Out & About, The Australian, 27 November, 2009.

I edited this column for several months at the end of 2009. It was a Murdoch idea he had first tried more than 20 years before. It didn’t work back then, and with four different editions across the country, it was a nightmare. I was taken off general news, not even my chief of staff […]

Lanky yank Don Lane Bows out at 75, The Australian, 23 October 2009

Lanky Yank Don Lane bows out at 75 ROSALIE HIGSON, JOHN STAPLETON AND GRAEME BLUNDELL THE AUSTRALIAN OCTOBER 23, 2009 1:00AM Print Save for later OBITUARY: Don Lane. Entertainer. Born New York City, November 13, 1933. Died Sydney, October 22, age 75. DON Lane, the Lanky Yank, was once Australia’s most popular and highest paid television […]

Marriage Matters, Dads On The Air, 25 August, 2009.

Marriage Matters With special guests: Warwick Marsh  and Bill Kable. First we speak with the founder of the Dads4Kids Fatherhood Foundation, which is now Australia’s largest pro-father, pro-marriage and pro-family charity, Warwick Marsh. Warwick, together with his wife and daughter, recently attended the Smart Marriages Conference in Florida, USA. During his US tour in July, Warwick met […]

The Menace of Extreme Feminism, Dads On The Air, 11 August, 2009.

The Menace of Extreme Feminism With special guests: Amfortas. This week we look at the struggle of the community to deal with the outrageous effects of extreme feminist dogma on our daily lives. Much of the discourse centers around myths and rogue statistics which paint a very negative picture of the men and boys in our […]

Property clearance rates going strong, The Australian, 13 July, 2009.

Property clearance rates going strong Stapleton, John. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 13 July 2009: 6. Full text Abstract/Details Show highlighting Abstract TranslateAbstract Kevin Lee, of Smartline mortgages, said the improved clearance rates were a sign of first-home buyer activity and reaction to thegovernment’s continuation of the first-home buyers grant. Full Text TranslateFull text Turn on search term navigation THE property market continued to […]

No bail for fraud charge AFL star, The Australian, 9 July, 2009.

No bail for fraud charge AFL star Stapleton, John. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 09 July 2009: 3. Full text Abstract/Details Show highlighting Abstract TranslateAbstract THE life of former star footballer with the Sydney Swans and high-profile coach Daryn Cresswell hit a new low yesterday when he was refused bail after appearing in Sydney’s Manly Local Court over fraud charges. Full […]

Tobacco tax hike to make a million quit, The Australian, 6 July, 2009.

Tobacco tax hike to make a million quit Stapleton, John. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 06 July 2009: 5. Full text Abstract/Details Abstract TranslateAbstract Public Health Association of Australia president and deputy chairman of the inquiry, Mike Daube, said the only people opposing the increase were tobacco companies. Since the dangers of smoking became known in the 1950s, […]

Illegal smoke trade has plenty of puff, Weekend Australian, 4 July, 2009.

Illegal smoke trade has plenty of puff Stapleton, John. Weekend Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 04 July 2009: 7. Full text Abstract/Details Show highlighting Abstract TranslateAbstract Anne Jones, chief executive of anti-smoking lobby group ASH Australia, said selling cigarettes without health warnings was illegal in itself but on top of that the sellers of illegal cigarettes had evaded federal excise duty, […]

Block’s rebirth only $60m away – BRIDGING THE GAP, The Australian, 3 July, 2009.

Block’s rebirth only $60m away – BRIDGING THE GAP Stapleton, John. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 03 July 2009: 5. Full text Abstract/Details Abstract TranslateAbstract The NSW government yesterday announced the Pemulwuy Project would go ahead and claimed it could deliver 300 jobs and more than 9000 square metres of commercial uses, shops and community and cultural space […]

Seven arrested over elaborate credit card scam, The Australian, 3 July, 2009.

