VIC: Winds cause nervous moments for Healesville

AAP General News (Australia)
02-17-2009
VIC: Winds cause nervous moments for Healesville

MELBOURNE, Feb 17 AAP - Healesville residents were given an alert message again in
the early hours of Tuesday as strong winds pushed a bushfire close to the town.

The fire burned within a few kilometres of Healesville's east and the small hamlet
of Badgers Creek, east of Melbourne, Country Fire Authority (CFA) spokesman Darren Grevis-James
said.

"We had a little bit of trouble overnight around Healesville," he told AAP.

"The wind was swirling around unexpectedly causing a bit of excitement so there was
a fair bit of work to contain all of that.

"There was a possibility Badgers Creek could come under ember attack with increased
smoke and fire activity but it didn't happen."

Healesville residents have endured fires burning close to their town for more than a week.

Coastal winds are also causing problems with a fire at Wilsons Promontory.

The top priority of firefighters on Tuesday will be protecting Melbourne's water catchments
from ash with bulldozers used to cut control lines.

"The CFA and DSE (Department of Sustainability and Environment) are doing a huge amount
of work with water authorities to take the fire out of those areas," Mr Grevis-James said.

The dams threatened include the Sugerloaf, Maroondah, O'Shannassy, Upper Yarra and Yan Yean dams.

Six fires are still burning out of control around the state with another 19 contained
fires still burning.

The fight to quell the flames continues as police search the wreckage for more victims
of Australia's worst bushfire disaster, which has claimed at least 189 lives.

Police expect the toll to rise further.

Stable weather conditions for the next two days should help firefighters to build control
lines around those bushfires still raging out of control in Victoria.

Containment lines surrounded 85 per cent of the Kinglake Murrindindi Complex and the
Bunyip and Beechworth fires were also close to being contained, a Department of Sustainability
and Environment spokeswoman said.

AAP gr/maur

KEYWORD: BUSHFIRES VIC UPDATE

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

Armed Forces personnel get 'professional' update at OUM

New Straits Times
07-03-2011
Armed Forces personnel get 'professional' update at OUM
Edition: New Sunday Times
Section: Learning Curve
Memo: Excellence in education

OPEN University Malaysia (OUM) achieved another milestone with the recent launch of an executive diploma programme for the Royal Intelligence Corps of the Malaysian Armed Forces.

The first batch of officers begun attending tutorials for the Executive Diploma in Safety and Security Management on June 13.
The 12-month programme is being offered on a part-time basis, where participants attend night classes twice a week. The classes are conducted at the OUM main campus in Jalan Tun Ismail and Defence Ministry in Jalan Padang Tembak, Kuala Lumpur.

The course is being conducted by experienced industry professionals and qualified senior officers from the Armed Forces. Participants are required to complete 10 modules and a project paper in order to graduate.

Among the modules are crisis management and control methodology, Malaysian legal system and acts, loss-prevention methodology, fraud investigation and prevention methodology as well as security and safety audit.

The programme was officially launched by OUM president and vice- chancellor Professor Emeritus Tan Sri Anuwar Ali on June 21.

Present were Defence Intelligence director-general Lt-Gen Datuk Abdul Hadi Hussin, director of training Col Md Rahim Mohamad, senior officers of the corps and programme participants.

The guests were later taken on a tour of the university's digital library, Internet radio station (iRadio) and Centre for Instructional Design and Technology, which is responsible for the production of modules and other online and printed learning materials used by learners.

According to Anuwar, the university began collaborating with the ministry in 2002. On May 12, the university signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Perhebat (Ex-Armed Forces Affairs Corporation) to offer various programmes for its members. Perhebat trains about 3,000 retiring army personnel every year. Under the MoU, the university is tasked with providing training for three categories of personnel - serving officers, those who are about to retire and retirees.

For serving officers, they can pursue undergraduate or postgraduate programmes to upgrade their professional qualifications. They can also opt for tailor-made executive diploma or professional courses.

The second and third groups are trained for a second career as many of them usually opt to retire in their 40s. They will be able to undertake basic competency training, executive diplomas and short- term courses in order to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to become salaried workers in other professions or operate a small business.

The programmes are aimed at helping Armed Forces personnel to engage in capacity building while in service and retirement, so that they are in a better position to face future challenges.

OUM also offers graduate and postgraduate programmes for teachers, nurses, engineers, business people and various professions.

For instance, the university is involved in the training of teachers to complement the government's move to ensure that teachers in primary and secondary schools have tertiary qualifications. The latest batch of more than 5,000 teachers enrolled in the university's bachelor's degree programmes last March.

