Rotarians will be teeing-off at Brookwater

http://springfield-news.whereilive.com.au

THE Rotary Club of Goodna hopes to raise at least $35,000 for good causes at Brookwater Golf Club this week.

At least 128 people will hit the fairways on Friday for the 2010 Rotary Charity Cup and Rotary spokesman Chris Steinback said the club has ``re-badged'' the event to attract more corporate teams.

The cup features a four-ball ambrose competition with tee off at 11.30am followed by a dinner with keynote speeches from financial expert Noel Whittaker and sports commentator Peter Meares.

``We've tried to re-badge the event to make it more entertaining and with professional speakers aim more towards local businesses,'' Mr Steinback said.

The event will also include live comedy, raffles and a memorabilia auction.

The club wants to raise money for the Rotary International Shelterbox Disaster Relief Program, Goodna Community Child Care Centre and Rotary youth initiatives.

Mr Steinback said the shelterboxes provided resources to people in countries hit by natural disasters, and the child care centre required new airconditioning and playground shade sails.

Entry costs $1000 for corporate teams, $600 for Rotary teams and $250 for individuals. For more information phone 0420501651 or 31071925.

Ipswich Rugby League: Goodnat trounce South Burnett as Bulldogs register first victory

QT.com.au

WEST End tasted victory yesterday for the first time since round one, at the expense of Fassifern.

The Bulldogs won 36-20 at Hayes Oval to leave the Bombers winless.

West End led 18-10 at halftime but Fassifern scored early in the second half to close the gap to two points.

It was then West End showed its worth, scoring the next 18 points to secure the points.

"It came down to us needing the two points today. The players knew that," West End coach Todd Brown said.

"We made a few positional changes this week and they worked well."

Shane Williams moved from lock to five-eighth, pushing Lionel Foote into the centres.

"That took a bit of pressure of Ray (Garrett) at halfback," Brown said.

"Lionel doesn't talk enough to play five-eighth at the moment."

With captain Dale Lewis injured playing for the Ipswich Diggers on Saturday and Williams in the backs Ipswich Jets dual signed prop Daniel Davies led the Bulldogs forwards strongly.

In the weekend's other A Grade match, Goodna beat South Burnett 58-18 at Fred Kassulke Oval.

Western Spirit find late winner over The Gap at Goodna

QT.com.au

COMPETITION leaders Western Spirit recovered from some complacency to maintain their unbeaten Division 1 run last night.

Spirit downed The Gap 3-2 at Kippen Park, but only after player/co-coach Troy Wickstein found a late winner.

"We got out of jail," co-coach Nev O'Sullivan said.

Spirit looked in control being 2-0 up in the first half. However, the team's marking dropped, letting The Gap equalise 2-2.

While happy Spirit worked their way out of trouble, O'Sullivan said it was a timely wake-up call.

"We weren't at our best. We learnt a few lessons," he said.

Spirit may also have lost key defender Alex Anderson who has a suspected broken ankle.

That setback comes as Spirit prepares to play North Pine in a Canale Cup clash at Kippen Park on Wednesday night.

Meanwhile, the Ipswich Knights and Ipswich City Bulls lost their Division 1 games at the weekend.

The undermanned Knights were beaten 3-2 by Rocklea United after being denied a second penalty.

The Bulls went down 2-1 to Toowoomba after Zygan Condie put the visitors up 1-0.

Knights coach Billy Livingstone was disappointed despite having a patched-up side playing in front of a vocal Rocklea home crowd.

"We battled it out and we created a hell of a lot of chances," Livingstone said. "We're just not putting them away.

"The way the guys performed, we were more than good enough to win. We just can't get across the line right now."

Peter Drager scored in the first half with Trent Griffiths converting a penalty late in the game.

"We should have had another penalty with 20 minutes to go when Griffo (Griffiths) was brought down in the box," Livingstone said.

Matt Flick captained the side with Stephen Hughes completing a suspension. Justin Smith also impressed on debut.

Livingstone will field a young side in the Knights Canale Cup clash (7pm) with Brisbane Athletic at Bundamba tomorrow night.

Bulls coach Trent Abel was yesterday encouraged despite losing to Toowoomba.

"They're quite sharp. They are a top four side," Abel said of Toowoomba.

"We let them back into the game. In the second half we created a few chances."

Abel was happy with Matt Hilli's effort starting the game up front.

Drivers in jam as Ipswich Motorway closes

QT.com.au

TURNING an easy Sunday commute into a prolonged crawl, drivers on the Ipswich Motorway faced extensive delays at the weekend.

A long stretch of the Ipswich-bound lanes of the motorway was closed for 19 hours, to enable underground drainage works to be installed beneath the road.

The westbound lanes of the Ipswich Motorway were closed between 5pm Saturday to noon yesterday.

During these works all Ipswich and Logan motorway traffic heading Ipswich-bound were diverted at the Goodna/Redbank exits at Gailes, along the Brisbane Road service road.

Motorists re-entered the motorway via the Goodna on-ramp near William Street.

Driver Helen Davies said she spent 90 minutes stuck on the motorway as she travelled back to Ipswich after taking part in a Mother's Day fun run in Brisbane.

"The traffic was at a standstill," she said.

"I know it has to be done but it was still very frustrating.

"I just hope I don't get stuck in any more of the closures they've got planned."

A spokesperson for Queensland Main Roads Minister Craig Wallace the works were essential to protect the millions of dollars worth of work already undertaken on Ipswich Motorway upgrades.

"We understand the frustrations of motorists with the closure, but we would ask them to be patient and bear in mind that these are vital works which will make travel a lot more seamless and free flowing in the future," she said.

She said roadworks were typically arranged on days and at times likely to have the least impact on motorists.

Ipswich Councillor Paul Tully, whose electorate takes in the Gailes and Goodna area, echoed her sentiments.

"I think people just need to be patient and know that there's a light at the end of the tunnel," he said.

Traffic on the Ipswich Motorway heading to Brisbane will be diverted off the motorway at Brisbane Road, Redbank during the following times:

From 7pm on Thursday, to 5am Friday, May 14;

From 7pm on Friday, to 5am Saturday, May 15;

From 5pm on Saturday, to noon Sunday, May 16;

From 7pm on Sunday, to 5am Monday, May 17.

Man wrongly convicted of schoolgirl murder welcomes review

HeraldSun.com.au

WRONGLY convicted murderer Graham Stafford says he is open to being interviewed for the review into the investigation of the 1991 brutal slaying of school girl Leanne Holland.

Mr Stafford was jailed for life in 1992 for the murder of the 12-year-old, but the Court of Appeal last December quashed his conviction and ordered a retrial.

A retrial was ruled out in March.

Queensland Police Commissioner Bob Atkinson yesterday announced a review into the investigation of the case adding it would include re-interviewing witnesses and forensically re-examining exhibits.

Mr Stafford said he was pleased to hear it would be an extensive review and the findings would be made public.
"I haven't spoken to my legal team yet, but I can't see any problem with being interviewed," Mr Stafford said.

"It would probably to be to re-establish what my movements were and where I was and that's been well documented."

Leanne's severely battered body was found in bushland near her family's Goodna home, west of Brisbane, three days after she went missing in September 1991.

Mr Stafford said he was surprised to hear that 'all' the evidence still exists as his counsel had been told not all of it had survived.

"I'm not sure about the re-testing of all the evidence as we were told otherwise some years ago," he said.

He said pursuing compensation for being wrongly incarcerated was not an immediate priority.

"It's not at the forefront of what we are trying to achieve," Mr Stafford said.

"If they establish who killed Leanne then I think it would be a given about compensation and I would not have to pursue it."

Three senior Queensland police - who were not involved in the original investigation - will conduct the review and Mr Atkinson has recruited senior NSW homicide detective Mark Newman to conduct a peer review of their work.