Seven arrested over elaborate credit card scam Stapleton, John. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 03 July 2009: 3. Full text Abstract/Details Show highlighting Abstract TranslateAbstract SEVEN people faced court yesterday over a credit card scam involving hundreds of locally manufactured fake cards used by teams of shoppers who promptly sold purchased goods for cash. Full Text TranslateFull text […]

Hotel trio first to approach Work Australia, The Australian, 2 July 2009. Page One.

Hotel trio first to approach Work Australia JOHN STAPLETON JULY 02, 2009 12:00AM Print Save for later THREE Sydney hotel housekeepers have become the first workers to apply for improved wages and condition at the new industrial relations umpire, Fair Work Australia. The trio, who each clear a base $500 a week on a pay rate […]

No woolly thinking breeders want meat, The Australian, 2 July, 2009.

No woolly thinking breeders want meat Stapleton, John. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 02 July 2009: 5. Full text Abstract/Details Show highlighting Abstract TranslateAbstract The number of sheep in Australia declined by 7 per cent in 2007-08 to about 80 million, and was forecast to drop to 77 million in 2008-09, according to the Australian Bureau of Agriculture and Resource Economics. Full […]

Curtain up on a new era of workplace relations, The Australian, 2 July, 2009.

Curtain up on a new era of workplace relations Stapleton, John. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 02 July 2009: 4. Full text Abstract/Details Show highlighting Abstract TranslateAbstract THERE was the traditional knock on the door, a voice intoned “all rise” and judge Geoffrey Giudice walked on to the podium at the oldAustralian Industrial Relations Commission hearing room. […] he began his role as the the new president of Fair Work […]

The Barbara Biggs Show, Dads On The Air, 30 June, 2009.

Rudd reform ‘won’t reduce child abuse’, Weekend Australian, 27 June, 2009.

Rudd reform `won’t reduce child abuse’ Stapleton, John. Weekend Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 27 June 2009: 6. Full text Abstract/Details Show highlighting Abstract TranslateAbstract According to this approach, the best way to protect vulnerable children is to defend parental rights, keep families intact, and try to prevent abuse and neglect by providing support services which attempt to address the parents’ complex problems. […]

Judge puts name to starved girl: Ebony, The Australian, 25 June, 2009.

      Judge puts name to starved girl: Ebony Stapleton, John. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 25 June 2009: 7.       Full text Abstract/Details Show highlighting   Abstract TranslateAbstract   A CHILD who starved to death in her housing commission home at Hawks Nest in NSW just weeks before Christmas in 2007, while her parents […]

Luxury brands charge into shopping maul, Weekend Australian, 20 June, 2009.

Luxury brands charge into shopping maul Safe, Georgina. John Stapleton. Weekend Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 20 June 2009: 3. Full text Abstract/Details Abstract TranslateAbstract At the Chanel store, which stocks clothing, handbags, shoes, costume jewellery and fine jewellery, prices start at $310 for a Chanel badge and top out at $11,600 for a leather and lace-trimmed jacket. Full Text TranslateFull text COCO Chanel once […]

Indians high-risk violators of visas, The Australian, 20 June 2009 Additional Reporting

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/indians-high-risk-violators-of-visas/story-e6frg6n6-1225737992776 Indians high-risk violators of visas JUNE 20, 2009 12:00AM Print Save for later Amanda Hodge South Asia Correspondent New Delhi INDIAN students in Australia are ranked among the highest risk groups for visa violations, according to a government review which found they were up to three times more likely to breach conditions than the average […]

Honey, I Killed the Superbug, The Australian, 18 June, 2009.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/honey-i-killed-the-superbug/story-e6frg6n6-1225737035676 Honey, I killed the superbug JOHN STAPLETON JUNE 18, 2009 12:00AM Print Save for later AUSTRALIAN researchers have been astonished to discover a cure-all right under their noses — a honey sold in health food shops as a natural medicine. Far from being an obscure health food with dubious healing qualities, new research has shown […]

Family Law – Is the Man the Loser, NSW Parliament House, 16 June, 2009.

