Townsville north-eastern coast of Queensland, Australia. News and PR

Nick Kyrgios' season is over after ban, extra fine and other top stories.

noreply@blogger.com (melbourne blog) — Fri, 04 Nov 2016 11:20:00 +0000

Nick Kyrgios' season is over after ban, extra fine
Nick Kyrgios, the tormented tennis talent banned for eight tournament weeks by the ATP and fined an additional $32,000 on Monday for his appalling behaviour and lack of effort at the Shanghai Masters, has indicated he will agree to the psychological counselling provision that could end his suspension early.Either way, perhaps mercifully, his season is over. More Sport Videos Previous slide Next slide Djokovic weighs in on Kyrgios behaviour Djokovic falls to Ba..
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Winx? Been there, done that: Waller

Leading trainer Chris Waller believes his champion race mare Winx's main weapon in defending her title in Saturday's $3 million Cox Plate is her ability to absorb the incredible pressure the race creates. Speaking after French galloper Vadamos had worked impressively around the Moonee Valley circuit, Waller said that Winx had done it all before and been successful. Ben Cadden riding Winx in the shallow waters of Altona beach. Photo: Vince Caligiuri "I'm respectful of the French hor..
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Xavier Richards has requested a trade to a Melbourne based club

Mitchell traded to Hawthorn0:28AFL: Sydney have traded Tom Mitchell to Hawthorn. Xavier Richards will leave Sydney. Picture: Getty ImagesSYDNEY Swans grand final player Xavier Richards has requested a trade to a Melbourne club and his manager says the cost of living in Sydney is the key factor in his desire to move.The Swans lost their cost of living allowance (COLA) in controversial circumstances after they recruited Lance Franklin on a nine year $10 million deal on the back of signing Kurt Ti..
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Messara retires from Racing NSW board, stands down as chairman

Racing NSW chairman John Messara has quit as the state's top thoroughbred racing official just 10 months into a three-year term.Messara tendered his resignation at a board meeting in Sydney on Monday in another shock to the country's racing administration, which is already reeling from Racing Victoria chairman David Moodie temporarily standing aside on the eve of the Caulfield Cup as he is probed for an integrity breach. Leaving Racing NSW board: John Messara. Photo: Louise Kennerley Mes..
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Former Test captain Steve Waugh says batsman Usman Khawaja must show how much he wants to play Test cricket

TEST great Steve Waugh has challenged struggling batsman Usman Khawaja to prove how much the baggy green really means to him this summer.Waugh has questioned the hunger of Australia’s fallen No.3, who has gone from world beater to drinks carrier in the space of a few months.Khawaja smashed four Test centuries in five matches last summer, but was then dropped for the last Test of Australia’s dismal 3-0 whitewash in Sri Lanka.Waugh on Monday announced details of his 701km cycling event, ‘The Capta..
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De Silva on the Roda to Socceroos recognition - SBS

After just eight appearances in his debut season for the Dutch club, which was also once home to compatriots Tomi Juric and Rostyn Griffiths, De Silva has already featured in six of Roda's opening nine league games. De Silva's talent was on display against Excelsior at the weekend when he provided the assist for David Boysen’s match-winning goal. Victory lifted Roda off bottom spot and the former Perth Glory prodigy showed in his 88 minutes on the field, playing on the left, that the promise wh..
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AFL Trades 2016: Hawks build war chest as Jordan Lewis trade looms

Hawthorn's aggressive trades of their veteran champions could construct a million-dollar war chest to attack free agency at the end of next year if Jordan Lewis is to join Sam Mitchell in leaving the Hawks.The Hawks' decision to move on Mitchell and the looming trade of Lewis have not been a result of salary cap pressure to squeeze in new arrivals Ty Vickery, Tom Mitchell and probably Jaeger O'Meara but will instead create room for other potential recruits next year. The departure of Mitchell ..
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Clarke defends family of Phillip Hughes over questioning at inquest

Former Australian captain Michael Clarke has weighed in on the Phillip Hughes inquest, saying he wants it known that all the grieving family of the late batsman wanted out of the hearing was for no other players to ever be the victim of such a tragic accident.Clarke on Monday launched his autobiography at a function at a Sydney restaurant attended by ex-Test captain Mark Taylor, wicketkeeping great Ian Healy, his long-time Australian team physio Alex Kountouris and other friends and family. ..
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FFA issue Victory show cause notice - SBS

Despite a bumper start to the new season on the pitch, the A-League earned another black eye on Saturday night when a flare was left off inside Etihad Stadium during Melbourne City's 4-1 win over Victory. The perpetrator, who was sitting in the Victory supporters' bay, was arrested after being pointed out by the club's fans and is facing charges. While acknowledging the club and league were still grappling with the issue, FFA CEO David Gallop said attitudes were changing. "I think we definitel..
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Adelaide's Cirio sidelined indefinitely - SBS

The A-League club said Cirio was "shockingly fouled" by Clisby in the opening 53 seconds of the Wanderers' come-from-behind 2-1 victory at Coopers Stadium on Friday. Spaniard Cirio tried to play on but was substituted after just 11 minutes, with scans later revealing an injury to the medial ligament in his right knee. Clisby escaped with only a yellow card, one of two possible red-card challenges overlooked by referee Shaun Evans on the night - along with a second-half incident involving match..
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Telstra ramps up fight with Vodafone .	Aussie mum to face murder charges .
Man dies after one punch attack in South Brisbane .	Teenager's desperate bid to save herself from spine so twisted it's crushing her to death from the INSIDE .

Townsville daily wrap-up, Tuesday October 25 and other top stories.

noreply@blogger.com (melbourne blog) — Mon, 31 Oct 2016 12:56:00 +0000

Townsville daily wrap-up, Tuesday October 25
Common assault, possess dangerous drugs, fail to dispose of syringe, Townsville City Around 5am on Tuesday, October 25, police were called to a disturbance at a backpacker hostel in Flinders Street. It will be alleged a 24-year-old man, who had been staying at the hostel has assaulted a female guest, resulting in his eviction from the premises. A 46-year-old male staff member was in the process of finalising the manâs account when the employee was also assaulted. Police will further allege at..
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Townsville media track down stranded John Key

Townsville media track down stranded John Key JO MOIR IN TOWNSVILLE Last updated 10:37, October 25 2016 Breakfast Political Reporter Katie Bradford reports from Townsville where the airforce plane carrying John Key to India has broken down. A trying day for John Key ended in a Townsville pub with a cold orange juice after several at..
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TOWNSVILLE Fire guard Kelly Wilson insists she’s putting the team before any personal battles going into Sunday’s WNBL showdown with her former club the Bendigo Spirit.Wilson enjoyed eight successful years in Bendigo, culminating in their back-to-back grand final victories over the Fire in 2013 and 2014, before making the move to Townsville this season.The 31-year-old admitted the prospect of facing the club where she’s spent most of her professional career was nerve-racking, but Wilson was doin..
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It's true, size does matter!

As part of Operation Clare Mayaku, Officers from the Clare Police Station and Ayr CIB executed a number of search warrants on Tuesday, October 25. During searches of residences a quantity of undersized crabs and an illegal fishing net were seized. These matters were referred to the Department of Fisheries & Agriculture for further investigation. Officer in Charge of the Clare Police Station, Senior Constable Shane Martin said the community need to be mindful and vigilant in relation to all lega..
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Pumping likely to start in a fortnight

THE Ross River Dam could be receiving pumped water from the Burdekin within a fortnight.The city started exceeding its daily consumption target, with weekend rain failing to ease water woes.Townsville Airport recorded 8.2mm in the 24 hours to 3pm yesterday while the official gauge at Dalrymple Rd, Bohle, registered the best falls, with 19mm.It was enough to tinge brown lawns green but not enough to stop the city’s main water supply continuing to dry up, with the Ross River Dam at 16 per cent c..
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Flyer quits Broncos for fresh start at Cowboys

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Signs pointe to bright futures

THEY are only 11 and 13 years of age but two Townsville ballet dancers already have their toes pointed towards bigger things. Zai Calliste, 11 and Mackenzie Coomb, 13, (pictured) are preparing to compete in the national Genée Dance Challenge in Sydney in December.Zai, who dances at Ann Roberts School of Dance, said he hoped to one day dance for an international school.“I just love performing and making other people happy,” he said. “The training is hard work but I am looking forward to the compe..
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The real NQ cowboys

A SUBURBAN cattle roundup lasting more than five hours has seen a group of Townsville residents take on the roles of stockmen. Four weaners are understood to have jumped off the back of a cattle truck near Loam Island yesterday afternoon after the driver pulled over to fix a broken door.About eight people, including police, council officers, a television cameraman and a Townsville Bulletin photographer helped wrangle the weaners, which were roaming around Pinnacle Drive, Riverway Drive and Apex ..
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Step into a house of Halloween

A SUBURBAN home has been transformed into a haunted mansion of horrors for Halloween. Best friends Michelle Stewart and Michele Toms have been hard at work for the past six weeks transforming Ms Toms’ Vincent home into a haunted house.Ms Stewart said they went all out every year to put on the event for the community, working late nights going into the final preparations.“There’s blood and there’s cobwebs,” she said. “We have about 30 people taking part as actors. Part of the fun is just the unkn..
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'Burglar' found asleep in Townsville home .	Summer transport chaos to hit Melbourne's east in latest level crossing blitz .
Telstra ramps up fight with Vodafone .	Aussie mum to face murder charges .

Airfares dip after a big September rise and other top stories.

noreply@blogger.com (melbourne blog) — Sun, 30 Oct 2016 09:49:00 +0000

Airfares dip after a big September rise
It could pay to keep an eye on global oil prices when booking your next trip. Discount airfares have dropped almost 16 per cent in October after rising 27 per cent in September, which was the largest monthly rise in almost three years, according to government data. That movement reflects recent volatility in oil prices, and shows airlines are attempting to lift prices to cover higher jet fuel bills, and to boost their margins, Commsec chief economist Craig James says. Competition is restraining..
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Reserve Bank pays $3.22 billion dividend to Canberra

The Reserve Bank will pay the federal government its biggest dividend since the global financial crisis, transferring $3.22 billion to the Treasury's coffers, after its profits were helped by a drop in the Australian dollar.The central bank notched up $2.88 billion in profit in the year to June, helped by higher fee revenue and valuation gains on its portfolio of financial assets, its annual report said on Thursday. More Business Videos Previous slide Next slide Glenn S..
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BHP and Rio downgraded, but the sector still has upside, fund managers say

Commodity prices may have bottomed, but investors hoping the big miners shares' have further to rise are likely too late to the party, according to analysts and fund managers.A day after Fortescue Metals Group chairman Andrew Forrest declared the mining downturn had bottomed at a National Press Club address, Citi joined fellow investment bank UBS in calling the top for the nation's biggest miners, downgrading BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto to "sell". There is still plenty of value in the big m..
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Farms paying 'piece rates' targeted in $650000 underpayment case

A large mushroom farm that paid hundreds of its workers based on how much they picked is facing allegations the system made it "almost impossible" to earn a sufficient wage.Australia's workplace watchdog this week launched unprecedented legal action alleging mushroom pickers on a Queensland farm have been exploited and grossly underpaid almost $650,000 in eight months. Workplace watchdog claims 400 mushroom pickers were underpaid $650,000 in eight months. Photo: Rohan Thomson About 400 m..
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Melbourne apartment owners ill-equipped to combat property downturn: Moody's

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Australian dollar slips further against greenback

Australian dollar slips further against greenbackAAP7:58AM October 13, 2016SaveThe Australian dollar has slipped further after the US dollar hit a fresh seven-month high overnight, continuing its recent trend. At 7.05am (AEDT), the local unit was trading at US75.65 cents, down from US75.78 cents yesterday.The US dollar remained a bit higher after minutes from September’s meeting of Federal Reserve policymakers indicated they might raise interest rates if the US economy continues to improve.Westp..
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Iluka revenue, production slides

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5 dividend shares for a rock solid portfolio

Unfortunately in this low interest environment investors in search of income can't rely on their savings account or term deposits to provide them with an adequate source of income. Because of this I believe investors should look to the market for their ...
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Transurban profits as revenues rise twice as fast as traffic volumes

Ever rising tollroad charges are helping to fatten the balance sheet at tollroad owner and operator Transurban, in particular as it hikes charges levied on trucks using its road network in Sydney.The company on Thursday released September quarter data for use of its road networks, which showed income growth outstripped the rise in traffic volumes, most notably at its Sydney tollroads, where revenue rose 7.9 per cent - double the 3.4 per cent rise in average daily traffic volumes. The Westl..
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Slater and Gordon has hired a top law firm to fight a $250 million class action as its shares hit 38.5 cents

Troubled legal firm Slater and Gordon was today served with legal proceedings in the Federal Court for a class action by disgruntled shareholders. Maurice Blackburn, one of Slater and Gordon’s major competitors, is acting for the class action by shareholders who purchased stock during between March 2015 and February this year. “Slater and Gordon will closely analyse and vigorously defend the claim,” the company told the ASX. The leading Australian commercial law firm Arnold Bloch Leibler has ..
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Cruise out to cattle farm .	Jeep Renegade scores five star ANCAP rating .
Armed robbery, Townsville .	Queenstown of Queensland .

