UPDATE 1-EasyJet June passengers rise 9.4 pct

July 7, 2010 By Leave a Comment

LONDON, July 6 (Reuters) – British budget airline easyJet (EZJ.L) flew 9.4 percent more passengers in June year-on-year, its largest monthly increase since before flights were interrupted by a volcanic ash cloud from Iceland in April. The airline carried 4.54 million passenger in June, up from 4.15 million a year ago, while its load factor — a measure of how it fills its planes — increased 0.9 percentage points to 87.2 percent.

Passenger numbers at rival Ryanair (RYA.I) rose 15 percent in June, the Irish airline said on Monday, while they fell 11.1 percent at strike-hit British Airways (BAY.L). [ID:nWLA7687] [ID:nLDE6640HR]

(Reporting by Paul Sandle, Editing by Rosalba O’Brien)

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Ireland can shock England in T20 World Cup: O’Brien

May 4, 2010 By Leave a Comment

London, May 4 (ANI): Ireland wicket-keeper Niall O’Brien believes that they can produce the first surprise result in the Twenty20 World Cup by beating England in Group D match tonight.

O’Brien said that his team will need to pull off the performance of their lives to win.

“If you look back down the years, we’ve beaten Zimbabwe by 10 wickets in Stormont, we beat the West Indies in 2004 by six wickets, and of course the 2007 World Cup speaks for itself because both Pakistan and Bangladesh were great wins and we tied with Zimbabwe,” the Daily Express quoted him, as saying.

“We also got to the Super Eights last year in England in the World Twenty20 and beat Bangladesh on the way in this format,” he said.

“We know we can beat these teams and it’s important to take that confidence into the game. Having beaten big teams in the past, there’s no reason why we can’t do it again.

“We have the personnel to compete with them over 40 overs of the match and it’s important to stay in there as long as we can,” O’Brien said.

Ireland has an extensive history of shocks behind them going into this match.

O’Brien said: “Things change quickly in Twenty20, so it just needs one or two people to put in a special performance and we’ll get the victory. This format gives the underdog much more of a chance.” (ANI)

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New Zealand crush Ireland in T20 World Cup warm-up game

April 28, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Georgetown (Guyana, West Indies), Apr 28(ANI): New Zealand has defeated Ireland by 40 runs in the first of two Twenty20 World Cup warm-up games at the Guyana National Stadium in Georgetown.

The Black Caps got off to a bright start after skipper Daniel Vettori won the toss and elected to bat.

Opening batsmen Jesse Ryder and Rob Nicol shared a partnership of 104 runs in 9.2 overs before being dismissed in quick succession, which also caused a small batting collapse.

Ryder scored 64 off 30 balls, while Nicol batted cautiously for 31 off 30 deliveries.

Middle-order batsmen Scott Styris and Gareth Hopkins departed cheaply for five runs apiece. Martin Guptill’s quickfire 50 runs off 35 balls to push the score to 187 consolidated the team, Stuff.co.nz reports.

In response, Ireland never clocked-up a threatening run rate and lost wickets at regular intervals to reach a commendable 147 with its captain William Porterfield top scoring with 34.

Off-spinner Nathan McCullum was the pick of the Kiwi bowlers taking 3-25 from his four overs. Kyle Mills, Ian Butler, Scott Styris, Tim Southee and Jacob Oram shared one scalp apiece.

Brief Scorecard:

New Zealand 187-5 (Jesse Ryder 64, Martin Guptill 50; George Dockrell 3-22)
Ireland 147-9 (William Porterfield 34, Gary Wilson 31, Kevin O’Brien 28; Nathan McCullum 3-25) (ANI)

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Sports stars’ drinking habits don’t influence youth

April 23, 2010 By Leave a Comment

London, April 22 (IANS) The drunken and loutish behaviour of some sporting heroes has little or no effect on the drinking habits of young people, research says.

Researchers at the Universities of Manchester, Britain, and Western Sydney, Australia, said their findings rubbish the idea that sports stars act as role models for those who follow sport.

‘The perceived drinking habits of sports stars and its relationship to the drinking levels of young people has never been examined empirically, despite these sporting heroes often being touted as influential role models for young people,’ said Kerry O’Brien, lecturer at Manchester’s School of Psychological Sciences, who led the study.

