ABC NewsMail - Afternoon Edition

NewsMail Afternoon Edition Sun 09 Feb, 2014 Top Stories More Top Stories » Live: Homes lost as fires burn across Victoria, SA A number of properties in Victoria have been lost as the state battles through its most severe fire threat since Black Saturday in 2009. Officials say they have major concerns for areas in Melbourne's outskirts including Craigieburn, Warrandyte and Gisborne where the fast-moving fires are in built-up areas. Emergency warnings are in place for areas including East Gippsland and the La Trobe Valley. Temperatures reached 40 degrees Celsius in some regions, with a gusty wind change moving across the state during the day. Meanwhile in South Australia, a large blaze continues to burn out of control at Bangor in the Southern Flinders Ranges where an emergency warning remains in place. Follow the latest developments in Victoria and South Australia with our live blog. More » Glasson refuses to concede defeat in Griffith Coalition set to announce royal commission into union finances Struggling grandparents call for more flexible childcare system Teen skateboarder in coma after falling behind car Police divers find spear gun of SA shark attack victim Breen breaks 20-year Australian national 100m record More Analysis » The alleged communist Ian Macdonald betrayed Being an alleged closet Communist was, oddly, not the most significant point to be made about Arthur Gietzelt, who died last month. The former senior Labor politician was patron of Ian Macdonald, whose baleful influence on NSW Labor politic culminated in its present sorry state. Macdonald may seem like a convenient scapegoat for the problems of NSW Labor. But the divisions he played a large part in fostering meant the Left was in a weaker position to oppose the rising influence of figures such as Eddie Obeid. More » Getting the message straight on industry policy Gender diversity job data isn't just red tape Sea Shepherd should be banned from our ports Political debate obscures Australia Network values The $51 billion question: what is in it for Putin? Our Schapelle: a smuggler for all seasons Beyond the straitjacket of unions vs business It's not my fault I’m obsessed with toilets An age of entitlement? Not quite Just In More Just In » Girl missing in NT after attempt to swim across flooded creek Northern Territory Police say they have not been able to locate a girl who went missing last night after she tried to swim across a flooded creek in a remote community south of Katherine. More » Glasson refuses to concede defeat in Griffith Struggling grandparents call for more flexible childcare system Coalition set to announce royal commission into union finances Live: Homes lost as fires burn across Victoria, SA Police divers find spear gun of SA shark attack victim Federal Government planning reform of Human Rights Commission Al Capone's gangster mansion up for sale Six adults, two children shot dead in Guatemala near drug route UK immigration minister who hired illegal worker resigns World More World » Al Capone's gangster mansion up for sale One of Miami Beach's most notorious pieces of real estate, the mansion of Chicago gangster Al Capone, is back on the block. More » Six adults, two children shot dead in Guatemala near drug route UK immigration minister who hired illegal worker resigns US, Canada dismiss Sochi skating 'fix' claims EPL: Hazard fires Chelsea top after Arsenal crash Bjoerndalen matches record with Sochi biathlon win Business More Business » Coalition set to announce royal commission into union finances By political reporter Latika Bourke Prime Minister Tony Abbott is expected to announce a royal commission into unions and their finances as Federal Parliament prepares to return this week. The judicial inquiry was promised by the Coalition in opposition, as part of the fallout from the political brawl over the AWU slush fund the former prime minister Julia Gillard says she unknowingly helped establish for her boyfriend during her pre-political career as a lawyer at Slater and Gordon. Mr Abbott has been urged to widen the scope of any inquiry to look more broadly at union corruption following new allegations uncovered by the ABC and Fairfax of systemic corruption within the construction industry. However the royal commission, to be announced this week, is expected to narrow the focus on how unions use their member's fees. More » WA Water Department has no veto over fracking Inflation fears trigger the Reserve Bank’s move away from further rate cuts UBS warns Australian banks are lowering lending standards News Corp profits down 4 per cent Joyce asks banks to help drought-stricken farmers Politics More Politics » Glasson refuses to concede defeat in Griffith Bill Glasson is refusing to concede defeat in Kevin Rudd's old seat of Griffith, despite admitting he is at "very long odds" to win the seat for the Liberal National Party. Terri Butler has retained the Brisbane seat for Labor, leading 52.3 to 47.7 per cent after preferences despite a swing towards Dr Glasson. About 10,000 absentee and postal votes will be counted tomorrow, and Dr Glasson says he will wait for those results before admitting defeat. He says even if he loses, he has claimed some success because Griffith "has now become an extremely marginal Labor" seat. But Ms Butler says the outcome should send a strong message to Prime Minister Tony Abbott that "people are not happy" with his Government. More » Struggling grandparents call for more flexible childcare system Coalition set to announce royal commission into union finances Labor's Terri Butler wins Griffith by-election Vic Opposition says Parliament 'chaotic' as Liberals move to expel Shaw Sport More Sport » Stosur sends Australia into Fed Cup semi-finals Sam Stosur's reverse singles win has secured Australia its first Fed Cup semi-final appearance in 21 years. More » Melissa Breen breaks national 100m sprint record Aussie teen chases Woods at Ladies Masters Sochi 2014: Cox fifth in moguls behind Canadians Watson ruled out of first Test, Marsh called up Wagner strikes blows as NZ beat India by 40 runs Science and Technology More Science and Technology » 800,000-year-old footprints found in Britain Footprints left by ancient humans 800,000 years ago have been found in Britain, the earliest evidence of such markings outside Africa. More » From the sea to the stars: explore the best science visualisations Bionic hand can now sense shape, texture Britain's $336m supersonic drone launched over the outback Cold shower may be secret to burning fat Environment More Environment » WA Water Department has no veto over fracking By Sue Lannin Western Australia's Department of Water has told a state parliamentary inquiry it has no veto over fracking for natural gas below proclaimed groundwater areas such as aquifer systems. More » Former reef authority chair raises concern about dredge spill dumping plan Abbott wants Australia to be world leader in affordable energy NSW environment office shift 'not a downgrade' Two in three Australians drive to work, study of commuting habits finds About this email You received this email because you are subscribed to ABC News email alerts. This message was sent to you at starnewsposting@gmail.com Please add newslists@your.abc.net.au to your email address book to see images by default and stop the email being treated as spam. This email address is not monitored - Please don't reply to this email. Manage your preferences | Unsubscribe | Contact Us   This service may include material from Agence France-Presse (AFP), APTN, Reuters, AAP, CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced. Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 700 Harris Street, Ultimo NSW 2007 © 2014 ABC | Conditions of Use | Privacy Policy | Discover other ABC Email newsletters