Baby NZ seals take RAAF flight to freedom and other top stories.

noreply@blogger.com (melbourne blog) — Sun, 30 Oct 2016 08:45:00 +0000

Baby NZ seals take RAAF flight to freedom
Baby NZ seals take RAAF flight to freedom
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nbn™ says nobody needs gigabit internet, trumpets XG-Fast at 8Gbps anyway

nbn™, the organisation building and operating Australia's National Broadband Network (NBN), has announced trials of fibre-to-the-curb and broadband-over-copper technology XG-fast that hit 8Gbps on 30 metres of copper in lab trials. It's also done tests that produced “5Gbps peak aggregate speed being achieved over 70 metres of twisted-pair copper”. Which is lovely. But also confusing because nbn™ has previously argued that gigabit-per-second speeds just aren't necessary at home and won't be for ..
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Apple car: How tech giant backed away from game-changing plan

Apple has drastically scaled back its automotive ambitions, leading to hundreds of job cuts and a new direction that, for now, no longer includes building its own car, according to people familiar with the project.Hundreds of members of the car team, which comprises about 1000 people, have been reassigned, let go, or have left of their own volition in recent months, the people said, asking not to be identified because the moves aren't public. More Technology Videos Previous slide ..
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10000 critically endangered 'scrotum frogs' found dead at Lake Titicaca

Wildlife officials in Peru are investigating the mass death of thousands of rare frogs near the Bolivian border.Locals estimate that the bodies of some 10,000 Titicaca water frogs have been found in Lake Titicaca and its adjoining rivers.The critically endangered amphibian, known as the ‘scrotum frog’ due to its unfortunate appearance, is believed to have been killed by polluted waters. Thousands of the critically endangered amphibians, known as the ‘scrotum frog’ due to its unfortunate appearan..
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Samsung 960 Pro review: The fastest consumer SSD you can buy

Edward Chester reader comments 34 The all new Samsung 960 Pro, released today, is the follow up to last year's 950 Pro. It offers the same core set of features, with an M.2 form factor, four-lane PCIe 3.0 interface, NVMe communication standard, and 3D V-NAND. But the 960 Pro isn't just a minor spec bump. Samsung has seriously cranked up the speed (and capacities) of its flagship drives to the point where such ludicrous performance may be lost on all but the most demanding of users. These a..
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Samsung Galaxy Note 7 price, specs, features: Samsung 'may airlift Note 7 features onto Galaxy S7'

At a glance Price £699 Release date 2 September 2016 CPU Octacore Exynos 8890 RAM 4GB Storage 64GB Battery 3,500mAh Display 5.7in QHD Latest News 18/10/2016: Samsung may add some of the features from its Note 7 to its S7 and S7 Edge devices, according to the BBC. The South Korean firm has confirmed it will 'enhance' the latter devices with new features, with a spokeswoman saying: "We have issued a software update delivering certain feature enhancements to the Galaxy S7 and S7 ..
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LG's V20 may be the phone of the year. So why the f*%k can't you buy it?

For beleaguered Android phone makers, you might think a juicy prize has just appeared. For some of them, it could be a life-saver. Samsung’s Galaxy Note 7 was expected to ship around 20 million units over its lifetime. An inflammable battery emphatically put paid to that - with the potential loss of tens of millions of more sales from “contagion”. In the short term, some five to seven million Note 7 owners are looking for an alternative. Most, it is reasonable to assume, would prefer to stick w..
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Dolphin calf spotted off Cairns wrapped in marine debris

Marine experts fear for a dolphin calf with marine debris wrapped around its body spotted off Queensland's coastline two weeks ago.James Cook University's Dr Isabel Beasley was conducting marine survey work when she spotted the calf with a pod of dolphins near Yorkey's Knob on September 30. Dr Beasley hasn't seen the dolphin for more than two weeks. Photo: Isabel Beasley "The calf looked healthy, in good condition, and was swimming normally, however, it appears the marine debris is wrapp..
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Can Google be the new Samsung?

Google will release what it calls its first smartphone, the Google Pixel, in Australia on October 20. Picture: Ramin Talaie/Getty Images/AFPJennifer Dudley-NicholsonNews Corp Australia NetworkTHE PIXEL is dubbed the first “Phone by Google” but it’s not a typical debut device. This smartphone is a sophisticated marriage of metal and glass, with the physical features you’d demand of a flagship phone, and just enough design differences to ensure it’s not an iPhone clone.And, while its hardware is s..
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Mouse eggs engineered entirely in the lab for the first time — later lead to healthy adults

Mouse pups born from eggs released by lab-grown ovaries. Credit: O. Hikabe et. al.A paper that has been met by everyone in the field with cheerful enthusiasm describes how the authors grew mice eggs from the ground up, starting from stem cells. The eggs were then fertilized with sperm and implanted in foster mothers. Though the success rate was less than 1%, some of the embryos grew into healthy pups and later into adults with no sign of dysfunctionality. The implications for fertility, but also..
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Telstra ramps up fight with Vodafone .	Aussie mum to face murder charges .
Man dies after one punch attack in South Brisbane .	Teenager's desperate bid to save herself from spine so twisted it's crushing her to death from the INSIDE .

Windows 10 Creators Update - 6 of the best new features in Microsoft's blockbuster update and other top stories.

noreply@blogger.com (melbourne blog) — Sat, 29 Oct 2016 10:10:00 +0000

Windows 10 Creators Update - 6 of the best new features in Microsoft's blockbuster update
MICROSOFTMicrosoft wants to help expand your boundaries with Windows 10 Creators UpdateWindows 10 is about to get another major upgrade.At its Surface launch event earlier this week, Microsoft unveiled Windows 10 Creators Update - the next big extension to its software product line.Set to be released asa a free upgrade early in 2017 (although an early version was sent out to Windows Insider users this week), Creators Update promises a number of new and improved features for Windows 10 users - h..
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13-inch MacBook Pro: 2016 vs. 2015

Apple thinks it's reinvented the laptop again, with the new 2016 MacBook Pro. Is a strip of touchscreen ripped straight from the world of smartphones, along with a few more standard upgrades, enough to justify the notebook's staggering sticker price? Let's tackle that topic, as we line up the 13-inch version of the new 2016 MacBook Pro with its 2015 counterpart. Size The new 13-inch MacBook Pro (note that we excluded the 15-inch options from this comparison) gets a more compact footprint, stick..
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[ 29 October 2016 ] Lunar impact: how the Moon's Mare Orientale was formed News

The Moon’s 580-mile-wide Orientale basin has three distinct ring structures. The image shows the basin’s gravitational signature (red indicates excess mass, blue indicates mass deficits), which scientists used to reconstruct the formation of the basin and its rings. Click the picture for a full-size version. Image credit: Ernest Wright, NASA/GSFC Scientific Visualisation Studio.New results from NASA’s Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) mission are providing insights into the huge ..
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Ford Mustang Shelby GT350 hit with a recall

Apparently it's not just Corvette Z06 owners who feel the heat. Those lucky souls who purchased the Ford Mustang Shelby GT350 might be interested in taking a spin back to their dealerships. That's because the high-performance Mustang has been hit with a recall notice. According to Motor1, the issue at hand lies with an engine oil cooler tube. The crimping on the tube might be insufficient and thus the line could leak. This could lead to an engine seizure or possibly even a fire. The total numbe..
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Apple Watch Sales Crash, But They Haven't Burned Yet

The latest numbers aren’t looking good for the Apple Watch, but the numbers can’t be taken at face value just yet. BGR has the news. “New data from IDC estimates that Apple shipped 1.1 million Apple Watches between June and September this year. That’s a lot of wrist ‘puters to sell, but it’s actually a 70 percent decrease in sales from the summer before.” The article adds that despite the drop in sales, Apple remains the biggest seller of smartwatches by a huge percentage. It’s also important t..
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Students past and present mourn University of Sydney's famous jacaranda tree

It's been at the centre - literally -Â of student life at the University of Sydney for decades, but the famed jacaranda tree occupying the main quadrangle collapsed overnight, prompting an outpouring of tributes on social media.Â The tree has been a source of superstition for students since it was planted in 1928,Â with folklore declaring thatÂ if a student had failed to begin studying before the famous jacaranda's first bloom appearedÂ they would fail their exams.Â The fallen jacaranda t..
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We play a role in our environment

Amanda Jung/ Contributing Writer Imagine taking a test and from the moment you turn it in, you’re confident you aced it. You’re expecting only good remarks and quite possibly a 100 percent at the top of the paper. However, your teacher hands it back to you with one simple letter at the top, a D. This is the grade the Great Barrier Reef received on its “health report card” for the fifth year in a row, according to The Guardian. And no, this isn’t a report card Mother Nature would be proud of. ..
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'Dragon Ball Super' Episodes 66, 67 Spoilers, Updates: Titles Revealed, Omni-King Zenos Intervenes

Things are getting more exciting for "Dragon Ball Super" as Son Goku and the Saiyans struggle to defeat Zamasu and Goku Black. The recent leak featuring the titles of "Dragon Ball Super" Episodes 66 and 67 will surely spark more excitement for the anime series. The titles of "Dragon Ball Super" episodes 66 and 67 was recently shared by Twitter user Herms98 who is known in sharing "Dragon Ball Super" leaks. According to him, the source is 2chan poster and these are not yet confirmed. Dragon Ball..
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Samsung Considering Offering Galaxy Note 7 Customers Discounts On New Galaxy S8, S8 Plus And Note 8 Upon ... .	Thailand in mourning after king's death .
'Burglar' found asleep in Townsville home .	Summer transport chaos to hit Melbourne's east in latest level crossing blitz .

Samsung Considering Offering Galaxy Note 7 Customers Discounts On New Galaxy S8, S8 Plus And Note 8 Upon ... and other top stories.

noreply@blogger.com (melbourne blog) — Fri, 28 Oct 2016 12:44:00 +0000

Samsung Considering Offering Galaxy Note 7 Customers Discounts On New Galaxy S8, S8 Plus And Note 8 Upon ...
Samsung is in full crisis mode with its Galaxy Note 7 cancellation, as reports say loyal users will abandon future devices from the company. A new report says Samsung is considering giving Galaxy Note 7 customers a discount on next year's Galaxy S8, S8 Plus or Galaxy Note 8. In the months leading up to the launch of the Galaxy Note 7, it appeared almost inevitable that Samsung had a huge hit on its hands well before it ever even officially announced its flagship phablet. In mid-June we reported..
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iPhone 8: Release date, specs and pricing to expect from the 2017 flagship phone

Even as the iPhone 7 makes its way at users' doorsteps, rumours have started to float about Apple's 2017 flagship. While sequentially the phone should be called the iPhone 7S, reports have so far pointed to the phone being named as iPhone 8.Traditionally Apple releases an S model a year later after releasing the main models of an iPhone. However, to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the device in 2017 the company is planning to offer a different iPhone, which according to rumours will be the iPh..
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Cyber attack disrupts internet access

(This file photo taken on September 11, 2013 shows the logo of social networking website Twitter. Picture: AFP PHOTO / Leon NealA CYBER attack that downed popular internet sites including Twitter, Paypal, Netflix and Spotify — by targeting the service that allows users to connect to them — has been resolved, US-based DNS provider Dyn says, after hours of outages that spread around the world.The wave of several distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks on Dyn began at 1110 GMT on Friday (8pm A..
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Facebook Employees Threatened To Quit Over Trump: Report

According to a juicy new report from the Wall Street Journal, several Facebook employees threatened to quit over CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s decision to allow posts by Donald Trump to remain on the social network. Citing “people familiar with the matter,” the report says that some workers took issue with “certain posts about banning Muslims from entering the US,” arguing that they violated Facebook’s stated policy on hate speech. Zuckerberg, however, apparently elected to keep the posts up over conc..
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Thai king's death: Google removing content with royal insults, Thai junta says

Thai king's death: Google removing content with royal insults, Thai junta says Posted October 22, 2016 23:46:57 Thailand's Government has met with representatives from Internet giant Google, amid growing calls from Thai hardline royalists to bring those who insult the monarchy to justice, as many Thais look with uncertainty to a future without their revered king. Key points:Google to help Government remove content from YouTubeBreaking royal insult law can result in u..
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Great Barrier Reef: Citizen scientists lend a hand to document coral bleaching impact

Great Barrier Reef: Citizen scientists lend a hand to document coral bleaching impact Posted October 22, 2016 17:36:28 Thousands of so-called citizen scientists are putting up their hands to help professional scientists working to measure the impact on the Great Barrier Reef in the aftermath of this year's catastrophic coral bleaching.Members of the public are learning how to count fish and capture images of coral along Queensland's coastline, then feeding the informa..
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Plants vs. Zombies Heroes Review: Flowering Anew

It’s probably not escaped your notice that there are a lot of collectible card games on mobile, with more coming more or less monthly. And yet Plants vs. Zombies Heroes doesn’t care. There are probably two reasons for the way it unabashedly leaps into the fray. One is that it’s based on an IP that people know and love after EA and PopCap have spent years building it up. The other is that unlike many other CCGs that have tried following the leader (Hearthstone, until there’s evidence to the cont..
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Summer transport chaos to hit Melbourne's east in latest level crossing blitz .	Telstra ramps up fight with Vodafone .
Aussie mum to face murder charges .	Man dies after one punch attack in South Brisbane .