‘Our research shows that young people, both sporting participants and non-sporting participants, don’t appear to be influenced by the drinking habits of high-profile sportspersons as depicted in the mass media,’ he added.

O’Brien and his colleagues, pointing to previous research, suggest that sport and sports stars are much more likely to influence the drinking behaviour of fans when used as marketing tools by the alcohol industry, such as through sponsorship deals.

The research team asked more than 1,000 young followers of sportspersons at elite and amateur level and non-followers of sportspersons to report the perceived drinking behaviour of high-profile sports stars compared with their friends, and then report their own drinking behaviour using the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test.

The researchers found that both sporting and non-sporting study participants believed that sports stars actually drank significantly less than themselves but that their own friends drank considerably more.

After accounting for other potential factors, sports stars’ drinking was not predictive of young followers’ own drinking, and was actually predictive of lower levels of drinking in non-followers – the more alcohol non-followers perceived sports stars to drink, the less they actually drank themselves.

O’Brien said: ‘Sport administrators are very quick to condemn and punish individual sport stars for acting as poor role models when they are caught displaying drunken and loutish behaviour.’

But there is much stronger evidence for a relationship between alcohol-industry sponsorship, advertising and marketing within sports and hazardous drinking among young people than there is for the influence of sports stars’ drinking, a Manchester release said.

‘We are not suggesting that sports stars should not be encouraged to drink responsibly but it’s disingenuous to place the blame on them for setting the bad example,’ O’Brien said.

The findings were published in Drug and Alcohol Review.

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Young Lib expelled over Obama monkey slur

April 17, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Queensland’s Liberal-National Party (LNP) has expelled a young member who called US president Barack Obama a “monkey” on Twitter.

Griffith University medical student Nick Sowden stirred up a storm of controversy for his Twitter comments during Kerry O’Brien’s exclusive interview with the US president.

The 22-year-old says he is not a racist and his comments were supposed to be ironic and have been taken out of context.

“If i wanted to see a monkey on TV id [sic] watch Wildlife Rescue #justsaying #obama730,” read one comment.

Another said: “Im [sic] not sure why they paid kerry to fly to america. if they wanted an interview with a monkey surely a Ferry to Taronga would have sufficed.”

Mr Sowden’s Twitter account has now been deleted, but there are hundreds of references to the comments on the internet.

The LNP’s response was swift. President Bruce McIver says they do not want him on their team.

“No, most definitely not on our team at all,” he said.

Mr Sowden says it was a poor attempt at irony which has been blown out of proportion.

“It’s meant to be more of a joke against the Tea Party movement, the crazy right wing conservatives, Fox News type thing,” he said.

“And it’s something maybe that they would say and I think that’s where the joke is. People who don’t know me who read the retweets of it, they don’t really realise the context… have claimed me to be a racist when I’m quite clearly not.

“I hadn’t really thought much about it at the time and that’s probably where it went a bit wrong… It’s not against Barack as a person.”

Apology

Mr Sowden says he does a lot of work for Indigenous health and charities in Ghana and Fiji which shows he is not a racist person.

He says he now regrets his comments and he would apologise to Mr Obama.

“I’m sure Barack Obama has a lot worse things in his life to deal with than a tweet from someone with 200 followers on the Gold Coast, but if he has taken offence, sure, I’ll apologise,” he said.

Mr Sowden’s Facebook site contains a picture of Hitler in a parody of an Obama election poster but he says that too has been misconstrued.

“That picture of Obama was everywhere, there was all this hype which I didn’t agree with – I didn’t think it was warranted at the time – and I think that was one way of showing how the masses can be influenced like that,” he said.

“If people want to call me a Nazi then that’s obviously another ridiculous thing, I had family in a concentration camp, I had family who were migrants.”

On Facebook, Mr Sowden is a fan of pages titled ‘I hate it when I wake up in the morning and Barack Obama is President’ and ‘Obama screwed more people than Tiger Woods’.

His page includes a photo of a beaming Mr Sowden with his arm around former Liberal leader Brendan Nelson at a John Howard testimonial dinner.

Young LNP Queensland president Rod Schneider says Mr Sowden’s comments are not the views of the Young Liberals and he welcomes the LNP’s move to expel him from the party.

He says this was the latest in a “long line of indiscretions” from Mr Sowden.

