Good Morning Rowan Forster with ABC News

ABC NEWS 5 OCTOBER 2004 FOCUS: Auxiliary verbs ______

Good morning Rowan Forster with ABC News.

The federal opposition leader Mark Latham played down differences with Labour MP’s and timber workers over his plan to preserve Tasmania’s old growth forests. Labour plans to deliver an $800 million package to protect the forest, re-train workers and help the industry modernise, if it wins the election. Tasmanian Labour MP Dick Adams, says the move could cost the party 3 seats in the state, but Mr Latham has told Southern Cross Radio focussed on the national interest.

You know their views are well known in the debate, so too are the unions said in this campaign from time to time I have very strong disagreements with trade unions, I do things in a national interest, I do what’s right and this is another example of that and if we all agreed in politics you wouldn’t have election campaigns, it’ll all be self evidence, save disagreements and advocating good policy in getting it done is what our Labour campaign is about.

Economists don’t believe the Reserve Bank move on interest rates in the final week of the election campaign. Finance reporter Adrian Thirst says some are now thinking any adjustment might not occur until next year and that would be a relief to businesses which appear to be increasingly concerned about the impact of even a small rise in rates. The Australasian Head of Information Provider DNB Christine Christian says that’s the message from 49% of respondents to the firm’s latest survey

expecting an increasing at some point over the remainder of the year and they do believe that it will have a negative affect on their businesses. ABC NEWS 5 OCTOBER 2004 ______

But as the board of the Reserve Bank gathers today for its monthly meeting, market economists seeing a less compelling case to raise rates after disappointing figures on retail activity and exports a softer housing sector and higher petrol prices. Westpac’s economic team is among those pushing back its expectation for the next rate increase from December to March next year.

The death toll from a car in St Kilda early this morning risen to 2. An 18 year- old passenger died instantly in the crash on Dandenong road, a second man died in hospital several hours later. The car travelling with another vehicle along Dandenong road when the driver lost control and struck a poll. Police say there’s no evidence at this stage to suggest the two cars drag racing.

It could be late November before the sale of three Melbourne childcare centres linked to the child pornography crack down finalised. Administrator Ferrier Hodgson, today called for expression of interests in the three centres located in East Ivanhoe, Ferntree Gully and Croydon. Their owner charged with possessing child pornography. Ferrier Hodgson partner James Stewart says he expects a relatively quick sale.

I expect, we should be able to announce the deal within two or three weeks and then be … a small delay while the successful buyer gets the relevant Police checks and Department of Human Services approval, which you would imagine would be appropriate in this industry anyway.

The Bendigo Bank given the green light for a $70 million development in the city’s central business district. The Bendigo Council last night approved a six level building to include the bank’s national headquarters and areas for shopping, outdoor dining and car parking. The mayor Greg Williams says it’s a significant and sensitive development incorporating a modern building in a heritage precinct

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This ultimately have a thousand employees and have a very very big impact on that sudden end of the city. We think it will actually reinvigorate… the city have a positive effect on now as well on that part of the CBD for retailers, so overall we think it’s a very good development.

Archaeologists in Greece uncovered four preserved pomegranates more than 2000 years old. As Helena Smith reports from Athens they discovered inside a basket that protected in a bronze vessel.

Greek archaeologists working in the area of ancient coherence say the four pomegranates are at least two and half thousand years old, easily the oldest fruits ever found. The pomegranates preserved because the bronze vessel in which they stored, closed extremely well. The archaeologist said because of the fragility expert would not allow the fruits to be photographed, instead the pomegranates be kept in a special refrigerator for further study.

Tennis Australia is defending a $20 increase in prices for seats at the Australian Open Final, the grand slam event be launched in Melbourne today with tickets to go on sale in the next few days. Spokesman John Lindsey says the 16% price hike is reasonable.

There’s a slight increase this year for the finals, but the great thing is the ground passes which is the one that I think the majority, particularly of the Melbourne public or other people on the day just arrived in the city and are looking for something to do, turn up, actually frozen for a fourth successive year.

ABC News

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