AAP National News Wire Round-Up for Evening, Dec 17

AAP General News (Australia)
12-17-2011
AAP National News Wire Round-Up for Evening, Dec 17
Evening Round-Up: HIGHLIGHTS OF THE AAP RTV FILE AT 1630


Luge (BRISBANE)

A woman street-luge rider has been killed in what other lugers say was a "freak" accident
in Brisbane's western suburbs.

50-year-old website designer SUE WICKENDEN was killed when she failed to negotiate
a turn and struck a steel barrier while riding with a group of lugers at Mount Coot-tha
early this morning.

Street luge is an extreme sport in which competitors lie on a thin fibreglass or plastic
board similar to a sled and race down a paved course.

Police believe speed was a factor in the accident, but Street Luge Australia ambassador
TYLER JOHNSON says it was a tightly controlled ride.

Mr JOHNSON says it was very safe and Ms WICKENDEN had full leathers and a motorbike helmet on.



Indon Stab (JAKARTA)

The wife of an Australian man stabbed during a bar fight in Bali says he was simply
in the wrong place at the wrong time.

One of two Australian men stabbed at the Bounty Discotheque near Kuta Beach after a
fight broke out in the early hours of Friday has returned home while the other remains
in a serious condition in a hospital in Bali.

It's understood that JAKE BENJAMIN WHITEHEAD, who was stabbed in the stomach during
the fight, returned to Australia this morning after boarding a flight from Bali late
on Friday night.

The second victim, who was stabbed in the chest, is still recovering in the intensive
care unit at Sanglah Hospital in Denpasar.

The 26-year-old, identified by Bali Police only as CHRIS, has regained consciousness
and is in a serious but stable condition.



Carers (SYDNEY)

Foster carers have attacked the New South Wales government's plans to slash fortnightly
payments by more than $200, saying it will increase youth homelessness.

President of the Foster Parents Support Network SUE O'CONNOR says, she believes there
will be a lot more kids on the streets.

Under the present system, foster carers receive fortnightly payments of approximately
$822 for 13 and 17 year olds, $622 of which is provided by the State Government under
an allowance.

On top of this, carers are also eligible for the means tested federal Family Tax Benefit
of $214 for 13 to 15 year olds.

But once the child turns 16 and claims Youth Allowance, however the tax benefit stops.



Katter (CANBERRA)

Outspoken Queensland MP BOB KATTER has made it clear that if his new political party
was ever to win power federally it would force the Reserve Bank to lower interest rates
- even if that meant heads had to roll.

Katter's Australian Party (KAP), which was registered in late September, wants to devalue
the Australian dollar by reducing interest rates.

The party's policy platform states that the official cash rate should be brought into
line with the rest of the world at between one and two per cent.

The Reserve Bank cash rate is currently 4.25 per cent.

Addressing the party faithful on the Gold Coast this week, Mr KATTER made it clear
that if the Reserve refused to play ball board members would be removed individually or
the entire bank "replaced with another body".



Supercars ICAC (SYDNEY)

The NSW Greens are set to try to force a corruption inquiry into the former Labor government's
decision to spend 45 million dollars to help move V8 Supercar races to Sydney's inner
west.

NSW Greens MP JOHN KAYE says he'll move a motion when Parliament resumes that the decision,
made by the department of disgraced former Labor Minister IAN MACDONALD in 2009, be referred
to the Independent Commission Against Corruption.



Glider (SYDNEY)

The New South Wales opposition says the endangered yellow bellied glider has been placed
under increased threat by changes to logging regulations in the state's south.

Opposition environment spokesman, LUKE FOLEY, says Environment Minister ROBYN PARKER
has pushed through amendments to forestry operations approvals for southern NSW which
will open the way for logging the glider's habitat.

He says the amendment includes specific changes that allow harm to the habitat of the
endangered yellow bellied glider of the Bago Plateau, near Tumut.

Ms PARKER's defended the changes saying logging will only be allowed in areas considered
low quality habitat for the gliders.



Plaza (BRISBANE)

A man's appeared in court charged over a series of sexual assaults at a shopping plaza
southwest of Brisbane.

Police allege the 28-year-old Leichhardt man assaulted three women in separate incidents
at Redbank Plaza Shopping Centre yesterday afternoon.



Beetson (BRISBANE)

Queenslanders will say goodbye to a sporting hero at the public memorial for ARTHUR
BEETSON at Suncorp Stadium tomorrow.

The former Australian, Queensland and Sydney Roosters rugby league champion died earlier
this month after suffering a heart attack.

He was 66.

A public memorial will be held at Suncorp Stadium - also known as Lang Park - a ground
at which BEETSON helped ignite the Queensland-NSW rivalry in the inaugural State of Origin
game in 1980.



Egypt Unrest (CAIRO)

At least three people have been killed and 257 wounded as Egyptian protesters and security
forces clashed in the worst violence in weeks.

The clashes were the bloodiest since five days of protests in November killed more
than 40 people just ahead of the first general election since the ouster of president
HOSNI MUBARAK in February.



Briefly in other news ..



NZ Rain (WELLINGTON)

A helicopter has been dispatched to evacuate a pregnant Australian woman from an isolated
bay on New Zealand's South Island as heavy rain causes flooding and slips in the region.



in Sport ..



Gol Aust (MELBOURNE)

Victorian GEOFF OGILVY has a two-shot lead nearing the end of the third round of the
Australian Masters at Victoria Golf Club.

OGILVY is seven under for the day and 12 under for the tournament.

He has a two-shot lead over England's IAN POULTER while two players are a further two shots back.



Com18 (GOLD COAST)

MARK STOCKWELL has been formally appointed as chairman of the Gold Coast Commonwealth
Games Organising Committee.

The former swimmer and Olympic bronze medallist was chief of the successful bid to
bring the 2018 Games to the Sunshine State.



BBL Strikers (ADELAIDE)

Batsman TOM COOPER has been cleared to play in Adelaide Strikers' Big Bash League opener
after a wrangle over his services.

The Strikers feared COOPER would miss Sunday's Twenty20 fixture against Melbourne Renegades
to play for a Chairman's XI against touring side India starting Monday.

But Cricket Australia has agreed to release COOPER for the BBL match.



Swi US (ATLANTA, Georgia)

The US swim team have opened their Duel in the Pool tournament against the Europeans
with a short-course world record in the women's 400-metre medley relay.

MISSY FRANKLIN gave the Americans the finishing kick they needed, swimming the freestyle
anchor leg of the race for a total time of three minutes, 45.56 seconds.

The US obliterated the old record of 3:47.97 which they set two years ago in the Duel
in the Pool competition.

NATALIE COUGHLIN, REBECCA SONI and DANA VOLLMER also swam the medley for the US.



ENDS EVENING ROUND-UP

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