NSW: Blocker assault charged blocked

AAP General News (Australia)
12-05-2000
NSW: Blocker assault charged blocked

By Dale Paget

TWEED HEADS, Dec 5 AAP - New South Wales police commissioner Peter Ryan has dropped
an assault charge against former rugby league international and television commentator
Steve "Blocker" Roach.

Stephen David Roach was charged over an alleged altercation with former Canterbury
full-back Peter O'Neill at South Tweed Heads Rugby League Club in October last year.

Mr O'Neill reportedly suffered rib and lung damage and spent a week in hospital.

In May this year Mr Roach's solicitor requested a delay in proceedings to make representations
to the police department to have the assault charge dropped based on the evidence.

In Tweed Heads court today, prosecutor Neville Mitchelson said Commissioner Ryan had
decided not to proceed with the charge and requested the matter be withdrawn.

No specific details of why the charge had been dropped were given in court.

Mr Roach, who was dismissed from his position with Channel 9's Footy Show five weeks
after the incident, did not appear.

AAP dp/jhm/mg/br

KEYWORD: ROACH

2000 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

Vic: Home builder crisis leads to GST amnesty call

AAP General News (Australia)
04-22-2000
Vic: Home builder crisis leads to GST amnesty call

MELBOURNE, April 22 AAP - The financial crisis facing a major Victorian home builder
has prompted a call for a GST amnesty for home buyers whose construction is delayed by
the crisis.

Archicentre, the home inspection service run by the Royal Australian Institute of Architects,
said tonight that up to 600 Victorian families could be affected.

They would face a GST bill of about $7,000 on the cost of building an average home
if their home was not completed by July 1.

As well, they faced paying tens of thousands of dollars extra to have their homes completed
and would have to find somewhere else to live in the meantime, Archicentre managing director
Robert Caulfield said.

Avonwood, Victoria's fourth biggest home builder, is in financial crisis after losing
the support of its financier last week. It reportedly owes sub-contractors millions of
dollars.

The firm is trying to negotiate its way out of financial difficulty after being forced
to close its doors to protect staff from angry customers.

It has about 500 homes under construction and 430 orders.

Mr Caulfield said building prices had risen by up to 25 per cent in the past year as
people rushed to beat the GST.

This created pressure on the bottom line for builders with fixed-price contracts.

"The increased work in the system rapidly pushed the cost of subcontract prices to
record levels."

Mr Caulfield said changes by the previous State Government meant housing guarantee
scheme payouts were limited to 20 per cent of the contract price if the building company
collapsed.

He called on the government to reverse the changes to minimise the pain for future victims.

"A GST amnesty by the federal government and a review of the housing guarantee system
by the Victorian government should be supported by all political parties to stabilise
the building industry and protect families," he said.

AAP sjg/ps

KEYWORD: AVONWOOD (CARRIED EARLIER)

2000 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

Vic: Bracks orders workers back to Yallourn energy

AAP General News (Australia)
02-07-2000
Vic: Bracks orders workers back to Yallourn energy

Victorian Premier STEVE BRACKS says the power restrictions over the next three days
will remain, given the three to five day start-up period for the Yallourn power station.

Mr BRACKS says he won't be in a position to comment on further restrictions for a couple of days.

The state government has ordered workers at the Yallourn Energy plant to return to
work by 6pm tonight or face fines of …

Vic: 100 more detectives in anti crime campaign

AAP General News (Australia)
12-06-1999
Vic: 100 more detectives in anti crime campaign

MELBOURNE, Dec 6 AAP - Victorian police today launch a special anti-crime operation
for the Christmas and New Year period with an extra 100 specialist detectives patrolling
the state's streets.

In Operation Minder, police say they will crack down on known robbery and armed robbery
hot spots across the state.

Police will also launch a new squad called the Tactical Response Squad.

AAP gf/ao

KEYWORD: MINDER

1999 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

FED: Unlikely F 111 crew bailed in time, defence minister

AAP General News (Australia)
04-19-1999
FED: Unlikely F 111 crew bailed in time, defence minister

CANBERRA, April 19 AAP - The two crew of RAAF F-111 bomber, missing off Malaysia, probably
did not eject before the plane crashed, Defence Minister John Moore said today.

Mr Moore said the government, however, remained hopeful of a positive outcome.

"It is unlikely (that the crew was able to bail out) but there is no information," he told
reporters in Canberra today.

"It was at night and the other plane that was flying in the area did see the plane hit."

Chief of the Defence Force Admiral Chris Barrie said the safety capsule in the F-111 was
fully fitted with the normal safe person recovery devices.

"Of course it does offer a fair degree of protection to the crew," he told reporters.

"But if the circumstances are as reported, then my sense of it is there wouldn't be much of
the capsule left."

The F-111 was one of four from RAAF Amberley in Queensland that were participating in a
multi-national air defence exercise out of Butterworth, Malaysia.

About 10.30pm (AEST) the aircraft and two crew members was participating in a practice
maritime strike mission. It was reported to have crashed after striking the peak on the small
island of Pulau Aur, in the South China Sea.

Mr Moore said the government regretted that this accident had occurred.

He said they were operating at night at low level; in conjunction with another RAAF F-111.

"It was part of the five power defence plan exercises going on in that area," he said.

"We are still hopeful as to what the outcomes might be. Along with the Chief of the Defence
Force we have asked for a dull report on what happened.

"Until such time as we have those reports, I can't comment further.

"But certainly at this point, the government's thoughts and good wishes are with the
families and relatives of the two pilots. It is just a very unfortunate outcome."

Mr Moore said the F-111s, despite their age, remained one of the most potent strike
aircraft around and the government did not think they were too old.

He said there was no reason to suspect the accident stemmed from any mechanical problem
with the aircraft.

AAP mb

KEYWORD: F111 MOORE

1999 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

QLD: Two people assist police over Macleay Island death

AAP General News (Australia)
01-11-1999
QLD: Two people assist police over Macleay Island death

BRISBANE, Jan 11 AAP - Two people are assisting with an investigation into the death of a
36-year-old Macleay Island man found in his bed yesterday afternoon, police said today.

A police spokeswoman said the dead man had been involved in a fight on Saturday at his home
on the …

WA:Eight shark sightings close WA beaches

AAP General News (Australia)
12-18-2011
WA:Eight shark sightings close WA beaches

Multiple shark sightings close to shores in Western Australia's southwest have forced
the closure of some beaches.

Surf Life Saving WA says Bunbury and Dalyellup beaches were closed this morning after
eight sharks were sighted in the area, about 30 to 50 metres offshore.

Beachgoers are reminded to swim between the flags.

AAP RTV anr/sw

KEYWORD: SHARK (PERTH)

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