AAP Bulletin for Telstra 2100, Saturday April 3, 1999

AAP General News (Australia)
04-03-1999
AAP Bulletin for Telstra 2100, Saturday April 3, 1999





[A][KOSOVO CARE][FED][image="kosovo.jpg" caption="Prayer vigils are being held across the US
for troops serving in Kosovo."]

Fears held for missing Aust aid workers

The federal government and aid agency CARE Australia hold grave fears for two Australian aid
workers apparently detained by Yugoslav authorities last Wednesday after leaving a convoy of
diplomatic vehicles.

Steve Pratt and Peter Wallace had left Belgrade to head north across the border from
strife-torn Yugoslavia into Hungary on their way to help Kosovo refugees pouring into the
south-western Yugoslavian region of Montenegro.

But a CARE Australia spokesman said Mr Pratt and Mr Wallace, each driving white marked
United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) vehicles, left the convoy soon after
leaving the Yugoslavian capital Belgrade and headed west on their own towards Croatia.

"We're not sure why," he told AAP.

"They never made it to the border."

He said Australian diplomats in Croatia had confirmed no UNHCR vehicles had crossed the
border in recent days.

CARE had earlier believed Mr Pratt, 49, of Sydney, and Mr Wallace, 30, of Mackay, on the
central Queensland coast, were detained on the Yugoslav-Hungary border.

Chief executive Charles Tapp flew out late today to the Croatian capital of Zagreb,
accompanied by Australian Ambassador to Yugoslavia Chris Lamb, who returned to Australia after
last month's evacuations.

Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer said the government had not wanted to attract
publicity to the issue during early negotiations with Yugoslav authorities.

"But obviously as you can tell we've taken the view with CARE Australia today that we should
say something about this because four days have elapsed since they were last contacted and they
haven't been heard of since," he told reporters in the Adelaide Hills.





[A][KOSOVO VIC][VIC]

Serbs rally outside US Consulate

Angry Serbs rallied outside the United States Consulate-General building in inner Melbourne
this afternoon, but this time only one egg was thrown.

The demonstration followed a massive protest outside the St Kilda Road building last Sunday,
during which windows were smashed by bricks.

Today some in the 1000-strong crowd began throwing small objects and the egg and lit
flares.

But speakers called for calm and their calls were heeded, a police spokeswoman told AAP.

The demonstrators gathered at 1.45pm, then chanted and carried placards denouncing the NATO
bombing of Yugoslavia, several comparing US President Bill Clinton with Hitler.

They heard speeches in defence of Serbian President Slobodan Milosovic, with speakers
reiterating Serbia's determination to retain full control of Kosovo.

The police spokeswoman said the crowd was well behaved, with no injuries and no arrests, and
dispersed by 2.30pm.





[S][CRICKET AUST][CRIK]

Warne dropped for crucial fourth Test

He's taken 317 Test wickets, revolutionised leg spin bowling, delivered the ball of the
century and sits on the three-man selection panel.

But Shane Warne, for the time being, is no longer in the Australian Test cricket team.

Warne and fellow Victorian Matthew Elliott were tonight sacked from the side to play the
fourth Test against the West Indies at Antigua Recreation Ground, starting tomorrow.

Elliott, after 69 runs in six innings this series, was omitted for Greg Blewett, Warne was
punted for versatile Colin Miller and injured Jason Gillespie (back) made way for Adam Dale.

It must have been a tough selection meeting, with Warne trying to convince Steve Waugh and
coach Geoff Marsh that he should be retained ahead of fellow leg spinner Stuart MacGill.

"It came down to who we thought was bowling a little bit better at this stage," said Waugh,
who wanted MacGill to partner Miller's off spin and medium pace.

"Geoff and I both had the gut feeling that Stuart was the right man for this time.

"The Windies obviously fancy playing against two leggies and I think Stuart looks more
likely to take wickets at this moment.

"I'd love to have played Warney - he's been there, done that, he's taken 317 wickets and
he's a great bowler.

"But the head had to rule over the heart."





[A][HEROIN][FED]

NSW churches reject heroin trial

NSW churches have ridiculed calls for a heroin trial while releasing their own drug strategy
involving national implementation of the drug court system now being trialled in the state.

The NSW Council of Churches today released the 12-point plan to battle Australia's heroin
problem, which also calls on the Howard government to sponsor a Naltrexone quick detox
program.

Releasing the plan, council chairman the Reverend Ross Clifford rejected the call by the NSW
Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Nicholas Cowdery for the implementation of a heroin trial
as "pussyfooting around the real issues".

"Until we are prepared to bite the bullet and spend the money to implement a concerted
national strategy encompassing all forms of intervention, prevention and rehabilitation, we
will never make inroads into the greatest threat this country has confronted since the second
world war," Mr Clifford said in a statement.