For enquires, call 03-2773 2002, email enquiries@oum.edu.my or visit www.oum. edu.my

(Copyright 2011)
006

FED:RBA cuts interest rate again=5

AAP General News (Australia)
12-06-2011
FED:RBA cuts interest rate again=5

Commonwealth bank currency strategist Joseph Capurso said the local currency had moved
lower on new of the RBA's rate cut, based on its negative reading of global conditions.

"They were a little bit more bearish about the global economy than the market was expecting,"

he said.

"I think that's why the Aussie dollar dropped a good half (US) cent. In particular
the RBA highlighted that they see a ... material slowing in global growth, and I think
that's the thing that scared the market."

Mr Capurso said he would not rule out another decision to cut rates early next year,
given the central bank's concern about global growth.

"The global growth outlook is very important for the RBA in their decision making,
so if they see a risk that global growth could be materially worse, that will raise the
possibility of even more rate cuts," he said.

"We have another rate cut predicted for February, so if we're right, that will be three
meetings in a row."

It seemed the central bank was concerned about the spread of instability in the eurozone
into Asian markets, Mr Capurso said.

"The difficulties are in Europe, but they seem to be spilling over into Asia," he said.

"For two months now, they've said that trade in Asia is seeing some effects from some
of this slowing down in economic activity in Europe, and that's really what they're interested
in." AAP css/dlm

KEYWORD: RATES UPDATE 5 SYDNEY (REOPENS)

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

Autodesk Names Lorrie Norrington to Its Board

Wireless News
04-02-2011
Autodesk Names Lorrie Norrington to Its Board
Type: News

Autodesk, Inc., a provider of 3D design, engineering and entertainment software, announced that Lorrie M. Norrington has been appointed to Autodesk's board of directors.

"I'm pleased to welcome Lorrie Norrington to our board of directors and look forward to her contributions to the company," said Carl Bass, president and chief executive officer of Autodesk. "Lorrie's broad business experience as well as her impressive e- commerce pedigree will be a benefit to the company. Her experience guiding and growing global businesses also makes her a great choice for Autodesk's board."
According to a release, Norrington has more than 30 years of operating experience in technology, software and Internet businesses. She served as an executive at eBay Inc., for five years and most recently held the role of president of eBay Marketplace, where she led all eBay businesses globally. Prior to joining eBay, Norrington served as president and CEO of Shopping.com, Inc., and as executive vice president in the office of the CEO of Intuit Inc.

More company information:

www.autodesk.com

((Comments on this story may be sent to newsdesk@closeupmedia.com))

Copyright 2011 Close-Up Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
n/a

VIC:Shepparton still on flood watch

AAP General News (Australia)
12-11-2010
VIC:Shepparton still on flood watch

MELBOURNE, Dec 11 AAP - Up to 400 houses in an estate south of Shepparton are expected
to become isolated by Sunday as flood waters continue to rise.

A State Emergency Service (SES) spokeswoman said the Goulburn River was expected to
continue to rise from Saturday afternoon to Sunday, threatening 400 homes in the Kialla
Lakes Estate.

"The flood waters are going to rise from about midday, so they would have started to
rise, but will continue to rise for 24 hours," the SES spokeswoman said.

Meanwhile, it appears that 50 homes north of Kerang that were earlier on emergency
alert for flooding are out of the danger zone.

The SES spokeswoman said the flood waters have moved south and now 10 homes are on alert.

"All the houses on the levee banks are all fine, and out of the danger zone ... but
now we're looking further south of Kerang as the water flows down," she said.

Authorities are also monitoring the situation at Casterton, in the mid-west, where
water peaks are expected 10pm (AEDT) on Sunday, with about 10 houses under threat.

AAP mok/jxt/jh

KEYWORD: FLOODS VIC UPDATE

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

National Newslist for Wednesday , Aug 4

AAP General News (Australia)
08-04-2010
National Newslist for Wednesday , Aug 4
AAP's National Newslist for Wednesday (not for publication). This is a guide only and
stories are subject to change. AAP's news editors can be contacted on 02 93228611/8610.

TOP STORIES
POLL10
- Julia Gillard in Cairns. Doorstop likely about 1000 AEST.

- Tony Abbott in Brisbane. Announcement about scheme for older people looking for work.

- Coalition denies it is involved in anti-Labor ad campaign against plain packaging of
tobacco; Gillard demands Abbott come clean; Quit criticises campaign; retailers group
say no Liberal Party involvement.

- Labor demands coalition costings go to Treasury; Robb says many have already.

- Welfare body says low-income Australians battling to be heard.

- Retailers express concerns concerns about funding the coalition's paid parental leave scheme
- Joe Hockey on reports coalition will hand down mini-budget almost immediately if elected.

- Gillard promises a report into Labor's school buildings program will be released before
the federal election.

- Lindsay Tanner explicitly denies he was the source of cabinet leaks threatening Labor's
re-election.