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Young Liberal in Obama ‘monkey’ Twitter scandal to be expelled

April 17, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Brisbane, Apr.16 (ANI): A young Liberals’ member who called Barack Obama a “monkey” on Twitter during the US President’s interview on the ABC will be expelled, says the Queensland Liberal National Party (LNP).

The tweets, from an account belonging to Nick Sowden, a medical student at the University of Queensland, began just after 7.30pm AEST last night, during ABC TV’s 7.30 Report with Kerry O’Brien.

Sowden said his comments were taken out of context. He said it was a joke between friends.

“I think the people follow me know (it’s a joke) and the people who are my friends know and the people on Twitter don’t unfortunately,” he said.

I don’t think Obama is a monkey. You can’t be a monkey and be President of the United States.”

When asked if he’d apologise, he said: “Yes, sure, why not.”

Sowden said he shut down his Twitter account because he didn’t want any more tweets taken out of context.

The LNP held a meeting today to discuss Mr Sowden’s actions and found that he had brought the Party into disrepute.

The party said it “resolves to expel him from the Liberal National Party”. (ANI)

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Young Liberals caught up in Obama ‘monkey’ Twitter scandal

April 17, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Brisbane, Apr.16 (ANI): The Queensland Liberal National Party (LNP) has condemned the action of a member allegedly responsible for calling Barack Obama a “monkey” on Twitter during the US president’s interview on the ABC.

cording to news.com.au, the tweets belonged to Nick Sowden, a medical student at the University of Queensland.

They began just after 7.30 p.m. AEST last night, during ABC TV’s 7.30 Report with Kerry O’Brien.

“I’m not sure why they paid Kerry to fly to America (sic), if they wanted an interview with a monkey surely a ferry to Taronga would have sufficed,” one tweet said, referring to Taronga Zoo on Sydney Harbour.

“If I wanted to see a monkey on TV I’d watch Wildlife Rescue,” said another.

LNP state director Michael O’Dwyer said the party did not tolerate such comments and would be looking into the matter. (ANI)

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Next One Interactive Inc (NXOI OTCBB) and Comcast Spotlight to Offer Residential Real Estate Listings Through Video on

April 16, 2010 By Leave a Comment

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL, Apr 14 (MARKET WIRE) —
Next One Interactive (OTCBB: NXOI) and Comcast Spotlight, the advertising
sales division of Comcast Cable, announced today that they will introduce
“Homes TV On Demand,” a new video-on-demand (VOD) “channel.” Homes TV On
Demand will allow prospective home buyers in more than 70 U.S. markets –
representing 15 million digital cable homes — to view hundreds of
in-market real estate listings through Comcast Spotlight’s Searchlight
VOD advertising platform.

Next One will work with Liquidus Marketing Inc. for scaled video creation
services across Comcast Spotlight’s footprint. Liquidus Marketing Inc.’s
CEO Todd Holmes stated, “Our solution allows for a cost-effective way to
aggregate listings into attractive videos, and we’re looking to
facilitate more ways for buyers to interact with listings and sellers in
the future.”

“Next One believes that video-on-demand is an ideal platform for
consumers to shop for homes in their local market as well as vacation
properties in destinations around the world. Interested buyers can use
their remotes to browse listings on their televisions from the comfort of
their couch. The real estate industry today seeks brand awareness and the
ability to reach new potential buyers. Comcast Spotlight’s Searchlight
advertising platform enables Homes TV to provide a valuable service to
consumers and real estate companies and another media platform for Next
One to generate revenue from interstitial advertising , sponsorships,
referral fees and commissions consistent with our business model,” stated
Bill Kerby, CEO and Vice Chairman of Next One Interactive Inc.

Greg O’Brien, Vice President, Advanced TV, for Comcast Spotlight, added,
“Working with Next One Interactive is a great opportunity for Comcast
Spotlight to add even more value to our Searchlight video-on-demand
advertising platform. VOD, with its engaging video, user-controlled
experience and 24×7 availability, is an ideal platform for home shoppers
to get a real feel for properties on the market. Homes TV On Demand is a
natural fit with our strategy of making advertising more engaging and
engaging and connecting with consumers by making relevant, interactive
content available when they want to view it.”

