AAP National News Wire Round-Up for Evening, April 16

AAP General News (Australia)
04-16-2009
AAP National News Wire Round-Up for Evening, April 16
Evening Round-Up: HIGHLIGHTS OF THE AAP RTV FILE AT 1630


Boat Debus (CANBERRA)

Home Affairs Minister BOB DEBUS says it's possible the suspected asylum seekers aboard
a boat that's sunk off Australia's northern coast .. doused the vessel in petrol before
an explosion.

Three people have been killed and two are missing following the explosion near Ashmore
Reef .. more than 800 kilometres west of Darwin.

The ABC reports about 46 people have been injured.

The boat was intercepted yesterday near Ashmore Reef with 49 suspected asylum seekers
onboard .. it was being escorted to Christmas Island by the Navy.

Rear Admiral ALAN DU TOIT has confirmed three or four defence personnel were aboard
the vessel but there's been no reports of Australian deaths.

Meanwhile .. a doctor and nurse from Darwin are being flown to a temporary hospital
base in Western Australia to help treat the injured.

The two medics .. from Royal Darwin Hospital .. are bringing large stock of medical
supplies to the makeshift hospital at Truscott Airbase .. north of Kununnurra.



AG Bikies (CANBERRA)

The nation's attorneys-general say they've agreed to a universal framework that will
help police crack down on outlaw motorcycle gangs.

They've been meeting in Canberra today discussing changes to federal phone-tapping
laws .. and amendments to the Serious and Organised Crime Control Act to target bikie
gangs.

Federal Attorney-General ROBERT MCCLELLAND says the new framework will prevent any
jurisdiction becoming a safe haven for bikie gangs.

The state's won't be forced to introduce the legislation word for word .. which will
be seen as a victory for Victoria and the ACT .. after they refused to introduce laws
allowing membership of gangs to be deemed illegal.



Climate Garnaut (CANBERRA)

The government's own climate adviser says it may be best to dump the emissions trading
scheme and have another crack at it later.

Professor ROSS GARNAUT says it's questionable whether the scheme is worth doing in
its current form .. and has urged senators to make substantial changes during a committee
hearing today.

GARNAUT .. an economist .. who's been hired by the government to advise them on climate
change .. says the global recession means it's not a good time for good policy.

He says the scheme needs to be less generous to big business .. it must allow for deeper
greenhouse cuts .. and funnel more money to new technologies and research.



Alcopops (CANBERRA)

The RUDD government won't budge on its refusal to ban alcohol advertising during day-time
sports broadcasts.

That's despite a key senator vowing to sink the alcopops tax hike for the second time
if his demands aren't met.

Family First's STEVE FIELDING sided with the opposition to defeat the government's
70 per cent alcopops tax rise in March and is again calling for the ban.

But .. Health Minister NICOLA ROXON says she won't agree to the demand.



RBA Creditcards (CANBERRA)

Consumers are racking up debt on the plastic again .. lifting the total outstanding
balances on credit cards to a record 45.4 billion dollars.

Data released by the Reserve Bank of Australia today shows credit cardholders have
repaid just 16.8 billion dollars of their outstanding debts in February .. the lowest
level in a year .. while spending with credit cards was 17.1 billion dollars.

In comparison .. cardholders repaid 18.1 billion dollars in January .. while spending
16.6 billion dollars.



Murray SA (ADELAIDE)

The federal government has assured Adelaide residents they won't run out of water anytime
soon .. despite the Murray River hitting record lows.

It comes after the Murray-Darling Basin Authority said it can't guarantee the delivery
of water for critical human needs for the state over the next two years .. with the past
three month's inflows the lowest ever recorded.

But federal Water Minister PENNY WONG says the city's water is secure .. at least for
the next financial year.



Franklin (SYDNEY)

The shortlist for Australia's most prestigious writing prize .. the Miles Franklin
Literary Award .. has been announced.

TIM WINTON is nominated for his novel Breath .. about surfing and lost youth in 1970s
Western Australia.

He's up against another previous winner .. Adelaide-born Sydney writer MURRAY BAIL
for The Pages .. and former shortlisted author RICHARD FLANAGAN for Wanting.

The all-male five are rounded out with acclaimed Sydney author .. screenwriter and
playwright LOUIS NOWRA .. nominated for Ice .. and Melbourne's CHRISTOS TSIOLKAS for The
Slap.

The winner will be announced on June 18.



Briefly in other news ..



Ear (GOLD COAST)

Two bikies awaiting sentencing for kidnapping a man and severing his ears in a drug
deal gone bad have appeared in a Gold Coast court.



Barbaro (MELBOURNE)

Accused drug king pin PASQUALE BARBARO is expected to be charged in Melbourne over
two murder plots.



China economy growth (BEIJING)

China says its economy grew 6.1 per cent in the first quarter .. continuing a startling
slowdown for a country that not long ago was seeing double-digit growth rates.



India Vote Open (NEW DELHI)

Polling stations have opened across India for the first phase of the country's month-long
general elections.



Nuclear Korea UN (SEOUL)

A diplomat says UN inspectors ordered out by North Korea have left the country's main
nuclear facility .. after removing seals and surveillance cameras.



in Sport ..



AFL CROWS (ADELAIDE)

Adelaide have lifted an indefinite suspension on star defender NATHAN BOCK.

BOCK was suspended indefinitely after being charged by police with assaulting his girlfriend
at an Adelaide hotel on April 4.

He's now been cleared to play against Geelong on Saturday night.



AFL MAGPIES (MELBOURNE)

Collingwood will at last welcome back key forward ANTHONY ROCCA when they play Brisbane
at the Gabba tomorrow night.

ROCCA broke his foot last year and will be playing his first game since round 13 last season.



AFL KANGAROOS (MELBOURNE)

North Melbourne coach DEAN LAIDLEY has voiced his frustration about two of his under-performing
AFL stars .. DANIEL WELLS and COREY JONES.

They've been dropped from Sunday's game against Essendon at Etihad Stadium.



LEAGUE PANTHERS (SYDNEY)

Penrith coach MATTHEW ELLIOTT says PETERO CIVONICEVA will remain a Panther in 2010
and possibly beyond after the NRL club took up the third-year option on his contract.

CIVONICEVA had been linked with a possible return to Brisbane next year but ELLIOTT
has ended that speculation.



ENDS EVENING ROUND-UP

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