Today's Headlines
an Aussie's viewpoint
Thursday 18th April 1996
International:
The Federal Government announced a clamp down on Australian paedophiles living oversees, especially those in neighbouring Asian
countries like Indonesia and Malaysia. Pictures have been shown on national television of two alleged paedophiles, Robert "Dolly" Dunn
and former Cambodian ambassador John Holloway surrounded by small kids in a remote Indonesian village. The government wants the
men to be extradited to Australia to face our courts.
Political:
Seems like Robert Tickner, the old Aboriginal Minister, had to get the the Australian Torres Strait and Islander Commissioners (ATSIC)
to tow the line. Last year they voted themselves access to funds to pay for housing loans ... until the minister stepped in and said "NO".
In May the ATSIC Commissioners decided to include a category called "home loans to temporary high income earners" in ATSIC's
home ownership programme. Tickner correctly believed that the decision by the commissioners who are paid Au$70,000 a year was
political poison.
Somehow I think we are still looking at the sugar coating surrounding this pill!
Business:
Bob Mansfield the Chief Executive who put Optus on the road then left to take over the reigns of Fairfax less than two months ago has
been pushed out. It appears the interesting battle over Bob's position was fought in the boardroom. 24% shareholder, Conrad Black who
has two directors on the board wanted Mansfield out because he didn't refer policy issues back to him. 19% shareholder, Kerry Packer
has no directors on the board wanted Mansfield to stay. The thought is that Black's control over Fairfax has been demonstrated a
position which might force Packer to buy him out of the equation.
The market acted on these sentiments with Fairfax share prices rising 2 cents on the day to Au$2.84.
Sport:
Seems like golfer Greg Norman's demise has been the talk of the Internet over the last couple of days. Norman is said to be "shattered " by his
final round collapse at this years US Masters...
Social:
Society puts a price tag of Au$5 million on a human life, a study of risk has found. The American-Australian study found that people tend
to overestimate risks associated with highly publicised events like cyclones, tornadoes, floods and earthquakes but underestimate their
own internal risks such as heart disease, cancer and strokes.
Some silly stats - *DANGEROUS HABITS - associated with the study:
*(Nominated as activities which incrrease the risk of death by one in a million).
- Smoking 1.4 cigarettes a day - Cancer, Heart disease.
- Drinking 0.5 litres of wine a day - Cirrhosis of the liver.
- Travelling 6 minutes by canoe - Accident.
- Travelling 240km by car - Accident.
- Flying 9600km by jet - Cancer caused by **cosmic radiation**.
- Living 2 months in a brick building - Cancer caused by **natural radioactivity**.
- One chest X-ray - Cancer caused by radiation.
- Living 2 months with a smoker - Cancer, heart disease.
- Eating 40 teaspoons of peanut paste - Cancer caused by Aflatoxin B.
- Eating 100 steaks barbequed on charcoal - Cancer from Benzopyrene.
I don't think that they are going to have much effect on my living habits!
Personal trivia:
Visited the big smoke yesterday. Had a very successful meeting with a large association.. Hush, hush, secret stuff!! Will advise once
we get the big ball moving. Absolutely magnificent day today with sunny skies and cool/warm temperatures..
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