Sunday 15th May

It’s news time again!

This week a great deal of the action has occurred in the sporting world.

The Queensland Firebirds have won their ever first semi final appearance in the ANZ Championship against Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic. Their seven goal lead puts them on the right path to becoming the first ever trans-Tasman netball team to win the league undefeated. The grand final will be held at the Brisbane Convention Center on 22^nd May.

To the Rugby Union now and the Queensland Reds run to the finals could be in jeopardy after young guns Dom Shipperley, Liam Gill and Ed Quirk have been selected in the Australian Under 20’s team for the Junior World Championships in Italy. Reds Coach, Ewen McKenzie and The Queensland Rugby Union are now head to head with the Australian Rugby Union in desperate hope to keep these players in the squad.  McKenzie says "The rest of the team deserve the best players to fill any hole so they can finish of the season”. Shipperley, who has featured in the Red’s side four weeks in a row will be torn from the Reds program for four of the next matches plus the first play-off in late June if the Australian Rugby Union’s decision stands.

It was an exciting day at Doomben Racecourse yesterday as Black Caviar won it’s thirteenth consecutive race. The horse was cheered on by mammoth crowds at Doomben who were there to see the champion horse run in the $400,000 BTC Cup.

In other news, a man is facing court after protesting on the Sydney Harbor Bridge early Friday morning. From the top of the bridge he revealed two signs saying “please help my kids” and “kids first”. He performed the protest after being denied access to his children. The bridge was blocked off to all traffic after 5am causing many delays in the city.

Tony Abbott has called for an early election in his formal reply to Tuesday night’s Federal Budget. He recognises Australia’s “forgotten families” and promises to ease living costs in relation to Gillard’s Carbon Tax scheme. He suggests that “only an election can give Australia a government with authority to make the tough decisions to build a better future” and that “only an election could make an honest politician of (Julia Gillard).”