What Australian newspapers say, Wednesday, August 13, 2003
SYDNEY, Aug 13 AAP - Australian Securities and Investments Commission chairman DavidKnott is one of the people businesses have to thank for Australia's pragmatic approachto corporate law reform, The Australian Financial Review says in an editorial today.
"In his three years Mr Knott has achieved an impressive list of high-profile scalps.
"They range from merchant banker Simon Hannes and stockbroker Rene Rivkin, convictedof insider trading and sentenced to jail, to former HIH chief executive Ray Williams anddirector Rodney Adler, who are appealing a court's decision to ban them form acting asdirectors for many years, and the inimitable John Elliott, who was similarly banned.
"The criticism that Mr Knot pursued well-known figures for the sake of publicity andignored worthier causes doesn't stand scrutiny," it says.
"All in all, 70 people have been jailed during Mr Knott's term, 40 directors bannedand more than $1 billion in funds protected, recovered or ordered in compensation."
The Daily Telegraph says the justice system has yet to determine what role DanielaDawes might have had in the death of her 10-year-old son.
"However, any observer of this tragedy would agree she already has been serving a sentenceof sorts, one endured by thousands of other parents of autistic children.
"Mrs Dawes had the most difficult task of raising a child whom nature had cruelly deprivedof those facilities that bless other children.
"Mothers in her position can be as much victims of the affliction as their child."
The Australian says the 2004 Athens Olympic games are "almost on track".
"When observers have expressed concern at Athens's stuttering progress towards readiness,they have been assured that everything will be achieved in 'the Greek way', which appearsto mean something close to 'She'll be right", it says.
"Redeveloping an ancient city so that it can accommodate a sporting event involving10,500 athletes, 10,000 journalists, and up to 150,000 spectators each day is fraughtwith difficulty, especially when every hole in the ground uncovers archaeological ruinsand treasures from antiquity."
The Sydney Morning Herald says there is a need for a fairer system of injury and medicalcompensation.
"At present, whether those suffering serious injuries receives compensation or notdepends more on luck than on logic.
"A few (people) win multimillion-dollar payouts through courts - payouts which raisepremiums and distort perceptions. It is only these people who make the news.
"Most of the catastrophically injured are not victims of medical negligence, whichaccounts for just 11 per cent of claims, but rather of traffic accidents and other misfortunes.
"There is a strong humanitarian argument for a no-fault scheme to care for them."
The Courier-Mail says Prime Minister John Howard has much more explaining to do overa meeting he had with ethanol producer Dick Honan last year.
Last September, in response to Opposition questioning, Mr Howard told parliament hedidn't recall meeting Mr Honan to discuss certain assistance to the ethanol industry.
Labor has discovered he did meet Mr Honan, but Mr Howard now says the specific matterhe was asked about in parliament - a shipment of ethanol from Brazil - was not discussed.
This sort of hairsplitting is reminiscent of the government's tactics during the childrenoverboard affair, and leaves a similarly bad impression.
Also demanding explanations, The Age says the Bracks Government's response to the possibleimproper accessing of state election candidates' police files leaves serious doubts unresolved.
Chief Commissioner Christine Nixon has rejected a request by Opposition Leader RobertDoyle that police determine whether Liberal candidates' files were checked in the lead-upto last year's state election.
"The original Liberal request did smack of a fishing expedition, but the cynicism ofthe Government's response hardly suggests it has nothing to hide".
The Herald Sun says Victoria Police must thoroughly investigate the allegations.
"There may have been no impropriety.
"But assurances are not enough," it says.
"Unless a thorough check is made and the results made public, the suspicion will growthat someone has something to hide."
The Advertiser says soaring real estate prices have made ownership unattainable formany South Australian first-home buyers.
"The state government has some power to close the affordability gap by easing propertytaxes, particularly stamp duties," it says.
"Most property taxes provide no services or benefits for home owners (and) have becomean easy way for governments to extract more revenue.
"By returning these tax rates to somewhere near pre-boom levels - at least for first-homebuyers - the government would again put homes within the reach of some potential purchasers."
AAP ch/ra/cjh
KEYWORD: EDITORIALS
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