Brisbane Lord Mayor JIM SOORLEY has called on Australians to return their terrorismkits to the federal government.
The kits will be mailed to all Australians this week with a message to prepare emergencyplans in case of a terrorist attack.
They include a detailed booklet, a letter from Prime Minister JOHN HOWARD and a terrorismhotline fridge magnet.
Mr SOORLEY …
Mr Crean said a Labor government would also introduce harsher penalties to smash peoplesmuggling rings, improve airport security and treat asylum seekers who arrived by airthe same way as those who arrived by sea.
Although mandatory detention would continue, Labor would close the Woomera detentioncentre and stop exporting asylum seekers to Australia's Pacific neighbours.
He said national security was Labor's top priority, but there also was a need to treatasylum seekers more decently.
"The underpinning objective in terms of this policy is to ensure that they're (asylumseekers) treated decently, that we do the right thing," he said.
"Doing the right thing means securing our borders and treating them decently."
AAP kmh/sw/apm/bwl
KEYWORD: DETENTION LABOR 2 CANBERRA
THE AUSTRALIAN:
Page 1 - Three of the six principal agents in the illegal people-smuggling trade toIndonesia have been put out of business; Rose Porteous cleared of murdering mining magnateLang Hancock; Stabbings of Aboriginal women in Central Australia.
Page 2 - Northern Territory courts accepts that an Aboriginal sorcerer took controlof a young Aboriginal man and made him commit acts of violence.
Page 3 - Rich Australians buying multi-million-dollar mansions with own funds; FormerYoung Australian of the Year urges scientists to get out of laboratories and engage insocial issues; Clayton Utz lawyers in fresh conflict over transport tender; Defamationdecision in Victoria means judge has to decide if judicial officials are open to the samepublic ridicule as politicians.
World - Explosion in New York sparked fears of renewed terrorist attacks; Five-year-oldgirl in New York is regarded as the youngest drug mule used by traffickers; US PresidentGeorge W Bush makes fresh demands for Israel to ensure a peaceful end to the armed standoffsat the Church of the Nativity; Bush's use of the word "failure" is first chink in hisarmour; Israeli lawyers prepare to defend assault on Jenin before the United Nations.
Business - Doctors now believe that the people running Mayne Health know nothing abouttheir industry and barely care; ANZ group unveils second stage of radical restructure;NZ Prime Minister Helen Clark cleared of breaking the law over comments made about AirNZ.
Sport - Wayne Carey's career turns full circle as he returns to his hometown of Wagga Wagga.
AAP rk/rs
KEYWORD: FRONTERS NSW 4 SYDNEY
CANBERRA, Feb 13 AAP - Working days lost to industrial action rose for the second successivemonth in November, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) said today.
The ABS said 36,500 working days were lost for the month, an increase of 2,000 fromOctober, although the actual number of disputes (72) was unchanged.
However, the number of employees involved in the disputes dropped from 23,200 in Octoberto 19,500 in November.
The bulk of the disputes occurred in the manufacturing industry, which accounted for49 per cent of all days lost.
Victoria had the largest proportion among the states, with 41 per cent, or 15,100,of all working days lost in November.
On a 12-monthly basis, there were 680 disputes for the year to November, six per centless than in the previous 12-month period.
During the period, all states and territories except the Northern Territory, recordeda decrease in the number of days lost to industrial action, compared with the previous12 months.
AAP dep/daw/ldj/br
KEYWORD: DISPUTES