A criminologist has reservations about Queensland police being involved in the review of the investigation and the case has also prompted calls from civil libertarians for a new authority to investigate miscarriages of justice.

Criminologist Professor Paul Wilson said the investigation review is overdue and welcome, but it had the potential to be compromised.

"I worry about having Queensland police investigating their own given their past track record such as Palm Island," Prof Wilson said.

"It's a bit like students marking their own exam.

"However, it is a step forward and I hope all aspects of the investigation and, especially the relationship between police and the police informer, are looked at very closely."

Queensland Premier Anna Bligh said she was open to suggestions made by the Queensland Council for Civil Liberties for a new authority to investigate miscarriages of justice.

"We will look at it," Ms Bligh told reporters.

"The attorney-general will speak to the Civil Liberties Council and if there is a good idea here that we can put in place, we will keep an open mind."

Prof Wilson said there were at least three police officers directly involved in the original investigation, including Bill Crick, who is also national president of the Australian and New Zealand Forensic Science Society, still in the force.

"It's excellent they are going to make the findings public," said Prof Wilson, who co-wrote a book on the murder with former private detective Graeme Crowley.

But Mr Crowley believed the new review would turn up several problems.

"I suspect they (the investigators) will say 'Commissioner Bob we've got a problem. This wasn't done properly. There's a lot of stuff that was done wrongly'," Mr Crowley said.

"Their (the police) position for so long has been non-negotiable and we won't reopen or revisit or do anything.

"For them to do this is definitely a step in the right direction.

"I spoke to him (Graham Stafford) yesterday and he wants the truth to come out."

New Australian laws to target cyber bullies

BT

Education is crucial to help children combat cyber-bullying.

Young victims of cyber bullying and tormenting classmates will be given legal protection under new anti-harassment laws to be introduced by the federal government.

The changes will mean victims under the age of 16 will be able to use sexual harassment laws to pursue their tormentors.

''These are sensible changes but they reflect the fact that young people are, unfortunately, the victims of sexual harassment,'' Minister for Women Tanya Plibersek said.

''It's a terrible thing for parents and adults to realise how vulnerable children are and that they can be harassed at home in their bedrooms through Facebook or chat rooms.''

Now, a 15-year-old girl whose former boyfriend sends naked cyber images of her to their classmates has no protection under federal sexual harassment legislation. But a 16-year-old girl is protected under the existing act.

''Younger children are often the most at risk from online bullying or harassment,'' Sex Discrimination Commissioner Elizabeth Broderick said.

Ms Plibersek said the changes would mean tormentors would no longer be able to get away with harassment.

''The anonymity of [the internet] gives people a licence to behave very, very badly but the effect of it on the victim is very, very public,'' she said.

Students will also be able to take action against teachers from other schools. As the law stands now they are only able to pursue sexual harassment claims against teachers if they are from the same school.

The changes are part of the government's attempt to modernise the 25-year-old Sex Discrimination Act. Legislation will protect breastfeeding women and also give men the same protection as women against workplace discrimination due to family responsibilities.

For the first time, fathers will be able to take action against employers who try to downgrade their duties while they are on paternity leave. ''At the moment if you're put on the 'daddy track' you can't do anything about it,'' Ms Broderick said.

The amendments to the act will remove a discrepancy that prevents men from taking action against an employer unless they are fired or directly discriminated against.

The changes stem from the government's belief that women's equality in the workplace has stalled because anti-discrimination laws and equal opportunity laws have prevented men from taking on greater responsibilities at home.

Australian iPad starts at $629 inc GST

http://www.itnews.com.au

Full comparative pricing and in-store date revealed.

Apple fanbois rejoice: the iPad will be available in shops from May 28 starting at $629 inc GST - about 11 percent more than its US retail price but cheaper than in some of the other eight countries where it will be released that day.

Apple opens orders from Monday for the devices that come in two flavours: Wi-Fi with or without 3G and three memory configurations.

The chart below shows the local and US prices for the devices and the cross-rate currency conversion. The Australian price includes GST; US sales taxes are applied by states and not included in Apple's prices.

Wi-Fi	$A	$US	$US:$A	Delta	Markup
16GB	$A629	$US499	$A562	$A67	10.69%
32GB	$A759	$US599	$A674	$A85	11.15%
64GB	$A879	$US699	$A787	$A92	10.47%
Wi-Fi+3G
16GB	$A799	$US629	$A708	$A91	11.37%
32GB	$A928	$US729	$A821	$A107	11.56%
64GB	$A1049	$US829	$A933	$A116	11.03%

source: Apple

Australia fared quite well on the iPad's price differential to Apple's home US market - British buyers of the 699GBP top-of-the-line model will be slugged up to 48 percent more than US users for the privilege of accessing content on Apple's netbook killer.

Apple left it so late to announce its prices - its press release hit journalists' inboxes around 11pm last night - that it prompted The Australian to lead its Saturday edition with the headline: "Apple to start taking iPad orders, but don't ask the price".

"Hopefully, buyers putting in pre-orders from Monday through Apple's website will also be told how much they need to stump up for the gadget, and what day they can expect to pick up their shiny new iPad," wrote Australian IT editor Stuart Kennedy.

"Apple Australia said yesterday it was going ahead with pre-orders from Monday but still did not know local pricing or have a firm date on when those who pre-ordered could pick up their device."

In the same statement, Apple said its iBookstore will be a free download on the day the wunderdevice was available in Australia, Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain and Switzerland.

But in a decision that was sure is to fuel grey exports across the Tasman, New Zealanders will have to wait until July along with those in Austria, Belgium, Hong Kong, Ireland, Luxembourg, Mexico, the Netherlands and Singapore, Apple said.

Apple's misjudgement of the strength of US demand caused it to delay its Australian April release date.

The consumer electronics device maker said it sold more than a million iPads, 12 million apps and 1.5 million ebooks since it was released in the US.

Morgan Stanley attributed the crash in netbook sales to the release of Apple's device. In the past month, netbook sales month-on-month declined to just 5 percent growth from their high of 641 percent growth at this time last year, the analyst said.

Congestion-busting cameras to be doubled in southeast Queensland

Minister for Police, Corrective Services and Emergency Services

The Honourable Neil Roberts

08/05/2010

Congestion-busting cameras to be doubled

Police Minister Neil Roberts said the number of roadside traffic cameras on state controlled roads in south east Queensland would be doubled in a further bid to ease traffic congestion.

Mr Roberts said more than 50 new web cameras will be rolled out across the south east in the coming months.

The cameras stream live vision to the 131940 traffic website, alerting motorists to potential hazards, traffic snarls, accidents and delays on the road.

"It's great for people who lead busy lives. It'll save time and inconvenience. They can plan their journey before heading out in the car," Mr Roberts said.

"It's a $900,000 investment to double the number of web cams in the south east and it's money well-spent," he said.

Minister Roberts visited the Traffic Management Centre in Brisbane today to see the cameras in action.

"The new cameras will be installed in more than 50 busy roadside locations on the Sunshine Coast, in Brisbane and on the Gold Coast.

"Some of the hot-spots include the corner of Arrow Street and the Pacific Motorway in Brisbane, exit 60 on the M1 on the Gold Coast, and the Anzac Avenue/Bruce Highway interchange on the Sunshine Coast.

"The sites were carefully chosen. They're places that are prone to congestion and traffic build-up for motorists and the freight industry.

"My message to motorists today is to log on to the 13 19 40 website before you grab the car keys. Plan your journey and look for alternative routes if the web cam data indicates heavy traffic."

To see for yourself, visit the Traffic Management Centre's website at www.131940.qld.gov.au

Westpac Phishing Scam Hits Queensland Residents

http://www.spamfighter.com


The residents of Darling Downs and Toowoomba (Queensland, Australia) have been advised to be wary of a scam e-mail detected by the researchers. The e-mail claims to have been sent from Westpac Bank.

