FED:Editorials, Monday August 22, 2011

AAP General News (Australia)
08-22-2011
FED:Editorials, Monday August 22, 2011

SYDNEY, Aug 22 AAP - Despite the impending crisis in the manufacturing sector, which
employs almost one million Australians, the Gillard government, mired in political controversies,
has given little indication of how it intends to respond, The Australian says in its editorial
today.

If living standards and wages are to continue rising at the rate Australians expect,
productivity growth will need to pick up significantly.

Businesses and government should redress inefficient regulation and business practices
and the labour market.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Treasurer Wayne Swan cannot afford to ignore the advice
of senior business leaders who will meet the Treasurer this week to discuss economic reform
to boost lagging productivity. Such reform must include industrial relations.

A key reform needed is individual workplace agreements with a no-disadvantage test,
which would not be a return to Work Choices but a useful means to lift productivity.

IR reform poses a serious challenge for both the government and opposition.

Sydney's The Daily Telegraph says simmering concerns have been apparent for two years
over Labor member for Dobell Craig Thomson's use of union funds during his period as the
national secretary of the Health Services Union.

Those concerns have become so grave they threaten his political viability - and the
Gillard government's future.

It now transpires that his alleged spending history also features restaurant bills
at some of our finest eateries, the sports memorabilia and extensive travel payments.

Thomson should be compelled to at least offer a full account to parliament.

The court of public opinion may be the forum of most concern to Labor and Thomson.

Right now, that particular jury is edging very close to a verdict.

Melbourne's Herald Sun says authorities and parents in Australia have to learn from
the riots that rocked England.

Society has a collective responsibility to look at adopting long- and short-term measures
to stop such incidents happening in the first place.

That means such things as better parenting, better education, better job prospects
and more youth facilities.

It means providing police with resources to monitor a new generation of tech-savvy
gangs who can move quickly like never before.

Victoria Police is monitoring the activities of more than 70 youth and street gangs
in Melbourne and investigating strategies to prevent gangs creating mayhem.

Police are examining communications laws to see what can be done to shut down social
media if need be.

Melbourne's The Age says a new cybercrime bill being considered by a parliamentary
committee should ring alarm bells about privacy concerns.

The legislation will amend existing laws to allow greater sharing of communications
data with foreign countries.

At first glance, the bill seems commendable as it targets criminals such as pedophiles,
terrorists and pornographers.

Its objective is a common criminal policy aimed at the protection of society against
cybercrime by adopting appropriate legislation and fostering international co-operation.

The Law Council of Australia fears the threshold test and reporting requirements are
not as stringent as those required for domestic investigations.

We should learn from government collusion with the US in holding Australians in Guantanamo
Bay that we need to be vigilant about retaining autonomy in international law.

Brisbane's The Courier-Mail says health payroll lessons have been ignored with OneSchool.

The perils of outsourcing multimillion-dollar services such as information technology
must be one lesson; the importance of extensive trials of new operational systems before
exposure to unsuspecting workers must surely be another.

At least Education Minister Cameron Dick has responded quickly to media scrutiny over
glitches in the OneSchool computer system that has snarled contractors' salaries and the
payment of bills.

Reports of stressed school administrative staff working long hours to plug system holes
are now emerging. We hope support provided them is more than that offered the victims
of the health payroll shambles.

Government must be especially cognisant of the human cost of any change it oversees.

Every dollar spent on repairing an ill-designed system is one fewer for learning resources
for children. And that's one corner Queensland cannot afford to cut.

AAP jxt/rs

KEYWORD: EDITORIALS

� 2011 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

Qld: Tsunami victims squad honoured

AAP General News (Australia)
02-18-2008
Qld: Tsunami victims squad honoured

A police officer .. honoured for his work in identifying victims of the Boxing Day
tsunami .. says his award's for the team effort involved .. and not just himself.

Senior Sergeant KENNETH RACH drew on 28 years of experience with Queensland police
to help out in the aftermath of the tsunami .. which followed an undersea earthquake off
Indonesia on Boxing Day 2004.

He says while he'd been to some major disasters before .. including the 2002 Bali bombings
.. nothing prepared him for the scale of the devastation caused by the tsunami.

More than 186 thousand people were killed in the disaster.

RACH'S work involved helping set up a temporary mortuary .. drawing up a potential
victims list .. working to track down family members and obtain identifying details of
the dead .. and eventually repatriating the remains to their families.

Today .. he and others who went to Thailand were presented with the Commissioner's
Certificate .. in a ceremony in Brisbane.

