AAP Internet Bulletin 1030 Saturday Dec 19, 1998

AAP General News (Australia)
12-19-1998
AAP Internet Bulletin 1030 Saturday Dec 19, 1998





[I][IRAQ][MID]

Third wave of Iraq air strikes start

Anti-aircraft guns began firing in Baghdad early Saturday, hours after the United States
and Britain launched a third wave of attacks on Iraq.

Red tracer shells streaked across the night sky.

The anti-aircraft guns began firing at 1.20am local time (0920 AEDT), moments after dull
thuds were heard on the outskirts of the city. Residents assumed these were the sounds of
missiles hitting the ground.

Unlike Thursday night when many US cruise missiles exploded close to the city centre, no
big explosions were heard in the first minutes of the Saturday attack.

As a result, the anti-aircraft guns fired less frequently than during the earlier attacks
on the city.

Cars were still passing in the streets near the Information Ministry, where foreign
journalists operate, as the barrage continued.

The anti-aircraft guns began firing a little more than five hours after US Defence
Secretary William Cohen told a Pentagon news conference that the third wave of attacks had
begun.

It is presumed that the opening strikes of this wave were against targets far from Baghdad.

"The United States and British forces are continuing to attack a wide range of military
targets," Cohen said.

Meanwhile, a defiant Saddam Hussein, dressed in his field marshal's uniform, went on the
air today and exhorted his people to continue their resistance.

"By God's will, you will be victorious," Saddam said in his first national address since US
and British attacks began before dawn on Thursday Iraq time

The Iraqi leader, declaring he would not "compromise or kneel" in the showdown over arms
inspections, made his remarks hours before the United States and Britain launched a third
night of airstrikes from ships based in the Persian Gulf and in Kuwait.

Almost all potential weapons sites that UN Inspectors had been monitoring before Iraq
stopped cooperating with them have been hit in the raids, Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz
said.

Iraq's refusal to allow inspectors into all sites led to the present crisis.

Iraq says at least 25 people have been killed in the last two days.

In announcing the start of the strikes, President Clinton recognised it would be offensive
to the United States' Arab allies if the attacks continued into Ramadan.

But National Security Adviser Sandy Berger said the strikes would not necessarily end with
the beginning of Ramadan.

"That is not an automatic deadline," Berger said.

Yesterday 106 UN humanitarian workers were evacuated by bus to the Jordanian capital Amman,
a UN official told The Associated Press. UN executives had hoped to keep the workers - who
monitor food aid for Iraqis - in place, but apparently reversed the decision after the
bombardment.

The Pentagon said more than 200 missiles hit 50 sensitive sites in the first attack,
including President Saddam Hussein's military intelligence headquarters in Baghdad and four
barracks for special security guards who protect weapons sites.

An assessment of the damage from the second round of attack wasn't available. Foreign
reporters in Baghdad are based at a press centre in the Information Ministry and cannot move
around the sprawling city of five million without official escorts.

Health Minister Omed Medhat Mubarak said earlier that at least 25 people were killed and 75
were injured until Thursday night when at least a dozen explosions rocked Baghdad.

US Defence Secretary William Cohen said there have been no American casualties.

Iraq's ill-equipped hospitals would find it hard to cope with the growing number of
casualties, Mubarak told reporters in a Baghdad hospital damaged by explosions.

The strikes have divided the 15-member Security Council, with Russia, China and Kenya
supporting Iraq's demand for a cease-fire.

Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov said Moscow would insist on the dismissal of UNSCOM
chairman Richard Butler, whose negative report about Iraq triggered the US-British action.

In the report, Butler said Iraq had reneged on its November 14 pledge to cooperate with his
inspectors. He cited Iraq's refusal to allow entry into five sites, including an office of
Iraq's ruling Baath Party.

Butler defended his report and dismissed as "utterly wrong" any suggestion that it was
timed to help Clinton deflect attention from impeachment proceedings over the Monica Lewinsky
affair.





[A][IRAQ AUST][FED]

Aussies ignore Iraq warnings

Most of the Australians in Iraq appear to be ignoring warnings to leave despite ongoing US
and British air strikes. At least 25 are known to be still in the country.

Australia's high profile support for the bombings has also raised fears about the $500
million wheat trade with Iraq and other farm exports to neighbouring countries.

Some Australians left Iraq following the first air strikes, but the discovery of a number
of others in the country previously unknown to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
(DFAT) meant the number there was still listed at 25.