Family Law – Is The Man The Loser? http://dadsontheair.squarespace.com/family-law/ The group Forum Of The Round Table held a public forum at Parliament House, NSW on the evening of Tuesday 16 June 2009 on the topic of “Is the man the loser in family law?” Two of the speakers were Dads on the Air team members John Stapleton and Peter van de Voorde. Transcripts of their speeches follow below. LINKS TO THE VIDEO ON […]

Speeches at NSW Parliament House and Canberra Parliament House, Family Law – Is the Man the Loser? 16 June, 2009.

Family Law – Is the Man the Loser? http://www.dadsontheair.com.au/familylawvideo/ Two members of the Dads on the Air team, John Stapleton and Peter van de Voorde, spoke at this Forum at NSW Parliament House 16 June 2009. There was an enthusiastic audience in the beautiful Jubilee Room, Parliament House Sydney that listened to a Panel of […]

Speech at NSW Parliament House Conference, Is family law biased, 16 June, 2009.

House prices ‘ready to rise’, The Australian, 15 June, 2009.

House prices `ready to rise’ Condon, Turi. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 15 June 2009: 3. Full text Abstract/Details Show highlighting Abstract TranslateAbstract THE nation’s sluggish housing market may not be in the doldrums for too much longer, with industry forecasts suggesting a sharp rise in property prices over the next three years. Full Text TranslateFull text Turn on search term navigation THE nation’s […]

Harris Park Indians in fear, First rough draft to original brief, The Australian, 13 June, 2009.

The fear that stalks the streets at night, The Australian, 13 June, 2009.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/the-fear-that-stalks-the-streets-at-night/story-e6frg6n6-1225734283745 The fear that stalks the streets at night JOHN STAPLETON JUNE 13, 2009 12:00AM Print Save for later BY 6pm it is already dark. Harris Park train station is cold, unwelcoming and completely unstaffed. Not a security guard. No one is taking tickets. The only people about are Indian students. After the violent demonstrations by […]

Gillard’s billioin-dollar bonanza rolls on, The Australian, 11 June, 2009. Picture Amos Aikman.

Gillard’s billion-dollar bonanza rolls on Ferrari, Justine. John Stapleton. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 11 June 2009: 6. Full text Abstract/Details Show highlighting Abstract TranslateAbstract Millions of dollars will be handed to some of the nation’s elite private schools, which will receive government funding for capital works for the first time. Full Text TranslateFull text Turn on search term navigation DEPUTY Prime Minister […]

Turbulent Tales, Dads On The Air, 9 June, 2009.

Turbulent Tales TUESDAY, JUNE 9, 2009 AT 10:30AM With Special Guests: Ben Peacock and Dr Ray Seidler. Being International Men’s Health Week, we’ve decided to talk to two of Australia’s most entertaining characters: author of the new book Lessons From My Left Testicle: A Turbulent Tale to Put Life Into Perspective, survivor of testicular cancer Ben Peacock and the so-called Kings Cross […]

Indian students protest at attacks, The Australian, 8 June, 2009.

Indian students protest at attacks Stapleton, John. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 08 June 2009: 4. Full text Abstract/Details Show highlighting Abstract TranslateAbstract HUNDREDS of Indian students and their sympathisers marched through Sydney yesterday demanding an end to racist violence and calling on the federal government to stop treating them like cash cows. Full Text TranslateFull text Turn on search […]

Cottage a reminder of lost Ebondy, Weekend Australian, 27 June, 2009.

One of the saddest stories ever. Never forget watching the parents in court.They were tranked to the gills. Cottage a reminder of lost Ebony Stapleton, John. Weekend Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 27 June 2009: 6. Full text Abstract/Details Show highlighting Abstract TranslateAbstract […] the couple cannot sell or let their cottage — the last home of Ebony, the seven-year-old autistic girl who died of […]

Ferry was speeding, inquest is told, The Australian, 21 May, 2009.