Homes TV On Demand will roll out in Comcast markets this spring. Comcast
Digital Cable customers will be able to access the channel by selecting
channel 8-8-8 on their remote controls — or by selecting Searchlight
from the On Demand menu — and then selecting “Real Estate.”

Next One Interactive will also produce Homes video showcases on its full
time TV Network R&R TV. Like Homes TV on Demand, R&R Network will
generate revenues from advertising as well as generating leads and
customer referrals that it will forward to licensed realtors interested
in receiving leads generated from the Network.

About Next One Interactive Inc.

Next One Interactive Inc. (NXOI) is a multi faceted media company
specializing in Travel and Real Estate. Next One delivers targeted
content via digital platforms including Satellite, Cable, Broadcast,
Broadband and mobile. Along with the full time R&R TV network, the
company will deliver its content and sponsors’ messages on Video on
Demand outlets enhanced by interactive applications. The company also
provides content on terrestrial and internet radio and in customized
print publications. In today’s digital market Next One Interactive
delivers information and entertainment to consumers. The company has
created multiple revenue streams including transactional commissions,
referral fees, advertising and sponsorship. The multiple revenue streams
and integrated media platforms allow for the delivery of measurable
return on investment to its advertisers, sponsors and business partners.

About Comcast Spotlight

Comcast Spotlight, the advertising sales division of Comcast Cable, helps
put the power of cable to use for local, regional and national
advertisers. It is focused on providing multi-platform marketing
solutions to reach audiences most effectively and efficiently.
Headquartered in New York with offices throughout the country, Comcast
Spotlight has a presence in nearly 90 markets with approximately 30
million owned and represented subscribers. Comcast Spotlight is a
trademark of Comcast Cable. For more information, visit
www.comcastspotlight.com.

About Liquidus Marketing Inc.

Liquidus Marketing, Inc., Chicago, IL has revolutionized the way
companies are using video to market on web, mobile and Video On Demand
TV. Through a proprietary platform, Liquidus works with clients to create
large volumes of video advertisements using existing collateral. The
result is high production quality, affordable interactive video
advertisements for multiple media outlets that capture consumer’s
attention.

Safe Harbor Statement

This news release contains forward-looking statements as defined by the
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking
statements include statements concerning plan, objectives, goals,
strategies, future events or performance, and underlying assumptions and
other statements that are other than statements of historical facts.
These statements are subject to uncertainties and risks including, but
not limited to, product and service demand and acceptance, changes in
technology, economic conditions, the impact of competition and pricing,
government regulation, and other risks described in statements filed from
time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All such
forward-looking statements whether written or oral, and whether made by
or on behalf of the Company, are expressly qualified by the cautionary
statements that may accompany the forward-looking statements. In
addition, the Company disclaims any obligation to update any
forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the
date hereof.

CONTACT:
Wendy Borow-Johnson
President
Tel: 954-734-8985
Fax: 954-888-9082
E-mail:wjohnson@resortandresidencetv.com

Copyright 2010, Market Wire, All rights reserved.

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Financial help for flooded farmers

April 13, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Rural financial counsellors says they are expecting farmers in flood-hit areas in southern Queensland to need assistance for some time.

A fact sheet has been sent to more than 1,500 property owners in the Maranoa Regional Council area in the state’s southern inland, advising them of the financial assistance options open to them.

Karen Riethmuller, from the Rural Financial Counselling Service, says stock loss and property damage could cause problems for farmers for the next 12 months.

“Past experience has shown us it is ongoing and can run into considerable months,” she said.

“The effects are here for a long time and financially primary producers have to plan there way through this, they have to make decisions in the short term and in the long term.”

She says although the floods will be a boon in the long term, farmers are still in need of help.

“There’s been quite a spike in primary producers seeking to establish what is available to them in the aftermath of the waters and the wonderful rains that have gone through southern Queensland,” she said.

Meanwhile, a south-west Queensland mayor says some rural roads are still underwater and others are so badly damaged it could be months before trucks can use them.

Murweh Mayor Mark O’Brien says while it has been six weeks since the floods hit, council staff remain focused on fixing rural roads to help with the economic recovery.

“We’re here because it is a grazing area and we’ve got to make sure that road access to markets is good for those people,” he said.

“Some of those roads have either been so badly damaged or water is still lying across them that to get big trucks onto those properties could take months.

“I mean this an economy based on the rural industries.”

