FED: Govt defends women's role at 2020 summit

AAP General News (Australia)
02-27-2008
FED: Govt defends women's role at 2020 summit

By Susanna Dunkerley and Charisse Ede

CANBERRA, Feb 27 AAP - The federal government has defended the gender make-up of the
prime minister's 2020 summit leadership team, saying six co-chairs will be women.

But the opposition says the role of the co-chair is to moderate discussion, not generate ideas.

Politicians and women's groups have voiced concern that only one woman - actor Cate
Blanchett - was included on the summit's independent steering committee.

They say it is non-representative and sends a bad message to corporate Australia and …

FED:Mental health the focus on budget night

AAP General News (Australia)
05-06-2011
FED:Mental health the focus on budget night

By Julian Drape

CANBERRA, May 6 AAP - Mental health will be the centrepiece of Labor's health budget,
with the government to establish a national mental health commission to ensure minds are
treated with as much care as people's bodies.

The federal government will spend around $2 billion over the next four years to address
an area Health Minister Nicola Roxon admitted this week has "for many decades really fallen
between all the gaps".

There won't be much new on offer for the rest of the portfolio either with the government
still finalising its $16 billion hospital reform deal struck with the states and territories
earlier this year.

Mental health adviser Ian Hickie is confident the government will deliver on its promise
to make mental health a priority.

He says a $50 million mental health commission will make the delivery of services less
ad hoc and more accountable.

There'll be funding set aside for early intervention programs, particularly for more
severe childhood disorders, and better co-ordination of social and clinical services for
those with severe illness.

A focus on delivering treatment over the internet will assist people living outside
capital cities.

The biggest bucks are expected to be delivered in 2014/15 with an extra $1 million
in 2015/16 taking the five-year spend to almost $3.5 billion.

Some have criticised this approach but Prof Hickie is more patient - so long as Labor
prioritises new Headspace and early psychosis centres and the independent commission.

Labor promised to consider investment in dental care as part of the deal which saw
the Australian Greens help deliver Julia Gillard minority government.

But due to the summer's natural disasters and the strength of the Aussie dollar there's
no money to fund a universal dental program.

Greens spokeswoman Rachel Siewert admitted as much.

"We're hoping we're going to see the start of the government's commitment to dental
reform and to progress towards a Denticare system," Senator Siewert told AAP this week.

"But we're realistic and we don't expect to see it all at once."

Reported cuts to medical research totalling $400 million are unlikely to be in the
budget following a backlash from scientists.

Australian Society for Medical Research president Emma Parkinson-Lawrence hopes well-attended
rallies last month means funding "is at least maintained as it stands".

Labor will again be claiming savings of around $2 billion over four years through changes
to private health insurance measures.

A plan to means test the 30 per cent rebate has been knocked back by the Senate twice
already but with the Greens holding the balance of power from July it could be a case
of third time likely.

However, a related measure to increase the Medicare levy for those without cover is
less likely to pass parliament.

The Greens oppose the move on the grounds it penalises people who opt to rely on the
public system.

AAP jcd/sb/jcs/cdh/mo

KEYWORD: BUDGET11 HEALTH PREVIEW (REPEAT)

� 2011 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

QLD:Abducted baby in Qld found safe

AAP General News (Australia)
08-29-2011
QLD:Abducted baby in Qld found safe

BRISBANE, Aug 29 AAP - A one-year-old boy who was abducted in Cairns has been found.

Police say the boy was found safe and well at Bungalow after a man in his 20s was seen
putting him in his silver hatchback about 6pm (AEST) Sunday.

AAP mjf/jel

KEYWORD: ABDUCTION

� 2011 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

FED:Swan to brief G20 meeting in Paris

AAP General News (Australia)
02-16-2011
FED:Swan to brief G20 meeting in Paris

CANBERRA, Feb 16 AAP - Federal Treasurer Wayne Swan will brief this weekend's G20 finance
ministers meeting in Paris on the impact of Australia's natural disasters on the economy.

The meeting will focus on bedding down reforms outlined by the G20 last year and will
lay the groundwork for a summit meeting of G20 leaders in Cannes at the end of this year,
Mr Swan said.

Mr Swan will tell the meeting that Australia's summer of natural disasters will affect
the economy in the short term, but the outlook is strong.

"Australia has very strong fundamentals - low unemployment, strong public finances,
a huge pipeline of business investment, and a plan to capitalise on our success," he said.

