THE PICK OF THE MORNING’S STORIES
NSW to buy Aussie-made products to save jobs – Almost $4 billion worth of government goods and services will have to be sourced from Australian companies first in a ban on “made in China” products which is to be imposed in tomorrow’s State Budget – Sydney Daily Telegraph
Robert Fisk: Iran erupts as voters back ‘the Democrator‘ – The Independent, UK
POLITICS AND ECONOMICS
Australia
Budgets
NSW to buy Aussie-made products to save jobs – Sydney Daily Telegraph
Rees sends the state spiralling into red – the Sydney Morning Herald previews the NSW Budget
Cash crux hits NSW budget for $1.7bn – The Australian
Salesman got a good night’s rest – the Sydney Morning Herald discovers first details of the lavish accommodation that the state Finance Minister, Joe Tripodi, enjoyed on his $300,000 world tour to peddle the state’s electricity assets as doubt emerged that overseas buyers are willing to buy the assets.
Ratepayers to feel sting of Queensland State Budget – Brisbane Courier Mail
Never say never: bosses urge GST hike – the Business Council wants company tax reduced and GST increased – The Australian
Interest rates
RBA may be forced to cut rates again – The Australian
Bank snubs Rudd and raises rates – again – Sydney Morning Herald gives re-run to the Commonwealth Bank decision
For home loan rates, the only way is up – Sydney Morning Herald
More banks to copy Commonwealth Bank and rise interest rates – Sydney Daily Telegraph
Rate lift: cycle has bottomed – Melbourne Age
Other economic matters
Auction rates buoy economy – Melbourne Age
House prices ‘ready to rise’ – The Australian
Australian house prices to rise by up to 20 per cent – Sydney Daily Telegraph
Stimulus money will save billions, Treasury says – Sydney Morning Herald
Political games
Deputy PM Julia Gillard tipped for main job – Adelaide Advertiser
Brumby clarion call on branch stacking – Melbourne Age
Labor lays energy trap for Opposition – Sydney Morning Herald says legislation creating a renewable energy target will be rushed into Parliament by the Federal Government as soon as today in an effort to pressure the Opposition into declaring its hand on climate change.
Turnbull under pressure on alcopops tax – Melbourne Age
Public service
Rees’ super departments mirror Queensland plan – Sydney Daily Telegraph
Emissions trading
Emissions scheme set for defeat, say Greens – Melbourne Age
Industrial relations
Don’t treat workers like criminals: Labor senator – Melbourne Age
Rudd to face IR mutiny – The Australian
Surge in building site standover tactics – Adelaide Advertiser
Health
Tough times force delay to Queensland Sunshine Coast hospital – Brisbane Courier Mail
Aboriginal affairs
Macklin endorses income quarantining – The Australian
Foreign affairs
Faulkner wants limited Afghan role – Sydney Morning Herald
Australia’s $350K blood money to the victims of war – Sydney Daily Telegraph
Gillard’s Israel trip rankles party MPs – Sydney Morning Herald
Opinion
No rush now for that dignity fix – Phillip Coorey in the Sydney Morning Herald finds Kevin Rudd in no hurry to honor his promise to legislate for four year fixed term parliaments
A ‘light on the hill’ for our future tax reformers – The Henry review will be a blueprint for long-term tax reform, not a quick tax fix says Ross Gittins in the Sydney Morning Herald
We cannot go on living like this – Peter Doherty argues in the Melbourne Age that humanity has pillaged the planet, but Australia can use its abundant natural resources to forge a new way.
Not debt size, but how it’s used, is crucial – Kenneth Davidson in the Melbourne Age on an OECD report that urges governments and business to limit cuts in spending on R&D and innovation and take a long-term view.
Ignoring the factional elephants in the room – Glenn Milne in The Australian on the reshuffle that was “an immaculate factional conception”.
Climate change plan may well evaporate – writes Malcolm Farr in the Sydney Daily Telegraph
Unfair super system needs overhaul – argues Julian Disney in the Sydney Morning Herald
Elsewhere
Elections
Iran election anger boils; Ahmadinejad defends results – Protesters who claim the vote was rigged clash with police for a second day. The government denies that two of the president’s challengers are under house arrest – Los Angeles Times
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad ‘takes back Tehran’ with hardliners, as police resort to beatings – London Times
Opinion
Iran’s Crossroads – Nicholas Kristof writes on the New York Times website that it’s impossible to be sure, but Ahmadinejad’s victory looks extraordinarily suspicious. If he won by that margin, he would be the most popular Iranian president ever – which he certainly isn’t. And it seems exceptionally unlikely that he won in Moussavi’s hometown, as the government claims. That’s the problem with dictators – they don’t just try to steal a squeaker of an election, they try to steal a landslide. In the process they lose plausibility and legitimacy.
BUSINESS
UBS throws Asciano’s board a $2bn lifeline – The Australian
Three likely new rivals to challenge ASX – The Australian
Business Council baulks at tax cuts – the Business Council of Australia has broken ranks with other business bodies declaring in its submission to the Henry review that it sees no compelling case at present for cutting personal income tax rates further – Sydney Morning Herald
ENVIRONMENT
A ‘time bomb’ for world wheat crop – Los Angeles Times
Swedes set tough terms for Tasmanian pulp mill – Sydney Morning Herald
Police investigate green group’s letter to Hazelwood boss – Melbourne Herald Sun
MEDIA
A.P. in Deal to Deliver Nonprofits’ Journalism – Four nonprofit groups devoted to investigative journalism will have their work distributed by The Associated Press, The A.P. will announce on Saturday, greatly expanding their potential audience and helping newspapers fill the gap left by their own shrinking resources – New York Times
Media giants fight to survive – APN News and Media’s key shareholder, Independent News & Media, and Network Ten’s majority owner, CanWest, have continued rescue talks with their lenders to find a way out of their debt woes reports the Sydney Morning Herald while creditor deadlines expire this week and next.
Web key to newspapers’ survival – writes Mark Day in The Australian
Labor’s man behind Kevin 07 steps down – The Australian
Chastened Chaser feels the blast of indignation – writes Errol Simper in The Australian
Packer wobbled on whether to run Keating piggery story – The Australian records a little 60 Minutes history as John Westacott prepares to retire from Nine
LIFE
Swine flu
One-third of Victorians may have flu – Melbourne Age
Swine flu – the story so far – Nearly 30,000 people have been infected with the virus in 74 countries and officially killed 145 – Melbourne Age
Swine flu alert level raised, more quarantined as virus spreads – Sydney Daily Telegraph
One in three could have swine flu – Sydney Morning Herald
Education
Further education pathway stagnates – the proportion of year 12 graduates who undertake further education or training has remained unchanged over the past two years, and is markedly lower than 2005 levels – despite a concerted effort to improve paths for people who complete school reports the Melbourne Age
Sport
One more grunt and you’re out: Wimbledon to crack down after complaints – The London Times
Audacious Soccer World Cup bid launched – Melbourne Age
Diet
Health nazis losing obesity war as pies return to school canteens – Sydney Daily Telegraph
Gambling
Exclusion burden hurts pokie addicts – Melbourne Age
Homelessness
Homelessness rises in regional areas – Sydney Morning Herald
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