SYDNEY, Oct 27 (Reuters) - Compiled for Reuters by Media Monitors. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
THE AUSTRALIAN FINANCIAL REVIEW (www.afr.com)
Superannuation funds are seeking changes to company pay structure that better explain how executive remuneration is linked to performance. The Australian Council of Super Investors will today call for reforms to the Corporations Act. David Atkin, chief executive of super fund Cbus, said companies had moved 'way from long-term hurdles being set for performance to more short-term vehicles, which we think is problematic.' Page 1.
The Investment and Financial Services Association (IFSA) will today meet Federal Treasurer Wayne Swan and Treasury officials to convey the funds management industry' concerns over its exclusion from the Governments deposits guarantee. Credit unions and building societies argue they have been put at a disadvantage because of the restriction of the guarantee to banks. IFSA chairman David Deverall said the industry has not so far 'had the opportunity to sit down and see what's possible and what's not.' Page 1.
James Packer' Consolidated Media Holdings (CMH) is today expected to announce that the billionaire will step down from the board of PBL Media, the debt-burdened parent company of broadcaster Nine Network. The move comes after CMH last week turned down a request from private equity firm CVC Asia Pacific, which owns 75 percent of PBL Media, to inject A$75 million into the latter. CVC Asia Pacific is now expected to pump A$300 million into PBL Media, diluting CMH' stake in the media group to 10 percent from 25 percent. Page 1.
The car industry expects the Federal Government to reveal this week an upwards of A$2.5 billion package in response to the Bracks review of the sector. The measures in the 12-year blueprint are expected to include a restructuring fund worth up to A$80 million for the car components sector. The Federation of Automotive Products Manufacturers has already warned of job losses of up to 7000 by the end of 2009 if the Government fails to act. Page 3.
THE AUSTRALIAN (www.theaustralian.news.com.au)
Deputy Federal Liberal leader Julie Bishop has become caught up in her second plagiarism row in a month after it emerged that parts of an essay written by her were taken from a speech New Zealand businessman Roger Kerr made nine years ago. The latest incident comes a month after Ms Bishop allegedly used material from the Wall Street Journal in a speech without attribution. Ms Bishop's chief of staff, Murray Hansen, yesterday took '100 percent responsibility' for the latest plagiarism. Page 1.
Aboriginal community leaders have expressed concern that the windfall from the Rudd Governments A$10.4 billion economic stimulus package will end up being used on gambling and alcohol. While Napranum, Queensland bus driver Colin Savo plans to spend the money on furniture and a computer, Aurukun mayor Neville Pootchemunka said 'were worried the money will go on sly grog.' Some indigenous families are expected to receive more than A$10,000 when the bonuses start being sent out on December 8. Page 1.
Australian courts will increasingly see plea bargaining being used and a decreased role for juries due to a pressing need to contain costs and delays, three prominent judges have predicted. Within 12 years there could be judge-only trials for most cases, West Australian Chief Justice Wayne Martin, New South Wales Supreme Court judge Peter McClellan and Victorian Court of Appeal judge Mark Weinberg told a National Judicial College conference at the weekend. Page 2.
An international education researcher yesterday described the Federal Government's policy requiring schools to publicly disclose their results in national tests as 'macho-type'. Peter Mortimore, former director of the Institute of Education at the University of London, said 'you cant bully teachers into improving.' While he praised the Government's intentions, Professor Mortimore said the available evidence did not support the argument that education systems could be reformed through such populist measures. Page 2.
THE SYDNEY MORNING HERALD (www.smh.com.au)
Australia's Indigenous Dreamtime team beat the New Zealand Maori 34-26 in last night's Welcome to Country rugby league match in front of a near-capacity crowd at the Sydney Football Stadium. The Australian team was inspired by halfback Johnathan Thurston, who wore a black armband out of respect for his uncle Richard Saunders, who died on Saturday. Thurston scored the first points and was instrumental in two of his side's key tries. Page 1.
Immigration Minister Chris Evans has asked his department to give him a 'full briefing' following allegations that up to 20 Afghan asylum seekers sent back by the previous Howard government were killed after returning to their country. The claims have been made in A Well-Founded Fear, a documentary to be telecast on SBS on November 19. About 400 Afghans held at a detention centre on Nauru under the Howard government's so-called Pacific solution were returned to Afghanistan after their asylum claims were rejected. Page 1.