"Our economy is resilient, and we will withstand the impacts of floods, cyclones and
fires, just like it withstood the GFC better than any other developed economy."

Recovery remained fragile in the developed world economy following the onset of the
global financial crisis (GFC) in 2008.

Mr Swan will attend meetings with World Bank president Robert Zoellick, IMF managing
director Dominique Strauss-Kahn, the French finance minister Christine Lagarde and US
Treasury secretary Tim Geithner.

Before the G20 meeting, he will hold talks in London with his UK counterpart, Chancellor
of the Exchequer George Osbourne, and representatives of the financial sector about the
United Kingdom's prospects.

Mr Swan said he would address progress made in reforming the global financial system
at the Eurofi High Level Seminar in Paris on Friday.

AAP el/sb/jl

KEYWORD: SWAN G20

� 2011 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

FED:Shoppers shun the malls

AAP General News (Australia)
12-02-2010
FED:Shoppers shun the malls

CANBERRA, Dec 2 AAP - Consumers appear to have shunned shops and cafes during October,
and even before the hefty rise in mortgage rates the following month, new data released
on Thursday suggests.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics said retail spending dropped 1.1 per cent in October,
compared to September, the biggest monthly drop since July 2009.

Economists' forecasts had centred on a 0.4 per cent increase in October.

In total, shoppers spent $20.2 billion in the month.

The biggest fall in the month was spending in restaurants and cafes, tumbling 4.8 per
cent, closely followed by clothing and footwear retailing, which slumped 4.6 per cent.

Department store spending fell 1.1 per cent, but food retailing rose 0.6 per cent.

Spending in the most populous states was weak, with NSW down 1.8 per cent, Victoria
off 0.8 per cent and Queensland 1.2 per cent lower.

But the biggest fall was in the Northern Territory, down 4.6 per cent.

The biggest spenders in the month were in the ACT, where retailing grew 0.6 per cent.

Demand for foreign goods in dollar terms also fell three per cent, according to the
bureau's monthly international trade data, while exports rose 1.0 per cent.

This helped to lift the nation's trade position to a seasonally-adjusted surplus of
$2.63 billion in October, compared to an upwardly-revised $1.81 billion in September.

Economists had expected a surplus of $2 billion in October.

Imports of intermediate and other merchandise goods fell five per cent in October and
consumption goods fell two per cent.

Exports were led by a 36 per cent rise in gold sales and an eight per cent increase
in rural goods.

AAP cb/rl/nb

KEYWORD: ECONOMY UPDATE

� 2010 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

NSW: ICAC inquiry to probe prison contraband claims

AAP General News (Australia)
04-26-2010
NSW: ICAC inquiry to probe prison contraband claims

NSW's corruption watchdog is probing allegations prison guards were paid to supply
drugs and other contraband to inmates at a Sydney jail.

The Independent Commission Against Corruption will begin a public inquiry tomorrow
focussing on claims prisoners at John Morony Correctional Centre .. near Windsor .. paid
guards to get them drugs and mobile telephones.

A senior Corrective Services NSW officer SEBASTIAN WADE .. has been named as one of
the guards under investigation .. but ICAC says others as also part of the inquiry.

ICAC commissioner DAVID IPP will preside at the inquiry .. which has been set down for four days.

AAP RTV evt/klw

KEYWORD: ICAC MORONY (SYDNEY)

� 2010 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

Crik: Bellerive ready to light the lights

AAP General News (Australia)
12-12-2009
Crik: Bellerive ready to light the lights

By Paul Carter

HOBART, Dec 12 AAP - Bellerive Oval's new lights will be switched on for their first
one-day day/night cricket match on Sunday, making the Tasmania-Western Australia clash
an historic milestone.

They were switched on for the first time in a match during the Sheffield Shield clash
between these teams, enabling a sensational final-ball victory for the home side on Friday.

That will be a hard act to follow but Tigers skipper George Bailey says the $5 million
lights will open the ground to hosting many more one-day internationals.

"It's one of the best grounds in the world in terms of its setting and the lights will
only add to its appeal," Bailey told reporters.

"It's been a vital step. Just about all one-day internationals are played under lights,
allowing them to be broadcast into different time zones."

Bailey said the team were excited about making history with the new lights.

"There is air of expectancy around the group," he said.

Australia wicketkeeper Tim Paine returns from a finger injury to the Tasmanian side
for the match at the expense of young opener Wade Irvine.

