Cable Briefs (Press, 19 June 1984)

Surgeons in New South Wales have rejected a peace proposal from the state government that suggested a month-long cooling-off period and discussions with an independent arbitrator. The chairman of the Australian Association of Surgeons, Dr Michael Aroney, expressed the surgeons' frustration with ongoing arbitration and negotiations. This development follows a recommendation from the New South Wales branch of the Australian Medical Association for strike action, reacting to government legislation that would impose a seven-year ban on doctors who resign from the state's public hospital system. In a separate matter, a judicial inquiry is set to investigate the convictions of three followers of the Ananda Marga sect—Timothy Anderson, Paul Alister, and Ross Dunn—who are serving 16-year sentences for attempted murder and conspiracy to murder. Their convictions stem from an incident in August 1979, where they targeted the National Front leader, Robert Cameron, in Yagoona, a suburb in south-western Sydney. The inquiry will be presided over by a Supreme Court judge and initiated under a provision of the Crimes Act that allows for an investigation when there are doubts regarding a conviction. In a noteworthy personal story, a 70-year-old former Spitfire pilot plans to undergo a sex change operation. He has been married twice previously and hopes to marry again, this time as a woman. The Association of Transsexuals has called this case "most unusual" due to the pilot's age, as such operations are rarely performed on individuals over 55. The transformation is expected to be featured in a television documentary scheduled for later in the year. Additionally, the Israeli extreme right-wing Kach party has been prohibited from participating in the General Election set for July 23, on the basis that it is deemed racist and undemocratic. The ban was decided by the central elections committee upon the request of three opposition parties: Labour, Shinui, and Citizens’ Rights. Kach's leader, Rabbi Meir Kahane, has announced plans to appeal the decision to the Supreme Court. Lastly, in southern Bangladesh, approximately 50,000 people have become homeless due to severe flooding caused by overflowing rivers. Reports from the official B.S.S. news agency indicate that the Kamaphuli and Sangu rivers have inundated numerous villages in the Chittagong district over recent months. The previous month alone, floodwaters resulted in the deaths of at least 79 people and the destruction of about 100,000 tonnes of rice across eight eastern and south-eastern districts. Fresh flash floods have exacerbated the situation, affecting three additional districts earlier in June.

The text on this page is created, in the most part, using Generative AI and so may contain errors or omissions. It is supplied to you without guarantee or warranty of correctness. If you find an error or would like to make a content suggestion please get in contact

The text on this page is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 New Zealand