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Sunday 1st September 1996

International:

What a way to end or begin a holiday...

200 passengers about to take off from Brisbane airport to Hamilton, New Zealand were grounded yesterday when the High Court intervened after Region Air, who provide the pilot and co-pilot, ordered that the flight be aborted.

In the dispute embattled Kiwi Air is alleged to owe Region Air US$400,000. Kiwi Air has lost large amounts of money over the last few months and has been forced to cut back flights. However, it claims to have paid Region Air in advance up to the 12th September.

So the losers, once again, are the guys who paid for tickets... they are now stranded in Brisbane after being given the princely sum of Au$6 for refreshments after the flight was terminated!

Just weird:

The case of the Ballina Council cannabis cake (see strange but true) was resolved yesterday with the woman who served up the cake being told by the local magistrate that he considered sending her to jail.

Glenda Rae Murray, 39, now unemployed, pleaded guilty of serving up the cannabis laced cake that resulted in a "high tea" as twelve unsuspecting co-workers became doped-out after enjoying a slice.

Magistrate Pat Caldewll sentenced her to community service instead saying that Murray was lucky not to land up in the slammer.... must have been good cake though, because only one slice was left before the effects started to take over..

Oh, what a feeling!

Political:

The Federal Industrial Relations Minister, Peter Reith, yesterday called on the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) to take strong action against paid union officials identified as being actively involved in the Parliament House riot last month.

A Sydney newspaper earlier published photographs and names of Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) organisers who it claimed had been actively involved in the attack.

More than 90 police and protestors were injured, glass doors were smashed and paint was thrown while goons vandalised the Parliament House shop.

"It is totally unacceptable for the ACTU to continue to take no responsibility", Reith said.

Business:

Queensland businesses are now being hit by an advertising scam that has its roots in the USA. Companies are being sent accounts for what appear to be thousands of dollars for employment ads which have been copied from the Courier Mail, Queensland's major daily newspaper, other publications and then placed in a US publication.

Accountancy firm Ernst and Young and the Cairns City Council both received bills from a California based business calling itself the National Employment Advertiser.

Ernst and Young director, Diane Tinkler, said, "It is a straight-out scam. Unless you read every word it looks just like a bill.

"This scam has been going on for several years. I first came across it five years ago when I was working for Price Waterhouse and I am surprised nobody has closed the business down yet."

Sport:

The finals of the Australian Football League (AFL) are now in full swing wth the premiership table for the top eight teams to fight out this season's honours to be concluded today.

AFL PREMIERSHIP TABLE:

Club:PlayedWonDrawnLostPoints forPoints againstPremiership Points
SYDNEY2216152152173766
BRISBANE2215162174173162
NORTH MELBOURNE2115152385187362
WEST COAST2115072201175860
CARLTON2215072116190960
ESSENDON2214172209202358
GEELONG2213182353204754
HAWTHORNE22111101893192146
RICHMOND21110102173180344
ST KILDA22100122052203340
COLLINGWOOD2290132203214236
ADELAIDE2280142233232632
MELBOURNE2270151743246328
FREMANTLE2160151673191224
FOOTSCRAY2251161654213922
FITZROY211020138127784

Social:

An interesting insight supporting the outspoken views of Member of Parliament Pauline Hanson on Aboriginal issues appeared in the Queensland Times over the weekend.

Appears that John has fallen out of favour in Australia in the latest top 50 lists of names for boys and girls. John still heads the list in the UK, but here the top ten boy's names are: Matthew, Thomas, Samuel, James, Joshua, Jack, Daniel, Benjamin, Nicholas and Jake.

Girls are: Jessica, Emily, Lauren, Sarah, Emma, Rebecca, Georgia, Stephanie, Madeleine and Caitlin.

Global Gripe of the day:

Personal trivia, from the global office:

There was a most magnificent sunset last night. After the rain the sky was clear and the dust had settled.... the cloud appeared as claws embracing the light - with darkness.

Barry and I had a very productive day in the global office... with big things to come you will have to wait and, in time, all will be revealed...

Windy overnight, but now warm and pleasant for the first day of spring.


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