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62 arrests in Gold Coast crime crackdown - Ninemsn



62 arrests in Gold Coast crime crackdown
Ninemsn
Another 62 people have been arrested on Queensland's Gold Coast as part of the month-long police crackdown on crime. Those arrested overnight were charged with 83 offences, mostly for traffic violations, causing a public nuisance or drunk and ...

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An edgy jobs market finds itself in the firing line of a skittish economy - The Australian



An edgy jobs market finds itself in the firing line of a skittish economy
The Australian
Labor premiers such as Queensland's Anna Bligh and South Australia's Mike Rann are politely more circumspect; they have little choice but their apprehension is obvious. The federal government - fighting for its life - keeps talking loudly about new ...

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Billabong Profits Plummet - Which Way To Pay - Australia



Brisbane Times

Billabong Profits Plummet
Which Way To Pay - Australia
Billabong have blamed dampened consumer spending which has been affected severely by global economic concerns, higher cost of living, as well as international natural disasters including Queensland flooding, the New Zealand earthquake as well as the ...
Billabong dumped by investors after profit blowHerald Sun
Billabong Blames Strong A$ For Disappointing EarningsWall Street Journal
Billabong shares wipe out on profit fallTrading Room

all 74 news articles »

Slim hope of quick resolution - The Australian

Slim hope of quick resolution - The Australian:


Slim hope of quick resolution
The Australian
The court case stems from action taken by the ACCC last July against SensaSlim, O'Brien and others in the Federal Court, alleging misleading and deceptive conduct under the Trade Practices Act 1974. According to an ACCC spokesperson, on June 16 the ...

Peter Lyons: Trade truths behind great milk 'rip off' - New Zealand Herald




Peter Lyons: Trade truths behind great milk 'rip off'
New Zealand Herald
Their milk-processing industry is struggling, particularly in New South Wales and Queensland. The margins between what they have to pay their farmers and what they get for exports, such as cheese and butter, are too low. The likely reason for the high ...

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Billabong dumped by investors after profit blow - Herald Sun



TheBull.com.au

Billabong dumped by investors after profit blow
Herald Sun
Billabong also said a string of natural disasters, including the Japan earthquake and Queensland floods had an impact on its market. But there is more to Billabong's difficulties than that. What hit home hardest was a higher tax rate for the past ...
Billabong Blames Strong A$ For Disappointing EarningsWall Street Journal
Billabong shares wipe out on profit fallSBS

all 64 news articles »

Consumer caution impact hits new sectors - CFO World



The West Australian

Consumer caution impact hits new sectors
CFO World
Declines were registered in trend terms across five states and territories last month, with the weakest results recorded in NSW, followed by Queensland and South Australia. Sales in Queensland have consistently fallen for the past 23 months, ...
Ongoing weakness in spendingSwitzer Financial News (blog)
COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA : Weakness spreads across business sales as ...4-traders (press release)

all 45 news articles »

Mirvac offside as Queensland Court of Appeal finds unit owner can void contract on flooded apartment

  
Mirvac's Tennyson Reach

DISPUTE: Mirvac's Tennyson Reach apartment block which was flooded in January.

 

A BUYER could rescind a contract to buy a multimillion-dollar unit after it was made uninhabitable by Brisbane's January flood, the Court of Appeal has found.

It was seen as a test case over whether a buyer could void a contract following the floods.

Maris Anne Dunworth had been battling with the unit complex builders Mirvac Queensland Pty Limited for several years.

However, matters came to a head when the lower ground unit was inundated by floodwaters on January 13.

In July 2007, Mrs Dunworth, the wife of former Wallaby footballer David Dunworth, agreed to buy the residential apartment in a proposed building at Tennyson, in Brisbane's south, for $2.155 million.

Before any completion of the contract, the by-then completed building, was flooded and it was necessary to remove the lower level of gyprock sheeting of the walls and to disconnect the electrical wiring and appliances.

However, Mrs Dunworth rejected the offer to restore the unit, and on January 28 purported to rescind the contract on the grounds that the unit had been rendered unfit for occupation.

The matter went to the Supreme Court in February where a judge found against Mrs Dunworth and gave Mirvac until June to complete the work.

Mrs Dunworth then appealed and in an unanimous judgment today the Court of Appeal upheld the appeal, set aside the Supreme Court orders and declared she had validly rescinded her contract with Mirvac on January 28.

The Court awarded costs to Mrs Dunworth.

Earlier on December 10 last year, Mrs Dunworth had lost another court bid to get a contract on the Tennyson Reach apartment declared void.

Mrs Dunworth wanted to void the contract because she alleged the apartment was not as high off the ground or as private as she thought.

