The Age from Melbourne, Victoria, Australia • Page 4

4 TI3 AC! WEDNESDAY 16 SEPTEMBER 1992 Ti A ground-breaking start to city-edge housing ncture: SEBASTIAN COSTANZO Canberra gets caught out by "US wheat deal 1 1 deposit for one of SM city-fringe homes envisaged for the former railway yard site. The Initial stage of the project, I at 21 Wellington Parade South, Includes 41 homes. This stage la scheduled to be completed by next April. The Joint principal of Mr Max Beck (pictured with -Councillor Clark) said yesterday that prices for the one, two and three-bedroom units would start at with the average! costing It Is a long way from the turning of the first sod (left) on a new residential development to the completion of the 171 million project aa envisaged by the artist's sketch (below). But the Lord Mayor of Melbourne, Councillor Dei Clark (main picture, left), performed the symbolic duty yesterday at the Jollmont site of Eastslde.

The developer, Becton Corporation, says there have already been encouraging signs for the success of the development, with 31 people each paying $2Mf 5' MARK MCTHERELL and -NICHOLAS JOHNSTON, lr C. to. is ut rife 4 mtr the US could move Into one of Australia's biggest markets, Indonesia. Mr Kerin defended the Government's approach of maintaining dialogue with the US on trade. "The alternative Is to engage in discussions by way of insult to our trading partners and have no talks at all, and that's the preferred path by the Opposition," he said.

Mr Crean said the Pakistan sale was the first time Australia had had to protest about an EEP sale since the US sale to Yemen at the end of last year. Since then the EEP had been applied mainly in a way that had not adversely affected Australian farmers, Mr Crean said. "This decision In terms of Pakistan, in my view, does represent a turning point in that regard." The chairman of the Australian Wheat Board, Mr Clinton Condon, said he was very disappointed with the announcment of the EEP wheat sale to Pakistan. He said he would raise it with US trade officials this week. "The US has sold subsidised white wheat at a time when there was absolutely no need to do so," Mr Condon said.

"Pakistan has never before had a subsidy and has demonstrated that it is willing to pay commericial rates to Australia and the US." The National Farmers Federation and the Grains Council will protest against the sale when they meet US trade officials today. The executive director of the federation, Mr Rick Farley, said the sale was contrary to EEP principles and inconsistent with President Bush's statement. "It is going to be damaging for Australia because Pakistan has been a very strong market for us," he said. "We'll still have access (to Pakistan), but at what price?" The federal Government ester-day4efended Its handling of the trartefrow with the United States in the ake of the latest US blow to Australian wheat exports. The announcement of the sale of 220.000 tonnes of American when to Pakistan with the help of US subsidies totalling more than $USM million caught the Australian Government off guard.

The sale; 'tame less than a fortnight after an assurance by President BusK that its Export Enhancement Program subsidies were not aimed at Australia. "the announcement is Inconsistent with the detail of President Bush's recent statement concerning multi-country EEP initiatives, anchrae spirit of his follow-up letter to the Prime Minister," the Minister for Primary Industries, Mr. Crean, and the Trade Minister, Mr Kerin, said in a joint statement yesterday. The ministers said President Bush had emphasised that the EEP, was aimed at countries that subsidise, such as the European Community. But the EC had only a minor presence in the Pakistan market, they said.

The timing of yesterday's sale the day that Australian and US agriculture trade officials met for routine talks in Canberra about EEP; was described as deplor-able-by Mr Kerin. Mr Crean said Australia rejected the explanation given by the US trade, delegation in Canberra yesterday that the EEP sale was to preempt expected moves by the EC Into the Pakistan market. Mr Kerin and Mr Crean expressed "considerable disappointment" about the sale and registered concern about rumors that Proposal for uniform law on handling crime cases By PRUE INNES An overhaul of Australia's criminal laws, to produce uniform rules on criminal responsibility throughout the country, has been unveiled at an International criminal law conference In The areas affected would be criminal intent, recklessness, negligence, and the main criminal defences like self-defence, mistake and insanity. The chairman of the Criminal Law Officers Committee, Dr David Neal, told the fourth International Criminal Law Congress that uniformity was a very important principle In criminal law. Under the proposed Australian model criminal code, all people accused of a crime would be judged on the same rules, regardless of the state or territory in which the conduct occurred.

Australia's nine jurisdictions are split Into two camps the common law used by the Commonwealth, Victoria, New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory, and a criminal code developed in the early part of this century, used in the rest of Australia. Dr Neal said the principal dlf-ference between the two. approaches was that the common law emphasised proof of criminal intent based on what the accused knew or Intended at the time, and intent must be proved by the prosecution. Under the code, intent was presumed unless the defendant could lead evidence of an honest and reasonable mistake or accident. The model criminal code adopts the modern approach that the prosecution must prove criminal Intent.

