Toad-killing safaris could boost tourism Down Under, says mayor

Melbourne, June 4 (ANI): Darwin’s lord mayor has stated that he believes the idea of helping terminate cane toads could lure tourists to the Northern Territory.

Graeme Sawyer said there would be plenty of whack-happy visitors keen to take part in the game, even though past proposals by tour operators to include toad busts in their overnight camps had been knocked back.

“It’s crazy … we’ve had tour operators who want to do it and been denied by park rangers,” News.com.au quoted him as saying.

Frogwatch figures estimate there are about 92 million cane toads infesting the NT, which it says are having a huge impact in their competition for food with native animals.

Sawyer said the Territory could replicate the successes of the Great Toad Muster, held near the WA/NT border, which attracts volunteering tourists.

“It’s a pretty amazing experience out there … seeing these places at night, crocs in the water, there’s a sense of adventure and adds to people’s sense of achievement,” he said.

Sawyer said allowing organised tourist toad busts in places like Kakadu could be “very beneficial”.

“I think it could make a massive difference to places like Gunlom (Falls),” he revealed.

“What I hear is there are stacks and stacks and stacks of toads that come for refuge at the water,” he added. (ANI)

Butt out in Hobart

The Hobart City Council has declared parts of the CBD smoke free.

Last night’s council meeting decided that Elizabeth Mall, the Hobart Bus Mall and Wellington Court would be smoke free areas from August this year.

Acting Lord Mayor Helen Burnet says it is a breakthrough for better public health.

“This is a wonderful step forward for public health and it sends a clear message that this council is acting positively to ensure that there are good public health outcomes including reducing smoking and the capacity to be able to smoke in these public areas,” she said.

Socialite bequeaths “30 pieces of silver” to daughters as “blood money”

Melbourne, April 26 (ANI): A former mayor is said to have bequeathed each of her daughters with “30 pieces of silver of the lowest denomination of currency” or 30 five cent pieces, claiming it was “blood money due to Judas”.

Valmai Roche, who died last year, aged 81, left 1.50 dollars from her 3.5 million dollars estate to each of her daughters, as she believed that they had conspired over the death of her mother, reports News.com.au.

According to the Advertiser, two of Roche’s daughters say their mother was “delusional” and they are challenging her will in the South Australian Supreme Court.

Roche left the same amount to her ex-husband, John Roche, a former property developer who was Adelaide City Council Lord Mayor from 1975-77.

Before her death, Roche’s mother, Dorothy Maud Haber, was being cared for in a nursing home. The documents do not say how or when she died.

The daughters, Deborah Hamilton, Fiona Roche and Shauna Roche, were also left equal shares in their mother’s jewellery, on condition they read and correctly answered questions related to her personal diaries from January, 1974, until the date of her will, which was signed in October 1981.

The will left the remainder of her estate to the Knights of the Southern Cross – a Catholic charity for men.

Roche also “specifically excludes” her children and former husband “from any further benefits” because her daughters “have been adequately provided for . . . and because of their estrangement” during her later years.

She made only one addition to her will. In 1987, she left a French Empire style desk to daughter Fiona.

Documents before the court do not provide a formal valuation of Roche’s estate, but it is estimated at 3.5 million dollars.

Hamilton, who alleges her mother held “fixed, false and incorrigible views”, also said her mother’s “delusions” rendered her incapable of “making a reasonable and proper disposition of her estate”, making her will invalid.

The matter returns to court next month. (ANI)

Socialite bequeaths “30 pieces of silver” to daughters as “blood money”

Melbourne, April 26 (ANI): A former mayor is said to have bequeathed each of her daughters with “30 pieces of silver of the lowest denomination of currency” or 30 five cent pieces, claiming it was “blood money due to Judas”.

Valmai Roche, who died last year, aged 81, left 1.50 dollars from her 3.5 million dollars estate to each of her daughters, as she believed that they had conspired over the death of her mother, reports News.com.au.

According to the Advertiser, two of Roche”s daughters say their mother was “delusional” and they are challenging her will in the South Australian Supreme Court.

Roche left the same amount to her ex-husband, John Roche, a former property developer who was Adelaide City Council Lord Mayor from 1975-77.

Before her death, Roche”s mother, Dorothy Maud Haber, was being cared for in a nursing home. The documents do not say how or when she died.