But a judge ordered a specific performance of the contract, requiring completion by February 8 this year.

Then the January 13 flood struck and Mrs Dunworth again sought to void the contract on the grounds the unit was uninhabitable.

www.CourierMail.com.au

 

CONSUMER COMMENT: Even if Mirvac was on good legal ground - which they weren't - it was an act of complete bastardry not to allow Maris Dunworth to rescind the contract after her unit was destroyed in the 2011 flood.  This case makes Mirvac look as bad as the insurance companies who treated members of the public so badly after the flood.  Another consumer win against a once-invincible corporate giant! 

Agent suspended over accusation of doctoring club's offer to player - Sydney Morning Herald



Agent suspended over accusation of doctoring club's offer to player
Sydney Morning Herald
Four other leading managers, who look after some of the NRL's biggest stars, are still to answer questions about allegations that they were involved in the Melbourne Storm salary cap rort, which led to the club being stripped of two premierships in ...

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Glass-half-full Goyder sticks to his diversified guns - The Australian



The West Australian

Glass-half-full Goyder sticks to his diversified guns
The Australian
Earnings from Wesfarmers' resources division, for example, jumped 123 per cent despite the problems with coal production caused by the Queensland floods. That also helped counter the big decline in insurance group earnings due to those same ...
Wesfarmers mum on Burrup Fertilisers sales processPerth Now
Wesfarmers' challenge is to outperform AustraliaSydney Morning Herald

all 81 news articles »

APN reports loss after writedown of newspaper titles - New Zealand Herald



The Age

APN reports loss after writedown of newspaper titles
New Zealand Herald
The results follow a difficult half-year in which the company's Queensland newspapers were affected by floods and consumer sentiment weakened in New Zealand. APN operates the Star in quake-hit Christchurch, but more significant was the loss of ...
APN books its disasters loss and cuts costsSydney Morning Herald
INDEPENDENT NEWS & MEDIA PLC : APN News & Media Interim Results 20114-traders (press release)
Herald owner makes a loss, shares sinkTVNZ
B&T Marketing & Media
all 84 news articles »

Schweppes site to close in deal - Ipswich Queensland Times



Schweppes site to close in deal
Ipswich Queensland Times
Under a deal with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), Schweppes has acquired some of P&N's manufacturing sites, including a factory at Goodna, while P&N will take over a part of the Wulkuraka operation. ...

Herald owner makes a loss, shares sink - TVNZ


BigPond News

Herald owner makes a loss, shares sink
TVNZ
"Consumer and business confidence in those local markets began to deteriorate in the fourth quarter last year. The flooding in Queensland and earthquakes in New Zealand exacerbated this general slowdown." The APN writedown is indicative of the broader ...
INDEPENDENT NEWS & MEDIA PLC : APN News & Media Interim Results 20114-traders (press release)
APN suffers loss following natural disastersB&T Marketing & Media
APN shares dive on news of first-half lossSydney Morning Herald

all 68 news articles »

Now might be a good time to build - Toowoomba Chronicle



Now might be a good time to build
Toowoomba Chronicle
The latest figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics for building and finance approvals tell a grim story about the state of the building and construction industry in Queensland, according to Master Builders Downs & Western regional manager Tony ...

Things Australia Approves: More Dangerous than Raw Milk? - IBTimes Canada

Things Australia Approves: More Dangerous than Raw Milk? - IBTimes Canada:

IBTimes Canada

Things Australia Approves: More Dangerous than Raw Milk?
IBTimes Canada
Many studies have linked consumption of pasteurized milk with lactose intolerance, allergies, asthma, frequent ear infections, gastro-Intestinal problems, diabetes, auto-Immune disease, attention deficit disorder and constipation. ...

and more »

Push for stricter laws on labelling - The Canberra Times








Push for stricter laws on labelling
The Canberra Times
Its recent survey of 159 types of muesli found one brand, The Muesli, contained twice the amount of fat than a double quarter pounder hamburger at McDonald's. Almost half of Sunsol Gluten Free muesli and Nu-Vit Low Fat muesli were made up of sugar ...

and more »

APN shares dive on news of first-half loss - Sydney Morning Herald






BigPond News



APN shares dive on news of first-half loss
Sydney Morning Herald
''Consumer and business confidence in those local markets began to deteriorate late in the fourth quarter last year. ''The flooding in Queensland and the earthquakes in New Zealand exacerbated this general slowdown.''APN said parts of Queensland were ...
APN NEWS AND MEDIA LIMITED : Market Announcement - Half Year Results4-traders (press release)

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Australian farmers want land protected from miners - Reuters



Australian farmers want land protected from miners
Reuters
Australia's coal-seam gas industry plans to build roughly $70 billion worth of LNG projects in Queensland state alone over the next seven years, while exploration is also gathering pace in neighboring New South Wales. But opposition leader Tony Abbott, ...
Farmers Fight Back Against CSGThe Epoch Times

all 18 news articles »

Malaysia halts live animal imports over Hendra virus - The Australian



Malaysia halts live animal imports over Hendra virus
The Australian
Goat breeder Marie Barnes, at the Royal Queensland Show in Brisbane yesterday, says exporters are worried about their future. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen. Source: The Australian MALAYSIA has quietly suspended all Australian animal imports in another ...