He said it was "utter nonsense" to even consider giving heroin addicts a daily supply of the
drug.

"It is as stupid as to suggest that one give alcohol to an alcoholic," Mr Clifford said.

Among the recommendations in the council's 12-point plan is the banning of films, videos and
music recordings which endorse drug taking or portray it as a "normal practice".

The plan calls for increased government spending on coastline surveillance, customs and drug
rehabilitation programs, as well as the adoption of tough national mandatory sentencing for
importation, possession and sale of large quantities of illegal drugs.

It says confiscated property and money gained through illegal drug dealing should be
assigned to drug rehabilitation programs, and those programs should be compulsory for addicts.

"The prime minister is about to release his new strategy to combat drugs but if he doesn't
also address the current acute shortage of the numbers of customs officers, all the drug
rehabilitation initiatives, the increased penalties for offenders, and the education of our
young people against illicit drug use will be in vain," Mr Clifford said.





[I][THAI AUST][ASIA]

Wansley suspect surrenders to police

A Thai sugar company executive suspected of involvement in last month's killing of an
Australian auditor surrendered to police today, a television station reported.

Pradit Siriviriyakul, managing director of the Kaset Thai Sugar Co, was the seventh suspect
sought by police in the slaying of Michael Wansley.

The station, ITV, said there were no immediate details of Pradit's surrender.

Police said earlier that Pradit, who has denied involvement in the murder, hired the hitman
who gunned down the 58-year-old Australian.

Wansley, 58, was travelling to a sugar factory in central Nakorn Sawan province when two men
on a motorcycle pulled alongside his van and shot him to death on March 10.

Wansley had been hired by creditors of the Kaset Thai Sugar Co, owners of the factory where
he was headed, to help deal with the company's $US450 million ($A712.35 million) debt.

The slaying, the first of an overseas executive in Thailand, sent shockwaves through the
foreign business community. Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai expressed outrage and ordered police
to solve the case quickly.

Like Wansley, a number of foreigners are involved in restructuring the Thai economy in wake
of its worst crisis in modern times. Foreign companies are also buying into ailing local
enterprises.

Police issued the arrest warrant for Pradit after another suspect, Boonphan Suthiviriyawan,
confessed last week and named Pradit as the mastermind.

A Thai court has already sentenced the driver of the motorcycle which carried the hitman to
life in prison.





[A][TOLL NATIONAL][FED]

National road toll stays at 17

The nation's Easter road toll remained at 17 today, with no further fatalities reported
after a horrific start to the holiday period.

The toll yesterday exceeded the 15 for the entire five-day Easter holiday last year.

The disturbing number of deaths prompted police to repeat warnings for drivers to slow down
and take more care on slippery roads, especially in New South Wales.

Twelve of the deaths were in NSW, where packed holiday roads combined with torrential rain
in the first two days of the break.

There have been two deaths each in Victoria and South Australia, and one in Western
Australia.

Queensland, Tasmania, the ACT and the Northern Territory remain fatality-free, but almost
5,000 motorists have been booked for traffic offences in Queensland during Easter.





[S][SWIM WORLD][SWIM][image="britswim.jpg" caption="James Hickman of Great Britain on his
way to becoming the fastest qualifier for tonight's 200m butterfly final."]

Riley qualifies fastest for final

Samantha Riley put the disappointment of losing her world 200m breaststroke record behind
her to qualify fastest for tonight's 100m semi-finals at the world shortcourse swimming
championships in Hong Kong.

The 26-year-old clocked 1m07.98s in today's 100m heats to qualify ahead of Japan's Masumi
Tanaka, who broke Riley's world record in last night's 200m breaststroke by 0.63s.

Riley was forced to watch last night's race from the stands at the Hong Kong Coliseum after
failing to qualify for the 200m in only the second time in her nine year international career
she can remember missing a major world final.

The Queenslander set the former world 200m mark of 2:20.85 at the 1995 world shortcourse
titles in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

She still holds the world shortcourse 100m record of 1:05.70 set at the same meet.

In the men's 200m butterfly heats this morning, Atlanta Olympics bronze medallist Scott
Goodman returned to the international stage for the first time in over 12 months, qualifying
fourth fastest for tonight's final.

The 25-year-old Tasmanian clocked 1:55.76 in today's heats to qualify 0.92s behind fastest
qualifier and world recordholder James Hickman of Great Britain (1:54.84).

Goodman is returning to the world stage for the first time following his controversial
disqualification for a deliberate false start at last year's Perth world longcourse titles,
swum in an Olympic size pool.

In the women's 100m individual medley final tonight, Commonwealth Games relay gold medallist
Lori Munz is a chance of grabbing a medal after setting an Australian record of 1:01.31 in last
night's semis.

