I’ve been searching the internet intently this morning to find a paper that did not think Michael Jackson’s death worthy of page one treatment and finally I have found one. So here it is for those who prefer a Jackson free news day:
For those more in tune with the news sense shown by most of the world’s newspapers have a look at our special Michael Jackson review of the world’s page one coverage.
PICK OF THE MORNING’S STORIES
Rudd’s new basket case – Sydney Sun Herald
In Tehran, a Mood of Melancholy Descends – New York Times
POLITICS AND ECONOMICS
Australia
Ute gate and other motoring matters
Chinese coup for Kevin Rudd’s mate John Grant – The Prime Minister won’t have to go far to replace the controversial Ruddmobile. His car dealer mate John Grant has been appointed one of the first dealers in Queensland to sell Chinese cars. – Brisbane Sunday Mail
Elections
Liberal Party poll slump – new poll shows the State Liberal Party faces virtual annihilation at the next election in the wake of the dodgy documents fiasco. Opposition Leader Martin Hamilton-Smith’s faltering grip on the Liberal leadership is under more strain with the Sunday Mail poll – conducted on Wednesday night – finding two-party preferred support for Labor has soared to 64 per cent and the Liberals’ has plummeted to 36 per cent. The massive gap between the major parties has opened up since the 56 per cent-to-44 per cent two-party preferred margin in a poll conducted by The Advertiser on March 16. – Adelaide Sunday Mail
Prior life
French honour Peter Garrett – awarded a prestigious French Order of Arts and Letters that recognises his contribution to Australian life and music – Sydney Sun Herald
Grocery prices
Canberra to replace grocery price-watch – Melbourne Sunday Age says the Federal Government believes a new unit pricing system to be phased into supermarkets from July 1 will provide bigger benefits to consumers than its axed Grocery Choice website
Rudd’s new basket case – Sydney Sun Herald predicts criticism to come from scrapping Grocery Choice website
Taxation
Tax cuts criticised as pay-off for the rich – Josh Gordon in the Melbourne Sunday Age on the Federal Government’s July 1 tax cuts
Well-off to benefit most from tax cut – Sydney Sun Herald
Education
Education Queensland funding bungle costs schools – Brisbane Sunday Mail
Opinions
Turnbull outfoxed by Rudd – Glenn Milne writes in the Sydney Sunday Telegraph that Turnbull, the political neophyte, was done over by a superior Labor machine which proved itself ruthless in its pursuit of an Opposition leader it now judges to have fatal character flaws.
Turnbull will survive utegate – writes Piers Akerman in the Sydney Sunday Telegraph
How lazy Nathan Rees Budget sold NSW short – Linda Silmalis in the Sydney Sunday Telegraph says NSW’S presentation to Prime Minister Kevin Rudd to secure a share of billions in federal infrastructure funding was riddled with uncosted projects and spelling and grammatical mistakes.
Ute affair makes Libs look like crash test dummies – writes Josh Gordony in the Melbourne Sunday Age
On track for more of the same – Paul Mees in the Melbourne Sunday Age asks why has the Brumby Government persisted with Jeff Kennett’s failed rail and tram privatisation when no other Australian city has followed suit?
Australian businesses can clean up in the energy revolution – writes the ACTU’s Sharan Burrow in the Sunday Melbourne Age
Elsewhere
Iran
In Tehran, a Mood of Melancholy Descends – New York Times
Michael Jackson
Jackson Estate Has Piles of Assets but Loads of Debt – New York Times
BUSINESS
Record auction rate sparks growing concern – auction clearance rate has held its ground at the second-highest level on record, with this latest performance fuelling speculation the market could be heating up too much, too fast – Melbourne Sunday Age
Dire economy hinders growth of organic sector – Melbourne Sunday Age
ENVIRONMENT
Turnbull faces climate test – Josh Gordon writes in the Melbourne Sunday Age that pressure is building on Opposition Leader Malcolm Turnbull to clarify his position on emissions trading after the US lower house passed a historic bill to slash carbon dioxide emissions.
US House Passes Bill to Address Threat of Climate Change – New York Times
MEDIA
Lies, lies, lies – Oliver Burkeman in the Melbourne Sunday Age sets out to answer the question: where do the stories in celeb mags come from?
More families staying in and watching TV – Sydney Sun Herald
LIFE
Swine flu
Swine flu vaccine likely to be delayed – Melbourne Sunday Age
Breast feeding
Natural or nasty? Breast debate rages – says Melbourne’s Sunday Age
Cancer
Cancer vaccine a success story – Sydney Sun Herald
Euthanasia
Push for Queensland euthanasia laws – Sydney Sun Herald
The drink
Alcohol Blamed for Half of Russian Premature Deaths in ’90s – Moscow Times
Gambling
State to get advocate on gambling – Victoria will get a new community advocate on gambling – a position left vacant for two years – after a report found local government and community organisations should have more influence over the state’s multibillion-dollar betting industry – Melbourne Sunday Age
Relishing 45m to 1 chance to dream – As many as one in three Australians – five times the usual number – are expected to buy a ticket for Tuesday’s record $90 million lotto draw – Melbourne Sunday Age
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