Thailand in mourning after king's death and other top stories.

noreply@blogger.com (melbourne blog) — Tue, 25 Oct 2016 08:38:00 +0000

Thailand in mourning after king's death
Sad day. Thai locals queue at the Grand Palace to pay their respects to the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej. Picture: Munir Uz Zaman/AFPRobyn IronsideNews Corp Australia NetworkAUSTRALIAN visitors to Thailand have been warned against overt displays of happiness in coming weeks as the country mourns the death of beloved King Bhumibol. All festive events for 30-days have been cancelled including live music, stage performances and next week’s Full Moon Party planned for Koh Phangan.Visitors were urged..
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21 abducted Chibok schoolgirls freed

21 abducted Chibok schoolgirls freedAssociated Press2:09PM October 14, 2016SaveTwenty-one of the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapped by Boko Haram more than two years ago have been freed in a swap for detained leaders of the Islamic extremist group.It's the first release since nearly 300 girls were taken captive in a case that provoked international outrage.The freed girls, some carrying babies, were released before dawn and placed in the custody of the Department of State Services, Nigeria's secret in..
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Antonio Guterres: Will new secretary-general 'kick UN up the backside'?

The UN has a new secretary-general. Portugal's former prime minister Antonio Guterres takes over from Ban Ki-moon in January, after being selected from a final list of 13 candidates.Guterres, a firm Catholic fluent in four languages, has set his sights on Syria as his major concern. He is also expected to show his commitment to gender equality by appointing a female deputy.But what else do we know about him - and how might his tenure differ from that of his South Korean predecessor?What is Gute..
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Israel freezes ties with Unesco for 'denying Jewish holy sites'

Image copyright AFP Image caption The hilltop site is sacred to both Jews and Muslims Israel has frozen co-operation with the UN's cultural agency, accusing it of denying Judaism's connections to the religion's holiest sites.Its education minister said a Unesco draft decision concerning Jerusalem "denies history and encourages terror".It comes after the body approved a text which repeatedly used only the Islamic name for a hilltop complex which is als..
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Trump hasn't sued a newspaper for libel in decades, records show

Trump hasn't sued a newspaper for libel in decades, records show By Reuters Published: 05:00 EST, 14 October 2016 | Updated: 05:00 EST, 14 October 2016 By Alison Frankel and Dan LevineOct 13 (Reuters) - Donald Trump hasn't sued a newspaper for libel in three decades, despite the Republican presidential nominee repeatedly threatening to do so over the course of his business career, according to databases of state and federal court records.A lawyer for the New York real estate develope..
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Ford Falcon's emotional send off .	Yes, they all apologised, but what else did we learn from bank CEOs .
Cruise out to cattle farm .	Jeep Renegade scores five star ANCAP rating .

'Burglar' found asleep in Townsville home and other top stories.

noreply@blogger.com (melbourne blog) — Mon, 24 Oct 2016 07:22:00 +0000

'Burglar' found asleep in Townsville home
The residents of a Townsville home were shocked when they came home to find a stranger asleep in one of their beds.Two people returnedÂ to their Charles Street home in the suburb ofÂ Kirwan early Wednesday morning, after spending a night away, to find their home had been broken into. Residents returned to their homne after a night away and found a stranger asleep in a bed. Photo: Tanya Lake They went inside and found household items strewn over the floor and a man asleep on one of their ..
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VIP family package winners on a high

ONE Townsville family’s excitement for this weekend’s T150 Defence Force Air Show and Townsville Bulletin Sky Show has skyrocketed after winning the Golden Ticket to one of the city’s biggest events. The Helmore family won the VIP package as part of a Townsville Bulletin, Townsville City Council and Royal Australian Air Force competition. The ticket includes exclusive seats to the air show on Saturday and a VIP experience at the RAAF Base Townsville Open Day on Sunday.Neil Helmore said he always..
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Surgery up in flames

A FIRE that ripped through the Hyde Park Medical Centre, causing millions of dollars worth of damage, is being treated as suspicious.Detectives were last night investigating any links between the blaze at the Bayswater Rd medical centre early yesterday morning and a separate fire that had been lit soon after in Pimlico.Doctors were left to treat patients in the centre’s car park yesterday as fire investigators and detectives sifted through the ashes of the building. The fire, which is believed t..
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Townsville crime watch for Thursday, October 13

A number of homes and vehicles have been entered during the past 24 hours between 7am to 7am in the Townsville area. Police urge all residents to be vigilant with the security of their property. By ensuring homes and vehicles are locked and property secured, it will decrease the likelihood of becoming a victim of an opportunist crime. Homes and vehicle entered in the past 24 hours were from the following locations: Police encourage members of the public to report any suspicious behaviour to C..
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Townsville stolen vehicle and number plate alert, Thursday October 13

Police are appealing for public assistance to locate a number of vehicles and number plates stolen throughout the Townsville District. Several of the vehicles listed below were stolen while the victims were at home. Keys, mobile phones and cash have also been stolen after thieves gained entry to homes and easily located car keys in plain view. Ask yourself, âWhere are my car keys?â Police advise that residents should secure their home and vehicle to avoid opportunistic thefts. Hiding car ke..
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Run for gold as Coppo helps out QAS at Games

The Townsville QAS Aus Tag Gold Medal Team with Reece Coppo Reece Coppo making a Run for Gold. Well the medals keep pouring in for our representatives from the North at the games on the Sunny Coast. Although we are a part of a greater team the Mighty Maroons of Queensland, we are showing our capabilities. One of our newest officers Reece Coppo from Stuart Station, has helped the Queensland Ambulance Service Team from Townsville to a Gold medal in t..
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Yes, they all apologised, but what else did we learn from bank CEOs .	Cruise out to cattle farm .
Jeep Renegade scores five star ANCAP rating .	Armed robbery, Townsville .

Summer transport chaos to hit Melbourne's east in latest level crossing blitz and other top stories.

noreply@blogger.com (melbourne blog) — Thu, 20 Oct 2016 15:42:00 +0000

Summer transport chaos to hit Melbourne's east in latest level crossing blitz

Frankston line commuters have just had a 37-day taste of life on the buses and without trains.Now it's the turn of those in Melbourne's eastern suburbs, with several weeks of disruption looming for late spring and summer as rail lines and arterial roads are shut for the Andrews government's latest level crossing "blitz". More News Videos Previous slide Next slide Level crossing removal fast tracked Lindt siege police response in question Australian ..
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Sale talk boosts Twitter shares as Google shows interest

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NBN chief executive earns $3.6 million, as company reaches nearly 5000 employees

A senior executive at the NBN Co took home $1.8 million for six months work after securing a seven-figure termination bonus from the job he began in 2013.NBN Co's annual report, released last week, showed NBN Co's chief executive Bill Morrow took home $3.6 million last financial year, including a $1.2 million bonus. More Technology Videos Previous slide Next slide Turnbull: I've 'turned around' the NBN Are hi-tech cars vulnerable to hackers? New iPho..
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Global leaders change direction while we play games

It's strange the way Malcolm Turnbull and Scott Morrison keep shooting off overseas to compare notes with world economic heavies, but come back none the wiser.Fortunately, the wonders of the internet allow us to read for ourselves what they're being told by the trumps at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and the International Monetary Fund. More Business Videos Previous slide Next slide Economy exceeding expectations ASX closes on a hi..
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South Australia's enormous July power price spike sounds national electricity alarm: Grattan Institute

South Australia's enormous July power price spike sounds national electricity alarm: Grattan Institute Updated September 25, 2016 19:31:52 An extraordinary spike in South Australia's wholesale electricity price in July sounded an alarm across the five states that share the National Electricity Market, new data shows.Research on the event by the Grattan Institute has argued that without a single nationwide climate plan, household power bills will rise unnecessarily and A..
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Few sellers keep auction clearance numbers high

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'Dangerous process' to dismantle collapsed Sydney crane that left workers dangling

A mechanical failure is being blamed for the dramatic collapse of a crane that left three workers dangling from a North Sydney building. At least one worker suffered broken bones in the hair-raising incident and all three were recovering in the Royal North Shore Hospital on Sunday afternoon. More News Videos Previous slide Next slide Crane collapses in North Sydney Lindt siege police response in question Pre-kindy bootcamp: A,B, Gee that's young! ..
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German discount supermarket Lidl seeks trademarks, stirs speculation of Australian launch

German discount supermarket Lidl is applying for trademarks covering hundreds of products, stirring speculation the retail giant is seriously looking into opening in Australia.As well as holding talks with the Victorian government recently, as reported by Fairfax Media, Lidl is also believed to have reached out to suppliers. More Business Videos Previous slide Next slide The trolley wars heat up When your dad is your co-worker Financial tips for ethi..
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Texas workers file class action against BHP Billiton

Australian mining giant BHP Billiton has been hit with a class action over the alleged underpayment of gate workers based at its shale oil operation in Texas after they were "magically" converted from employees to independent contractors.Former gate worker Linda Cox filed her claim seeking a jury trial against Chapa Gate Guard Service, BHP Billion and BHP Billiton Petroleum in Texas last week. More Business Videos Previous slide Next slide BHP's staggering loss explain..
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What would happen if we had a same-sex marriage plebiscite?2:05 .	Extra cops tackle Townsville youth crime .
Spiral of lost youth .	ReCore: The Kotaku Review .

Telstra ramps up fight with Vodafone and other top stories.

noreply@blogger.com (melbourne blog) — Mon, 17 Oct 2016 12:20:00 +0000

Telstra ramps up fight with Vodafone
With more than four months until a decision will be reached, the battle over mandated mobile roaming will involve plenty more mud slinging.TELSTRA has stepped up its attack against possible regulation of mobile roaming charges, warning that the move would hurt profits and network investment across regional Australia. “Why would anyone invest in maintaining or upgrading their regional networks when they can hitch a ride on someone else’s network and there is no longer any competitive differentiat..
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OnePlus 3s is Rumored to be Launched Soon with Snapdragon 821

OnePlus has been teasing about an upcoming announcement on Twitter, asking people to guess what they would be announcing next. One of the options includes “New Product Unveiling”. Well, we wouldn’t have bet for this option but then the rumor mills are suggesting that the company is indeed gearing up to launch a slightly upgraded variant of their hugely successful OnePlus 3 flagship smartphone, touted as OnePlus 3s. Although there isn’t any concrete information about what the new smartphone wi..
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Vodafone conducts live 5G trial

Vodafone conducts live 5G trial with nokia, heralding the potential of new technology.MOBILE service provider Vodafone Australia conducted a live public 5G demonstration Wednesday in conjunction with Nokia and the University of Technology, Sydney.The next generation technology is not expected to be rolled out for years to come but it holds the promise of supporting a dramatically more digital dependent world. The future of 5G was described as a fundamental leap forward by Vodafone Chief Technolo..
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Obama sets sights on Mars by 2030

US President Barack Obama said the nation is relying on private industry to find ways to make the "giant leap" to Mars, with human missions on the horizon by the 2030s. Picture: Jim Watson.US PRESIDENT Barack Obama said this week the nation is relying on private industry to find ways to make the “giant leap” to Mars, with human missions on the horizon by the 2030s.The US president’s announcement confirmed a longstanding agreement to partner with commercial companies on future missions to deep sp..
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Android Nougat 7.1: The 5 New Features to Look Forward to

Soon after launching the new Pixel smartphones, Google has announced the plans to roll out the next developer preview for Android Nougat. The latest version of the platform will be referred to as Android Nougat 7.1. While the Pixel phones come with Android 7.1 pre-loaded, it will be available only to some select Nexus devices later this month followed by a widespread availability towards the end of the year. While Android Nougat 7.1 is indeed an incremental update; it has a number of new featu..
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Bureau of Meteorology hacked by foreign spies in massive malware attack, report shows

Bureau of Meteorology hacked by foreign spies in massive malware attack, report shows Updated October 12, 2016 09:13:14 A foreign power managed to install malicious software — known as malware — on the Australian Bureau of Meteorology's computer system to steal sensitive documents and compromise other government networks, an official cyber security report has revealed. Key points:Malware popular with "state-sponsored cyber adversaries" found on BOM computersSecurity co..
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Tile Slim and Tile Mate

Gadget Guide Tile has officially launched in Australia. Tile is a Bluetooth tracker and companion app that helps people find lost possessions such as keys, wallets, purses, cars, bags, luggage and more. Tile is a tiny white square that pairs with a smartphone or tablet to become a homing companion for lost things. Users can simply open the app and ring any item that is in Bluetooth range or see its last known location on a map. Tile also works in reverse, allowing consumers to ring t..
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Samsung brand mystique at risk after death of Note 7

Whether the Samsung brand takes a lasting hit will depend, in part, on how long the mystery of the Note 7 batteries continues and whether the company is perceived by consumers as stonewalling. SeongJoon Cho by Yoolim Lee, Sohee Kim and Hooyeon Kim Samsung Electronics Co is corporate royalty in South Korea. It's also a company recognised for its marketing smarts and engineering savvy worldwide, so much so that consul..
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Ancient Footprints in Africa's Mountain of God Reveal Story of Human Life 5000 to 19000 Years Ago

Oct 11, 2016 08:42 AM EDT It's the path that ancient humans walked, the marks they have made on the ancient earth. Locals and scientists discovered over 400 human footprints - each one remarkably well-preserved - in Engare Sero, Tanzania back in 2006 and 2008 respectively and these footprints led to valuable knowledge of their lives millennia ago. According to a report from National Geographic, the footprints date to anytime between 5,000 to 19,000 years ago. This set of 400 footprints is the..
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Jeep Renegade scores five star ANCAP rating .	Armed robbery, Townsville .
Queenstown of Queensland .	Unlawful wounding, Townsville .

