Charlie Perkins's heartfelt outburst has made its way around the world. Online he is being quoted in many papers across the US, Asia and Europe, and the clip was shown on Greek TV last night. Regardless of opinion, the news is focussed on Australia's race relations and therefore the world is focussed on Australia's race relations. No doubt, it is one factor in the decision below. Trudy Costello says government determined to end mandatory laws Source: AAP | Published: Wednesday April 5, 1:50 PM The federal government was going flat out to ensure the Northern Territory dropped or changed its mandatory sentencing laws, Treasurer Peter Costello said today. Prime Minister John Howard moved yesterday to hose down backbencher disquiet over the controversial laws, calling a meeting with NT Chief Minister Denis Burke. The meeting will not be held until late next week at the earliest. Mr Costello today confirmed the federal government would use the meeting to ensure the territory dropped the laws or provided alternatives. 'What's going to happen if that isn't the case? We are going flat out to make sure that is the case,' Mr Costello told reporters. 'We are going to put our case fully and with vigour.' He said Mr Burke's stubborn defence of the laws was just a negotiating tactic. 'I view his statements so far as positioning, I don't regard them as final,' Mr Costello said. 'I have dealt with a lot of state premiers over the years, and I know that their opening statements generally are positioning statements, but I have never accepted their opening statements as the final word.' ------------------------------------------------------ RecOzNet2 has a page @ http://www.green.net.au/recoznet2 and is archived at http://www.mail-archive.com/ To unsubscribe from this list, mail [EMAIL PROTECTED], and in the body of the message, include the words: unsubscribe announce or click here mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20announce This posting is provided to the individual members of this group without permission from the copyright owner for purposes of criticism, comment, scholarship and research under the "fair use" provisions of the Federal copyright laws and it may not be distributed further without permission of the copyright owner, except for "fair use." RecOzNet2 is archived for members @ http://www.mail-archive.com/recoznet2%40paradigm4.com.au/