Ferry was speeding, inquest is told Stapleton, John. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 21 May 2009: 7. Full text Abstract/Details Show highlighting Abstract TranslateAbstract Harbour Bridge security guard Alusine Kamara said he had seen the [Pam Burridge] travelling “faster than normal”. Investigating officer Detective Senior Constable Brett Prentice said he had formed the view that the masters of both vessels had failed in their […]

They’re on a high, but it’s hair surfing, The Australian, 20 May, 2009.

They’re on a high, but it’s hairy surfing: [1 All-round Country Edition] Stapleton, John. The Australian; Canberra, A.C.T. [Canberra, A.C.T] 20 May 2005: 9. Full text Abstract/Details Show highlighting Abstract TranslateAbstract The famous bombora off Manly beach provided die-hard surfers, including former world champion Barton Lynch, with outstanding conditions on which to ply their craft. It was ideal […]

Move over Mary Concepta, Bquinda’s on the scene, Weekend Australian, 16 May, 2009.

Move over Mary Concepta, Bquinda’s on the scene Toohey, Paul. Weekend Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 16 May 2009: 3. Full text Abstract/Details Abstract TranslateAbstract “The Aboriginal names are extraordinary,” he says. “It’s about individualising — these people who don’t often feel they have an individual life. There’s a cry for personal recognition, to get out of a kinship […]

Girl in a Million Quest about to fade into history The Australian 16 May 2009

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/archive/news/no-more-girls-in-a-million/story-e6frg6oo-1225712788560 Girl in a Million Quest about to fade into history JOHN STAPLETON THE AUSTRALIAN MAY 16, 2009 12:00AM Print Save for later ONCE upon a time there was no greater prize for a young Queensland woman than to win the Girl in a Million Quest. Over five decades thousands of young women across the state, […]

Men Under Labour, Dads on the Air, 12 May, 2009.

Men Under Labor TUESDAY, MAY 12, 2009 AT 10:30AM With special guests: John Flanagan George Potkonyak Geoffrey Greene and Phil York. This week Dads On The Air, which began with a group of separated blokes damaged by and brave enough to raise a voice against the overwhelming anti-father bias of Australia’s family law system, returns to its […]

Perils and satisfactions of covering Afghan conflict, The Australian, 11 May, 2009.

Perils and satisfactions of covering Afghan conflict Stapleton, John. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 11 May 2009: 37. Full text Abstract/Details Abstract TranslateAbstract “While he has been a spectacular failure since, at the time the same aura of hope hung around [Hamid Karzai] as now hangs around Obama,” [Mark Corcoran] says. “He has an impossible task. The jacket […]

Sacked minister calls for inquiry, The Australian, 11 May, 2009.

Sacked minister calls for inquiry Stapleton, John. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 11 May 2009: 8. Full text Abstract/Details Show highlighting Abstract TranslateAbstract Both Mr [Tony Stewart] and the university lecturer Mik Heyslop, who taught Tina Sanger, have always maintained their innocence. Both men’s careers were destroyed by the claims. Professor Heyslop suffered professional humiliation and eventually resigned his position after Ms […]

Little Coffins, The Australian, 10 May, 2009.

John StapletonFOR four-year-old Jake Aden Winter there was a little pale blue coffin with a beautifully painted wooden image of Bob the Builder attached to one end. For three-year-old Kasey Rose Winter there was a pale pink coffin decorated with love-hearts, butterfly stickers and “My Little Pony” toys. A sombre crowd of more than 700 […]

Coroner lambasts inept triple-O, The Australian, 8 May, 2009.