"Some Australians were able to leave in the last 24 hours, however a number of other
Australians have advised us that they are in Iraq," A DFAT spokesman told AAP.

The majority of these are UN aid workers, but there are now known to be seven private
citizens in Iraq, including a woman and her two children in Baghdad who are dual nationals.

The Department has renewed its warning for Australians in Iraq to get out immediately, and
for those in Israel and Kuwait to consider leaving.

There are believed to be around 7,000 Australians in Iraq and 600 in Kuwait.

The renewed fighting has raised fears of a another blow to Australia's farmers, already
struggling because of the collapse of key Asian markets.

Australia exports around half a billion dollars in wheat to Iraq, and there are fears
Australia's outspoken support for the bombings will cut off this trade, along with the live
sheep trade to Iraq and nearby countries as was the case in the 1991 Gulf war.

However, Australian Wheat Board general manager of marketing Nigel Officer said they
expected Iraq to keep its contract with Australia.

"It's true to say that we have an ongoing program - that program will go on we hope," Mr
Officer told ABC radio.





[I][US CLINTON][US]

US House debates Clinton's impeachment

A divided House of Representatives opened historic debate on US President Bill Clinton's
impeachment today, with his accusers invoking their constitutional duty and his defenders
calling the process a "runaway train heading for a cliff".

With Clinton's hopes of averting impeachment by the House over the Monica Lewinsky affair
nearly dead, politicians opened only the second presidential impeachment debate in history
with partisan blasts of rancour and several loud standing ovations.

"We will in our lifetime never cast a more important vote," said Representative John Lewis,
a Georgia Democrat. "The spirit of history is upon us and the future of the republic before
us."

Republican leaders brushed aside Democratic objections that the House should not even
consider impeaching the commander-in-chief while US troops are in action in Iraq.

"I believe that we send the wrong message to (Iraqi President) Saddam Hussein and to the
British and to the Chinese and to the Russians to be on the floor of this House today,"
Democratic Leader Richard Gephardt of Missouri said as a third wave of airstrikes was carried
out against Iraq.

"It is a grave mistake to rush forward with impeachment like a runaway train heading for a
cliff. Why can't we just pause for a second?" said Representative David Bonior of Michigan,
the second ranking Democrat in the House.

But Republicans, who had pushed the debate back one day after the strikes were first
launched, said it was important to move forward and not allow Saddam to dictate the
congressional schedule.

"We felt the quicker we could go ahead, the more we could show the world how our democracy
works," said Republican Representative Henry Hyde, chairman of the Judiciary Committee.

The four articles of impeachment, alleging two counts of perjury and one each of
obstruction of justice and abuse of power, were approved last week by the House Judiciary
Committee on party-line votes.

Under an agreement reached this morning, those four articles were to be debated until 10pm
EST today (1400 Saturday AEDT) and then again at 9am EST tomorrow (0100 Sunday AEDT). Final
votes would come later tomorrow.





[I][KOREAS SUBMARINE]

South Korea sinks North Korean sub

South Korean navy ships have fought a gunbattle with a North Korean submarine, sinking it
off the southern coast, military officials said.

The body of one North Korean crewman was recovered after the 10-tonne sub was sunk about 97
kilometres off the tip of the Korean Peninsula, the office of South Korea's Joint Chiefs of
Staff said.

The sub was first spotted shortly before midnight Thursday Seoul time as it approached the
shore near Yosu, a port city 320km south of Seoul, the military said.

The sub then fled south east, leading South Korean navy ships and air force planes on a
chase for more than five-and-a-half hours. The planes dropped depth charges to block its
escape, the office said.

Hemmed in and illuminated by nearly 100 flares dropped by a South Korean transport plane,
the sub opened fire at the pursuing ships and was quickly sunk by return fire, the military
said.

"We fired several warning shots, but the enemy craft continued to flee and fired at us.
Therefore, we attacked and sank it," said Colonel Hwang Dong-kyu, a Joint Chiefs of Staff
spokesman.

About two hours later, South Korean troops recovered the crewman's body. A hand grenade was
found in his pocket, officials said. The Navy was searching for more bodies.

There were no South Korean casualties, they said.

On shore, South Korean soldiers and police were put on high alert, increasing security
checks for possible infiltrators from the sub, officials said.





[F][MARKETS WORLD]

US technology shares soar

Stocks rose as technology shares soared despite a dramatic debate in Washington about
whether to impeach President Clinton, and the second day of US bombing of Baghdad.