AAP RTV rad/lc/wf/bart

KEYWORD: BRAVERY RACH (BRISBANE)

2008 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

NFL:Woman hurt after bus pelted with rocks

AAP General News (Australia)
04-25-2011
NFL:Woman hurt after bus pelted with rocks

SYDNEY, April 25 AAP - A woman has suffered a suspected broken nose after the bus she
was travelling in, south of Newcastle, was pelted with rocks and eggs.

The bus came under attack about 10.30pm (AEST) on Sunday, as it headed south on the
Pacific Highway, near the intersection with South Street at Bennetts Green.

One of the rocks smashed a window and hit a 19-year-old female passenger in the face.

The bus driver told police that about 10 youths, all aged about 10 years old, stood
on the side of the road and threw the projectiles.

Police have appealed for information about the incident to be passed to Crime Stoppers
on 1800 333 000.

AAP mdg/jsh

KEYWORD: BUS

� 2011 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

VIC:Ombudsman calls for code of conduct review

AAP General News (Australia)
02-10-2011
VIC:Ombudsman calls for code of conduct review

The Victorian Ombudsman has called on the new state government to review its ministerial
code of conduct .. after revelations of a sham community consultation to stop the controversial
Hotel Windsor redevelopment by its predecessor.

Last February a leaked email by then planning minister JUSTIN MADDEN'S media adviser
alleged that his office intended to run a sham public consultation process to halt the
redevelopment in central Melbourne.

Ombudsman GEORGE BROUWER has made 17 recommendations .. including that ministerial
advisers and the minister's chiefs of staff should be made accountable for checking the
accuracy of information contained within media plans.

He says a review of the ministerial code of conduct should acknowledge that ministerial
staff do not have the power to direct public officers in their own right .. and that executive
decisions are made by ministers.

AAP RTV ees/gfr/af

KEYWORD: WINDSOR (MELBOURNE)

� 2011 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

FED:Punters back 2011 for next election

AAP General News (Australia)
08-26-2010
FED:Punters back 2011 for next election

Punters are backing another federal election being called next year as the chaos from
last weekend's poll continues to unfold.

Sportingbet Australia has the next federal election in 2011 as favourite at two-dollars-25
.. followed by an election in 2013 at two-dollars-35.

Those fearing another election this year are outsiders at five dollars.

Sportingbet Australia has Labor inching in front to form government at one-dollar-75
.. with the coalition trailing at two-dollars-05.

AAP RTV cb/sb/jkl/crh

KEYWORD: POLL10 PUNTERS (CANBERRA)

� 2010 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

FED: COAG hospitals talks over for today, back on Tuesday

AAP General News (Australia)
04-19-2010
FED: COAG hospitals talks over for today, back on Tuesday

The meeting between Prime Minister KEVIN RUDD and state and territory leaders on a
new health plan has broken up for the day .. and the talks remain deadlocked.

The Council of Australian Governments meeting will resume tomorrow.

West Australian Premier COLIN BARNETT says they still haven't gotten to the issue of
the GST .. which remains a major sticking point.

Mr RUDD'S proposing the commonwealth would claw back about 30 per cent of the states'
GST revenue and in return .. the federal government will take control of 60 per cent of
hospital funding.

AAP RTV so/jlw/wf

KEYWORD: HOSPITALS CLOSE (CANBERRA)

2010 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

NSW: Cook electrocuted in kitchen

AAP General News (Australia)
12-05-2009
NSW: Cook electrocuted in kitchen

A cook has been electrocuted and his kitchen hand injured at a cafe in the inner-Sydney
suburb of Newtown.

Emergency services were called to the cafe in King Street just after midnight and paramedics
found the 25-year-old cook unconscious and weren't able to revive him.

The other man .. aged 21 .. was treated for minor injuries.

It's thought the electric shock occurred when the grease trap overflowed and the kitchen flooded.

AAP RTV ao/crh

KEYWORD: ELECTROCUTED (SYDNEY)

2009 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

Vic: Pratt took great comfort in court dropping charges - lawyer

AAP General News (Australia)
04-28-2009
Vic: Pratt took great comfort in court dropping charges - lawyer

MELBOURNE, April 28 AAP - Dying billionaire Richard Pratt took great comfort from learning
the criminal case against him had been dropped, his lawyer Leon Zwier said on Tuesday.

In the Federal Court on Monday the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions (CDPP)
withdrew all charges against Mr Pratt on the grounds of his advance terminal cancer.

"His family conveyed to him the outcome of the court case and it gave him comfort at
this particular time," Mr Zwier told ABC Radio.

Mr Zwier said Mr Pratt told him that the case should never have been brought to court.

"He maintained it should never have been brought and maintained that he should be shown
to be innocent and he has," Mr Zwier said.