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Rudd's 'rort': students slam 'slow' laptops - Ballarat Courier

Rudd's 'rort': students slam 'slow' laptops - Ballarat Courier:

Sydney Morning Herald

Rudd's 'rort': students slam 'slow' laptops
Ballarat Courier
The Glennie School, in the rural Queensland city of Toowoomba, was an early laptop school and currently has parents buying Acer laptops at about $2500 each, including support from a responsive local shop. With three girls at the school, ...
Rudd giveaway gripes: students slam 'slow' laptopsSydney Morning Herald

all 208 news articles »

World Bank boss spoils Govt's pitch - The Canberra Times




World Bank boss spoils Govt's pitch
The Canberra Times
RBC Capital Markets suggested economic growth would fall short of the Treasury's forecasts due to the recent deterioration in global market sentiment and local consumer confidence, a delayed recovery in Queensland's exports and a softening jobs market. ...

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SMS creates employee stockpile - ZDNet Australia




SMS creates employee stockpile
ZDNet Australia
Not being able to access client sites during the Queensland floods had also seen a negative impact, according to the company, as did delayed sales by the company's new acquisition, Renewtech, which contributed a loss to the group's result. ...

and more »

Australia facing 'weak economic growth' - Sydney Morning Herald




Australia facing 'weak economic growth'
Sydney Morning Herald
That was due to a slump in retail trade, the slowdown in employment and the disruption to production in the first quarter of 2011 due to flooding in Queensland. Mr Evans said evidence was emerging to support his view that the Reserve Bank of Australia ...

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Five star ratings continue for UQ - UQ News




Five star ratings continue for UQ
UQ News
The Good Universities Guide is an independent consumer guide which provides ratings, rankings, comment and information about Australian higher education institutions. The 2012 Guide noted that graduates of Queensland universities are still finding jobs ...

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Consumer sentiment hurts Reject Shop - Finance News Network (press release)


The West Australian

Consumer sentiment hurts Reject Shop
Finance News Network (press release)
The Reject Shop Limited (ASX:TRS) says weak consumer sentiment and flooding in Queensland has taken its toll on profits. The Managing Director describing the period as the most challenging year in the company's history. The Reject Shop posted a net ...
THE REJECT SHOP LIMITED : Media Release June 2011 Results4-traders (press release)

all 20 news articles »

MP disappointed with Football Queensland - Brisbane Times




MP disappointed with Football Queensland
Brisbane Times
Bernie Ripoll, the member for Oxley, said on Wednesday he was concerned about the conduct of Football Queensland in relation to business dealings under investigation by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC). ...

Final hurdle cleared in Teys Cargill merger plan - Beef Central




Final hurdle cleared in Teys Cargill merger plan
Beef Central
The FIRB approval follows the blessing of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) over the deal on July 6. All going according to plan, the joint venture should activate on September 3, which is a Saturday, meaning in practical terms, ...

and more »

Tab High rollers boost new-look Tabcorp - Herald Sun

Tab High rollers boost new-look Tabcorp - Herald Sun: "


Tab High rollers boost new-look Tabcorp
Herald Sun
Echo, owner of Star City in Sydney, Jupiters on the Gold Coast, Treasury in Brisbane and Jupiters Townsville in north Queensland, reported a 16.6 per cent gain in net profit to $225.9 million for 2010-11.

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"

