FRONT PAGES OF THIS MORNING’S PAPERS
POLITICS AND ECONOMICS
Australia
Economic matters
Cars drove growth figures – Australia has steered clear of recession and stands alone among the world’s 34 advanced economies in achieving growth in the past year – The Australian
NSW still lagging in the race to economic recovery – Sydney Morning Herald
SA’s growth tops nation – Adelaide Advertiser
Banks could hike rates regardless – Swan – Sydney Daily Telegraph
GDP rise met with caution – Australilan shares took a hit yesterday despite a generally bullish long-term outlook for the market and broader economy – Brisbane Courier Mail
GDP confirms interest move – Terry McCrann in the Brisbane Courier Mail writes that GDP figures will confirm RBA governor Glenn Stevens was right to start lifting interest rates. But they wont accelerate the timing of the first move.
$100m in stimulus cheques returned – Almost $100 million in stimulus payments designed to rescue Australia from the global financial crisis may have failed to find their way into the economy – The Australian
The GDP numbers don’t add up – Tim Colebatch writes in the Melbourne Age that yesterday’s GDP figures are certainly wrong. But for now, we don’t know which of its figures are wrong – and so we don’t know Australia’s real rate of economic growth. Sorry, but that’s the truth.
Defence
Australia, US call on China for war games – The US and Australia will invite China to join three-nation military exercises to allay concerns about China’s military ambitions and pave the way for stronger diplomatic ties – Sydney Morning Herald
Industrial relations
Workers and bosses ‘worse off’ as IRC forces award delay – Yhe Rudd government’s award overhaul will be delayed by six months, after the Australian Industrial Relations Commission admitted the revamp would increase costs for employers and potentially cut the take-home pay of workers – The Australian
Gillard’s pledge exposed by wages umpire – Employers and workers could be worse off under a plan to modernise awards, the industrial umpire has ruled, in a direct contradiction of Workplace Relations Minister Julia Gillard – Melbourne Age
Political donations
$16,500 to be Liberal National Party VIP – Brisbane Courier Mail
Political life
John Della Bosca – the two-minute man – Denied a “pair” by the Opposition, which would have allowed him to escape Sydney and attend to his personal crisis without reducing the Government’s voting numbers, the former health minister was forced to remain at work – Sydney Daily Telegraph
Rudd fears crisis will cost seats – Anxiety is growing within federal Labor that the circus the State Government has become could hurt the Rudd Government in up to five seats at the next federal election – Sydney Morning Herald
Bingo: Della’s lover steps into spotlight – Meet Kate Neil, the glamorous young bingo winner who brought down a health minister and unleashed one of the biggest political tragicomedies the state has seen – Sydney Morning Herald
John Della Bosca’s lover Kate Neill a comedy act – The Australian
Labor cries foul over sex scandal – Senior Labor MPs expressed anger at Ms Neil yesterday and the fact that she had not put her name and face to a story when she made the accusations about her affair with Mr Della Bosca – Melbourne Age
Support for John Della Bosca’s rehabilitation despite affair – The Australian
The law
Politicians dodge superannuation tax – Politicians will dodge paying thousands of dollars in tax that average Australians must still pay after the High Court ruled the 15 per cent super surcharge could not be imposed on state MPs – The Australian
Public service
Outgoing Australian Federal Police boss Mick Keelty offered diplomatic role – Melbourne Herald Sun
Fertility
New law demands police checks for childless couples – Would-be parents are outraged at new laws forcing them to prove they are not pedophiles or child abusers before they undergo fertility treatment. Victorian IVF clinics have started asking patients to submit to police checks ensuring they are fit to be parents – Melbourne Herald Sun
Migration
Federal Government set to maintain record high immigration levels – Melbourne Herald Sun
No visas, boys? Welcome to Australia – The Rudd government last night moved to overturn John Howard’s controversial policy of processing all asylum-seekers off-shore, allowing a group of detained Afghan youths to leave Christmas Island and arrive on mainland Australia without visas – The Australian
Health and hospitals
Patients snub push to go public – Patients with insurance are resisting Health Minister John Hill’s urging to check into public hospitals as private clients – Adelaide Advertiser
Sick or injured people caught 56,000 infections in NSW hospitals – Sydney Daily Telegraph
Abortion
Queensland abortion law change to spark vexed debate – A technical change to Queensland’s abortion laws to be rushed through Parliament today could prompt full-blown debate on the issue of pregnancy termination – Brisbane Courier Mail
Opinions
The recession we hardly had – Mark Kenny in The Adelaide Advertiser writes of the strong GDP result vindicating the Government’s extraordinary stimulus spending and the Reserve Bank’s aggressive mortgage interest rate cutting drive which has seen 4 percentage points knocked off the official cash rate in the last 12 months.