Mr Zwier said Mr Pratt, 74, the head of the $5 billion Visy Packaging global empire,
is "ailing, very sick and frail".

"I have no doubt he is extremely grateful for the compassion and the kindness that
Justice Ryan delivered this ruling during his lifetime," Mr Zwier said.

He said that the CDPP and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC)
dropped the charges on the grounds of ill-health but at this stage of Mr Pratt's life,
that was irrelevant.

"He has maintained from the beginning that he is innocent and is presumed to be innocent
and that's all that matters," Mr Zwier said.

"Richard Pratt never wanted, doesn't want and would not have wanted prosecution to
be terminated because of ill-health.

"Mr Pratt will die an innocent man."

It is alleged Mr Pratt misled the ACCC at a hearing in 2005 when he denied a 2001 conversation
he allegedly had about price fixing with then Amcor chief executive Russell Jones.

AAP jxt/gfr/jpm

KEYWORD: PRATT LAWYER

2009 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

SA: Magistrate's name revealed as case continues

AAP General News (Australia)
12-23-2008
SA: Magistrate's name revealed as case continues

ADELAIDE, Dec 23 AAP - The identity of an Adelaide magistrate charged with child sex
offences has been revealed ahead of his case resuming in January.

Richard Dutton Brown, 60, has pleaded not guilty to five counts of indecent assault
and two counts of unlawful sexual intercourse, the allegations dating back to 1977.

Brown was charged in 2006 but his identity remained suppressed until a ruling by the
full court of the South Australian Supreme Court on Monday.

His case came before the SA District Court on Tuesday but because of the nature of
the hearing details cannot be revealed.

The case was due to return to court on January 12.

Brown has worked as a magistrate in South Australia since 1979 but is currently on
paid leave from his position.

AAP tjd/it/cdh

KEYWORD: BROWN

2008 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

NSW: McGrath returns to public eye

AAP General News (Australia)
08-17-2008
NSW: McGrath returns to public eye

SYDNEY, Aug 16 AAP - Australian cricket legend Glenn McGrath has made his first public
appearance eight weeks after his wife died of breast cancer.

McGrath chatted with fans for an hour at the signing of his book, Line And Strength,
in Sydney on Friday, a Fairfax report said.

The former fast bowler accepted kind words and shared cricket wisdom with the fans.

"The people were very nice," he said. "A lot of them passed on their best wishes to
me and I appreciated that," he said.

"The reaction to Jane's death is a true indication of how people felt about her. She
was an inspiration to so many.

"It is hard though. When people say they're sorry for what happened, it's nice, I know
they're being kind, but it brings it all back."

Citing old age, McGrath told fans his cricketing days were over. He later told the
newspaper he thought of Jane every day and would make his children -- James, 8, and Holly,
6 -- the focus of his life.

They were the "miracles" doctors warned he and his wife may not be able to have because
of the side effects of the treatment needed to fight the cancer.

After his English-born wife's June 25 funeral, McGrath and the children went bush for
three weeks to his outback property past Bourke, in deep west NSW, he said.

It was the place where, in 1997, his wife resolved to beat cancer after initially saying
she'd rather die than have a mastectomy.

McGrath said the public outpouring of grief reflected the wonderful work Jane did after
establishing the McGrath Foundation. It pays the wages for breast care nurses at metropolitan
and rural hospitals.

AAP rs/imc

KEYWORD: MCGRATH

2008 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

NSW: Jury at Gilham trial in "signficant disagreement"

AAP General News (Australia)
04-09-2008
NSW: Jury at Gilham trial in "signficant disagreement"

By Margaret Scheikowski

SYDNEY, April 9 AAP - Jurors deliberating at the double-murder trial of Jeffrey Gilham
have told a Sydney judge they are in "significant disagreement".

After receiving the jurors' note in the NSW Supreme Court today, Justice Roderick Howie
sent the seven women and five men home to quietly reflect on the case.

Gilham, 37, has pleaded not guilty to the stabbing murders of his parents, Steven and
Helen Gilham, at the family home at Woronora, in Sydney's south, on August 28, 1993.

In April 1995, he pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of his brother Christopher.

The civil engineer told the jury he fatally stabbed him after his brother confessed
to killing their parents.

But the Crown contended Gilham killed all three family members.

The jurors retired on Monday and were due to go home at midday (AEST) today, because
one juror had to attend a medical appointment.

As the court reassembled, the judge referred to receiving their note about being in
"significant disagreement".

He told them experience had shown that when jurors said they could not reach, or it
was unlikely they would reach, a unanimous verdict, "a little more time and more patience"

led to an agreement.