The model criminal code also proposes a radical overhaul of the law of criminal responsibility for corporations, which has remained virtually unchanged since 1915. Dr Neal said that the failure of the criminal law to deal with major disasters brought about by corporate misconduct, such as the Bhopal disaster, the sinking of the Zeebrugge ferry, and the Exxon Valdez oil spill, demanded a fresh approach. He said the criminal law was now "manifestly inadequate to cope with the needs of the late 20th He said there was increasing recognition of the capacity of corporations to commit serious crimes, and the entry of the criminal law into areas such as the protection of the environment, occupational health and safety, and regulation of financial markets, showed up the defects In the old approach. Forget the hype, chips still wrapped in paper y2U ANZAAS GRAEME O'NEILL posed by now to be totally electronic. In the US, paper consumption has rocketed 320 per cent over the past 30 years." The two most successful prod-, ucts of recent times the photocopier and the fax machine were enormous users and genera- tors of paper.

Sales of desktop laser printers, also huge consumers of paper, were booming. One analyst of information technology recently came to an astonishing conclusion: there was almost no evidence that forecasters, professionals and amateurs alike, had any idea what the technological future would look like. Remember the paperless office? The workerless factory? The cashless society? The electronic cottage? These megatrends of the information technology revolution have turned out to be mostly megahype, says an information technologist, Dr Tom Forester, senior lecturer in the School of Computing and Informating Technology at Brisbane's Griffith University. Dr Forester said that when the first microchip appeared on the market in the late 1970s, a expert report had predicted that 40 per cent of office jobs would be lost to the "job A US Senate said. "The microchip has had much less social impact than almost everyone predicted.

"All the talk about future shocks, third waves, megatrends and post-industrial societies must now be taken with a very large pinch of sodium chloride." The microchip had not put millions out of work. In some companies, computerisation had been accompanied by an increase in employment. The vast majority of people fortunate enough to be in the workforce appeared to be working harder than ever. There was very little sign of the leisure society having arrived in fact, leisure time had shrunk. In terms of cumulative work hours, the average American (and presumably, the average Australian) now worked a month longer every year that in 1969, despite the advent of computers, robots, word-processors and other "labor-saving" devices.

"The paperless office was one of the funniest predictions made about the social impact of information technology," Dr Forester said. "More and more trees are being felled to satisfy our vast appetite for paper, in offices that were sup committee had earnestly discussed the social implications of a 22-hour week by 1985 and retirement at age 38. "The truth is, society has not changed very much," Dr Forester NSW Budget raises works Research chief warns Canberra against under-funding Increase was estimated by NSW Treasury to add $1.7 billion to the NSW gross state product. "However, this kind of employment boost from capital works can only be achieved if we continue a tight rein on current spending that is, the day-to-day costs of government," Mr Fahey said. Capital works spending will rise more than 10 per cent to a record $5.9 billion.

The Budget deficit for 1992-93 was expected to be $1.2 billion, $55 million less than In the previous Budget year. The.New South Wales Premier, Mr Fahey, in his first Budget, yesterday a $540 million Increase in capital works spending, which he said would help create ,8,000 jobs. But he conceded that only 6000 jobs would be created directly. The one-off boost to capital works speeding would be financed in part by the sale of the Government Insurance Office, he said. The Budget, in which there were' no new taxes, focuses on health, roads, public transport and education for capital works projects.

The capital works spending By GRAEME O'NEILL The head of the Australian Research Council, the main research-funding agency for universities, warned the Commonwealth Government about the risk of under-funding basic research. Speaking at the ANZAAS Congress in Brisbane, Professor Max Brennan said the likely success rate for applicants for large grants from the council was likely to be as low as 19 per cent for next year. The pressure on basic research grants was intense, and only one in five applicants would succeed. "This is unacceptably low and represents a lost opportunity for the country to benefit from the results of research projects that cannot be funded, but which are judged by the international research community (the council's assessors) to be of very high quality and importance," Professor Brennan said. He warned that the council might be forced to suspend or even close Its fellowship program, which fosters the career development of outstanding researchers from post-doctoral to senior research fellow level.

The federal Minister for Higher Education, Mr Baldwin, defended the funding situation, saying funding through the council had Increased by almost 300 per cent in real terms over the past four years. "In 1988, Federal Government research funding totalled $96 million and this will rise to over $270 million in 1993. That's a massive real Increase and one which clearly demonstrates the Government's strong commitment to maintain and expand research in our higher-education system." Mr Baldwin acknowledged that demand for research funding had increased by 18 per cent in each of the past two years, leading to a lower success rate of grant applicants. But the Government had recognised this and it would be considered in the context of planning for the 1993-95 triennium. Professor Brennan has given the Government its first clear warning that its policy of emphasising research relevant to the more immediate needs of Industry is threatening strategic research projects with the potential to generate new Industries for Australia in the longer term.

