THIS MORNING’S FRONT PAGES
POLITICS AND ECONOMICS
Australia
Economic matters
G20 gives the developing world a seat at the top table – Sydney Morning Herald
PM Kevin Rudd wins place at new G20 seat of power – The Australian
Elections
Nelson dries up amid Bradfield exit – Brendan Nelson will zip his lips on the emissions trading scheme as he walks a fine line between being the Government’s ambassador-designate to the European Communities and the outgoing member for Bradfield, which gets a new Liberal candidate today – Melbourne Age
Fletcher clings to narrow lead as rival candidates turn on outsider – Local issues might yet prove decisive in the safe seat of Bradfield, writes Phillip Coorey in the Sydney Morning Herald
Political parties
Libs facing new life under LNP name – Brand Liberal could be dumped in the key battleground of the next federal election, forcing Queensland Liberals to run under the banner of the state’s merged Liberal National Party whether they want to or not – The Australian
Law and order
SA Full Court declares Rann’s bikie control orders illegal – South Australia’s highest court has rejected the Rann Government’s bikie laws, ruling they take away the “fundamental proposition” of an accused person’s right to a fair trial – Adelaide Advertiser
Brakes put on young drivers – P-Platers will be banned from driving popular high-powered cars in tough road laws the State Government will try to push through the Parliament before Christmas – Adelaide Advertiser
Security
Jailed over manual on terrorism – A former Qantas cleaner who was jailed yesterday for at least nine years for compiling a ”terrorism training manual” had been convicted of terrorism-related offences in Lebanon – Sydney Morning Herald
Industrial relations
Worker safety ‘put at risk by laws’ – have slammed moves to create a national system of workplace safety laws, using Access Economics analysis that shows most of the benefits from the changes flow to business, not employees – Melbourne Age
Employers warn that award net traps office workers – The Australian
Development
Rail land bill ‘a fire sale for developers’ – For two weeks, the Rees Government has claimed its Transport Administration Amendment Bill is a benign reform, designed only to help eight small community groups in country NSW establish ”rail trails” for hiking, biking and horseriding on unused rail lines. But the Herald has obtained an official briefing note, prepared by the Minister for Transport, David Campbell’s office and spelling out starkly the Government’s real agenda – Sydney Morning Herald
Health service
Cheaper drugs for dying patients as health costs rise – Brisbane Courier Mail
Education
Scrap HSC for national test: new boss – The nation’s new curriculum chief says a national secondary school certificate is needed to replace the HSC and other state-based leaving certificates – Sydney Morning Herald
Almighty row over ethics class in schools – The State Government’s religious education advisory panel will fight a pilot program that offers ethics classes to primary school students who opt out of scripture – Sydney Morning Herald
Cave-in on December 1 schools deadline – The Rudd government will abandon its December 1 deadline for construction to start on buildings funded under the final round of its $14.1 billion primary schools stimulus package because of fears labour shortages have started pushing up costs – The Australilan
Backlash at schools ranking – Melbourne Age
Political life
Bill Shorten: the son also rises – Born networker, good bloke, possible PM: who exactly is Bill Shorten? Andrew Rule looks for the answer in The Good Weekend magazine, Melbourne Age
NT pollies dodge big pay rise – The Territory Government has made a last minute change in legislation to avoid the embarrassment of being given a $4000 pay rise – Northern Territory News
International students
Fight bad for Brumby – Attempts by Premier John Brumby to allay Indian fears of racist attacks on the streets of Melbourne have been undermined by an alleged assault by high-profile Essendon footballer Michael Hurley on a taxi driver of Indian origin – Melbourne Age
Opinions
Police tied in terrorism red tape – Miranda Devine in the Sydney Morning Herald breaks from the herd to give an understanding report of police handling of the Haneef case.
Global turmoil justifies PM’s jet-set jaunts – Peter Hartcher in the Sydney Morning Herald describes wilful parochialism, pretending that Australia’s vital interests end at Manly Beach or Cape York, as one of the silly rituals of Australian public life.
Many missing in the rush for affordable psychological care – Adele Horin in the Sydney Morning Herald looks at how the use of psychological services in Australia has increased at an astounding rate since the Howard government extended Medicare in November 2006 to cover six to 12 visits to a psychologist and some other health workers.
Getting a measure of our wellbeing – Ross Gittins looks at ways other than GDP of measuring our wellbeing – Sydney Morning Herald
Powdered up despite poor pay – Laurie Oakes in the Sydney Daily Telegraph writes that pay rise granted to federal pollies during the week was a reminder they’re certainly not in it for the money. The new backbench salary of $131,000 a year is hardly big dough for the work they do and the responsibilities they bear.
PM feels heat on threat to trade – Paul Kelly in The Australian writes how French President Nicolas Sarkozy has bluntly warned world political leaders of the threat of new border tariffs against nations that refuse to tackle climate change.
Elsewhere
Iran
Secret enrichment facility ‘being built inside mountain’ – The US, Britain and France last night demanded immediate access to a secret nuclear site revealed by Iran, dramatically heightening a showdown driven by fears Tehran is seeking atomic weapons – The Australian
Afghanistan
Coming up short in Afghanistan – The war in Afghanistan cannot be won without a sharp lift in military and civilian resources by the US and its close allies. This was the core message delivered by Stanley McChrystal to the Pentagon in his latest blunt assessment of the long wayahead – The Australian
Opinions
Britain wrestles with human war cost – Greg Sheridan in The Australian
BUSINESS
Hurt by dollar? Take a holiday – The Sydney Morning Herald looks at the consequences of the recent strength of the Australian dollar.
ENVIRONMENT
Scientists warn on Antarctic fishing – Moves into the last great untapped resources of the Antarctic have led leading scientists to raise the alarm about the validity of the world’s premier stamp of approval for sustainable fishing – Sydney Morning Herald
Dangerous waste to be moved – Twenty years after it was first uncovered at an old CSIRO site in Melbourne’s Fishermans Bend, nearly 10,000 barrels of radioactive waste are on the move again to yet another ”temporary” storage facility in outback South Australia – Melbourne Age
Europe sceptical on climate deal deadline – European leaders have voiced growing doubts on whether the world will meet a December deadline for a new climate deal – Melbourne Age
MEDIA
LIFE
Drugs
Heroin addiction spreads like wildfire in Russia – As the drug has poured into the country from Afghanistan in recent years, Russians’ relative ignorance about its dangers has taken a huge toll, especially on the young – Los Angeles Times
Gambling
Results ‘fixed’ in betting swindle – The Sydney Roosters are bracing for a police investigation into an alleged betting scam surrounding the rugby league club’s last home game of the season. In the weeks since the September 6 game, players have been pointing fingers at each other and ostracising some teammates. They are furious that a small group of Roosters ”celebrated” the loss by visiting a brothel and enjoying the free services of prostitutes – Sydney Morning Herald
The drink
Life bans loom for unruly club-goers in Fortitude Valley – Brisbane Courier Mail
Real estate
Buyers beware, home grants cut – The housing market is preparing for a 250 per cent increase in listings today as 700 property owners take advantage of the first home buyers grant before it is reduced – Sydney Daily Telegraph
Real estate agents spring into auction – Sydney’s real estate agents are anxiously gearing up for today’s record 670 auction listings. Last-ditch vendors are hoping to cash in before the boost in the first-home buyers grant ends at the end of the month – Sydney Morning Herald
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