But he stressed he was not asking anybody to "move away from their view" if they could
not reasonably do so.

"I am not going to force you to sit intolerably, until people wilt," he added.

The juror involved in the medical appointment has indicated that its outcome may mean
he or she is not available tomorrow.

Depending on the outcome, Justice Howie said the jury should resume their deliberations
tomorrow or Friday.

He also told the jury an ABC Four Corners program broadcast on Monday night about a
possible miscarriage of justice in another murder trial had "absolutely no bearing" on
the Gilham case.

AAP mss/hn/imc/mn

KEYWORD: GILHAM

2008 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

NSW: Hollywood star slams the slots for Souths

AAP General News (Australia)
12-06-2007
NSW: Hollywood star slams the slots for Souths

SYDNEY, Dec 6 AAP - Hollywood actor Russell Crowe and his NRL club co-owner Peter Holmes
a Court are drumming up support for their no-pokies plan for South Sydney Leagues Club.

About 10,000 Souths fans will receive an email from the pair today urging them to back
the vision ahead of next week's crucial meeting of the leagues club board to decide the
option.

"We are seeking your help to convince the board that a club with no pokies can work
in Redfern in 2008," the letter quoted in News Limited newspapers says.

To push their plan, T-shirts have been produced with the slogan "A club with no pokies",
the newspaper reports.

AAP pc/goc/jl

KEYWORD: SOUTHS

2007 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

Tenp: Almost perfect, Belmonte triumphant in tenpin Masters

AAP General News (Australia)
04-23-2007
Tenp: Almost perfect, Belmonte triumphant in tenpin Masters

LONDON, April 22 AAP - Australian Jason Belmonte was almost perfect with a record aggregate
in winning the 2007 PartyPoker World Tenpin Masters in Hull, England tonight.

A stunning maximum 300 in the first of the two-game final against England's Paul Moor
followed by another near-perfect second game delivered Belmonte one of the most sought-after
titles in tenpin bowling.

It was only the second 300 game in the 10-year history of the World Tenpin Masters.

Belmonte also recorded the first during the 2005 event and he has now his total to
26 perfect games.

Moor had reached the final with a dramatic final ball, single pin victory over Singapore's
Remy Ong (472-471).

Belmonte, who uses an unusual two-handed football pass delivery, cruised to the final
by overcoming American pro-bowler and defending champion Chris Barnes (523-490) in a classic
semi-final that saw the highest aggregate total in the Masters history.

That record was eclipsed in the final where Belmonte began with six strikes before
opening the seventh. He quickly recovered and made no further mistakes, shooting 23 strikes
out of a possible 24 to claim the title with a pinfall of 566-524.

The victory caps a hugely successful six months for Belmonte, after back to back wins
in December at the Brunswick Australian Cup, followed by the 2006 Brunswick Youth Cup,
the 7th Milo International All Stars in Kuala Lumpur, captaining the winning 'Rest of
the World' team at the inaugural Canon Cup in Malaysia last month and winning the 2007
High Roller tournament in Las Vegas.

AAP es/nh

KEYWORD: TENPIN AUST

2007 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

Fed: Govt reviews tax breaks on tree planting

AAP General News (Australia)
12-21-2006
Fed: Govt reviews tax breaks on tree planting

CANBERRA, Dec 21 AAP - Investors in forest plantations can now receive a tax break
on all upfront expenditure, the federal government has announced following an 18-month
industry review.

The new arrangements would provide greater certainty for investors in so-called managed
investment schemes (MIS), Assistant Treasurer Peter Dutton and Forestry and Conservation
Minister Eric Abetz said today in a joint statement.

They said the new arrangements would ensure a continued expansion of the country's
plantation forestry, reducing a reliance on native forest and imports, and cut greenhouse
gases.

From July 1, 2007, investors in forestry MIS will be entitled to immediate "upfront
deductibility" for all expenditure provided that at least 70 per cent of this expenditure
is directly related to developing forestry.

This includes expenditure on planting, tending and harvesting of trees at any time
over the life of the investment, and the annual cost of the land used to develop forestry,
whether in rental or lease payments.

The forestry industry welcomed the review outcome.

"Rural communities and the environment are clear winners from this decision," said
National Association of Forest Industries chief executive officer Catherine Murphy.

"As tree plantations are major carbon stores, the environment will benefit significantly
through the sequestration of greenhouse gases.

"This means Australia can move towards being an `emissions conscious' economy by encouraging
investment in a greenhouse friendly industry."

Tree Plantations Australia chief executive officer Allan Hansard said research shows
that the establishment of plantations can have benefits for rural and regional areas which
have been suffering long-term rural decline.

