AAP National News Wire Round-Up for Midday, Aug 9

00-00-0000
AAP National News Wire Round-Up for Midday, Aug 9Midday Round-Up: HIGHLIGHTS OF THE AAP RTV FILE AT 1130

ALP Crean (CANBERRA)

The Labor Party's braced for more public soul-searching as it digests proposed partyreforms following its defeat at the election last year.

A review by former Prime Minister BOB HAWKE and former New South Wales Premier NEVILLEWRAN is due to be presented to the national executive today.

Federal Opposition leader SIMON CREAN says he's determined to push through reforms-- but insists his leadership isn't at stake.

He says the reforms will define the party's relationship with the trade union movement.

National president GREG SWORD says the party faces a challenge in turning recommendationsinto specific rule changes.

And Mr SWORD has denied former Victorian Labor premier JOAN KIRNER's claim that factionalhorsetrading caused the scrapping of a recommendation to lift the quota of women MPs from35 to 50 per cent.

Gas Vaile (CANBERRA)

The government denies Australia has sold out human rights to clinch a gas deal with China.

Trade Minister MARK VAILE has described as rubbish claims from Greens Senator BOB BROWNthat the government ignored human rights abuses in China.

Mr VAILE has told the Seven Network Australia maintains a very robust relationshipwith China, allowing frank discussion of sensitive issues and issues of an economic nature.

Australia's North West Shelf joint venture has beaten five other bidders to becomethe sole supplier of gas to China's first liquefied natural gas project in Guangdong province.

The 25-year deal will create thousands of jobs for Australia and inject up to $25billion into the economy.

Muin (CANBERRA)

Prime Minister JOHN HOWARD says it is too early to tell whether a High Court rulingmeans that thousands of rejected protection visa applications will have to be reviewed.

The High Court has ruled that the Refugee Review Tribunal lacked procedural fairnessin its dealings with a pair of Indonesian asylum seekers.

The decision appears to create a new obligation on the tribunal with potentially seriousimplications for many cases already considered.

Woomera RMIT (MELBOURNE)

Melbourne's RMIT University has scrapped plans to join a private prison operator'sbid to run immigration detention centres -- amid protests by students and welfare groups.

Private prison operator Group 4 Falck would have managed the controversial facilities,while RMIT would have delivered education and sporting activities to asylum seekers.

Meanwhile in Canberra -- a public library has been forced to withdraw a display onasylum seekers because it's provoked threats against library staff.

Iraq Aust Beazley (CANBERRA)

There's a warning Australia will be involved in any US attack on Iraq even if it sendsno troops, because of the communications and spy bases at Pine Gap and North West Cape.

Former Opposition leader KIM BEAZLEY has told the Nine Network the Navy is alreadyin the area, and at the minimum the US bases here would be involved, given Pine Gap wasengaged during the last war over Kuwait.

But he says he has no sense that a US attack is inevitable.

Mr BEAZLEY says the US administrations is engaging in a genuine and tough debate aboutwhether to go into Iraq.

Meanwhile Britain has strongly advised the United States against attacking Iraq, warningsuch action will intensify conflicts in the region.

Mcpherson (SYDNEY)

Six men have been arrested after the stabbing death of a man in the inner-Sydney suburbof Redfern in 1998.

38-year-old ROBERT MCPHERSON was allegedly knocked down and stabbed -- with two friendswho tried to help him pelted with bottles.

Remains (PERTH)

A man will appear in a Melbourne court today charged with murdering a Perth massageparlour worker whose remains have been found three years after she went missing.

Melbourne police arrested the 24-year-old from the Perth suburb of Maylands man overnight.

23-year-old JENNIFER WILBY's remains were found by bushwalkers at Karragullen, southof Perth, on Sunday.

Body (BRISBANE)

Police are appealing for help after the discovery of the stabbed body of a woman neara Brisbane police station.

A truck driver discovered the body as he drove his vehicle onto vacant land about 250metres from the police station in suburban Hendra yesterday morning.

The body of the unidentified dark-haired woman in her 40s was only partially clad.

Assaults (SYDNEY)

Two men from the south coast of New South Wales have been charged with child sexual assaults.