- Nationals Leader Warren Truss addresses National Press Club 1230.

- Bob Brown presser in Darwin. 1030 CST. Expected to address tobacco advertising and NT govt.

- Health Minister Nicola Roxon campaigning in Brisbane. Seeking comment on tobacco and
seniors policy.

- Attorney-General Robert McClelland campaigning in Adelaide.

ECONOMY
- ABS releases monthly international trade data for June and house price index for June
quarter 1130.

COURTS
CANBERRA
- High Court hears challenge to constitutional validity of changes to electoral laws.

Rowe (GetUp) v AEC and Commonwealth.

BRISBANE
- Couple on trial over toddler death.

- Shen Neng court mention in Gladstone.

SYDNEY
- Trial of Daniel Scott for planning murder of a north coast brothel owner likely to start.

- Inquest into three-month-old baby who died of head injuries continues.

PERTH
- Anwar Sayed in court accused of falsifying student numbers at Muslim college to obtain
more than $1m in extra government grants.

MELBOURNE
- 53yo man in court charged with the murder of an elderly man last month.

- Prison guard in court charged with trafficking heroin and amphetamines.

- Bail application for a man charged over the armed robbery of a $400,000 Lamborghini
from a Port Melbourne dealership, Supreme Court.

PERTH
- People smuggler Hadi Ahmadi in Supreme Court.

SYDNEY
- Outwatching investigation into missing 6yo girl Kiesha Abrahams.

- Police baffled after truckie found slumped in cabin on busy motorway with head injuries.

- Man charged with murder over the shooting death of a 26yo while playing touch football.

- Kristina Keneally and federal ministers Anthony Albanese, Peter Garrett and Tanya Plibersek
turning the first sod for the redevelopment of the MCA building. (0930).

- Media briefing on Army helicopter training flights over Sydney (1020).

MELBOURNE
- beyondblue chairman Jeff Kennett and members of the Hawthorn FC to launch community partnership.

- Simon Crean and North Melbourne footballers launch new football book.

- Emergency Services Minister and Department of Sustainability and Energy chief fire officer
Ewen Waller in Ballarat.

- Former PM Paul Keating speaks on privacy in the age of the new media.

- Outwatching seriously injured Australian woman in croatia.

BRISBANE
- State parliament sits.

- Doctors threaten to abandon public hospitals.

- Police probe suspicious death of woman in Cairns.

- Seeking latest on lead poisoning in Mount Isa.

ADELAIDE
- Large cannabis crop has been found growing in the Adelaide suburbs.

- South Australia wants households to recycle 75 per cent of all waste by 2015.

- This year's Clipsal 500 V8 Supercar race in Adelaide provided a $33.76 million boost
to SA economy.

- Bogus overseas company is targeting South Australians with promises of big cash prizes; police.

PERTH
- Premier Colin Barnett presser on small business. 1030 WST.

ENTERTAINMENT
SYDNEY - Tango Fire company from Buenos Aires to perform segments from their production,
The Fire Within, for the media.

INTERNATIONAL
WELLINGTON - First NZ combat death in Afghanistan since deployment in 2003.

VANUATU - Pacific Islands Forum. AAP covering.

FINANCE
ECONOMICS:
Sydney - ABS international trade in goods and services for June
Sydney - ABS house price indexes: eight capital cities, for June
Sydney - Activity in the service sector fell in July, as cautious consumers felt the effects
of waning government stimulus, a report shows.
Sydney - Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) monthly car sales for July
Sydney - The Australian Office of Financial Management (AOFM) to auction $500 million
of April 2020 Treasury bonds

EQUITIES:
Sydney - Australian Federation Against Copyright Theft vs iiNet continues in Federal Court
Sydney - AMP retirement adequacy index launch at 1500
Sydney - Mining giant Rio Tinto Ltd is planning to invest a further $US790 million ($A866
million) to expand its iron ore operations in Western Australia's Pilbara region.

Sydney - Hutchison Telecommunications (Australia) Ltd first half results
Melbourne - Wealth manager AXA Asia Pacific Holdings Ltd has reported a 19 per cent drop
in first half net profit and says management has not been distracted by its potential
acquisition by National Australia Bank Ltd.

Melbourne - BKI Investment Ltd full year results
Perth - West Australian Newspapers (WAN) has reported a ten per cent rise in full year
profit, and more than doubled its final dividend, as it says it faces markets in "modest
recovery".

Perth - Wesfarmers managing director Richard Goyder business briefing at American Chamber
of Commerce in Australia event
Kalgoorlie, WA - Diggers and Dealers Mining Forum (day 3 of 3)
Canberra - Full Court of the High Court delivers judgment on Aktas v Westpac Banking Corporation
Limited
Canberra - Full Court of the High Court delivers judgment on CGU Insurance Limited v One.Tel
Limited (in liquidation)

Also Stocks, Dollar and Finance Briefs to come.

