In The Herald: 1997

Sydney Morning Herald

Wednesday July 9, 2008

Malcolm Brown

* The prime minister, John Howard, called for lower interest rates and laid the groundwork for a shift to a lower minimum wage and reduced dole payments. The leader of the opposition, Kim Beazley, accused Howard of trying to Americanise wages, and that this would break his election promise that no Australian would be worse off.

* The Family Court ruled that a divorced woman appearing before it could move interstate with her children. The decision was hailed by the Human Rights commissioner, Chris Sidoti, as "a victory for children" but Barry Williams, the national president of the Lone Fathers Association, said it scandalous and would further frustrate men who believed they had had a bad deal. He warned it might result in violence.

* The Catholic Church said it would investigate claims by a woman who had been partially sighted and claimed her vision had improved through the intercession of Mother Mary MacKillop. Father Paul Gardiner, in charge of the case, said he would take the information to the Vatican.

* A religious community near Seymour in Victoria rejected claims by a former member in a Melbourne newspaper that it was stockpiling weapons in preparation for a mass suicide. William Stokes, the leader of the community - followers of the self-styled seer in Nowra, William "Little Pebble" Kamm - said the community was taking advice on its legal position over the claims.