ACL compiles a daily media monitoring service of stories of interest to the Christian constituency relating to children, family, drugs and alcohol, marriage, human rights, religious freedom etc. Visit the ACL’s website each day to see what’s of interest in the news. Please note that selection of the articles does not represent ACL endorsement of the content.

 

 

 

Politics
Kevin Rudd ALP’s best hope: Newspoll
The Australian
VOTERS overwhelmingly regard Kevin Rudd as the Labor leader most likely to defeat Tony Abbott, boosting the former prime minister’s pitch to colleagues ahead of Monday’s leadership challenge.
According to the latest Newspoll survey, conducted exclusively over the past two days for The Weekend Australian, Julia Gillard has fallen further behind the Opposition Leader as preferred prime minister and he now has his biggest lead over her since she replaced Mr Rudd in June 2010.

Gillard v Rudd: the numbers
Sydney Morning Herald
Julia Gillard’s numbers appear to be firming despite two backbenchers stating their support for Kevin Rudd today. NSW MP Ed Husic, long counted as a Rudd supporter, confirmed this today, as did South Australian MP Nick Champion, who had been undecided.

Who’s backing Gillard and who’s supporting Rudd in Labor showdown?
Herald Sun
Rudd: she can’t win election ? Gillard: he can’t be trusted
Canberra Times
Kevin Rudd is warning Labor MPs they are ”heading for the rocks” at the next election under Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s leadership because she lacks legitimacy and has lost the trust of Australians.

Environment
Kevin Rudd’s cut-price carbon plan
The Australian
KEVIN Rudd has flagged a review of the carbon tax by the end of the year that would be likely to lower its price and reduce its impact on business, in a pitch to MPs in marginal seats besieged by the political fallout from the levy.
As he confirmed he would be a candidate in Monday’s Labor caucus ballot for the leadership, he flagged a faster transition to a floating emissions trading scheme than the three years proposed in the package passed by Julia Gillard’s government last year.

Gambling
Wilkie willing to talk pokies with winner
Sydney Morning Herald
THE key independent Andrew Wilkie has ruled out ever striking another formal agreement with Julia Gillard, but left open the possibility of writing a deal with Kevin Rudd if he were to become prime minister.
Still stung by the failure last month of Ms Gillard to honour a deal over pokies reform, Mr Wilkie said yesterday she had had her chance to maintain a deal.
”Julia Gillard let me down greatly,” he said. ”I do not believe she deserves a second chance when she’s let me down, and the millions of Australians who are counting on meaningful poker-machine reform.

Packer plans a $1.5bn casino splash: report
Business Spectator
Crown plans to spend more than $1.5 billion on building new luxury hotels in Sydney and Perth, after boosting its investment in rival casino operator Echo Entertainment, Crown’s executive chairman James packer told The Australian Financial Review.
Mr Packer’s plan to expand the Crown chain beyond Melbourne is part of a campaign to lure wealthy Chinese gamblers to Australia’s shores, he told the newspaper.

Human Rights
Envoy defends China on rights
Canberra Times
The Chinese ambassador to Australia, Chen Yuming, delivered a spirited defence of the emerging super power’s record on human rights and compliance with international commercial regulations in Canberra this week.
”We believe that these problems aren’t limited to China only,” he said. ”These problems and difficulties affect many other countries.”
UN accuses Syrian regime of targeting children as Annan sent to Damascus
Canberra Times
THE United Nations has accused the Syrian regime of ”crimes against humanity” – including the use of snipers against small children – and has drawn up a list of senior officials who should face investigation, reportedly including President Bashar al-Assad.

Prostitution & Sex Trafficking
Crackdown urged on sex trade
Canberra Times
A crackdown on brothel owners using under-age sex workers has been recommended by the Assembly Committee reviewing the territory’s prostitution laws.
The recommendation was prompted by the tragic death of a 17-year-old girl from a drug overdose in a Fyshwick brothel in 2008.

Refugees
Court rules against ‘turn back the boats’ policy
Sydney Morning Herald
A EUROPEAN court verdict that Italy breached international law by pushing back asylum seekers at sea highlights the perils of the Coalition’s policy to ”turn back the boats”, the Greens and federal government said yesterday.
Italy and Australia are the most prominent countries to have implemented push-back policies to stem asylum seeker boat arrivals. Labor opposes the practice, but it is Coalition policy.