What News?

Australia comes across as a nation looking for an identity and trying to inflate it's own importance on the world stage. It's endearing I suppose, as you'd imagine this country would be secure in it's natural beauty and links with a diverse range of cultures from across the globe, but not so.

The Aussies seem incredibly proud of home-grown talent, especially if that talent puts them on the map elsewhere in the world. They love Kylie despite her having largely defected to the UK (perhaps because of it?). They loved Steve Irwin almost like the British loved Pincess Diana. He was a proper Aussie Bloke done good, and they still love Olivia Newton John (though the jury is out on Germaine Greer),

However, this state of collective mind does make them a little inward-looking. This is most apparent if you watch the evening news, which rarely features any news from abroad. Tonight's ABC news covered the following items. Compare this to the BBC and you'll see what I mean:

1. Australian corporate watchdog implicates company in asbestos row
2. Telstra (Aus telecom company) shows a slump in profits
3. Row over Australian prisoner held at Guananemo Bay
4. Possible US military base in Western Australia causes politcal in-fighting
5. Fire on board a Japanese whaling ship in Antarctic waters
6. Shooting of a coal miner in NSW
7. Shooting of a Sydney security guard
8. Financial scam on sale of homes in Pittwater NSW
9. Australian Liberal party in-fighting
10.Australian election issues
11. Sydney research team make genetic discovery
12. Man slips on scallop and suees Sydney newspaper for implying his claim was fraudulent (honestly - Victoria Wood would LOVE that line)
13. Australian stocks and shares
14. Australian house prices (Perth rising fastest - 36%)
15. Cricketer Brett Lee may have injured his ankle

And finally....as the credits rolled, they showed a snow scene and said "snow has been causing havoc in the US"

I am starved of Sky News and the BBC and will be looking into cable TV next week!