Coach Tim Coyle said Paine was 100 per cent fit.

"He's ready to go and itching to play some cricket," he told reporters.

WA have made one change to the squad that beat Victoria with Luke Towers replacing
Justin Coetzee after his maiden first-class century last week.

Tasmania squad: George Bailey (capt), Travis Birt, Luke Butterworth, Ed Cowan, Gerard
Denton, Michael Dighton, Xavier Doherty, Brendan Drew, James Faulkner, Brett Geeves, Jason
Krejza, Tim Paine (12th man to be named).

Western Australia squad: Adam Voges (capt), Nathan Coulter-Nile, Theo Doropoulos, Aaron
Heal, Michael Hogan, Brad Knowles, Mitch Marsh, Shaun Marsh, Ashley Noffke, Luke Ronchi,
Wes Robinson, Luke Towers (12th man).

AAP pc/imc

KEYWORD: CUP TAS

2009 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

FED: Key developments in the OzCar affair

AAP General News (Australia)
08-04-2009
FED: Key developments in the OzCar affair

Key developments in the OzCar affair:

* December 5, 2008: Rudd government strikes $2 billion deal with big banks to provide
financing for car dealers after GE Money Motor Solutions and GMAC leave the market as
a result of the global financial crisis. The scheme becomes known as OzCar.

* February 19, 2009: An email - later found to be a fake by the Australian Federal
Police - allegedly sent from prime ministerial adviser Andrew Charlton to Treasury official
Godwin Grech asking whether OzCar can assist Ipswich car dealer John Grant. Grant is a
friend and neighbour of Kevin Rudd. He had donated a used ute for use as a mobile campaign
office in mid-2007.

* June 4: Grech tells Senate estimates hearing the Rudd and Swan offices made representations
on behalf of unnamed car dealers regarding OzCar.

Opposition Leader Malcolm Turnbull asks Rudd and Treasurer Wayne Swan in parliament
if they or their offices have made "representations" on behalf of Grant regarding OzCar.

"Neither I or my office have ever made any representations on his behalf," Rudd tells
parliament. Swan says: "It is the case that Mr Grant made representations to my office
and he was referred on to the SPV (OzCar), just like everybody else. I have no idea what
the outcome of that was."

* Monday, June 15: Rudd later says when Turnbull raises the OzCar affair in parliament
on June 15 "both he and and the deputy leader of the opposition lent across this chamber
and began shaking their fingers at Dr Charlton who sits in the adviser's box". The government
says this is proof Turnbull knew about the alleged email.

* Wednesday, June 17: Charlton says Turnbull threatened him at the a parliament house
social function, the mid-winter ball, saying: "This whole OzCar issue will be very damaging
for you. Let me give you some friendly advice. You should not lie to protect your boss
(Rudd). You know and I know there is documentary evidence that you have lied."

* Friday, June 19: Grech delivers explosive evidence at second sitting of the Senate
hearing, "The initial contact that I had with respect to John Grant was from the prime
minister's office ... in a short email," he says, before adding that his recollection
could be faulty.

Senior Liberal Eric Abetz tells the hearing a journalist has suggested there was a
communication from Rudd's office to Grech, stating: "The prime minister has asked if the
car dealer financing vehicle is available to assist a Queensland dealership, John Grant
Motors, who seems to have trouble getting finance."

A series of tabled emails shows Swan's office lobbied on behalf of Grant.

Following the inquiry hearing, Turnbull issues a statement saying if Rudd and Swan
can't explain their behaviour then they have misled parliament and must resign.

Rudd holds a press conference on Friday night saying the alleged Charlton email is
"false" and announces the auditor-general will investigate the matter.

* Saturday, June 20: Turnbull switches his attack to Treasurer saying Swan hasn't explained
his office's lobbying on behalf of Grant and must resign. Swan says he stands by his comments
to parliament "100 per cent".

Government calls in Australian Federal Police to investigate source of "fake" email.

* Sunday, June 21: Rudd says Turnbull must produce alleged Charlton email within 24
hours or resign.

* Monday, June 22: AFP raids Grech's house. "The email referred to at the centre of
this investigation has been created by a person or persons other than the purported author
of the email," police say later.

Turnbull calls for a judicial inquiry into OzCar affair.

Swan releases 22 emails concerning two unnamed car dealers in an attempt to show Grant
didn't receive special treatment.

* Tuesday, June 23: Grech's Canberra home is egged overnight.

