AAP National News Wire Round-Up for Evening, Feb 16

AAP General News (Australia)
02-16-2009
AAP National News Wire Round-Up for Evening, Feb 16
Evening Round-Up: HIGHLIGHTS OF THE AAP RTV FILE AT 1630


Bishop Reshuffle (CANBERRA)

JOE HOCKEY's been confirmed as the new shadow treasurer .. following deputy Liberal
leader JULIE BISHOP'S resignation from the portfolio today.

Opposition Leader MALCOLM TURNBULL says Ms BISHOP will now take on foreign affairs
from Senator HELEN COONAN .. who'll take over the finance portfolio .. as part of a shadow
ministry reshuffle.

Mr TURNBULL's thanked Ms BISHOP for her work .. saying that both Senator COONAN and
Mr HOCKEY held economic portfolios in the previous Howard government .. and will present
a formidable team to take on the government.



Bushfires Vic Toll (MELBOURNE)

Police have confirmed more bodies have been found in the carnage of Victoria's bushfires
.. even though the death toll remains unchanged at 181.

Assistant Commissioner STEVE FONTANA says the Disaster Victim Identification teams
are working in very difficult conditions and it's important to be accurate before updating
the toll.

He says they're going through all the remains that have been found .. a painstaking
task that he says has to be done properly.

An updated death toll is expected to be released later today.



Bushfires Vic Arson (MELBOURNE)

A magistrate has lifted the suppression order on the name of the man accused of lighting
the Churchill fire that killed 21 people in southeastern Victoria.

He is 39-year-old BRENDAN SOKALUK.

The order remains in place on publishing SOKALUK'S street address or his image.

SOKALUK didn't appear in the Melbourne Magistrates Court today .. where he was remanded
in custody to appear at a committal mention on May 26.



Bushfires Vic Centrelink (CANBERRA)

The federal government says Centrelink has already paid out 10.6 million dollars to
victims of the Victorian bushfires.

It says since the first day of the emergency .. Centrelink's processed nine thousand
236 claims and distributed disaster recovery payments to 12-thousand-791 adults and children.

At the same time .. Centrelink's made five thousand-and-20 payments to those affected
by floods in north Queensland .. delivering 6.1 million dollars to seven thousand 768
Australians.



Rain NSW (SYDNEY)

More heavy rain is expected on the mid north coast and Hunter Valley regions of New
South Wales this afternoon .. as residents near Coffs Harbour remain isolated by floodwaters.

About 500 residents in the community of Darkwood .. on the Bellinger River .. were
cut off by three-metre floodwater early this morning.

But farmers are celebrating in the outback .. after Bourke received more than 200 millimetres
of rain in 24 hours.

Water has had to be pumped from some homes in the previously drought-stricken town
.. and there's been hail damage on some cotton farms.



Patel (BRISBANE)

A Brisbane court's been told JAYANT PATEL should have considered non-surgical treatment
for a patient who died after an operation.

PATEL performed an oesophagectomy on JAMES PHILLIPS at the Bundaberg Base Hospital
in May 2003 .. but Mr PHILLIPS died shortly after the operation.

The crown's alleging Mr PHILLIPS was too sick to undergo surgery .. and PATEL was negligent
by proceeding with the operation.

A specialist has told the court via video link .. PATEL should have considered other
.. safer treatment options for Mr PHILLIPS.



Health (CANBERRA)

The RUDD government's health reform body's called for a federal takeover of primary
care .. but stopped short of recommending the same for hospitals.

The National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission has released its interim report
to the federal government today.

The government's threatened to hold a referendum on whether or not Canberra should
assume control of public hospitals if the states don't lift their game by the middle of
the year .. but hasn't made clear what the trigger point is.

The commission's key recommendation is for the federal government to assume total responsibility
for primary care .. that is health care provided outside the hospital system.

Similar action for the hospital system has only been raised as an option.



PIC Officers (SYDNEY)

A Police Integrity Commission hearing is underway into the actions of two New South
Wales officers .. who allegedly pocketed tens of thousands of dollars to keep quiet about
illegal activities.

The two officers have been named as Senior Constable NASSER BATTAL and "LP1" .. after
Commissioner JOHN PRITCHARD suppressed the second officer's name without giving details.

Both were detectives at Liverpool Police Station.



Dengue (BRISBANE)

The number of dengue fever cases in north Queensland has passed 400.

Queensland Health says 21 new cases were confirmed over the weekend .. 17 in the Cairns
area and four around Townsville .. taking the total to 418 since December 1.



Briefly in other news ..



Ultralight (BRISBANE)

The female pilot of an ultralight has been flown to hospital with multiple leg fractures
.. after her aircraft crashed west of Brisbane.



Moor (DARWIN)

Human remains discovered at the base of Uluru last week have been identified as those
of 31-year-old missing Victorian man CRAIG DALLAS MOOR.



Brambles (SYDNEY)

Pallet supplier Brambles says it will cut about 750 staff in the year ahead after the
US recession saw its first half net profit fall 28 per cent.



Missing (MELBOURNE)

SES volunteers have found a five-year-old boy and his grandparents who spent the night
lost in rugged bushland west of Melbourne.



Pacific (PORT MORESBY)

The first group of Pacific Islanders working in Australia's pilot seasonal workers
scheme arrive today .. en route to pick fruit on Victorian farms.



Pink (SYDNEY)

US pop star PINK has been so affected by the horrific images of the Victorian bushfires
she's decided to donate a quarter of a million dollars to help the victims.



in Finance ..



Japan Economy Yosano (TOKYO)

Japan says it faces its worst economic crisis since World War II .. after data showed
its economy shrank at the fastest pace in 35 years in the fourth quarter.



in Sport ..



AFL Tribunal (MELBOURNE)

Brisbane utility ASHLEY MCGRATH can accept a reprimand for his front-on bump with St
Kilda's BRENDON GODDARD during Saturday night's AFL pre-season match.

MCGRATH'S five-year good record will reduce his penalty from a one-game ban to a reprimand
if he takes the early plea.

The panel's also cleared Fremantle defender ANTONI GROVER over an incident on Sunday
night where he collected Richmond's DEAN POLO in a marking contest.

New Collingwood captain NICK MAXWELL will face the tribunal tomorrow night to contest
a four-match ban for rough conduct.



Soccer AL Glory (PERTH)

Perth Glory have secured former Dutch international VICTOR SIKORA for the 2009/10 A-League
season.

SIKORA featured in the Glory's final five games this season after arriving at the club
as an injury replacement for JAMES ROBINSON.



Super Waratahs (SYDNEY)

The NSW Waratahs have boosted their back row stocks by signing former Queensland and
Western Force forward LUKE DOHERTY.

DOHERTY has returned to Australia from Japan after finishing the season there last
weekend with the Kyuden Club.



ENDS EVENING ROUND-UP

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