Vic: Crown Casino staff may strike on Jan 2

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Vic: Crown Casino staff may strike on Jan 2

About 4,000 staff at Melbourne's Crown Casino may strike over the crucial New Yearperiod after talks with management over pay increases broke down.

The Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers Union has threatened to take industrialaction on January 2, after Crown management refused to consider its request for a 24 percent payrise over three years.

Acting assistant secretary CONNIE DENINO says the workers' claims also include an extraweek of annual leave, the removal of entry-level pay rates, paid parental leave and redundancyprovisions.

The enterprise agreement covering Crown's workers is due to expire on January 1.

Ms DENINO says the 4,000 workers covered by the LHMU -- including waiters, cooks, concierges,administrative staff, security officers and gaming staff -- would take protected industrialaction on January 2, unless an agreement's reached.

Any strike action would be legally protected if 72 hours notice is given.

AAP RTV jt/jlw/smb/smb

KEYWORD: CASINO (MELBOURNE)

Race: Western Light beaten but still on target for Queensland

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Race: Western Light beaten but still on target for Queensland

MELBOURNE, Aug 18 AAP - Western Light may have been beaten at Bendigo last night butit hasn't deterred trainer-driver Neville Clarke to take his stable star north to defendhis Winter Cup crown in Queensland.

Clarke said he was very pleased with the performance of Western Light who failed bya short head to hold out the fast-finishing Pass The Mustard.

He said Western Light did a good job as he was three deep from the 1200 metres whilePass The Mustard enjoyed a lovely trail on his back.

Western Light shot to the front in the straight but was claimed by Pass The Mustardin the last stride.

"I think he's going as well if not better than he was last year," Clarke said.

Western Light won the Winter Cup last year and Clarke has that race again in his sights.

Clarke said he planned to run Western Light in the Sunshine Sprint next week at AlbionPark as his final lead up to the $75,000 Winter Cup at Albion Park on August 31.

Western Light will clash with the likes of Manifold Bay who impressed with his winin the Queensland four and five-year-old championships at Albion Park last night and Atitagain,winner of the Redcliffe Cup earlier this month.

Clarke stayed in Bendigo overnight before beginning the long float trip to Brisbane.

Meanwhile Mario Azzopardi confirmed he will again drive Sassy Sarah in next Saturday'sBreeders Crown final at Moonee Valley.

Azzopardi said he had discussions with the filly's owners and it was decided he wouldcontinue to drive Sassy Sarah until Gavin Lang returned from suspension.

Sassy Sarah finished second behind Indigenous at Cranbourne in a breeders semi-finalon Friday night after enduring a torrid run after she worked hard to find the front.

Azzopardi said Sassy Sarah became fired up after a false start and when a couple ofhorses came back in front of her after the start she really became fiery.

"I thought she might relax if I took her round the field to sit outside the leaderbut she was still ripping and tearing so I had to keep going," he said.

When asked if he could turn the tables on Indigenous in the final, Azzopardi repliedit all depended on the barrier draw.

"If she draws to lead then I don't see how they'll beat her."

AAP TURF wk/cw

KEYWORD: TROTS WESTERN

FED: Tourists spent over $70 billion in last financial year

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FED: Tourists spent over $70 billion in last financial year

By Chris Herde

BRISBANE, April 9 AAP - Domestic and international tourists spent $71.2 billion ongoods and services in Australia in the last financial year, according to new figures.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics' Australian Tourism Satellite Accounts found spendingwas up 10 per cent in 2000-2001 on the previous 12 months and accounted for 4.7 per centof GDP.

"The results confirm that tourism is integral to the Australian economy, underpinninga wide range of industries," federal Tourism Minister Joe Hockey said.

The survey found tourism activities employed about 551,000 people or six per cent ofthe total workforce.

International visitors made up 24 per cent of the total tourism spending, up 17 percent on the previous financial year because of the Sydney Olympics.

Inbound tourism's foreign exchange contribution jumped 33 per cent in three years from$12.8 billion for 1997-98 to $17 billion for the 2000-01 period.

But the industry warned the effects of September 11 and the Ansett collapse were expectedto impact significantly on the 2001-2002 figures.

Australian Tourism Export Council (ATEC) managing director Peter Shelley said the figuresreflected an "Olympic factor".

"But these figures are very welcome for an industry that experienced the full turmoilof recent events such as S11 and the demise of Ansett," he said.

Tourism Task Force chief executive Christopher Brown said the industry paid $5.5 billionin net annual taxes between 1998 and 2001.