The daughters, Deborah Hamilton, Fiona Roche and Shauna Roche, were also left equal shares in their mother”s jewellery, on condition they read and correctly answered questions related to her personal diaries from January, 1974, until the date of her will, which was signed in October 1981.

The will left the remainder of her estate to the Knights of the Southern Cross – a Catholic charity for men.

Roche also “specifically excludes” her children and former husband “from any further benefits” because her daughters “have been adequately provided for . . . and because of their estrangement” during her later years.

She made only one addition to her will. In 1987, she left a French Empire style desk to daughter Fiona.

Documents before the court do not provide a formal valuation of Roche”s estate, but it is estimated at 3.5 million dollars.

Hamilton, who alleges her mother held “fixed, false and incorrigible views”, also said her mother”s “delusions” rendered her incapable of “making a reasonable and proper disposition of her estate”, making her will invalid.

The matter returns to court next month. (ANI)

Children’s ‘unsafe’ treehouse to be replaced by Council

risbane Lord Mayor Campbell Newman has promised to replace a suburban treehouse that has to be torn down because it has been deemed unsafe.

A group of children built the four level cubby in a council park at northside Newmarket.

Councillor Newman says it is a safety hazard so council has offered to design a new version.

“Since January 1, 2009 Brisbane City Council has been hit with over 200 public liability claims at a cost of $3.5 million to the ratepayer,” he said.

“We would be absolutely negligent if we didn’t actually move to deal with safety issues in our parks.”

Wheel to stop turning

The Perth Observation Wheel will stop turning early next month after its operators and the City of Perth failed to reach a decision on its future.

The operators wanted to install concrete pilings to make the wheel a more permanent construction – with a five year minimum contract.

The City of Perth says it cannot commit to a longer contract because the Perth waterfront project will start development within months.

Lord Mayor Lisa Scaffidi denies the wheel is being closed because its popularity has been low.

“It’s a private business so we don’t have any evidence to show other than the fact we’ve had many emails from businesses in the location suggesting that because of the patronage to the wheel that their businesses have benefited greatly,” she said.

Garbos march on Clover Moore’s office

Sydney City garbage men have marched wheelie bins to Lord Mayor Clover Moore’s office in protest at new contracts they say leave workers underpaid and the city in shambles.

The Transport Workers Union says more than 40 workers were made to reapply for their jobs and take a $200-a-week pay cut when the council tendered its waste management last month to the company, URM.

“It’s a dirty dangerous job, one that Clover Moore wouldn’t do and one that Clover Moore couldn’t do for $200 less per week,” the union’s national secretary, Tony Sheridan, said.

“She’s ripped the families off in the local community, spat on them, shown them no dignity, no respect and she needs to turn around and change her decision.”

Some inner-city residents joined the protest to complain about the new management.

“There’s been a standstill in garbage collection,” said Phil Boulten from Darlinghurst.

The union is calling for the City of Sydney Council to direct URM to renegotiate contracts with the union.

The council says it has requested that URM enter into negotiations with the union but it has no control over the workers’ wages.

In a statement, a spokesman says the council is working with URM to overcome “transitional problems”.

“URM has assured the city they will put on extra trucks to return services to normal by next week,” he said.

URM says workers are paid in accordance with the new state awards system.

Crumbling city hall reopens for 80th birthday

Brisbane City Hall celebrates its 80th birthday today but concerns remain about who will foot the bill for its $215 million refurbishment.

The building is closed for major repairs but will temporarily reopen today for birthday celebrations.

The landmark building opened in 1930 but in recent years it began to crumble.

It was closed in December to allow for $215 million worth of structural, electrical and safety repairs.

Deputy Council Opposition Leader Milton Dick says ratepayers have not been told where the money is coming from.

“Currently looking at a shortfall of about $185 million,” he said.

A committee has been set up to raise funds but Lord Mayor Campbell Newman says at this stage he cannot say how much has been donated.

“At the end of the day the restoration bill will be presented to people in an open and transparent way,” he said.

He says more funding details will be revealed in the council budget.

Councillor Newman says the $215 million restoration project is progressing well.

“When visitors today go through City Hall on a free guided tour they’ll see a forest of scaffolding in the central auditorium that goes right up to the top dome,” he said.

“It’s quite spectacular and it shows the magnitude of the work and the effort required to actually deal with the problems in this building.”

Brisbane garbage trucks off the road

The Transport Workers Union (TWU) says almost all of Brisbane’s garbage trucks have been taken off the road because of mechanical defects.