Daniel Morcombe's accused killer named as Brett Peter Cowan

Morcombe
An artist impression of the man accused of Daniel Morcombe's murder. Inset picture: Nine News Source: Supplied
A suppression order prohibiting naming Daniel Morcombe's accused killer has been lifted.
State Coroner Michael Barnes this eveing lifted the order that he made in December last year.
The decision means media organisations can publish the name of 41-year-old Perth man, Brett Peter Cowan, who was on Saturday charged with the murder of Daniel Morcombe, almost eight years after the 13-year-old went missing.
The move was supported by Daniel's parents, Bruce and Denise, who hope the release of his name may result in more witnesses coming forward.
"Because of the very fact that he lived in the area, and he was reasonably well known on the Sunshine Coast, my clients are hopeful that it might lead to other witnesses coming forward once his identity is disclosed," said lawyer Peter Boyce, who is representing the Morcombes.
Daniel was last seen in December 2003 as he waited for a bus at Woombye to go Christmas shopping.
Cowan has also been charged with indecent treatment of a child under 16, child stealing, deprivation of liberty and misconduct with a corpse.
Police and emergency services crews are scouring bushland on the Sunshine Coast where they believe his body may have been dumped.
Cowan's lawyer, Tim Meehan, neither opposed nor supported the application by media organisations to have the suppression order lifted.
However, he reminded the public to respect his client's rights during the lengthy judicial process.
"We ask you to be aware of the fact that (Cowan) is presumed innocent," he said.
Cowan briefly appeared in the Brisbane Magistrates Court for the first time on Monday.
Mr Meehan indicated his client would fight the charges and said he would apply for bail in the Supreme Court in Brisbane at a later date.

CCIQ calls for electricity pricing overhaul - Queensland Business Review

CCIQ calls for electricity pricing overhaul - Queensland Business Review: "


CCIQ calls for electricity pricing overhaul
Queensland Business Review
An overhaul of electricity pricing is needed to alleviate the mounting cost pressures on the State's businesses, according to the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Queensland (CCIQ). The industry body is calling on the Queensland Government to switch it ...

"

Homes raided in alleged loan sharks bust - ABC Online

Homes raided in alleged loan sharks bust - ABC Online: "


Homes raided in alleged loan sharks bust
ABC Online
State and federal investigators have raided two properties in Cairns in far north Queensland as part of an operation targeting loan sharks. The Office of Fair Trading and the Australian Securities and Investments Commission raided two homes in Cairns ...

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"

Explainer: coal seam gas, shale gas and fracking in Australia - The Conversation

Explainer: coal seam gas, shale gas and fracking in Australia - The Conversation: "





The Conversation



Explainer: coal seam gas, shale gas and fracking in Australia
The Conversation
Debate is intensifying over the extraction of coal seam gas, particularly in NSW and Queensland. Farmers are protesting over safety concerns and threats to the country's food security. The Greens and the Nationals have joined forces to restrict mining, ...

and more »
"

Sluggish consumer confidence has an upside - top advertising space is now ... - StartupSmart

Sluggish consumer confidence has an upside - top advertising space is now ... - StartupSmart: "














Sluggish consumer confidence has an upside - top advertising space is now ...
StartupSmart
As a small Queensland-based business discovered, even a TV ad during the MasterChef finale can be snapped up on the cheap. Make sure you read about how the business did it and check out our top tips on punching above your marketing weight without ...

and more »
"

Diet group sues critic second time - The Age

Diet group sues critic second time - The Age: "

The Age

Diet group sues critic second time
The Age
The ACCC has since alleged that Mr O'Brien, Foster and others engaged in misleading and deceptive conduct in promoting the herbal spray, which continues to sell online. Its action coincided with revelations in The Age that the company had marketed its ...

"

ACCENTURE : National E-Conveyancing Development Ltd (NECDL) Signs Master ... - 4-traders (press release)

ACCENTURE : National E-Conveyancing Development Ltd (NECDL) Signs Master ... - 4-traders (press release): "


ACCENTURE : National E-Conveyancing Development Ltd (NECDL) Signs Master ...
4-traders (press release)
If ACCC clearance is obtained, the four major banks will become minority shareholders of NECDL . The states of NSW, QLD, Vic and WA will remain the majority shareholders of NECDL. Despite significant effort over the past 10 years to develop a national ...

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"

Rudd giveaway gripes: students slam 'slow' laptops - Sydney Morning Herald

Rudd giveaway gripes: students slam 'slow' laptops - Sydney Morning Herald: "

Sydney Morning Herald

Rudd giveaway gripes: students slam 'slow' laptops
Sydney Morning Herald
"It's a rort: the cost ends up being four to five times the cost of the computer, and you don't have a choice of model. But in terms of educational value, it's great." While her daughter recently completed her HSC and "is not that fussed on computers", ...
Rudd's 'rort': students slam 'slow' laptopsLakes Mail

all 195 news articles »
"

KFC and Sizzler parent Collins Food Group floats on ASX same week as global ... - Courier Mail

KFC and Sizzler parent Collins Food Group floats on ASX same week as global ... - Courier Mail: "


KFC and Sizzler parent Collins Food Group floats on ASX same week as global ...
Courier Mail
Collins operates 117 KFC outlets in Queensland and two in New South Wales, as well as 26 Sizzler eateries dotted around the nation. It also franchises 59 Sizzlers based mainly in Thailand, Japan and China. Investors have been attracted by the chain's ...

"