SPORT
LEAGUE
SYDNEY/BRISBANE - Wrap of NRL news including meeting of NRL club chairmen.

SYDNEY - Manly training and player interviews - 1230.

WOLLONGONG - Dragons training and interview 1100 ahead of big clash with Roosters.

SYDNEY - Parramatta forwards Tim Mannah and Justin Horo interview 0930 Parramatta Stadium.

AFL
MELBOURNE - Wrap of AFL news.

MELBOURNE - Media conference with Carlton coach Brett Ratten, 1215 Visy Park.

PERTH - Fremantle coach Mark Harvey presser.

PERTH - West Coast coach John Worsfold presser.

MELBOURNE - Hawthorn president Jeff Kennett at beyondblue function, 0930 Kew high school.

BRISBANE - Lions 100-gamer Daniel Merrett for interview.

MELBOURNE - Weekly AFL column.

RUGBY
CHRISTCHURCH - News as Wallabies and New Zealand prepare for Saturday's Test.

SOCCER
MELBOURNE - Preview start of A-League season with newcomers Melbourne Heart playing the
Mariners on Thursday.

MELBOURNE - Match by match preview panel for A-League round one.

GOLF
AKRON, Ohio - Preview Aussies ahead of WGC-Bridgestone Invitational.

HOCKEY
MOENCHENGLADBACH, Germany - The Australian men's hockey team remain undefeated at the
2010 Champions Trophy after hanging on against a surging England to record a 3-2 win.

SHOOTING
MUNICH - Dual Olympic gold medallist Michael Diamond has narrowly missed out on a place
in the 2010 ISSF World Shooting Championship final.

CYCLING
KATOWICE - Australian Allan Davis, riding for Astana, finished third to retain the race
leader's yellow jersey after the third stage of the Tour of Poland on Tuesday.

RACING
SYDNEY - Review Randwick races Wednesday.

MELBOURNE - Review Sandown races Wednesday.

BRISBANE - Review Doomben races Wednesday.

AAP bwl

KEYWORD: NATIONAL NEWSLIST

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

Fed: Dutton says coalition health policy on the way next year

AAP General News (Australia)
12-22-2009
Fed: Dutton says coalition health policy on the way next year

CANBERRA, Dec 22 AAP - Opposition health spokesman Peter Dutton won't say if the coalition
will push for a referendum on federal and state health funding.

Mr Dutton said all would be revealed in the coalition's health policy to be launched next year.

He said two years after promising to reform federal and state health arrangements,
Labor had yet to put a plan on the table.

"What I don't support is a centralisation of power, of further swelling of bureaucracies,"

he told Fairfax radio.

"That has been Labor's answer, just to put more health bureaucrats on. I want to see
more doctors and nurses, not more spin doctors.

"If we can deliver a model where we return some of the power and the decision-making
capacity to doctors and nurses, if we can find a way to do that and take away the power
from these faceless bureaucrats hiding in offices in buildings towering above the Sydney
CBD, we would get better health outcomes."

Fairfax newspapers reported on Tuesday that Opposition Leader Tony Abbott would go
on the offensive and challenge Prime Minister Kevin Rudd on health care by pushing for
a referendum on health funding reform.

Mr Dutton said Mr Rudd was experiencing the same frustrations as former prime minister
John Howard did, and Mr Abbott when he was federal health minister.

He said health funding arrangements with the states were a dog's breakfast, with the
division of funding responsibility between the states and the commonwealth.

"That necessarily means that one shifts blame onto the other," he told Fairfax radio.

"So when Mr Rudd promised at the last election that he would fix health and fix the
hospitals by mid-2009, I think he believed he could cut a deal with this state Labor premiers
and that they would find a way forward.

"But I think over the last two years, he has discovered that it is not quite as easy
as he thought from opposition."

AAP mb/jl

KEYWORD: REFERENDUM DUTTON

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

Vic: Mother pleads guilty to attack on teen

AAP General News (Australia)
08-12-2009
Vic: Mother pleads guilty to attack on teen

By Daniel Fogarty

MELBOURNE, Aug 12 AAP - A mother who shouted at her daughter to hit and kick a disabled
teenage girl and then posted footage of the attack on MySpace has pleaded guilty.

The woman admitted to her role in the 30-minute attack in Melbourne in January that
left the girl with 38 bruises, including a closed eye and scratches to her face and body.

On Wednesday, the mother, from St Albans, who cannot be identified for legal reasons,
pleaded guilty in the Sunshine Magistrates Court to affray and recklessly causing serious
injury to the 16-year-old victim, who is developmentally delayed.

