Qld: Prime Minister should tell if threats made to Australia

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Qld: Prime Minister should tell if threats made to Australia

BRISBANE, Dec 1 AAP - Prime Minister John Howard should tell Australians if he hadany evidence that Iraq or any terrorist group backed by Iraq was about to attack Australia,Labor foreign affairs spokesman Kevin Rudd said today.

He was commenting on the prime minister's statement on Channel Nine earlier today thathe was prepared to act if terrorists were planning an attack on Australia from a neighbouringcountry.

Mr Howard said the United Nations charter should be altered to allow nations to pre-emptivelystrike at known terrorist threats in another country.

"If the prime minister has evidence that Iraq is about to attack Australia he shouldtell us," Mr Rudd said.

"If the prime minister has evidence that any terrorist organisation backed by Iraqis about to attack Australia he should tell us.

"Because if he doesn't provide us and the Australian people with that information orthe Australian parliament with that information, then surely the sort of first strikethat he's talking about goes way beyond the limits of international law."

AAP jfs/jmd/sb

KEYWORD: TERROR RUDD

NSW: Thousands gather at Sydney's Martin Place for dawn service

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NSW: Thousands gather at Sydney's Martin Place for dawn service

Thousands of people have turned out at Sydney's Martin Place to mark the traditionalbeginning of Anzac Day with a dawn service to remember those who died in war.

People of all ages have packed into the inner city street, congregating around the Cenotaph.

New South Wales Governor MARIE BASHIR, State Premier BOB CARR, Federal Minister forVeterans' Affairs DANNA VALE, representing Prime Minister JOHN HOWARD, and Labor SenatorJOHN FAULKNER have taken part in the service.

In his address to the congregation, Major General PETER ABIGAIL says dawn has alwaysbeen a significant time.

He says modern warfare does not discriminate against time of day, yet dawn remainsa time of reflection and Anzac Day invites us to look on the past with pride, but alsoto look to the future.

AAP RTV jm/psm/

KEYWORD: ANZAC DAWN (SYDNEY)

FED: Tourism strategy to end laid-back approach

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FED: Tourism strategy to end laid-back approach

Australia's tourist industry will try to shed its laid-back image with the establishmentof a new business-like strategy.

Federal Tourism Minister JOE HOCKEY says the strategy, which will be completed at theend of the year, will have clear targets and timetables.

He says it'll change the face of the industry making it more reflective of its important4.5 per cent GDP contribution to the national economy.

Mr HOCKEY says the plan will outline ways to take advantage of the expanding internationalmarket and how to minimise the risk of individual company collapses.

The plan will include a strategic whole-of-government approach and Mr HOCKEY will workclosely with Transport and Regional Services Minister JOHN ANDERSON and Immigration andMulticultural and Indigenous Affairs Minister PHILIP RUDDOCK.

AAP RTV ch/sc/klw

KEYWORD: TOURISM (BRISBANE)

Fed: Crean says need shake-up of ALP = 2

AAP General News (Australia)
12-13-2001
Fed: Crean says need shake-up of ALP = 2

Australian Workers Union national president BILL LUDWIG says crticism from frontbenchers
about the 60-40 voting rule is not helpful, and they need to be reminded of the union
movement's support for the ALP.

AAP RTV kmh/daw/rt

KEYWORD: LABOR 2 CANBERRA

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

FED: Australia s first treatment knee cartilage injury treatment

AAP General News (Australia)
04-30-2001
FED: Australia s first treatment knee cartilage injury treatment

Doctors say a new treatment will give about 40,000 Australians with crippling knee
injuries a chance to return to long term fitness.

Every year about 4,000 Australians damage knee cartilage in road accidents, sporting
injuries and falls.

The head of orthopaedic research at Melbourne's St Vincent's and Mercy Private Hospital,
IAN HENDERSON, says people with knee injuries can suffer extreme pain for many years and
often require several operations.

But until now, there's been no permanent treatment available in Australia.

Dr HENDERSON says with the opening of the hospital's Mercy Tissue Engineering Centre,
patients can be treated with an 85 per cent chance of returning to normal fitness.

The new procedure involves taking cartilage cells from a patient's knee, growing the
cells in the centre's laboratory and then reimplanting them.

Dr HENDERSON says within six months patients are walking normally again and athletes
can return to competition within 12 months.

He says there's a 10-year backlog of patients suitable for the procedure.

AAP RTV rk/rp/hn/rsm

KEYWORD: KNEE (MELBOURNE)

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

Fed: AMA says rumoured appointment of Carnell unwise

AAP General News (Australia)
02-15-2001
Fed: AMA says rumoured appointment of Carnell unwise

The Australian Medical Association says it would be unwise and inappropriate to appoint
former Liberal ACT chief minister KATE CARNELL as head of a new training board.

Ms CARNELL, who until recently owned a pharmacy, is in the running for the spot as
chairman of the new GP Training Board.

AMA president KERRYN PHELPS says if Ms CARNELL was appointed to the federal government
body, the peak doctors' association would not welcome the choice.

Health Minister MICHAEL WOOLDRIDGE has recently come under fire for his appointment
of former drug industry lobbyist PAT CLEAR to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee.

AAP RTV eg/daw/art/rt

KEYWORD: GP CARNELL (CANBERRA)

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

Vic: Couple find body on Frankston beach

AAP General News (Australia)
12-16-2000
Vic: Couple find body on Frankston beach

MELBOURNE, Dec 16 AAP - A couple found the body of a man while walking along Frankston
beach, in Melbourne's south-east tonight.

A police spokesman said the death was being treated as suspicious at this stage, and
the homicide squad had been notified.

The body was found about 7pm on a grassed area above the sand near Frankston Yacht
Club, in Foreshore Street.

The spokesman said it was the body of a Caucasian man, but no other details were available.

An autopsy was expected to be held to determine the cause of death.

AAP sjg/wjf/jas

KEYWORD: BEACH

2000 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.