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POLITICS AND ECONOMICS

Australia

Economic matters

‘Mall mums’ saving the economy – Sydney Daily Telegraph

Mums’ spending keeps Australia afloat – Adelaide Advertiser

Downturn in NSW will be milder than feared, study says – Sydney Morning Herald on an Access Economics forecast

Economy set to defy gloom – is Melbourne Age interpretation of Access Economics’ latest forecast

Inflation genie back in bottle – Melbourne Age

Lobbyists

Ex-Labor lobbyists may be forced to reveal success fees – Labor-dominated lobbying fraternity could be forced to reveal the lucrative “success fees” they pocket for securing government contracts. Premier Anna Bligh yesterday insisted she would prefer outlawing the questionable practice altogether, but legal advice indicated such a move may be difficult- Brisbane Courier Mail

Immigration

Evans vows to tighten study rules -Immigration  minister, Chris Evans, has begun a crucial visit to India with a frank admission that recent problems experienced by Indian students in Australia have exposed failings in the immigration and education systems –Sydney Morning Herald

Elections and pre-selections

Ruddock under threat from the right – The former attorney-general Philip Ruddock is almost certain to be challenged for preselection for his safe seat of Berowra. Furious number crunching is going on inside the northern Sydney seat before an anticipated challenge by the Liberal Party’s conservative faction. The former Young Liberals president Noel McCoy is the most likely challenger – Sydney Morning Herald

Revenue sharing

GST deal hurts NSW, says Rees -Premier, Nathan Rees, says NSW stands to lose “hundreds of millions” from a proposed new carve-up of GST revenue that would give Western Australia and Queensland money that had been earmarked for NSW and Victoria – Sydney Morning Herald

Industrial relations

Queensland Teachers Union, Anna Bligh at loggerheads – Brisbane Courier Mail

Opinions

Liberal history ambushed by left-wing pundits – Gerard Henderson in the Sydney Morning Herald looks at the SBS series Liberal Rule: The Politics that Changed Australia, and finds, once again, the Liberals have allowed themselves to be analysed by their critics. This also occurred with the 2008 ABC1 production The Howard Years.

A Faustian pact with China as it goes for growth – Michael Stutchbury in The Australian describes it as a deal with the devil but we have a huge vested interest in the Middle Kingdom’s success.

Elsewhere

Indonesia

Bomb mastermind Noordin Top may have checked into Marriott – The Australian

Partner in bomb plot may be Noordin Top – The Australian

New wave of terror snuck under the radar – The Australian

Operation planned with care: experts – Melbourne Age

BUSINESS

Executives trapped in Dubai face fraud trial – Sydney Morning Herald

Rio arrests could backfire badly on Beijing – Ian Verrender in the Sydney Morning Herald

ENVIRONMENT

Turnbull feels the heat on climate – Any attempt by Malcolm Turnbull to compromise over climate change and pass the Government’s emissions trading scheme next month will put the Opposition Leader on a collision course with his party-Sydney Morning Herald

Victoria proving the dirtiest state – Melbourne Age

India rebuffs Clinton’s carbon deal – Melbourne Age

Malcolm Turnbull angers MPs as Coalition torn over climate – The Australian

MEDIA

Conroy breaks bond in rush to broadband plan B – The Federal Government’s finance management agency says it was left out of the loop on plans to issue billions of dollars in bonds to fund part of the Government’s broadband plan – Sydney Morning Herald

LIFE

Swine flu

NSW swine flu toll hits 14 after four more die – Sydney Morning Herald

Nutrition

Nestle cuts sugar in snacks to keep child ads – Melbourne Age

The drink

Licensees warn club lockout fuels violence – Brisbane Courier Mail

Collingwood not fit to hold liquor licence, say police – Melbourne Herald Sun

Sporting life

Brian Smith: My walkout was just business – Sydney Daily Telegraph