AAP National News Wire Round-Up for Breakfast, April 20

AAP General News (Australia)
04-20-2011
AAP National News Wire Round-Up for Breakfast, April 20
Breakfast Round-Up: HIGHLIGHTS OF THE AAP RTV FILE AT 0430


China Gillard (CANBERRA)

The Prime Minister is kicking off her week-long tour of Asia in Japan today.

JULIA GILLARD says she'll be looking at progressing talks on free trade agreements
in both South Korea and China .. and she'll also be broaching the delicate issue of human
rights.

Ms GILLARD's told ABC television she's optimistic the FTA with Korea can be signed off this year.

She says she hopes to visit a tsunami-struck area of Japan .. and will use her time
there to emphasise Australia's support for the country as it seeks to recover from last
month's devastating earthquake and tsunami .. which killed tens of thousands of people.



Climate (CANBERRA)

Meanwhile .. Ms GILLARD has promised the carbon price will create more jobs .. while
industry leaders and unions have stepped up their concerns that mining and manufacturing
positions will be lost.

Ahead of her trip to China where she'll discuss climate change and trade issues ..

the Prime Minister's met in Canberra with the multi-party committee set up to determine
how to price carbon.

Industry chiefs have also met with Climate Change Minister GREG COMBET to raise concerns
about potential job losses .. especially in steel making and mining .. to countries that
don't have a carbon tax.

Ms GILLARD says the government will work with industries to transition to a clean energy
economy .. which will provide more jobs.

She says she's keen to understand how China intends to meet its emissions targets ..

but is determined Australia will meet its target of a five per cent cut by 2020.



Budget (CANBERRA)

WAYNE SWAN says the second phase of the mining boom won't produce the rivers of gold
of government revenue like the former coalition government enjoyed and wasted.

In a keynote speech ahead of his fourth budget on May 10 .. the treasurer will tell
the Queensland Media Club this mining boom will have a vastly different effect on the
budget.

This is because the current boom starts with an already high terms of trade .. so economic
growth rates won't be anything like those seen during the first boom.

The economy's also suffering from a hangover of the global financial crisis .. with
tighter credit conditions .. subdued consumer spending .. a high Australian dollar and
the impact of this summer's natural disasters.



Floods Inquiry (BRISBANE)

Queensland's flood inquiry moves today to the Darling Downs town of Dalby .. west of Brisbane.

SES volunteers and the town's mayor RAY BROWN are among several who'll address the inquiry.

Dalby endured two major floods in January when the town's Myall Creek rose rapidly
after heavy rain in the region .. with more than 100 homes evacuated on both occasions.

The inquiry's spent the earlier part of the week in Toowoomba .. where yesterday it
heard the distressing triple zero calls of DONNA RICE and her son JORDAN .. who died when
a wall of water hit the city's CBD on January 10.



Airport (SYDNEY)

Jetstar is working to get two thousand stranded passengers on their way after a security
lapse at Sydney Airport caused a shutdown.

A power failure caused a security screening checkpoint in the T2 terminal to malfunction
yesterday afternoon .. and 16 passengers walking through without being screened.

Sydney Airport ordered the re-screening of the entire terminal .. including many of
those already on board aircraft waiting to take off.

Virgin Blue, Tiger Airways, Jetstar and QantasLink flights were all affected.

15 Jetstar flights were cancelled .. and the airline says it's working to get affected
passengers to their intended destinations today.



Toll Aust (MELBOURNE)

Police across Australia will target road toll hot spots this Easter break in the nationwide
Operation Crossroads.

Running for this year's national five day holiday break from tomorrow to Tuesday ..

the operation will target speeding .. fatigued and distracted drivers .. as well as those
affected by drugs and alcohol.

Police officers will also donate blood this week as part of Operation Crossroads ..

which is being run in partnership with the Australian Red Cross Blood Service.



Wilkie (CANBERRA)

A former army cadet who claims ANDREW WILKIE bullied him says the independent MP tried
to resist a meeting over the incident .. 28 years ago.

Mr WILKIE has said he has no recollection of the claim by BRENDAN ETCHES .. who says
the member for Denison ordered him to salute the 50th anniversary of Nazi leader ADOLF
HITLER's rise to power in the 1980s.

Mr ETCHES told ABC radio yesterday .. he only spoke out about the incident he claims
took place at Duntroon Military College .. when Mr WILKIE initially fobbed him off about
a meeting.

Mr ETCHES met Mr WILKIE on Monday .. and says the recent Skype sex scandal at the Australian
Defence Force Academy prompted him to reveal the incident.

Mr WILKIE says he's offered assistance to Defence Minister STEPHEN SMITH about reforming
the culture at military colleges.



AFL Nixon (MELBOURNE)

Controversial former player manager RICKY NIXON is making a documentary about his life
in the AFL .. and it'll include his involvement with the St Kilda schoolgirl that led
to his deregistration.

The Age says NIXON has teamed up with a documentary maker but remains undecided about
whether he will let the film go to air.

NIXON was stripped of his agent's accreditation following allegations he'd engaged
in sex and drugs with a teenager.



Libya Misrata (MISRATA)

A senior rebel official in the besieged Libyan city of Misrata says they're formally
asking for Western troops to intervene to protect them from loyalist forces.

The official has told reporters that they're asking for French and British assistance
on "humanitarian" principles .. saying if they don't receive help .. they'll die.

He says that while they had been asking for no foreign interference .. that was before
rockets and planes were used by forces loyal to strongman MUAMMAR GADDAFI.

Meanwhile .. Britain says it's sending military officers to help the rebels in Benghazi
improve their organisation .. communications and logistics.

But Foreign Secretary WILLIAM HAGUE says the team won't be involved in training or
arming the rebels fighting GADDAFI's regime .. nor will it help plan their military operations.



Briefly in other news ..



Greens Israel (SYDNEY)

Marrickville Council has overturned its controversial boycott of Israel .. preventing
the likelihood of being sacked by newly elected Premier BARRY O'FARRELL.



Laser (SYDNEY)

Police have charged a man with pointing a laser at a commercial airplane after take-off
from Sydney Airport.



Wedding YouTube (LONDON)

YouTube will stream live the wedding of Prince WILLIAM and KATE MIDDLETON .. in line
with the couple's wishes the day as accessible as possible.



in Sport ..



RL (SYDNEY)

The Sydney Roosters are expected to obtain medical advice today on the course of action
they should take in the rehabilitation of troubled NRL star TODD CARNEY.

Chief executive STEVE NOYCE yesterday said the club would be guided by medical professionals
in determining how they should deal with CARNEY'S alcohol problem and when he might return
to play.

The Roosters yesterday imposed an indefinite ban on CARNEY and hooker ANTHONY WATTS
after the pair's late night drinking session at the weekend.



RL Marshall (SYDNEY)

The NRL has been granted little reprieve in regards to off-field indiscretions ...

with the assault case involving Wests Tigers superstar BENJI MARSHALL set to begin in
court today.



AFL Tribunal (MELBOURNE)

Collingwood key forward CHRIS DAWES and Fremantle captain MATTHEW PAVLICH have both
had wins at the AFL Tribunal.



Soc ACL Victory (MELBOURNE)

Melbourne Victory need a win against China's Tianjin Teda at Etihad Stadium tonight
to retain any realistic hopes of progressing from their Asian Champions League group.



ENDS BREAKFAST ROUND-UP

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