The Brisbane City Council outsources its garbage collection services to a company called SITA.

The Department of Transport says inspections of SITA’s fleet are continuing.

TWU state secretary Hughie Williams says union members told him about the problem late Monday.

“I’m just absolutely amazed at this really because I’ve never heard of a transport company or any organisation where 95 per cent or 98 per cent of their trucks have been put off the road because of defects,” he said.

“The fact that they have been put off the road is totally unacceptable and we expect the Council to make sure that their contractors have got the trucks safe for TWU members to be driving those vehicles.”

SITA says only 22 out of 96 of its vehicles have been stood down.

The Lord Mayor’s office says SITA has assured the council no services will be affected.

Council numbers in the spotlight

Tasmania’s Local Government Association says there is a valid argument to reduce the number of elected members on councils.

It is understood a motion at the Kingborough Council this week to reduce councillors from 12 to nine was narrowly defeated.

Allan Garcia told ABC Local Radio the issue was different from calls to reduce Tasmania’s 29 councils.

“What we are talking about here is trying to match the right number of people around the table making the decisions to the need,” he said.

“In a company circumstance, there are circumstances where corporations reduce the numbers on their board but they don’t necessarily go and amalgamate with their competitor.”

Hobart’s Lord Mayor Rob Valentine does not favour reducing the number because there is a big demand on elected members.

“Six committees we operate with, you have to have representation on those committees,” he said.

“Currently that’s five aldermen per committee where we can make that happen.

“I suppose it’s not inconceivable that there might be four aldermen per committee, so therefore the opportunity is there to consider something less, but again it comes down to what the people in the street are after and that is representation as well.”

Melbournians ‘blase’ about major events

Melbourne’s Lord Mayor concedes residents may be getting blase about the city’s busy major events schedule.

The International Flower and Garden Show has just opened, the Comedy Festival is on and last week was the Melbourne Fashion Festival.

The AFL season begins on Thursday and the Australian F1 Grand Pix is on this weekend.

Lord Mayor Robert Doyle says there is hardly a day in the calendar that is not filled with some kind of event.

“I think it is partly that our calendar is so crowded with all these different events that they all do jostle for room a bit. And so you tend not to have one having that dominant overlay,” he told ABC Radio’s Jon Faine.

“I hope we’re not getting blase about it. I guess the proof will be the numbers.”

He is still expecting over a big turnout for the Grand Prix.

“Will we get more than 100,000 to it on Sunday? And if the answer is yes, then it still holds up as one of the huge major iconic events of our calendar,” he said.

Peter Jones, of the Victorian Events Industry Council, denies there is a lack of hype over the Grand Prix.

He says Melbourne residents are simply used to having all of these events and attend them with little fuss.

“Because of the plethora of wonderful events, we kind of take them for granted.

Mr Jones believes the race excitement will build once cars hit the track.

“Melbourne is very lucky to have all these events and we shouldn’t be taking them for granted, particularly when they generate so much business for the local economy,” he said.

Brisbane’s CLEM7 tunnel opens

Australia’s longest road tunnel, Brisbane’s CLEM7, is open.

Stretching 4.8 kilometres under the city centre, the $3 billion tunnel links Bowen Hills on the city’s northside to Woolloongabba in the south and was officially opened by the Lord Mayor Campbell Newman at 10:00pm AEST yesterday.

Thousands of cars, trucks and motorbikes have begun driving the tollway under the Brisbane River that has four entrances – one on the northside and three on the southside.

The project was completed seven months early.

Motorists have until April 5 to use the tunnel for free before tolls are phased in.

‘Major milestone’

Speaking from the control centre, Councillor Newman said it was a major milestone for the city.

“On behalf of the 12,000 men and women that have worked for three-and-a-half-years to make this happen on behalf of the long-suffering motorists, I officially open this tunnel – the CLEM7 – in memory of the great Dr Clem Jones, [former] lord mayor of Brisbane,” he said.

Councillor Newman had hoped for a low-key opening to avoid accidents but he says hundreds of people were waiting in nearby streets trying to be the first to enter.

“It was very clear that people were going around the block,” he said.

“The very first thing we saw were a couple of motorcyclists duck around the head of these cones and get themselves right into pole position, so some of the very first vehicles to go through were actually two motorcyclists from the Shaftson Avenue end.

