AAP National News Wire Round-Up for Breakfast, Aug 27

AAP General News (Australia)
08-27-2009
AAP National News Wire Round-Up for Breakfast, Aug 27
BREAKFAST ROUND-UP: HIGHLIGHTS OF THE AAP RTV FILE AT 0430


GORGON GARRETT (CANBERRA)

Federal environment minister PETER GARRETT admits the $50 billion Gorgon gas project
is very greenhouse gas intensive and there's no guarantee burying emissions will work.

Mr GARRETT has conceded the massive LNG project on WA's Barrow Island could increase
Australia's overall emissions by as much as one per cent.

The project's proponents hope to bury some of the emissions under the seabed.

When asked on ABC's Lateline program if those emissions could leak out .. Mr GARRETT
said: could's probably the operative word.

Meantime .. US oil giant Chevron .. which spearheads the project .. says once a few
more formal approvals are in .. a final investment decision will be made .. and contracts
for construction can be placed.

With already two billion dollars committed .. the company expects jobs for up to almost
10-thousand people directly and as spin-off.



US KENNEDY WRAP (LONDON, SYDNEY)

Tributes continue to pour in from around the world for US Senator EDWARD KENNEDY who's
passed after a battle with brain cancer.

British Prime Minister GORDON BROWN said even facing illness and death .. KENNEDY never
stopped fighting .. while former British PM TONY BLAIR called him a true public servant.

Prime Minister KEVIN RUDD says KENNEDY made an extraordinary contribution to American
politics and was a great friend of Australia.

Former prime minister JOHN HOWARD says the death ends a great era in American politics.

Mr HOWARD says the KENNEDY family has had an enormous impact on American political
life .. enjoying great political success .. but also suffering continuing personal tragedy.

US President BARACK OBAMA says he's heartbroken by the news .. adding that America
has lost its greatest senator of our time.

It's been confirmed the late Senator is to be buried at Arlington National Cemetery
along with his deceased brothers JOHN F KENNEDY and ROBERT F KENNEDY.



LEADERSHIP NSW (SYDNEY)

Embattled New South Wales Premier NATHAN REES has declared he won't resign the top job.

Mr REES has told News Limited by telephone while on a holiday .. that he has no such intention.

Labor powerbroker JOE TRIPODI has also come out to back the beleaguered leader following
reports Mr REES is about to be replaced by Planning Minister KRISTINA KENEALLY.

Mr TRIPODI's told News that NATHAN REES is premier and will continue to be premier
going to the next election.

Rumours have raged this week after reports that a deal had been done among party factional
leaders for Mr REES to resign.



TERROR VIC Wrap

A Melbourne magistrate is expected to announce today whether to bail three of the five
men accused of planning a suicide attack on Sydney's Holsworthy army barracks.

Magistrate PETER REARDON will have to consider the prosecution's claim the men could
try another terrorist act in Australia if they are bailed and might try to flee the country.

But one of the accuseds' lawyer says his client has expressed no hatred of Australia
or America or threatened to blow up the world .. and no person charged with terrorism
in Victoria released on bail has committed another terrorism offence.



INDIGENOUS (CANBERRA)

Plans for a new indigenous body to replace the defunct ATSIC .. which was abolished
by the Howard government in 2005 .. will be unveiled today.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander social justice commissioner TOM CALMA will today
present a new model to the federal government .. after 12 months of intensive consultations.

Prominent Aboriginal leader PAT DODSON says the new national body should be independent
of government and must not become a plaything for politicians.

Indigenous Affairs Minister JENNY MACKLIN is expected to outline the government's response
to Mr CALMA'S proposed model .. also today.



HEALTHY (MELBOURNE)

The price of cheaper alcohol favoured by teens and problem drinkers could be forced
up by a new tax as part of a package to improve Australians' health.

News Limited newspapers say the Preventative Health Taskforce .. set up by Prime Minister
KEVIN RUDD .. has developed a plan to make Australians slimmer and healthier.

Proposals in its report to the federal government are said to include .. vouchers to
encourage people in poorer communities to eat healthy foo .. and a $5 increase in the
price of an average packet of 30 cigarettes.

Other proposals include an end to cigarette promotions inside shops .. and stricter
controls on licensing hours and alcohol advertising;


MYSPACE (SYDNEY)

Teenagers on MySpace are being offered a reloadable prepaid Visa card to securely spend
their money online.

The card from ANZ Bank is the first of its kind in Australia .. targeting social networking
site users.

MySpace spokesman NICK LOVE says the card will give under 18s .. who aren't eligible
for credit cards .. more freedom and security to make purchases on the internet.

Teens can also use the card to buy prepaid phone credit through the site.



BRIEFLY IN OTHER NEWS ..



Afghan Vote (KABUL)

Incumbent HAMID KARZAI has pulled further ahead of his main rival in the race for the
Afghan presidency.



Italy Australian (CANBERRA)

Australian and Italian authorities are investigating the death of a young Australian
man .. whose body was found Rome with a severe head wound.



Rights Howard (PERTH)

Former PM JOHN HOWARD says a bill of rights would deprive parliament of its role of
to make decisions for Australians by handing those powers to unelected judges and bureaucrats.



Weather (CANBERRA)

The weather bureau has confirmed Australia is experiencing its warmest-ever winter
with temperatures for August so far more than three degrees above average.



IN SPORT ..



AFL WRAP (MELBOURNE)

Hawthorn will make a last-ditch effort to clear LANCE FRANKLIN to play in Saturday's
crucial AFL match against Essendon when they front the league's appeals board this evening.

FRANKLIN was found guilty of engaging in rough conduct and banned for two matches at
a tribunal hearing on Tuesday night .. for a high bump on Richmond's BEN COUSINS.

Meantime .. The AFL will go ahead with plans to make the national draft more of a television
event .. staging it on a Thursday night.

The league have announced they'll move the draft from Saturday .. November 28 to Thursday
evening .. November 26 with a live telecast on Fox Sports.



LEAGUE WRAP (SYDNEY)

The board of the Melbourne Storm NRL club are expected to meet today to discuss the
immediate playing future of rugby league star GREG INGLIS.

INGLIS has been under an indefinite suspension for the past two weeks after he was
charged with assaulting his former girlfriend.

Meantime .. Wests Tigers prop BRYCE GIBBS has been banned for three matches after being
found guilty of a grade two dangerous contact charge at the NRL judiciary.



CRICKET AUST PONTING (SYDNEY)

RICKY PONTING says he's determined to play on the Ashes tour of 2013 .. even if he's
no longer the Australian captain.

PONTING returned to Sydney last night after becoming the first Australian captain to
surrender the Ashes twice to England.



SOCCER AUST WRAP (MELBOURNE)

Clubless Socceroos captain LUCAS NEILL has been left out of the squad for next month's
friendly against South Korea in Seoul.

Attacking midfielder TIM CAHILL .. who starred in Australia's recent win over Ireland
in Limerick .. has also been left out.

Meantime .. Brazilian midfielder AMARAL could make a shock return to Perth Glory's
line-up for Friday night's A-League clash with Melbourne Victory at ME Bank Stadium.

AMARAL .. who played seven times for the Glory last season before tearing his hamstring
.. is almost certain to be offered a nine-match guest player contract by the club.




ENDS BREAKFAST ROUND-UP

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