Media wrap: Ending boozy violence - is there nothing Kevin can't do?

THE FRONT PAGES

POLITICS AND ECONOMICS

The Drink

Kevin Rudd plans to curb alcohol-fuelled violence – Prime Minister Kevin Rudd will spearhead a fresh battle against binge drinking amid a growing outbreak of alcohol-fuelled violence. Mr Rudd has called for confronting advertising campaigns to warn young Australians about the dangers of excessive drinking, a sober rethink on the concentration of liquor licences in CBD areas and adequate resourcing for police – Brisbane Courier Mail

Ambulance officers back drink-driving change to law - Following an "abhorrent" road toll, the union representing ambulance workers added its support to the statewide debate, saying the burden of road carnage on society was too great to ignore. The call came after Police Commissioner Bob Atkinson said there needed to be a serious debate about lowering the blood-alcohol limit – Brisbane Courier Mail

Economic matters

Kevin Rudd told to rethink stimulus spending – The Rudd government has been warned by its chief economic adviser that it should be taking advantage of the improved economy to defer its school spending and major infrastructure programs to get a better productivity gain. Chair of the Productivity Commission Gary Banks said more ambitious economic reform was needed if the heavy debt burden left by the financial crisis were to be paid off – The Australian

Super tax breaks for rich could be slashed: Swan – Superannuation tax breaks for high-income earners are set to be slashed as one of the first reforms from the Henry tax review, with Treasurer Wayne Swan warning Australians that there will be winners and losers when tax reform begins – Melbourne Age

Higher-wage earners to pay increased tax on super – Wayne Swan as endorsed making those on higher incomes pay a higher rate of tax on superannuation contributions as part of the Government's response to the Henry review of taxation, recommendations of which would be implemented over a decade – Sydney Morning Herald

Immigration

Rudd offers to resettle asylum seekers within year – The Rudd Government has offered the 78 Sri Lankan asylum seekers on the Oceanic Viking resettlement in Australia or another country within a year in a desperate bid to end the impasse off Indonesia. – Melbourne Age

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd insists Oceanic Viking refugees are Indonesia's problem – Kevin Rudd is digging in over the stand-off with 78 Sri Lankan asylum seekers refusing to leave an Australian Customs ship, insisting they are Indonesia's problem – Melbourne Herald Sun

Unions give cash to asylum-seekers – Two of of Australia's most powerful unions - the Maritime Union of Australia and the Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union - will donate $10,000 to the 78 asylum-seekers locked in a stand-off with crew aboard the Customs vessel Oceanic Viking – The Australian

Aged care

$300,000 cost for basic aged care – Wealthy nursing home residents are paying for extra care and privileges, denying the most vulnerable aged residents beds, a major aged-care provider says. Uniting Church SA moderator the Reverend Rod Dyson says elderly people in desperate need of care are being turned away from homes as others raise the minimum bond of $300,000 needed to secure a bed – Adelaide Advertiser

Leadership

Not delusional - Della Bosca stakes his leadership claim – John Della Bosca the MP being described as ''delusional'' by colleagues, believes he can still be premier. Two months after resigning as a minister over an extramarital affair, Mr Della Bosca says he should be given another chance at public life – Sydney Morning Herald

Political lurks and perks

Jetsetting MPs spending up big to tell us what we already know – Intrepid MPs recently returned from lavish overseas study tours with startling revelations. These included such insights as London having a Tube train network and word of mouth is the best way to attract volunteers – Sydney Daily Telegraph

Industrial relations

Equal-pay test case could cause wage break-out – Employers have expressed concern that a test case on equal pay in the community sector could spill over into other female-dominated industries, potentially leading to big increases in wages – Melbourne Age

Engineer strike may ground Qantas planes – Qantas passengers face disruptions in coming weeks after professional engineers voted overwhelmingly in favour of industrial action for the first time in the airline's history – Melbourne Age

Education

College collapses hit VCE – The crisis in international educational has spread with the sudden collapse of four colleges in Melbourne and Sydney, leaving 2000 students stranded. Foreign students studying for VCE exams in Melbourne were among those caught out when a company that owns the four private colleges went into voluntary administration yesterday – Melbourne Age

Teachers, students stunned as hotel school closes – Disillusioned teachers leaving the Meridian International Hotel School's Melbourne headquarters met disgruntled students on their way to classes in the doorway and they were all looking for answers – Melbourne Age