Aussie mum to face murder charges and other top stories.

noreply@blogger.com (melbourne blog) — Sun, 16 Oct 2016 12:21:00 +0000

Aussie mum to face murder charges
Death in Bali: Timeline of events2:01The death of a Bali cop has lead to Aussie Sara Connor and Brit David Taylor being held in Denpasar Police Station as suspects. As they await any charges, here is a timeline of events. Sara Connor inside a cell of Denpasar Police Station last month. Picture: Lukman S. BintoroCindy Wockner and Komang ErvianiNews Corp Australia NetworkPROSECUTORS have confirmed that Australian woman Sara Connor and her British boyfriend David Taylor will face three charges — m..
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TGA pregnancy warning for popular over-the-counter painkillers

Australia's drug regulator has issued a warning about women taking popular over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drugs like Nurofen and Voltaren during early pregnancy due to increased risk of miscarriage.The Therapeutic Goods Administration is already in talks with drug companies to ensure packaging labels contain warnings that include women who are trying to conceive but may not yet know they're pregnant. The drug regulator has proposed a new warning about taking anti-inflammatory drugs if ..
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Kalgoorlie suicide: Woman takes her life at scene where teenager Elijah Doughty died

Kalgoorlie suicide: Woman takes her life at scene where teenager Elijah Doughty died Updated October 11, 2016 12:56:52 The West Australian Goldfields town of Kalgoorlie has been rocked by another tragedy, with a 37-year-old woman taking her life at the site of teenager Elijah Doughty's death. Key points:14-year-old Elijah Doughty died after allegedly being hit by a ute, his death sparked riots in KalgoorlieA woman took her life at the site of his deathSuicide rates in ..
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Same-sex marriage: Turnbull refuses to say if he will allow parliamentary vote after Labor blocks plebiscite

Same-sex marriage: Turnbull refuses to say if he will allow parliamentary vote after Labor blocks plebiscite Updated October 11, 2016 18:59:30 Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull will not say if he will allow a parliamentary vote on same-sex marriage after his plan for a plebiscite was blocked by the Opposition.Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has declared that an "expensive, divisive" plebiscite on same-sex marriage would hurt gay people, and confirmed that Labor will vote a..
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fox sceptic Ivan Dean MLC takes case to integrity watchdog

Tasmanian fox sceptic Ivan Dean MLC takes case to integrity watchdog after police dismiss complaint Updated October 11, 2016 18:01:16 Independent MP Ivan Dean has lodged a complaint about Tasmania's controversial fox eradication program with the state's Integrity Commission. Earlier this year, the Windermere MLC made an official complaint to the Police Commissioner alleging evidence used to support the program may have been faked. He alleged physical evidence like scats..
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Leyonhjelm interrupts tribute to deceased journalist Rebecca Wilson

Liberal Democrat David Leyonhjelm has interrupted a Senate tribute to late sports journalist Rebecca Wilson to slam her reports on Western Sydney Wanderers fans. Senator Leyonhjelm asked to make a statement on the Labor motion, backed by the Senate on Tuesday, acknowledging Ms Wilson's contribution to her industry. A story she wrote last year naming and shaming football fans caused material harm and was something nobody should be proud of: "Death does not absolve us of what we did when we were ..
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Tearful MP Sid Cramp shares own story of domestic violence as bill is introduced

UPDATE: The Domestic and Family Violence Protection and Other Legislation Amendment Bill passed the Queensland Parliament House a short time after 6pm on Tuesday.The legislation passed after hearing emotional contributions from MPs, who outlined their own histories with the scourge of domestic violence. Member for Gaven Sidney Cramp broke down as he told Parliament of the violent upbringing of himself and his siblings. Photo: Facebook/Sid Cramp The amendments include giving police more p..
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Wife accidentally runs over and kills husband in driveway

Residents of a quiet suburban street rushed outside on Tuesday afternoon to find their elderly neighbour cradling her husband and crying, "I killed you my darling, my sweetheart". The 73-year-old woman had accidentally run over her husband in the driveway of their Clayton South home. More News Videos Previous slide Next slide Elderly man accidently run over by wife Clayton South Creepy clowns captured on camera in Melbourne Federal government passes ..
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Gable Tostee trial: Jury hears recording of Warriena Wright's final moments alive

Gable Tostee trial: Jury hears recording of Warriena Wright's final moments alive By Andrew Kos and Sharnie Kim Updated October 11, 2016 20:33:50 A Supreme Court jury has listened to Warriena Wright's last words moments before she fell to her death from the 14th floor balcony of Gable Tostee's Gold Coast apartment in the early hours of the morning on August 8, 2014.Tostee, 30, has pleaded not guiltyÂ to murdering the 26-year-old New Zealand tourist, whom he met th..
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Man brought in over one-punch death

POLICE have brought in a man they want to speak to in relation to the one-punch death of Timothy Lang in Brisbane.Hours after police released a picture of Wayne Hearn, detectives found him in Redcliffe.He was handcuffed and subsequently taken to Dutton Park Watch House, where he remains.Charges are yet to be laid.Mr Lang was walking along Melbourne Street at South Brisbane about 10.15am on Saturday when he crossed paths with a man jogging in the opposite direction.The pair exchanged words before..
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Armed robbery, Townsville .	Queenstown of Queensland .
Unlawful wounding, Townsville .	Pharmaceutical lobby groups may delay codeine ruling .

Man dies after one punch attack in South Brisbane and other top stories.

noreply@blogger.com (melbourne blog) — Sat, 15 Oct 2016 09:41:00 +0000

Man dies after one punch attack in South Brisbane
A 48-year-old man has died in hospital after a one-punch attack in South Brisbane on Saturday morning.The victim died from his injuries in the Princess Alexandra Hospital on Monday afternoon and detectives were still searching for his attacker. Police have released an image from CCTV footage of a man they want to speak to. Photo: QPS Media Police released vision of a man who might be able to help with the investigation. He was described as about 170cm with short dark hair, wearing black ..
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Perth Anglican Archbishop steps down

Greg RobertsAustralian Associated PressRoger Herft has stepped down as Anglican Archbishop of Perth just over a month after admitting to the royal commission into child sexual abuse to badly letting down victims.Archbishop Herft said he had decided after consulting widely in recent weeks that it was in the best interests of the Perth diocese that he step aside.Archbishop Herft is the highest-ranking casualty so far of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, which..
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Creepy clowns face tough crowd worldwide

Creepy clowns face tough crowd worldwideRebecca GredleyAustralian Associated Press7:43PM October 10, 2016SaveProfessional clowns and politicians alike have condemned the current worldwide craze of people dressing up as clowns to terrorise people.The World Clown Association president Randy Christensen said the craze was being propelled by social media and the association did not consider people participating in it as clowns.'"We're full of people that love children, bring smiles and want to help ..
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Australia likely to see a rise in cyclone activity after record low season: BoM

Last year's unusually quiet cyclone season will make way for a more stormy summer ahead with abnormally warm waters set to fuel more tropical tempests, the Bureau of Meteorology says.Separately, Sydney's run of mild weather has a few days to run after temperatures on Monday reached almost 12 degrees above average. More News Videos Previous slide Next slide More cyclones this summer Paraglider stuck in tree Kingsford Smith Drive a crawl Todd..
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Mt Druitt motorcycle crash kills one youth, seriously injures another

Mt Druitt motorcycle crash kills one youth, seriously injures another Updated October 10, 2016 17:34:23 Police say their "absolute priority" is identifying two youths and notifying their families after one was killed and another seriously injured in a motorcycle crash in Sydney's west this morning.NSW Police Acting Assistant Commissioner Matt Appleton said police spotted the two young males on an unregistered trail bike on Carlisle Avenue, Mt Druitt about 11am today."Th..
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Same-sex marriage: Labor MP Susan Lamb makes emotional call for legislation in maiden speech

Same-sex marriage: Labor MP Susan Lamb makes emotional call for legislation in maiden speech Updated October 10, 2016 19:31:27 A federal Labor MP has fought back tears while calling for same-sex marriage during an emotional maiden speech to Parliament.Susan Lamb defeated former Coalition minister Wyatt Roy to win the seat of Longman in Queensland.She reflected on becoming a mother while still a teenager and praised her family — including her four sons — in the speech.B..
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Gable Tostee: Mobile phone records argument between Warriena Wright and accused murderer

Gable Tostee: Mobile phone records argument between Warriena Wright and accused murderer Updated October 10, 2016 20:33:34 Part of a recording between Gable Tostee and the woman he is accused of murdering, detailing alleged moments of violence and expletive-ridden conversations before her fatal fall from his Gold Coast apartment balcony, has been played to a court.Tostee today pleaded not guilty to murdering New Zealand tourist Warriena Wright on the Gold Coast in Augus..
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NT to wait two more years for PET scanner

Lucy Hughes JonesAustralian Associated PressTerritorians suffering cancer have been told they'll have to wait up to two years to get a PET scanner, six years after its was first promised.Incoming NT Health Minister Natasha Fyles revealed the new timetable on Monday, saying she was confident it would arrive despite being promised by both sides of federal politics since 2010.Positron emission tomography (PET) scans are used to detect and track cancer, heart disease, epilepsy and other neurological..
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Labor's 'manic desire to oust Brandis'

Brandis denies misleading parliament1:56Attorney-General George Brandis has rejected claims he misled parliament amid a high-level legal dispute. Attorney-General Senator George Brandis will come under fire this afternoon when Labor moves an urgency motion. Picture: Kym SmithDanielle Le Messurier, with AAPNews Corp Australia NetworkLIBERAL-National Party Senator Ian Macdonald says Labor has politicised the bitter feud between the Attorney-General and Solicitor-General due to an “insatiable” des..
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Tiahleigh Palmer's foster family turn on accused killer father

Julene and Joshua Thorburn will testify against Tiahleigh Palmer's accused killer Rick Thorburn, according to their lawyer.The dramatic development was revealed outside Beenleigh Magistrates Court on Monday, after Julene, 54, and Joshua, 20, were represented in court on charges relating to the alleged murder of the 12-year-old foster child in October last year. More News Videos Previous slide Next slide Tiahleigh 'forever an angel' Paraglider stuck in tree ..
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Armed robbery, Townsville .	Queenstown of Queensland .
Unlawful wounding, Townsville .	Pharmaceutical lobby groups may delay codeine ruling .

