Audio
Nine survives protest vote on executive pay Audio Transcript and Verbatim
Posted
Nine Entertainment Company has survived the threat of an embarrassing shareholder backlash on executive pay. The company's remuneration report was passed by more than 78 per cent of shareholders after a major investor overrode recommendations for a 'no' vote from proxy advisors. Chairman Peter Costello used Nine's annual general meeting to ramp up lobbying for a further reduction on commercial television licence fees.
Topics: media, television, australia
Suicide bombings have killed more than a dozen people in Iraq - apparently by Islamic State militant Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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Suicide bombings have killed more than a dozen people in Iraq, in attacks that appear to be carried out by Islamic State militants. The attacks come as Iraqi forces, backed by the US-led coalition, are slowly gaining the upper hand against IS in the northern city of Mosul. Iraqi authorities managed to kill five suicide bombers in the Shiite city of Karbala. But the Iraqi army still has a long way to liberate the country from the militant group.
Army helicopters begin airlifted the stranded from quake ravaged Kaikoura Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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Hundreds of aftershocks and bad weather have been affecting evacuations in the earthquake-ravaged South Island of New Zealand. Thousands of people are stranded in the coastal community of Kaikoura and there are fears that essential supplies are running out. But army helicopters and a navy ship are being used to help people get out of the worst affected areas.
Topics: earthquake, new-zealand
Victorian police call for independent investigation into youth detention centre riot Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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The Victorian Government is taking urgent legal steps to move about 40 youth detainees into adult prisons after a riot at a youth detention centre. The youths caused about $500,000 worth of damage and the site will be redeveloped. Yesterday's riot was the latest in a series of incidents at youth detention centres. The police union is calling for an independent investigation.
Topics: youth, prisons-and-punishment, parkville-3052, vic
John Barilaro elected leader of the NSW Nationals after disastrous by-election Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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NSW Skills Minister John Barilaro has been elected leader of the State Nationals, after a disastrous swing against the party in a weekend by-election. Primary Industries Minister Niall Blair won the deputy role in a ballot this morning.
Topics: nationals, government-and-politics, nsw
Earth records hottest year on record as climate-denier Trump comes to power Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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The UN has said that 2016 is likely to go down as the hottest on record. The announcement was made in the Moroccan city of Marrakesh as UN climate talks entered their second week. The shadow of Donald Trump's election - and his views on climate change - also hang over the proceedings.
Topics: morocco, united-states
China looks for advantage in Trump victory and seeks Australian support Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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The Chinese Government is seeking the Australian Government's support in negotiating an Asia-Pacific trade deal that would be an alternative to the United States-driven Trans-Pacific Partnership, in an apparent manoeuvre to take advantage of the possible reduction in US influence in the Asia Pacific region under a Trump presidency. China specialist Professor Michael Wesley believes Donald Trump sees himself as a deal-maker and he doubts the President-elect's rhetoric around imposing high tariffs on China.
Topics: china, australia, united-states
Obama downplays concerns about Trump ahead of final overseas trip Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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US President Barack Obama has sought to downplay concerns about his successor Donald Trump at a White House press conference, before heading on his final overseas trip in the role.
Topics: united-states
Report finds migrant worker exploitation widespread and systemic Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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A new report on exploitation of migrant and refugee workers in Melbourne's western suburbs has found the problem is rife and could stem into the millions of dollars.
Topics: law-crime-and-justice, refugees, australia
Construction industry is reliant on foreign workers: Master Builders Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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Master Builders says that the changes to the skilled workers visa are unnecessary and will lead to higher costs. Master Builders is the peak construction lobby group, and one of the key sectors targeted for reform under Labor's proposal. Its CEO says the construction industry is reliant on foreign workers.
Topics: building-and-construction, government-and-politics, australia
Coalition backbencher joins Labor's push for crackdown on skilled work visas Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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The Prime Minister has accused Bill Shorten of engaging in rank opportunism and breathtaking hypocrisy as the Opposition Leader pushes for employers to preference Australian workers over foreigners. The Labor Party wants a tightening on skilled work visas and for businesses with skills shortages to train locals. A key Coalition backbencher is also pushing for a crackdown on skilled visas and he's threatening to bring it up in the joint party room if his party doesn't make changes.
Topics: government-and-politics, community-and-society, australia
Crime figure linked to Italian mafia murdered in Sydney Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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Residents of a quiet Sydney suburb were shocked to find a notorious underworld figure gunned down outside their homes. Sydney crime figure Pasquale Barbaro was killed in what police suspect was a targeted shooting. He has been linked to the Italian mafia.
Topics: crime, earlwood-2206
20161115-am07-natsleader Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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The Nationals in New South Wales are set to elect a new leader this morning. Troy Grant quit the top job yesterday in response to the party's disastrous performance in the weekend's by-election in Orange. The rise of the Shooters Fishers and Farmers Party in that electorate has prompted a great deal of soul searching within the Nationals.
Topics: nationals, government-and-politics, states-and-territories, australia
President-elect Donald Trump will remain committed to NATO: Barack Obama Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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Barack Obama has taken questions from the media for the first time since last week's presidential election and has sought to calm fears about some of Donald Trumps more radical campaign promises. Among other assurances, Mr Obama says the president elect told him he remains committed to NATO.
