Gina Rinehart Named in Time Magazines Most Influential List

Time magazine has named Australian mining magnate Gina Rinehart as one of the world’s most influential people. Ms Rinehart is dubbed the “Iron Woman” in the magazine’s annual list of the world’s top 100 power players.

“The spectre of Rinehart looms above the Australian landscape: an improbably wealthy, concrete-minded, broad-shouldered woman who spent more than a decade in legal and personal battles with her stepmother and four children and insists nothing will come before the company she calls the House of Hancock,” the article says. ”Mining, she says, will save resource-rich, prosperous Australia from ruin.”

Time’s article lists Ms Rinehart as a ‘Titan’, and also makes note of her comments that the poor should drink less and work harder. Ms Rinehart is the only Australian to be featured in the Time list of global leaders, artists, pioneers and icons. Also included on the list are American rapper Jay-Z, SpaceX founder Elron Musk, and Pakistani teenager Malala Yousufzai, who made world headlines after being shot in the head by the Taliban.

“Beauty,” says Australia’s richest person, Gina Rinehart, “is an iron mine.”

READ! Time’s Full Article »»»»

Europeans Fine Microsoft $700 Million Over Lack of Browser Choice

The technology behemoth that is Microsoft has been fined more than $AU700 million for failing to offer it’s OS users a choice of different internet browsers in Europe.

The company was found to have breached its own 2009 commitment to introduce a pop-up screen offering users a choice of browser, rather than just Internet Explorer. The pop-up was introduced as part of an earlier European Union competition case, but was dropped in a Windows 7 update in early 2011.

Microsoft claims the omission was simply the result of a “technical error”. The tech-behemoth was fined 561 million euros – $AU711 million – taking the total cost of its regulatory troubles in Europe to 2.15 billion euros – $AU2.75 billion – since 2002.

The European Commission, which acts as competition regulator across the 27-member European Union, said it found Microsoft broke its undertaking between May 2011 and July 2012. The Commission said it takes such settlement commitments very seriously :: Read the full article »»»»

Three NSW Police Officers Remain ON Duty Despite Lying Under Oath

It’s clear that Socially Engineered adores a good hypocrisy, even more so when it comes from those laboured with keeping things straight. Three New South Wales police officers remain on duty despite being referred to the corruption watchdog for lying under oath.

Ballina Local Court heard the case of Aboriginal man Corey Barker, who was arrested in the tranquil north coast holiday town last year for allegedly throwing a bottle. The court heard the officers had claimed he became violent, punching Senior Constable David Hill in the face.

At the time of trial, security footage of the melee was unavailable, apparently due to faulty equipment. However, when security footage was repaired, it showed it was police who had assaulted the 23-year-old. Senior Constable Ryan Eckersley kicked Mr Barker in the head and another officer kneed him in the side  :: Read the full article »»»»

UPDATED: News Limited Shakes It ALL Up

Australia’s media landscape has been through the ringer over the past few weeks, the ground is changing at a pace not seen since the eighties. The latest shake-up comes from the ever stoic News Limited – the Australian arm of News Corporation – the company has announced a massive restructuring of the way it delivers news.

The announcement on last week, which included job cuts and a reduction in east coast operations from 19 divisions to five, came days after Fairfax Media outlined plans to axe 1,900 staff, move jobs offshore, close two major printing presses and downsize its flagship newspapers to tabloids, as well as it’s ongoing boardroom battles with billionaire Gina Rinehart.

Despite the cuts, News Limited CEO Kim Williams has told staff that the organisation remains committed to print :: Read the full article »»»»

UPDATE! World of the News, Fairfax Media Confirms Jobs Going Offshore

Last month we reported on that shrinking Australian media behemoth that is Fairfax Media, is apparently planning to send jobs offshore by relocating production of its regional newspapers to New Zealand.

The proposed changes will affect 66 Fairfax staffers, Media, Ethics & Arts Alliance – MEAA – said via statement today.

Fairfax said the affected staff would be offered voluntary redundancies or redeployment, however, some staff may also be forced into redundancy.

The affected newspapers include the Illawarra Mercury, Newcastle Herald and seven associated community titles including the Lake Times, Kiama Independent, Newcastle Star, Myall Coast Nota, Port Stephens Examiner and Lakes Mail. Read the full previous post.

UPDATE! FAIRFAX HAS CONFIRMED – JOBS ARE GOING OFFSHORE: Newcastle Herald and Illawarra Mercury workers have failed in their bid to stave off job losses under a plan by Fairfax Media to transfer editorial production to New Zealand.

Fairfax has confirmed a total of 41 production jobs will be axed from newspapers in the Newcastle region, including the Newcastle Herald, and 25 jobs will go from the Illawarra Mercury. It says the changes are part of moves to increase efficiency in its newsrooms.

The Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance – MEAA - asked Fairfax to continue doing the work locally through the creation of a virtual sub hub that it claimed would be more cost-efficient :: Read the full article »»»»

World of the News! Australia’s Fairfax Media Sends Jobs Offshore

That shrinking Australian media behemoth that is Fairfax Media, is apparently planning to send jobs offshore by relocating production of its regional newspapers to New Zealand.

The proposed changes will affect 66 Fairfax staffers, Media, Ethics & Arts Alliance – MEAA – said via statement today.

Fairfax said the affected staff would be offered voluntary redundancies or redeployment, however, some staff may also be forced into redundancy.

The affected newspapers include the Illawarra Mercury, Newcastle Herald and seven associated community titles including the Lake Times, Kiama Independent, Newcastle Star, Myall Coast Nota, Port Stephens Examiner and Lakes Mail.

Workers were told about the plans this afternoon and Fairfax has announced the move on the papers’ websites.

Fairfax says the changes are part of a “wider company strategy to pursue operational efficiencies while strengthening the focus on audience growth and producing quality content”.

Fairfax says no reporting or photographic positions would be affected :: Read the full article »»»»