Economists have described as 'strange' and 'weird' the sharp decline of the Australian dollar against the world's major currencies. The Financial Times in London described the Australian currency as the 'whipping boy' of foreign exchange markets after it sank over the weekend to a five-year low of 60.57 U.S. cents and a record low against the Japanese yen. BT Financial Group chief economist Chris Gaton said there was 'no rational reason' for the Australian dollar's dismal performance. Page 1.
Immigration Minister Chris Evans has defended Australia's migration program after the Opposition called for a 25 percent cut to the record high immigration intake. The 2008-09 immigration program has 190,300 places, with 133,500 of these for permanent skilled migrants. The Opposition says the program needs to be reviewed in the face of the global economic crisis and rising unemployment, but Senator Evans said migrants 'are a net positive to the budget.' Page 2.
THE AGE (www.theage.com.au)
The Brumby Government has rebuffed calls for greater oversight of covert police operations following revelations Victoria Police infiltrated community and activist groups. The state Opposition, the Law Institute of Victoria and Liberty Victoria have called for an external body such as a parliamentary committee to be given powers to supervise covert police activities. But Police Minister Bob Cameron said there is already 'appropriate oversight in place'. Page 1.
Melbourne's water supplies may run out after 20 years, instead of the five decades claimed by the Victorian Government, despite a A$4.9 billion water plan. The Department of Sustainability and Environment warned yesterday that the city's supplies could drop below the trigger point for restrictions within 15 to 20 years of the water plan. The report prompted the Opposition to claim the Brumby Government had 'deliberately misled Victorians into believing its water plan would solve Melbourne's needs.' Page 3.
An adolescent psychiatrist has called for an anti-drinking advertising campaign similar to the successful anti-smoking campaign to combat excessive alcohol consumption among young adults. 'Binge drinking isn't just bad for health but bad for their brain development,' Michael Carr-Gregg told a binge drinking forum in Melbourne last night, arguing in favour of a ban on alcohol advertising. Dr Carr-Gregg also criticised the alcohol industry for using conspicuous marketing to promote drinking among young adults. Page 3. -- . ng COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Financial News Limited 2008. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Thomson Financial News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Financial News.
THE AUSTRALIAN FINANCIAL REVIEW (www.afr.com)
Superannuation funds are seeking changes to company pay structure that better explain how executive remuneration is linked to performance. The Australian Council of Super Investors will today call for reforms to the Corporations Act. David Atkin, chief executive of super fund Cbus, said companies had moved 'way from long-term hurdles being set for performance to more short-term vehicles, which we think is problematic.' Page 1.
The Investment and Financial Services Association (IFSA) will today meet Federal Treasurer Wayne Swan and Treasury officials to convey the funds management industry' concerns over its exclusion from the Governments deposits guarantee. Credit unions and building societies argue they have been put at a disadvantage because of the restriction of the guarantee to banks. IFSA chairman David Deverall said the industry has not so far 'had the opportunity to sit down and see what's possible and what's not.' Page 1.
James Packer' Consolidated Media Holdings (CMH) is today expected to announce that the billionaire will step down from the board of PBL Media, the debt-burdened parent company of broadcaster Nine Network. The move comes after CMH last week turned down a request from private equity firm CVC Asia Pacific, which owns 75 percent of PBL Media, to inject A$75 million into the latter. CVC Asia Pacific is now expected to pump A$300 million into PBL Media, diluting CMH' stake in the media group to 10 percent from 25 percent. Page 1.
The car industry expects the Federal Government to reveal this week an upwards of A$2.5 billion package in response to the Bracks review of the sector. The measures in the 12-year blueprint are expected to include a restructuring fund worth up to A$80 million for the car components sector. The Federation of Automotive Products Manufacturers has already warned of job losses of up to 7000 by the end of 2009 if the Government fails to act. Page 3.
THE AUSTRALIAN (www.theaustralian.news.com.au)
Deputy Federal Liberal leader Julie Bishop has become caught up in her second plagiarism row in a month after it emerged that parts of an essay written by her were taken from a speech New Zealand businessman Roger Kerr made nine years ago. The latest incident comes a month after Ms Bishop allegedly used material from the Wall Street Journal in a speech without attribution. Ms Bishop's chief of staff, Murray Hansen, yesterday took '100 percent responsibility' for the latest plagiarism. Page 1.
