The Age from Melbourne, Victoria, Australia • Page 1

ME 135th Year, No. 41,842 32 pEgeS EnlcruinmcmSuidc) 250 Spencer Street, Melbourne. 6004211 (Classified 604 1144) Friday 7 July 1989 40c (Inlmutc prices. nseM) mmm. FEATURES MARIJUANA The crime without a victim JhHBSL AGE 'II 1 1 Chaos over Speaker weakems Ahem grip om power from Darwin for the 3.30 am vote on the new Speaker.

Mr Ahern defended his use of the Government aircraft to bring the former Labor MP, Mr Eric Shaw, from Darwin to take part in the vote. He said the Government was entitled to make every effort to bring about the return of a member who wished to vote. Mr Ahern denied any deals had been made with Mr Shaw, who yesterday said he had voted with the National Party for the election of Mr Lingard as Speaker. The vote followed the surprise resignation by Mr Powell as Speaker after the Government used its numbers to defeat his move to refer a matter involving signed, throwing Parliament into chaos. It appears two National Party MPs voted against the Government in the secret ballot.

But the Labor Party yesterday was unable to capitalise on the difficulties faced by the Government because two of its MPs were absent for the vote. The MPs, Mr Bill D'Arcy and Mr Les Yewdale, yesterday were censured by the party. Mr D'Arcy was also dismissed as secretary of the parliamentary party and suspended for three months. It was also revealed that a Government jet was used at a cost of $12,000 to fly an independent MP I AGE POLL Support slips for Labor, coalition Labor and coalition politicians are losing ground with the electorate, according to a Saulwick Age Poll, while the Democrats and other parties are gaining support The results suggest disenchantment with the main political groups. PAGE 4 Jolly learns of SBV losses The Treasurer, Mr Jolly, says he only learned the extent of losses by State Bank Victoria's merchant banking arm this week.

PAGE 3 AIDS tests for infants Blood samples from new-bora babies will be tested for AIDS as part of national surveys. PAGES New investment controls The Federal Government announces regulations that will tighten controls on foreign investment from 1 August PAGE 10 Mr Ahem; claims that the crisis is over. IHkwke tamp mi r.j.u iiuiwl iii inTnrrTT itl T. isstiiiiiii mmmmmmm mmmms at Tolmie in north-eastern Victoria. By SONYA VOUMARD, Brisbane The Ahern National Party's hold on government appears to have been seriously weakened following the vote yesterday for the parliamentary Speaker.

The result suggests Mr Ahern could lose a vote on the floor of Parliament if two National Party MPs defected to the Opposition. His hold on power may be put to the test during debate on the Fitzgerald report, which will continue today. Mr Ahern's candidate for Speaker, Mr Kevin Lingard, was elected over the former Speaker, Mr Lin Powell, early yesterday morning after Mr Powell re and Trade, Mr Richard Woolcott, around the region to take soundings. ASEAN foreign ministers meeting in Brunei for their annual conference gave the proposal a cautious response, concerned that it might simply mean continuing domination by America and Japan. When the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Senator Evans, arrived yesterday, some members, Malaysia in particular, had strong reservations.

There was also some confusion over the attitude of the United States, whose Secretary of State, Mr James Baker, seemed to be pushing a wider US initiative. But Mr Baker is believed to have said privately today that the US would go with the Hawke proposal and would not try to put an American label on it Australian officials were clearly delighted and relieved by the outcome. They said Senator Evans would be advising Mr Hawke to send invitations to the core group. In a speech to the Australia-ASEAN forum in Perth last month, Senator Evans said more countries might wish to participate. "Vietnam and the other Indochinese countries are obvious examples of possible new participants, as they emerge from their economic isolation, and we will retain an open mind on this.

"Another case is the Soviet Union, which has always regarded itself as a Pacific as well as -European power. We have no ideologically based objection to involving the Soviet Union." The ASEAN nations have made it clear that they think their organisation should be central to any new structure. Senator Evans told a closed meeting of ASEAN and its partners today that it was neither feasible nor necessary to seek to resolve issues of procedure at the conference. "It would make more sense to do so in the context of an initial exploratory ministerial meeting which would provide a better indication of the substantial benefits of cooperation." The uproar in Parliament followed the release this week of the Fitzgerald report for which a special sitting had been called. In another development yesterday, Mr Ahern delayed by two weeks, until 29 August, a special sitting to introduce legislation for the electoral and administrative review commission recommended by Mr Fitzgerald.

The delay reduces the chances of electoral reform before the state election due late this year. Mr Goss yesterday said the absence of Mr D'Arcy and Mr Yew-dale was jnexcuseable. Both members were believed to have been at Parliament House when the vote was taken. Picture: MARK WILSON lt f( 1 were damaged in the 4 am crash. vented widespread blackouts in the peak period yesterday morning.