The government said it will review the development of a secondary forestry MIS market
by mid-2009.

It will also consider the issue of taxation arrangements for non-forestry agribusiness
MIS in the new year.

AAP cb/sb/jt/nf

KEYWORD: PLANTATION

2006 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

Fed: Labor says Sydney airport security a joke

AAP General News (Australia)
08-15-2006
Fed: Labor says Sydney airport security a joke

CANBERRA, Aug 15 AAP - Labor homeland security spokesman Arch Bevis says reports of
lax security at Sydney airport are alarming, given the current terror threats around the
world.

News Limited newspapers today said Sydney airport had adopted an "open-door policy"

on terrorism, with gates to the complex left wide open to the public.

"The reports today of yet another breach at Sydney airport is making a mockery of our
aviation security at a time when we actually need to be reassured things are in order,"

Mr Bevis told reporters in Canberra.

"It's patently clear they are not. Sydney airport security is becoming the standing
joke of the aviation security industry."

Mr Bevis said only a couple of weeks ago, two cars tail-gated a van through security
gates at the airport without passing proper checks.

"This time we have got gates that are left open and secure nothing at all," Mr Bevis said.

"It's time the minister got on top of this ... the time has come where the prime minister
needs to step in and make sure that aviation security in Australia is brought up to speed.

"Sydney is the biggest airport in this country and yet security at this airport is
well below standard."

Mr Bevis said the government's inspector of transport security, Mick Palmer, needed
to be on the job full-time because, at present, he was only working on average one day
a week.

"This is a joke," Mr Bevis said.

AAP nb/srp/sd

KEYWORD: TERROR BEVIS

) 2006 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

NSW: Three charged over stabbing

AAP General News (Australia)
04-08-2006
NSW: Three charged over stabbing

Police have charged three men over an attack in which a Sydney man was bashed and stabbed
in the chest.

Two 20-year-old men and one 18-year-old man from Ruse turned themselves in yesterday
afternoon following the attack at Picton .. on Sydney's south-west rural fringe .. on
Thursday evening.

Police say the trio were charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm and affray.

They'll appear at Parramatta Bail Court later today.

Police say they're still seeking others connected with the attack.





The 18-year-old victim had alighted from a train at Picton about 6.30pm on Thursday
and was walking home .. when he was set upon by eight men.

He suffered serous facial injuries when he was knocked to the ground .. kicked and
punched .. and then stabbed in the chest.

The man was in Liverpool Hospital in serious but stable condition.

AAP RTV lb/rs/smt

KEYWORD: WOUND (SYDNEY)

2006 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

Royal Mint

Royal Mint The organization in the UK that has had the sole right to manufacture English coins since the 16th century. Controlled by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, it was formerly situated in the City of London but moved to Llantrisant in Wales in 1968. It also makes banknotes, UK medals, and increasing quantities of foreign coins (now about 65% of the Mint's total output).

MCM Launches e-MCM.com: Internet-Based Professional Market Analysis Service.

Real-Time Interactive Portal Expands Accessibility to MCM's Enhanced

Market Analysis

NEW YORK, May 21 /PRNewswire/ --

McCarthy, Crisanti & Maffei (MCM), the leading provider of real-time global fixed-income, foreign exchange and equity information, today announced the launch of e-MCM.com: a real-time financial markets analysis portal available via the Internet. The new service consolidates MCM's products, which are currently distributed via private networks, onto an MCM-branded portal that offers enhanced content, expanded data and greater functionality.

"Financial markets move quickly, "said Andrew Oliver, Senior Vice President of e-Commerce of MCM, "so market professionals require value-added market information and expert analysis that's easily accessible whether on the trading floor or off-the-trading floor. With e-MCM.com, clients now have a tool to view and interrogate MCM market analysis to more effectively identify opportunities and avoid deteriorating situations that impact investment performance."

The key features of the new e-MCM.com site are:

-- Expanded, multiple asset class coverage:

-- Corporate Securities

-- Foreign Exchange

-- Government Securities

-- Emerging Markets

-- Equities

-- Real-time streaming updates rather than auto-refresh

-- New data and analysis sources supporting the sales and

trading decision process

-- "Headline" and "Bulletin Board" commentary formats

-- Enhanced database search capabilities for newly issued securities

-- "Key Word" search on headlines and stories

-- Personalized display and content filtering

The e-MCM.com service is immediately available to all existing MCM customers as a supplemental subscription. As an added benefit, in addition to their current vendor access, MCM customers may also access the MCM service anywhere, anytime over the Internet on e-MCM.com.

Visit http://www.e-mcm.com for more information. MCM subscribers may continue to use the MCM service over their current market data vendor platform. For a free 30-day trial of the MCM's service, submit the Request form on the e-MCM.com Home Page.

