Good morning fellow newsters! It’s that time of the morning again as we wonder what the heck is happening in the news cycle, and how we can get across it in two minutes … which is where these news bites come into it. Settle in. Grab a coffee. Catch up.
1. Women on maternity leave disadvantaged when they return
Mothers who take time off for maternity leave earn less than their counterparts who did not, upon their return. After the first year they earn about 4.4% less on an hourly rate, but this jumps to about 12% three years later. The figures were calculated on a survey of more than 200 women returning to the workforce from 2002 until 2009 as part of the Household Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia survey. The question now is, is that fair?
2. Second top cop resigns in London, journalist found dead, as phone hacking scandal widens
Yesterday it was the commissioner of police, last night our time it was his deputy commissioner of the Metropolitan Police John Yates who resigned. John Yates was widely criticised as being the cop who prevented what could have been a full investigation into phone hacking in 2009. The body of Sean Hoare, a News of the World Journalist who became the first whistleblower to allege that his editor Andy Coulson knew about phone hacking and actively encouraged it, has been found in an apartment this morning. Police are investigating but say it does not appear to be suspicious.
3. Prince William and new bride Kate given a coconut that looks like a vagina
That was not a typo. While on honeymoon in the Seychelles, they were presented with the erotic coco-de-mer which looks just like lady bits. Or buttocks, depending on who you ask. For those playing along at home, the coco-de-mer is the largest seed in the plant kingdom. Oh yes indeed.
4. Swimmer Nick D’Arcy ordered to pay $180,000 in compensation to Simon Cowley
It was the punch that ‘seemed like a good idea at the time’ that will likely cost swimmer Nick D’Arcy $135,000 after a court ordered he pay it to fellow team mate Simon Cowley for ‘pain and suffering’ caused. Including medical expenses, Cowley will receive more than $180,000.
5. Gun regulations in New South Wales may be relaxed … to help Shooter’s Party
In another example of a Government needing the help of minor parliamentary groups to pass legislation, NSW Premier Barry O’Farrell may look at relaxing gun control laws in the state to curry favour with key representatives. This may include removing the requirement of children to be 12 and have a $100 permit before being able to shoot an air rifle and allowing all schools to offer shooting as a program in the school if the school chooses. One MP told the Sydney Morning Herald: ”The Shooters only have one agenda. They wave through anything the government wants and accumulate credit. But then they expect their agenda to be done.”
Top Comments
re the coco de mer: that's actually the female part of the plant. This link shows both the female and male part:
http://epod.typepad.com/.a/...
I'm not making this up - that's why in the 19th century this was seen to be the forbidden fruit from the garden of eden
Apart from Coal Seam Gas releasing nasties that are toxic, NOBODY knows what it will do to the Artesion Water system. Studies have never been done to see how the system works, how they connect and interconnect, and if the gas industry stuffs it up, it will never recover. Nor will the Australian grazing industry.