The girl was unable to stand up by herself after the attack and had to be treated in
the Royal Children's Hospital.

Police alleged at an earlier hearing that her wallet and mobile phone were also taken
during the assault.

Constable Kevin Squires said at that hearing a group of teenagers devised a plan to
get the girl to a house saying they would be her friend if she came.

The court heard the group then took the girl to a nearby park and two of the teenagers
began attacking her.

Const Squires said the mother laughed and encouraged the attack, telling her daughter
things like: "Hit her, hit her harder," "I taught you better than that" and "hit her like
your dad would".

He said the mother also gave the daughter tips on how to kick the girl harder and laughed.

The mother was bailed to appear in the Victorian County Court on December 1 for a pre-sentence
hearing.

AAP df/pmu/apm

KEYWORD: VIDEO

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

Fed: Griffin: Veteran mental health services could be better

AAP General News (Australia)
04-02-2009
Fed: Griffin: Veteran mental health services could be better

The federal government says mental health services for defence veterans are better
than they once were but need to be improved further.

The government's preparing to release its report into veteran suicide and defence mental
health services.

Leaked findings indicate most former soldiers with mental health problems are receiving
inadequate treatment.

Veterans Affairs Minister ALAN GRIFFIN says mental health services have improved ..

but adds there's room for it to work better.

AAP RTV mb/rl/ka

KEYWORD: MENTAL (CANBERRA)

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

NSW: Woman sexually assaulted on Sydney train

AAP General News (Australia)
08-30-2008
NSW: Woman sexually assaulted on Sydney train

SYDNEY, Aug 30 AAP - A woman has been sexually assaulted on a late night train in Sydney's west.

The 24-year-old boarded a train at Blacktown, bound for Windsor, at around 11.30pm yesterday.

A short time later a man in the carriage approached her and sexually assaulted her.

She woman managed to escape and contact police as the train approached the Windsor station.

The man is described as Pacific Islander in appearance, aged 22 to 25, 180 cm tall
with a solid build, and black, shoulder-length curly hair.

Police have urged anyone with information about the incident to call police on (02)
4560 6999 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

AAP cjb/cjh

KEYWORD: ASSAULT

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

Fed: Dance judges to join contestants on stage for finale

AAP General News (Australia)
04-25-2008
Fed: Dance judges to join contestants on stage for finale

By Katherine Field, National Entertainment Writer

SYDNEY, April 25 AAP - The judges of So You Think You Can Dance are going to have to
pay attention and heed their own advice to show off their best moves in this weekend's
grand finale.

After a long few months, the hit Network Ten show will wind up on Sunday night when
Jack, Rhys, Kate or Demi will be crowned "Australia's Favourite Dancer".

The top 20 dancers will return, and in a unique move, the judges Jason Coleman, Bonnie
Lythgoe and Matt Lee will take to the stage for the opening dance.

"We the judges and the choreographers are actually performing in the opening number
with all the dancers," judge Jason Coleman told AAP.

"It's very exciting."

For Coleman it'll be a chance to get back into the limelight he loved for so long in
a different arena.

"I've been a dancer for 20 years, in my whole life I've been affecting people that
way, but basically doing it in theatres," he said.

As the final approaches, hip hop dancer Jack is the favourite with bookmakers having
him at $1.75 to win, but flamboyant Rhys is closing in at $2.50.

The most experienced dancer of the bunch Kate is at $5.50 while Demi is dead last at $14.

Coleman said he believed it was anybody's title, but said Demi shouldn't be underestimated.

"She's a reality TV dream," Coleman said.

"She's a joy. You can feel her kindness and her warmth."

The show has been a ratings winner for Ten, pulling in around 1.3 million viewers since
its debut.

Ten has said it intends to keep the show around for many more years, and Coleman said
he wanted to stay on board.

"I want to be involved with it as long as it runs," he said.

"(I'm) so honoured, so honoured to be at the helm of something that's so important
to our dance family."

For now, he said, the dancers were dying to find out who will win.

"The electricity in here is just amazing, the top four dances are all beside themselves
just to find out what the result is," he said.

After the show, Coleman said he plans to open the biggest dance studio in the southern
hemisphere, in Melbourne.

AAP kaf/it/cdh

KEYWORD: DANCE (PREVIEW)

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

Fed: Defence research centre to be established

AAP General News (Australia)
12-21-2007
Fed: Defence research centre to be established

CANBERRA, Dec 21 AAP - The federal government will spend $30 million to establish a
defence research centre in Victoria.

The Defence Materials Technology Centre will focus its research on four areas: air
force, navy, armour and propulsion systems.

Defence Science and Personnel Minister Warren Snowdon said the centre would also include
training for engineers and scientists.