Munz, from the tiny southern New South Wales town of Falls Creek, sliced 0.02s off her own
national record set six months ago at the Perth trials for the Hong Kong meet.





[A][NEWCASTLE][NSW]

Newcastle disease forces farm tests

Twenty-seven poultry farms north of Sydney would be tested for Newcastle disease, the
Department of Agriculture said today, as veterinary officers began the mass slaughter of 27,000
birds on an infected property.

The virulent disease was positively diagnosed at the Mangrove Mountain pullet-rearing farm
of Frank Pirovic and Sons on Thursday.

Director of NSW Agriculture's State Disease Control Headquarters Graeme Eggleston told AAP
today 27 farms around the Mangrove Mountain ridge and plateau, west of Wyong on the NSW central
coast, would be subject to regular checks for physical signs of the viral disease, as well as
blood tests.

"At this point in time, it's only been found on one farm to be positive, but they'll be
undertaking surveillance of surrounding poultry farms which is the standard method of
monitoring the situation," Mr Eggleston said.

Controller of the Local Disease Centre Kevin Cooper said most major chicken producers,
including Baiada Poultry, Chikadee Chicken and Inghams Enterprises, had their own farms or
contract farmers which they used, in the control area.

However, Mr Cooper said disease controllers were confident the disease had not spread
outside the original property.

Mr Cooper said animal welfare, Environment Protection Authority personnel and NSW
Agriculture staff had gassed to death 9,000 of the infected birds today, and the remaining
18,000 were expected to be slaughtered tomorrow.

Mr Eggleston said an investigation was underway into whether birds leaving the farm before
the discovery of the outbreak could have infected other properties.

"There are various movements on and off the farm, and we're checking those out," Mr
Eggleston said.

Mr Eggleston said it was not yet known how the birds became infected with the virus, or if
it was the same strain which led to the mass slaughter of birds in an earlier outbreak in
Sydney.

Test results expected from the Animal Health Authority early next week would determine if
this was a new strain of the disease, he said.

The department imposed restrictions on the movement of poultry and related products around
the control area late yesterday.





[T][LEAGUE MANLY][RL]

Souths look to Broncos after Manly win

South Sydney coach Craig Coleman said the Rabbitohs were eager to take on ailing premiers
Brisbane next week after scoring a spirited 28-24 victory over Manly in today's National Rugby
League match at Brookvale Oval.

The gutsy Rabbitohs resisted an ominous second-half revival to record their fourth success
from five starts this season, while keeping the once high flying Sea Eagles winless and
cemented to the bottom of the ladder alongside Brisbane.

However, despite their dream start Coleman feels his team needs to iron out fundamental
errors before travelling north to tackle the Broncos.

It's a sign of the times when Souths, for so long the competition also rans, can no longer
please their coach with a win over Manly.

But that's what they've done, despite coming from behind with three late tries through
fullback Craig Wing, prop Matt Parsons and five-eighth Julian O'Neill to snuff out the Manly
challenge and temporarily go joint top of the League.

"That's the worse we've played since I've taken over and we've still come away with a win,"
Coleman said. "As a coach I'm a bit disappointed."

He could not have been anything but delighted with the performance of Wing, who was again
brilliant for the Rabbitohs.

It was no coincidence that the fleet-footed youngster scored the try that turned the match -
a 61st minute effort which regained the lead for Souths.

He was also heavily involved in the visitors' second try and generally a constant threat to
Manly, prompting Coleman to indicate he will have to play Test fullback Tim Brasher on the wing
when he returns from injury next week.

Big prop Parsons and Ian Rubin were a tower of strength for Souths in the absence of key man
Mark Carroll and received praise not only from the Rabbitohs camp, but from Manly coach Bob
Fulton, who lamented the Rabbitohs ability to continually surge forward from inside their own
half.





[T][AFL TIGERS][AFL]

Swans suffer second loss

Two freakish goals either side of three quarter time by Richmond spearhead Matthew
Richardson ensured the Tigers opened their AFL winning account with a 12-point win over Sydney
today.

The Tigers overcame a dreadful second quarter to hand the Swans their second successive loss
to start the season, winning 15.18 (108) to 13.18 (96) at the MCG.

Sydney, despite going into the game without star forwards Tony Lockett, Dale Lewis and
Michael O'Loughlin, looked set to pull off a shock victory at half-time after a six goal to one
second quarter but were not helped by several questionable umpiring decisions.

The first of Richardson's two vital goals was highly controversial as he goaled while
sitting on the ground by kicking the ball out of the hands of Sydney defender Troy Luff.

The goal put the Tigers in front by two points at the last change and when he kicked a
superb goal on the run at the start of the final term after gathering a loose ball and beating
two tackles, the home side had the momentum which it did not relinquish.

