Radio and Television Breakfast Round Up

AAP General News (Australia)
08-09-1999
Radio and Television Breakfast Round Up
BREAKFAST ROUND-UP: HIGHLIGHTS OF THE AAP RTV FILE AT 0430.

SWISS RIVER (CANBERRA)

Prime Minister JOHN HOWARD and Governor-General Sir WILLIAM DEANE will attend an ecumenical
service in Canberra today for victims of last month's canyoning tragedy in Switzerland.

The service has been arranged at the request of Sir WILLIAM, who returned yesterday after
attending a similar service at Interlaken near the scene of the disaster.

Today's service is at St Christopher's Cathedral in Manuka from noon and will also be
attended by Opposition Leader KIM BEAZLEY, MPs, senators, church leaders and diplomats.

A flash flood swept away 21 people on a canyoning trip in an alpine river, including 13
Australians and a Briton living in Perth.



OLY BANDS (SYDNEY)

The controversial ban on American and Japanese marching bands performing at the Sydney
Olympics opening ceremony will reportedly be reversed this week.

The Daily Telegraph newspaper reports that in a major retreat by Games organisers, the
bands' contractor, American-based World Projects Corporation, will also be offered a
substantial sum to cover legal costs.

It says the plan has been hatched by Olympic power brokers.

The paper reports the Sydney organising committee will be asked to approve a new
international band comprising hundreds more Australians and more players from other nations.

It says the last-ditch bid to resolve the marching band crisis would be finalised at a
special meeting of the board of the Sydney games organiser, SOCOG, on Wednesday night.

Meanwhile, Aboriginal leaders have reportedly decided on a policy of shaming federal and
state governments during the Olympics by showing visitors indigenous people living in poverty.



REPUBLIC (CANBERRA)

Prime Minister JOHN HOWARD has defended the proposed question to be put at the November
republican referendum as truthful and accurate.

Cabinet tomorrow is expected to finalise the republic question and the new preamble to the
constitution to be put to voters on November 6.

Mr HOWARD will today receive a parliamentary committee recommendation to change the wording
of the question to make it clear the Queen will be replaced by an Australian head of state.

The current phrasing of the question only says how a president would be appointed by a
two-thirds majority of parliament.

Mr HOWARD has told reporters he'll consider the recommendation but believes there's no need
to change the present question.

Meanwhile, a new AC Nielsen poll shows a record number of Australians are in favour of a
republic -- 54 per cent.



PARLIAMENT (CANBERRA)

Australia's newest Aboriginal federal politician ADEN RIDGEWAY will take part in a special
tribal ceremony before being sworn in as a senator today.

One of two new Australian Democrats, Senator RIDGEWAY follows NEVILLE BONNER to become just
the second indigenous federal parliamentarian.

The traditional Ngunnawal people of Canberra will perform a smoking ceremony on Senator
RIDGEWAY which they say will strengthen him to achieve the aspirations of his people.

Seven new senators will be sworn in by Governor-General Sir WILLIAM DEANE this afternoon.

The Democrats hold the balance of power in the new Senate thanks to the addition of Senator
RIDGEWAY and Western Australia's BRIAN GREIG.



HANCOCK (SYDNEY)

The daughter of mining magnate LANG HANCOCK is pushing for a coroner's inquiry into the
circumstances surrounding his death.

GINA RINEHEART has lodged a submission with the West Australian Attorney-General seeking
permission to state a case in the Supreme Court for a coroner's inquiry into her father's
death.

Retired New South Wales coroner KEVIN WALLER, who was commissioned by 60 Minutes to examine
evidence surrounding Mr HANCOCK'S death, says a coronial inquiry is needed.

Mrs RINEHEART says the West Australian coroner was given insufficient information on the
circumstances surrounding her father's death.



ECONOMY (CANBERRA)

A survey's found business confidence soared to new heights in July as businesses looked
ahead to stronger economic growth, lower unemployment and improved business investment.

But Australian businesses are also foreshadowing an inflation hike, a rise in interest
rates and continued widening in the current account deficit, according to the latest
Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry survey.

The Chamber's July survey has found the Index of Business Confidence reached a new record
high in July -- rising to 63.5 from 56.4 in April.



NET CASINO (BRISBANE)

Queensland's Criminal Justice Commission will hold a preliminary investigation to determine
whether the so-called net-bet affair should be the subject of an official misconduct inquiry.

The investigation was announced as one of the men at the centre of the affair, Labor MP
BILL D'ARCY, stood down as deputy speaker of Queensland Parliament.

Mr D'ARCY yesterday gave in to calls from Premier PETER BEATTIE to step down from his
parliamentary duties in the wake of Treasurer DAVID HAMILL.

Mr HAMILL stood aside last week pending an Auditor-General's report into his granting of
the state's first Internet gaming licence.

The licence was granted to GoCorp, a company in which Mr D'ARCY and Labor colleagues,
former MP DON LIVINGSTONE and Ipswich City Councillor PAUL PISASALE had an interest.



POOR (SYDNEY)

A new report shows low-income Australians saying they are twice as likely to have
difficulty getting adequate health care than the rich.

The international survey of 1,000 consumers perceptions of health systems has also found
Australians on low incomes are three times more likely to report being in poor or fair health
than those on higher incomes.



BRIEFLY:

The ACTU wants every Australian to strike for an hour or a day in protest against the
federal government's so-called second wave of industrial change.



India has ruled out peace talks with Pakistan, as Muslim guerrillas intensify attacks on
Indian security camps in Kashmir and the two rival armies resume artillery duels.



French peacekeepers have scuffled with ethnic Albanians who are frustrated at being barred
from marching into the Serb-dominated part of a major Kosovo town.



North Korea's state-run news agency says the country will ignore appeals and warnings from
the United States, Japan and South Korea and test another missile.



Palestinian President YASSER ARAFAT says he accepts Israeli Prime Minister EHUD BARAK'S
September starting date for the implementation of outstanding pledges in the Wye River
land-for-security deal.



AND IN SPORTS NEWS:

HOCKEY WOMEN AUST (LONDON)

Australia's women's hockey team has squandered a 3-1 lead with 10 minutes to play to lose
to Holland on a golden goal in the final of the Four Nations tournament in Milton Keynes.

The Hockeyroos took what appeared to be a winning lead in the 40th minute when ALYSON ANNAN
scored a field goal.

But the Dutch hit back in the 61st minute with 20 seconds left on the clock they stunned
the Aussies by equalising and then taking out the title eight minutes into the 20 minute extra
time period.



SOCCER AUST (SYDNEY)

The vacant Socceroo coaching position is still open with five Soccer Australia
commissioners deferring a decision following talks with the leading candidates.

Soccer Australia chairman BASIL SCARSELLA has confirmed that a decision was not reached
after discussions which lasted most of Saturday.



THIS ENDS THE BREAKFAST ROUND-UP
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KEYWORD: BREAKFAST ROUND-UP

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