Councillor O’Brien says he is satisfied local and state governments have done what they can to help with the massive infrastructure damage.

“We have to make sure that the rural people have every possibility to operate their businesses effectively and efficiently and part of that is the road network,” he said.

“So our engineering people have been very busy trying to do the assessments on that to see where the critical places are so we can at least get single lane access into as many properties as quickly as possible.”

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National Labor ends Harkins’ Senate bid

April 10, 2010 By Leave a Comment

A controversial Tasmanian union official has lost his bid for a Senate seat but ousted Denison MP Lisa Singh has won a place on the Labor ticket.

The Prime Minister said Kevin Harkins had ‘Buckley’s chance’ of being preselected.

But the Tasmanian branch of the ALP appeared to disagree, recommending him for the safe second spot on the ticket.

Earlier today the Premier, David Bartlett, also expressed support for the outspoken unionist.

“I think Kevin Harkins is a good bloke. I don’t know what all the fuss is about,” he said.

A meeting of Labor’s National Executive has quashed Mr Harkins’ politcial aspirations, overturning the Tasmanian branch’s recommendation.

The executive delivered good news for the former state MP Lisa Singh, placing her in third spot behind union leader Anne Urquhart, with Helen Polley taking out the top position.

The ALP’s Tasmanian State Secretary John Dowling says he accepts the national body’s decision.

“Tasmanian Labor supports and respects the decision of the national executive the national executive is the body that rules the party and we were very pleased to have a quality team of candidates to put forward,” he said.

Labor Senator Kerry O’Brien has expressed his disappointment at being omitted.

In a statement, Mr O’Brien says he believes preferences were given to candidates backed by both the left and right factions of the party.

Hobart accountant Jonathan Jackson has been endorsed for the seat of Denison.

The 36 year old is a board member of Family Planning Tasmania and has helped establish a working farm for men at risk.

Mr Jackson is the son of the state’s former Attorney General Judy Jackson.

Tasmanian Labor party staffer Geoff Lyons has been chosen to stand in Jodie Campbell’s seat of Bass.

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Goat abattoir reopens after flood woes

April 10, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Australia’s largest goat meat exporter is back in business after last month’s flooding in south-west Queensland closed the abattoir at Charleville.

Murweh Mayor Mark O’Brien says Western Exporters has reopened this week, which will mean a huge boost to the local economy.

About 160 workers were laid off after the floods.

Councillor O’Brien says it is another indication of how the community is recovering.

“It’s the biggest employer in south-west Queensland,” he said.

“I was talking to the proprietor and he said he was confident that he can get access to enough goats to keep it operating as per normal. That’s been the problem, just getting access to goats and they’re coming from near and far but at the moment it’s full steam ahead which is wonderful.”

Cr O’Brien says the reopening will boost the local economy by about at least $1 million a week.

“A lot of the employees in that plant would have had very restricted income during the period of its closure, so it was really important that we did whatever we could to help Western Exporters get up and running again, but it was great news this week that they’re back on deck and the impact of it filters through the community very quickly,” he said.

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Irrigators’ group fears rushed decisions

April 8, 2010 By Leave a Comment

The National Irrigators Council says it is concerned the Murray-Darling Basin Authority is basing decisions on incomplete and inaccurate information.

The Murray-Darling Basin Authority has announced 18 environmental assets, including the Chowilla Floodplains and the lower lakes, which will help shape the plan and determine the sustainable diversion limits.

The council’s chief executive, Danny O’Brien, says with the draft plan due out in just a few months, vital decisions may be rushed.

“The decisions will be rushed and made on the basis of inadequate information,” he said.

“Unfortunately the Water Act tells the authority that they have to make decisions based on the best available science and if the best available science is still pretty ordinary unfortunately they’re going to have to make a decision on that basis, and that is not good for irrigators, not good for regions like the Riverland and certainly not in the interests of rural Australia.”

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Harkins in for Senate bid, Singh overlooked

April 8, 2010 By Leave a Comment

The Tasmanian Labor Party has preselected trade union boss Kevin Harkins to run for the Senate at the next election, overlooking ousted state Labor MP Lisa Singh.

The ALP’s administrative committee met in Hobart yesterday to finalise the Tasmanian candidates it wants to contest this year’s federal election.

