What Australian papers say today,Wednesday April 24

00-00-0000
What Australian papers say today,Wednesday April 24

SYDNEY, April 24 AAP - The investigation into the pricing practices of three majorpetroleum companies by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is a significantstep, The Daily Telegraph says in an editorial today.

In the past the regulator had involved itself more in policy than in consumer protection.

"The allegations allude to wide-scale collusion between three companies - Mobil, Shelland Caltex, the tabloid says.

If proven, they would bolster the perception of weekend and holiday price gouging,The Telegraph says.

The Australian asks if Telstra is turning over a new leaf.

"The higher charges better-off Australians will be paying for line rentals have anupside, however, as Telstra will be able to offer its competitors lower rates for usingits infrastructure leading to greater competition - and ultimately lower prices all round."

But consumers have a right to be cynical, says the national daily.

"After five years of deregulation, Telstra still monopolises the communications market."

The Sydney Morning Herald says the issue with maternity leave is who pays.

"If the Government thinks a national paid maternity leave scheme is 'a very good idea'- as the Prime Minister, John Howard, said last year - it must ensure universality, adequatebenefit and a funding deal that protects vulnerable employers and taxpayers' interests."

On its own, paid maternity leave will not restore the national birth rate.

"But it will make early motherhood affordable, which is in the national interest."

The Brisbane Courier-Mail says Opposition Leader Simon Crean's foreign policy has undoubtedlybeen framed with a view both to internal Labor Party politics and to establishing hisstanding with the general electorate.

While many in the trade union movement do not approve of Mr Crean's commitment to freetrade, they will be comfortable with the notion of a foreign policy that stresses a degreeof independence from the Bush Administration.

"Meanwhile Mr Crean has to make his mark with voters, fewer than one in five of whomconsider that he would be a better prime minister than Mr Howard, despite the fact theOpposition and the Government are level in the polls," The Courier-Mail says.

The Australian Financial Review says that if someone set out to design an unwieldysystem for compensating victims of medical negligence they would be hard pressed to doworse than the existing one.

National data is scarce, but claims payments are estimated to have increased threefoldin the past decade it says, listing the system's weaknesses and faults.

"There is no magic cure for the medical indemnity crisis, but it can be brought undercontrol with the imaginative treatment of the system's main ailments, diligence in rehabby all parties and a generous dose of preventative medicine."

The Adelaide Advertiser applauds the state government's decision to overrule a ParoleBoard recommendation to release two murderers from prison.

"The board makes a clinical assessment. The Government must take into account broaderpublic issues," it says

"The unrelated murders committed by Stephen Wayne McBride and James David Watson werebrutal and frightening," the paper said.

"Public security and peace of mind ultimately override the release and rehabilitationof criminals capable of committing such hideous crimes."

The Herald Sun says the Victorian government should curb its annual tax haul from pokiemachines and cut stamp duty in line with other states.

Details of more than $1 billion in pokies tax comes after revelations Victorians havepaid $1.8 billion in stamp duty to the government, it said.

"Stamp duty is too high - it hurts ordinary families and discourages investment.

"And it is grossly unfair that people who buy off the plan are exempt from tax."

The Age says the Bracks government's tax package will help reduce antagonism betweengovernment and business.

"Instead of backing big-ticket projects, the government has opted for a series of measures,many costed at less than $1 million, which aim to to provide physical and intellectualinfrastructure for manufacturing and "new-era" businesses, or at least to examine optionsfor providing it," the paper says.

"The risk that intervention will produce an unwanted financial and political shockis therefore reasonably low - as is the risk that business discontent will be a politicalissue when Mr Bracks seeks a second term."

AAP cjh

KEYWORD: EDITORIALS