On Wall Street, the Dow Jones industrial average rose 27.81 points - or by 0.3 per cent -
at 8,903.63.

Broader stock indexes were sharply higher as computer-related and Internet stocks soared on
reports that online holiday sales were strong.

"Investors are trying to segregate the economy and earnings from Clinton and Iraq, and when
they do that, they find good stock opportunities, particularly in the technology-heavy
Nasdaq," said Tom Galvin, chief equity strategist at Donaldson, Lufkin and Jenrette
Securities.

Stocks were also boosted by the triple expiration of futures and options contracts, which
typically add to volatility, particularly in December and June, traders said.

Internet stocks soared, with Amazon.com, eBay, Yahoo and America Online posting the biggest
gains.

Computer stocks were also broadly higher, with Cisco Systems leading Nasdaq shares higher
after Cowen and Co upgraded the stock. Dell and Intel were up sharply in Nasdaq trading, while
Compaq led the NYSE stocks higher.

Oil prices fell, putting to rest the fears that the Iraq bombing would interrupt oil
supplies and send oil higher. Oil stocks were mostly lower, with Texaco down 1 11/16 at 51
7/8.

In London, the FTSE 100 closed higher for the fourth straight session as investors
continued to pour cash into the UK equity market ahead of the year end, dealers said. The UK
blue chip index overcame a key psychological resistance level at 5,700 to end 56.7 points or
one per cent higher at 5,741.9. That represented a net gain of 200.2 points over the week.

In Frankfurt, Germany's benchmark DAX index fell more than one per cent as investors closed
out their positions ahead of triple witching options and futures expiry. The electronically
traded Xetra DAX ended down 65.37 or 1.38 per cent at 4,666.74 points, a rise of 123.72 since
last Friday. The floor DAX dipped 94.58 or 2 per cent to 4,629.23.

In Zurich, shares closed slightly lower as the market focused on the options and futures
expiry and ignored news on Iraq and the possible impeachment of US President Bill Clinton. The
blue-chip SMI index closed 37.3 points, or 0.53 per cent, lower at 7,003.7, a rise of 341.2
since last Friday.

In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng index opened strong, jumping 121.70 points, or 1.21 per cent,
to 10.205.01.

And in Tokyo, the region's largest economy, the benchmark Nikkei average finished the
morning session up 64.07 points, or 0.45 per cent, at 14,191.06.

[A][JAPAN RICE][FED]

Fischer blast Japan rice tariff

Deputy Prime Minister Tim Fischer has lashed out at Japan's decision to impose massive
tariffs on rice imports, even though the tariffs fell short of the 1,200 per cent feared by
Australia.

Japan is to impose a tariff on imported rice of $4.85 a kilo from April next year, which
equates to a duty of 400 to 600 per cent.

The duty will not affect Australia's existing sales to Japan which are worth $72 million a
year, but will choke off any growth in the market for Australian farmers.

Mr Fischer, a long time critic of Japan's severe restrictions on rice imports, again hinted
at retaliatory action and long term damage to Japan if it continued to protect its farmers.

"I'm very angry at this decision and the lack of leadership it represents with Japan, the
second largest economy in the world, going down this particular pathway," he told ABC radio
yesterday.

"(If it's) good enough that they seek to export their four wheel drives to Australia and
elsewhere and expect no more than a five per cent tariff in that regard, here they are in fact
laying down a shocking example."

Mr Fischer last week ordered the Japanese Ambassador be called in to be told of Australia's
concern about the rice tariff, and has held talks with the US about joint action over the
tariff.

However, Japan insists that its action is legal under World Trade Organisation rules.

The National Farmers' Federation (NFF) said the rice tariff was a major blow to
international efforts to free up world trade in agriculture at next year's world trade talks.

"The decision sends an unfortunate signal to the rest of the world at a time when momentum
is building for further trade liberalisation in agriculture," NFF president Ian Donges said in
a statement.





[A][TOURISM][FED]

Asian crisis still hurting tourism

The Asian economic crisis had made further inroads into Australia's tourism industry,
according to figures just released.

International arrivals fell 11 per cent between the March and June quarters this year and
visits were becoming shorter.

But the Australian Bureau of Statistics figures showed numbers remained stable between the
June quarters of 1997 and 1998, with increases in visitors from New Zealand, the United
Kingdom and the United States taking up the slack.