In the e-mail, the Bank addresses its users and says that it desires to protect their accounts and assets. To meet the mandates of the Financial Services Authority, the Bank asks all its customers to confirm their account details and provide their account an additional protection layer.

To add a protective layer to the account, people need to click on a link provided within the e-mail.

The official website of the Bank has tagged the e-mail as a scam, rather a phishing scam.

Phishing attack can be described as an attack wherein scammers try to procure critical users' details, like the account number, credit card number, passwords, by impersonating as a reliable organization, such as the Bank in the said case.

As stated by the Bank's website, Westpac's customers will never be asked to verify, update, or modify their online banking details, as reported by thechronicle.com.au on April 28, 2010.

The website urges its customers to think upon three questions if they come across this email: One, are they being asked to click some particular link or contact someone over phone? Two, do they need to provide their account information? And three, is the grammar and punctuation used in the e-mail up to the mark or not?

The website says that if answer to any of these questions is "yes", then it might be a scam.

The official website of the Bank asks users to first verify the legitimacy of the e-mail and then respond. They can cross check the details by calling the Bank on its hotline number or by just viewing it at its website. If the users come to know of a transaction that was not made by them or if they believe that someone has compromised their security, they must immediately contact the Bank.

The only way advised by the security experts to avoid being a victim of such scams is to install security software to block such e-mails from entering the inbox.

Southeast Queensland boom puts health services at risk

CourierMail.com.au

HEALTH ALARM: AMA Queensland president Dr Mason
Stevenson has warned about the lack of medical facilities
in southeast Queensland's growth areas.

SOUTHEAST Queensland's premier growth corridor will buckle under the strain of insufficient health resources, the Australian Medical Association has warned.

After a two-day tour of the western corridor, AMAQ president Dr Mason Stevenson said plans to ramp up medical facilities through Springfield, Ipswich and Toowoomba were "grossly inadequate".

Yesterday, Ipswich Hospital was on capacity alert, and Dr Stevenson said waiting and treatment times were likely to soar as population in the corridor continued to grow.

Ipswich alone is predicted to be home to more than 435,000 people in the next 21 years, up from 170,000 today.

By 2031, Toowoomba will be home to 228,000 and Springfield 100,000 people.

Health Minister Paul Lucas said the Government had committed to a $128.7 million upgrade of the Ipswich Hospital.

He said he recognised the growth of the western corridor and had hired more than 300 extra clinical staff in the past five years.

But Dr Stevenson said planning, which offered an extra 90 beds and six short-stay beds, was insufficient.

Toowoomba has only been promised a $2 million upgrade for emergency facilities.

Dr Stevenson said the "cascading effect" of the strain on Toowoomba and Springfield medical infrastructure meant the system was destined to fail, with Ipswich and Brisbane resources set to be stretched beyond limits trying to cope.

He described Toowoomba as the "poorest cousin" of the hospital redevelopment program, with cancer care, trauma surgery and coronary care insufficient.

Dr Stevenson noted that Ipswich Hospital was "more substantive" than Toowoomba, but was on capacity alert on a weekly basis and couldn't handle Toowoomba's overflow. "We welcome the planned upgrades, but after walking the wards we've seen that they are not adequate," he said.

Ipswich Mayor Paul Pisasale said the region was crying out for more medical resources.

"If we're going to be smart we need to share the load," Cr Pisasale said.

Toowoomba Regional Council Mayor Peter Taylor said the centre's health facilities were under pressure because they serviced such a wide area.

"We service double our population because people in other centres see Toowoomba as their nearest city," he said.

1991 Goodna Murder: Leanne Holland case review criticised by Council for Civil Liberties

The President of the Australian Council of Civil Liberties Terry O'Gorman says the review of the 19 year old Leanne Holland murder should not be conducted by Queensland Police.

He told ABC News it should be undertaken by independent interstate investigators supervised by a judicial officer.

The police are saying the review will take 4 months.

Springfield Lakes newcomers turning heads in Rugby Union as Goodna Gladiators take on UQ Gatton

QT.com.au

THEY have only been in existence for four matches but the Springfield Lakes Hawks have made an impression on Queensland Subdistricts selectors.

Six Hawks Barber Cup players have been chosen to contest the subdistricts trial at Ballymore today.

Ipswich Rangers' resurgence this season has been recognised with eight players picked to trial.

Only one player from last year's grand finalists, the Goodna Gladiators has been selected, 2009 Subdistricts representative Dominic Chalk.

However four of the Springfield Lakes players chosen to trial are former Gladiators.

Three teams have been chosen to trial at Ballymore from 2.30pm today, from which a squad will travel to Sydney to play NSW Suburban on June 12.

A bye is scheduled for all Barber Cup matches this weekend, however Goodna will play UQ Gatton at Evan Marginson Oval at 3pm to help out the visitors.

Their game scheduled for later in the season falls during university holidays, when most of their players will not be there, so Goodna have agreed to move the game forward.

"It helps us too," Goodna coach Les Shine said.

"It is another home game where we can get some revenue. The boys want to play, the bye doesn't suit us.

"We're trying to get a bit of momentum going."

Flash: Queensland Police to review Leanne Holland 19 year old murder case

The Queensland Police Service has just announced a full review of the murder of Goodna schoolgirl Leanne Holland who was found murdered at Redbank Plains in September 1991.

Graham Stafford served 15 years for the murder but his conviction was overturned by the Court of Appeal in Brisbane on 24 December 2009.

Three detectives not involved in the original case will review the matter with peer review oversight by an experienced NSW police investigator.

Breaking News: Apple sets Australian iPad launch date as May 28

Herald Sun

APPLE says its iPad touchscreen portable tablet computer will go on sale in nine countries, including Australia, on May 28.

The much-anticipated consumer gadget was launched on the US domestic market on April 3, but such was demand that the Californian firm was forced to delay deliveries to international consumers.

Now, fans in Australia, Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain and Switzerland can look forward to seeing them in the shops before the end of the month, Apple's statement said.

"Customers can pre-order all iPad models from Apple's online store in all nine countries beginning on Monday, May 10," it said.

The firm plans to launch the iPad in Austria, Belgium, Hong Kong, Ireland, Luxembourg, Mexico, The Netherlands, New Zealand and Singapore in July.

Apple gave no details on prices in the new markets, but versions of the device with different storage capacities and connection options are available in the United States for between $US499 ($562) and $US829 ($935).

Although not yet officially available through Apple-licensed vendors outside the United States, impatient consumers in many areas have been buying imported models from the so-called "grey market".

The firm boasts that it has already sold more than one million iPads in the United States and that customers have downloaded over 12 million software applications from its online store.

Consumer Warning: Know your rights when treating mum this Mother's Day

Minister for Tourism and Fair Trading

The Honourable Peter Lawlor

08/05/2010

Know your rights when treating mum this Mother's Day

Queensland consumers searching for a last minute Mother's Day gift have been encouraged to check their refund rights before making a purchase.

Minister for Fair Trading Peter Lawlor said the rules on warranties and refunds still applied even when products were on sale or had been discounted.

"Many retailers hold special sales leading up to celebrations such as Mother's Day but this doesn't mean the normal rules go out the window," he said.

"It is illegal for traders to have a 'no refund' policy, or to not allow refunds on sale items that prove to be faulty.

"Equally, consumers should be aware of refund rules when they purchase a gift for someone else.

"Particularly for items such as clothing, it's important to know that retailers aren't required to offer a refund if a purchase is the wrong size.

"Check with the trader before you go ahead with a purchase to see if you can exchange goods if they are the wrong size or aren't suitable.

