Latest Australia News
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Australia a target for illicit drugs
A record 23.8 tonnes of illicit drugs worth $5 billion were intercepted by Australian customs staff last year, including the highest number of performance and image enhancing substances for a decade.The strong dollar and demand for the drugs means criminal gangs around the world will continue to target the Australian market, authorities say.International narcotics syndicates are using ...
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Doping remains a threat to Australian sport ACC
Canberra 2600 The controversial drugs in sport report has been vindicated by record seizures of performance enhancing drugs, Australia's crime fighters say. And the Australian Crime Commission (ACC) says since the release of its drugs in sport report, imports into Australia have dropped.The ACC was criticised for a lack of specifics when it released its report in February.Many clubs and ...
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Record drug hauls including cannabis cocaine and steroids show Australia becoming narco hub
(28 mins ago) Australia seized a record 23 tonnes of illicit drugs in 2011-2012 with arrests at a 10-year high, data show, as officials warned the country had become a key target for traffickers. The annual Australian Crime Commission report showed the amount detected was up 154 percent on the previous year, boosted by a single 11 tonne bust of hypophosphorous acid in New South Wales state, ...
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NRL selection headaches for Broncos
Injured Brisbane five-eighth Scott Prince returned to training on Monday with no guarantees of starting Friday's NRL clash with a wounded Canterbury. Brisbane coach Anthony Griffin has several selection issues to sleep on before naming his side after Prince's five-eighth replacement Ben Hunt impressed in the Broncos' 32-6 win over Gold Coast on Friday. Adding to Griffin's ...
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Waterhouse $50m NRL deal dead reports
Bookmaker Tom Waterhouse's bid to become the NRL sports betting sponsor is reportedly dead in the water, with both parties walking away from negotiations. The NRL's Shane Mattiske has told the ABC's Four Corners - in a program to air on Monday night - the league had been negotiating with Waterhouse since early this year. "At our (Australian Rugby League) Commission meeting ...
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Record drug haul as steriods and hormones flood the market
Online shopping: More than 91 per cent of detections of steroids, hormones and peptides occurred in parcel post. Steroids and hormones are flooding into Australia compared to a decade ago and detections of amphetamines and ecstasy at the border increased by more than 50 per cent in a year, the annual report card of drug seizures has found. Detections of amphetamines and MDMA - known as ...
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Higher priority issues than GST ACCI
A key business lobby group doesn't believe there's a compelling case to broaden or increase the GST. Opposition Leader Tony Abbott says there will be a review of taxation, including the 10 per cent, GST if the coalition wins the September election. But Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief economist Greg Evans does not believe a debate on the GST is a high priority. ...
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Elder slams NT forced adoption plan
An indigenous elder is pleading with Northern Territory Chief Minister Adam Giles to scrap plans to address Aboriginal child neglect via forced adoptions. Mr Giles has warned that Aboriginal children are being left with neglectful parents for fear of creating another stolen generation. The first indigenous head of government in Australia has flagged placing Aboriginal kids in adopted homes if ...
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Crows tell Johncock hes still needed
Adelaide's celebrated indigenous stalwart Graham Johncock has been told he's still needed, despite continued rejection at the selection table. Johncock is likely to miss Adelaide's indigenous round match against North Melbourne on Sunday as his career hangs in the balance. The 30-year-old has been overlooked for an AFL game since round four, but his captain Nathan van Berlo is ...
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States weigh into GST rise debate
Two Liberal premiers and a major industry group say the goods and services tax should be on the reform agenda. NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell and West Australian counterpart Colin Barnett have weighed into the GST debate sparked by federal Opposition Leader Tony Abbott's promise of a tax white paper if he wins government in September. The paper would include a re-examination of the GST, ...
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EPA backs Pilbara port algae farm
A planned multi-user iron ore port in the Pilbara region has been given the nod by the State's Environmental Protection Authority.The port at Cape Preston East, about 60km south-west of Dampier, will use an innovative method to transfer iron ore from shore to ship, removing the need for dredging.Self-powered barges will transfer iron ore produced by port proponent, Iron Ore Holdings, to a ...
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NSW legal aid to abandon abuse victims
A decision by Legal Aid NSW to cut funding for institutional child abuse claims could mean many survivors are denied justice, a victims' group says. ...