About McCarthy, Crisanti & Maffei: MCM, an Informa Financial Services company (http://www.informa.com), is a leading provider of real-time global fixed income, equity and foreign exchange commentary and analysis. MCM provides a full range of services with particular expertise in the analysis of the corporate securities, government securities, and currency markets to over 2,400 financial institutions in 57 countries. MCM's real-time product portfolio available over proprietary networks includes: CorporateWatch, MoneyWatch, MTNWatch, CurrencyWatch, FX OptionWatch, EuroWatch, KinriWatch, NihongoWatch and Structured FinanceWatch, High YieldWatch, EquityWatch and LatAm Funding Watch. For more about MCM, go to http://www.mcmwatch.com.

Coca-Cola & QXL.com Bring Internet Auctions to Millions.

LONDON, July 17 /PRNewswire/ --

Coca-Cola Great Britain and QXL.com plc (LSE: QXL; Nasdaq: QXLC), have teamed up to develop a revolutionary cashless online auction.

From August millions of Coca-Cola consumers will be able to bid for items over the internet, without the need for a credit card, in a fun and exciting online auction provided by Europe's leading online auction site, QXL.com. This initiative will introduce internet auction bidding to a potential audience of millions.

Thousands of cool items and 'money can't buy' experiences will be on offer at the cokeauction.co.uk site which opens for business in late August. Instead of credit cards or real money, the only currency acceptable will be "Coke credits", accumulated by collecting promotional red ringpulls or labels from special Coca-Cola cans or 500ml bottles. This unique currency will enable everyone to bid for items without the need for real money.

Coca-Cola Great Britain Managing Director, Chris Banks said: "We expect this unique online auction to be truly groundbreaking, introducing an exciting concept to a whole new range of people. We have developed this initiative with QXL.com because the internet is now the most popular forum for young people of all ages, all over Britain. Teens love the internet, but typically can't buy things or bid for things because they don't have credit cards. This enables them, and everyone, to buy online and gives us a much more interactive dialogue with our consumers, enabling us to have a closer relationship with them."

Jim Rose, Chief Executive Officer of QXL.com said: "As the most recognised global consumer brand, Coca-Cola is part of people's everyday lives. We are delighted to be working together with this major brand to bring online auctions to existing and new internet users alike. This alliance is a further step in our efforts to partner with major offline brands to continue to weave QXL.com into the fabric of consumers' lives."

According to MMXI Europe, 6.5 million -- almost one in four -- British homes are connected up to the internet with around 10.3 million users spending an average of five hours online every month. Households with children are seeing the biggest increases in internet use.

How Cokeauction Works

Having registered at cokeauction.co.uk , consumers will receive 500 free credits which they will then be able to use to bid for items featured on the auction site when it goes live. They can get further free credits each month during the promotion. The first auction will be held in late August and the auctions will run until December 2000.

To increase their credits in order to bid for bigger, more valuable items, consumers should collect the special ringpulls or specially printed labels from 500ml Coca-Cola bottles. These will be available in stores from the first week in August. The ringpulls or labels should then be sent to a handling house where they will be converted to credits: 10 ringpulls/labels = 1000 credits.

Coca-Cola has tied up with brands such as Sony and Nike to offer desirable items for auction ranging from CDs and games software to WAP phones and MP3 players. Also up for auction will be dream items such as a chance for you and your friends to play the England football team five-a-side in your back garden on Wembley turf, or the chance to see your face and message on the famous Coca-Cola sign in Piccadilly Circus.

NBC, ValueVision and NBCi Enter Strategic Alliances with SelfCare.com.

Cross-Platform Agreements to Bring Health & Wellness Commerce

To Television & the Internet

NEW YORK, MINNEAPOLIS, SAN FRANCISCO and EMERYVILLE, Calif., Feb. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- NBC, ValueVision International, Inc. (Nasdaq: VVTV), a leading national shopping network, and NBC Internet, Inc. (Nasdaq: NBCI) today announced multiple-year strategic alliances with SelfCare.com, a leading health and wellness e-commerce site targeting women and their families. The alliances give SelfCare.com an integrated, cross-platform media package spanning network and cable TV and the Internet, including: advertising and promotion, programming, e-commerce and email marketing on NBC, NBCi and ValueVision's SnapTV.

Under terms of the agreement, NBC and its affiliated partners, NBCi and ValueVision, will acquire minority equity stakes in SelfCare.com in exchange for cash and advertising across both NBC's network and Owned and Operated Stations, as well as Internet distribution and e-commerce services on NBCi's Snap. SelfCare.com also will use a combination of cash and equity to purchase programming, e-commerce, distribution and promotion packages on NBC, ValueVision's SnapTV home shopping network and NBCi's Snap Internet portal. Financial details regarding the transactions were not disclosed.