"Some stores try to generate goodwill and return business by offering a refund or exchange if a gift is not suitable, however they do not legally have to do this."

Mr Lawlor also encouraged shoppers to budget wisely to ensure they didn't end up spending more than they could afford on a gift for mum.

"Mother's Day is a time when people want to spoil their mum, but I'm sure no mother would want a loved one to get themselves into financial trouble by buying a gift which is beyond their budget," he said.

"Beauty products are particularly popular gifts and there are always many offers of free 'gifts with purchase' or items which you can purchase at a 'special' price once you spend a certain amount.

"I would encourage people to set a budget before they set off to do their gift shopping as these deals often induce people to spend more than they had originally intended.

"Shoppers should also pay cash for their gifts where possible rather than using credit cards."

"If you have problems with a purchase speak to the trader in the first instance. If you are unsatisfied with the response contact the Office of Fair Trading for advice on 13 13 04."

VFF wants JBS Swift beef company expansion investigated by ACCC

http://www.abc.net.au

The Victorian Farmers Federation wants the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission to investigate the expansion of the world largest beef company in Australia.

Brazilian-owned JBS Swift now owns over 10 abbatoirs and five feedlots in Australia including Ipswich in Queensxland.

Michael McCormack, from the VFF's livestock group, says farmers are worried less competition will mean lower prices at saleyards.

"I'd like to call on the ACCC as the regulatory body to just keep an eye on this consolidation and to make sure that we still have some competition in the marketplace," he says.

"Because the marketplace is what drives our price."

6 privacy concerns Facebook users should be aware of

http://www.pcauthority.com.au

With over 400 million global users and more than 25 billion user created news stories, blog posts and photo albums shared, the world's largest social network is massive, but it's also causing all manner of privacy concerns.

Initially designed as a student university friend-finder, the site has been the focus of numerous concerns over privacy. Recently, four US senators made their objections known to Facebook when it came to protecting personal data. Only last month, Facebook reclassified data that was once only seen as 'private' into publicly available information.

But the biggest thing to remember about Facebook is that your data is not, unlike the bulk of websites online - considered private by default. And in some key cases, you might need to opt-out of certain features that might expose your personal preferences.

According to a Computerworld report, the full Facebook privacy agreement contains 5,531 words - slightly more than the time it takes to click 'I agree'. In all, reports Computerworld, there are 11 separate data categories that need your attention when it comes to privacy settings on Facebook.

Here are six privacy concerns Facebook users should be aware of.

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1) That annoying security hole that keeps on popping up

It seems that each month that goes by, another potentially privacy-killing security issue is discovered, promptly fixed, patched and then buried - as though nothing ever happened. The latest of these privacy flaws is the so-called 'chat bug', which recently gave some Facebook users the opportunity to see private chats taking place between friends.

TechCrunch has reported that the security flaw was made possible through the 'Preview My Profile' function available on a user's privacy page. It's a little ironic considering that the very page that is responsible for individual privacy settings also gave users the option to invade the privacy of others.

In addition to the chat problem, users were also able to view pending friend requests - which could be slightly embarrassing if you were to see just how many people an ex-partner was trying to friend. As a consequence of the privacy gaffe, Facebook temporarily disabled the chat window.

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2) Hitting the "like" button

In April this year, Facebook announced at the 2010 F8 developer conference that they would be placing a great deal of emphasis on the Open Graph protocol. Open Graph gives Facebook an opportunity to become more aware of users' interests, preferences and 'likes' and then put a dollar value on those things.

The 'like' function, which allows you to flag the content you like, will bring in money for Facebook. The company will sell this data to marketers and businesses keen to promote those products most related to your interests - even those based on your page searches, for example.

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3) Tagged photos

If there are things on Facebook you really don't want others to see, now might be the perfect time to review those tagged photos, especially those inappropriate drunk gestures of goodwill, that are mostly enjoyed by your inner circle of friends - but probably not your future boss.

Given photo tagging has become something of a cultural norm on Faceboo - but the tag-once, forget about it later approach is now coming back to haunt some users. For example, that provocative fancy dress costume might not be so hilarious when it's posted in the local newspaper, as it happened for two school teachers from Warwick High School in Queensland in March this year.

The solution? Perhaps the only effective way around all this is to manually un-tag each and every photo of yourself or at the very least, think twice about using your real name on Facebook (using a pseudonym instead).

Another concern is that Face.com has released an API to software developers who are keen to use facial detection technology on their own websites.

That would, in effect, turn the entire internet to a photo tagger, with the potential for Google and Facebook to come in, apply search data to those faces and turn our pictures into marketing data or a really easy way for others to find and collate pictures of us online. Face.com already has 50 million tagged users on its database.

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 4) Facebook IDs for sale

Security researchers from VeriSign iDefense reported this month that 1.5 million Facebook accounts have been made available for sale in a web forum, apparantly by someone who goes by the name 'kirllos' and is said to have already sold 700,000 accounts. You also might be disappointed to learn that for Facebook accounts will less than 10 contacts, the going rate is about 0.025 cents for each of these accounts (purchased in groups of 1000 at a time) and slightly more for those accounts with more than 10 contacts.

Like other forms of ID sought after by scammers, Facebook accounts can sometimes provide key data about an individual including their date of birth, place of birth and marital status. And by searching through older message posts, valuable address and mobile phone data could be obtained, if for example, you've sent asa messaking a friend to call you on 0XXXXXXXX at XX ADDRESS. If you put the information out there, it's possible for others to intercept it.

Avoiding the pitfalls of having hackers break into your account might be a good place to start. A typical money scam involves friends of a friend asking for money while trapped overseas. Malware and Trojans downloaded in fake emails and from unverified downloads may contribute to your chances of having your Facebook account compromised.

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5) Advertisers

A major privacy concern hit the headlines three years ago, relating to Facebook's Beacon advertising model, which provided advertisers with an opportunity to seize on a user's personal interest data, via a small piece of JavaScript imbedded on the vendor's website and sent out to the user as 'alerts'. If a user clicked on the alert, the user would then let Facebook know when and how often they surfed the advertiser's website. It was a pain to opt out of difficult to apply privacy controls to on an individual basis.

In December 2007, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg apologised to Facebook users after complaints that it was violating their privacy. A class action lawsuit was filed in August, the following year and Facebook later settled for US$9.5million.

---

6) Connections: tell the world what you really like

The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) has been a vocal critic of Facebook in the past and the new 'connections' function announced recently, has triggered more warnings.

Connections is Facebook's new way of collating highly marketable personal data into one place. That, says the EFF, includes your work history, hobbies, interests and your education: the type of social indicators advertisers crave. Now all these details, once private, are to made public.

This gives data miners a ripe opportunity to find out what millions of Facebook users like and why they like it, without ever needing to be a friend to find out. The EFF claims Facebook will continue to store and use your connections data, even after you have deleted those preferences.

And perhaps most disturbing of all, is that Facebook will not respect your old privacy settings in this transition to connections data. You cannot opt out. It's the Facebook way or the internet highway, says the EFF.

Andrew Walker staying loyal to Goodna Rugby League Club

QT.com.au

GOODNA'S dual international Andrew Walker has shown loyalty still exists in rugby league.

Despite being offered significant money by Queensland Cup side Easts Tigers, Walker has committed to his IRL club.

When the Easts Tigers lost star halfback Tim Smith to the Cronulla Sharks NRL club, Tigers officials made several approaches to Walker – offering him a better deal than he is on at Goodna.

Then, when rumours of the approach swept through rugby league, Ipswich Jets CEO Brad Wolens called Goodna president Gary Parker to ask if Walker was leaving Ipswich.

"I said if he is keen to play in the Queensland Cup, he doesn't have to leave Ipswich to do it," Wolens said.

