns for Cambodian art"- Canberra: The Prime Minister, Mr
Keating, has launched a $700,000 campaign for urgently needed repairs at
the National Museum of Cambodia, in Phnom Penh.
  Opening a world-first exhibition of Cambodian sculpture at the Australian
National Gallery in Canberra last night, Mr Keating said the Federal
Government had donated $325,000 and would match public donations on a
two-for-one basis in an effort to preserve cultural life in war torn
Cambodia. 
  Meanwhile, Australia's Telecom has won a major contract to supply
communications for the United Nations' transitional civilian administration
and peacekeeping forces in Cambodia.
---------

"Turtles hitch lift home"- Perth: Eight baby loggerhead turtles dragged
south to Perth by strong ocean currents last month are to be taken home by
the Royal Australian Navy. 
  Conservation authorities say the turtles will leave Perth on the
destroyer escort HMAS Torrens today. Bound for South East Asia, it will
release the turtles - which measure 7cm but grow to more than 1m - near
Shark Bay, about 800km north of Perth.
--------
"Smoke-free flights"-Sydney: Smoking will be banned on Qantas flights
between Australia and New Zealand from October 25.
  The ban would also apply to three new non-stop flights between Sydney and
Los Angeles from the same date, said Qantas spokesman Mr Julian Hercus.
----------

Brad Alexander.
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