He said tourism was paying its own way and was carrying the load for many other industries.

"Federal and state governments combined contribute approximately $300 million to tourismmarketing programs yet they collect a staggering $5.5 billion in product taxes alone,"

Mr Brown said.

"When company tax from tourism businesses and income tax from tourism employees isincluded, the annual government take would exceed $10 billion.

"A challenge for the tourism industry is to ensure that it receives a level of politicalrecognition to match its economic contribution," Mr Brown said.

AAP ch/sc/ldj/sb

KEYWORD: TOURISM ACCOUNTS

Fed: Democrats call on Attorney General to explain concerns

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Fed: Democrats call on Attorney General to explain concerns

CANBERRA, Jan 16 AAP - Attorney General Daryl Williams should explain why he is appealinga Family Court ruling recognising the right of a transsexual to legally marry his femalepartner, the Australian Democrats said today.

A transsexual man known as Kevin, who was born a female, had a son with partner Jenniferin 1998 after entering an IVF program.

They were married the following year but the federal government challenged the union in court.

Last year Justice Richard Chisholm declared the union valid, noting a 1961 law statinga man could only be a man if he was male at birth was …

NSW: Homicide detectives to search river for murder clues

AAP General News (Australia)
08-30-2001
NSW: Homicide detectives to search river for murder clues

SYDNEY, Aug 30 AAP - Police divers will today search Cooks River in Sydney as part
of their investigation into the murder of a teenager four months ago.

The move comes after police, looking into the shooting death of 18-year-old footballer
Jai Jago, received information from the public following an appeal by his sister.

Jai was shot once in the heart as he walked along a street a few hundred metres from
his Hurlstone Park home, in Sydney's south-west, on April 26.

He was shot by one of two men who had stopped in a car and argued with Jai and his friend.

The footballer's sister, 21-year-old police Constable Tenille Jago, last week appealed
for information from the public, saying her family was still overcome by grief.

The appeal resulted in new leads, which police would follow up today, Detective Senior
Constable Gerard Allison said.

"Crime Agencies Detectives were very pleased with the public response to last week's
appeal by Jai's sister Tenille," Det Snr Cst Allison said.

"As a result, police divers will be brought in to search the Cooks River in the vicinity
of the Canterbury Road bridge at Canterbury as a follow-up to that information."

Police earlier described the gunman and his accomplice as being of Mediterranean or
Middle Eastern appearance.

They were aged in their 20s or 30s. One was about 182cm tall with dark hair and "a
solid neck"; the other about 178cm tall, thin, with black hair.

They fled in a light-coloured sedan, possibly a late-1970s or early-'80s model.

AAP nf/jjs/ns/bwl

KEYWORD: JAGO

2001 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

NSW: Plan released to protect 300 Sydney wetlands

AAP General News (Australia)
04-12-2001
NSW: Plan released to protect 300 Sydney wetlands

SYDNEY, April 12 AAP - A plan to protect and conserve Sydney wetlands was launched
today by federal Environment Minister Robert Hill.

Designed by 16 local councils under the banner of the Sydney Coastal Councils Group
(SCCG), it was developed with a $36,000-grant under the federal government's Natural Heritage
Trust.

Launching the plan, Senator Hill said there were 300 wetlands remaining in Sydney in
various states of repair.

They had traditionally been regarded as a "nuisance", he said.

"Not only are they the birthplace and the nursery of so much of the life system of
the whole plains but they are also essential in keeping that natural system healthy,"

Senator Hill said.

"Unless you protect the health of your natural resource base everything else will be lost.

"I would like to see ... a mechanism whereby the State Government will adopt these
plans within its planning process so that they then become binding on local and other
authorities."

Including councils from Pittwater to Sutherland, the SCCG already has committed to
adopting the plan for about 90 wetland areas.

Other councils covering 210 wetlands in the Sydney region have also indicated support
for adopting the plan.

AAP las/rp/mg

KEYWORD: WETLANDS

2001 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

Fed: ACCC must investigate MifCo advantage claim Labor

AAP General News (Australia)
01-21-2001
Fed: ACCC must investigate MifCo advantage claim Labor

Labor has called for the competition watchdog to investigate claims of unethical use
of government assistance by some stevedoring companies.

Transport Minister JOHN ANDERSON has confirmed the government had received complaints
some companies were using government waterfront reform payments unethically and at the
expense of other companies.

Mr ANDERSON has also said the Sea-Land company had been advised to take its complaints
about the use of artificial incentives by another company to the Australian Competition
and Consumer …