National Advertising

As part of the deal, NBC will provide SelfCare.com with promotion on the NBC television network and across NBC's 13 owned and operated stations. NBC will also receive a seat on SelfCare.com's board of directors, which will be held by Claudia Taylor, Vice President of Business Development for NBC. In addition, NBC will have access to SelfCare.com's health-related content as well as health and wellness experts.

SelfCare.com on SnapTV

ValueVision and SelfCare.com will co-produce programming for a one-hour weekly show on ValueVision's SnapTV home shopping television network, the fastest growing national shopping network that now reaches 31 million households. SelfCare.com, the TV show, will help consumers make informed decisions about their own and their families' health by demonstrating a wide range of products, sharing condition-related information and providing access to leading health experts. SelfCare.com will also be prominently featured in the shopping portion of ValueVision's Web site, VVTV.com, and will be highlighted in the health and beauty section.

E-Commerce Anchor Tenancy on Snap

As part of its agreement with NBCi, SelfCare.com has purchased an e-commerce anchor tenancy in the Health Channel of NBCi's Snap Internet portal and will become a featured merchant in the Healthy Living Shop of Snap's popular Snap Shopping service. SelfCare.com's distribution agreement with NBCi's Snap will be supported by multiple online media and direct email promotional campaigns.

"Partnering with the NBC family of offerings through NBC, NBCi and ValueVision gives SelfCare.com the kind of exposure and cross-platform opportunities unmatched by any other combined media entity. We can't think of a better set of partners to help us build on the foundation of our early successes in the online arena," said Jeffrey Rose, Chairman and CEO of SelfCare.com. "The combination of NBC broadcast and cable television advertising exposure, our own branded SnapTV programming and anchor tenancy on the Snap Internet portal will help solidify our position as the leading resource for health and wellness products, rich, credible information and extensive community support."

"The online health and wellness sector is booming, and SelfCare's integration of commerce and content provides the ideal environment for customers to make educated decisions about their families' well being and then act on them," said Marty Yudkovitz, president of NBC Interactive. "We're pleased to have the opportunity to expose NBC, NBCi and ValueVision's SnapTV viewers and online users to SelfCare.com's unparalleled offerings, and we look forward to working with SelfCare.com to leverage NBC properties to their best advantage."

"We're delighted to welcome SelfCare.com to our network of consumer- focused partners offering premium branded products in a rapidly growing marketplace," said Stuart Goldfarb, vice chairman of ValueVision. "This agreement will help SelfCare.com expand awareness of its products and services through the additional national exposure generated through new and interesting programming on ValueVision's SnapTV. Our viewers will benefit as well from receiving access, information and an opportunity to purchase SelfCare.com's wide-ranging product offerings at compelling values."

Chris Kitze, CEO of NBCi said: "SelfCare.com is an ideal anchor commerce tenant for Snap's Health Channel. We're looking forward to combining high quality health content from our existing anchor content tenant with top quality wellness products from SelfCare.com. This combination of powerful content with e-commerce opportunities creates a dynamic model for providing our users with the best of the Internet."

About NBC

NBC is a global media company with broadly diverse holdings. NBC owns and operates the NBC Television Network as well as 13 owned television stations. In the United States, NBC owns CNBC, operates MSNBC in partnership with Microsoft, and maintains equity interests in Arts & Entertainment, The History Channel, and Rainbow Programming Holdings, a leading media company with a wide array of entertainment and sports cable channels. NBC is the leader among traditional media companies in Internet and new media business. NBC owns 47 percent of NBC Internet Inc. (NBCi), serving as the media company's exclusive Internet portal and broad-based e-commerce service. NBC also holds equity stakes in CNET, Talk City, iVillage, Telescan, 24/7 Media, TiVo, Wink Communications, Gemstar, Intertainer and other new media companies. Also, together with Microsoft and Dow Jones, NBC operates CNBC/Dow Jones Business Video, offering video- and audio-based financial news and information to financial professionals and institutions. Internationally, NBC owns and operates CNBC: A Service of NBC and Dow Jones in partnership with Dow Jones & Company in Europe and Asia. In partnership with National Geographic and Fox/BSkyB, the network owns and operates the National Geographic Channel in Europe and Asia. Members of the media can get more information about NBC and its programming on the NBC Media Village Web site at www.nbcmv.com.