Aboriginal community leaders have expressed concern that the windfall from the Rudd Governments A$10.4 billion economic stimulus package will end up being used on gambling and alcohol. While Napranum, Queensland bus driver Colin Savo plans to spend the money on furniture and a computer, Aurukun mayor Neville Pootchemunka said 'were worried the money will go on sly grog.' Some indigenous families are expected to receive more than A$10,000 when the bonuses start being sent out on December 8. Page 1.
Australian courts will increasingly see plea bargaining being used and a decreased role for juries due to a pressing need to contain costs and delays, three prominent judges have predicted. Within 12 years there could be judge-only trials for most cases, West Australian Chief Justice Wayne Martin, New South Wales Supreme Court judge Peter McClellan and Victorian Court of Appeal judge Mark Weinberg told a National Judicial College conference at the weekend. Page 2.
An international education researcher yesterday described the Federal Government's policy requiring schools to publicly disclose their results in national tests as 'macho-type'. Peter Mortimore, former director of the Institute of Education at the University of London, said 'you cant bully teachers into improving.' While he praised the Government's intentions, Professor Mortimore said the available evidence did not support the argument that education systems could be reformed through such populist measures. Page 2.
THE SYDNEY MORNING HERALD (www.smh.com.au)
Australia's Indigenous Dreamtime team beat the New Zealand Maori 34-26 in last night's Welcome to Country rugby league match in front of a near-capacity crowd at the Sydney Football Stadium. The Australian team was inspired by halfback Johnathan Thurston, who wore a black armband out of respect for his uncle Richard Saunders, who died on Saturday. Thurston scored the first points and was instrumental in two of his side's key tries. Page 1.
Immigration Minister Chris Evans has asked his department to give him a 'full briefing' following allegations that up to 20 Afghan asylum seekers sent back by the previous Howard government were killed after returning to their country. The claims have been made in A Well-Founded Fear, a documentary to be telecast on SBS on November 19. About 400 Afghans held at a detention centre on Nauru under the Howard government's so-called Pacific solution were returned to Afghanistan after their asylum claims were rejected. Page 1.
Economists have described as 'strange' and 'weird' the sharp decline of the Australian dollar against the world's major currencies. The Financial Times in London described the Australian currency as the 'whipping boy' of foreign exchange markets after it sank over the weekend to a five-year low of 60.57 U.S. cents and a record low against the Japanese yen. BT Financial Group chief economist Chris Gaton said there was 'no rational reason' for the Australian dollar's dismal performance. Page 1.
Immigration Minister Chris Evans has defended Australia's migration program after the Opposition called for a 25 percent cut to the record high immigration intake. The 2008-09 immigration program has 190,300 places, with 133,500 of these for permanent skilled migrants. The Opposition says the program needs to be reviewed in the face of the global economic crisis and rising unemployment, but Senator Evans said migrants 'are a net positive to the budget.' Page 2.
THE AGE (www.theage.com.au)
The Brumby Government has rebuffed calls for greater oversight of covert police operations following revelations Victoria Police infiltrated community and activist groups. The state Opposition, the Law Institute of Victoria and Liberty Victoria have called for an external body such as a parliamentary committee to be given powers to supervise covert police activities. But Police Minister Bob Cameron said there is already 'appropriate oversight in place'. Page 1.
Melbourne's water supplies may run out after 20 years, instead of the five decades claimed by the Victorian Government, despite a A$4.9 billion water plan. The Department of Sustainability and Environment warned yesterday that the city's supplies could drop below the trigger point for restrictions within 15 to 20 years of the water plan. The report prompted the Opposition to claim the Brumby Government had 'deliberately misled Victorians into believing its water plan would solve Melbourne's needs.' Page 3.
An adolescent psychiatrist has called for an anti-drinking advertising campaign similar to the successful anti-smoking campaign to combat excessive alcohol consumption among young adults. 'Binge drinking isn't just bad for health but bad for their brain development,' Michael Carr-Gregg told a binge drinking forum in Melbourne last night, arguing in favour of a ban on alcohol advertising. Dr Carr-Gregg also criticised the alcohol industry for using conspicuous marketing to promote drinking among young adults. Page 3. -- . ng COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Financial News Limited 2008. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Thomson Financial News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Financial News.