Fed: Crean says Labor adopts new refugee policy=2 Canberra

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Fed: Crean says Labor adopts new refugee policy=2 Canberra

Mr CREAN says there has been a civil debate in caucus on the policy, which has stirredintense divisions within Labor ranks.

He says there have been no substantive changes to the policy he had proposed on Tuesday.

Labor frontbencher ANTHONY ALBANESE said before the caucus meeting he would argue againstthe exclusion of Christmas Island from the migration zone.

Mr CREAN says an amendment to retain Christmas Island in the zone was defeated on ashow of hands.

Aspects of the new policy include a 90 day cap on mandatory detention, the introductionof a United States-style green card system for catching foreigners working illegally andremoving children from immigration detention centres.

AAP RTV toc/sw/ds

KEYWORD: BOAT LABOR DECISION 2 CANBERRA (REOPEN)

NSW: Health services at risk over UMP = 2

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NSW: Health services at risk over UMP = 2

Dr Phelps said certain groups of doctors, including neurosurgeons working privately,may not be able to work from today without assurances about their future.

"The federal government needs to have a plan in place, I would say within the next24 hours, unless they're expecting to lose those essential services they're saying wewon't lose," she said.

She said many doctors would have no choice but to stop working in some high risk areasuntil they had a degree of certainty.

"That certainty requires a plan ... which is acceptable to the medical profession andto the community." she said.

"What we need is a short term plan that will save essential services in the short term,as in today, tomorrow and next week."

Dr Phelps said public hospital services would continue and emergency services wereunlikely to be affected.

However non-emergency surgery could suffer and the load on the public system was likelyto increase, she said.

"Anybody who needs urgent medical treatment of an emergency nature over the next daysand weeks, that will be available to them," she said.

"Of concern is what happens with less urgent cases."

AAP jjs/arb/cjh/bwl

KEYWORD: INDEMNITY AMA LEAD 2 SYDNEY

NSW: IRC rules itself out of hearing Barry unfair contract case

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NSW: IRC rules itself out of hearing Barry unfair contract case

SYDNEY, Feb 15 AAP - Former Media Watch presenter Paul Barry has had a temporary setbackin his unfair contract case against the ABC after the NSW Industrial Relations Commissionruled itself out of hearing the matter.

Mr Barry lodged a case in the commission almost a year ago claiming his contract ofemployment with the national broadcaster was harsh, unfair and unconscionable.

The former Media Watch host claims he was stood down as presenter of the show in November 2000.

A preliminary hearing in the case was told Mr Barry believed he had been stood downbecause of his criticisms of former ABC managing director Jonathan Shier on the MediaWatch program.

The ABC had applied for the case to be struck out, claiming the NSW Industrial RelationsCommission did not have the jurisdiction to hear the claim.

The full bench of the commission today agreed with the ABC application, claiming asa state authority it did not have jurisdiction to hear the case.

The case is set to return to the state commission to determine how the matter will proceed.

AAP nd/jjs/las/bre

KEYWORD: BARRY

Fed: Government considering peace-keeping commitment

AAP General News (Australia)
12-18-2001
Fed: Government considering peace-keeping commitment

The federal government says it's considering committing troops to an international
peace keeping force in Afghanistan, despite earlier ruling out the move.

British Prime Minister TONY BLAIR says Britain is willing to lead the force, and the
first troops could be on the ground shortly.

He says details are being worked out, but several nations are willing to contribute
troops, including Australia, Canada, Argentina, Jordan and New Zealand.

Defence Minister ROBERT HILL says the government has not decided whether Australia
will contribute.

AAP RTV kp/nf/pc/rp

KEYWORD: TERROR AUST TROOPS (SYDNEY)

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

FED: Union rejects offer to end car dispute

AAP General News (Australia)
08-04-2001
FED: Union rejects offer to end car dispute

The union at the centre of the dispute crippling Australia's automotive industry has
rejected an offer to end the matter.

Three of the country's four major car makers have been forced to stand down workers
and stop production after a week-long strike by 300 workers at TriStar Steering and Suspension
in Sydney.

At the heart of the dispute is a refusal by TriStar management to sign onto Manusafe,
a trust fund unions say will protect workers' entitlements.

Tristar, a small car parts firm, yesterday offered to end the dispute by offering an
insurance bond to workers to protect entitlements in the unlikely event of the company
going insolvent.

However, Australian Manufacturing Workers Union national secretary DOUG CAMERON says
the union is not prepared to accept an ultimatum from the Australian Industry Group or
TriStar for Manusafe to be withdrawn from the negotiating table.

AAP RTV mk/pc

KEYWORD: CARS (SYDNEY)

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

Qld: Lib defies party on preferences

AAP General News (Australia)
02-20-2001
Qld: Lib defies party on preferences

Former Queensland Liberal Party leader JOAN SHELDON defied her party's stance of putting
One Nation last by asking her supporters to Vote 1 for her in the state election on Saturday.

Mrs SHELDON originally intended to put One Nation last in her preferences, but changed
her cards the day before the poll to advocate VOTE 1.

Liberal campaign director GRAHAM JAESCHKE says he'd notified Mrs SHELDON that the party
was unhappy with her putting only one in the box.

He says she should have …

ACT: Main Stories in today s Canberra newspapers

AAP General News (Australia)
12-21-2000
ACT: Main Stories in today s Canberra newspapers

CANBERRA, Dec 21 AAP - The main stories in today's Canberra Times:

Page 1 - Tony Abbott comes out fighting, accusing the union movement of arrogance,
bullying and privilege; Alcohol was given to six underage youths by intoxicated Quamby
Youth Centre staff.

Page 2 - ALP indicates it might not run in Ryan by-election.

Page 3 - Taxi driver was punched, hit with an iron bar and robbed in second attack
on a Canberra cabbie in a week; ACT rangers warn residents to be on the lookout for venomous
snakes.

World - Bush plans to announce Cabinet choices today (Washington); American negotiators
reopen peace talks between Israel and Palestinians at air force base (Washington).

Finance - Sharp fall in Lend Lease shares help drive Aust sharemarket lower; A$ rallies
to near US55c after US Federal Reserve signals further slowing of economic growth.

Sport - AFL may have secured richest deal in Australian sporting history but plenty
have their hand out for a share; Steve Waugh confident of returning for Boxing Day Test,
meaning luckless Damien Martin set to step aside once again.

AAP dep/was/

KEYWORD: FRONTERS ACT

2000 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.