Report cards on Victorian schools a first – Every Victorian school will have its performance data published on a new website, allowing parents to compare information on national testing results, VCE results and student wellbeing with other schools – Melbourne Age

Schools rated on students' progress – In an Australian first, parents will be able to see how well their school is teaching their child, with the Victorian government introducing school report cards that measure the improvement students make – The Australian

Corruption

Vietnam to assist in RBA case – Vietnam has pledged to assist the Australian Federal Police in its investigation into alleged bribery by a Reserve Bank of Australia banknote company – Melbourne Age

Republic

Direct election way to go on republic, says Keneally – Ten years after the defeat of the republic referendum, leading ''Yes'' campaigner Tom Keneally says it was a mistake for the republican movement not to embrace direct election – Melbourne Age

Opinions

Truth is the casualty of a carefully calibrated illusion - The Rudd Government depends on our silence to prop up its lies writes John Pilger in the Melbourne Age

Coalition straining apart, and not only on emissions trading – Michelle Grattan in the Melbourne Age writes that Nationals are determined to forge their own identity.

Unpalatable choice sank the republic - Australia will ditch the Queen if we can directly elect the president writes Roy Cassin in the Melbourne Age.

'Fact-finding' travel by MPs a liberty in internet age – Gemma Jones in the Sydney Daily Telegraph looks at reports by NSW MPs on their overseas trips.

PM blitzes media with non-messages – Leno0re Taylor in The Australian explains how politicians usually blitz the media when they have a message to sell. Kevin Rudd blitzed the media this week with a non-message, which must surely run the risk of exacerbating his problems.

Devil's deal? Gates to be judge of that – Richard Ackland in the Sydney Morning Herald gives some details of the career of Anthony Harold Cumberland Thomas Gates, a perplexing character who is the Chief Justice of Fiji

The real reasons for asylum seeker arrivals – Mark Davis looks at some interesting academic research on what things affect the number of asylum seekers reaching Australia – Sydney Morning Herald

BUSINESS

Chinese buy up NT uranium stake - The Foreign Investment Review Board decided to allow the China Guangdong Nuclear Power Group to purchase a 70 per cent stake in Energy Metals, which is exploring the Bigrlyi uranium deposit near Alice Springs. The company already has four power stations in China and a further 18 under construction – Northern Territory News

ENVIRONMENT

Don't mention the Murray as Premiers meet in Adelaide – Mike Rann and his counterparts from all other states have met in Adelaide - and did not even discuss the crucial issue of water security – Adelaide Advertiser

MEDIA

News Ltd craves more of pay TV provider Foxtel – Rupert Murdoch has indicated News Ltd might make a grab for a bigger slice of pay TV company Foxtel if Telstra has to sell its half share – Melbourne Age

'PM propaganda' not ABC role: Nick Minchin – The ABC has been warned it risks being seen to be "in cahoots" with the Rudd government under a plan to expand overseas as an exercise in "soft diplomacy" – The Australian

LIFE

Taxis

Aspiring cab drivers must pass English test under new national standards – Aspiring cabbies will need to pass an English language test before being allowed on the road, under new national minimum standards to be agreed today – Melbourne Herald Sun

Concerts

Pop stars could be forced to disclose whether they lip-sync under new laws – Melbourne Herald Sun

Law and order

Killers, rapists and other criminally insane patients walking streets of Melbourne - The controversial leave pass program at the Thomas Embling Hospital was hastily shut down after inmate Peko Lakovski allegedly committed a gruesome double murder with a carving knife. Lakovski was considered a low security risk and allowed out on day leave – Melbourne Herald Sun

Baby-faced thugs create crime wave in NSW – Children as young as six are running riot across the state, terrorising residents, breaking into homes and passing out drunk in public – Sydney Daily Telegraph

Sabotage laws on agenda – New laws have been proposed targeting protesters who damage the Territory's energy network – Northern Territory News

Birth certificates

Birth mothers and lesbian partners to be listed as parents on Victorian birth certificates – Birth mothers and their lesbian partners will both be listed as parents on Victorian birth certificates from next year under sweeping changes to be introduced by the State Government – Melbourne Herald Sun

The punt

We'll get you: AFL warns gambling cheats - The AFL now has the power to demand information from more than 20 betting agencies if investigators suspect gambling by players and officials – Melbourne Herald Sun