AAP National News Wire Round-Up for Breakfast, Feb 2

AAP General News (Australia)
02-02-2007
AAP National News Wire Round-Up for Breakfast, Feb 2
Breakfast Round-Up: HIGHLIGHTS OF THE AAP RTV FILE AT 0430


Climate (PARIS)

The UN climate panel has issued its strongest warning yet that human activities are
causing global warming that may bring more drought, heatwaves and rising seas.

The panel's report .. due for formal release today .. bolsters conclusions from a 2001 study.

The new report may put pressure on governments and companies to do more to curb greenhouse
gases mainly from burning fossil fuels in power plants, factories and cars.

Delegates say scientists and government officials in the Intergovernmental Panel on
Climate Change .. the most authoritative group on global warming .. agree it's 90 per
cent probable that human activities are the main cause of warming in the past 50 years.



Education Bishop (BRISBANE)

Federal Education Minister JULIE BISHOP wants state and territory governments to work
together to standardise core high school subjects.

Ms BISHOP says she'll put a plan to state education ministers when they meet in April.

Speaking at a luncheon of the Committee for Economic Development of Australia yesterday
.. Ms BISHOP said Australia should be raising the bar in education .. not lowering it
so that all can pass.

A comparative analysis of Year 12 standards shows some high school students are highly
successful academically .. but a growing number don't have the fundamental skills to get
a job.



Water (GOOLWA)

Prime Minister JOHN HOWARD is appealing to state premiers to support his government's
10 billion dollar plan to fix the Murray Darling basin .. saying it's the only salvation
for the ailing waterways.

Mr HOWARD'S plan has already been rejected by South Australian Premier MIKE RANN ..

but Victorian and New South Wales leaders say they'll consider the rescue package.



Water Rann (SYDNEY)

South Australian Premier MIKE RANN says he's confident he can reach a compromise with
the prime minister on the future management of the Murray-Darling basin.

JOHN HOWARD yesterday travelled to the mouth of the Murray River at Coorong .. south
of Adelaide .. appealing to state premiers to accept a federal takeover of the Murray-Darling.

Mr RANN wants the river system to be managed by a commission of independent experts
.. saying he's willing to compromise .. provided the new management model safeguards the
interests of his state.



Water Qld (BRISBANE)

The Queensland government says it's prepared to force belligerent local councils in
the state's south-east to accept recycled effluent for drinking.

The Caloundra City Council on the Sunshine Coast says while it's willing to pump purified
waste water to parched Brisbane .. it's not willing to be on the receiving end.

The state government says the south-east will be drinking treated sewage by the end
of next year if the drought continues .. whether residents want to or not.



Hicks Letter (CANBERRA)

Democrats .. Labor .. and Greens MPs .. have written to the Democratic Party speaker
of the US Congress .. NANCY PELOSI .. asking for help in bringing home Guantanamo detainee
DAVID HICKS.

The letter .. authored by Democrats leader Senator LYN ALLISON .. has been signed by
all Democrats .. Greens and almost all members of the Labor party.

Their letter states the US military commission process to try HICKS and other Guantanamo
Bay prisoners runs against basic American values.

HICKS' lawyers also claim the Australian was shown a photo of SADDAM HUSSEIN hanging
from a rope after his execution.



Economy Rudd (CANBERRA)

Labor will give big business a central voice in its policy making .. enlisting former
British Airways chief Sir ROD EDDINGTON to head a panel advising Opposition Leader KEVIN
RUDD.

It's planning to set up an advisory council with direct access to the new leader ..

as part of a pitch by Mr RUDD to the business community .. for it to get on board as Labor
tries to win the next election.



PollNSW Habib (SYDNEY)

Muslim candidates could stand in up to seven seats at next month's New South Wales
election .. with former Guantanamo Bay inmate MAMDOUH HABIB announcing his candidacy for
a western Sydney electorate.

Mr HABIB .. who was released from Guantanamo Bay in 2005 after being held for three
years without charge .. will run as an independent in the strong Labor seat of Auburn
on a platform of human rights .. freedom of expression and opposition to the war in Iraq.

JOHN HOWARD says Egyptian-born Mr HABIB is exercising his democratic right .. but New
South Wales Premier MORRIS IEMMA predicts he'll get little support from voters.



Wedgetail (AMBERLEY)

Defence company Boeing promises Australia will receive its first Wedgetail surveillance
aircraft by early 2009 .. two years later than scheduled.

Boeing's MAUREEN DOUGHERTY .. says although there are still challenges ahead .. the
company is fully committed to providing Australia with advanced aircraft.

Australia is yet to decide whether to invoke liquidated damages charges for late delivery.



Beaton (PERTH)

A Perth psychologist was last night found NOT guilty of sexually assaulting and whipping
a bulimic patient he got to act as a slave .. wear a dog collar and call him master.

A Western Australia District Court jury determined 64-year-old BRUCE ALISTAIR BEATON
of Fremantle was only trying to help the 22-year-old woman when he engaged in master-slave
role play.



BRIEFLY IN OTHER NEWS..




A new Australian Greens' advertising campaign on climate change will see the letters
SOS loom over Australia's major cities for the next 30 days.




Patients will be able get health insurance cover for treatments such as chemotherapy
in their home under new rules released yesterday .. with Health Minister TONY ABBOTT saying
the draft private health insurance rules will allow insurers to offer more flexible private
health insurance products.



IN FINANCE ..



Economy (CANBERRA)

The federal government says we're nearly 20 per went wealthier than we were a year ago.

The federal Treasury's latest economic roundup also disputes the perception that Australian
childcare is expensive and in short supply.

The summer 2007 Treasury figures show Australia's net private sector wealth jumped
by 19 per cent in the 2006 financial year .. or 15 per cent taking inflation into account.



AND IN SPORT ..



TRI AUST (SYDNEY)

Australian captain RICKY PONTING will be assessed this morning to see if he's fit to
take on England in today's tri series match at the SCG.

PONTING reported hip soreness after the yesterday's net session and Victorian batsman
BRAD HODGE is on standby to replace him.

South Australian fast bowler SHAUN TAIT will make his one-day international debut,
replacing BRETT LEE, while NSW paceman STUART CLARK replaces Queenslander MITCHELL JOHNSON.



SOCCER AL (NEWCASTLE, NSW)

Sydney FC may throw new signing JONAS SALLEY straight into the starting side for tonight's
sudden-death A-League minor semi-final at Newcastle.

Sydney leads 2-1 after the first leg and a draw will be enough to advance to the preliminary
final.



GOLF EUROPE (DUBAI)

STUART APPLEBY is four shots from the lead after the opening round of the European
PGA's Desert Classic in Dubai.

Joint leaders GRAEME MCDOWELL of Northern Ireland and ROSS FISHER of England shot seven-under
65 to lead by one from South African ERNIE ELS, India's JYOTI RANDHAWA and Spain's JOSE
MANUEL LARA.



GOLF WOMEN (SYDNEY)

World No.3 KARRIE WEBB is among the early starters for the second round of the Women's
Australian Open at Royal Sydney today.



ENDS BREAKFAST ROUND-UP

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