About ValueVision International

ValueVision International, Inc. owns and operates the third largest and fastest growing home shopping network and a companion Internet shopping web site, both which are being rebranded as SnapTV and SnapTV.com, respectively, as part of a wide-ranging direct e-commerce strategy the company is pursuing with NBCi. The moves are expected to position SnapTV and NBCi as the leaders in the ongoing convergence of television and the Internet, combining the promotional and selling power of television with the purely digital world of e-commerce. ValueVision, which is approximately 40% owned by GE Equity and NBC, offers live programming 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. As of October 31, 1999, approximately 31 million homes are able to receive the company's programming on either a full-time or part-time basis. For additional information on ValueVision, please visit the company's web site at http://www.vvtv.com.

ValueVision Interactive is a wholly owned e-commerce subsidiary of ValueVision. Founded in mid-1999, the subsidiary's purpose is to manage and develop the company's Internet e-commerce initiatives using the SnapTV.com brand, as well as manage the company's e-commerce investment strategies and portfolio.

About NBC Internet, Inc. (NBCi)

NBC Internet, Inc. (NBCi), a branded global integrated media company, commenced operations in November 1999. NBCi integrates major media platforms, including Internet, broadcast and cable television and radio, to deliver powerful ways for partners to connect with users and customers. NBCi's flagship Web site, Snap (www.snap.com), provides a comprehensive online experience to users worldwide via Internet search & directory, community, shopping, e-commerce, multimedia and entertainment services across all bandwidths.

NBCi was created through the combination of Snap, XOOM.com, NBC.com, NBC Interactive Neighborhood, AccessHollywood.com, VideoSeeker and a 10 percent equity stake in CNBC.com. NBC Internet publicly trades under the ticker symbol NBCI on The Nasdaq Stock Market(R). NBC, a subsidiary of General Electric (NYSE: GE), holds a 47 percent ownership stake in NBCi and brings to the venture the storied heritage of 70 years of branded media and technology innovations. NBCi is headquartered in San Francisco and has offices in New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago and Paris, France. For more information about NBCi and its constituent Internet services, please see the NBCi corporate Web site at www.nbci.com.

About SelfCare.com

SelfCare has led the movement toward self-managed health and wellness for 24 years. The company began as a health magazine, evolved into a catalog, and most recently, expanded its reach with its newly-designed Web site. SelfCare.com helps women make informed decisions about their own and their families' health and wellness by combining rich, credible information with hard-to-find, high-quality products and extensive community support. Headquartered in Emeryville, Calif., SelfCare.com can be reached at (510) 658-0970 or at www.selfcare.com

NBC Internet, Inc. Safe Harbor

This press release contains statements that are forward-looking. These statements are based on NBCi's expectations of its future results as of the date of this press release. NBCi undertakes no obligation to update these statements for revisions or changes after the date of this press release. Actual results may differ materially from those projected because of a number of risks and uncertainties, including those listed from time to time in NBC Internet Inc.'s SEC reports, including but not limited to XOOM.com, Inc.'s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1998; XOOM.com's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the periods ended March 31, 1999, June 30, 1999 and September 30, 1999; the Registration Statements on Form S-4 and Form S-1 filed by NBC Internet, Inc., as amended. Important factors that could cause the results to differ materially from those in any such forward-looking statements include: NBCi's limited operating history; unpredictability of its quarter-to-quarter results; its unproven business model and dependence on members; risks associated with its international operations; its reliance on a network infrastructure; its dependence on vendors and suppliers; management of its growth and expansion; risks associated with brand development; its reliance on advertising revenue; intense competition with other Web communities and businesses; the risks of infringement of intellectual property rights; risks associated with acquisitions; and reliance on strategic relationships.

ValueVision International Safe Harbor

The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a "safe harbor" for forward-looking statements. Certain information included in this news release contains statements that are forward-looking such as statements relating to increased revenue and cable home distribution, the Company's future profitability, entrance into e-commerce, the launching of the Company's Internet initiative, SnapTV.com, the timing of the SnapTV rebranding, and the continuing success in developing new strategic alliances (including the GE Equity and NBC alliance). There are certain important factors, such as consumer spending and debt levels, interest rates, competitive pressure on sales and pricing, and the maintenance of distribution of the Company's programming that could cause results to differ materially from those forward- looking statements. Investors are cautioned that all forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainty, including the possibility that revenues and cable distribution will not continually increase, that gross profit margins will decrease, that e-commerce and the Company's rebranding to SnapTV will not be successful, and other strategic alliances (including the GE Equity and NBC alliance) may not result in increased revenues, earnings, or subscribers. For more information on the potential factors that could affect the Company's financial results, investors should refer to the Company's recent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Company's annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and current reports on Form 8-K.