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11 Mar 2000
Northern Territory News headlines
'Beer, petrol rise shocks'
'Beer drinkers and motorists receive a double dose of bad news today with a new round of hefty price increases'. Petrol was expected to rise 2c a litre to as much as 96.9c for unleaded fuel in Darwin. Cartons of beer rose $1 yesterday with a further increase of between 50c and 90c from July 1. But in inspired economic reporting the Northern Territory News says in its article on page 2 headlined Beer cost increase - 'The news comes after the price of a carton by VB rose by about $1 to $29.50 this week following a 2 per cent Consumer Price Index rise.' Looks like Melanie van Helvoort needs a lesson or two about the CPI.
'Aussie killed by hippo'
A Victorian, honeymooning in Victoria was savaged to death by a hippo in the Okavango Delta of Botswana. In a lesson for Territorians and Queenslanders there doesn’t seem to have been a call for mass killings of hippos as a result.
'Tourists warned: Crocs moving'
The heavy rain and flooding has resulted in more movement of saltwater crocodiles prompting Parks and Wildlife to issue a warning to tourists and sightseers.
'Daly's people set to escape today'
As Daly River residents continue to adopt a wait-and-see approach, communities around Timber Creek were evacuated yesterday and were being sheltered in the town's community hall. Back at Daly River, the river hit 14.1m yesterday and was expected to rise even further overnight.
'Jail looms for man who cut 17c wire'
More mandatory sentencing madness. 'A Territory miner could fact two weeks in jail after cutting a 17c wire on a backhoe at Groote Eylandt'. The man who had been employed at GEMCO for seven years was expected to be charged with criminal damage. GEMCO reported the 'crime' to the police, hence the need for the complaint to be investigated and admitted that fixing the problem would cost around $20. Why?
Bureaucracy gone completely mad
'Protest at jailing of seafarer'
The West Timorese man who was found at Cobourg a few days ago after three and a half weeks lost at sea was placed in jail for four nights because he didn’t have any identification papers. Fortunately the Indonesian Government complained.
'Pineapple terrorists strike'
A group 'Free Seed Liberation' has claimed responsibility for destroying a crop of genetically-modified pineapples at a private testing facility in Brisbane. Apparently the scientists had been trying to eliminate 'black heart' which causes rotting in pineapples. The attack has been grandly labelled Australia's first 'genetic terrorism'
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