"The centre will deliver improved armour protection for military personnel carriers
vital for the protection of Australian troops deployed around the world and new high-tech
materials for use in major defence acquisitions such as the Joint Strike Fighter," Mr
Snowdon said in a statement.

Alongside the government's $30 million, the defence industry will inject $52 million.

Companies involved in the centre include BAE, GKN Aerospace, BlueScope Steel, Surface
Technology, Thales and the Cooperative Research Centre for Advanced Composite Structures.

AAP pv/cmc

KEYWORD: RESEARCH

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

FED: Tuckey says he did not ask PM to step down

AAP General News (Australia)
08-15-2007
FED: Tuckey says he did not ask PM to step down

Liberal backbencher WILSON TUCKEY says he didn't tell JOHN HOWARD to step down as prime
minister .. in a letter his office faxed by mistake to other backbenchers.

Mr TUCKEY says a staff member attached the letter .. which he says he wrote a month
ago .. to other material he was sending to his colleagues about housing affordability.

An MP who saw the letter reportedly said it told Mr HOWARD it was time he stood down
.. because he continued to lag behind KEVIN RUDD in the opinion polls.

Mr TUCKEY says the mistake's embarrassing .. but there's nothing in the letter that
says Mr HOWARD should stand down.

AAP RTV ag/rt

KEYWORD: TUCKEY (CANBERRA)

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

NSW: Police wait to speak to man accused of Valentine's murder

AAP General News (Australia)
02-15-2007
NSW: Police wait to speak to man accused of Valentine's murder

By Nick Ralston and Alyssa Braithwaite

SYDNEY, Feb 15 AAP - The small NSW town of Gulgong was still reeling today after a
Valentine's Day tragedy that shattered two families - leaving one man dead and another
under police guard with a gunshot wound to the head.

Police are still waiting to interview prominent local businessman Tony Riley over yesterday's
fatal shooting of David Glenn Nichols, who is understood to have been the lover of Mr
Riley's estranged wife.

The incident has "devastated" the central-western town where Mr Riley operated a Century
21 real estate franchise.

Mr Riley, 48, remains in a serious condition in a Sydney hospital, where he is under
police guard.

The body of Mr Nichols, a divorced father of two who had worked at a nearby coal mine
for almost 30 years, was found about 7am (AEDT) yesterday in Cainbil Street at Gulgong,
25km from Mudgee.

Residents said Mr Riley had previously threatened to shoot Mr Nichols during a heated
argument in the same street about two years ago.

At that time, Mr Riley accused Mr Nichols of having an affair with his wife, Kathryn Riley.

It is believed Mrs Riley separated from her husband three weeks ago.

Neighbours yesterday reported hearing three shots ring out before seeing Mr Nichols'
body slumped on the street, and a vehicle fleeing the scene.

The NSW Police Force began an immediate search for Mr Riley, who was discovered yesterday
afternoon with a gunshot wound to the head in the Mudgee branch of his real estate business.

He was the sole occupant of the office and was taken to Mudgee Hospital before being
airlifted to Sydney's Westmead Hospital by NRMA Careflight last night.

Simon Gowar, who treated Mr Riley on board the helicopter, said Mr Riley had "extensive
damage" from a gunshot wound to the left side of his face, extending from his mouth to
his forehead.

"He was in a serious condition, but stable," Mr Gowar said.

"He was able to say a few words at the hospital but it was difficult to understand
exactly what he was saying given his injuries."

Gulgong, population 2,500, is in a state of shock over the fatal love triangle.

"We woke up with a pit in our stomach," said Helen McAnulty, who has lived in Gulgong
for 26 years.

"Our hearts go out to both families.

"I know Glenn's mother very well and my heart goes out to her, I don't know Tony's
mother but I have friends who do and we all feel devastated about it."

A woman who didn't want to be named said the town's residents were very upset by the shooting.

"When something like this happens everyone is shattered," she said.

A hospital spokeswoman said Mr Riley remained in a serious but stable condition this afternoon.

The NSW Police Force is waiting until his condition improves before interviewing him
over the incident.

AAP acb/hn/jm/de

KEYWORD: SHOOTING NIGHTLEAD

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

SA: Beazley says latest on AWB 'pretty spectacular'

AAP General News (Australia)
08-30-2006
SA: Beazley says latest on AWB 'pretty spectacular'

ADELAIDE, Aug 30 AAP - Opposition Leader Kim Beazley has described as "pretty spectacular"

reports the Cole inquiry has been given proof that the federal government was warned of
AWB's involvement in the oil-for-food scandal.

The Australian newspaper said the Cole inquiry has been given nine pages of handwritten
notes by a senior foreign affairs official that prove the Howard government was warned
of the scandal two years ago.

