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CANBERRA, Feb 15 AAP Fa r mer s i n t he ea s t e r n s t a t e s t ook a substantial hit from this summer's natural disasters which also look set to have a lingering impact on small businesses.

The federal government's commodity forecaster estimates that with nearly all of last winter's crop having been harvested over the summer, the heavy rains and f looding cut crops by 2.5 million tonnes more than it forecast in December.

Still, the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES) said there was a brighter picture nationwide with the Western Australian harvest 1.4 mill ion tonnes higher than previously forecast.

Overall, it predicted the nation's harvest will reach 42.1 million tonnes for 2010/11, a 19 per cent increase on the previous year, and the highest production since 2003/04.

"From a nat ional perspect ive , there had been strong growth in winter cereal production as compared to recent drought-affected years," ABARES deputy executive director Paul Morris said.

While some areas could not be planted for the summer crop that is harvested next winter, and some plantings suffered damage, Mr Morris expects the recent heavy rainfalls to benefit crops through good soil moisture and increased water-storage.

Summer crop production is forecast to be 4.8 million tonnes for 2010/11, a 66 per cent increase on the previous financial year.

But while some farmers may have cause to celebrate, a new survey shows small businesses remain under a cloud, particularly in retailing, manufacturing and hospitality.

The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) expects the f loods and cyclone activity will further dampen confidence over the first half of 2011.

Its su rvey found the index for small business conditions falling to 42.0 in the December quarter from 44.5 in the previous

three months.A f igure below 50 indicates economic

conditions among small businesses are in contraction.

Business expectations fared little better at an index reading of 47.4.

Most index components of the index fell in the quarter, and only two were above 50 - wages growth and non-wage labour costs.

"The Australian small business sector is actually not in good shape at the moment," ACCI director of economics and industry policy Greg Evans told reporters in Canberra on Tuesday.

Mr Evans said it was not just the case of a two-speed economy in terms of the resource and non-resource sectors, but also a "widening chasm" between large and small businesses.

Most concerning was the reading for profitability at a weak 38.2, suggesting this lack of earnings will make it difficult to raise capital for expansion and future employment.

Small business provides jobs for around half of all private sector employment, while contr ibut ing around a thi rd to gross domestic product.

But Mr Evans said recent indications that the Reserve Bank will sit on the sidelines over the next few months will provide a much needed breathing space for small business.

The central bank released the minutes of its February 1 board meeting on Tuesday.

However, they were somewhat dated by its broader quar terly monetary pol icy statement that was released just days after that meeting, and even more so by last Friday's three hours of questioning of its governor Glenn Stevens by federal politicians.

Still, economists say the clear message from all this commentary is that the central bank remains upbeat on the medium-term outlook and will raise rates again, although it won't be rushing to do so anytime soon.

SYDNEY, Feb 18 AAP A young man who says he was stopped from walking around a NSW caravan park after 9pm has been awarded $7,500 for age discrimination and victimisation.

Ryan Johnson, then 18 and paying an adult caravan tariff, says the park's manager told him teenagers were not allowed to walk around at night without their parents.

In awarding the damages this week, the NSW Administrat ive Decisions Tribunal concluded he was "t reated disrespect fu l ly" and discr iminated against on the ground of his age.

"The Tribunal accepts that (he) was stopped on 11 January 2008 because he was perceived to be a teenager and as such was treated differently from a person who was perceived to be an adult," it said.

"T he d i f fe rent t r ea t ment was t he restriction of his free movement around the recreation park after 10pm."

The damages order was made against

Free Spirit Management Pty Ltd, which ran the Ocean Beach Holiday Park, an NRMA Tourist Park on the NSW central coast.

The tribunal also found Mr Johnson was vict imised because his family's confirmed holiday for the next year was cancelled by Free Spirit after it was told a complaint was being lodged with the Anti-Discrimination Board.

"Mr Johnson gave evidence that he was humiliated by the restrictions placed on his movement around the recreation park, because he was perceived to be a teenager who potentially was causing trouble," the tribunal said.

"The t r ibunal is sat i sf ied that Mr Johnson was t reated disrespectfully and accepts that he would have felt embarrassed and humiliated."

Free Spir it submit ted that its noise curfew applied to everyone at the park, whether they be young or old, but the tribunal said this was irrelevant.

3 Friday, 25 February 2011

CANBERRA, Feb 14 AAP Prime Minister Julia Gillard says the government has a lot of hard work to do, after an opinion poll showed Labor's stocks on the wane.

The federal coalition would easily win an election if one was held today, according to the latest Nielsen opinion poll published in Fairfax newspapers on Monday.

The poll has the coalition holding a 54-46 per cent two-party preferred lead over Labor.

Labor's primary vote stands at 32 per cent to the coalition's 46 per cent, with the Greens on 12 per cent.

Ms Gillard said voters expected to see governments deliver on promises.

"We've got a lot of hard work to do," she told Sky News.

The prime minister said the health deal she worked out with the premiers on Sunday delivered one of her key promises.