The Committee’s Tasmanian Senate ticket puts Labor Senator Helen Polley at number one, Kevin Harkins at number two and Anne Urquhart from the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union at number three.

The decision comes as a blow to another Labor Senate candidate, Lisa Singh, who lost her Denison seat at the state election.

Another notable omission is Labor Senator Kerry O’Brien.

Senator O’Brien says preselection is a matter for the ALP’s National Executive which will discuss the issue when it meets in Melbourne tomorrow.

The Prime Minister has previously said Mr Harkins would have “Buckley’s chance” of being preselected.

Mr Harkins is not deterred.

“The Prime Minister will likely be there and more than likely will have a say but at the end of the day the Tasmanian branch has made recommendations to the national executive and tradition would dictate that they be accepted,” he said.

Former Tasmanian Labor MP and Harkins critic Harry Quick says it is imperative Mr Rudd intervenes given his previous stance.

“Julia Gillard has intervened in New South Wales politics to ensure that after the redistribution Laurie Ferguson was protected.”

“I’d like to think that Kevin (Rudd) would keep his promise to never ever have Kevin Harkins representing Tasmania,” he said.

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Key Murray-Darling water sites chosen

April 8, 2010 By Leave a Comment

The chair of the Murray-Darling Basin Authority says it is on track to deliver a new basin-wide plan by next year.

It has identified the key wetlands and ecosystems which will be made a priority for water.

More than 200 water stakeholders met in Canberra to hear the latest progress on a new basin-wide plan.

The chair of the authority, Michael Taylor, says 18 of the system’s key environmental assets have been identified.

They include Hattah Lakes, the Macquarie Marshes, the Barmah-Millewa Forest and the Lower Lakes.

“Having done that and actually addressing those environmental water requirements, of course the water that’s needed to do that sets what will then be left available for the sustainable diversion limits for irrigation and other purposes,” Mr Taylor said.

Danny O’Brien from the National Irrigators Council says he is worried agriculture is being overlooked and will not get the water it needs under the new plan.

“We’re very concerned that the whole plan is about the environment with very little attention being provided to the socioeconomic impacts,” Mr O’Brien said.

“We’re getting some comfort about that today from what the authorities are telling us, but we’re still very concerned with what they have to do under the Water Act.

“It’s pretty much environment first, second and third and people, irrigators and food production are a long way last.”

The Murray-Darling Basin Authority is yet to calculate the water allocations.

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$1.25m to target road widening

April 1, 2010 By Leave a Comment

A three-kilometre stretch of road between Wickepin and Kulin will be widened to bring it in line with modern safety standards.

Currently, vehicles travelling along the Narrogin-Kondinin road have to veer onto the gravel when approaching oncoming traffic.

The $1.25 million project will involve widening the road to two lanes.

Transport Minister Simon O’Brien says the work will improve safety on what is an important regional route.

The works are scheduled to begin this month and are expected to be completed in May.

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Quick fix sought to avoid more flood woes

March 26, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Murweh Mayor Mark O’Brien will meet Premier Anna Bligh today to seek more assistance for flood mitigation in Charleville in the state’s south-west.

The town’s chamber of commerce and a residents’ action group are calling for urgent action on Bradley’s Gully that runs through the town.

The gully flooded twice earlier this month, inundating homes and businesses.

Councillor O’Brien, who has already spoken to the Treasurer, says he wants funding for hydrology studies and a coordinator to look at options like diverting the water.

“I have already let the Government know that we don’t want this thing to drag on for years … we do need to do these things quickly,” Cr O’Brien said.

“But we do need to do some studies on the gully’s catchment because I don’t think we have anywhere near enough documentation of how it runs or its actual catchment capacity.”

There have been concerns the council has not done enough to avert the flood threat or look at options like diverting the gully.

However, Cr O’Brien says finger pointing will not help fix the problem.

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War of words over Queensland’s biggest pumpkin

March 17, 2010 By Leave a Comment

There is a row in Queensland over who holds the record for the state’s biggest pumpkin.

Deputy Opposition Leader Lawrence Springborg claims he holds the record, with a 304-kilogram effort that won the giant pumpkin award at last weekend’s Inglewood show on the Darling Downs.

But Toowoomba horticulturalist Clinton McGrath says he set the record six years ago with a pumpkin weighing 330.4 kilograms.

