Fed: WoolStock threatens action against AWG

AAP General News (Australia)
08-24-2000
Fed: WoolStock threatens action against AWG

CANBERRA, Aug 24 AAP - The battle over Australia's wool stockpile has intensified ahead
of a special meeting which could decide the future of its ownership.

WoolStock, which controls the stockpile, said today it had issued a legal warning to
the Australian Wool Group (AWG) which wants to buy the stockpile.

The move comes ahead of an extraordinary meeting next month where AWG will attempt
to install its own directors on the WoolStock board.

WoolStock chairman Don McGauchie said today he and his fellow directors were angry
at allegations of misleading shareholders and poor corporate governance being made by
AWG chairman Nick Greiner and chief executive David Sasson.

"AWG are entitled to comment on their offer and our rejection of the offer but Mr Greiner
and Mr Sasson should not resort to baseless personal attacks on our directors," Mr McGauchie
said in a statement.

"The board would rather avoid getting involved in litigation but we cannot accept this
sort of behaviour from AWG if it continues."

WoolStock has twice rejected an offer by AWG for the stockpile, saying it was not up
to the company's own business plan and would disadvantage its 70,000 wool grower shareholders.

AWG, using Corporations Law, has forced the extraordinary meeting but it has failed
to win support from important rural groups such as the NSW Farmers' Association or the
Victorian Farmers' Federation.

Under the AWG proposal, once it has its own directors on the WoolStock board it will
be able to sell the stockpile to itself.

The meeting will be held in Melbourne on September 27.

AAP sw/daw/jnb

KEYWORD: WOOL

2000 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

Fed: Albury rally in support of Kosovars = 3

AAP General News (Australia)
04-10-2000
Fed: Albury rally in support of Kosovars = 3

Mr Muke, an Albanian-Australian, said he had been employed by the Office of Immigration
and Multicultural Affairs as an interpreter for the Kosovars.

His contract was terminated today when he told his employer he intended to take part
in the Albury rally, he said.

"I was an interpreter and have done so for the last 10 months.

"I said today I will be attending a rally in Albury and they (his employer) said: 'Wait
a minute, in the book of laws and rules, work ethics don't allow this'."

Mr Muke said five pregnant women at the Bandiana centre were hospitalised today and
another woman "had some sort of fit".

AAP gr/wk/jd/cjh/br

KEYWORD: KOSOVO AUST BANDIANA 3 MELBOURNE (REOPENS)

2000 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

FED: Helicopter crashes to be probed in fuel inquiry =2

AAP General News (Australia)
01-12-2000
FED: Helicopter crashes to be probed in fuel inquiry =2

The RAAF revealed today that three of four Caribou transport aircraft are still awaiting
clearance before they can continue operations in East Timor.

An RAAF statement issued today said one of four aircraft being used in East Timor has
been cleared for operations, "while the remaining three are undergoing checks at the moment".

Wing Commander John Oddie, Officer Commanding No 86 Wing, said no RAAF Caribou had
exhibited any unusual problems yet.

Fuel stocks held by the RAAF for operations in East …

WA: Police missing as loggers attack protest camp

AAP General News (Australia)
08-23-1999
WA: Police missing as loggers attack protest camp

Western Australia's logging debate has turned violent with anti-logging protesters accusing
forestry workers of smashing and burning their camp.

Now a police inquiry is underway into conservationists' claims that police did nothing to
protect them.

Opponents of logging say 40 men armed with axes and baseball bats on Saturday stormed their
camp near Manjimup, south of Perth, and ordered 13 protesters to leave.

About 1500 jobs are expected to be lost under the WA government's revised forest agreement,
which follows months of pressure on Premier RICHARD COURT by pro-conservation forces.

JESS BECKERLING, a spokeswoman for the camp, says police didn't intervene even though they
had been warned of the possibility of a raid by loggers, and when it was likely to occur.

A spokesman for Assistant Police Commissioner BOB KUCERA says police had warned the
protesters on Friday they should leave the protest camp for their own safety.

Earlier a spokesperson for Police Minister KEVIN PRINCE said officers had been on the way
to the protest camp on Saturday morning but had been diverted to another incident.