Teenager's desperate bid to save herself from spine so twisted it's crushing her to death from the INSIDE and other top stories.

noreply@blogger.com (melbourne blog) — Sat, 15 Oct 2016 08:49:00 +0000

Teenager's desperate bid to save herself from spine so twisted it's crushing her to death from the INSIDE
A teenager needs emergency surgery to save herself from a spine that is to twisted it is crushing her to death from the inside. Samantha Harris has been suffering from scoliosis - abnormal curvature of the spine - since she was seven-years-old. She says she was initially given a back brace but stopped wearing it because she was bullied at school. The problem got worse but Samantha says she was unable to have surgery because she was underweight. Gofundme.com/samanthaharris An x-ray shows the..
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Management of black lung in Queensland 'shambolic', inquiry hears

"Shambolic" and "dropped the ball" were just some of the words uttered on Friday as an inquiry tries to unravel how a deadly disease has re-emerged in a modern Queensland.Coal miner's pneumoconiosis, also known as black lung, was under the spotlight at a parliamentary select committee inquiry into black lung, with a public departmental briefing on Friday. More News Videos Previous slide Next slide Black lung case 'tip of the iceberg' Christmas shopping hours e..
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RSPCA calls for Tas abattoir closure

Australian Associated PressFootage of pigs, sheep and cows being mistreated at a Tasmanian abattoir has prompted the RSPCA to call for its immediate closure.The RSPCA says footage taken at an abattoir in the Derwent Valley shows abusive behaviour from a worker, inappropriate use of bolt devices on cattle, pigs and sheep, and repeated stunning of captive animals.RSPCA chief scientist Bidda Jones on Saturday said the abattoir should be closed while the Tasmanian government investigates.
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Hearing loss among Indigenous children in NT detention 'widespread': royal commission submission

Hearing loss among Indigenous children in NT detention 'widespread': royal commission submission Updated October 15, 2016 01:35:33 A psychologist has given scathing testimony about the lack of provisions for screening and managing children with hearing loss in Northern Territory juvenile detention, while other specialists say decades have passed without significant improvement. Key points:Psychologist says hearing loss communication problems misconstrued as non-complia..
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U-M joins $20 million project to compare treatments for uterine fibroids - News

U-M joins $20 million project to compare treatments for uterine fibroids Published on October 15, 2016 at 12:38 AM · No Comments The University of Michigan will join nine other clinical centers across the country working to compare the effectiveness of different treatment strategies for women with uterine fibroids. The five-year, $20 million project is funded by The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). The effort cen..
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Eight people suffering severe hallucinations are hospitalised on Gold Coast

Eight people suffering severe hallucinations are hospitalised on Gold Coast Updated October 15, 2016 14:24:57 Eight people have been hospitalised this morning after suffering severe hallucinogenic episodes from taking illicit drugs at separate parties on the Gold Coast.Paramedics were called to an address at Mermaid Waters at 8:00am where four men and a woman were found in a distressed state, swimming in a canal, while suffering hallucinations.The five patients â all ..
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Mind-controlled robotic arm helps paralyzed patients 'feel'

Read any science fiction and you’ll know that robots themselves can’t feel. But in a paper published this week from the University of Pittsburgh, researchers have shown that a mind-controlled robotic arm can help paralyzed patients regain sensation in their limbs. Using a brain-computer interface, which has been shown to give patients the ability to move robotic extensions in past experiments by this UPitt team and others, is important for allowing a person to perform simple functions. But with..
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Ford Falcon's emotional send off .	Yes, they all apologised, but what else did we learn from bank CEOs .
Cruise out to cattle farm .	Jeep Renegade scores five star ANCAP rating .

Ford Falcon's emotional send off and other top stories.

noreply@blogger.com (melbourne blog) — Fri, 14 Oct 2016 09:37:00 +0000

Ford Falcon's emotional send off
Last Ford Falcon rolls off the line0:45The last Ford Falcon rolled off the line at the Broadmedows plant today. The last Ford made in Australia, ending 91 years of local manufacturing for the US giant. Picture: Supplied.Joshua DowlingNews Corp Australia NetworkTHE Ford Falcon got an emotional send-off as Broadmeadows ended 91 years of manufacturing in Australia for the US car giant yesterday.From 1925 til then Ford Australia built more than 5.9 million vehicles — more than 4.3 million of them a..
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Qld govt invokes special power for Adani

The Queensland government has invoked special powers to ensure the controversial Carmichael coal and rail project starts next year. The combined mine, rail and associated water infrastructure have all been declared critical infrastructure - the first time this has happened in seven years. As well, the development's special "prescribed project" status has been renewed and expanded to include its water infrastructure. State Development Minister Anthony Lynham says the decision will mean less red ..
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'Striking' Sydney property owners 'too scared to sell' trigger market angst

An investor bought this one-bedroom unit at 6/45 Gipps Street in East Melbourne for $1,015,000 at auction on the weekend. Supplied Weekend capital city property auctions saw some properties fetch prices far above reserve, with buyers outstripping sellers in 'abnormal' market conditions.A one bedrooom apartment in East Melbourne, a leafy upmarket postcode one parkland away from the CBD, sold for a record $1.015 million.The 76 square metre ground..
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Melbourne Airport monorail idea not a priority, but worthy of discussion, Premier says

Melbourne Airport monorail idea not a priority, but worthy of discussion, Premier says Updated October 09, 2016 13:59:00 A plan for a monorail to Melbourne Airport is not high on the list of priorities but is worth discussing at some point in the future, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrew says.A private consortium held discussions with some members of the Government over a $1.2 billion plan for a fast monorail to the airport.The Government is facing pressure to improve tra..
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Driverless bus a weirdly normal experience

Angus LivingstonAustralian Associated PressIs it weird sitting in a driverless shuttle bus as it slowly drives you along a Melbourne road?No. In fact it's almost unsettling how quickly normal it seems.The Transdev shuttle humming through Albert Park on Sunday is already in full use in Europe, moving at a top speed of 40km/h.If you've ever been a passenger in a bus or even in a theme park ride, the experience is similar.There's an emergency stop button and an automated ramp that slides out when n..
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Can we rely on renewables?

SA blackout 'due to weather, not renewables'1:42SA Premier Jay Weatherill says last week's blackout was caused by severe weather, not renewable energy. South Australia’s newest wind farm at Hornsdale was switched on to the electricity grid on July 7.WHEN an entire state went dark last week, rightly or wrongly, people started questioning whether renewables were reliable.The huge storm that swept through South Australia produced a tornado and brought down 23 transmission towers eventually leading..
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Mark Bouris: why home ownership is one of the best investments you can make

Australians are always on the lookout for a good investment and an opportunity to make their income work harder.But remember one of the best financial opportunities is the Aussie family home. Yes, you may have to take on a large debt to buy it, but the family home also becomes your biggest asset, which is why it accounted for 43 per cent of Australian household assets in 2014. Home ownership is a good foundation for building wealth. Before looking elsewhere for investment opportunities, ..
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Barrick Super Pit sale draws local, foreign bidders

Barrick Gold's stake in the Kalgoorlie Super Pit mine – Australia's largest open-cut mine – has drawn interest from a range of local and overseas miners in a deal that could raise as much as $US1billion.Australian producers Newcrest Mining, Northern Star Resources and Evolution Mining are also reviewing data on the mine ahead of possible indicative bids, which are due by the end of October. Chinese companies including China National Gold Group and Shandong Gold Mining are also considering offer..
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Unlawful wounding, Townsville .	Pharmaceutical lobby groups may delay codeine ruling .
Sam Allardyce on the brink of being sacked as England manager after Telegraph investigation .	2017 Jaguar XF Sportbrake Wagon Coming to U.S. .

Yes, they all apologised, but what else did we learn from bank CEOs and other top stories.

noreply@blogger.com (melbourne blog) — Thu, 13 Oct 2016 13:42:00 +0000

Yes, they all apologised, but what else did we learn from bank CEOs
Shane Wrightand Phoebe Wearne, Canberra - The West Australian on October 8, 2016, 12:25 am Over three days, they talked about unscrupulous financial advisers, big fees, enormous profit margins and whopping executive salaries. The Turnbull Government’s three-day banking inquiry, which closed on Thursday, saw a disparate group of 10 MPs work through a series of the issues with the big four banks’ powerful bosses.But what did we actually learn?Bankers know how to apologiseEach ..
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Fair Trading tells people to avoid Shark Tank-backed online business Her Fashion Box

It started out as a Shark Tank-backed success story of a young woman with $200,000 from high-profile investors Janine Allis and Andrew Banks, but a year later, Her Fashion Box founder Kath Purkis is fending off a warning from NSW Fair Trading that people should avoid her online fashion subscription business. Fair Trading commissioner Rod Stowe said his company had received several complaints about herfashionbox.com and had difficulty making contact with Purkis. As a result, they issued a “do n..
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Did the parliamentary hearings into the big four banks do their job?

In the bowels of Parliament House, the Commonwealth Bank's chief Executive Officer Ian Narev strode confidently into the main committee room and took his seat.Just beyond him, cameras clicked and flashed. Beyond the cameras, members of parliament took their own seats, ready for a showdown. More Business Videos Previous slide Next slide Fab four's greatest hits 'Flash crash' decimates pound sterling All eyes on Chinese inflation and currency ..
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CFMEU seeks tougher building safety code

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Wall Street off as pound crashes; jobs data keeps Fed on track

NEW YORK: US stocks slipped on Friday as a drop in the British pound injected unwanted volatility to financial markets, while a weaker-than-expected jobs report was not enough to derail expectations for a rate hike from the Federal Reserve before the end of the year. Major indexes posted their first negative week in four. The pound lost 1.4 per cent to the dollar on Friday, and at one point earlier it had tumbled as much as 10 per cent over just a few minutes, a "flash crash" that fu..
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Ford Falcon's emotional send off

Last Ford Falcon rolls off the line0:45The last Ford Falcon rolled off the line at the Broadmedows plant today. The last Ford made in Australia, ending 91 years of local manufacturing for the US giant. Picture: Supplied.Joshua DowlingNews Corp Australia NetworkTHE Ford Falcon got an emotional send-off as Broadmeadows ended 91 years of manufacturing in Australia for the US car giant yesterday.From 1925 til then Ford Australia built more than 5.9 million vehicles — more than 4.3 million of them a..
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The truth about interest rates and bank funding costs

So you've heard the big four banks' explanations for why they couldn't pass on to mortgage holders all of the Reserve Bank's cuts to the cash rate.Do you believe them? More Business Videos Previous slide Next slide Glenn Stevens: The future of property All eyes on Chinese inflation and currency Ex-Ford workers to become 'pastors, scuba instructors' Google won't bid on Twitter: reports Jetstar mid-air punch up Fab four's..
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Pharmaceutical lobby groups may delay codeine ruling .	Sam Allardyce on the brink of being sacked as England manager after Telegraph investigation .
2017 Jaguar XF Sportbrake Wagon Coming to U.S. .	Asia eyes our city .

Cruise out to cattle farm and other top stories.

noreply@blogger.com (melbourne blog) — Wed, 12 Oct 2016 13:42:00 +0000

Cruise out to cattle farm
REEF restoration “voluntourism”, tours to a working cattle station near Charters Towers to learn about land management and lunches on Magnetic Island are the latest carrots to entice more cruise visitors to Townsville. The unusual tour options are being pushed by Townsville Enterprise to try to make the city stand out from other Queensland cruise destinations.Townsville Enterprise tourism and events manager Bridget Woods said the new products ideas came in response to detailed discussions with..
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Business set for takeoff

BUSINESSES along The Strand are preparing for the busiest day of the year when the T150 Defence Force Air Show takes off on October 15, with tens of thousand of people expected to line the foreshore.It’s expected bars, restaurants and eateries will do a bumper trade with some establishments selling pre-booked tickets while others are preparing to be filled to capacity with sky-watching patrons.The Watermark owner Danny Meares said he had been told up to 80,000 people could attend the air show an..
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Townsville crime watch for Friday, October 7

A number of homes and vehicles have been entered during the past 24 hours between 7am to 7am in the Townsville area. Police urge all residents to be vigilant with the security of their property. By ensuring homes and vehicles are locked and property secured, it will decrease the likelihood of becoming a victim of an opportunist crime. Homes and vehicle entered in the past 24 hours were from the following locations: Anyone with information which could assist with this matter should contact Cri..
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Standing fast on mega mine

PREMIER Annastacia Palaszczuk has stared down Brisbane’s inner-city green groups to reaffirm her commitment to Adani’s Carmichael Mine during a landmark speech in Townsville.In front of a packed room of business and community leaders, Ms Palaszczuk yesterday hit back at months of speculation the State Government was stalling the project to shore up Greens votes and preferences in the southeast.“No one should doubt the resolve of my Government to ensure the development of the Galilee Basin,” she ..
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Our Recipe cooks up a Cluden win

TOWNSVILLE trainer Ronald Finch credits acupuncture for the stunning rise of Our Recipe after taking out yesterday’s Townsville Bulletin Ratings Band 0-55 Handicap (1000m) at Cluden Park.Our Recipe ($14) exploded into the straight to hold off the fast-finishing Authadane ($12) for Joao Campeao with the Ben Williams-trained Molongle Hero ($12) two-and-a-half lengths back in third.The lightly raced five-year-old has struggled with a back injury during her career and had no success in seven previou..
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Townsville daily wrap up Friday, October 7

Unlawful use motor vehicle – Cranbrook: Police have arrested and charged a juvenile with property offences that occurred in Cranbrook on October 1. Police will allege the 16-year-old Cranbrook boy was located by police in an Arila Street address in relation to other matters. Upon conducting a search of the boy and his property, police located a vehicle key belonging to a Hyundai. Further inquiries conducted indicated that the key belonged to an alleged stolen vehicle that had been located earli..
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Cowboys House 'on track'

STUDENTS will be boarding in NRL Cowboys House in time for the 2017 school year, with club legend Matt Bowen yesterday touring the progress of the new facility.Joined by Minister Assisting the Premier on North Queensland Coralee O’Rourke, Bowen inspected the $9.5 million facility which will house indigenous students from remote communities.“It’s the first time I’ve been here since it started and it’s come along great,” he said.“I can’t wait until it’s fully finished and we can see the children i..
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Operation Oscar Merchant

Police have continued Operation Oscar Merchant focussing on youth crime and anti-social behaviour in Townsville. Since the beginning of the operation on September 20, 356 arrests have been made with a total of 656 charges laid across the Townsville District. The majority of the charges relate to property, drug and traffic offences. Officers have also continued to target road safety in the district with 344 traffic infringement notices issued and 2,091 Random Breath Tests conducted. StrikeforceÂ..
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Cabbie shocked as attackers risk lives

A TAXI driver has been punched in the face and nearly forced off the road in a violent attack that has rocked the elderly worker. Michael Shade picked up three men and was driving them to an Aitkenvale bottle shop on Wednesday night when an argument broke out about the fare.“I hung on to the money and one of them was yelling at me ‘give me the money, give me the money’,” Mr Shade said. “He suddenly lunged at the steering wheel and reefed it down rather quickly, which meant we were going at a 90-..
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Court wavers over ice user

A MAGISTRATE has admitted the stabbing murder of a Wulguru grandmother “loomed large” in his mind during a bail application for an ice user who allegedly broke into a Hermit Park home and threatened a teenage boy with a replica firearm and ornamental samurai sword. Morayfield man Mark Lawrence Rockwell, 24, faced Townsville Magistrates Court yesterday to make a second bail application but Magistrate Steven Mosch adjourned the matter for a week after voicing hesitation about granting bail.Mr Mosc..
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Sam Allardyce on the brink of being sacked as England manager after Telegraph investigation .	2017 Jaguar XF Sportbrake Wagon Coming to U.S. .
Asia eyes our city .	Citroen reveals CXperience Concept ahead of Paris .

