The Sydney Morning Herald from Sydney, New South Wales, Australia • Page 2

2 www.smh.com.au TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 1998 Zht Pontine JJeralb ydliiey Water braces for toimg class action We've had more than 500 inquiries. Most are from small businesses bars, clubs, food processors and swimming pools -who were badly affected. 9 -C3l jinn i i-J i 11 raiw I Jul vnrjmim wwm i. if iiwn HW-JawiW' wWM'fai'm uiim.uiiiiii inmijiii M7 s-j mlmm hi mm Mi Mf By DAMIEN MURPHY and MURRAY HOGARTH Lawyers Slater and Gordon will start a Federal Court class action on Friday against Sydney Water for losses suffered by businesses during the first water contamination scare in July. Also, the Premier, Mr Carr, is expected to consider today a report by the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal 1 PART) on ways to compensate Sydney's 1.4 million households.

The tribunal will recommend ways to cover losses incurred during the first alert, when Sydney Water's customers were unable to use unboiled tap water safely for four days. The IPART report, which was commissioned before the water system went bad again, is also expected to address the problem of compensating consumers for repeated failures. The chairman of IPART, Professor Tom Parry, favoured a flat special inconvenience rebate. It could be matched with a $10 minimum rebate for householders if they have had dirty water through their pipes. Or it could be a 10 per cent, or $8, cut to the annual $80 water service charge paid by all customers.

The rebate would cost Sydney Water about $14 million. Social welfare organisations have sought a $15 rebate off each water bill, but are concerned that advertised their services to people affected by the first water contamination. They expected hundreds of other complainants to join any class action. "But as Mr Schokman's case is an open action until the Federal Court sets a date for people to opt out, we won't know how many will be involved," Mr Grech said A11 up, we've had more than 500 inquiries. Most are from small businesses bars, clubs, food processors and swimming pools who were badly affected.

"But we've also heard from just over 100 individuals who believe they became sick as a result of the water contamination." Sydney Water also has begun making small reimbursements to customers with claims for items such as replacements for home water filters. Yesterday the NSW Department of Health remained adamant there had been no significant increase in diseases associated with giardia and Cryptosporidium since the first alert However, it was still too soon to know if the latest contamination, which started nearly a week ago, was causing any disease. "Householders in areas involved in the alert should continue to boil drinking water for one minute as a matter of course," said Dr Jeremy McNuIty, an expert on infectious diseases. tenants who pay for water as part of their rent will miss out, despite also facing expenses for items such as bottled water. Sydney Water has more than 47,000 commercial customers and many will watch the Federal Court class action with interest A partner in Slater and Gordon's Sydney Office, Mr Andrew Grech, said yesterday that the lead applicant was a dentist, Mr Michael Schokman, whose practice was closed for four days during the July water scare.

Slater and Gordon and a number of smaller law firms, including Lee Munro and Smith, Getting clearer environmental scientist Melinda Coles takes water. samples in Orchard Street, West Ryde. Photograph by PALANI MOHAN Sex allegation divides MPs Hi ORACLE' Enabling the Information Age microsystems Peter Wellington, has hinted at withdrawing support for Mr Beattie if the MP does not resign. Labor MPs said Mr Beattie capitulated too readily to pressure from Mr Wellington, who has promised to introduce a bill to withhold the MP's superannuation entitlements. Mr Beanie's resignation call was contradicted by a statement from his Attorney-General, Mr Matt Foley, that the MP was entitled to the presumption of innocence.

Mr Wellington's Independent colleague, Ms Liz Cunningham, said Mr Wellington had "jumped the gun" and ALLIANCE 5.1. NEWS V5. ill Four years old and Australia's leading ISP. We couldn't have done it without a few good connections. the media and politicians should be wary of doing irreparable damage to the MP's reputation.

The MP has refused to resign and is strongly denying the allegations through his lawyer, Mr Terry O'Gorman. They were made by a woman who claims she was abused as an 11-year-old student at a school near Brisbane where the MP was the headmaster in 1970. Mr O'Gorman blamed police for leaking the story and said he would ask the State's Criminal Justice Commission to investigate. attending a State reception. Western Australia has about 17,000 Irish-born residents.