Visitors arriving in the June quarter spent 22.6 million days in Australia, a decrease of
39 per cent over the March quarter, but an increase over the 1997 June quarter of six per
cent.

Almost 929,000 visitors arrived in Australia during the June quarter, with a median stay of
9.3 days.

Compared with the June quarter 1997, visitor arrivals from Korea were down 79 per cent,
Thailand down 57 per cent, Indonesia down 40 per cent and Malaysia down 22 per cent.

Overall, arrivals from south-east Asia fell 14 per cent and from north-east Asia nine per
cent.

Numbers of visitors from some Asian countries were up, including Singapore by 23 per cent,
Hong Kong 25 per cent and Taiwan 14 per cent.

Arrivals from Japan remained stable compared with the June quarter 1997, with 168,500
arriving in the 1998 June quarter. The Japanese market was less affected by the Asian downturn
than other Asian markets.

But NZ visitors reached their highest level ever in the June quarter, accounting for almost
185,000 or 20 per cent of all arrivals, 15 per cent up the previous year.

There were 82,700 United Kingdom visitors, up 27 per cent on the year before but down 42
per cent compared with the March quarter.

American visitors numbered 85,400, a fall of 15.6 per cent from the March quarter but up 17
per cent on the year before.

Meanwhile, 817,600 Australians headed overseas in the June quarter 1998, up 10 per cent
over the previous year and 26 per cent on the March quarter.

The UK and NZ were the most popular destinations, but Indonesia was the most popular
destination for Australian holidaymakers, followed by the UK and US.





[A][OLY IMMIGRATION][FED]

Olympics immigration review underway

The federal government will call submissions for a parliamentary review of Australia's
immigration requirements as it prepares for the massive influx of people expected to visit for
the Sydney Olympics.

Immigration Minister Philip Ruddock said special entry arrangements were being developed in
conjunction with SOCOG, for the expected 55,000 Olympic and Paralympic team members.

Mr Ruddock said the review aimed to ensure that every possible step was taken to meet the
needs of everyone associated with the Olympics.

These included governments, Olympic and Paralympic organisations, business and sporting
groups, visitors and the Australian community, he said.

"The Joint Standing Committee on Migration (JSCM) will conduct the review of existing and
proposed immigration entry arrangements for the Games, and the ability of these arrangements
to meet the needs of Games visitors," he said in a statement released yesterday.

The government had also started to plan for the more than five million visitors expected to
flock to Australia in 2000.

"The government is already conducting an international visitor information campaign,
concentrating on Australia's immigration, customs and quarantine requirements, so that
visitors can be properly prepared and avoid delays on arrivals," he said.

"The information is available world-wide through Australian overseas offices and the
Internet."

Advertisements calling for submissions for the parliamentary inquiry would appear in this
weekend's newspapers, Mr Ruddock said.





[A][TAX INQUIRY][FED]

Howard's battlers to be hit by GST

A Senate inquiry into the government's tax reforms had found pensioners and low income
earners - "Howard's Battlers" - would be worse off under the GST, the Australian Democrats
said yesterday.

Democrats committee member Andrew Murray said expert evidence to the inquiry had cast doubt
over Treasury's estimates on the extent and impact of the reforms and showed the government
had misled the public about their price impact.

Senator Murray said the committee would now have to identify which part of Treasury's work
needed to be redone.

"If Howard's battlers aren't satisfied out of this process then they have to be very
careful as to how we proceed next," Senator Murray told reporters.

The committee, which has held hearings in Canberra the past two days, will continue its
investigations next month.

Senator Murray said evidence to the inquiry showed that Treasury's official inflation
estimate of the tax reforms of 1.9 per cent was significantly understated.

"If more realistic figures are used, the impact on pensioners and low-income earners looks
like being worse than Treasury predicted," he said.

"That would bring into question the pre-election promise that everyone will be better off
as a result of the tax package."

Senator Murray said there had been evidence before the inquiry which showed that the GST
could also adversely affect Australia's tourism industry.

"Other evidence shows that an exemption of food would not affect economic growth, but would
reduce prices and improve the welfare of low-income earners," he said.

Asked if the tax package did not hit education and health sufficiently, Senator Murray
said: "We think it is right to have areas that are GST free, we don't think it's that
difficult to manage.

"There are 23 or 24 countries in the OECD group who do just that."

The committee will report its findings by April 19.





[A][YORTA][FED]

Yorta Yorta considering court appeal

The Yorta Yorta people of south-eastern Australia said they would consider appealing a
Federal Court ruling that the "tide of history" had washed away a native title claim over
2,000 square kilometres.