"I didn't want to go behind Gary or anything. I simply said he could be dual-registered with the Jets and Goodna and if we were desperate we could use him but otherwise he would still be in Goodna."

But Walker informed Wolens he was happy playing in the IRL and would not take up the offer from Easts.

"Walker showed loyalty and that's great to see," Wolens said.

The Jets had hoped Walker could solve their halves crisis after injuries derailed their season.

"It's just good to keep guys of his standard in Ipswich so they can pass on the knowledge they have," Wolens said.

One of Walker's best friends, Goodna captain Craig Wehrman, said he had several discussions with Walker over the potential switch.

"I talked to him when he was weighing up the offer and I just wanted him to do what would make him happy," Wehrman said.

"In the end he wanted to stay close to his family and work and he was not too keen on training more than twice a week.

"It's great for us because he's had a big impact on the club and has given us a lot of confidence.

"He's been good for the younger fellers here, too, and even though he's only coasting along in the games, he's been playing well."

Walker, 36, played 145 NRL games for the Dragons, Roosters and Sea Eagles. He had a distinguished Super rugby career for the Brumbies and Reds.

When Walker announced he was coming to Goodna he said it was in part to help develop young talent.

Walker's coach at Goodna, Anthony Fowler, said he was delighted that his brilliant fullback stayed loyal to the club.

"I'm definitely glad he's stayed on," Fowler said.

"He's been really good for us this year and it would have been a shame to loose him to any club."

Australian government says broadband net viable

http://www.timeslive.co.za

Australia's planned fast broadband network will cost up to A$43 billion to build and will be viable even without the involvement of phone giant Telstra, a government commissioned study says.

Shrugging off criticism that the massive network would be too costly and outdated when complete, the report said the fast fibre services would reach 93% of the continent and be affordably priced.

"It will put affordable genuine fast broadband within the reach of every Australian," Communications Minister Stephen Conroy said at the release of the report which put the cost of the network at between A$38 billion and A$43 billion.

The faster network was a key election promise that helped propel Rudd to victory in 2007, painting the then-ruling conservatives as telecommunications luddites opposed to infrastructure that would boost national productivity.

Australia has slower and more expensive Internet services than many developed nations, raising concerns on competitiveness, and communications access will be central to elections later this year, which most surveys indicate Rudd is expected to win.

The study recommended the government strike an eventual deal with the former state-owned monopoly Telstra to sell its fixed-line assets into the government-controlled NBN Co operating the network, saying that would lower the cost further.

The government is still in talks with Telstra, which is concerned at the cost of being part of the network and the cannibalising of its ageing copper-based system as customers migrate to the new fibre.

"We are in lengthy and very complex negotiations with Telstra. They are ongoing. If both parties felt there was no point in those discussions continuing, we would terminate them," Conroy said.

"I wouldn't imagine that we could keep talking through to the end of the year, I wouldn't imagine we could keep talking until the end of June. At some point you have got to make a decision. either we are going to get there, or not, and then shake hands." The study said state backing for Australia's biggest proposed public-private partnership yet would be necessary in the early years and would peak at A$26 billion after seven years, with full privatisation due five years after the network launched.

Investment returns would outstrip long-term returns on government bonds, at around 6-7%, and the government would recoup around A$40 billion by the time of privatisation, the study by KPMG and McKinsey & Co. forecast.

Telstra shares slid sharply after the announcement the project could push ahead without its involvement, with the company's price dropping 1,28% by mid-afternoon, although still better than the broader market's 2% fall.

Failing to strike a deal with Telstra would make the roll-out more costly and would force the public-private NBN Co to compete with the country's biggest phone company, the report said.

"We will not be deterred, despite the opposition of some of the largest Australian companies, from this occuring. We believe it is in the national interest for this important piece of national infrastructure to get out there," Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said ahead of the report's release.

Australia's conservative opposition Leader Tony Abbott has nominated the project as prime target to curb spending if he wins elections later this year.

Conservative communications spokesman Tony Smith said thee network would be dumped in favour of a cheaper rural and regional network using wireless and wired technology.

The political uncertainty over the network's future has weighed on shares in phone companies including Telstra and Singtel.

The government last year rejected bids by firms that it said failed to offer value for money and said it would ask private firms to join the country's biggest infrastructure project.

Rudd said the new network would be built with money from a A$20 billion national infrastructure fund and the sale of bonds, following an initial government investment of A$4,7 billion. Private sector investment would be capped at 49%.

The study ruled out allowing the network to compete for retail customers, easing concerns at Telstra and rival SingTel Optus that NBN Co could go beyond its original remit to provide wholesale services on equivalent terms to all retail service companies.

COMMENT: If the Liberals win the next Federal election and hold good on their threat to scrap the NBN Project, it will be the most-cyncial and disgraceful decision witnesed for many decades in  Australia.  Urban Australia is crying out for a high-speed, national fibre network servicing 93% of Australian homes yet the Opposition is threatening to scrap this ambitious, internationally-acclaimed project.

PaulGTully@gmail.com

Labor's Jo-Ann Miller second MP to question Anna Bligh's asset sales

CourierMail.com.au

Jo- Ann Miller has defended Labor colleague Paul
Hoolihan who used Labour Day on Monday to voic
e his concerns over the plan to sell-off $15 billion
of public assets

A SECOND Labor MP has broken ranks over the Bligh government's privatisation plans.

Ipswich MP Jo-Ann Miller has defended Labor colleague Paul Hoolihan who used Labour Day on Monday to voice his concerns over the plan to sell-off $15 billion of public assets, including Queensland Rail's coal and bulk freight service.

Mr Hoolihan said the government should review its privatisation plans in the light of the economic recovery and higher-than-expected forecasts in revenue.

Ms Miller, whose seat of Bundamba includes a large number of railway workers, said Labor MPs had a right to reflect the mood of their local members.

``That's what we're elected to do, and Mr Hoolihan made his comments after a Labour Day march, so I think he is simply stating the views of his electorate,'' she told the Queensland Times newspaper.

``The government is well aware of my views and the views of the Bundamba electorate about this issue, and have been for some time.''

Ipswich Motorway delays expected as work progresses on Goodna to Dinmore upgrade

QT.com.au

Chaos: Roadworks will cause delays on the Ipswich Motorway.

DRIVERS on the Ipswich Motorway will face several long delays over the next two weeks as construction crews carry out road upgrades.

A long stretch of the Ipswich-bound lanes on the motorway will be closed for 19 hours this weekend so underground drainage works can be installed beneath the road.

Then for four days starting next Thursday the eastbound Brisbane lanes will be closed during certain hours at Redbank to remove a bridge and to install drainage works and gantries.

Regional Director for Metropolitan Region Miles Vass said the works were essential to protect the millions of dollars worth of work already undertaken on Ipswich Motorway upgrades.

"There's a lot happening on the motorway this month, with significant activity planned to progress the upgrade works," he said. "These works are an essential part of the motorway upgrade and will increase the motorway's flood immunity in the future."

This weekend the westbound lanes of the motorway will be closed between 5pm Saturday to noon on Sunday.

During these works all Ipswich and Logan Motorway traffic heading Ipswich-bound will be diverted at the Goodna/Redbank exits at Gailes, along the Brisbane Road service road. Motorists will re-enter the motorway via the Goodna on-ramp near William Street.

Major works will also be undertaken next week between Redbank and Wacol, including removal of the existing Law Street pedestrian bridge at Red- bank.Traffic on the Ipswich Motorway heading to Brisbane will be diverted off the motorway at Brisbane Road, Redbank during the following times:

From 7pm on Thursday, May 13, to 5am Friday, May 14;

From 7pm on Friday, May 14 to 5am Saturday, May 15;

From 5pm on Saturday, May 15, to noon Sunday, May 16;

From 7pm on Sunday, May 16, to 5am Monday, May 17.

