I'll help battlers, promises Howard …..

• Howard pledges to help battlers if re-elected
• Howard "trying to have it both ways", says Rudd
• Election could be called as early as today

John Howard has pledged to do more to help battlers if he is re-elected as he moved yesterday to clear the decks ahead of officially calling the election as early as today.

Ex-Commander Says Iraq Effort Is 'a Nightmare' …..

In a sweeping indictment of the four-year effort in Iraq, the former top commander of American forces there called the Bush administration's handling of the war "incompetent" and said the result was "a nightmare with no end in sight."

US stands firm on climate policy despite Gore's success …..

The Bush administration says it will not change its policy on climate change, despite the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to former US Vice President Al Gore.

US Stands Firm On Climate Policy Despite Gore's Success

US rejects Russian missile call …..

Talks between the US and Russia about a US anti-missile system in Europe have ended acrimoniously and without any sign of progress.

The US rejected Russian appeals at the talks in Moscow to halt the scheme.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said his country would take steps to neutralise the threat posed by the missile system if it went ahead.

The main things chameleon species do have in common is their foot structure, their eyes, their lack of ears, and their tongue.

PM does an about-face on reconciliation

Prime Minister John Howard has delivered an extraordinary election eve mea culpa to indigenous Australians, promising a referendum to recognise them formally in the constitution.

After years of refusing to apologise to Aboriginal Australians over their past treatment, Mr Howard admitted he had failed to recognise the importance of symbolism in healing the rift.

PM promises referendum

Prime Minister John Howard has announced his plans to hold a referendum to formally recognise indigenous Australians in the Constitution.

In a speech to the Sydney Institute Mr Howard promised to hold the referendum within 18 months of the election - if the Coalition is returned to office - which would incorporate a Statement of Reconciliation into the Constitution's preamble.

Mr Howard acknowledges he has often "struggled" with the issue of reconciliation during his time as prime minister.

Army Defends Recruitment Standards

from the washington post …..

The Army last year again increased the number of its recruits
who have prior criminal records by granting them special exceptions.

The Pentagon's top personnel official defended the policy, saying it's so
stringent that many in Congress would have difficulty getting into the
military today, too, because of things they did in their youth.

"I often ask myself whether the Mabo decision in 1992 or the Wik decision in 1996 would be decided by the High Court the same way today," he said.

After listing a series of developments that emerged from dissenting judgments, including expanded freedoms of the press, free speech and rights to a lawyer, Justice Kirby said: "The answer to all of these questions of whether such cases would be answered the same way today seems to be: probably not.

Vaile says NSW must commit on Hwy upgrade

Deputy Prime Minister Mark Vaile says the New South Wales Government cannot support any Federal Labor plan to upgrade the Pacific Highway, if it refuses to back the Coalition's proposal announced today.

Mr Vaile and Prime Minister John Howard have today promised $2.4 billion in federal funding to upgrade the Pacific Highway in New South Wales.

Defence to spend $8m on Eden-Monaro roads

The Federal Government has announced $8 million worth of funding for road upgrades in the marginal seat of Eden-Monaro and is challenging state and territory governments to chip in.

The money will come from the Department of Defence which is building its new headquarters near the town of Bungendore.

Defence Minister Brendan Nelson says it is unusual for Defence to fund road upgrades but it is part of preparing the area for the new command centre.

Australians too optimistic according to insurance company

A new survey has found Australians are optimistic about life, to the point that they are underinsured.

Insurer "AXA" has released the findings of an international study, that compared insurance rates and attitudes in 11 countries, including Australia, France, Germany, the US and Japan.

Howard has no plans to make price fixing criminal

Prime Minister John Howard has refused to commit to making price fixing a criminal offence but said the government would continue to review the Trade Practices Act.

His comments come after billionaire businessman Richard Pratt yesterday admitted his company Visy was involved in price fixing in the cardboard market.

Minchin 'surprised' by criticism of possible Parliament recall ....

Federal Finance Minister Nick Minchin has dismissed claims that it would be a waste for Parliament to sit next week.

The Labor Party is using today's three-year anniversary of the last election to again call on Prime Minister John Howard to set a date for this year's poll.

If Mr Howard calls the election before next Monday, Parliament will not return until after the poll.

from The Observer

The PM might mouth platitudes, but our phone records lie exposed, a whistleblower is prosecuted and a demonstration is banned.

The art of government these days is to extend power without people noticing. Gordon Brown proclaims his solemn duty 'to uphold freedom of speech, freedom of information and freedom of protest', yet his ministers steal through the night to attack each one of these rights. We are moving with a sickening speed to a point where the reality of government intentions is the precise opposite of its presentational rhetoric.