"We are certainly looking at an appeal with our lawyers," Yorta Yorta spokeswoman Monica
Morgan said.

"This decision doesn't just have ramifications for the Yorta Yorta people, but for all
indigenous peoples around Australia," she said.

Late yesterday dozens of Yorta Yorta elders who attended the handing down of the decision
returned home to north-eastern Victoria and south-western New South Wales feeling "disbelief
that it could be so blatant", Ms Morgan said.

"Our mob knew we were taking a chance trusting the system of the white man ... but this is
like an annihilation of our culture," Ms Morgan said, adding the Yorta Yorta felt a deep bond
to their land.

Justice Howard Olney spent less than a minute in the packed courtroom to announce that the
Yorta Yorta people had failed to prove continuing traditional links to the land and waters
claimed.

The ruling was met with stunned silence from the more than 100 Yorta Yorta in court.

In his 75-page judgment, Justice Olney said the facts of the case proved that before the
end of the 19th century, the ancestors through whom the Yorta Yorta claimed title had stopped
occupying their traditional lands "in accordance with their traditional laws and customs".

"The tide of history has indeed washed away any real acknowledgment of their traditional
laws and any real observance of their traditional customs," Justice Olney said.

Victorian Premier Jeff Kennett urged all involved to show respect and restraint over the
ruling.

"I think we've all got to tread carefully," he told reporters.

"I think we've all got to be respectful of each other ... it's not often easy to be
magnanimous in defeat and it's often harder to be magnanimous in victory."

Immediately after the ruling, Ms Morgan said: "We have been in this country for thousands
and thousands and thousands of years.

"It'll take longer than a few seconds from a judge to wipe away who we are."

The Yorta Yorta people made a native title claim over Crown land in the Ovens, Goulburn and
Murray River basins, spanning the New South Wales/Victorian border from west of Echuca to west
of Albury and from Jerilderie in the north to Euroa in the south.





[S][GAMES ASIA IRAN]

Games security on full alert

Thai security forces went on full alert at the Asian Games here today after a second day of
air strikes against Iraq and ahead of an all-Gulf soccer final between Kuwait and Iran.

"The anti-terrorist units have been ordered onto full alert, especially to provide security
for Kuwait and Iran," said Major General Banchorn Chavalsilp, a spokesman for the Thai
military's special anti-terrorism units deployed for the Games.

"But so far there is no information to indicate terrorists are targetting the Games," he
said.

Gulf rivals Iran and Kuwait face each other in the final of the Asian Games soccer
tournament at Bangkok's central Rajamangala stadium on Saturday.

The head of the security unit assigned to protect the Kuwaiti chief of the Olympic Council
of Asia (OCA), Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, said his men had been told to be extra vigilant
in view of the attacks on Iraq.

Sheikh Ahmad's father, who was also head of the OCA, was killed by Iraqi troops on the
first day of the August 1990 invasion of Kuwait. Iraq have been barred from the Games since
the invasion because of a United Nations embargo.

Police said they had deployed extra officers as a precaution to protect Iranian and Kuwaiti
athletes and officials at the athletes village on the northern outskirts of Bangkok.

"Two well-trained units have been deployed to provide security for the athletes and
officials from Kuwait and Iran," said Police Major General Pichit Kraudejakup, commander of
the force charged with protecting the village.

"We are confident the Thai police can cope with any unwanted incident."

Pichit said all 16,000 police officers assigned to security and traffic control duties for
the Games had been ordered to full alert.





[T][SHIELD NSW][CRIK]

Warne says NSW will be his real test

Shane Warne rated the Sheffield Shield match at the Sydney Cricket Ground today as the
"real test" of his comeback and revealed a good performance on the SCG could prompt him to
make himself available for Test selection.

The Victorian skipper was understandably chirpy when he scrutinised the bare brown SCG
wicket which will certainly assist spinners in the game starting today.

However, the much-anticipated comparison between Warne and Australia's other top legspinner
Stuart MacGill, will not eventuate as the latter yesterday withdrew from the match with a
hamstring sprain after consulting New South Wales and Australian medical staff.

Warne collected six expensive wickets in his first three first-class matches after surgery
but felt none of the pitches was conducive to his bowling.

"My first game back was in Perth and the last couple at the MCG have been rain-affected, so
I haven't really got on a wicket that suits spin-bowling," Warne said yesterday.