Sydney coach Rodney Eade, while careful not to directly criticise the umpires for fear of a
fine from the AFL, was clearly angry Richardson's goal just before three quarter-time had been
allowed to stand.

"You mean the one that was touched," he said when asked about that goal.

"There were others (questionable umpiring decisions) as well and in the end they all total
up."

In fact the Tigers' previous goal came as a result of a dubious free kick against Stefan
Carey on David Bourke while in the first term Ben Holland appeared lucky to goal from a free
kick paid for shepherding against Craig O'Brien.

Richmond coach Jeff Gieschen was not willing to buy into the debate but was full of praise
for the often maligned Richardson, who finished the day with four goals.





[T][AFL][AFL]

Cats upset Dogs to claim second spot

Exit the pussycats, enter the man-eaters.

Geelong has undergone a summer transformation from an AFL team to be toyed with to one that
must be approached with caution.

The Cats today pulled off another major upset when they beat the Western Bulldogs 24.11
(155) to 20.14 (134).

This on top of their victory last week over fancied North Melbourne, another pre-season
premiership favourite.

Along with Essendon, the Cats are the only side with part of round two completed to have won
both games.

Geelong seems to have added some heavy artillery to its arsenal. Last year the team
seriously lacked firepower.

It had the second lowest total points in the league with 1,777, beating only Fremantle.

That averaged just 80 points a game, or 13 goals. Already Geelong in two matches has booted
46 goals, boosting their early aggregate to 23.

The Cats are now second on the ladder behind Essendon, although their 110.03 percentage
leaves them brittle.

Geelong coach Gary Ayres was delighted with the unbeaten start to the season against sides
considered the best in Victoria and the clubs that finished second and third last season.

The side boasted 15 different goalkickers, the most productive being former Sydney forward
Jason Mooney's haul of four, after watching 13 of his players bag goals against North last
week.





[T][SURF BELLS][SURF]

Aussie trio into quarters at Bells

Australian surfing stars Damien Hardman, Mark Occhilupo and Mick Campbell, and Hawaiian
Sunny Garcia, head the list of quarter-finalists in the Rip Curl Pro at Bells Beach in
Victoria.

Two-time Rip Curl Pro champions Hardman and Garcia will face off tomorrow in the first
quarter-final of the year's second World Championship Tournament after both scored narrow wins
in 1.5-metre waves in today's round of 16.

Hardman, 33, of Sydney, posted a total of 20.5 points, out of a possible 30, for his best
three rides, with 1998 world No.4 Shane Beschen of California only one point behind.





[S][TENNIS DAVIS AUST][TEN]

Woodies face tough test

Mark Woodforde and Todd Woodbridge face a tough battle against Byron and Wayne Black when
they fight to give Australia a 2-1 lead over Zimbabwe in the Davis Cup tie in Harare later
today (11pm AEST start).

The tie is locked at one-all following the first day's singles rubbers after Mark
Philippoussis lost a five-set thriller to Byron Black and Pat Rafter beat Wayne Black in four
sets.

The Black brothers have a formidable Davis Cup record but one of their two losses in 12
matches together came against the Woodies in Zimbabwe's shock win over Australia last year.

The doubles tie will be vital leading into Sunday's reverse singles where Rafter plays Byron
Black and Philippoussis takes on Wayne Black.





[T][ATHS GIFT][ATHS]

Reprieve for Christie at Stawell

Former Olympic sprint champion Linford Christie thought his Stawell Gift campaign had come
to an abrupt end after finishing only third in his heat today.

Resigned to his elimination, Christie looked forward when he said: "I've had a lot of fun
here and I'd like to win Stawell and maybe come back here again next year".

The 1992 Barcelona 100 metres champion packed his bags and was about to leave Central Park
when told that as one of the fastest losers he could qualify for Monday's semi-finals via a
repechage heat.

In the heat Christie, off 1.25 metres, fell to a sizzling performance by Ballarat's Rod
Mathews (9.4 metres) who clocked the day's fastest time of 11.96 seconds.

Mathews is a raging 4-1 on favourite for the 118th staging of this sprint classic.

Christie eased at the finish to be beaten into second by Victorian Damien Amato (8-75
metres) with respective times 12.35 seconds and 12.36.

But the drama for Christie was not over as he believed he had won his repechage heat and was
surprised when told of his defeat by Brad Carter (10.00 metres) in lane eight.

"Didn't I win it?" Christie queried.

"I really thought I'd won after I passed Dave Clark and I didn't even see the guy in the
grey".

However, Christie's 12.28 seconds was sufficient to qualify him as one of the fastest
repechage losers for Monday's semi-finals.

KEYWORD: TELSTRANET 2100

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