Media wrap: Labor back up in the polls but Rudd said to be losing some gloss

THE FRONT PAGES


POLITICS AND ECONOMICS

Opinion polls

Kevin Rudd loses on Oceanic Viking standoff in latest Newspoll - Rudd's personal standing has slumped in the past month as he struggled with the standoff over the Sri Lankan boatpeople's refusal to leave the Oceanic Viking in Indonesia, and dissatisfaction with the Prime Minister is the highest it's been in more than a year – The Australian

Political life

Tripodi's shadow hangs over cabinet - Premier, Nathan Rees, has promoted Joe Tripodi's No.1 cabinet disciple, Kristina Keneally, giving her Mr Tripodi's old portfolio of infrastructure to add to planning, as the first cracks emerged in his campaign to ''cleanse'' his Government – Sydney Morning Herald

Premier's fresh approach already looking stale - There seems no limit to Rees's ability to anger his MPs while hanging on to the Premier's job – Sydney Morning Herald

Nathan Rees' secret plot to lop Labor heads – How the Premier planned his grab of power from the Labor Caucus – Sydney Daily Telegraph

Rees axes Tripodi, MacdonaldSydney Daily Telegraph

Andrew Fraser, Cameron Dick put fatherhood before politics – Politicians Cameron Dick and Andrew Fraser, who have talked of the need to balance work and family life, have been praised for sending a powerful message. The two possible successors to Premier Anna Bligh have cited fatherhood responsibilities as a reason not to take on the state's top job – Brisbane Courier Mail

Immigration

Malcolm Turnbull on attack over asylum-seeker deal – Malcolm Turnbull has accused Kevin Rudd of misleading parliament following an admission the Prime Minister's office knew of a preferential deal for the 78 asylum-seekers aboard the Australian Customs vessel Oceanic Viking – The Australian

Health

Labor push on health rebate cuts – As health insurance membership surges to an eight-year high, the Federal Government is moving to have another attempt at reducing the tax rebates paid to high earners with private cover – Melbourne Age

Development

Loopholes in ban on developer money – New legislation banning donations from developers risks being a ''sieve'' if loopholes allowing developer money to reach government are not closed, a donations researcher has warned – Sydney Morning Herald

Apology

Apology at last for forgotten victims – Kevin Rudd and Malcolm Turnbull yesterday offered a historic apology to "forgotten Australians" and former child migrants who suffered abuse, exploitation and neglect in institutions and foster homes – The Australian

Opinions

Kevin's glib and clunky sides combine – There appears to be an easy narrative right now that simply says Kevin Rudd's high, long-lived popularity is suffering because he's "gone soft" on border protection and is suffering a backlash from rednecks and racists. But with the Prime Minister's disapproval rating up 11 percentage points since October, there may be a more dangerous message across a range of areas. Even so, Rudd maintains strong public sympathy and an ascendancy over Malcolm Turnbull as preferred prime minister – Dennis Shanahan in The Australian

Israel feels tarnished as critics apply apartheid tag - Peter Hartcher in the Sydney Morning Herald on Israel’s fears that it faces a gathering international effort to undermine its legitimacy.

Meddling in our politics not a good look from right or left – Gerard Henderson in the Sydney Morning Herald exposes a double standard in the reaction to comments on Australian politics by foreign diplomats.

Our climate deeds will influence other nations – Tim Colebatch in the Melbourne Age on how the earth is getting hotter and we can tackle it or ignore it but it is not going away

BUSINESS

NAB in $500m taxman battle – The National Australia Bank has locked horns with the Tax Office over deductions which allowed it to reduce its Australian tax bill by about $500 million between 2000 and 2003. Hard on the heels of a $1 billion-stoush with tax authorities in New Zealand - along with Australia's other big banks - NAB is challenging the Tax Office in the Federal Court after it was hit with six ''amended assessments'' in December last year and May 2005 – Sydney Morning Herald

MEDIA

Channel Nine bones Grant Hackett from weekend sports job – Former Olympian Grant Hackett's tenure at the Channel 9 news desk is all but over, with the network set to replace him as its weekend sports presenter - – Sydney Daily Telegraph

Sam Newman's $500,000 moment of madness - Millionaire businesswoman Susan Alberti had the last laugh when Channel 9 apologised and agreed to pay her $220,000 plus cost – Melbourne Herald Sun


LIFE

Flying

Chaos as check-in computers fail – All Qantas check-ins have been thrown into chaos, after the computer check-in system failed across the country and the world – Brisbane Courier Mail

Bank fees

$4.5 billion in fees to fat cats' banks – Australians will shell out more than $4.5 billion in bank fees this year, despite the big banks saying they have slashed charges

Gardens

Rann Government announces new water restrictions for Adelaide – Pressure rom residents desperate to save their gardens forced the State Government to ease water restrictions yesterday – Adelaide Advertiser



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