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Since October 1995

Monday 20th January 1997

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International:

Millionaire Bell will appear in the Humansdorp local court to hear whether the magistrate will grant the extradition order to bring him before the Australian courts to face 215 charges of alleged sexual assault. The charges relate to 29 male victims spanning a period of 30 years.

Bell's solicitor Jim Boyens was unaware that his client was wanted in Australia. Boyens said, "He (Bell) was on his way. He planned to travel to Maputo (capital of Mozambique) for a holiday there on Monday. He was going to come back. He said he was going to stay here and even planned to further his studies.

"He told me that the police were here and that I must come to assist him, to check the warrant was in order."

Boyens said that Bell was unfazed by the arrest, and his complaints were about the standard of food in the lock-up where he was held and his detention in a special security cell there.

Bell is expected to appear in a Sydney court as early as Friday to face charges if the extradition order is successful.

Political:

However over the last few days we have had Kernot's views on everything and anything from the native title Wik case to the Republican debate- and the thing that sticks on my craw is that she acts as if she is going to make the decision and any dissenting point of view is dumb.

Things are hotting up in the Wik case with Queensland Premier Rob Borbidge meeting the Western Australian Premier Richard Court and the Northern Territory Chief Minister Shane Stone to present a co-ordinated response to Prime Minister John Howard in ten days time.

Borbidge confirmed that the states were seriously considering pushing the Howard Government to include a sunset clause in amendment laws, forcing all native title claims to be lodged within a set time frame, such as 12 months.

In other developments in the Wik case:

• Democrat leader Kernot branded the state government's handling of the Wik issue as "nothing short of disgraceful".
• Aboriginal leader Noel Pearson called National Farmers Federation President Don McGauchie "a miserable tub-thumping, bumpkin politician who... is selling constitutional economic and historical snake oil" on Channel 10 televison's national Face-to-Face program over the weekend.
• The Minerals Council of Australia suggested it was unlikely the Federal Government would move to extinguish native title.
• Queensland State Opposition leader Peter Beattie agreed that legislative changes were required to streamline the native title process.

Business:

The Australian sharemarket finished on 2435.5 on Wednesday three points off its record set up two days earlier.

Social:

Campaign Palace managing director Reg Bryson said, "In broad trems "Australia" is a different "person" from what it was eight years ago".

Australian's changing attitudes:
Percentage of people agreeing with statements in 1988 and 1996

Personal trivia, from the global office:

The river was at low tide when these photos were taken at about 6pm last night - thus rocky bars break through the normal level of the river...

The very bald looking sulphur crested cockatoo is affectionately called "Baldy" in the global office.

The garden down to the river has just been renovated.... the "brown patches" at the bottom are areas that have been levelled.

Finally, and a favourite, a pale face parrot hovers over one of the fountains in the garden....

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