Brisbane-bound traffic will be diverted via Brisbane Road at Redbank through to Brisbane Terrace at Goodna.

The detour will then continue along Wilruna Street at Gailes to the Progress Road Interchange at Wacol.

Heavy vehicles will be detoured over the Henry Ellerton bridge – the City of Ipswich bridge – at Gailes.

Main Roads apologised for the delays the roadworks would cause some drivers.

The works are budgeted under the $1.95 billion Federal Government-funded Ipswich Motorway Dinmore to Goodna upgrade.

Works hit a hurdle last year and costs blew out from original cost estimates of $1.1 billion after engineers discovered abandoned mine shafts where new lanes were to be built. The upgrade includes the widening of the Ipswich Motorway to a minimum of six lanes and construction of new service roads.

Fire ant scam hits Queensland

http://www.thereporter.com.au/

REPORTS of three men posing as fire ant inspectors in a bid to rip off Logan residents have outraged Biosecurity Queensland officials.

A Daisy Hill resident was recently asked to pay $50 to three men who claimed to be Logan City Council officers and requested a property inspection for fire ants.

Biosecurity Queensland control centre director, Neil O'Brien, said the incident was a genuine concern.

"The fight against fire ants is a serious issue and our inspectors play a very important role and they would never charge a fee to inspect anyone's property," he said.

"Biosecurity Queensland officers always have a Queensland Government identification card clearly visible."

Residents can request a site inspection of their property for fire ants by contacting Biosecurity Queensland on 132 523 or visit www.biosecutiry.qld.gov.au to fill out an online request.

Logan City residents are reminded to remain wary of potential fraudsters after a number of recent incidents involving men posing as Council officers.

In January, a number of residents were asked to make rates payments to men claiming to be from Logan City Council.

City governance, finance and water committee chairperson, Councillor Luke Smith (Division 6) said residents had a number of methods for paying their Council rates and other payments, none of which involved door-to-door collection.

"Residents are never required to hand over money for rates bills under any circumstances to anyone who comes knocking on their door," he said.

"If any resident is approached by someone claiming to be from the council and asking for some sort of payment, they should refuse to pay."

Brookwater Golf Club designed to a tee

http://springfield-news.whereilive.com.au

The Brookwater Golf Club is an award winning club which has topped Golf Australia magazine's list as Queensland's number one course for five years in a row.

It has also secured a place in Australia's top 30 courses as part of the biannual rankings.

General manager Peter Hourigan said the success had set a standard the club was keen to uphold.

The club is managed by Troon Golf, which manages golf courses in 32 countries including the US, Scotland, Japan, Mexico and the Bahamas. Offering world class services and facilities, the Greg Norman-designed course is a major part of the local community.

It boasts an array of ambassadors ranging from sports stars to news presenters, as well as 12 partnerships with other clubs and companies.

Troon is considered to be the world's largest golf course management company, responsible for more than 180 courses in 26 countries.

As well as a challenging 18-hole course, Brookwater offers a number of programs aimed at improving golf skills for everyone.

Last month club professional Mark Weir and trainee golf professional Jay Simpson conducted ladies golf clinics.

Mr Weir also provides clinics for our upcoming golf stars through the Kookaburra Club.

Split into the baby, cadet and junior divisions, the junior club aims at improving technique and skill for children aged five to 16 years.

The club is also a strong advocate of the 1000 Local Jobs project, an initiative of the Ipswich City Council and IPA which aims to provide jobs for long term unemployed.
For more information about Brookwater Gold Club visit: http://www.brookwatergolf. com or phone 38145500.

Tow truck operators warned to comply with the law

http://www.fullyloaded.com.au

Tow truck owners have been warned to follow the law when on-selling vehicles after claims operators were unwittingly breaching their obligations.

Queensland Fair Trading Minister Peter Lawlor has asked operators to make sure they have relevant licences when selling their vehicles in parts.

He says a maximum $20,000 penalty can be issued to operators who break-down and sell vehicles in parts to either consumers, motor dealers or motor dealer wreckers without holding a motor wrecking licence.

The licence is also required if an individual acquired the title to any vehicle they remove or tow.

"The Office of Fair Trading is seeking to increase awareness among Queensland tow truck drivers of the need to hold special licences if they are on-selling vehicles or parts, following reports that many drivers were unaware of this requirement," a spokeswoman for Lawlor says.

Selling vehicles in parts falls under the Property Agents and Motor Dealers Act and the Second Hand Dealers Act.

Lawlor says there are three licence categories that tow truck drivers may need to hold depending on how they operate their business.

The Office of Fair Trading has recently received numerous calls from tow truck operators issued with penalties from police.

Dog attack on postie at Bellbird Park

A female postal worker has been attacked by two dogs in an incident at Bellbird Park.

 

The attack occurred at Borodin Street and the worker was bitten on the left side of her leg and calf.

 

She required medical attention.

 

The dogs had allegedly escaped from their property by crawling under a boundary fence.

 

Ipswich City Council is investigating the incident.

 

 

Tomorrow is a public holiday in Ipswich

Thursday 6 May 2010 will be a public holiday in the City of Ipswich for Show Day.

Schools, government offices, Council offices (including Electorate Offices), post offices an some stores will be closed.

A day at Brookwater and Drummond Golf

http://puregolf2010.com

A quick change of plans and it was a 5am start and drive up to Brookwater Golf Club to play one of the highest rated courses in Queensland.

Naomi and Andrew McIntosh had arranged the round at Brookwater. Naomi was one of my playing partners at The Glades, and after the round I went and checked out the Drummond Golf Store these guys own in Underwood.  The store was really good and I particularly enjoyed checking out the launch monitor that showed you exactly how far, high and wide you hit it.  This is a great way of objectively judging which driver a customer should buy!

I left Drummond Golf a couple dozen Wilson Staff balls better off. I tried out these at The Glades and was hugely impressed. They feel as soft, if not softer than Pro-V!'s and fly probably further. I didn't have a launch monitor to test this of course. But it seemed like my irons were going a couple % further with them and I was having no problem stopping any pitch shots. Impressive stuff and I'm told they're about $20 cheaper than pro-v1's per dozen. I'm picking I wont be the only person using these things in the near future.

I also left Drummond Golf with a new set of Mizuno blades. Gorgeous clubs and, being second hand, they cost me about as much as a round of golf at Brookwater GC. Which takes me back to the course..

Joined by Andrew and also Victor Nichols (husband of my other playing partner at The Glades, Natalie) we had the course to ourselves thanks to our 650am tee time and invitation to play through the one group that were mad enough to hit off before us.

Brookwater is cut through the bush, almost Bonville-esque and has huge features to be expected of a Norman course. The bunkers are seriously deep and pretty scary obstacles when you are standing over your ball 150m out from the green. Despite playing poorly (29 points, 85) I still managed to miss getting into most of the bunkers so I can't give an accurate write up of how difficult they actually were. I think I went in two, and one of these was probably my only up and in of the day.

Some of the grass struggles to grow a bit due to the lack of sunlight that gets through to the fairways, but the greens were generally quite true – even if they were a bit grainy.  For a Norman course it actually required plenty of placement and thought. In this respect I'd like to play it again.  For example the back nine starts with three mid-length par fours which all play entirely differently. 10 (below) is fiendishly difficult with tree's making a shute through the fairway about 120m out from the green. Either you smash driver through the shoot, or lay up straight. And the lay-up is not easy as the fairway slopes considerably from the left to the right. I was blocked out and not in any position to hit to the elevated green with huge sandpits all around it.  11 is also a sharp dog-leg right where you need to play for position off the tee, and then hit a solid iron without getting nerved out by the water right and long.

