Today's Headlines
Monday 12th February 1996
International:
International Human Rights organisation Amnesty International will investigate the state of two Queensland watch houses next month. The investigation follows a
complaint to its head office in London by the Queensland Police Union. The Queensland Police Union has claimed that inmates suffered from overcrowding,
no exercise, a lack of visiting areas and no access to direct sunlight at the Brisbane City and Southport Watch houses.
The first great debate.
Well tonight (last night by the time that I post this) Labor Prime Minister Paul Keating and Liberal opposition
leader John Howard met in the first live televised debate. I've got to tell you folks that the 100 swinging voters that Channel 9 pulled in must have been watching a different
show to me. At the end of the day they scored the leaders even at 50-50. A very strange result. John Howard had Paul Keating by the short and curlies during most of
the debate even though Keating did have his moments. The most telling blows that I believe Howard scored with was credibility. Keating resorted to ducking and diving
on the issue of the correct figures from treasury to assist with correct assessment for funding of policies. He did this for literally 10 minutes with Howard reigning him in
like a fisherman every time Keating tried to side track the issue. The outcome? Keating still hasn't answered the question. Howard showed a very cool exterior when
Keating tried to interject whenever Howard sent home a devastating missile - Howard responded by telling Keating to "shut-up" and Keating did like a little puppy dog.
Now I am starting to sound like a Liberal here, but I am not. I just happen to know how Keating and Howard operate and I believe that Howard has Keating's full measure
so when Paul Lynham (a political commentator) stated after the show that Howard performed well but looked nervous at the start I had to shake my head in amazement.
Keating was the one whose eyes were moving around like the proverbial snake charmer as he tried to duck the telling blows that Howard had raised.
The latest AGB McNair poll has the Liberals at 56% and Labor trailing badly at 44%.
Business:
The average price of Brisbane house prices increased last year despite widespread reports of gloom in the industry. The only other state to boast a rise in house prices was Perth. The
results are as follows: Perth up 3.1% to Au$127,900; Brisbane up 2.3% to Au$133,700; Sydney 0% at Au$198,700; Melbourne down 0.5% to Au%144,700; Adelaide down 1.3%
to Au$110,000; Hobart down 2.2% to Au$107,500 and Canberra down 3.4% to Au$155,300.
Sport:
The Australian and West Indies cricketers are the World Cup outcasts having to forgoe the first two points in the series for refusing to play in strife torn Sri Lanka.
Both teams have wanted the matches against Sri Lanka rescheduled to be played in India. Sri Lanka must now be favourites with two wins and four points earned by
default.
Social:
Justice Michael Kirby's public activities as a human rights activist will provide the court with a major dilemma when it sits to consider the case of the "stolen Aboriginal children".
The case involves claims for damages against the Northern Territory where Aboriginal children were taken from their parents by officials acting under the authority of
the territory's ordinance. The children were kept in reserves or institutions away from their parents. The problem for Justice Kirby arises because he is closely associated with
an organisation which wishes to be heard in the case and which supports the Aboriginal plaintiffs.
Personal trivia:
Beautiful day yesterday. Perhaps the highlight happened while I was mowing the bottom deck just a few metres above the Brisbane river (which is about 20 metres wide here).
While I mowed I was preceded by a couple of mud larks which were looking for tasty treats in the grass. They walked through the cut grass less than six feet from me
catching the grubs which were disturbed and moved when the lawn mower approached. They had an absolute feast. Big spiders, worms and everything inbetween!
It was a slightly cooler day yesterday with temperatures just about reaching 30 degreec celcius. Last night was actually quite cool and we slept with a sheet over us and the
windows closed for the first time in weeks.
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