Coroner lambasts inept triple-0 Stapleton, John. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 08 May 2009: 3. Full text Abstract/Details Show highlighting Abstract TranslateAbstract NSW Deputy Coroner Carl Milovanovich noted that not once did any of the three women from the NSW Ambulance Service who took the dying boy’s repeated calls even ask his name. There was no explanation as to why the last person to speak to […]

Bugs to listen in on wildlife’s most wanted, Weekend Australian, 2 May, 2009.

Bugs to listen in on wildlife’s most wanted Stapleton, John. Weekend Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 02 May 2009: 9. Full text Abstract/Details Show highlighting Abstract TranslateAbstract “Ornithologists have been searching for the night parrot for years, but it is just so rare the chance of being in the right place at the right time is very small,” Dr [Elizabeth Tasker] said. “It may turn out not […]

A minute’s silence for Pratt but production must go on, The Australian, 30 April, 2009. Additional Reporting. Page One.

A minute’s silence for Pratt but production must go on Stewart, Cameron. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 30 Apr 2009: 1. Full text Abstract/Details Abstract TranslateAbstract The billionaire’s son then drove to the company’s city headquarters and sat in his dad’s chair. Today at 11am, [Visy]’s 5600 employees around the country will observe a minute’s silence to mark […]

Young buyers wary as panic sets in, The Australian, 27 April, 2009.

Young buyers wary as panic sets in Stapleton, John. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 27 Apr 2009: 1. Full text Abstract/Details Show highlighting Abstract TranslateAbstract “A lot of young people are panic buying, that is what we have found, particularly in the last couple of months,” said Mr Brown, 26, an environmental consultant. “We feel a lot of pressure to […]

000 workers ‘need medical training’, The Australian, 24 April, 2009.

000 workers `need medical training’ Stapleton, John. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 24 Apr 2009: 3. Full text Abstract/Details Show highlighting Abstract TranslateAbstract David Iredale’s family, including his mother, Mary Anne, excused themselves from the courtroom as a doctor gave horrific details of the 17-year-old’s final minutes of life in the Blue Mountains, west of Sydney. Paul Luckin, one of Australia’s leading experts in […]

Operators’ minds blank on lost calls, The Australian, 23 April, 2009.

  Operators’ minds blank on lost calls Stapleton, John. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 23 Apr 2009: 3. Full text Abstract/Details Show highlighting Abstract TranslateAbstract Ms [Stacey Dickens] asked him for his address several times, despite his insistence that he was “lost in the bush”. The only one to remember taking a call from [David Iredale], and the only one to become tearful […]

Family Heartbreak System Down, Dads On The Air, 21 April, 2009.

Family Heartbreak System Down TUESDAY, APRIL 21, 2009 AT 10:30AM With special guests: Michael Jeffries Angelo Lobo and Chris Amos. Before getting down to the serious business, this week Dads on the Air starts off with an interview with Chris Amos, the figure behind taking DOTA into the 21st century by setting up a special Facebook group. For those […]

Veils ‘limit vitamin D’, The Australian, 20 April, 2009.

Veils `limit vitamin D’ Stapleton, John. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 20 Apr 2009: 5. Full text Abstract/Details Show highlighting Abstract TranslateAbstract Researchers found that 147 out of 149 adult and child North African refugees living in southwestern Sydney who took part in a health-screening program were vitamin D deficient. Full Text TranslateFull text Turn on search term […]

Trekking handbook not shown to school student before fatal expedition, The Australian, 20 April, 2009.

Trekking handbook not shown to school student before fatal expedition Stapleton, John. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 20 Apr 2009: 5. Full text Abstract/Details Show highlighting Abstract TranslateAbstract An email from [David Iredale], written to his friends on December 8, 2006, two days before the boys began their trek, states: “I have all the maps and navigation sheets which were given to […]

Tracking technology could save lives, Weekend Australian, 18 April, 2009.

