The Sydney Morning Herald from Sydney, New South Wales, Australia • Page 6

6 www.smh.com.au SATURDAY, APRIL 22, 2000 "Republicans woo direct electionists back to fol i xyc im i I r- MAN SHOT IN LEG A 20-year-old man was shot in Spencer Street, Fairfield, on Thursday night after being approached by three youths. The man, from Fairfield Heights, was shot once in the upper leg. He was taken to Liverpool Hospital in a stable condition. Police are searching for three youths aged 15 to 17. JUMP TO SAFETY A man, 37, leapt from the second storey of a burning block of units in Cliff Street, Manly, early yesterday.

He suffered 40 per cent burns to his face, back, chest and limbs, and lower leg injuries. He was in a serious but stable condition at Royal North Shore Hospital. SURF HAVOC Large rips and sharks caused havoc along Queensland's most popular holiday strips yesterday, with 38 rescues. TIMOR BEER Australian troops serving in East Timor will have their own commemorative beer on Anzac Day. Carlton United Breweries has made 384,000 cases (9,216,000 cans) of the commemorative beverage, with part of the proceeds going to Dorothy McRae-McMahon, Jason Yat-Sen Li and Natasha Stott Despoja.

not yet decided whether to run for one of the eight elected positions. The deputy leader of the Australian Democrats, Senator Natasha Stott Despoja, and a former Doug Anthony All Stars member, Mr Richard Fidler, are expected to run, while former National Party MP Ms Wendy Machin and former Democrats senator Ms Karin Sowada are considering their futures with the organisation. The ARM went underground after last November's referendum but has been quietly regrouping and shifting its focus to civics education until the republic comes back on to the political agenda. A key aspect of the reorganisation is shedding its Sydney-centric image. There are also moves to incorporate a clause into the new constitution to prevent any State from having more than four representatives on the executive.

The new constitution will probably be put to members next week, at the same time as the ARM launches its first membership drive since the referendum. By STEPHANIE PEATLING The Australian Republican Movement has extended an olive branch to direct electionists by approaching at least three of them to stand for election to its new national executive committee. The former Uniting Church minister the Rev Dorothy McRae-McMahon has been asked to stand as the convener for the NSW branch, and the Victorian Baptist minister the Rev Tim Costello has signalled his intention to stand for one of eight national positions. Both were members of the Yes and More group during last year's referendum campaign, which pushed for a yes vote as the first step to further constitutional change, including direct election of the president High-profile lawyer and chairman of the now defunct Yes Coalition a broad group of republicans including direct electionists Mr Jason Yat-Sen Li, has also put his hand up for the national executive. An alliance between some direct electionists and the No campaign Far from the madding crowd ads (above and below appearing in Japanese magazines.

Why Australia loves Japan's older women during last year's referendum was fatal to the republican cause and in the wake of that defeat the ARM has examined ways to heal the rift between the republican camps. But the direct electionists so far approached were all supportive of the ARM during the campaign. Direct electionists who advocated a no vote, such as former Independent MPs Mr Ted Mack and Mr Phil Cleary, have been approached by the ARM only for their views on the draft of the new constitution. These discussions have reportedly been positive. The new national executive of the ARM, which will discuss a name change later in the year, will be made up of the eight State and Territory conveners, plus eight elected national representatives.

A national chairman will then be elected from that group. The powerful troika behind the ARM during the referendum last year chairman Mr Malcolm TurnbulL national campaign director Mr Greg Barns and media manager Mr Wayne Burns will each stand for the national executive. Melbourne businessman Mr Frank McGuire is expected to stay on as the convener of the Victorian branch while the current ACT convener, Ms Anne Witheford, has 'JKsj 1 By ANTHONY DENNIS She's active but more young-at-heart than young, the children are off her hands and her husband is preparing to retire from the rat race. She's the sophisticated 50-something Japanese woman and she's Australia's weapon in arresting what has been an alarming decline in the number of tourists from Japaa The well-heeled "EFTs" (Experienced Female Travellers) are a contrast to the much younger, less affluent and possibly more fickle "YOLs" (Young Office Ladies), most often singles with a high disposable income, ho have traditionally been targeted by the tourism industry. A series of advertisements, promoting the so-called EFTs, has begun appearing in lifestyle magazines and newspapers in Japan this month.

They will continue to appear until June. The glossy ads present a glamorous, mature Japanese woman in key Australian locations, including on board the Bounty replica ship on Sydney Harbour. Earlier this week, the Australian Tourist believes that attracting the EFTs will bolster tourist numbers and revenue. Nevertheless, it may take 12 to 1 8 months before there is any tangible increase in the number of EFTs, a segment of the market that has been specifically identified by the ATC, he says. "Maybe we took the eye off the ball in not targeting the EFTs market earlier," Mr Morse said.

"But it's only in recent years that the market has developed. The 50s are now the 40s of another generation. In terms of their Australian experience, they want more Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Hobart "The younger ones favour destinations such as Cairns and the Gold Coast "We'd like to see more numbers from the 50s group because it's been a small segment that has a high-spending segment" Mr Morse said women are traditionally the decisionmakers in terms of travel for couples. The EFTs are seen to favour fine dining and opera, and prefer to travel in less regimented tour groups on a less frenetic itinerary. And unlike many, if not most, Japanese tourists, they prefer to take in fewer destinations.

Commission (ATC), after a prolonged cycle of bad news for the industry, which has seen Japanese visitor numbers decline from a peak of more than 800,000 in 1997 to last year's figure of more than 700,000, announced a welcome 10.5 percent February rise over last year in visitors from Japan. The moribund Japanese economy has been raised as one reason for the fall in the number of visitors. But the Japanese market has also shown itself to be one of the most contrary and trend-driven in world tourism, with Australia often losing out to destinations such as Hawaii. "What this week's figures signify is that all is not lost," said the chief executive of the Tourism Task Force, Mr Chris Brown. It shows that we've turned a corner in terms of Japanese tourists.

There have certainly been significant concerns about the decline in Japanese tourists among tourism operators. It's become a bit of a case of 'where have all my tourists But while not abandoning the crucial YOLs market, the managing director of the ATC, Mr John Morse, i 1 Internet Services I I 3 I I I CZ "4 4 i I I ft it i 7 I -7 -1 I 4 i -1 1 J- 1 Easter holiday guide iiiKiav EASTER ANZAC DAY TODAY SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY Banks some open closed closed closed Fresh bread yes no yes no Supermarkets open closed open open Petroi most open most open most open most open Butchers open some open open some open Post offices most closed closed closed closed Newsagencies open open open open Major stores open closed open open Liquor stores open open open open Pubs open open open open Cinemas open open open open Video shops major chains open QVB open closed open open Darling Harbour open open open open Wife Having superfast, super powerful Internet access not only saves you time but can also save you money. Telstra Bg Pond Advance is offering a range of reduced pricing plans which include 3 months trial options. Apply before June 30 and pay only $99 for installation on 18 month plans that's a saving of $70. And if you don't have access to cable, Big Pond Advance also offers superfast Internet via satellite from just $40 per month Just call FREECALL 1800 060 391 to find out the best option for you.

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