“People seem absolutely stoked and I am really thrilled the motorists are finally getting the sort of infrastructure that they deserve in the city.

“This is just the beginning – this is just one down and four big projects to go.

“I think people are happy and I think they will be happy when they really see how it operates at peak hour where they get those savings, so it just shows the way for Brisbane in the future.”

But the tunnel faced its first traffic snarl just hours after its official opening.

A car broke down shortly after 6am AEST near the tunnel’s northern exit.

Shawn Corbett from the Australian Traffic Network says the breakdown was quickly cleared.

“Traffic is flying through there at the moment,” he said.

Airport Link project

Premier Anna Bligh says the State Government will keep a close eye on patronage in the CLEM7 ahead of the completion of the state-funded Airport Link toll road.

Ms Bligh says usage of the tunnel will be an indicator for future toll road planning.

She has praised Councillor Newman for the project.

“If you go back, the history books will show that the first person to consider these sorts of tunnels was [former Labor mayor] Jim Soorley and credit to him,” she said.

“But the person who delivered it – and full credit to him – was the Lord Mayor Campbell Newman and this was a very big project.

“I think it’ll make a big difference and I congratulate him.”

- Reporting by Francis Tapim, Natalie Poyhonen and Chris Logan

Tempers flare at BCC meeting

Question time in the Brisbane City Council meeting last night was dominated by fierce debate about a suspended LNP councillor.

Councillor for Tennyson Ward, Nicole Johnston, was last week suspended from the LNP until the end of the year.

The State Executive found she brought the party into disrepute.

Labor councillors say she has been punished for voting against a bus depot in her ward – but the LNP Lord Mayor Campbell Newman rejects that.

“There is a lot more to this matter than the Sherwood bus depot,” Cr Newman said.

He says the Opposition is trying to score political points.

Councillor Johnston objected to some of the Lord Mayor’s comments.

“I find them highly personally offensive and I again ask that you direct him to withdraw them,” she said.

The LNP State Executive released a statement last week which said action taken against Cr Johnston had nothing to do with her voting record or the Sherwood Bus Depot.

Belfast kids’ finger painting world record bid

London, Aug 21 (ANI): More than 4,000 children in Belfast have attempted to beat the world record for finger painting.

The previous record was set in Austria two years ago and was 699sq ft smaller than the new gigantic spread.

Two adjudicators approved by Guinness World Records are currently examining the artwork to find if it is a new record.

The latest painting was stitched together at the Belfast zoo carpark to produce a massive 22,496.5sq ft canvas.

Northern Ireland Child Minding Association organized the event to mark its 25th anniversary celebrations.

Sky News quoted association director Bridget Nodder as saying: “We wanted to do something a bit different to celebrate our anniversary.”

Belfast Lord Mayor Naomi Long called the effort “a great opportunity for children to get involved in a creative project which is tremendous fun.”

The confirmation of the new record will be known in a couple of weeks. (ANI)

Famous motorcar Chitty Chitty Bang Bang’ banned from procession

London, Jul 9 (ANI): Famous motorcar Chitty Chitty Bang Bang has been banned from taking part in a lord mayor’s procession because it does not have an MoT.

Thousands of people had been looking forward to seeing the famous flying car, but cops said that they would not bend the rules.

“Our priority is the safety of the public and we cannot make exceptions,” the Sun quoted spokesman Harry Mitchell as saying.

The vehicle, which featured in the classic 1968 film of the same name, was due to join a huge parade through Norwich on July 11.

“Although the road is closed for the procession, it is still classed as a public highway and the DVLA is clear that all vehicles in the procession need to be fully covered,” Helen Selleck, the city council’s events manager, said.

The car was due to be displayed by Norwich’s Theatre Royal.

“We are very disappointed Chitty will not be seen on the streets,” spokesman John Bultitude added. (ANI)

Archaeologists claim discovery of Shakespeare’s first theatre

London, March 10 (ANI): A team of archaeologists has claimed to have unearthed the remains of Shakespeare’s first theatre in London, England.

According to a report by BBC News, a team from the Museum of London found the remains of the theatre in Shoreditch last summer.

In 1576, it is thought the Bard acted there and that it also hosted the premiere of Romeo and Juliet.

Taryn Nixon, from the Museum of London, said that her team had found part of the original curved wall of the playhouse, which was believed to be polygonal in shape.

A metre and a half below street level, it has also uncovered the gravel surface, gently sloping down towards the stage, where the bulk of the audience would have stood.