He said the crash highlighted the need for the SEC to maintain its strategy of providing alternative high-voltage circuits for its transmission lines to ensure the continuing security of supply to Victoria. "Normally, the Victorian electricity system would not be able to cope with the loss of two major circuits at the same time. However, the performance of the La Trobe Valley power stations, combined with the Newport power station, is maintaining full supplies for Victoria," he said. A police spokesman said the pilot's body was removed from the wreckage yesterday afternoon and taken to the Coroner's Court Shamir capitulates Israel's Prime Minister, Mr Shamir, agrees to conditions that threaten his peace plan for the occupied territories. PAGE 7 Triple ballet bill The Australian Ballet's triple bill at the State Theatre ranges from botched to beautiful and bouncy, writes Neil Jillett PAGE 14 2L Steeplechase favorites out Prepost favorites Direct Mail and Derrydonnell will miss tomorrow's Grand National Steeplechase at Remington.

PAGE 1 Accent 20 Amusements In EG Arts 14 Business Age 21-24 Comics 12 Crosswords J8 13 Editorial Law List 14 12 14 7-9 25 25 Letters TV Guide World News Classified index Personal notices Nine people from a sunken fishing boat were found clinging to a bathtub in the Irish Sea. They grabbed the tub as it floated from the boat, which had no lifeboat. TODAY: Mostly fine. Cool wind. Expected top 15 (yesterday 12).

Three-day forecast 2 Details 20. 5 'r Mr Goss said the action taken against Mr D'Arcy was the most severe penalty that has ever been handed out by the Labor Party caucus to any member. "It was not taken lightly, it was done with regret and it was absolutely necessary if we are to lift our game and to lift our standards to which the public are entitled," he said. Mr D'Arcy is expected to lose his party's endorsement at a meeting of the state Labor council this weekend. Mr Yewdale is believed to have explained his absence was the result of illness.

PAGE 10: Mora reports. PAGE 13: Editorial; Petty' view. WorkCare agents may fail the test By NORMAN ABJORENSEN The Accident Compensation Commission may have blundered in its appointment of a panel of private investigators for WorkCare. Of the 34 investigators named for the panel on Tuesday, 16 apparently fail to comply with the Private Agents Act Tenders were called in May and about 100 investigators responded. At present 73 investigation firms are used by WorkCare claims agents.

Their work cost $16 million in 1988-89. One firm that failed to have its tender accepted has had legal advice that the tendering process may be invalid. The firm ran checks on the 34 successful tenderers yesterday and found that almost half failed to comply with section 9 of the act relating to registration of a corporation in addition to at least one of the partners or directors as a licensed private agent In one case, the business name of a firm appointed to the panel had not even been registered. "How the Accident Compensation Commission managed all this is beyond me," one agent said. "They asked for all the appropriate documents on the tender papers, but some of these companies wouldn't even have the papers to attach to the tenders." The agent said all applicants were supposed to be checked thoroughly, but he had found that no check had been made with the registrar of private agents.

He said he had approached his legal advisers about taking action against the commission. According to the Private Agents Act those found in breach may be summoned before a magistrate to show cause why their licences should not be cancelled. When he announced the panel on Tuesday, the managing director of the commission, Mr Michael Roux, said he was confident that by appointing the panel the commission would be able to spend less and get more for its money. Officials of the commission could not be contacted for comment last night a iJ'B a FLETCHER ONES Mr Ahern to the privileges committee. After the vote Mr Ahern told Parliament of what he said was a plot involving the former Premier, Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen, to destabilise the Government Mr Powell has denied there was a plot His resignation left the House in uproar and without a Speaker for more than 12 hours.

Mr Powell, now an independent is believed to have the support of several National Party MPs. Mr Ahern said yesterday the crisis was over and he was pleased with the outcome. He said he had been given "a mandate for what I am trying to The pilot was kiUed and power lines mother saw this big light it lit up the whole house," he said. After contacting police, Mr Grigg and his mother spent about 90 minutes unsuccessfully looking in the paddocks for the wreckage. "We were expecting fire, smoke, the works but it was very foggy," he said.

The SECs deputy chief general manager, Mr George Bates, said there was no disruption to electricity supplies in Victoria. Increased output from La Trobe Valley power stations had pre Essendon has picked dual premiership player Mark Thompson for his first game since round 22 in 1987. Thompson has been named in his favorite back pocket for tomorrow's match of the day against Carlton at VFL Park. He seriously injured his left knee in the final practice match of the 1988 pre-season, and returned to action in the reserves only five weeks ago. Essendon also recalled ruck-man Paul Salmon and rover Tony Antrobus.