Opposition frontbencher Christopher Pyne said the polls showed the coalition was keeping the government accountable.

But the opposition wasn't receiving kudos for its efforts from the Canberra press gallery.

"The media pack in Canberra would like to even up the scales a bit," Mr Pyne told Melbourne Talk Radio on Monday.

"They hate it when one side gets too far in front of the other, dare I say, unless it's the Labor Party."

SYDNEY, Feb 17 AAP Where once there were fears for the future of vinyl, now the compact disc is flirting with extinction.

In sales figures released by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) on Thursday, CD album sales fell by 16 per cent last year, slipping to 23.5 million from 28.1 million in 2009.

Ten years ago CD album sales peaked at almost 50 million. Not even superstars like Lady Gaga and Kings Of Leon could halt the slide in 2010.

Sales of the CD single format have also become almost obsolete, tumbling from 500,000 in 2009 to less than 30,000 last year.

Industry chiefs offered a positive spin on the figures by insisting the decline has been balanced by a rise in digital sales.

Downloaded albums increased by 45 per

cent and singles saw a 37 per cent jump in a sign consumers are turning to the internet for their music, and not always illegally.

Dan Rosen, CEO of ARIA, said he expected continued growth in the digital revenues over the next 12 months.

"Australians are consuming more music than ever before," he said in a statement.

"Our goal as an industry is to make it easier for people to support the artists they love by embracing innovation and supporting new ways to sell music."

Illegal downloading is still being blamed for an overall revenue drop of almost 14 per cent in the Australian record industry.

Sony Music Entertainment chairman Denis Handlin said the major labels were working with the government and internet service providers to find solutions to music piracy.

SYDNEY, Feb 18 AAP Australians are embracing online shopping and it's our internet retailers who are reaping the benefits.

eBay, the online auction site, says the sector is meeting the needs of the modern, time-poor consumer.

The company's Australia and New Zealand managing director, Deborah Sharkey, has told a conference in Sydney the local sector is looking at double-digit growth in 2011.

She rejected concerns that consumer spending is favouring offshore internet retailers.

"I am thrilled at the thousands of Australian businesses who are already capitalising on this trend and evolving to meet the needs of the modern consumer," she said on Friday.

"I look forward to watching their ranks swell over the next few months.

"The statistics are clear, 10 million Australians are voting with their clicks and they're telling us that the future of retail is online."

In 2010, the turnover of the top 2000 sellers on eBay was more than $120 million.

The top seller generated turnover of more than $12.6 million, Ms Sharkey said.

More Australians are buying online due to the strong Australian dollar exchange rate,

which is making offshore purchases cheaper than ever before.

But it's not all roses for Australian retailers.On Thursday, local booksellers Borders

and Angus & Robertson bookstores went into administration.

Book retailers across the globe have been hit in recent years due to the rise of internet-based book sellers such as Amazon and electronic books.

Australian retailers, such as Gerry Harvey, recently called for offshore internet purchases to be subject to GST, like goods sold in traditional stores.

Ms Sharkey said on average Australian spends an hour and 40 minutes shopping online each week.

Australia also had one of the the highest penetration of mobile smartphones in the world, with a quarter of Australians using their phone to shop.

Every 15 seconds an Australian buys something using eBay's mobile phone app, she said.

Ms Sharkey was speaking at an Online Retail Forum, which is being attended by senators Stephen Conroy and Nick Sherry.

The event was packed with guests having to watch the proceedings via a webcast in an "overflow room" at the Westin Hotel in the CBD.

CANBERRA, Feb 14 AAPA pregnant woman waited hours at a NSW public hospital before miscarrying her child, frightened and alone.

Heather Green, 31, was bleeding and calling out for help as she miscarried at Blacktown Hospital last Wednesday, almost a full day after she first arrived.

The incident has prompted an apology from the hospital and a promise from NSW Health Minister Carmel Tebbutt to look into it.

Ms Green was cramping when she arrived at the hospital early on Tuesday evening for surgery to remove her unborn baby, which had earlier died in the womb.

Sh e wa n t e d s u r ge r y r a t h e r t h a n miscarry naturally at home.

But a problem with the hospit a l 's computer admission system saw her sent home at 4am on Wednesday and, when she returned later, she was told the operating theatre wasn't ready.

She was waiting alone in a hospital

room on Wednesday afternoon when she began miscarrying.

"I started screaming out help, I need some help ... is somebody there? I was shaking - I'm shaking now just thinking about it," Mrs Green told the Nine Network.

"For me to have to get off the bed and find a doctor ... it's like a nightmare."

The Greens have lodged a for mal complaint.

Ms Tebbutt said she takes the couple's concerns seriously and will respond once the hospital compiles its formal report.

In a similar incident in 2007, Jana Horska waited for two hours at Sydney's Royal Nor th Shore Hospital before miscarrying in a toilet.

Her par tner Mark Dreyer blamed the NSW government for the latest incident, having pledged to improve public health.

"It was all empty promises without any substance," he told Nine.

"Nothing has changed."

Friday, 25 February 2011 4

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