Opposition treasury spokesman Joe Hockey admits Grech worked for him briefly in 2001
and that he rang the Treasury official on Saturday to see if he was okay.

Turnbull concedes Rudd has no case to answer. "The case that Mr Rudd misled the house
about the communication is not sustained," he says.

Coalition sources suggest Grech was behind a series of leaks from Treasury in the past
year. He is labelled a potential "mole".

ABC TV reports AFP has widened its investigation into other Treasury leaks.

* Wednesday, June 24: Turnbull continues to brush aside questions about his relationship
with Grech. He again calls for a judicial inquiry in the whole OzCar affair.



* Tuesday, August 4: In a statement to The Australian newspaper, Grech admits he faked
the email and showed it to Turnbull and Liberal Senate deputy leader Eric Abetz in meeting
on June 12 in Lucy Turnbull's Sydney office.

A report into the affair by the Commonwealth Auditor-General finds no evidence the
offices of Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and Treasurer Wayne Swan gave special treatment to
a car dealer friend of Mr Rudd.

AAP jcd/kms/bsb/rl/dep/de

KEYWORD: DEALERS TIMELINE

2009 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

Cisco report shows broadband penetration in Brazil accelerating

Internet Business News
03-31-2009
Cisco (Nasdaq:CSCO), a network integration specialist, announced on 31 March the release of the 11th edition of its Cisco Broadband Barometer detailing the status of the broadband market in Brazil.

The report identifies a 45.9% growth in broadband connections across the country during 2008 and attributes this growth to new offers and combined services being made available by service providers together with an ongoing tax reduction programme by the Brazilian government which reduces the net cost of computers that cost less than BRL4,000 (USD1,790), a move intended as a 'digital inclusion measure'.

Mobile broadband is reported to have registered strong growth, accounting for 16.8 percent of total broadband connections, while fixed broadband connections increased by 12.6 percent since June 2008 to 9.83 million. An average of 5.6 per 100 inhabitants have access to a broadband connection, with 15.94 percent of Brazilian households connected via broadband, an increase of 2.94 percent since June 2008.

The report also highlighted an increasing demand for higher bandwidth connections, with connections rated above 1Mb/s accounting for 33.73 percent of the market and lower speeds showing a decline in market share.

The report is published every six months and is the result of a primary survey with specialised analysts, broad experience in the local telecommunications market, and a secondary survey involving official statistics, regulation agencies and specialised media. The Barometer methodology considers dedicated IP, ADSL, cable modem, fixed wireless and satellite as fixed broadband connections, while mobile includes the access packages sold for PCs and not 3G telephones.

((Comments on this story may be sent to info@m2.com))



Copyright 2009 M2 Communications, Ltd., All Rights Reserved.

Main stories in the ABC's World Today

AAP General News (Australia)
08-22-2008
Main stories in the ABC's World Today

SYDNEY, Aug 22 AAP - Main stories in the ABC's World Today:

* The ANZ Bank has sacked eight of its employees, including two executives after a
review into the debacle surrounding the Opes Prime collapse.

* Access Economics have released the results of a study into the cost of obesity in
Australia, and have found it to be $58 billion annually.

* US and Iraqi leaders have announced they are in talks for timetabling a drawdown
of foreign troops from Iraq.

AAP pbc/evt

KEYWORD: MONITOR WORLD TODAY

2008 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

Vic: Detective gets legionnaires' disease

AAP General News (Australia)
04-16-2008
Vic: Detective gets legionnaires' disease

MELBOURNE, April 16 AAP - A detective at Melbourne's police headquarters has contracted
legionnaires' disease from cooling towers at the inner city building.

Police command said the St Kilda Road complex was now safe after being cleaned by the
Department of Human Services (DHS).

The detective had been discharged from hospital and was recovering.

Police spokeswoman Sergeant Creina O'Grady said police command was working closely
with the DHS to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all members working at the site.

"The DHS has advised us that this appears to be an isolated case and have received
no other reports of legionnaires' disease in the area," she said in a statement.

A number of precautions had been taken in relation to the cooling towers in the building
and, in line with advice from DHS, staff and visitors were going about business as normal,
she said.

Police Association assistant secretary Bruce McKenzie told reporters the police union
accepted the area was safe but wanted it to be maintained and checked regularly.