Today she will give a breakfast address to the Irish-Australian Business Association, open a Centre for Irish Studies at Murdoch University, and take a cruise on the Swan River. Mrs McAleese will also visit Sydney, Hobart, Melbourne, Canberra and Brisbane. AAP built at the University of Queensland. Extra sentence Hoddle Street killer Julian Knight was sentenced to six months' jail yesterday for injuring a fellow murderer with a snooker ball hidden in a sock. Lotto draw Last night's winning numbers: 3,10,14,26, 24.

Strike: 3, 28, 26,10. suspect The Irish President, Mrs Mary McAleese, and her husband arrive in Perth yesterday. Photo by tony Mcdonough Perth greets Irish President BayNetworks By GREG ROBERTS A furore has erupted over child sex allegations against a Queensland Labor MP, with an Independent MP joining the accused MP's lawyer in strongly attacking the media and political leaders over their handling of the issue. Some Labor ministers have been stunned by a weekend call by the Premier, Mr Beat-tie, for the resignation of the MP, who has not been charged with any offence or been interviewed by police. The row threatens the survival of the minority Labor Government.

An Independent MP, Mr Skase confusion Australian officials in Madrid were seeking meetings yesterday with Spanish counterparts to clear confusion surrounding the latest moves by fugitive businessman Christopher Skase to stay in Spain. Disease toll 6 A sixth person has died in South Australia in two months from meningococcal disease. A boy from a country town died on Friday morning after a short illness. The death of a 15-year-old girl Port Lincoln girl on Sunday morning was announced earlier. Timor inquiry East Timor support groups across Australia yesterday backed the International Commission of Jurists' recent call for a full judicial inquiry into the deaths of five Australian-based newsmen at Balibo, East Timor, in 1975.

River oil spill An oil spill from a stormwater drain into the Parramatta River yesterday spread 300 metres and disrupted ferry services. Firemen contained the spill using absorbent booms. MP's troubles A Victorian State MP threw his wife out of their home because he believed she was working in a massage parlour, a Melbourne court heard yesterday. The hearing related to a domestic violence intervention order being sought by Ms Kanitha Eren against her husband, Labor MP Mr Tayfun Eren. Face of By LES KENNEDY Chief Police Reporter Detectives yesterday released these four computer images of a man involved in an attack outside a Five Dock pub that left two men dead and another badly wounded.

The attacker was one of four people in a stolen red Mitsubishi Verada that stopped at traffic lights in front of where two friends were having an argument while another stood by. The front seat passenger shouted abuse at the trio, telling them to get stuck into each other. When they took offence and shouted back, a fist fight ensued. When it was over the three friends had been shot with a handgun. Michael Hurle, 24, ClUO 5mm fkZlm Securities A world of possibility.

(08) 9421 II II Canberra: (02) 6230 5000 OzEmail would like to thank these organisations for their outstanding support over an amazing first 4 years. Born out of New South Wales, we now have 76 points of presence nationwide. We employ significantly more than our original six, with a team of 550. Our market capital is over $400 million and we are a top 150 company listed on the Australian Stock Exchange. After Michael Page INTERNATIONAL 9929 0500 Adelaide: (08) 8267 3356 Perth: strong beginning, we've got The Irish President, Mrs Mary McAleese, arrived in Perth amid tight security yesterday for the first leg of an 11-day visit to Australia.

It is her first official overseas visit since she was elected President last November. Mrs McAleese, who is accompanied by her husband, Dr Martin McAleese, had a private meeting with the West Australian Premier, Mr Court, before Expo hopes Queensland could be in the running to stage another World Expo, despite losing out to the Philippines for the 2002 event, because the Philippines was having difficulty with its plans, State Cabinet was told yesterday. $80m laboratory An $80 million CSIRO laboratory, expected to house about 850 researchers, is to be a murder and Adam Wright, 23, were dead, and Ron Singleton, 38, badly injured. Detective Sergeant Mick Fabris said the image of the front-seat passenger had been compiled from a number of witness accounts of the fight about 10.30 pm on Friday, July 17. Two of the images show the man clean shaven and two with a goatee beard.

firmly set on the future. P5! such a As at 30 June, Ammirati www com au Ph: 18(10 SOS 874 our sights Puxis Lintas Brisbane: (07) 3320 2000 Melbourne: (03) MANTECH rpiorm.il iom W. He is described as being of Middle Eastern appearance, in his early to mid 20s, with olive complexion, dark eyes, short cropped black hair, 180 centimetres tall and of medium build. Sergeant Fabris said anyone with information about the shooting, or the man pictured, should call Burwood Police on 9745 1333 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000..