There’s plenty of detail about the ute-gate crisis in a special Saturday media wrap. And if you are after some more leisurely reading this weekend there is a Breakfast Media Wrap of stories from magazines around the world.
POLITICS AND ECONOMICS
Australia
Ute-gate
Utegate affair threatens Wayne Swan career – writes Glenn Milne in the Sydney Sunday Telegraph. Swan remains under pressure over “Utegate”, having admitted buying a Toyota HiLux from the Queensland car dealer involved and personally discussing the businessman’s finance problems.
Malcolm Turnbull never saw Kevin Rudd email – Sydney Sunday Telegraph.
Swan’s defence beggars belief – Glenn Milne argues in the Sydney Sunday Telegraph that weight of evidence that has emerged to date in the “Utegate” crisis that has consumed the Rudd government can lead to only one conclusion: Treasurer Wayne Swan has either misled the Parliament or come very close to it.
Ute-gate: PM calls in police – Michelle Grattan reports in the Melbourne Sunday Age that Prime Minister Kevin Rudd yesterday questioned the integrity of Opposition Leader Malcolm Turnbull, calling on him to co-operate with a Federal Police investigation into an alleged email at the centre of the OzCar affair.
Labor truly stumped on OzCar email – If the Government is hiding a dark secret in the OzCar case, it is putting on a very good act. It appears genuinely perplexed about the alleged email, which it declares a fake, from the Rudd staff member to Treasury on behalf of car dealer John Grant – Michelle Grattan comments in the Melbourne Sunday Age.
Rudd: I insist the email isn’t genuine – Sydney Sun Herald,
Turnbull: It’s not our doing, Swan must go – Sydney Sun Herald.
Kevin rudd and car dealer members of elite club – Brisbane Sunday Mail tells of monthly meetings by a group of mates
OPI corruption documents given to police – Melbourne Sunday Age reports that the state Opposition has questioned why Victoria Police was given access to transcripts of secret corruption hearings two weeks before public hearings in 2007 into former assistant commissioner Noel Ashby and police union boss Paul Mullett.
Budgets
NSW Premier plans parking fine frenzy – Sydney Sunday Telegraph.
Health
Medicare is hazardous to your wealth – Sydney Sunday Telegraph looks at the shrinking number of bulk billing doctors
Heavy hitters fight ro save Royal Adelaide Hospital – Adelaide Sunday Mail
Jobs for a boy
Labor offers Costello job – Melbourne Sunday Age says Peter Costello will be offered a Federal Government job – a board member on the nation’s $60billion future fund he set up during his 11 years as treasurer.
Bombers may have a role for retiring Peter Costello – Essendon will speak to Peter Costello about a possible role with the club, but doubts the former treasurer would be interested in joining the board. – Adelaide Sunday Mail.
Education
NSW to axe 2000 teachers – Sydney Sunday Telegraph on a “controversial” new plan
Opinion
First political rule is don’t lie – The Sydney Snday Telegraph editorial declares that Rudd may well survive the most serious crisis to hit his government, but Wayne Swan looks to be on shaky ground. Evidence in a string of emails between Mr Swan, his staff and Treasury officials, and Senate Economics Committee testimony from many involved, point to a special deal for Mr Rudd’s car-dealer friend and supporter John Grant.
Openness is the first casualty – of ute-gate according to Piers Akerman in the Sydney Sunday Telegraph. Kevin Rudd has shredded any claim of running an open and transparent government with Labor’s handling of the Senate probe into his favoured car dealer scandal.
Why Swan’s explanation adds fuel to Utegate fire – Peter van Onselen reckons the OzCar Affair raises three important questions: should Prime Minister Kevin Rudd resign? And what about Treasurer Wayne Swan? Should he go too? Should we really be surprised friends of political leaders get better treatment than the rest of us? The answers, he arguers in the Brisbane Sunday Mail, are No, Yes and No.
Baby bouncers have much to learn about equality – Anne Summers in the Melbourne Sunday Age recalls that whenNancy Pelosi was sworn in as Speaker of the US House of Representatives before a packed chamber that included more than 100 children, she invited some of these children to join her at the podium. As the votes for her were tabulated, she held an infant in her arms and was surrounded by children.
Elsewhere
Iran
Riot police clash with demonstrators in Iran – Protesters challenging elections despite warnings from Ayatollah Ali Khamenei met with tear gas, batons, water cannons – London Times.
BUSINESS
Oakajee set to rival Pilbara ore – Perth Sunday Times
There’s worse to come for the economy – says US economic forecaster – Sydney Sunday Telegraph
ENVIRONMENT
Crusader Erin Brockovich saw ‘genuine fear’ in Yarloop – The Perth Sunday Times talks with US health crusader Erin Brockovich who has championed a legal action in the US against global mining giant Alcoa on behalf of residents and former residents of the Yarloop area who allege that emissions from a neighbouring alumina refinery have made them sick.
Our climate hots up but the debate is divided and small-minded – Tim Flannery gives his view to the Sydney Sun Herald.
MPs shun green cars – The Ford Territory – a six-cylinder “Toorak tractor” – is the most popular car among MPs and Brumby Government executives reports the Melbourne Sunday Herald Sun.
MEDIA
Why Kerri-Anne refuses to play – the latest soap opera being played out at the Nine Network as reported in the Sydney Sunday Telegraph.
LIFE
Longevity
‘Cigarettes, whisky, and wild, wild women’ – Henry Allingham, at 113 now the world’s oldest man, on the secret of a long life – The Independent, UK
Charity
Charities feeling money squeeze – Melbourne Sunday Age.
Animal welfare
Renewed calls to ban jumps as horse dies – Melbourne Sunday Age.
Law and order
John Quigley calls for Mallard-like compensation – Perth Sunday Times says the WA Opposition has called for the family of an Aboriginal elder, who died in a searing prison van, to be given a payout of millions of dollars.
Solariums
Tanning salons are fading fast – Melbourne Sunday Age.
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