Jeep Renegade scores five star ANCAP rating and other top stories.

noreply@blogger.com (melbourne blog) — Tue, 11 Oct 2016 11:25:00 +0000

Jeep Renegade scores five star ANCAP rating
The Jeep Renegade has official joined the Grand Cherokee, Cherokee and Patriot in Jeep’s five star safety line up after it was awarded an overall score of 36.41 points out of 37 to give it a maximum 5 stars by the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) Achieving perfect scores for the side impact and pole tests, the Jeep Renegade’s whiplash protection was also described as good - the best possible result issued by ANCAP. Critical to the Renegade’s maximum safety rating are a number of ..
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Samsung just bought a potential Siri-killer from the guys who originally created Siri

Samsung just bought Viv Labs, the startup behind “Viv,” a personal digital assistant that’s supposed to one-up Apple’s famed Siri in smarts, according to a press release. Notably, Viv Labs was founded by Dag Kittlaus, Adam Cheyer and Chris Brigham — three of the inventors of Siri itself. Apple bought Siri in 2010 before introducing it alongside the iPhone 4S in 2011. Thickening the plot even further, it was reported back in May 2016 that Google and Facebook had both made offers for Viv Labs ove..
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What Is The Megastructure Star That Astronomers Are Worried About? Nobody Can Explain Its Dimming Behavior

For over a year now, scientists have been trying to figure out what the hell is going on with star KIC 8462852. The “megastructure” star has been dimming in strange ways, and now they’ve found that it’s also been fading significantly over time. Researchers have come up with a variety of explanations from KIC 8462852’s unusual behavior, from “There’s a planet in the way” to “ALIENS!”, but none of them fully explain why this weirdo star just keeps getting weirder. KIC 8462852, which also goes by ..
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From no satellite to two: Rowland lashes Turnbull

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's words in opposition have come back to bite him after Labor used the launch of NBN Co's second Sky Muster satellite today to remind him of statements he would rather forget. Labor shadow communications spokesperson Michelle Rowland said the party welcomed today's launch of the second NBN satellite – which was its idea. She pointed out that Turnbull had opposed the use of purpose-built satellites when he was in opposition. Rowland quoted from a media release is..
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Optus joins Australian 5G race

A Nokia AirScale base station. Supplied Singtel-owned telco Optus has joined rivals Telstra and Vodafone to announce trials for 5G services, using its 3.5GHz radio-frequency spectrum. Optus will work with Finnish telco equipment vendor Nokia to build an early prototype next year. Nokia and Optus have already conducted small-scale, closed tests in Sydney. The test used Nokia's AirScale platform and a new 5G radio for fast data speeds..
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Browser Trends October 2016: Microsoft Edges Downward

In September, we discussed whether the browser wars are over. October’s StatCounter browser statistics provide further evidence for a slow-down … Worldwide Desktop & Tablet Browser Statistics, August to September 2016 The following table shows browser usage movements during the past month. Browser August September change relative Chrome 58.44% 58.89% +0.45% +0.80% Firefox 13.96% 13.66% -0.30% -2.10% IE11 7.52% 7.68% +0.16% +2.10% oldIE 2.30% 2.13% -0.17% -7.40% Edge 2.88% 2.78% -0...
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Victoria the stolen car capital of Australia

Victoria is the stolen car capital of Australia, state government and insurance industry research has found. In the 12 months to June 2016, there were more than 15,000 thefts of passenger and light commercial vehicles, by far the highest of any state or territory, according to the National Motor Vehicle Theft Reduction Council. This was a 35 per cent rise on the previous year. More News Videos Previous slide Next slide Police: 'Grand Theft Auto' culture behind attacks ..
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Google's Pixel is a challenge to other Android phone-makers, not Apple

This week we got our first (official) look at Google's new Pixel smartphones, and predictably much of the discussion has been around how they stack up to or "challenge" Apple's iPhones, and whether they're really Google's "first ever" phones or just Nexus devices by another name.While the Pixel has some obvious physical similarities to the iPhone, and while there were some playful jokes at Apple's expense during Google's presentation (free online storage, headphone jack etc), it's not necessari..
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LG V20: Price, Release Date, Specs And Features Compared To Google Pixel

LG V20 is a lot different from the V10 and more like the better received LG G5. The LG V20 release date in September was the launch event but the phone won’t come out until later this month. The LG V20 has an Android 7.0 Nougat operating system, which is yet to be released so the LG V20 release date will follow the Google OS. Android 7.0 Nougat should start rolling out this month and multiple sources suggest that the LG V20 release date is around October 21. LG V20 will be the first phone that ..
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Apple Watch Series 1 vs Series 2: which should you get?

You've no doubt noticed that there's a new Apple timepiece in town, and if you're in the market for a smartwatch then you might well consider it an obvious choice for the top of your shortlist. But wait just a minute, because there's a 'Series 1' option from Apple too. It's cheaper and it does almost everything the Apple Watch Series 2 does, which means your choice of wearable isn't quite as straightforward as you might think. Here we break down the differences between the two devices to hel..
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Citroen reveals CXperience Concept ahead of Paris .	Traders angry with the ASX but investors don't care .
Wilful damage, Townsville .	Accused Hells Angels bikie in Jarryd Hayne video arrested .

Armed robbery, Townsville and other top stories.

noreply@blogger.com (melbourne blog) — Mon, 10 Oct 2016 08:14:00 +0000

Armed robbery, Townsville
Police are investigating the armed robbery of a convenience store in Kirwan early this morning. Just before 6am a man has entered the store on Forest Avenue and produced knife while making demands for money from a staff member. The man then accessed money from the shopâs till and has fled the store on foot. It is believed he may have then left the area in a waiting vehicle. The man is described as approximately 180cm tall with a thin build. No one was physically injured as a result of the rob..
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Drug use 'out of control'

DYSFUNCTIONAL families, unemployment and societal issues have been blamed for Townsville’s increase in drug abusers. In the last three to four months, Northtown Medical Centre and the Townsville Hospital have recorded an increase in patients presenting with drug-related issues.More than 10 people a week have been presenting to Northtown Medical Centre, with 95 per cent of these relating to methamphetamine.The Townsville Hospital’s Emergency Department has recorded 51 cases of amphetamine and met..
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Doctor gives gift of sight

A TOWNSVILLE eye surgeon has helped to restore the sight of a 17-year-old boy during a mercy mission to a remote village in Papua New Guinea.Townsville ophthalmologist Dr Bill Talbot was volunteering with Youth With a Mission (YWAM) Medical Ships when he came across Bray Bungewa, who had cataracts in both eyes and could only see light and dark shapes. Dr Talbot operated on the teen twice, successfully restoring the young man’s sight.It comes as the YWAM Medical Ships hosts its annual fundraiser ..
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Roos spot kills Morgo's holiday

COWBOYS five-eighth Michael Morgan says he was more than happy to put his holiday plans on hold after earning a ticket to England with the Australian Kangaroos.Morgan will embark on his first Kangaroos tour as part of the Four Nations tournament in the UK against England, New Zealand, and Scotland later this month.The Kangaroos will also take on New Zealand in a warm-up Test in Perth on October 15 before flying out for their opening Four Nations clash with Scotland in Hull on October 28.Morgan m..
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Worst products named and shamed

HELL hath no fury like a consumer scorned. From exploding phones to canned air and dodgy cleaning products, consumers have named and shamed our worst products.Tech giant Samsung was among the companies to win a gong in today’s annual Shonky Awards given out by consumer advocacy group Choice.Now in its 11th year, the award ‘winners’ highlight what Choice say are some of the examples of the dodgy products and services available on the market.Choice said while the products and companies might not b..
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Cloud confident she'll be ready

TOWNSVILLE Fire import Natasha Cloud is confident six days practice is more than enough time to prepare for her WNBL debut.Cloud only had her first training session with her new team mates on Tuesday after flight delays pushed back her arrival from the US following a strong season with the Washington Mystics in the WNBA.The 183cm guard will be thrown in the deep end for Sunday’s season opener as the Fire take on the Perth Lynx in a grand final rematch at Townsville Stadium, but Cloud said she wo..
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Traders angry with the ASX but investors don't care .	Wilful damage, Townsville .
Accused Hells Angels bikie in Jarryd Hayne video arrested .	Census website fail will have 'profound' impact on Australian technology sectors, IT analysts say .

Queenstown of Queensland and other top stories.

noreply@blogger.com (melbourne blog) — Sun, 09 Oct 2016 14:38:00 +0000

Queenstown of Queensland

TOWNSVILLE could become Australia’s answer to New Zealand hotspot Queenstown with city leaders tipping the region is on the verge of an adventure tourism boom.A zip line, abseiling, bungy jumping, jet-boat rides and a water park have been flagged as potential tourism attractions for the city.Townsville Enterprise is already receiving interest from tourism developers while Townsville City Council is exploring ways to encourage adventure tourism operators to come to town.Tourism stakeholders from ..
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Drug use 'out of control'

DYSFUNCTIONAL families, unemployment and societal issues have been blamed for Townsville’s increase in drug abusers. In the last three to four months, Northtown Medical Centre and the Townsville Hospital have recorded an increase in patients presenting with drug-related issues.More than 10 people a week have been presenting to Northtown Medical Centre, with 95 per cent of these relating to methamphetamine.The Townsville Hospital’s Emergency Department has recorded 51 cases of amphetamine and met..
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Doctor gives gift of sight

A TOWNSVILLE eye surgeon has helped to restore the sight of a 17-year-old boy during a mercy mission to a remote village in Papua New Guinea.Townsville ophthalmologist Dr Bill Talbot was volunteering with Youth With a Mission (YWAM) Medical Ships when he came across Bray Bungewa, who had cataracts in both eyes and could only see light and dark shapes. Dr Talbot operated on the teen twice, successfully restoring the young man’s sight.It comes as the YWAM Medical Ships hosts its annual fundraiser ..
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National Police Remembrance Day in Townsville

September 29, is Australia’s National Police Remembrance Day. It is a time for every officer former and currently serving to remember our fallen colleagues, those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice in the serving of their community. This year although with the threat of rain, did not stop some officers from turning out. Current serving and former police officers stepped off from the Townsville Bulletin Square and proudly marched to the St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, where a memorial servi..
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Cloud confident she'll be ready

TOWNSVILLE Fire import Natasha Cloud is confident six days practice is more than enough time to prepare for her WNBL debut.Cloud only had her first training session with her new team mates on Tuesday after flight delays pushed back her arrival from the US following a strong season with the Washington Mystics in the WNBA.The 183cm guard will be thrown in the deep end for Sunday’s season opener as the Fire take on the Perth Lynx in a grand final rematch at Townsville Stadium, but Cloud said she wo..
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Townsville daily wrap up Tuesday, October 4

Produce Dangerous Drugs â Ayr: A 28-year-old Ayr man was charged by police with several drug related offences after officers conducted an emergent search at a Moss Street address Sunday, October 2. Police attended the Moss Street address after receiving information in relation to dangerous drugs on the premises. During the search police allegedly located a quantity of cannabis, utensils used to administer the dangerous drugs and house hold items including mobile phones used to disseminate the..
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Queensland Premier welcomes school students

IT was first day back at school for students across Queensland and Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk was there to greet students at the gates of Kirwan State High School.Ms Palaszczuk said she was looking forward to spending time in North Queensland.“My Cabinet is very pleased to be in Thuringowa today to discuss issues that are important to the people living here in this region,” she said.“In fact the Deputy Premier and I will be spending the entire week here in Townsville attending numerous events..
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Home Hill Heralds Tuesday, October 4

Over the past few weeks in this little piece of paradise we call Home Hill there has been a number of incidents relating to the declining mental health of people. Whether the declination of a persons’ good mental state is contributed by alcohol or drug abuse or possibly at the time they are under the influence of drugs, we as a community have a moral obligation to render assistance or provide the necessary help and/or make contact with emergency services. I seek that you familiarise yourself wi..
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Change is on the cards for Tanya

THE billion-dollar international greeting card industry is about to get a well overdue shake-up, thanks to a Townsville mother.Tanya Baker’s revolutionary idea – the Cardbook thing-a-ma-jig – was born out of frustration at overpriced greeting cards.“For a long time I, as well as many people I know, was dissatisfied with paying anywhere between $5 and $15 for a piece of folded cardboard, which at best would end up stashed in the back of a cupboard somewhere and at worst, would go in the bin,” ..
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Woman's horror as dogs launch attack

TRAPPED on the ground as dogs descended upon her, Victoria Hockin could do nothing except cover her face and neck and call for help.Ms Hockin was taken to hospital on Friday night after a walk through Wulguru with her staffordshire bull terrier Yuna took a terrifying turn.On her way home, two dogs from a nearby house escaped their back yard and attacked the pair, knocking Ms Hockin over.“They started jumping on both of us and I lost my balance,” she said.“On the ground there all I could think ab..
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Traders angry with the ASX but investors don't care .	Wilful damage, Townsville .
Accused Hells Angels bikie in Jarryd Hayne video arrested .	Census website fail will have 'profound' impact on Australian technology sectors, IT analysts say .