But, the archaeologists fear the stage itself may be buried underneath a housing development.

Nixon told the BBC that the theatre was built in what were known as “the suburbs of sin” just outside the city.

“The Lord Mayor actually passed a decree that there shouldn’t be any theatrical performances in the city. So, just on the edge of the city is actually, classically, where you find all the slightly wilder, slightly more fun activities going on,” she said.

The theatre was constructed by James Burbage, possibly using bricks from an old priory.

It is thought to have played host to Shakespeare’s theatre company, the Chamberlain’s Men.

About 25 years after it was built, it was dismantled and moved timber by timber to construct the Globe Theatre on the South Bank of the Thames.

According to Penny Tuerk, from the Tower Theatre Company, it would be a 21st Century equivalent of the original playhouse – a “no frills, hard-working place of entertainment” – that would bring London theatre “back to its roots”.

“Imagine actors in the future crossing the theatre and perhaps paying homage to Shakespeare as they go on stage for luck,” she added. (ANI)

Oz PM red faced after ‘s*** storm’ instead of political storm slip!

Melbourne, Mar 9 (ANI): Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd is not known for using “colourful” language, but the global economic crisis seems to be enough to cause a slip of the tongue in even a mild-mannered leader.

The Prime Minister made the slip when explaining that current circumstances made it necessary to borrow to keep the wheels of the economy turning, but that created a political “shit storm”.

Defending his Government’s decision to spend 42 billion dollars to save the nation’s faltering economy, Rudd warned punters to expect a “political s—storm” during a pre-recorded interview on Channel 7′s Sunday Night program that aired last night.

Rudd told the Seven Network that it was necessary to keep building long-term economic infrastructure even in the down times to keep the foundation for jobs in place.

But he noted it meant that opponents would then complain about governments going into debt, the Daily Telegraph reported.

“There’s a very simple alternative here: You either sit back as government and do nothing and just wait for the free market to fix it all up or you step in and try to fill the breach for a temporary period,” Rudd said.

Melbourne’s Liberal Lord Mayor Robert Doyle said that the colourful language was no accident.

“I don’t think he dropped it, I think it was a carefully scripted attempt to make himself appear human … one of the lads,” he said.

“The PM is very emotional about these job losses, I think it was just something that came out in the moment,” Labor Senator Mark Arbib said. (ANI)

PNB opens first branch in British Midlands

Mumbai, jan.29 (ANI): Punjab National Bank (International) Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of PNB, has announced the opening of its first branch in Leicester city in the British Midlands region of the UK.

The new branch was officially inaugurated by the Right Worshipful Lord Mayor of Leicester, Councillor Manjula Sood and will directly create five new jobs initially.

The new British Midlands-based Leicester branch will be the first of a number of new openings for PNBIL in 2009 with branches expected to open in Birmingham, Manchester, Wolverhampton and London shortly in addition to their existing branches in Southall and London City.

The opening will simultaneously occur with the launch of the Bank’s UK Debit Card on that will work free of charge in 70,000 ATMs and a million POS systems in the UK.

Punjab National Bank was strongly supported in its move to Leicester by Invest Leicestershire and the British Midlands India Business Bureau, who helped with property searches to find a suitable location for the new branch.

Chandrika Shah, Country Representative, British Midlands, said: “It is inspiring to see a leading Indian bank like Punjab National Bank expand its presence into the British Midlands region which is already home to several Indian banks like ICICI Bank, SBI, Bank of Baroda etc. The British Midlands region offers an unbeatable business proposition to Indian companies in terms of support offered. We are confident that the bank will prove to be successful in Leicester and will expand its presence further into our region.”

Dr. K C Chakrabarty, Chief Managing Director of Punjab National Bank, commented: “The UK market represents an excellent opportunity for Punjab National Bank and Leicester, with its large Asian population, made it an ideal location for the first of our branch openings in 2009. With several new products and services due to be launched by the Bank shortly, we are confident that our UK presence will continue to grow.

Madanjit Singh, the Managing Director of PNB (International) Ltd., said “Our bank is offering free and instant remittance to any PNB branch in India, free international Debit Card, internet banking, attractive rates of interest on Deposits.”

The British Midlands has always been receptive to Indian companies in the region with over 50 Indian companies already present and this is expected to double in the next few years with the strengthening of business ties between India and the UK.(ANI)