“Mine was weighed in an official pumpkin weigh-off in Toowoomba,” he said.

“They used official scales – I’ve got a plaque.

“I want the record set straight and now I have to take it serious next year – we might have a bit of competition.”

But Mr Springborg says he was just going by the record books.

“All I have ever indicated is that this a very large pumpkin,” he said.

“The Queensland record is 300.5 [kilograms] – that is the official Queensland record, as I understand it.

“It is always possible that other people have grown bigger pumpkins out there.”

Mr Springborg says his pumpkin stands more than a metre high.

“This one just pips the old [official Queensland] record by about three-and-a-half-kilograms,” he said.

“I can tell you – it took some shifting. We used the forklift to get it on the back of the truck, so it’s a very big pumpkin.”

Premier Anna Bligh has congratulated Mr Springborg for growing the giant pumpkin with his son.

She says it is good to see such father-and-son activity.

“For too many of us in public life it’s sometimes hard to do those sorts of things with your children and this was a project that Lawrence undertook with his son, Thomas,” she said.

“I congratulate them on growing such a huge mother of a pumpkin – well done to both of them.

“I understand there’s now some challenge to it – that’s the nature of records.

“It’s a very controversial pumpkin now – it’s not just big – it’s a controversial one.”

- Reporting by Francis Tapim and Chris O’Brien

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Magpies deputies get Jolly

March 16, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Former Sydney ruckman Darren Jolly is a surprise addition to Collingwood’s leadership group ahead of the AFL season.

Captain Nick Maxwell has announced Scott Pendlebury will be vice-captain, Dane Swan is deputy vice-captain and Jolly will join Shane O’Bree, Harry O’Brien and Heath Shaw as the other members of the leadership group.

Jolly was traded from Sydney late last year and Maxwell said he had been extremely impressive since arriving at Collingwood.

Collingwood play the Western Bulldogs in round one on March 28.

- AAP

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Council amalgamations still to reveal benefits

March 16, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Today is the second anniversary of Queensland’s controversial council amalgamations.

In March 2007, the State Government reduced the number of regional councils from 156 to 72.

The Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ) says it could take another four years for some councils to reap financial benefits from amalgamation.

LGAQ executive director Greg Hallam says some councils are yet to see the promised financial benefits.

“It’ll be mid-way through the next term, so we’re probably talking four years hence before they’ve really bedded down their new arrangements, their new structures and that the long-term benefits start to accrue,” he said.

He says a three-year moratorium on sacking council staff will be lifted next March.

“Many councils have been able to reorganise their workforce going forward without forced redundancies,” he said.

“It will be another tool in councils’ kit bag and certainly it won’t hurt local government’s ability to manage its cost structures.”

Protest rally

Meanwhile, hundreds of people marched through Port Douglas in far north Queensland yesterday calling on the State Government to split the Cairns Regional Council.

The council was formed two years ago today, when the Douglas Shire Council was amalgamated with the Cairns City Council.

Michael Gabour, from the group Friends of Douglas Shire, says yesterday’s rally demonstrates residents are determined to make separation happen.

“I think probably the state will come to its senses, or if they don’t, they will not be there after the next election, to prevent the current opposition from granting, or in fact, giving us back our independence – we will be de-amalgamated,” he said.

The region’s Member for Cook, Jason O’Brien, says he acknowledges amalgamation has been a difficult process.

“We are listening to their concerns, but I mean we’re not going to de-amalgamate,” he said.

“We do understand that this is a difficult process and that some people find change hard.

“We always knew that it was going to be a rocky road, but we think the policy’s right for the long term and we’re going to persist.

“I think the council is working hard to try and improve the situation and to provide services and to improve services to the people of the Douglas shire.

“Over the long term they will be able to achieve that, but one thing I do know, is that anywhere in this state and in this country, people complain about councils – that’s just what they do.”

Central-west

In Queensland’s central-west, the shires of Longreach, Illfracombe and Isisford were merged, as well as the Blackall and Tambo shires.

The Barcaldine Regional Council was formed, taking in the previous Jericho, Aramac and Barcaldine shires.

Longreach Regional Mayor John Palmer says his council is on track.

“That vision is trying to unite our community and if we do nothing else for our term, if we can unite our communities the best way we possibly can and still maintain their spirit within their community but become part of an amalgamated council, that’s our journey,” he said.