Gillard’s plan will shackle economy – Michael Stutchbury argues that a more flexible labour market has played a big role in this miracle performance from Australia’s modern economy. So why on earth would we reimpose the old-world industrial relations system that used to so shackle the economy? – The Australian
The big cash splash – Dennis Shanahan in The Australian writes that even if Australia stays on top of the developed world economically, the Rudd government is not going to cut back on its stimulus spending – it can’t, politically or economically.
Turnaround still requires restraint – Alan Wood in The Australian says for Australia far better the problems thrown up by rising national wealth and prosperity than the alternative, but don’t kid yourself it will be an easy or a painless ride.
Elsewhere
New Zealand
Kiwibank goes easy on Aussies – State-owned Kiwibank says its big Australian rivals are not “rorting” Kiwis on interest rates, but its Chief Executive told MPs Kiwibank had consistently had lower variable interest rates than its big Australian-owned competitors, despite having to pay the same for money it borrowed – New Zealand Herald
Opinions
Survival rests on social revolution – Greg Sheridan on Japan’s future – The Australian
BUSINESS
Two more join Telstra in board transformation – The reinvention of Telstra gathered pace yesterday with the appointment of former Microsoft Australia boss Steve Vamos and gas industry expert Russell Higgins as non-executive directors – The Australian
Push for ban on alcohol sponsorships ‘political’ – The sports, alcohol, media and advertising industries are among those crying foul over a government report that recommends phasing out alcohol sponsorship of sport and advertising of unhealthy food and drinks on television before 9pm – The Australian
ENVIRONMENT
Desalination threat to Whyalla giant cuttlefish – Adelaide Advertiser
Barrier Reef woes to prompt tough laws on land clearing – Brisbane Courier Mail
Langhorne Creek Vineyards awash as Lower Lakes languish – River, Lakes and Coorong Action Group spokeswoman Professor Diane Bell said a more “transparent and equitable” water allocation plan needed to be established – Adelaide Advertiser
MEDIA
TV the most right wing medium – Newspapers are left wing, television is right wing, and the media as a whole tends to favour the Coalition, according to a study of coverage while John Howard was Prime Minister. And surprisingly, according to researchers from the Australian National University, the ABC Television news is the most pro-Coalition of them all – Sydney Daily Telegraph
The comical state of NSW – So you think Nathan Rees came from out of nowhere to lead NSW Labor? Today’s Sydney Daily Telegraph has a comic-book take on how he came by his powers and why he thinks he has the staying power for the next election
Kerry Stokes strikes up a broadband – Mr Stokes’ Seven Network yesterday announced plans to spend $50 million on a pilot wireless broadband network in Perth that it claims will be the fastest of its kind in Australia – Melbourne Herald Sun
LIFE
Drugs
Concern over caffeine energy drinks’ impact on children – Five NSW pupils have had serious side effects, including dizziness, nausea and heart palpitations, after taking “shots” of a high-caffeine energy drink on the way to school – Adelaide Advertiser
Obesity
Smart-card proposal to combat NZ obesity – Health economist Des O’Dea and colleagues have suggested the Government set up a smart-card electronic subsidy system that would be similar to the food stamps now given to low-income families in the United States on an electronic debit card. It would be aimed at reducing “food insecurity” and encouraging consumption of healthy foods – New Zealand Herald
Occupational health and safety
Are these guys crackers? – NT WorkSafe crews were trying to blow up out-of-date crackers and flares in an incinerator at the NT Government’s explosive reserve at Hidden Valley when it all went horribly wrong – Northern Territory News
Law and order
Mentally ill set free to murder – Children, mothers and wives have been murdered by mentally ill family members let down by the health system, a damning Government report revealed – Sydney Daily Telegraph
Paparazzi warned about new laws protecting Princess Mary – Following hectic scenes during Princess Mary’s holiday back in her home state last year, Tasmania Police legal advisers have advised officers there are several sections under the state’s Police Offences Act that can be enforced to protect her and her young children’s privacy – Melbourne Herald Sun
Dog parking ticket was ‘educational’ – Northern Territory News
Hendra virus
Vet Alister Rodgers predicted his own death from Hendra virus – Brisbane Courier Mail
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