PAGE 32: Reports. comirse went unnoticed because "they are just not as trendy as fighting the timber He criticised "doomsayers" concerned at the increase in debt Debt was not the main concern but the difference between the growth in expenditure of eight per cent and growth in production of only four per cent The market would deal with excessive debt "You only have to look at the litany of failures over CofrttMMd: PAGE 10 PAGE 18: Michelle Grattan's PAGE It: Restructuring puts women on equal footing: Katty. Pilot killed as plane strikes power lines power lines, which are Victoria's main transmission link with NSW and the Snowy Mountains scheme. The search's coordinator, Inspector Hank Zervaas of Mansfield police, said it appeared the pilot died instantly. He said thick fog and wet weather may have contributed to the crash.

A stockman, Mr David Grigg, 19, said that about 3.30 am yesterday his mother heard a plane flying over the top of their house, about 300 metres from the crash site. "And then all of a sudden my Fortunes swing in Test battle By CAMERON FORBES, Brunei, Thursday Australia will host a landmark ministerial meeting to explore the creation of a forum for Asia-Pacific economic cooperation. A core group of members of the Association of South-East Asian Nations, the United States, Japan, Canada, New Zealand and South Korea will meet in early November, according to Australian officials. Countries such as China, Hong Kong and Taiwan could be invited. The agreement to meet is a diplomatic coup for the Prime Minister, Mr Hawke, who first raised the proposal on a visit to South Korea in January.

-Australia has stressed repeatedly that it was not putting forward a definitive blueprint Two ministers from each country are expected to attend the meeting, which will be held without conditions. -The core group members committed themselves, either privately-, or publicly, during today's conference between ASEAN foreign ministers and their industrialised partners, to participation, officials said. Mr Hawke said then that the fundamental base for the recent dynamic economic growth of the Asia-Pacific region the system oi global trade operating under the rules of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade was under threat "I believe the time has come for us substantially to increase our -efforts towards building regional cooperation and seriously to investigate what areas it might focus on and what forms it might take." Mr Hawke listed potential benefits from a new cooperation as: strengthening countries' individual and collective capacity for policy formulation; furthering trade liberalisation in the region; areas such as industrial cooperation, energy, technology transfers, flows of direct investment and basic infrastructure development Mr Hawke sent the head of the Department of Foreign Affairs Kelty: Australians had to grasp reality. i 3t i The wrecked plane lies on a road By MEGAN BACKHOUSE A man was killed early yesterday morning when his twin-engine plane crashed at Tolmie, near Mansfield in north-eastern Victoria. The plane struck two SEC power lines, breaking Victoria's electricity link with New South Wales.

The lone pilot Robert Burrows, 28, of Bellevue Hill, New South Wales, was flying from Sydney to Melbourne on what police believe was a regular trip carrying cargo. The plane disappeared from the Department of Civil Aviation's radar screen at 3.55 am. Nearby residents heard the plane crash and alerted police about 4 am. SEC workers found the wreckage about 7.30 am while they were examining the damaged New accounting giant created The accounting firms Price Waterhouse and Arthur Andersen are poised to announce a merger that will create the world's largest accounting and consulting group. The new operation, with an annual worldwide fee income of more than $4.1 billion, will com fortably overtake the recently formed Ernst and Young.

The Australian operations of the merged group would produce annual fees of about $2N million ahead of Peat Marwick Hun-gerfords, with fees in excess of S2W million. PAGE 21: Report. "I would hope if the Labor Party loses, they lose honorably. I hope they do not repeat the Fraser and Howard legacy to this country." Mr Kelty said he did not believe Australia would have a recession. "This country has economic problems, an economic challenge and nobody would ever deny that But let us not as a nation get distracted from the real solution." In a wide-ranging and often impassioned speech, Mr Kelty called on Australians to take a more mature and optimistic view of the nation's economic potential.

He said his agenda for the 1990s 'Birmingham, Thursday England recovered from a poor start to have Australia struggling at 4232 when bad light halted play 45 minutes before the scheduled close of play in the third Test at Edgbaston today. Victorian Dean Jones was unbeaten on 71 and in-form all-rounder Steve Waugh had 17. A partnership of 96 in 106 minutes between David Boon and Jones rescued Allan Border's team from a precarious position when the tourists lost 317 just after lunch. Boon was tragically run out when a drive from Jones deflected from the hand of bowler Paul Jarvis and on to the stumps. to alter included real wage rises of one per cent to 1.5 per cenra year, and a doubling or trebling of the three per cent productivity superannuation contributions by employers by 1990.

On other issues: He would not rule out inflation accounting to reduce tax on savings Interest He called for "a proper balance" between the environment and development so that "we don't look at every tiny little forest as if it was the only test of your environmental bona Mr Kelty said that environmental problems such as dealing with detergent and chemical waste warns Labor mot By MARK METHERELL, Canberra The ACTU secretary, Mr Bill Kelty, said yesterday that the Federal Government had an even chance of winning the next election, but warned it against a "spendthrift clutch for He said he would be "extremely disappointed" if the Government took an approach of winning at any cost in "a desperate bid for power" that could take years to correct Mr Kelty told the National Press Club in Canberra that although the Government was being hit by high interest rates, its policies were basically sound. A 6.