The Age from Melbourne, Victoria, Australia • Page 1

AGI TMIE 233 TUESDAY 17 JUNE 1997 143rd Year No. 44,308 i JUL iPc. Cold comfort Winter vegetables EPICURE tpSEr HI comes to The digital ink revolution COMPUTERS Puttings Mctcard to the test school EDUCATION METRO WKMNUMWlhUMI 1 trmfilii'i 6 6 1 want my baby back I don't care who's got him I just want him back 9 9 Australia not going it alone: Howard Ax step imp seared for tooy iff A "Vw (w i 1 "X-, a. In The agony of waiting: A distraught Belinda Murphy, Jaidyn Leskie's mother, finds the waiting for news of her missing son is too much and breaks down and cries. Her sister, Katie, is at her side.

Police will widen the search today with reinforcements and specialists from Melbourne. Picture: Sebastian costanzo Mother pleads for her child's return "We have spoken to everybody involved with the breaking of the windows and the positioning of the head, and at this stage, on the information we have, we are satisfied that it was not connected," said Detective Senior Sergeant Rowland Legg of the homicide squad. Senior Sergeant Legg also said there was no evidence that Jaidyn's disappearance was connected with a religious cult. Police said that when Mr Domaszewicz returned to his house, there was no sign of forced entry. Police believe Jaidyn might have been abducted before the attack on the house.

Senior Sergeant Legg said he was disappointed at the response from the community to the incident. "We have visited a number of addresses and are carrying out an extensive search at the moment, not only preparing for the worst, but also looking for some form of evidence which might assist us in establishing where Jaidyn is." Jaidyn's 21 -year-old mother, Ms Belinda Murphy, made an emotional public plea for the boy's safe return. Senior Sergeant Legg said police were still trying to establish the precise time and circumstances of Jaidyn's disappearance and said there were still a number of inconsistencies that had to be checked out. Jaidyn was wearing a blue and white striped jumper, dark blue silky tracksuit pants and black slip-on boots. Anyone with information should call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

By GERVASE GREENE and BEN MITCHELL, Canberra The Prime Minister, Mr John Howard, has played down accusations that Australia is in danger of retreating into isolationism, Mr Howard, who leaves for Britain today, also said Australia's republic debate hud gone quiet. In an interview with London's'VidHciVi Times, lie blamed the Australian media for overseas perceptions of isolar lion after immigration cuts and a more protectionist trade policy. "You can't have an inward-looking Australia. Those days are gone forever," he was quoted as saying. "But that doesn't mean on every single decision we will go to the outer limits of our exposure." Mr Howard denied that the independent MP Ms Pauline Hanson's attacks on Asian immigration and Aboriginal welfare had divided the nation, or damaged Australia's image overseas.

The Prime Minister, due in London tomorrow, was downbeat about Australia's plans for a people's convention. "If anybody asks nie, I'll talk about it but not in any new sense," he said. "It's a debate which is at a sort of a low simmer. "Obviously, people's attitudes are different now to what they were 20 or 30 years ago. "But how that translates and at what time and in what form into change is something which will evolve." The two-week trip is Mr Howard's fifth, nml and comes while he is under fire at home over unemployment and overseas over Aboriginal reconciliation.

He will spend seven days in London before visiting Washington and New York. Domestic issues often overshadow the proposed agenda of overseas visits, but in this case Mr Howard's advisers have already expressed alarm at the likely negative reaction to the trip. Although the American leg of the trip features a number of important meetings with business and political leaders, including the US President, Mr Bill Clinton, the first half includes only a 45-minute meeting with the British Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair, and an audience with the Queen. Sources said that this would enable Mr Howard to brief the Queen about the progress of the republic debate, including this Continued: PAGE A2 J'l i HIT" i 4 4 f5 rut Lf i it VM rut sHmror MjrnwuA 901. Internet addnti: hup.www.qaruai.com.au safety.

"We believe in God," she said. "We're just normal people and you don't think anything like this is going to happen to you. We're just praying that God will the police find him and bring him back to us," she said. Mrs Leskie said their son, Brett, had been devasted by the news of Jaidyn's disappearance. "He loves those kids, he just loves them," she said.

It was not known yesterday when Brett would be able to return home but his mother said it would be within a few days. Mr Ray Leskie said he had grown close to Jaidyn, often giving a hand when laidynls mother struggled to cope with her two young children. "It's been hard, very hard, on the whole family," he said. "He's a pleasant, happy-go-lucky grandson. He was just starting lo walk the last time we saw him and we got a big thrill out of it," he said.

"When something like this happens it's very down-heartening. I've just gut no idea who could have done it." News of the abduction has shattered local residents, unused to violence within their community. Neighbors whose children played with Jaidyn were too traumatiscd to speak of his disappearance. Belinda Murphy made a last appeal for her sonfc life. "I kissed him goodbye and he just smiled.

You don't mess with somebody's life like that. Just bring him back to me." By JASON KOUTSOUKIS, crime reporter The mother of a boy missing in the La Trobe Valley yesterday made a dramatic plea for his safe return. Meanwhile, police today will intensify their search for the 14-month-old boy, missing since the weekend, amid mounting fears for his life. Police have been told laidyn Leskie disappeared between 2 and 3am on Sunday after being left alone at a house in Narracan Drive, Newborough, near Moe, while his mother's boyfriend went to collect her from a hotel 20 kilometres away in Traralgon. About 30 police and 20 State Emergency Service volunteers yesterday found few clues as they searched paddocks and scrub near the house.