AAP RTV jrh/cjh/sp/rat

KEYWORD: FORESTS WA (PERTH)

1999 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

Sponsors should worry about bribery scandal, IOC consultant

AAP General News (Australia)
04-04-1999
Sponsors should worry about bribery scandal, IOC consultant

An Australian consultant to the International Olympics Committee says Sydney Olympic
sponsors should be concerned about the bribery scandal engulfing the committee.

Sydney-based St James Centre executive director SIMON LONGSTAFF, who's been retained by the
IOC to establish an ethics commission, says sponsors will start pulling out if satisfactory
reforms are not made.

DR LONGSTAFF is referring to recent allegations about embattled IOC member PHIL COLES that
his ex-wife received expensive jewellery from people associated with Athens' 1996 games bid.

COLES was sacked as Sydney Olympics torch relay committee head last week and he stood aside
as a SOCOG board member while the IOC investigates the jewellery allegations.

If the allegations are proven COLES faces expulsion from the IOC and the SOCOG board.

AAP RTV lk/am

KEYWORD: OLY BRIBES SPONSORS (SYDNEY)

1999 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

VIC: Union body seeks to widen scope of gas probe

AAP General News (Australia)
12-14-1998
VIC: Union body seeks to widen scope of gas probe

MELBOURNE, Dec 14 AAP - The royal commission into Victorias gas crisis began today with a
call for its terms of reference to be broadened.

Counsel for the Victorian Trades Hall Council, Mark Dean, told the chairman of the royal
commission, Sir Daryl Dawson, it was a matter of some concern that the Victorian government
was not mentioned in the inquirys terms of reference.

Mr Dean said the terms of reference should be amended to include the Victorian government
in finding what steps should be taken by Esso or BHP to prevent a recurrence of the September
25 explosion and fire at Essos Longford gas plant.

Two workers were killed and gas supplies to most of Victoria cut for a fortnight.

The royal commission has been established to probe the causes of the disaster, any
contributing factors and what steps should be taken to prevent it happening again.

"It is in our submission a matter of some significance that the Victorian government is not
included in term of reference three in relation to the future safe conduct of Longford," Mr
Dean told the commission.

But Sir Daryl said it was not appropriate to agree to or to reject the application at such
an early stage.

"At this moment, of course, the commission has nothing before it at all and it would be
inappropriate to accede to a request or even refuse it," Sir Daryl said.

The application could be made later in the proceedings, he said.

Outside the Commission, Trades Hall Council secretary Leigh Hubbard told reporters security
of gas supply was a government responsibility.

"We believe most Victorians know that this gas plant blew up, it shouldnt have blown up.
Hundreds of thousands of people were put out of work as a result of it and the government
ought to have a responsibility to oversee a supply in the system and how the system operates,"
Mr Hubbard said.

The commission, which must report by February 15, has begun with a two-day introduction on
how petroleum is produced, delivered by Essos planning group supervisor, technical division,
Ron Reinton.

Mr Reintons introduction was immediately questioned by the unions and by the Insurance
Council of Australia.

Both groups said Mr Reintons introduction should be given under oath enabling him to be
cross-examined.

However, Sir Daryl said the introduction was purely for instructional purposes, giving
parties an understanding on how the Longford plant operated before evidence was heard.

Mr Hubbard said outside the commission it was debatable that Mr Reintons address was as
non-controversial as Esso said.

"Many of the facts relating to this incident on 25 September ... I am sure will be the
subject of some controversy," he said.

Counsel assisting the Royal Commission, James Judd QC, said an opening address on the facts
of the September 25 disaster would be given on Wednesday after Essos introduction was
completed.

The hearing is being conducted on a floor of the Westpac Tower in central Melbourne, with
proceedings transcribed directly onto the Victorian governments website.

AAP pjb/sp/jlw/cjh/br

KEYWORD: GAS TERMS

1998 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

QLD:Grants for inland Yasi communities

AAP General News (Australia)
02-23-2011
QLD:Grants for inland Yasi communities

BRISBANE, Feb 23 AAP - Grants of up to $25,000 have been announced for farmers and
small businesses in inland communities cleaning up from Cyclone Yasi.

Regional Economies Minister Tim Mulherin said the grants would be available for those
in impacted parts of Charters Towers, Etheridge and Flinders council areas.

He said the grants would help graziers and businesses get back up and running, funding
urgent repairs to fences, roads and cattle yards and the removal of fallen trees.

"This sort of targeted financial assistance will help primary producers …