Topics: united-states
Evactuations underway at Kaikoura in NZ after severe earthquake Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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Evacuations are underway in the small town of Kaikoura in New Zealand after it was struck by a severe earthquake. Two people were killed when the 7-point-8 earthquake hit just after midnight yesterday. Thousands of people have been left stranded and they're running out of fuel, food and water. Army helicopters and a Navy ship will be involved in the evacuations.
Topics: earthquake, new-zealand
Manus Island refugees dissect refugee resettlement deal with the US Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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There's happiness and doubt in equal measure on Manus Island, where refugees are dissecting the refugee resettlement deal with the United States. While more than 600 refugees on the island are celebrating, they still have many questions about the deal and fear it may lead to more disappointment.
Topics: immigration, community-and-society, refugees, australia
2016 likely to be the hottest on record: UN Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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The UN has said that 2016 is likely to go down as the hottest on record. Average temperatures for this year are set to hit about 1.2 Celsius higher than pre-Industrial Revolution levels. It's a record that means the world is already more than halfway to the 2-degree limit that was agreed upon at last year's Paris climate summit. The announcement was made as UN climate talks in the Moroccan city of Marrakesh entered their second week.
Topics: environment, climate-change, australia
Swedish police question Wikileaks founder Julian Assange Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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Swedish prosecutors have questioned WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange at the Ecuadorian embassy in London, over allegations he committed rape in Sweden in 2010. Mr Assange fled to the embassy four years ago, after publishing a flood of secret US diplomatic cables that enraged Washington. He feared that if he was extradited to Sweden to face the rape allegations, he could be sent on to the United States and face a long prison term for the leaking of the cables. Sweden's chief prosecutor spent around four hours in the embassy, before leaving without making comment.
Topics: international-law, law-crime-and-justice, crime, courts-and-trials, laws, corruption, united-kingdom
Climate negotiators express concern about impact of Trump's victory on global climate policy Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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The UN weather agency says 2016 is set to break the record for the hottest year since measurements began in the 19th century. Global average temperatures this year are 1.2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, getting close to the limit set by the global climate agreement adopted in Paris last year. The news comes amid growing concern among international climate negotiators gathering in Morocco about the potential impact of Donald Trump's elections victory on global climate policy. During his campaign President-elect Trump pledged to withdraw the United States from the Paris deal.
Topics: environment, climate-change, australia
Carer says WA NDIS has serious shortcomings Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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The West Australian Government is continuing to hold out on adopting the Commonwealth's version of the National Disability Insurance Scheme. When the NDIS was announced the WA Premier Colin Barnett resisted signing up because the state already had its own version. But a Perth lawyer, whose brother is part of the WA NDIS trial, says the local scheme has serious shortcomings.
Topics: carers, disabilities, health-insurance, australia
Labor to persist with 'Australia First' policies on temporary work visas Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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The Federal Opposition has rejected Pauline Hanson's suggestion that it is taking its cues from One Nation, with a focus on 'Australia First' policies. The Shadow Employment Minister, Brendan O'Connor says Labor is recommitting to its policy for tougher restrictions on the use of 457 visas for temporary skilled migrants. He says a future Labor government would also consult over the future of unskilled work visas for visitors like backpackers and students.
Topics: work, immigration, one-nation, refugees, australia
Investigation into residential group homes finds children are being placed in danger Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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For decades, Australia has been in the grip of a permanent child protection crisis. An ABC TV's Four Corners investigation into residential group homes has found some of the country's most damaged children are still being placed in danger. Worse still, private providers have been found to be beneficiaries of a multibillion-dollar taxpayer-funded industry. Child protection advocates say it's shameful and outrageous.
Topics: child-abuse, community-and-society, family-and-children, children, family, australia
PM Full Program Audio
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On Monday's PM: A so-called 'ring of steel' will now repel people smuggling operations in what Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull calls the biggest ever peacetime maritime operation in Australia's northern waters; the New South Wales Government counts the cost of a rural by-election with a 35 per cent primary vote swing against the Nationals, prompting the junior Coalition partner's leader and deputy to step down; and Australians look to the Eastern horizon tonight, hoping to catch a glimpse of the biggest moon in almost 70 years.
Topics: australia
Future of local news in Melbourne in question as Fairfax announces further redundancies Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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Redundancies at Fairfax Media's Weekly Review magazine stable will leave a further gap in the provision of local news in Melbourne. The lifestyle and real estate magazine operates across nine regions in Melbourne and Geelong and owns some of the oldest mastheads in Victoria. The journalists' union is calling the demise of local media a 'growing crisis', but one expert says editors ignore local news at their peril.
Topics: print-media, media, rural-media, vic
Calls for a state referendum on SA's nuclear waste dump Audio Transcript and Verbatim
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The South Australian Premier has not given up on the proposal to build a high-level nuclear waste dump in the state, announcing a referendum on the controversial issue. Jay Weatherill says the matter is one for the community to decide and that if broad social consent was achieved, the final right of veto would be given to local Aboriginal people. But any referendum would need bipartisan support, which the Liberal Opposition Leader has ruled out, leaving this latest plan all but dead.
Topics: nuclear-issues, referendums, states-and-territories, sa
