ABC NewsMail - Afternoon Edition

NewsMail Afternoon Edition Sun 18 May, 2014 Top Stories More Top Stories » State and territory leaders reject budget cuts, want urgent meeting with PM By political reporter Simon Cullen and staff State and territory leaders have united in condemnation of federal budget cuts to schools and hospitals and are demanding an urgent meeting with the Prime Minister to resolve the issue. They warn that a decision to strip $80 billion from health and education funding over the coming decade will force many states to slash services. "The cuts that have been put forward by the Federal Government we cannot absorb," New South Wales Premier Mike Baird told journalists at a joint news conference with other state leaders. More » Your pics: March in May rallies Neighbour tries in vain to save man after shooting Woman hospitalised after falling 12m at The Rocks West Africa leaders vow to wage 'total war' on Boko Haram Thousands attend charity pet walk against animal cruelty NSW police get body-mounted video cameras 30 dead as thousands flee floods in Serbia and Bosnia Police stop man riding motorbike with 2yo in his arms Australian tourist killed in Fiji boating accident More Analysis » The fungible world of federal budgets When you pay your taxes, they are not tied to a particular purpose - they just go into a big pot and that pot is then drawn on for government purposes. So how can the Federal Government ensure that any extra money raised from higher fuel taxes will only be spent on roads? It can't. Don't be blinded by polysyllabic policy wonks or political shonks; it's a fungible world out there and no attempt at hypothecation can make it otherwise. More » Selling tough budgets: from London to Canberra Shorten's war cry over Medicare is misguided Squealing may mask a hidden GST agenda Limp language masks a tough budget Keep our enemies close, but our allies closer Slashing welfare is a recipe for crime Hockey exposes us as fair weather friends A fib too far: the death rattle of political trust Budget hacks away at our core principles Just In More Just In » Police stop man riding motorbike with 2yo in his arms NSW Police say a man has been pulled over while riding a motorbike with a two-year-old boy in his arms, south-west of Sydney. More » Your pics: March in May rallies State and territory leaders reject budget cuts, want urgent meeting with PM Families flee Benghazi as death toll rises NSW police get body-mounted video cameras 6.2 quake strikes off Indonesia, no tsunami warning issued Finding beauty among the horror of Turkey's mine collapse Life inside the courtroom at Tora Prison Queen says church can heal Scottish independence divisions ACT stands by decision not to identify homes that may contain asbestos World More World » Families flee Benghazi as death toll rises The death toll from clashes in the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi has risen to at least 75 after fighting broke out between irregular military forces and Islamist militants. More » 6.2 quake strikes off Indonesia, no tsunami warning issued Finding beauty among the horror of Turkey's mine collapse Queen says church can heal Scottish independence divisions Evans takes overall lead as Ulissi wins stage eight 30 dead as thousands flee floods in Serbia and Bosnia Business More Business » New Zealand forecasts 2014-15 surplus in budget By New Zealand correspondent Dominique Schwartz It is hard to imagine the contained New Zealand finance minister bopping in his office ahead of delivering the nation's budget, as Joe Hockey apparently did. But the Australian Treasurer's dance song Best Day of My Life would have been more appropriate for his New Zealand counterpart Bill English, who has served up one of the rarest of economic dishes: a forecast budget surplus of $NZ372 million ($340 million) in 2014-15, after a $NZ2.4 billion ($2.2 billion) deficit this financial year. Also on the menu were election year sweeteners including extended parental leave, and free doctor's visits and prescriptions for children up to 13 years old. By contrast, Federal Treasurer Joe Hockey delivered a hard-to-swallow $50 billion deficit accompanied by a collection of bitter pills, among them, co-payments for GP visits and cuts to welfare, family benefits and the public service. More » GM to pay record $35m fine over recall scandal Rio Tinto cool on asset sales but will consider attractive offers Leighton reaches $69m shareholder class action settlement Small shareholders join Westfield restructure revolt Economist says budget deserves more balanced media coverage Integra lays off 500 coal miners near Singleton in NSW Hunter Valley Politics More Politics » State and territory leaders reject budget cuts, want urgent meeting with PM By political reporter Simon Cullen and staff State and territory leaders have united in condemnation of federal budget cuts to schools and hospitals and are demanding an urgent meeting with the Prime Minister to resolve the issue. They warn that a decision to strip $80 billion from health and education funding over the coming decade will force many states to slash services. "The cuts that have been put forward by the Federal Government we cannot absorb," New South Wales Premier Mike Baird told journalists at a joint news conference with other state leaders. More » Queen says church can heal Scottish independence divisions Modi addresses Varanasi after election victory Abbott says voters were 'on notice' for budget cuts New Zealand forecasts 2014-15 surplus in budget Sport More Sport » Panthers hold out improved Raiders Penrith Panthers have held off an improved Canberra Raiders for a 26-20 win at Canberra Stadium. More » Live: NSW Waratahs v Lions Live: St Kilda v Gold Coast Bulldogs grind out win over Warriors Lowndes on pole in Perth Smeltz signs one-year Sydney FC deal after leaving Glory Science and Technology More Science and Technology » 13,000-year-old skeleton sheds light on Native American ancestry One of the oldest genetically intact skeletons yet found is helping scientists understand the western hemisphere's earliest humans. More » Clean energy bodies criticise 'depressing' budget cuts Scientists say budget cuts will be crippling Seaweed extracts used to help reproduce human bone, repair tissue 'Star Wars' robotic arm for amputees approved for sale Environment More Environment » Plant death is latest threat facing Macquarie Island By Fiona Breen Scientists are in a race against time to solve the mystery surrounding the dieback of a plant which grows in high-altitude areas of Macquarie Island. More » World Heritage advised to reject delisting of Tasmanian forest Coalition stands firm on World Heritage forest reduction Scientists say budget cuts will be crippling Fire truck freed from 'sink hole' after 10-hour drama 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. 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