AAP gr/pmu/srp/cdh

KEYWORD: LEGIONNAIRES

2008 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

Vic: Cat owner wants animal abuser to "rot in jail"

AAP General News (Australia)
12-12-2007
Vic: Cat owner wants animal abuser to "rot in jail"

By Michelle Draper

MELBOURNE, Dec 12 AAP - The owner of a cat which was sexually abused and set alight
in Melbourne says she hopes the perpetrator rots in jail.

Kate Arnol was forced to euthanase her 12 months old white cat, Bullet, on Saturday,
after the pet was found to have serious injuries which indicated it had been sexually
abused.

In a cruel twist, RSPCA inspector Greg Boland said the cat was adopted by Ms Arnol
from the RSPCA.

He said the incident was especially worrying because there was evidence that those
who inflicted cruelty on animals often turned their violence towards humans.

A tearful Ms Arnol told Southern Cross Radio today she hoped the offender was caught.

"I just hope that they do catch who has done this to him to make sure it doesn't happen
to any other animals, or if they move on to humans, I hope they just rot in jail."

Ms Arnol said Bullet went missing on Friday evening and she began to get worried when
it got dark and he didn't return home.

"I have no idea who would want to do anything like that to a defenceless animal."

Ms Arnol was eventually called by a local vet who tracked the owners down through the
animal's microchip.

She said Bullet had been given strong painkillers by the vet but when she arrived he
was crying out loudly in pain.

"He was on heavy drugs, he really had no idea what was going on, he was in a lot of
pain and he was crying, like, extremely loud.

"The poor bugger was just lost, he didn't know where he was."

After discussing her pet's condition with the vet, Ms Arnol and her fiance, who have
recently moved into the Berwick area where the attack occurred, decided to put the cat
down.

Mr Boland said the attack on Bullet came two days after a pet rabbit in the same suburb
was bludgeoned to death.

He said the RSPCA was working with Victoria Police to find who was responsible for both attacks.

"The behaviour that occurred or the injuries that were inflicted on Bullet are just
sickening, and we need to stop the person or persons involved," he said.

Mr Boland said the person who attacked Bullet could face 12 months in prison or a $12,000
fine because the nature of the incident was so severe.

AAP md/gfr/cjh/bwl

KEYWORD: CAT

2007 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

Fed: Labor to overhaul sedition laws if it wins government

AAP General News (Australia)
04-29-2007
Fed: Labor to overhaul sedition laws if it wins government

The federal government's controversial sedition laws will be wound back and new legislation
introduced to protect whistleblowers .. if Labor wins power at this year's federal election.

On the final day of Labor's national conference .. party members unanimously passed
a motion to scrap the sedition laws and replace them with safeguards for free speech.

The federal government introduced the sedition laws in late 2005 .. as part of a package
of legislation designed to target terrorism.

But the sedition laws sparked outrage from civil rights lawyers .. judges .. journalists
.. artists and politicians.

Former leader KIM BEAZLEY vowed to overturn them if Labor won government .. and the
ALP's adopted his promise .. saying it will overhaul the laws in line with recommendations
from the Law Reform Commission.

Labor will also beef up laws to protect whistleblowers and people who provide confidential
information to professionals such as doctors .. journalists and priests.

AAP RTV bt/imc/af

KEYWORD: LABOR SEDITION (SYDNEY)

2007 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

FED: Bainimarama to seek support from China

AAP General News (Australia)
12-30-2006
FED: Bainimarama to seek support from China

SYDNEY, Dec 30 AAP - Fijian military dictator Frank Bainimarama says he will seek support
from China and other Asian nations if Australia continues to campaign against his leadership.

Commodore Bainimarama said he assumed China "would always be there" to support Fiji.

"We have always had close ties with Beijing," Bainimarama told The Weekend Australian newspaper.

"I've already made an official visit there at the invitation of the People's Liberation
Army and we've had two senior officers at China's defence college since 2000."

Malaysia, South Korea and Japan were also named as possible allies.

Bainimarama said he'd told Australia's foreign minister, Alexander Downer, he intended
to remove the Qarase government three weeks before the event.

He expressed "disappointment" at Australia's failure to understand the true nature
of events in Fiji.

"(Downer is) harping on about democracy," he said. "Everyone knows that democracy isn't
about numbers in an election; it's about the rule of law, it's about good governance,
law and order, which this last government has not provided."

Bainimarama also said he was keen to get back the expelled director of public prosecutions,
Australian Peter Ridgeway, to help investigate alleged corruption in the Qarase government.