Under Professor Brennan's predecessor, Professor Don Aitken, the council strongly emphasised commercially relevant research in allocating grants to universities. ADVERTISEMENT! Natural Law Party Third Largest Political Party in Victoria Everyone has experienced what the two party governments have produced. Whatever knowledge they have used, they have repeatedly demonstrated failure and spread problems. Don't make a mistake this time. Give your vote to the Natural Law Party, and natural law will support Victoria.

Every program and policy of the Natural Law Party is based on established scientific principles and supported by extensive research. A Natural Law Government will eliminate problems and bring success to all areas. For example: tZ Small Business and Taxation 1 Taxation can never be reduced until the increasing costs of health care, policing, and correctional services are reduced. The Natural Law Party has proven programs to lower these costs, resulting in a reduction in the budget deficit and lower taxes and charges for all. Simplification of regulations which stifle growth of small businesses.

Incentives for reinvestment of profits in creating new industries and employment. Health Problem: Rising health care costs are crippling Victoria's economy. Health costs in Australia amount to more than $31,000 million annually. Cost of Medicare Services exceeds $1,000 million annually and is increasing by over $120 million every year. Solutions: Prevention-oriented health education to develop a disease-free society.

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2. Establishment of a large institute at Point Cook for personal development and skills training for the unemployed. 3. Combined government and private sector support for self-employment. Education Problem: More than l3rd of teachers suffer from unmanageable levels of stress.

WorkCare claims by teachers increased from $11 million to S3 million in four years. High levels of violence, drug abuse, and frustration among students. Solutions: There is no problem that cannot be solved, no ideal that cannot be achieved through proper education. Introduction of programs to: (1) eliminate stress and strain among students and teachers. (2) develop happiness, self-esteem, confidence, and intelligence.

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Without such education, no amount of vigilance on the part of the police and no amount of law-making or increased expenditure will be able to maintain law and order. Environment Problem: Pollution of the air, waterways and farmland and the disposal of toxic waste are of vital concern in Victoria. The NLP believes that life must never be sacrificed for the sake of the economy. Solutions: Incentives for pollution-free industries and agriculture, and environment-friendly products. The NLP has developed the Environment Industry Scheme, which will; (1) address major waste disposal problems.

(2) create many jobs and (3) develop exportable technology for Victorian business. Programs proven to raise consciousness and thereby bring life everywhere in accord with natural law. To eliminate obstacles and ensure success in all areas, the Natural Law Party will introduce programs to generate a positive influence of coherence and harmony throughout society such that negative trends and tendencies cannot arise. For full details of any of our policy statements, please contact NLP campaign headquarters (see below). CANDIDATES HAWTHORN Dr Lorna Scurficld General Practitioner, Pilot MALVERN Lesley Mendelson Teacher, Mother of nvo COBURG Dr Byron Rigby Medical Researcher Industrial Consultant FRANKSTON Margaret Dawson Nurse, Midwife, Teacher, Health Administrator BUNDOORA Santo Consolino Industrial Relations Consultant PAKENHAM Rev.

John Hannon Retd. Senior Chaplain, Victorian Police force BRIGHTON Keith Pryor Farmer Managing Director, Hilton Hosiery Group BURWOOD Dr Richard Aldous Company Executive, Gold Industry HIGINBOTHAM Edward Havard President, Attst. Lifewriten Vk, IVANHOE Steve Griffith Compam Dinctor, Party President ESSENDON John Bell Solicitor A 1 9s ALTONA VAN YEAN Julie Nihill Actress, Mother GIPPSLANDWEST Trevor Witt Builder ALBERT PARK Caroline Hockley Organizational Psychologist MORWELL Martin Kirsch Optometrist SANDRINGHAM Brian Gale Party Architect CARRDM Bev Nelson Teacher and Financial Administrator MELBOURNE Tony Botsman Managing Director, Business Consultancy NORTHCOTE Michael Dickins Investment Consultant, Retirement Planning MOOROOLBARK Robert Kendi Corporate Sales, Stress Management RICHMOND Larry Clarke Health Educator Agricultural Economist Leon Staropoli Investment Consultant I J22 MONBULK Bill Watson Business Consultant ELTHAM Steve Davies Lessee Taxi driver MORNINGTON Jan Charhvood Teacher and mother PRESTON Richard Barnes Teacher BENNETTSWOOD Denis Quinlan Computer Engineer CRANBOIIRNE Gary Nelson Company Director DROMANA Joy Orr Company Director SOUTHEASTERN Alan Shield Design Consultant RAH RAN Greg Broszczyk Corporate Health Consultant MELBOURNE PROVINCE Ngaire Mason Occupational Therapist AuthoriMd by Steve Griffith, 14 Kcnirworth Parade, Ivanhoc 307 Natural Law Party Headquarters, 200 Smith Street, Thornbury 3071. Telephone: (03) 416 8309 Facsimile: (03) 416 9757 4.