AAP National News Wire Round-Up for Midday, April 6

AAP General News (Australia)
04-06-2009
AAP National News Wire Round-Up for Midday, April 6
Midday Round-Up: HIGHLIGHTS OF THE AAP RTV FILE AT 1130


Bonus ATO (CANBERRA)

The Australian Tax Office says the government's bonus payment will start landing in
bank accounts tomorrow night .. and the first cheques will arrive Wednesday morning.

JENNY GRANGER from the ATO says the payments of up to 900 dollars each will be made
in a random order based on postcodes.

Taxpayers earning up to 100 thousand dollars a year are eligible .. so long as they've
filed their latest tax return.

Those who haven't done so need to lodge one before June 30 to qualify for the bonus.

The government's hoping people will spend the money quickly to stimulate the slowing economy.



Bikies Hawi (SYDNEY)

Comanchero bikie chief MICK HAWI is being questioned at the Sydney Police Centre and
is expected to be charged over the fatal brawl at Sydney Airport.

Solicitor LESLY RANDLE has confirmed her client's with police .. and she'll apply for
bail in court this afternoon.

HAWI's arrest follows the Gangs Squad's investigations into the airport brawl a fortnight
ago in which ANTHONY ZERVAS .. brother of Hells Angel PETER ZERVAS .. was fatally injured.

PETER ZERVAS was shot outside his home a week later .. he remains in hospital.

Five people have already been charged with affray over the airport brawl.



Korea Missile UN (UNITED NATIONS)

The UN Security Council has adjourned three hours of closed-door talks on North Korea's
long-range rocket launch .. without agreement.

America is leading calls from the West for tough action against Pyongyang for launching
what they say was a missile with an estimated range of six thousand 700 kilometres ..

in defiance of UN resolutions.

But veto-wielding members China and Russia are calling for restraint .. so as not to
endanger the six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear disarmament.



Rates (SYDNEY)

It's line ball whether the Reserve Bank will drop interest rates tomorrow.

An AAP survey of 19 economists has found 10 expect a cut after the RBA board's monthly
meeting .. seven favouring a move of 50 basis points and three going for 25 basis points.

The other nine economists believe the official cash rate will remain at its 45-year
low of 3.25 per cent.

Westpac boss GAIL KELLY has dampened hopes of the banks passing on in full any cut
.. saying bank funding costs are still high.



Mortgage (CANBERRA)

Credit unions and building societies say they already offer hardship provisions for
customers who lose their jobs.

The four major banks have agreed to offer up to 12 months relief from mortgage payments
to retrenched workers .. under a deal struck with the Rudd government.

LOUISE PETSCHLER from the Association of Building Societies and Credit Unions says
non-bank lenders already comply with all the commitments the banks have promised.

Meantime mortgage broker Loan Market Group says people taking out a new mortgage should
consider a fixed-rate home loan .. which provide certainty to borrowers on a budget.



Cables Lillis (SYDNEY)

EnergyAustralia says any compensation for customers affected by Sydney's power outages
will be decided on a case by case basis.

Acting general manager GEOFF LILLIS says the blackouts that affected 70 thousand homes
and business in the Sydney CBD and eastern suburbs a week ago .. and 50 thousand on Saturday
.. are unacceptable .. and he's apologised for them.

Crews have fixed Saturday's transformer problem but are still working on the damaged
cable that caused last Monday's outage.



Jones (SYDNEY)

Radio host ALAN JONES says he's had a suspected melanoma removed from an arm .. but
it's a severe virus that's put him off the air.

After surgery for prostate cancer last year ... he was back in hospital in December
to remove a benign brain tumour .. and again three weeks ago for skin cancer surgery.

Four days later JONES was back hosting his regular breakfast program .. until he lost
his voice on air .. and he's been bedridden with a virus for the past week.

He's told Macquarie Radio .. reports he's dying of cancer are nonsense.



Briefly in other news ..



US Children (GRAHAM)

Investigators in America believe a man who shot dead his five children and killed himself
.. had found out his wife was leaving him for another man.



US Beatles (NEW YORK)

PAUL McCARTNEY and RINGO STARR have performed together for the first time in seven
years .. at an all-star benefit concert in New York City.



Pops Aust (SYDNEY)

American country singer TAYLOR SWIFT has landed her first Australian number one single
with .. Love Story.



in Finance ..




At 1110 AEDT .. the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index was UP 20.4 points at 3756 while the broader
All Ordinaries Index ROSE 20.3 points to 3694.3.

The Australian dollar was at 71.88 US cents .. UP from Friday's local close of 71.36 US cents.

It was at 53.05 euro cents .. DOWN from 53.17 euro cents on Friday.



in Sport ..



AFL Bock Trigg (ADELAIDE)

The Adelaide Crows CEO STEVEN TRIGG says the club will take its time to determine the
facts behind an incident involving star NATHAN BOCK before imposing any penalty.

The all-Australian AFL defender has been charged with assaulting his girlfriend at
an Adelaide hotel and also with causing property damage after being detained by police
late Saturday night.

He will face court later this year.



Golf PGA Winner (HUMBLE, Texas)

Englishman PAUL CASEY has won the Houston Open for his first US PGA Tour victory, beating
J.B. HOLMES on the first sudden-death playoff hole.

HOLMES needed a win to earn a trip to next week's US Masters and is the only player
from last year's Ryder Cup who failed to qualify.

Australian NICK O'HERN shot a 70 to tie for third place.

Countryman GEOFF OGILVY was tied for the lead after completing the third round earlier
in the day but slipped to tied sixth at eight under.



Motor Indy (St Petersburg, Florida)

Australian driver RYAN BRISCOE has snatched victory in a crash-strewn IndyCar Series
season-opening Grand Prix of St Petersburg in Florida.

Penske driver BRISCOE overtook England's JUSTIN WILSON for the lead on a re-start 14
laps from the finish of the 100-lap race.

Fellow Australian WILL POWER finished sixth.



Cricket Aust (Centurion, South Africa)

Captain RICKY PONTING has blamed poor batting rather than good bowling for Australia
being bowled out for 131 in their seven-wicket loss to South Africa.




Cricket India (Wellington)

India have declared their second innings at 434 for seven .. setting New Zealand a
massive total of 617 for victory on the fourth day of the third Test in Wellington.



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