The search area will be widened this morning with the arrival of more police from Melbourne, including specialist search and rescue officers. Police were told of Jaidyn's disappearance by the boyfriend, Mr Greg Domaszewicz, about 5am on Sunday two hours after he said he had returned home to find the child missing. Police said they had been unable to find an explanation for the apparent delay. In what police say is a coincidence, (wo front windows of Mr Domaszewicz's house were smashed by rocks and a severed pig's head left in the front yard while he was away. Police have ruled out any connection between Jaidyn's disappearance and the attack on the house.

For the first time in almost a decade, Australia will have a seed in the Wimbledon draw following Mark Philippous-sis' victory at Queen's. The Melburnian (above) defeated Goran Ivanisevic 7-5, 6-3 in 53 minutes and moved up to 13th in the world. PAGE BB: Report. Clearing drizzle In south. Inland frosts, togs.

Ottyi Becoming fine. Expected top 13. (Yssterday 14). PI rj TV Whitewash, Whitewater, and Watergate's legacy By JASON KOUTSOUKIS At 2.30pm on Saturday, Belinda Murphy kissed her 14-month-old baby, Jaidyn, goodbye. Yesterday, shaking with emotion, she pleaded for her son's life.

"I want my baby back. I don't care who's got him, I just want him back," she said. Ms Murphy has no idea who has taken her son or why anyone would want to do so. Now, she says, she will stay by the phone calling the police every hour to see if they have any new information or waiting for a call to tell her that her son is OK. Ms Murphy said she did not believe it when her boyfriend, Greg Domaszewicz, 28, told her about 5am on Sunday, try to clean up the last lot's mess.

It quickly turns grudging. The pre-Nixon generations believed passionately in the greatness of their country being closely linked to the greatness of the White House. Watergate burned an opposing view Into the public consciousness. The serving president was so clearly beneath the office that he tainted perceptions nationwide. Now terms such as smoking gun, cover-up, stonewall and, of course, Watergate are synonymous with the legacy.

The name of the large hotel and apartment complex overlooking the Potomac is now the generic title for political scandal. Derivations of It have become comical In their frequency. The International disasters of Irangate and Contra-gate under President Reagan; Continued: PAGE A13 PAGE A13: Watergate in picture. A14 A10-13 (03)9600 Metros Metros 132243 BM 9601 9668 that Jaidyn was missing. "Hefe beautiful, he's happy, just bring him back to me and his sister," she said.

Jaidyn's sister, three-year-old Breehanna, keeps looking for her little brother. Yesterday she called his name. When she saw her brother's face on the television she said hello to him. Jaidyn's grandparents, Ray and Elizabeth Leskie, whose son, Brett, left four weeks ago for Kalgoorlie in Western Australia to find work, also pleaded for their grandson return. "We are really upset," Mrs Leskie said, "lie is only a baby.

We don't know what has happened. We hope he is still alive. It's too hard to think of him not being alive." Mrs Leskie appealed to God to deliver her grandson to Court told of lover and death A man whose wife was bashed to death in their Whittlesea home had earlier told his lover that they could be together only if the wife was dead, the Coroner's Court heard yesterday. At the inquiry into the 1991 death of Melinda Freeman, 26, Ms Pamela Gil-more said she and Mr Craig Freeman talked about being together In August 1991. Ms Gilmore said that in 1992 she asked her lover if he remembered what he had said to her the previous year and he replied: "Yeah, yeah, but don't tell the police Under cross-examination, she said Mr Freeman told her he was happy in his marriage and would never do anything to jeopardise it or his son.

PAGE A3: Report. 4211 (BH) 9 h.Jf' iS Jaidyn Leskie: last seen in a blue-and-white striped jumper and dark track pants. President Nixon and his aides in the Oval Office, 1970. Richard Nixon did not initiate White House cover-ups of embarrassing and Incriminating Incidents; he had plenty of predecessors. But Americans, despite the abundant evidence of various crooks inhabiting the White House over the centuries, still revere the office of the president.

It is a pride that Is hard to understand In an Australian context, where such notions scarcely exist, Reverence for the office of prime minister does not amount to more than temporary leave to Metro 4 Metros Bl-5 Metro 2 Metro 2 A14 A13 Arte It was, on its surface, a third-rate burglary, just as the Nixon administration described it. The burglars were caught, their methods ridiculously amateurish. But the Watergate burglary, 25 years ago today, unravelled not only a presidency but the way America regards presidential politics. When Rill Clinton attempts to defend himself over the Whitewater scandal today, he carries the burden not only of his own errors but also enduring suspicions about presidential behavior dating to Richard Nixon. When Mr Clinton Insists that the campaign finance scandal has nothing to do with him and that he knows nothing about anything, the echoes will be deafening.

And when the White House argues that Its documents are privileged and should not be handed to various Inquiries, the automatic response Is that It proves the White House has something to hide. i mmn lf i fjTW 1 ,) i tffl li-'i anyone ejse? loungai. Qantai Airway Limited A.C.N. 009 66 1 1 rA-SSi Work doesn have to stop just because you re at the airport. At The Qantas Club there are faxes, work stations, meeting rooms, showers, refreshments, and the latest newspapers and magazines.

All in a relaxed, friendly environment. Why do business with QXM 02 1 3. Not ill facillliti avallablt In all One of the proposals to commemorate India's 50th anniversary of Independence from Britain Is to erect a statue of Mahatma Gandhi in Antartica. about 13. Tkinaayi FofcttMfillnt about 13.

frit I about 14. Metro 10 TtfsyaforMM Uftout (plus charges) Page A14..