However, AAP has confirmed the documents are old and were tendered to the inquiry on April 27.

The notes, by veteran Australian diplomat John Quinn, mention such terms as "AWB Ltd",
"service fees", "10 per cent" and "exposure" in the context of the impending investigation
into kickbacks to Saddam Hussein's regime.

In Adelaide today, Mr Beazley said the revelations were further evidence of the government's
lies in relation to AWB.

"The only reason that (Foreign Minister) Alexander Downer has not been sacked for gross
incompetence must be that (Prime Minister) John Howard knows his fingerprints are there
as well," Mr Beazley said.

"The lies this government tells, they lie to the Australian people about what their
intentions are on things like industrial relations, what they intend to do about interest
rates.

"They lie to the Australian people all the time and they lied about AWB.

"Every day in the Cole inquiry more government fingerprints are turned up and yesterday
was pretty spectacular."

A range of government officials and ministers, up to and including Mr Downer, have
insisted under oath they either didn't see, of felt compelled to ignore, the many warnings
about AWB because the allegations were made by rival wheat sellers.

Mr Downer said today the report was a massive beatup.

"This is absolutely nothing new. This is material that's been given to the Cole inquiry
by the government," he told ABC radio.

AAP tjd/cjh/jlw

KEYWORD: AWB BEAZLEY

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

NSW: NSW had become economically complacent: Iemma

AAP General News (Australia)
04-23-2006
NSW: NSW had become economically complacent: Iemma

New South Wales Premier MORRIS IEMMA says his state will continue to look to for overseas
investors to kick start its economy .. admitting the state became complacent .. after
the Sydney Olympics.

He says the state's been left behind by resource rich Western Australia and Queensland.

Mr IEMMA says a recent trip to Italy resulted in a trade agreement with his counterpart
in the Italian province of Lazio.

He's told the Nine Network he's also actively chasing a contract in the French port
of Brest .. to have amphibious warships at Sydney's Garden Island dockyard.

Mr IEMMA says there are signs the NSW economy's turned around .. with two per cent
growth since the September quarter.

AAP RTV nr/cp

KEYWORD: BUSINESS NSW (SYDNEY)

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

Main stories in today's 1800 Nine News

AAP General News (Australia)
12-24-2005
Main stories in today's 1800 Nine News

MELBOURNE, Dec 24 AAP - Main stories in today's 1800 Nine News:

- The Christmas shopping marathon has ended, just before the big bargain hunt on Boxing Day.

- Melbourne is gearing up for its premier Christmas concert, Carols By Candlelight, tonight.

- The families of policemen gunned down in Walsh St in 1988 want a public inquest to
resolve the case and put it to rest.

- Victoria's holiday road toll stands at one after a woman was killed by a passing
car in Altona last night.

- Winds of more than 100 kilometres per hour wreaked havoc in Victoria's Wimmera region,
causing damage to property and cars.

- Prime Minister John Howard has paid tribute to Australian servicemen who have responded
admirably to the natural disasters worldwide in the past year.

AAP jat

KEYWORD: MONITOR NINE 1800 MELBOURNE

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

unliquidated damages

unliquidated damages See damages.

F5 NETWORKS DELIVERS FIRST TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT SOLUTION FOR SIP.

F5 Networks, Inc. (Nasdaq:FFIV), a provider of Internet Traffic and Content Management (iTCM) products has announced that it is the first Internet traffic management vendor to support SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) and is the load-balancing / high availability solution provider of choice for dynamicsoft's carrier-grade Origination and Termination Solution (OATS).

SIP is the new protocol that enables real-time messaging, voice, data and video and is the next-generation of Voice-Over-IP (VOIP). Microsoft's Windows XP operating system will use SIP-based instant messaging (IM) and America Online, (AOL) Inc. has indicated that it will adopt SIP for its IM services and for interoperability with other services. By intelligently distributing SIP traffic among multiple SIP proxy servers, BIG-IP enhances the performance and availability of dynamicsoft's solution, providing carrier-class uptime (99.999%) and reliability.

F5 is uniquely positioned in this market to address and support the challenges that carriers and enterprises face in building SIP-based networks, thanks to the intelligent, market-leading Layer 7 capabilities built into its traffic management software. F5's BIG-IP solution provides carrier-grade performance and effectively scales SIP traffic through its unique ability to Intercept, Inspect, Transform and Direct traffic flowing through SIP proxy servers. As part of the dynamicsoft solution, BIG-IP will load-balance SIP traffic and provide application persistence based on the unique SIP caller ID to ensure application and transaction integrity.