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Wettest spell since last winter forecast for South Australias weather
FORECASTERS have tipped South Australia to be hit with the wettest spell since last winter. Weatherzone says the state's "month of recovery" from a long dry spell is set to continue. Weatherzone meteorologist Brett Dutschke said virtually all of SA would receive some rain between now and Thursday morning. He said it would be the state's "wettest few days since at least ...
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Australia Stock Rally Showing Signs of Fatigue
Australian stocks have enjoyed solid gains amid the party in global equities, rising around 20 percent over the past six months, however, one strategist fears the rally could be short-lived. The rally ...
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Champion revelling in Souths return
Beau Champion says he is loving the chance to play alongside Greg Inglis, the player whose arrival in 2010 saw him squeezed out of South ...
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Hot Aussie caveman dating Hollywood star
But he wasn't confirming whether or not he's dating the Hollywood superstar, who has had a highly public battle with her health since she was admitted to rehab after a drug overdose at her Beverly Hills home in January ...
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Fat tax not being considered Plibersek
Health Minister Tanya Plibersek was responding to a News Limited report that the government's preventive health agency was funding a study of the potential tax change to fight obesity.The Australian National Preventive Health Agency (ANPHA) project will ask the public to give feedback on paying more for fast food, with a "citizen's jury" to debate the issue next week in ...
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Super-rich in a class war says ALP VP
A SENIOR Labor Party member says it will be a struggle to win the coming federal election and a coalition victory would be a huge boost for the ...
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Sydney dance teacher Grant Davies 39 accused of taking students naked photos
Court documents showed Grant Davies' wife Lisa Ricketts became suspicious after he became "secretive" and put a security lock on his phone and computer, The Sydney Morning Herald reported. Davies, 39, operated RG Dance Studio in Chiswick in the city's inner west for almost a decade and was allegedly taking photos of naked students, some as young as six, for almost the ...
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Small business conditions remain fragile
Small businesses are still facing fragile conditions and there is nothing in the federal budget to lift confidence, the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) says.The chamber's latest small business survey shows only some marginal improvements but overall the sector remains in contraction."Conditions facing small business are still fragile and there is still an ...
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Dollars fall a welcome relief says ACCI
The Australian dollar's fall below parity against the US currency will be welcome relief for a number of industries, the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry says. The chamber's chief economist Greg Evans says trade-exposed parts of the economy, such as manufacturing exporters, tourism and education services will find a lower dollar beneficial. The flipside is that many ...
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Ex-MP cant believe Obeid meant it
Former Labor kingmaker Eddie Obeid gave incorrect evidence to the NSW corruption watchdog, his lawyer has admitted. Mr Obeid last week told the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) that in his 20 years in politics, former mining minister Ian Macdonald had never been inside his parliamentary office. But on Monday, barrister Stuart Littlemore was forced to backtrack on Mr ...
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OConnor to relish Wallabies No.10 role
James O'Connor says he will relish the responsibility of playing five-eighth for the Wallabies in the three-Test series against the British and Irish Lions. Despite starting just one previous Test at No.10, O'Connor has been nominated by coach Robbie Deans as his starting choice for the position, with Quade Cooper left out of the initial 25-man squad. O'Connor was delighted to ...
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Customs seize drugs worth $5bn in a year
A record 23.8 tonnes of illicit drugs worth $5 billion were intercepted by Australian customs staff last year, including the highest number of performance and image enhancing substances for a decade. The strong dollar and demand for the drugs means criminal gangs around the world will continue to target the Australian market, authorities say. International narcotics syndicates are using ...
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Parker scoffs at Broncos NRL rumours
Representative forward Corey Parker has scoffed at weekend speculation linking Brisbane to dumped rugby union star Quade Cooper, declaring the NRL club already had enough talent to win a premiership. Parker also lampooned media reports halfback Peter Wallace wanted a release from his contract next season to return home to Penrith because he was upset at the club's decision to recruit ...
Melbourne Featured
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Melbourne will be IT capital of country
Melbourne has been selected by the federal government as the location where the NBN’s operations centre will be headquartered, setting the stage for the city to become the IT, technology and communications capital of Australia.
Melbourne has a long-running rivalry with Sydney and, to a lesser degree, Perth. The two biggest cities in Australia competed intensely to be designated the capital in the early 20th century and Canberra was built from scratch and designated the national capital in large part because of such rivalry, but now Melbourne is set to have something that Sydney will not, the city has been officially chosen as the centre of operations for the ground-breaking National Broadband Network. Analysts and city leaders see the decision as one which will in time make Melbourne the IT hub of the country. Read more
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