Police say a 73-year-old Cambewarra man has been charged with aggravated indecent assaultfollowing a search by more than 30 police.

A second Cambewarra man, aged 52, has been charged with aggravated sexual assault,aggravated indecent assault and committing an aggravated act of indecency.

US Aquarium (NEW ORLEANS)

Ten visitors to an aquarium in New Orleans fell into a shark tank and thrashed aroundin terror for up to 15 minutes before they were pulled out.

But none of the ten -- including four children --- were seriously hurt.

The visitors fell into the tank when a catwalk over the water collapsed, and they couldnot pull themselves out as the water level was about a metre below the top of the glass-walledtank.

One witness says most of the sharks scattered, but one cruised underneath the panickedguests -- with its teeth showing.

BRIEFLY

A Zimbabwean High Court has thrown a lifeline to thousands of white farmers orderedto leave their farms by midnight today -- ruling the government must first notify theproperty's title holder.

A gunfight has erupted between supporters of Venezuelan President HUGO CHAVEZ and police-- hours after the Supreme Court voted to postpone a decision on whether senior militaryofficers should face trial for their role in a coup.

New South Wales Police Minister MICHAEL COSTA is optimistic the states and territoriescan break the deadlock with the federal government today over staff levels at the theproposed Australian Crime Commission.

Hundreds of people have lined Newcastle's shores to welcome stricken British warshipHMS Nottingham -- which has been hauled from Lord Howe Island off New South Wales.

The BRACKS government in Victoria could be hit with a bill of up to $60 million, withthe operators of the Seal Rocks centre confirming they're walking away from troubled tourismattraction.

IN FINANCE:

At 1115 AEST the all ordinaries index was 39.7 points HIGHER at 3063.9 while the Standard& Poor's ASX/200 index was 42.3 points HIGHER at 3119.4.

The Australian dollar FELL to 53.35 US cents after closing at 53.58 US cents yesterday.

However, the local currency was FIRMER at 55.20 euro cents from 54.97 euro cents yesterday.

Gold in Sydney ROSE $US3.50 to $US309.50 an ounce.

NZ AAPT (MELBOURNE)

New Zealand's largest listed company -- Telecom -- says it's still committed to doingbusiness across the Tasman despite an $850 million writedown on its Australian purchaseAAPT.

Telecom Corp has reported its first-ever annual net loss of $188 million.

But when unusual items such as the AAPT writedown are taken out -- the company hasbettered private sector forecasts with a net profit up over 9 per cent on last year.

Coles Myer goes into (MELBOURNE)

Coles Myer Ltd has gone further into the bargain basement today, dropping eight centsto lows not seen since February 1997.

By 1018 AEST, Coles Myer had weakened almost 1.4 per cent to $5.78.

Its continued decline follows its 4.5 per cent plunge after disappointing fourth quartersales and lowered profit forecasts.

IN SPORT:

Golf Women (TURNBERRY)

Australia's KARRIE WEBB has returned to form with a six under par 66, one shot behindTaiwan's CANDIE KUNG, after the first round of the British Open at Turnberry in Scotland.

The 27-year-old, a two-time Open champion, has slipped to No.3 in the world rankingsthis year but had seven birdies as she began her bid for a sixth major title.

Tennis Masters (CINCINNATI)

LLEYTON HEWITT will face former world number one ANDRE AGASSI in the quarter-finalsof the Cincinnati Masters tennis tournament.

Fellow Australian WAYNE ARTHURS also advanced to the quarters eliminating Spain's TOMMYROBREDO 7-6 4-6 6-4.

HEWITT overcame Finland's JARKKO NIEMINEN 2-6 6-2 6-3, while Agassi had it easier againstSweden's THOMAS ENQVIST winning in straight sets 6-4 7-5.

Soccer World Rann (ADELAIDE)

South Australian Premier MIKE RANN has joined his New South Wales and Victorian counterpartsin a bid to bring soccer's World Cup to Australia in 2014.

Games Brisbane (BRISBANE)

Queenslanders will welcome home Australia's Commonwealth Games athletes today ata public reception in Brisbane's King George Square.

ENDS BULLETINAAP RTV ge

KEYWORD: MIDDAY ROUND-UP