AAP ajc/rs

KEYWORD: FIJI CHINA

2006 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

Fed: Koby Abberton an eligible bachelor: Cleo

AAP General News (Australia)
08-21-2006
Fed: Koby Abberton an eligible bachelor: Cleo

By Jonathon Moran, National Entertainment Writer

SYDNEY, Aug 21 AAP - He's a member of a notorious Sydney gang and was recently convicted
of lying to police.

But professional surfer Koby Abberton is still one of Australia's most eligible bachelors,
according to one women's magazine.

The 28-year-old member of Maroubra-based surfing gang the Bra Boys was today listed
as one of 50 finalists for Cleo magazine's 20th annual bachelor of the year competition.

He is joined by the likes of actors Jesse Spencer, Sam Worthington and Joel Edgerton,
Socceroo Lucas Neill, singer Ben Lee and rugby league player Johnathan Thurston.

The winning bachelor will be crowned at a party in Melbourne next month, decided by
a panel of Cleo judges and public votes via SMS and the internet.

"You name it, I've done it," Abberton, who sports a "My Brother's Keeper" tattoo, told
the magazine when asked the craziest thing he had ever done.

"I'm an idiot."

In March, Abberton was handed a suspended nine-month jail sentence for perverting the
course of justice, having been found to have lied to police about his knowledge of the
killing of standover man Anthony Hines in Maroubra.

Abberton's older brother Jai Abberton shot Hines dead, but was acquitted of his murder
on the grounds that he had acted in self-defence.

In April, a magistrate dismissed charges against Abberton of inciting friends to attack
police at a Sydney hotel.

Cleo magazine says there's a different side to Abberton, who admitted to once going
to a fancy dress party as a "transvestite".

Abberton was expected to appear at a photo-call to promote the competition in Sydney
today, but didn't show up.

Actor Paul O'Brien, who plays police officer Jack Holden on Home and Away, was also
named one of this year's bachelors.

"I am the most single person you will ever meet in your life," said O'Brien.

"It is all about work actually. I am just trying to create some longevity and stability
as an actor."

Online bookmaker Centrebet places Socceroo Lucas Neill as favourite to take out the
competition, paying $4 for a win.

House star Jesse Spencer is placed second, paying $6, followed by O'Brien's Home and
Away mate Mark Furze, at $8.

"Twelve months ago Lucas could've walked naked down the main street of any Australian
city," said Centrebet's Gerard Daffy.

"Now women would rip off his clothes if he went for a stroll."

Last year's Cleo bachelor was TV sports presenter Ryan Phelan, while other previous
winners include Australian Idol host Andrew G, swimmer Geoff Heugill, actor Justin Melvey
and footballer Craig Wing.

AAP jwm/sp/br

KEYWORD: BACHELOR (PIX AVAILABLE)

) 2006 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

Vic: Good Friday Appeal marks 75th birthday

AAP General News (Australia)
04-14-2006
Vic: Good Friday Appeal marks 75th birthday

Organisers of the Royal Children's Hospital Good Friday appeal in Melbourne .. are
hoping to raise more than 10 million dollars today .. as the fundraiser marks its 75th
birthday.

Appeal director CHRISTINE UNSWORTH says the event raised just over 10 million dollars
for sick kids last year.

And the official tally room says 1.4 million dollars had been raised by early this afternoon.

In addition to the Channel 7 telethon .. other events are being held around Victoria
to raise money for the appeal .. including a golf charity day at Skye .. south-east of
Melbourne.

AAP RTV hmg/ce/rt

KEYWORD: EASTER APPEAL (MELBOURNE)

2006 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

after sight

after sight The words used in a bill of exchange to indicate that the period of the bill should commence from the date on which the drawee is presented with it for acceptance, i.e. has sight of it. Compare AFTER DATE; AT SIGHT.

Anystream Raises $11 Million Funding Round; Growth Round to Expand Market Share, Fund New Product Development.

-- Company Names New Board Members

STERLING, Va., Jan. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Anystream, the leading provider of software that automates media encoding and transcoding of streaming, broadcast and production formats, today announced an $11 million third-round of funding led by Falcon Private Equity L.P. and existing investor SCP Private Equity Partners. The investment brings Anystream's total venture capital funding to over $28 million. Anystream will use the funds to grow market share for its Agility(R) professional media software product line and to support new product initiatives.