We had a good fun round and Andrew and Victor were great company.   After the round I met Naomi and Andrew's son Josh and saw photographic evidence of the 'nearest to a hole-in-one award for the year' when he left it literally right on the edge of the cup on the par three 7^th.

I think Josh had 4 birdies but still only 23 points? Is that possible? Probably at Brookwater…. Before I go I must mention the 4^th hole which is an absolute monster of a par five. The picture from the tee shot is below, but then you play sharply uphill another 300 (the hole is 530m long), over a gully, between scrub left and right and finally when you get there to a tiny green angled away to the right with two massive bunkers short and a couple long just to top it off.  If you're not striking it well this hole is a brute.

So all up another good day at Brookwater and Drummond Golf. I'm really looking forward to getting back to Newcastle and Sydney, seeing the folks and then heading to the States.

Folau move to Union sucks, say Goodna fans

QT.com.au

Young Goodna Eagles players Treymain Spry-Gagai (left),
Treavon Drahm (right) and Nittest Kumar (seated) think their
hero Israel Folau should stay with rugby league.

JUNIOR rugby league players from Goodna say "it sucks" that club alumni and football superstar Israel Folau is on the verge of abandoning the game they love.

Folau is expected to leave rugby league to be the face of the new rugby union franchise the Melbourne Rebels.

It is believed Folau would have to sacrifice more than $400,000 a year if he stayed in rugby league.

There is also an offer from AFL on the table but it is understood Folau would not switch to such a vastly different game.

He is now officially off contract after declining to sign a contract extension with his club the Brisbane Broncos last Friday.

But the wide-eyed under-13 Goodna Eagles boys said they hoped Folau would stay loyal to rugby league.

"He's an awesome player," Eagles junior Treavon Drahm said.

"It sucks that he's leaving.

"I love league. I don't like union. I don't understand it and he shouldn't go there. He's a legend."

Folau played for Goodna as a teenager and, while he only spent two seasons at the club, he now tells kids at junior clinics that they should play for the Eagles if they want to play league.

Two of Folau's brothers, Sione and Eni, also played for the Eagles for several years.

Eni is on a Broncos scholar- ship while Folau's cousin Soape Palau also played for the Eagles, but left this year to play rugby union on a scholarship for Churchie.

The man who coached Folau's brothers and cousin, Terry Meedham, said talent ran in the bloodline.

"They all have potential. Soape is a five-eight and skinny, so he's a different player to Israel, and Eni is a big prop with a lot of talent," he said.

Goodna Eagles juniors president Norma Kumar said Folau was a great ambassador for the club.

"Some of the kids here came because Folau told them to at a junior clinic or a signing session," she said.

"They say we came here because Israel said to.

"He has been good to the club and I don't want to see him leave league."

Ipswich V8s racing event future in doubt

QT.com.au

Poor spectator facilities at the Queensland Raceway
track have been blamed for poor turn out at this year's event.

THE future of V8 Supercar races in Ipswich is in doubt after only 38,500 spectators turned up to the weekend event, 10,000 down on last year's figure.

The numbers are disappointing considering 2009's event clashed with the Ekka, and even then the attendance is well below the highs of about 70,000 in 2004 and 2005.

Drivers also criticised the Queensland Raceway track, and their complaints were magnified when a spectacular crash in a supporting race left two crowd members hospitalised.

V8 Supercars Australia blamed poor spectator facilities at the track and the late promotion of the race for the bad turn out this year.

The group's acting CEO Shane Howard said it would not return to Ipswich in 2011 unless changes were made to the Queensland Raceway's track.

"We are clearly on the public record as offering Queensland Raceway a 12-month lifeline to commit to improving the facility to meet V8 Supercars and general public standards," he said.

"Until such time as that commitment is met and satisfactory upgrades take place we will not be returning to Queensland Raceway."

The race was initially cancelled due to squabbles over track facilities but Ipswich Mayor Paul Pisasale negotiated for V8 Supercars Australia to promote the event on a one-off basis.

Queensland Raceway's CEO John Tetley said safety was not a problem at the track and that it could not justify building new facilities at the track to accommodate V8 Supercars.

He said they lost money hosting the 2009 event, and to build a shaded grandstand could cost about $4 million, which was too much for a one-off yearly event that struggled to turn a profit.

"We'll just have to wait and see if they want to come back again – they decide next year's calendar around September and we'll see then," Mr Tetley said.

"When it used to a be a single 300km race we had about 72,000 spectators turn up in 2004 and 2005, but the format has changed."

Holden driver Garth Tander said the V8s could not afford to lose the Ipswich round.

"It is important that we continue to service south-east Queensland and this race and this facility is pivotal to that," he said.

Elorac Place fire at Carole Park won’t stop services

http://south-west-news.whereilive.com.au

Police outside the fire damaged Elorac Place

Officials at community centre Elorac Place have vowed to start again following a fire which destroyed the Carole Park facility. 

The blaze tore through the Brisbane City Council-owned building in Southampton Rd last Wednesday, temporarily ending a range of activities including toddler gymnastics and a food bank.

But the Community Action in Carole Park group, which leases the building, hopes to resurrect each of the services after being offered the use of the nearby Department of Communities' food shed.

State MP for Inala Annastacia Palaszczuk and Brisbane City Councillor Milton Dick (Richlands) have called on the community to donate goods to the centre.

``The sad thing is where all the community activities happen has been destroyed,'' Ms Palaszczuk said.

``We really need the community to rally together to see if we can get back the equipment which has been lost.''

Community Action spokeswoman Bernadette Pitman, said the damage was painful.

``I think it's devastating to the Carole Park community,'' she said. ``It's a great asset and resource for them.''

Also upset at the loss is Carole Park mum Amanda Edge, whose children Jaden, 3, and Bayley, 2, attended the Tuesday playgroup and Eloractive Kids on Thursdays.

Mrs Edge said she would also miss the cheaper groceries she bought from the Food Shed.

Police are investigating the fire which broke out at 3am.

They said wheelie bins outside the building were set alight and flames spread, causing the roof to collapse.

To donate money or goods, phone 1800173349. 

Brothers, Goodna crush opponents in local Rugby League

QT.com.au

IT wasn't a good weekend for those hoping for a hard-fought round of Ipswich Rugby League.

Compared to the other two games, Swifts' 32-point win over Norths looked like a tight affair.

Brothers were too strong for the South Burnett Bushrangers, demolishing the visitors 62-18 at Brother Seery Park.

It was a similar story at Hayes Oval where Goodna thumped Fassifern 58-8.

Despite the one-sided scoreline, Goodna coach Anthony Fowler said it took his team almost a quarter of the match to get its act together, having played only twice in the past month together.

"It was just getting our combinations out," Fowler said of the reason behind the slow start.

When they did get their combinations sorted Fassifern had no answer.

The Eagles had seemingly been weakened by the injury induced absence of forwards Sione Piutau, Andy Piutau and Nick Schloss while Frank Matiu only played a minor role due to illness.

In their place however, Taetafa Tauaa, Alistair Tauaa and Jackson Solofa excelled while under-18 star back-rower Elijah Umu marked his senior debut with a try.

Fowler was pleased with his teams' defence and the manner in which they stuck to their match patterns late in the game, despite the score line blowing out.

One thing he wasn't happy with was their early attitude.

"Just our discipline in the first half," he said.

"We gave away silly penalties and late tackles."

The Bombers were struggling for depth, having to forfeit in reserve grade, and it showed on the scoreboard.

On the other side, Fowler was happy with his team's progression at this stage of the season.

"We're getting there," he said.

"The fitness is pretty good.

"It will be good to get a few games."

Workers march at Labour Day rally as Rachel Nolan claims Redbank jobs safe

QT.com.au

The Labour Day march in Ipswich on Saturday.

