from the ABC …..

Turnbull blasts 'irresponsible' whaling protesters

from the new York Times …..

Novak Says Libby Didn't Leak Agent's Name to Him

By David Stout

from our ABC …..

Downer defends Howard's Obama attack

Downer raises Hicks case with US

from the ABC …..

Howard, Rudd attack Greens' coal policy

from our ABC …..

No anti-siphoning breach in AFL deal, says Howard

from our ABC …..

Andrews says Rudd threatens capitalism

from the SMH ……

Bishop shows hand on teachers' pay .....

Mark Davis Political Correspondent

from Buzzflash …..

from the ABC …..

Meanwhile, Attorney-General Philip Ruddock says it is best that people do not comment publicly on the case.

"We would expect that in Australia, we don't expect that people would be out there arguing in relation to a person who has been charged with offences about the appropriateness of it," he said.

Qantas consortium won't guarantee jobs …..

The director of the consortium bidding to take over Qantas says he cannot give a concrete guarantee about jobs.

The consortium made up of Australian and foreign companies has voluntarily agreed to submit the deal to the Foreign Investment Review Board, despite saying for some weeks it did not need to.

PM says carbon trading part of climate change solution …..

Prime Minister John Howard has signalled that Australia is likely to be involved in a carbon trading scheme as part of tackling climate change.

Mr Howard has promised Australian workers and industries will not be unfairly disadvantaged if there is a price on carbon.

from the Sydney Morning Herald …..

‘John Howard’s plan to take control of the Murray-Darling Basin threatens to put him on a collision course with the mining giant BHP Billiton, which uses millions of litres of water a day without paying for it.

His plan for the Commonwealth to take control of the river system includes cracking down on the unsustainable extraction of water from the Great Artesian Basin.

‘I don't think it's a question of using the corporations power, but the best and cleanest way of fixing this problem is for the states to refer their powers.

But I made it very clear last Thursday that our plan, and the payment of the money, was conditional on the power referral and I am writing to the states this week outlining in more detail what is involved in the power referral.