Fed: Iraq to slash Aust wheat Imports

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Fed: Iraq to slash Aust wheat Imports

CANBERRA, Dec 12 AAP - Iraq has nearly halved its contract with Australian wheat exporterAWB Ltd.

An AWB spokesman today confirmed Iraq would buy one million tonnes of Australian wheatthis financial year, down from 1.8 million tonnes last financial year.

It follows warnings from Iraq earlier this year that it would cut its wheat importsbecause of Australia's support for the United States in a threatened war against Iraq.

Iraq was, before this decision, Australia's largest wheat export market.

All the wheat to Iraq is exported under the oil for food program.

The AWB spokesman refused to comment directly on any link between the smaller contractand the Australian government's comments about a war in Iraq.

But he said that because of the drought, AWB had been forced to look at its exportprogram anyway.

"If we're going to have 24 million tonnes of wheat to export this year then that wouldbe a problem, but we're only going to have 11 million tonnes," he told AAP.

"We will continue to talk to Iraq about future possible sales."

Last year's wheat exports to Iraq were worth more than $800 million.

AAP sw/rp/kjp/ldj/sb

KEYWORD: IRAQ WHEAT

Qld: Netballers targeted by anonymous letter campaign

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Qld: Netballers targeted by anonymous letter campaign

Ugly Parent Syndrome has taken a nasty twist in north Queensland, where talented youngnetballers are being targeted in an anonymous letters campaign.

Mackay Netball Association president KAYE SHEARN says a stream of letters attackingthe players' ability have been sent to five netballers over the past two years.

Ms SHEARN believes they're from disgruntled parents whose daughters haven't been identifiedas having special talent.

She says the letters say the players are ordinary and they don't deserve to be there.

Ms SHEARN says the attacks are unlike usual forms of Ugly Parent Syndrome, where aparent might publicly insult a child or a referee.

She says a police officer has told her to put up a sign at the club in the hope ofscaring the writer.

AAP RTV jb/sc/rsm/jmt

KEYWORD: LETTERS (TOWNSVILLE)

WA: Button's name cleared of 1963 girlfriend manslaughter =2

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WA: Button's name cleared of 1963 girlfriend manslaughter =2

In 1999, a year after Ms BLACKBURN's now multi-award-winning book Broken Lives waspublished, then WA Attorney-General PETER FOSS granted Mr BUTTON an appeal.

ERIC COOKE's widow SALLY COOKE said her husband had confessed several times to killingMs ANDERSON.

COOKE, then 32, made the admissions as he was awaiting execution …

NSW: Insurance bill for bushfire damage not as high as 1994

AAP General News (Australia)
12-26-2001
NSW: Insurance bill for bushfire damage not as high as 1994

SYDNEY, Dec 26 AAP - The Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) today reassured NSW residents
with bushfire-damaged homes that if the house was insured, it would be covered.

"They all are, always," said ICA spokesman Rod Frail.

However, not all of the almost 100 houses that burnt down would necessarily have been
insured, he said.

"We understand that some of those will be sort of bush shacks and holiday shacks that
may not be insured," he said.

He said the insurance bill was not yet as high as other recent natural disasters.

"Obviously, it is a tragedy for the people who are directly affected. It's not at this
stage a large disaster in terms of insurance," Mr Frail said.

"In January 1994 there were 400 houses destroyed or badly damaged."

The insurance bill for those bushfires was about $50 million, he said.

The freak hail storm that damaged hundreds of Sydney houses and cars in April 1999
cost insurers $1.7 billion, Mr Frail said.

Severe storms that hit Sydney on November 19 and December 3 had bills of $40 million
and $60 million, he said.

Meanwhile, the NSW government today established a Christmas fund for victims of the
NSW bushfires, donating $1 million to kickstart the appeal.

NSW Emergency Services Minister Bob Debus said people would be able to make donations
through a dedicated phone line.

AAP rk/arb/ph/br

KEYWORD: BUSHFIRES NSW INSURANCE

2001 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

Fed: Howard expected to address Congess on US visit

AAP General News (Australia)
08-14-2001
Fed: Howard expected to address Congess on US visit

Prime Minister JOHN HOWARD is expected to be given the honour of addressing the United
States Congress during his visit to Washington next month.

A spokesman for Mr HOWARD says the program for the visit hasn't yet been confirmed.

But the powerful head of Congress' International Relations Committee HENRY HYDE is
expected to confirm the address when he brings a formal invitation with him during a visit
to Australia in the near future.

Mr HOWARD will become the first Australian leader to address a joint sitting of Congress
since former Labor leader BOB HAWKE 13 years ago.

While his last US visit two years ago during the administration of Democrat President
BILL CLINTON was a low-key affair tainted by an argument over lamb tariffs, the upcoming
visit will be far more upbeat.

Australia is yet to decide whether to challenge US tariffs in the World Trade Organisation,
despite demands from farmers.

AAP RTV rft/hn .

KEYWORD: HOWARD CONGRESS (CANBERRA)

2001 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

NSW: Govt fails to meet waste planning commitments: report

AAP General News (Australia)
02-28-2001
NSW: Govt fails to meet waste planning commitments: report

A new report from the New South Wales Auditor General claims the state government is
failing dismally to meet its commitments to waste planning.

The 2001 report found the lack of a cohesive government approach has left some agencies
adding to the waste problem, instead of fixing it.

The report says targets for reductions in waste disposal through landfill are not being met.

Waste recycling and processing records indicate that …

Fed: Anti war protests an attack on democracy Snedden

AAP General News (Australia)
01-01-2001
Fed: Anti war protests an attack on democracy Snedden

By Max Blenkin

CANBERRA, Jan 1 AAP - "Bikies pack raping democracy."

That's how Labour and National Service Minister Billy Snedden described the organisers
of the anti-Vietnam war moratorium protests in 1970.

Cabinet documents for 1970, released by the National Archives of Australia under the
30-year rule, show the Liberal-led government of Prime Minister John Gorton clearly perceived
it had a law and order problem.

In 1965 just a few scattered voices objected to conscription and Australian involvement
in Vietnam. …