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an Aussie's viewpoint on Australia's first daily Internet newspaper.

Saturday 21st December 1996

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International:

Australia has clinched its first wheat deal with Iraq since the Gulf war after a sudden halt to what had been a lucrative Australian export market for farmers. A consignement of 250,000 tonnes of wheat worth Au$60 million will be shipped to Iraq during January and February to help the food starved country.

Tim Fischer, the Minister for Trade, took the opportunity to announce that he will lead a high-level trade delegation to the Middle East in mid-1997 to boost Australia's trade prospects in that region.

Iraq was recently given the go ahead by the UN to sell US$2 billion worth of oil to buy much needed food supplies.

Australian Wheat Board officials are hopeful that the Iraqi's will be looking to import a further 250,000 tonnes of wheat per month - and that Australia will be the major beneficiary.

The assault on Independent MP Pauline Hanson has at last been reported in the Courier Mail.... over three days after the incident occured!

But surprise, surprise the thrust of the article is not aimed at the outrage of a gang breaking in and assaulting a sitting member of Parliament, the article carries extensive commentary from all the related social welfare groups that it could muster. All expressing "distress and outrage" that the 11 and 12 year old Aboriginal boys had been placed in custody. For example:

"The Juvenile Justice Act allows for them to be placed in the custody of their parents or immediate guardians with appropriate safeguards so a similar incident does not occur," Robbie Williams a FCACY spokesman is quoted as saying.

"This sends high danger signals to children of this age, particularly when juvenile justice is now being run by the Corrective Services department said QCCL president Ian Dearden.

Ms Hanson was quoted as saying that "local police are fed up. They have not had the back up from Family Services (Community Care) to control them (young Aboriginal thugs)."

Political:

We reported earlier this week about the pending clash between the Federal Government and the workers on the waterfront, well now Federal Treasurer Peter Costello has played a couple of his cards... To assist in the recovery of Au$1 billion in defeated budget measures Costello has signalled that the Government will take the lead on waterfront reform.

Deputy Prime Minister Tim Fischer supported Costello's views suggesting that the waterfront was "the next cab off the rank".

The Charles Mannington mystery.

An extract from one of the many posts from the Charles Mannington collection:
 >Frankly I think Charles and Cedric have injected more life and interest
>into this newsgroup than anything I've seen in a long time. Weird, yes.
>Kooky, definitely. But entertaining, most assuredly.

Guess I'm not as easily entertained as you...

> And there are
>subtle messages and parodies hidden behind what they have to say.

Subtle? Parodies? Guess I need a new dictionary!

"Wit is like - well, I guess it's like a sponge cake. Best when it's dry, wonderful to savor at it's best, but boring when brought out at every occasion".

>Obviously too subtle for your average small-minded male.

Oh, now I get it! It's another troll!

Business:

Australia's biggest company, BHP Ltd had a 9.8% fall in profits in 1996 bringing the final figure at Au$790 million... a woeful performance when compared to the overcharging, vulturous major banks in Australia who are much smaller than BHP in terms of equity but who all creamed Australian mums and dads with Au$1 billion plus profits while doing a good job of crying poverty....

Personal trivia, from the global office:

Another beautiful day in paradise...

Was up at 4.30am this morning to collect my mother from Brisbane airport... she flew in from Perth overnight.

She was greeted by another perfect Queensland day..

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