"Our partnership with F5 Networks is strategic for dynamicsoft," said Brian Allain, vice president of marketing at dynamicsoft, Inc. "Following extensive evaluation and testing, we have selected F5 to be our traffic management and load-balancing solutions partner because of their market and technology leadership. As a critical component of our dynamicsoft-Powered Origination and Termination Solution, F5 enables carriers to scale easily and cost-effectively, while delivering on the promise of 99.999% availability that is absolutely vital to carrier-class SIP networks."

BIG-IP ensures application and call integrity by making sure that traffic persists to the correct destination and by providing session state fail-over in the event of failure on back-end proxies. Additionally, to ensure reliability and availability of SIP services, BIG-IP load balances dynamicsoft Route Engines and checks their health and availability before routing traffic.

The market anticipates heavy volumes of SIP voice traffic, generated by the Windows Messenger features incorporated in the Microsoft Windows XP operating system (set to launch October 25, 2001). In recent reviews, Windows Messenger has been seen as a "killer app" because of its comprehensive unified and real-time messaging functions in an easy to use interface. As a result, adoption is expected to be rapid. SIP also provides a framework for developing an enriched mobile communications experience in the all-IP third generation (3G) era. It is becoming pervasive as the standard protocol in the 3G wireless world and with the advent of AOL's and Yahoo's standardization on SIP for messaging. Today, service providers (carriers) are looking for ways to tap into the tremendous market potential for terminating PC-based SIP voice traffic to the public switched telephone network (PSTN). Carriers offering wholesale termination/origination services have the flexibility to support their customers with new business models such as application hosting and new SIP-based services. As they build SIP-capable networks, carriers will need to guarantee call quality and be able to scale this traffic. F5 Networks is the only IP traffic management vendor to offer a complete solution today.

"The fact that F5 is the only ITM company that can direct and manage SIP-based traffic is yet another proof point of our market leading innovation and technology leadership," said Jeff Pancottine, senior vice-president of marketing and business development at F5 Networks. "We're very enthusiastic about the joint OATS solution and excited about our partnership with dynamicsoft, which is clearly a leader in SIP-based solutions. By joining forces, F5 and dynamicsoft offer carriers an extremely cost-effective and reliable solution for managing SIP-based traffic; heightening their opportunities to offer services that can generate new revenue streams."

On Command Appoints Bertram Perkel to General Counsel.

DENVER, Nov. 3 /PRNewswire/ --

On Command Corporation (Nasdaq: ONCO), the leading provider of in-room interactive entertainment, Internet services, business information and guest services for the lodging industry, today announced the appointment of Bertram "Buddy" Perkel to senior vice president and general counsel.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000718/SFTU067LOGO )

Perkel brings more than 40 years of experience to On Command. He spent the last eleven years with the New York office of the law firm of Baker & Botts, LLP, where he was "of counsel," specializing in the areas of securities and antitrust litigation. While at Baker & Botts, Perkel worked with a number of clients, including Telecommunications, Inc. (TCI) and Liberty Media Corporation. Before that, Perkel was with two other New York law firms, Shea & Gould and Hartman & Craven. Perkel also has served as special counsel to two New York City police commissioners and was on the Advisory Committee on Law Enforcement under former New York Governor Hugh Carey.

"Buddy and I have worked closely together over a long period of time and I am pleased he has agreed to serve as On Command's general counsel," said Jerome H. Kern, On Command's chairman and CEO. "He brings to us years of extensive legal experience in the cable and communications industries. His counsel will be invaluable as we work to become the leading provider of in-room entertainment and guest services over a fully interactive platform."

About On Command

On Command Corporation (www.oncommand.com) is the leading provider of in-room interactive entertainment, Internet services, business information and guest services for the lodging industry and its guests. Based in Denver, with offices across the U.S. and around the world, On Command annually serves more than 250 million guests through nearly one million rooms in approximately 3,450 hotel properties in more than 22 countries. These hotel partners include more than 100 of the most prestigious hotel chains and operators in the lodging industry: Adam's Mark Hotels & Resorts, Marriott (Courtyard, Renaissance, Fairfield Inn & Residence Inn), Hilton (Doubletree, Embassy Suites) Hyatt, Starwood Hotels & Resorts (Westin, Sheraton, W Hotels, Four Points), Radisson, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, Bass Hotels & Resorts (InterContinental, Crowne Plaza, and Holiday Inn), Four Seasons, Fairmont, Ramada and Loews. On Command is listed on the NASDAQ Stock Market under the symbol ONCO and its warrants are traded under the symbols ONCOW and ONCOZ.

This report contains, in addition to historical information, forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, which reflect the Company's current judgments of those issues. However, because those statements are forward-looking and apply to future events, they are subject to risks and uncertainties, which could cause the Company's results to differ materially. In addition to the factors discussed herein, which could cause the Company's results to differ materially, this report should be read in conjunction with the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1999 as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.