Unlawful wounding, Townsville and other top stories.

noreply@blogger.com (melbourne blog) — Sat, 08 Oct 2016 17:04:00 +0000

Unlawful wounding, Townsville
Police in Townsville have charged a woman following an alleged assault in Townsville early this morning. At around 1am police attended a service station on Riverway Drive in Condon following reports a man had walked to the business with a stab wound to his stomach. Officers conducted patrols and located a woman walking along Falcon Crescent who was subsequently taken into custody. Police will allege the man was walking along Jaibu Avenue in Condon when he was approached and assaulted before fle..
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China to improve access for foreign firms

China's State Council, or cabinet, says the country is committed to improve access for foreign companies in China, as part of "a new round of high-level opening up".According to a statement released on Saturday following a State Council meeting chaired by Premier Li Keqiang, the Chinese government will create an environment for fair competition for foreign firms."It's an important part of pushing forward a new round of high-level opening up," the statement said.In the future, except for certain ..
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Pharmaceutical lobby groups may delay codeine ruling .	Sam Allardyce on the brink of being sacked as England manager after Telegraph investigation .
2017 Jaguar XF Sportbrake Wagon Coming to U.S. .	Asia eyes our city .

Pharmaceutical lobby groups may delay codeine ruling and other top stories.

noreply@blogger.com (melbourne blog) — Fri, 07 Oct 2016 12:27:00 +0000

Pharmaceutical lobby groups may delay codeine ruling

A quiet push by three of the nation's most powerful pharmaceutical lobby groups to derail moves to make codeine drugs prescription-only has likely delayed a final decision until at least next year.The Therapeutic Goods Administration's Advisory Committee on Medicines Scheduling in October last year made an interim decision to remove codeine-containing products from over-the-counter sales from June this year, citing growing evidence of codeine-related harm. A move by three pharmaceutical lo..
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Donald Trump's leaked tax returns reveal $6108 salary

Oh, that ordinary American taxpayers, about whom Donald Trump professes to worry sooooo much, could get a deal like a 1995 bonanza by which the US taxman gave the Republican presidential candidate a truly remarkable gift – a deduction so massive that he quite likely paid no federal income tax for almost 20 years.It can reasonably be rounded to $US1 billion. The actual amount was $US916 million. And on the basis of three key pages extracted from Trump's 1995 tax papers and mysteriously mailed to..
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Search to resume for man missing in floods

Anna HitchingsAustralian Associated PressThe search for a man missing in the flood-ravaged Forbes region in central west NSW will resume for a third day after 100 volunteers failed to find him.The 49-year-old man was last seen at 12.30pm on Friday at a lake near Burcher, southwest of Forbes, where his car and boat trailer, but no boat, were found.More than 100 volunteers and emergency services personnel spent Saturday and Sunday searching for him, and plan to resume their efforts on Monday.The s..
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Flood evacuees could wait weeks to return

Anna HitchingsAustralian Associated PressFamilies in parts of flood-hit regional NSW may have to wait a week or longer to return home after a predicted flood peak this week.The SES issued flood evacuation orders for several streets in Condobolin and Wagga Wagga on Saturday and are saying it could be a week or more before residents are able to go back home."Because of the very slow fall in floodwaters we're only going to see a small change over coming days, so it's not terribly likely that those ..
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Severe weather warning issued for Victoria

SEVERE weather warnings remain in place after wind gusts up to 111km/h tore across Victoria.The Bureau of Meteorology on Sunday night warned of further blasts and heavy rainfall that could lead to flash flooding in major centres as a strong cold front moves east.Major centres in Melbourne, Bendigo, Shepparton, Ballarat, Seymour, Maryborough, Wodonga, Wangaratta and Geelong may be affected.“Falls up to 25mm should be common and isolated totals may reach 50mm with thunderstorms and on the higher r..
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'Lockerbie-style tribunal' to deliver MH17 justice

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Seven dead in WA road crashes

Australian Associated PressSeven people have died in a horror weekend on WA's roads, including one crash where a car was driven by an underage teenager.The 16-year-old boy was driving when he lost control of the car 140km east of Fitzroy Crossing about midday on Saturday, killing three people, including two passengers who were thrown from the vehicle.The silver Holden Commodore rolled and the driver, another 15-year-old boy and a 28-year-old man were all killed.A 16-year-old girl received minor ..
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Grandmother murdered in Adelaide home 'innocent victim of road-rage attack'

Neighbours have paid tribute to the "caring" and "doting" grandmother murdered in her Adelaide home on Friday night.Police believe 57-year-old Myrna Nilsson may have been the innocent victim of a violent road-rage attack, after she was followed from her work in Unley to her Valley View home, which she shared with her son and his young family.Detectives said she was followed home by two Caucasian men driving a white ute around 6pm. "They are beautiful people, quiet and unassuming," neighbour Bet..
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More than 120 partygoers arrested at Listen Out Festival in Centennial Park

More than 120 partygoers were arrested for drug related offences at the Listen Out Festival in Centennial Park in Sydney's east on Saturday. The arrests came as two teenage boys, who were headed in the direction of the festival, were taken to Westmead Hospital after a suspected drug overdose. More News Videos Previous slide Next slide Security guard throws festival goer off pillar Is this the beginning of the end for speeding cars? Deer filmed alive..
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Wilful damage, Townsville .	Accused Hells Angels bikie in Jarryd Hayne video arrested .
Census website fail will have 'profound' impact on Australian technology sectors, IT analysts say .	Dropbox hack leads to dumping of 68m user passwords on the internet .

Sam Allardyce on the brink of being sacked as England manager after Telegraph investigation and other top stories.

noreply@blogger.com (melbourne blog) — Fri, 07 Oct 2016 07:18:00 +0000

Sam Allardyce on the brink of being sacked as England manager after Telegraph investigation

Although Allardyce’s prospects appear bleak, he could survive if he gives the FA the assurances they seek, reports Jason Burt. It seems that either way, the issue will be resolved by close of business on Tuesday, with the FA having to clarify whether or not it will stick by their £3million-a-year manager. They do not want the issue to drag on with England set to play World Cup qualifiers against Malta and Slovenia. The attitude of Clarke, in particular, will be interesting given he played no p..
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Cronulla Sharks' injury concerns intensify with Ben Barba recovering from knee injury

Cronulla will be sweating on the recovery of fullback Ben Barba, who revealed he is not 100 per cent fit heading into Sunday's grand final against Melbourne.Barba feared his season was over after he was floored in the first half of last week's preliminary final against North Queensland, but the club cleared him of major damage and will continue to monitor his recovery as the week progresses. More Sport Videos Previous slide Next slide Premiership would be icing on cake ..
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Soccer: Victory through to FFA Cup semi-final with 2-0 win over Bentleigh Greens

Melbourne Victory will play Melbourne City in what will be a blockbuster FFA Cup semi final after the pair were drawn together on Tuesday night.In the other last four match Canberra Olympic will play Sydney FC. Melbourne Victory’s Carl Valeri heads the ball during the FFA Cup quarter-final match against Bentleigh Greens. Photo: Quinn Rooney City qualified for the last four by despatching Western Sydney Wanderers 4-1 last week, while Victory came through 2-0 against Bentleigh Greens on T..
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Swans' Heath Grundy ready to shut down Western Bulldogs in 2016 AFL grand final

Should Heath Grundy romp through Saturday's grand final against the Western Bulldogs unnoticed, he and his Sydney teammates will most likely leave the MCG with a premiership medallion.The veteran defender has been Sydney's ever-present invisible man this season, embracing the defensive dark arts to shut down key opposition forwards week after week. More Sport Videos Previous slide Next slide Bulldogs' intensity set Swans' hearts racing Bulldogs heroine collect..
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2016 AFL grand final: Tasmanian first for Scott Jeffrey with field umpiring gig

2016 AFL grand final: Tasmanian first for Scott Jeffery with field umpiring gig Updated September 27, 2016 17:49:26 Tasmanian Scott Jeffery is taking his whistle to the MCG for the biggest day on the footy calendar.After 16 years, and more than 300 games as an AFL umpire, Jeffery becomes the first Tasmanian-born umpire to officiate at a grand final when he runs out on Saturday for the Western Bulldogs' clash with the Sydney Swans."I never lost sight of what I wanted to ..
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Storm's Billy Slater Close To Grand Final

Billy Slater Photo: Getty Images Billy Slater came achingly close to playing in Melbourne's NRL grand final, with his surgeon almost giving him the green light. The superstar fullback was hopeful of being cleared to play in the Storm's charge through the finals with his troublesome shoulder feeling good. But Storm football manager Frank Ponissi said the surgeon decided to err on the side of caution with the 33-year-old, who had a second reconstruction after round one in March. "He went to s..
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Sydney FC add two young stars to A-League squad - SBS

The duo, both 19, will join the squad full-time under coach Graham Arnold as part of a scholarship program that is available for use on under-20 players. The pair were each heavy goal-scorers during the NPL 2 team's hugely successful campaign under coach Rob Stanton. Lokolingoy was the competition's leading scorer, with a whopping 27 goals in 28 games, while Antoniou finished third on the list with 20 goals. It is a hugely exciting time for Lokolingoy, whose family migrated to Australia from th..
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Injury rules AB out of tour to Australia

South Africa Test and ODI captain AB de Villiers will miss the upcoming five-match one-day series and the subsequent three-Test tour against Australia after failing to recover from the injury to his left elbow. The 32-year-old, who has been sidelined for the past two months because of the impingement syndrome problem that causes him excruciating pain in his elbow, attempted to prove his fitness at the Proteas training session in Johannesburg today. Mix Tape: AB de Villiers' finest work Howe..
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Aussie women thrash Sri Lanka in T20

Australia's women's cricketers have ended an unbeaten limited-overs tour of Sri Lanka in emphatic fashion, recording a 10-wicket win in the sole Twenty20 match in Colombo. The Southern Stars took just 8.1 overs to chase down the meagre target of 60 on Tuesday at Sinhalese Sports Club, with Elyse Villani (34 not out) and Beth Mooney (29no) coasting to victory with 71 balls to spare. The No.1-ranked tourists were a class above, two days after completing a 4-0 clean sweep of their one-day series. ..
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Dropbox hack leads to dumping of 68m user passwords on the internet .	Loneliness may be in your genes: study .
What would happen if we had a same-sex marriage plebiscite?2:05 .	Extra cops tackle Townsville youth crime .

