AAP National News Wire Round-Up for Breakfast, Dec 12

AAP General News (Australia)
12-12-2010
AAP National News Wire Round-Up for Breakfast, Dec 12
Breakfast Round-Up: HIGHLIGHTS OF THE AAP RTV FILE AT 0430


Floods Aust (MELBOURNE)

The worst of the flood crisis appears over .. but northern New South Wales is still on alert.

Weather and emergency officials say new areas in the state .. and in Victoria and Queensland
could be under threat as river peaks from flood-hit areas move downstream.

Floods are set to peak again in the northern New South Wales township of Gunnedah today
with renewed inflows from Tamworth where the the Peel River peaked early yesterday.

And flooding is expected to continue at Wee Waa .. north of Gunnedah .. throughout
the week .. while Coonamble to the southwest also faces a flood peak today .. and elsewhere
.. Forbes will be on alert over the coming days.

In central Queensland .. floods at Theodore are receding .. but they're on their way
downstream and threatening outlying areas.



Banks (MELBOURNE)

Home owners will be able to switch mortgages without paying exit fees .. under a new
federal government plan to give customers a better deal from Australia's banking system.

The Age newspaper says Treasurer WAYNE SWAN will announce a reform package today to
ban exit fees from mid next year and support smaller lenders to bolster competition in
the sector.

The government will also launch a deposit-protection symbol to assure customers their
money is as secure with smaller credit unions and building societies as it is with the
"big four" banks.

And the consumer watchdog will be given greater powers to patrol the practice of price
signalling .. where banks announce intentions to raise interest rates.

The reforms are due to begin in July.



Assange Spain (MADRID)

Demonstrations are planned to protest the detention of WikiLeaks founder JULIAN ASSANGE
and the closing of its Swiss bank account.

The Spanish-language website Free WikiLeaks says protests are to be held in Madrid
.. Barcelona .. Valencia and Seville and other Spanish cities.

It also says demonstrations are planned in the Netherlands .. Colombia .. Argentina
.. Mexico and Peru.

Assange remains in a UK jail ahead of a hearing on Tuesday .. where he plans to fight
Sweden's request to extradite him to face sex crimes allegations.



Register (SYDNEY)

A national domestic violence register will be set up to protect abused women and children.

News Ltd says the national register will be introduced next year .. and will allow
police anywhere in the country to quickly identify men who have a history of beating their
partners or children.

It will mean women who flee abusive relationships by moving interstate will no longer
need to apply for a new set of protection orders in the state or territory they live in.



Wages QLD (SYDNEY)

The state government claims health workers in Queensland are suspending industrial
action while they consider an improved pay offer.

Annual wage increases of three per cent plus a one-off contingent payment of 500 dollars
at the end of the agreement have been tabled by Treasurer ANDREW FRASER.

Queensland Health staff from 45 professions previously wanted a 4.5 per cent .. four
per cent .. four per cent pay deal over the three years .. when they were presented with
a 2.5 per cent rise.



Shots (SYDNEY)

Police are hunting for two males near Goulburn in New South Wales after an officer
fired shots at a vehicle aiming for him.

The dramatic events followed an apparent burglary at a home in Bungonia .. where two
intruders .. believed to be men .. stole a car .. and were seen driving in the Marulan
South area a short time later.

Police gave chase .. but the vehicle drove towards one police officer .. who fired at the car.

The abandoned car has since been found .. and police .. supported by Polair are searching
the area.



Mideast Rudd (CAIRO)

Foreign Minister KEVIN RUDD has warned in talks with Egypt's President HOSNI MUBARAK
that time is running out on the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.

Mr RUDD says Canberra's concerned because no real progress has been made in the US-brokered
peace process.

He says the construction of new Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank undermines
the push for a peace settlement .. which should pave the way for an independent Palestinian
state and guarantee Israeli's security.



Climate Cancun Aus (SYDNEY)

The Climate Institute says Australia risks being left behind the emerging low pollution
economy .. as the UN climate conference deal in Cancun paves the way for an expanding
multi-billion dollar green industry.

A number of agreements at the conference yesterday .. including plans to create a green
fund for developing countries .. have set the stage for Australia's 2011 year of action.

The Climate Institute says Australia must invest more in low pollution technology to
improve our efficiency .. and should try to attract more green industries by setting caps
on emissions and get into carbon trading.



Afgha Unrest (KANDAHAR)

A roadside bomb attack blamed on Taliban militants has killed 15 civilians .. including
children .. in southern Afghanistan .. while a car bomb has wounded six people.

The 15 civilians died when the truck in which they were travelling in Helmand province
was hit by a homemade device.

There was a car bomb explosion at the car park of Kandahar city police headquarters
.. wounding four policemen and two civilians.



Oprah Strike (SYDNEY)

Maritime workers are threatening to disrupt filming of the OPRAH Show in Sydney.

Unions are meeting at 10am this morning to discuss whether to stop work for 24 hours
after wage talks with New South Wales Maritime broke down.

If action goes ahead .. Sydney's guardians of the foreshore will not deploy the buoys
necessary to ensure an exclusion zone at the Opera House while filming takes place.

OPRAH WINFREY will film two episodes of her show at the world famous site next week.



Film AFI (MELBOURNE)

The 2010 AFI awards belonged to Animal Kingdom .. with the dark Melbourne crime thriller
taking out best film in a dominant 10-award performance.

A best lead actress nod for JACKI WEAVER .. 34 years after her last AFI .. for her
role as the crime family matriarch may well turn out to be a precursor to an Oscar nomination.

DAVID MICHOD walked away with the award for best direction for his debut feature film
.. which has enjoyed a year of back-to-back successes.



in Sport ..



Cricket England (MELBOURNE)

Victoria have a lead of 310 runs with an early declaration expected when play resumes
for the final day of their three-day game against England at the MCG.

The home side are six for 278 after RYAN CARTERS made 68 on debut.

Tailender CLINT MCKAY is 58 not out with JAYDE HERRICK on 40.

The pair have added 81 in 32 balls as England employed part-time bowlers ANDREW STRAUSS
and EOIN MORGAN late yesterday in a bid to encourage a declaration.



Soccer AL Heart (Melbourne)

Melbourne have propelled themselves back into the A-League top six thanks to a comprehensive
3-1 win over crosstown rivals Melbourne Heart.

Striker ROBBIE KRUSE struck twice while ADRIAN LEIJER netted the third as Victory inflicted
the Heart's sixth loss from their past seven matches.

On the Gold Coast .. midfielder BAS VAN DEN BRINK scored his third goal in as many
weeks in United's 2-0 victory over Wellington Phoenix.



Soccer English (LONDON)

Manchester City has beaten West Ham 3-1 to strengthen its hold on a place in English
Premier League's top four.

In other games Australian TIM CAHILL'S Everton drew 0-0 with Wigan and Fulham drew
0-0 with Sunderland .. while Aston Villa beat West Bromwich Albion 2-1 and Blackpool won
1-0 at Stoke.



ENDS BREAKFAST ROUND-UP

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