"Anystream is a proven technology visionary. It invented the enterprise- class encoding software category, and its Agility product line has since become the de facto standard in high-end production environments," said Gregga Baxter, managing principal, Falcon Private Equity and head of private equity, Gulf International Bank. "This is an exceptional investment opportunity as Anystream applications now in development have even greater potential for redefining how media is used in the workplace," he said.

"Anystream's depth of talent and expertise has enabled it to weather volatile market conditions since its launch in April of 2000," said Wayne Weisman, SCP partner and Anystream chairman of the board. "This is a resilient and dynamic company whose software products are accepted as the best by the world's most demanding media companies. By demonstrating consistent revenue and market share growth in this environment, we are convinced that Anystream has only begun to tap its market potential," he said.

"Anystream's products were developed to simplify the way professionals create and distribute audio, video and other rich media for digital networks and devices," said Geoff Allen, Anystream president and CEO. "We remain devoted to developing software to simplify this process, and look forward to extending Agility's proven workflow automation and distributed computing benefits to a much wider range of users."

Concurrent with the new funding, Anystream also announced several additions to its board of directors including Gregga Baxter and Kevin Bennis, a telecommunications industry veteran and former CEO of Sprint Canada (Call- Net) and President of Frontier Communications. "Anystream's success in penetrating vertical markets -- like telecommunications, with clients like BT, Cable & Wireless, KDDI and others -- shows the versatility of the Agility product line. I look forward to serving on the Anystream board as the company executes on its next phase of development," Bennis said.

Anystream's Agility software architecture provides a single, fully automated software solution for acquiring, archiving, webcasting, managing and repurposing media assets in broadcast, postproduction and Internet workflows. The scalable and modular Agility product line features entry-level configurations, a client migration path for adding features and processing capabilities, and a software development kit for extending Agility command and control to other mission-critical software platforms and applications. Agility runs on off-the-shelf servers, eliminating the need for companies to purchase proprietary hardware systems.

Anystream's Agility software is deployed for many of the world's best- known broadcast and content production applications including BBC Technologies, Bertelsmann, BSkyB, BT Broadcast Services, CNET, CNN, Fox News, MTVi, RAI Italy, RTL, Warner Brothers, weather.com, Germany's ZDF and many more. Anystream also is deployed for corporations such as GE, FedEx and Raytheon; top universities including Harvard, Dartmouth and University of Nebraska; and within the Army, Department of Defense and the Smithsonian.

About Anystream

Anystream, Inc. (http://www.anystream.com/) is the leading provider of software that automates media encoding and transcoding of streaming, broadcast and production formats. Its Agility software products enable companies to substantially increase the volume and types of media that can be produced at dramatically lower cost. The Agility product family is based on a scalable platform that easily integrates across business applications, serving diverse markets from media professionals to broadcasters, corporations, education and government institutions, and service providers. Anystream, Inc. is funded by SCP Private Equity Partners, Falcon Private Equity L.P., the Intel 64 Fund and Citigroup Investments, Inc. Anystream, Inc. is based in Sterling, VA.

CONTACT: Darian Germain of Anystream, Inc., +1-703-948-3063, or dgermain@anystream.com

Web site: http://www.anystream.com/

Genesco Announces Extension to Voluntary Odd-Lot Program For Common Stock.

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Aug. 30 /PRNewswire/ --

Genesco Inc. (NYSE: GCO) today announced it has extended its voluntary program to allow shareholders owning fewer than 100 shares of Genesco common stock either to sell all of their shares or purchase enough additional shares to increase their holdings to 100 shares. Participating shareholders will receive or pay a market-based price per share, which will be uniformly applied during the program period. The program is effective from August 22, 2000 until September 22, 2000.

As previously stated, Genesco will pay the commission and all processing charges on the sale or purchase of shares in the program. The program is being administered by Georgeson Shareholder Communications Inc. Materials containing the official terms of the program will be mailed to eligible shareholders and may be obtained by contacting Georgeson Shareholder Communications Inc. at (800) 498-3032. Participants should also direct questions regarding the program to Georgeson Shareholder Communications Inc.

Genesco, based in Nashville, sells footwear and accessories in more than 765 retail stores in the U.S., principally under the names Journeys, Johnston & Murphy and Jarman, and on internet websites www.journeys.com and www.johnstonmurphy.com. The Company also sells footwear at wholesale under its Johnston & Murphy brand and under the licensed Dockers and Nautica brands. Additional information on Genesco and its operating divisions may be accessed at its website www.genesco.com.