2017 Jaguar XF Sportbrake Wagon Coming to U.S. and other top stories.

noreply@blogger.com (melbourne blog) — Thu, 06 Oct 2016 11:34:00 +0000

2017 Jaguar XF Sportbrake Wagon Coming to U.S.
Teased in Paris, the new wagon will be shown next year Free Price Quote From a Local Dealer No Obligation, Fast & Simple Free New Car Quote Jaguar Land Rover used the Paris Motor Show to tease us with a brief look at a well-camouflaged Jaguar XF Sportbrake wagon that will break cover next year.The welcome and surprising news: the wagon is a global vehicle and will be available in the U.S., Joe Eberhardt, president and CEO of Jaguar Land Rover North America confirmed ..
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Forza Horizon 3 Review: A Driving Masterpiece

Forza Horizon 3 The good Giant open-world Huge car list Gorgeous visuals Top-notch soundtrack The bad High specs needed to reach 60 fps on PC Too much DLC Verdict If you're looking for a driving game this fall, Forza Horizon 3 offers one of the most exhilarating and satisfying racing experiences around on console or PC. I'm bombing down a jungle dirt road in The Outback chasing a jeep suspended from a helicopter while ..
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Melbourne Airport rail link reconsidered during secret tourism talks

A high-powered group of advisers set up by the Andrews government secretly reconsidered a rail link to Melbourne Airport as one of several "strategic investments" to boost Victoria's tourism prospects.Almost two years after the idea of train connection between Tullamarine and the CBD was shelved when Labor came to office, a cabinet-in-confidence document reveals it was briefly put back on the table as part of deliberations by a reference group chaired by infrastructure tsar Sir Rod Eddington. ..
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Amazon Offers $2.5 Million Alexa Prize For Talking AI: Hurry 26 Days 'Til Deadline

First Posted: Oct 01, 2016 04:16 AM EDT Amazon, Facebook, Microsoft, Google, And IBM form 'Partnership on AI' To Develop Artificial Intelligence. (Photo : Jeff Spicer / Getty Images) Amazon has offered a $2.5 Million to the first team who develops Alexa to a conversational AI. The Alexa Prize will be given to the developers who turns Alexa, the voice service into a social AI capable of conversing with humans for 20 minutes. What is the Alexa Prize? The Alexa Prize, which was announced on..
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Nokia D1C with Android Nougat Appears on Geekbench

Rumors for a Nokia comeback have been quite stale in the past couple of weeks. However, a new Geekbench test has suggested that the Finland-based OEM might be returning to the ever-growing smartphone market sooner than everyone perceived. Several test results show a handset titled “Nokia D1C” is in the works and according to the details, will be launching in the budget segment. For starters, the device runs on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 430 carrying the model number MSM8937. The SoC will sport a t..
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Paris Motor Show - Mitsubishi Outlines Future Plans With GT PHEV Concept

Min Price $5,000 $10,000 $15,000 $20,000 $25,000 $30,000 $35,000 $40,000 $45,000 $50,000 $55,000 $60,000 $65,000 $70,000 $75,000 $80,000 $85,000 $90,000 $95,000 $100,000 $105,000 $110,000 $115,000 $120,000 $125,000 $130,000 $135,000 $140,000 $145,000 $150,000 $155,000 $160,000 $165,000 $170,000 $175,000 $180,000 $185,000 $190,000 $195,000 $200,000 $205,000 $210,000 $215,000 $220,000 $225,000 $230,000 $235,000 $240,000 $245,000 $250,000 Max Price $5,000 $10,000 $15,000 $20,000 $25,000 $30,000..
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iPad Pro 2 Release Date, News & Update: Apple Tablet In Three Variants, No Audio Jack; Apple Pencil in 2017?

Rumors suggested that the three variants of the iPad Pro 2 will be composed of a different screen size, which include 12.9-inch, 10.5-inch, and 9.7-inch.(Photo: Getty Images/Justin Sullivan) The upcoming iPad Pro 2 is rumored to be made available in three variants. The new Apple tablet is said to sports revolutionary specs and features, which include the A10 chipset, Apple Pencil, as well as AMOLED display panel. After a no-show at IFA 2016 in Germany, it is believed that the tablet might b..
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The Paris Motor Show is scant on luxury, bullish on green cars

Fewer marques than ever in modern times will devote the time and considerable expense to attend this weekend’s Parisian debutsParis: In 2014, no fewer than 1.25 million people filled the Paris Motor Show floor to ogle the latest from Bugatti, BMW, Maserati, and Mercedes-Benz during the first week in October. The biennial show was the industry’s most populated event that year.If those people return, they will likely be disappointed.This year, fewer marques than ever in modern times will devote th..
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Census website fail will have 'profound' impact on Australian technology sectors, IT analysts say .	Dropbox hack leads to dumping of 68m user passwords on the internet .
Loneliness may be in your genes: study .	What would happen if we had a same-sex marriage plebiscite?2:05 .

Asia eyes our city and other top stories.

noreply@blogger.com (melbourne blog) — Thu, 06 Oct 2016 09:20:00 +0000

Asia eyes our city
OVERSEAS property investors are increasingly snubbing Australia’s capital cities in favour of Townsville’s laid-back lifestyle.The annual value of foreign property acquisitions has increased by 81.6 per cent between 2013 and 2015, jumping from $3,747,500 to $6,807,842, according to data collected by the State Government’s Department of Natural Resources and Mines.With a total of 1790 hectares now owned by foreign investors, Townsville ranks 18th of Queensland’s 78 regional councils registered un..
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Assault police, public nuisance charges – Condon (Townsville)

A man has been charged after a police officer was injured during a large disturbance in Townsville this morning. Around 2.00am, police were responding to a noise complaint at an address in Mallee Street, Condon. A short time later police were called back to the same street following reports of a disturbance. On arrival, police observed a number of people, among a larger group of around 100 people, involved in an altercation. During the arrest of a man bottles and objects were thrown by a number..
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The path to structural reform

FOR eight years the ghosts of Thuringowa have haunted Walker St.Lurking beneath the surface, the spectre of another time has influenced the workings of Townsville City Council and the fate of its region.These ghosts aren’t faceless men or disgruntled former employees, but rather the symptoms of a dysfunctional organisational structure that never lived up to the promise of amalgamation.This week Mayor Jenny Hill and her team have sought to vanquish those ghosts once and for all, unanimously backi..
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Wilson elated to return to Fire faithful

AFTER being on the wrong side of a raucous Townsville home crowd for the past few seasons returning point guard Kelly Wilson can’t wait to again have the Fire faithful behind her.The veteran point guard will start her second stint with the Fire in next Sunday’s season opener against the Perth Lynx, returning to the club she played with from 2005-08.Wilson is a veteran of over 10 years in the league and the chance to join one of the league’s benchmark clubs and reconnect with former teammate and ..
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Crocodile sighting

FISHERMAN chasing a catch off the beach at Rowes Bay on Saturday morning got more than they bargained for after a close encounter with a large saltwater crocodile.A group of men and some children were fishing off the sand bag jetties about 7.45am when one person spotted the croc, believed to be about 3m, swimming away from mangroves about 100m offshore towards Pallarenda.“It was definitely a predator and not a dugong,” one of the men said.One of the men ran down the beach to alert another man wh..
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Costly KAP

TWO North Queensland MPs were among the biggest spenders on taxpayer-funded travel last year, racking up more than $140,000 in flights, car hire and taxi expenses.Mount Isa MP Robbie Katter and Dalrymple MP Shane Knuth each spent about $71,000, according to the latest General Travel Allocation Expenditure annual report.But the two KAP members say they also have two of the biggest and most remote electorates in the state.“We spend a lot of our life in the car or, when we can afford it, in charter..
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Games over

THE north’s top cop has backed a hands on, individualised and intensive approach to dealing with young offenders and their families, over a citywide youth curfew.Assistant Commissioner Paul Taylor believes a constant, “in your face” approach with the city’s worst young criminals would have better outcomes, over trying to police a curfew for the whole city.“What will work – it might take a fair bit of effort – is if you are a parent or a guardian, having me constantly in your face about your role..
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Morgan hoping for Kangaroos chance

A MID season debut for the Kangaroos gave Michael Morgan his first taste of international rugby league and the Cowboys star is hoping to back for seconds in this year’s Four Nations. The 25-year-old five-eighth snared a position as a bench utility in Mal Meninga’s side for their 16-0 triumph over the Kiwis in May and he appears well-placed to retain his place after another solid season for North Queensland and the Maroons.Morgan was added to the Kangaroos train-on squad alongside Cowboys teammat..
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Census website fail will have 'profound' impact on Australian technology sectors, IT analysts say .	Dropbox hack leads to dumping of 68m user passwords on the internet .
Loneliness may be in your genes: study .	What would happen if we had a same-sex marriage plebiscite?2:05 .

Citroen reveals CXperience Concept ahead of Paris and other top stories.

noreply@blogger.com (melbourne blog) — Wed, 05 Oct 2016 15:16:00 +0000

Citroen reveals CXperience Concept ahead of Paris
Bold new concept pays tribute to Citroen’s past executive cars, demonstrates brand’s Advanced Comfort technologies and design. Citroen nowadays might be all about quirky cars and rally dominance, but in a bygone century the French carmaker made its name in making big, comfy, and plush executive cars. The brand’s new Paris motor show-bound concept car, the CXperience Concept, certainly aims to recapture some of that past reputation as it is designed as a new take on ‘the codes of executive sedan..
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Home Articles Is your company advertising in games? Here are the three key reasons...

Imagine you own a small business in a quiet suburb. But, one day, owing to the overnight success of an Augmented Reality (AR) game, people descend on your suburb in search of virtual goodies that are tied to real world locations. You think to yourself, who are these customers, are they worth chasing, could it be good value for money to do so? This is the situation many companies in Rhodes found themselves in following the success of Pokemon Go. To put this success in perspective, the success of..
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ANZ Bank includes MasterCard in Apple Pay, Android Pay coverage

Customers of the Australia and New Zealand Banking Group can now use their ANZ MasterCard credit card to pay for online purchases through Android Pay or Apple Pay. While other major Australian banks resist on using third-party mobile payment applications, the ANZ Bank has embraced the two online wallet systems and even extended the coverage to include MasterCard users. Good news! You can now use @MastercardAU with #ANZAndroidPay. T&Cs apply. Learn more: https://t.co/7i4769mt5X pic.twitter.c..
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2016 VW Passat 206TSI R-Line

A new performance Passat is en route to Australia, with VW confirming a Golf R-powered version of its mid-size sedan and wagon will arrive in November.The all-wheel-drive 206TSI R-Line will headline the Passat’s MY17 model updates, landing Down Under with a $57,990 sticker price, or $59,990 for the wagon.The order books are now open for the 206TSI R-Line, powered by the 206kW, 350Nm turbocharged 2.0-litre from the brand’s current performance powerhouse, the Golf R. The 206TSI R-Line is being to..
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Spotlight of scrutiny falls on "vague" Aussie broadband claims

The Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN) has pointed to ‘confusing or misleading’ broadband speed claims by Australian internet service retail service providers (RSPs), recommending that new measures be implemented to improve clarity for consumers.In a submission to the Australian Consumer and Competition Commission (ACCC), the communications consumer peak body suggested that claims made by RSPs in relation to broadband speed and performance are ‘generally vague’.This vague..
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Thousands of Australian computer log-ins up for sale on dark web

Thousands of Australian computer log-ins up for sale on dark web Updated August 30, 2016 16:12:05 Computers from a federal research network, a peak sporting body, a school and a local council are among tens of thousands of machines which have been hacked and had their login details put up for sale in a dark web marketplace, a Four Corners investigation has revealed. Key Points A dark web database contains the server details of more than 70,000 global organisationsSecur..
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Fitbit's Charge And Flex Fitness Trackers Just Got A Lot Better

Last Thursday, former volleyball star Gabby Reece worked out with a bunch of tech journalists on a rooftop in downtown San Francisco. I only made it through half of the 20-minute workout, which says something about my personal fitness level or the workout's difficulty, perhaps both. The event was to show off some of the features of Fitbit's new devices. One of those features, a new Cardio Fitness Level function, is actually to determine whether I'm as fit as I should be for someone my age. With..
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Police patrols to help prevent Tasmanian devils becoming roadkill .	Scientists to probe ways of meeting tough global warming goal .
4 kg gold nugget found in Victoria, Australia .	India A prevail despite Miller heroics .

Townsville north-eastern coast of Queensland, Australia. News and PR

Nick Kyrgios' season is over after ban, extra fine and other top stories.

Nick Kyrgios' season is over after ban, extra fine

Winx? Been there, done that: Waller

Xavier Richards has requested a trade to a Melbourne based club

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Townsville daily wrap-up, Tuesday October 25 and other top stories.

Townsville daily wrap-up, Tuesday October 25

Townsville media track down stranded John Key

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Airfares dip after a big September rise and other top stories.

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Reserve Bank pays $3.22 billion dividend to Canberra

BHP and Rio downgraded, but the sector still has upside, fund managers say

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Australian dollar slips further against greenback

Iluka revenue, production slides

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Baby NZ seals take RAAF flight to freedom and other top stories.

Baby NZ seals take RAAF flight to freedom

nbn™ says nobody needs gigabit internet, trumpets XG-Fast at 8Gbps anyway

Apple car: How tech giant backed away from game-changing plan

10000 critically endangered 'scrotum frogs' found dead at Lake Titicaca

Samsung 960 Pro review: The fastest consumer SSD you can buy

Samsung Galaxy Note 7 price, specs, features: Samsung 'may airlift Note 7 features onto Galaxy S7'

LG's V20 may be the phone of the year. So why the f*%k can't you buy it?

Dolphin calf spotted off Cairns wrapped in marine debris

Can Google be the new Samsung?

Mouse eggs engineered entirely in the lab for the first time — later lead to healthy adults

Windows 10 Creators Update - 6 of the best new features in Microsoft's blockbuster update and other top stories.

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13-inch MacBook Pro: 2016 vs. 2015

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Students past and present mourn University of Sydney's famous jacaranda tree

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Samsung Considering Offering Galaxy Note 7 Customers Discounts On New Galaxy S8, S8 Plus And Note 8 Upon ... and other top stories.

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Cyber attack disrupts internet access

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Thailand in mourning after king's death and other top stories.

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'Burglar' found asleep in Townsville home and other top stories.

'Burglar' found asleep in Townsville home

VIP family package winners on a high

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Townsville stolen vehicle and number plate alert, Thursday October 13

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Summer transport chaos to hit Melbourne's east in latest level crossing blitz and other top stories.

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