Blackall-Tambo Regional Council Mayor Jan Ross says amalgamation is working but there are still challenges to overcome.

“We have accomplished most of the required items that have to be done within the required timeline that the State Government set us,” she said.

“I think we have gradually integrated our workforces – it’s been a testing time for many people.

“I don’t think people like change and I think it’s quite a difficult thing for people to accept.”

Southern Qld

On the state’s Darling Downs, the amalgamation of saw eight separate local councils merged into the Toowoomba Regional Council.

Toowoomba Regional Councillor and former Rosalie Shire Mayor, Noel Strohfeld, says ultimately ratepayers will be better off.

“There’s been a lot of pain with the amalgamation of rates and there’s just the sheer cost of trying to amalgamate eight into one,” he said.

“I think in the fullness of time we will achieve a reasonable result, for not only the constituents of the old Rosalie region, but for the constituents right around the Toowoomba Regional Council area.”

But the former mayor for the old Stanthorpe Shire, Glen Rogers, says he feels Stanthorpe’s voice is not as strong on the new Southern Downs Regional Council,

Councillor Rogers says there is still a lot of anger in the community towards amalgamation.

“There are some benefits there by having a larger council, but I think in the total shakedown I believe we are perhaps worse-off and I think that will go on to be proven as time goes by,” he said.

Sunshine Coast Mayor Bob Abbot, in the state’s south-east, says it has been a tough two years.

“Amalgamations, water reform, losing the sewerage subsidies, the global finance problems – it’s certainly been two enormous years,” he said.

“The planning scheme stuff changing – it’s been coming time and time again, it never ceases, so from that perspective it’s been a really tough two years.”

- Reporting by Emma Pollard, Siobhan Barry Jo Skinner, Meera Nambiar and Sam Burgess

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Pies make Power look inadequate

March 15, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Collingwood has flattened Port Adelaide by 81 points in its AFL practice match at Mt Gambier.

The Power had appeared in decent fettle on their way to the semi-finals of the preseason cup, but were made to look decidedly inadequate by the Magpies’ superior combination of grit and class, which ultimately delivered a 27.16 (178) to 15.7 (97) victory.

Vaunted recruit Luke Ball demonstrated precisely how valuable he could be this year by repeatedly winning the hard ball and occasionally drifting forward for three goals, while Tarkyn Lockyer, Leon Davis and Alan Didak were typically accomplished.

Robbie Gray, captain Domenic Cassisi and the enigmatic Daniel Motlop (three goals) were the best of a poor bunch for the Power.

Both sides were taking the match seriously two weeks out from the start of the home-and-away season, though ‘Pies coach Mick Malthouse again ceded match-day responsibilities to one of his assistants, this time Mark Neeld.

Neeld could not have been happier with the performances of his players.

“It was our last chance to get things right before the season starts and we were happy with what the players did,” he said.

“Luke Ball was good, Darren Jolly was good and Harry O’Brien repelled numerous Port Adelaide attacks.

“The scoreboard was irrelevant but we were happy with how the players went about it.”

New-look Bombers click

Meanwhile Essendon’s new-look attack showed promise as the Bombers cruised to a 74-point win in their practice match against Richmond at Morwell in country Victoria.

Essendon coach Matthew Knights said the forward strategy had worked reasonably well during the 23.9 (147) to 11.6 (72) thrashing, with 13 different Bombers kicking goals.

Following the retirements of Matthew Lloyd and Scott Lucas, a major issue for Essendon this year will be the effectiveness of its forward line.

“It’s not always going to be that fluid on each and every given week but I thought when the ball hit the ground they put the pressure on,” Knights said.

“That’s all you can ask, if they don’t get the ball to make sure they put pressure on the opposition.

“I think all of them produced at different times today in different bursts.”

Angus Monfries and David Zaharakis led the scoring for the Bombers with three goals apiece.

Richmond coach Damien Hardwick singled out youngsters Ben Nason and Dustin Martin as positives for his side.

“I think we’ve found some players who are going to take us forward which is exciting for us,” he said.

Hardwick said his side’s intensity lifted in the third quarter before dropping again.

“We had a couple of really bad turnovers that gave some easy goals, a couple of free kicks at the centre bounce that gave away entries inside 50,” he said.

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