TAKING their frustration to the streets, workers marched at the Ipswich Labour Day rally on Saturday.

Marching hand-in-hand with his four-year-old son Ely, Electrical Trades Union delegate Joshua Williams said the day was now more relevant than ever.

"We had a lot of hard fought battles in the 1980s and '90s, now we have another one with publicly-owned assets like Queensland Rail being sold off and taken away from the community," Mr Williams said.

Queensland Public Sector Union general secretary Alex Scott said Labour Day was a time to celebrate the wins of both public and private sector workers when it came to fair pay, reasonable hours, reasonable workloads and fair working conditions.

"Across our state, public sector and private sector workers celebrate Labour Day as part of our commitment to working for better lives for everyone," Mr Scott said.

"No matter where we happen to be on Labour Day we enjoy a day out, a meal and some festivities. We stand up together and say fair pay, fair hours, reasonable workloads and conditions are the basic entitlements for workers everywhere and they are important."

Despite the placards denouncing the State Government's privatisation plans, Ipswich MP Rachel Nolan walked shoulder-to-shoulder with her political counterparts, including Ipswich West MP Wayne Wendt and Federal Member for Blair, Shayne Neumann.

Ms Nolan said she was a proud supporter of the day.

"It is important that the day is recognised by individuals and it is disappointing numbers are down this year."

Ms Nolan dismissed union criticism regarding the future move of maintenance work from the Redbank rail workshops to Maryborough, saying the government had already made a two-year employment guarantee to workshops staff.

"That's more certainty than most other employees have," she said.

But QR fitter Brett Gamlen said he believed his future was very much uncertain.

"I would say I would be out of a job once QR is privatised," he said.

The Redbank resident and Australian Manufacturing Workers Union delegate said he felt "sick" at the thought of the government's privatisation plans.

"Before they were elected the said they would look after state owned assets," Mr Gamlen said.

"Than they announced they were selling them off."

His thoughts were echoed by another QR Redbank employee, who did not wish to be named.

"In the long term, the sale of QR won't be good for Queensland workers," he said.

"What will happen once our jobs go?"

Ipswich Motorway Project

Ipswich 300 Raceway Spectacular Crash - but amazingly only 2 injured

Advance Notice: Roadworks planned for Sunday May 2 at Redbank

Ipswich City Council will be undertaking major road resurfacing at Brisbane Road Redbank, near the overhead rail bridge, on Sunday May 2, 2010 between the hours of 6.00am and 6.00pm.

Residents have been notified by letterbox drop and emergency services and bus companies have been advised.

Single lane traffic will continue under traffic control but vehicles heading to or from Brisbane Terrace Goodna may face delays of up to 10 minutes or more.

Rare archival footage - Ipswich City Council Centenary Meeting 1960 - celebrating 100 years of municipal government in Ipswich

This rare archival film footage (without sound) has just become available.

It shows a Special Meeting of the Ipswich City Council in 1960 to celebrate Ipswich's 100th anniversary of its proclamation as a municipality in March 1860 by the Governor of Queensland.

In 2010, Ipswich proudly celebrates its sesqui-centenary - 150 years of municipal government in the city.

Ipswich was the first municipality in Queensland established by the new Queensland Government following separation from New South Wales in December 1859.


.........................................................................................................................
DO YOU HAVE ANY RARE FILM FOOTAGE OF THE IPSWICH REGION?
CONTACT CR PAUL TULLY AT:    paulgtully@gmail.com

71yo Redbank Plains woman jailed after pension fraud

QT.com.au

AN ELDERLY woman has been jailed after admitting defrauding Centrelink of almost $60,000.

Despite being married for 32 years, Ipswich resident Ellen Louisa Westrip, 71, claimed she was single and received $59,674 through a widow's pension over 11 years. She has already paid back almost $39,000 of the money she obtained and has to care for her wheelchair-bound husband, but she will serve the next three months behind bars.

She was sentenced in Ipswich District Court by Judge Sarah Bradley, who sparked controversy in 2007 when she gave several teenagers suspended sentences and probation after they admitted raping a 10-year-old girl in Aurukun, North Queensland.

The Aurukun case was successfully appealed in 2008, with Chief Justice Paul de Jersey sentencing five of the nine to jail or juvenile detention, and three receiving probation.

Hetty Johnston, founder of the child safety advocacy group Bravehearts, said she was incredulous that an elderly, diabetic woman had been jailed.

"It is outrageous. It just shows how nonsensical the system is, how illogical it is," Ms Johnston said. "The harm that Westrip has caused is absolutely miniscule compared to the damage and harm that a sex offender causes."

Ms Johnston said the legal system was out of touch with community expectations in sentencing.

"The legal system has a mentality that is 'don't touch my money'," she said.

"Touch my kids – it's not that bad, but don't touch my money."

Ms Johnston said most paedophiles were repeat offenders, but they were "being sent home on a daily basis on good-behaviour bonds".

"The community is really unhappy," she said.

Ipswich District Court heard Westrip received the widow's pension between February 1996 and July 2008 and was caught after another Federal Government department tipped off Centrelink.

Westrip, who lives in Redbank Plains with her husband and his daughter, pleaded guilty to defrauding the Commonwealth and dishonestly obtaining a financial advantage from the Commonwealth.

Judge Bradley sentenced Westrip to two years jail, but she will be released after serving three months. She must also repay the outstanding debt.

When released, Westrip will be on a $500 good-behaviour bond for three years.

Defence barrister Charles Bagley said Westrip, who had no criminal history, was unlikely to commit further offences and had put a reverse mortgage on her home to repay the debt.

He said Westrip's husband was likely to be put in a care facility for the period of her incarceration.

Judge Bradley said despite the low risk of Westrip re-offending, she must serve actual time in jail to serve as a deterrent to others considering Centrelink fraud.

"It's very sad indeed to see a lady of your age and your previous good character being brought before the court," Judge Bradley said.

In the 2008-09 financial year, three defendants pleaded guilty to Centrelink fraud in Ipswich District Court, receiving a total of $111,701 in overpayments, and all three received jail – to serve between three and 10 months.

Westrip's husband declined to comment on the case, telling The Queensland Times it was a "private matter".

Centrelink general manager Hank Jongen said Westrip's case was a strong reminder to all customers to tell Centrelink when their situation changed.

"The message is clear – those who continue to rort the system will be caught and face the possibility of length jail time and of course, paying back the debt," he said.

Rugby League: Israel Folau to have street named after him

QT.com.au

Big hit: Israel Folau's local popularity was obvious
when he visited Bundamba State Secondary College
earlier this year.

DESPITE being on the verge of deserting the game which made him famous, former Goodna Eagles junior Israel Folau will still have a street in Ipswich named after him.

Folau is officially a free agent after deciding not to exercise an extension in his contract yesterday.

Councillor for the Goodna region Paul Tully said a new street in Goodna would still be named after Folau within the next three months to recognise his status as an Australian Test player.

"It will not matter which code he switches to, because the honour is for him being a rugby league international from Goodna," Cr Tully said.

"I want to start a tradition of recognising international sportsmen who played for Goodna."

Folau is just the second Goodna Eagles junior to play rugby league for Australia.

Team of the Century prop and former Goodna star Noel Kelly is the other, and he also has a street in Goodna named after him.

Kelly said he thought Folau needed to prove himself more before a street was named in his honour.

"I had to wait over 60 years for my street," Kelly laughed.

"I think it's a bit early for him. But Tully knows what Goodna wants."

Folau is weighing up two massive offers from rival codes.

The main contender for his services are the Melbourne Rebels.

The Rebels are reportedly offering Folau $800,000 a season, but their offer has allegedly been trumped by the AFL who are offering him $1 million a season to become the face of their new Greater Western Sydney franchise.

Kelly said if he was Folau, he would take the money.