"This is the real test. At the moment, I think I'm not far away, we'll wait and see how we
go this game.

"If I feel OK and pull up alright and I bowl a lot of overs and take a few wickets, then I
might make myself available for (Test) selection, then it's up to the selectors from there."

NSW and Australia captain Mark Taylor said he was very much looking forward to getting a
first hand view of Warne's progress.

"The fact he will be bowling to myself and to the Waugh boys, Michael Slater and these sort
of players should bring out the best in Shane," Taylor said.

"So from that point of view, it should be good all round for probably Victorian and
Australian cricket."





[T][GOLF AUST][GOLF]

Spence extends healthy lead

Young tearaway leader Craig Spence was attempting to pull off a Might and Power
wire-to-wire victory in the storm-disrupted $300,000 Schweppes Coolum Classic.

PGA Tour officials suspended play for the day at 4.20pm (local time) after a lightning
storm swept across the course forcing 56 professionals to abandon their second rounds which
they will resume at dawn this morning.

Spence escaped the drama and will return today with a handsome lead.

The 24-year-old from Colac has had the 6,326m Hyatt Regency resort layout at his mercy for
two days, attacking the water-laced course with his driver and sweeping in 12 birdie putts
with his favourite long-handle putter, picked up for about $US100 ($A160) in Phoenix a year
ago.

Spence, who struggled with his technique when using a conventional putter, hasn't dropped a
shot in two days shooting 65 and 67 to be 12 under on 132.

To borrow a racing vernacular, he is four lengths in front of his nearest rival, another
Victorian, Paul Moloney who matched Thursday's 68 with a round which also did not contain a
blemish on his card.

Steady Stuart Appleby was five under after 11 holes when the storm struck while
co-favourite Craig Parry carded a 68 after Thursday's 72 to move to four under and still in
the race.

Whether Spence is cruising or not like Might and Power will be clearer today when the
pressure is applied and again tomorrow when the nerves are thoroughly tested in the home
straight.

While the storm cast an eerie gloom over the course, it couldn't take the smile off
Moloney's face with the 33-year-old continuing to put a horrendous two-year struggle, during
which he hit rock bottom, behind him.

After successive 68s, Moloney is close enough to Spence going into the weekend to win the
$54,000 first prize tomorrow.

The past two years, after losing his European tour card, have been a constant struggle with
swing problems, injuries and personal tragedy for Moloney who earlier this year went back to
see his old coach Peter Croker, now based in the US, for advice.





[T][CRICKET ENGLAND][CRIK]

Test hopefuls to push claims

Everyone else in the Australian XI to meet England in the "Sixth Test" starting in Hobart
today sees it as a chance to impress the selectors, but for Corey Richards it's just cream on
a wonderful season.

The 23-year-old NSW batter, the only member of the team not to have played for Australia,
thinks it's too early for him to be thinking of higher honours.

"It's a great opportunity and privilege to play in this team," he said yesterday.

"It's cream for me at the moment. I'm just so happy to be in the side.

"But to start thinking of the West Indies tour when there's so many talented players in
front of me is not something I'm even contemplating."

Richards is also happy that his first big opportunity at a higher level will come at
Bellerive Oval, where last season he hit his maiden Sheffield Shield century.

He said that was his breakthrough innings. Before, he'd been losing his wicket too often
after getting a start. After it, he knew he was good enough.

This season he's hit three centuries to win his place in Australia's second best team.

National selector Allan Border, who is coaching the Australian Xl, has fired up the team by
telling it the match is a sixth test and a window of opportunity for them all.

"With the quality of the players we've got, and I expect England to field a pretty good
side, it's basically the sixth Test of the summer," he said.

The Australian XI: Darren Lehmann (captain), Adam Gilchrist, Matthew Elliott, Greg Blewett,
Corey Richards, Stuart Law, Michael Bevan, Brendon Julian, Gavin Robertson, Paul Reiffel,
Michael Kasprowicz, Andrew Dykes (12th man).





[T][LEAGUE][RL]

Norths open Grahame Park in mid-May

North Sydney will christen Grahame Park at Gosford with a Friday night match in mid-May
against last season's National Rugby League grand finalist Canterbury.

"It'll be a fantastic night, we'll cram about 21,000 in there," Norths chief executive Bob
Saunders said yesterday.

Norths and Canterbury clash in round 11 and the NRL seems certain to stage the game on
Friday night, May 14.

KEYWORD: NETNEWS 1030 (REISSUE)

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