Tracking technology could save lives Overington, Caroline. John Stapleton. Weekend Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 18 Apr 2009: 9. Full text Abstract/Details Show highlighting Abstract TranslateAbstract “He said, `Have you got any of the mango ice-cream that you made?”‘ Mrs Iredale’s statement says. “I said, `Yes, I’ll leave you some’. He said, `I could do with some right now’.” Serious questions about […]

Dying schoolboy lost in bush ridiculed by 000 operators The Australian 17 April 2009

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/archive/news/lost-schoolboy-ridiculed-by-000-staff/story-e6frg6no-1225699718405 Dying schoolboy lost in bush ‘ridiculed’ by 000 operators JOHN STAPLETON THE AUSTRALIAN APRIL 17, 2009 12:00AM Print Save for later AFTER becoming hopelessly lost in the NSW Blue Mountains, schoolboy David Iredale made six desperate calls to the 000 emergency service. But even though he told them he was struggling to stay conscious, the […]

Police not told teen was in danger, The Australian, 16 April, 2009.

Police not told teen was in danger Stapleton, John. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 16 Apr 2009: 7. Full text Abstract/Details Show highlighting Abstract TranslateAbstract Detective Senior Constable John Fasano told the inquest yesterday that police were under the impression [David Iredale] and his two bushwalking companions had enough provisions for their trip, and were unaware David was in a dangerous condition. Senior Constable […]

Sacked Fiji judges warn expats on treason, The Australian, 13 April, 2009. Page One.

Sacked Fiji judges warn expats on treason Merritt, ChrisAuthor Information. John Stapleton The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 13 Apr 2009: 1. Full text Abstract/Details Show highlighting Abstract TranslateAbstract “He is effectively a dictator — that is a strong word, but that is the situation,” said Ian Lloyd, one of the three Australian judges on Fiji’s Court of Appeal who last Thursday ruled that military leader […]

Condoms will not save Africa: Archbishop George Pell, The Australian, 11 April, 2009

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/condoms-will-not-save-africa-pell/story-e6frg6nf-1225697020673 Condoms will not save Africa: Archbishop George Pell JOHN STAPLETON THE AUSTRALIAN APRIL 11, 2009 12:00AM Print Save for later JUST weeks after Pope Benedict XVI attracted widespread ire when he said condoms were aggravating the AIDS epidemic in Africa, the head of the Catholic Church in Australia has backed the pontiff’s stance. Cardinal George […]

Touch of exotica defies downturn, The Australian, 2 April, 2009.

Touch of exotica defies downturn Stapleton, John. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 02 Apr 2009: 4. Full text Abstract/Details Show highlighting Abstract TranslateAbstract “The general atmosphere is one of despondency — there are a lot of closed shops and a lot of businesses are having to cut prices drastically,” reports owner Michael Prato. “Everyone wants to cheer themselves up, […]

Mum weeps as biker son laid to rest — Strikeforce Raptor set up to deal with new turf war, Weekend Australian, 28 March, 2009.

Mum weeps as biker son laid to rest — Strikeforce Raptor set up to deal with new turf war Stapleton, John. Weekend Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 28 Mar 2009: 6. Full text Abstract/Details Show highlighting Abstract TranslateAbstract Zervas was the brother of a senior Hells Angel leader, Peter Zervas, and more than 200 people attended the Sydney funeral, including members of the Hells Angels […]

Take care, aspiring models told, The Australian, 27 March, 2009.

Take care, aspiring models told Stapleton, John. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 27 Mar 2009: 7. Full text Abstract/Details Show highlighting Abstract TranslateAbstract Mr [Martin Walsh] said any young person approached by an individual over any form of modelling should immediately verify their credentials. “Any of therecognised agencies will happily advise if an individual is known to them or […]

Commancheros chief calls for talks to end feud, 26 March, 2009.

Comancheros chief calls for talks to end feud Stapleton, John. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 26 Mar 2009: 3. Full text Abstract/Details Show highlighting Abstract TranslateAbstract As Mr Field was remanded in custody until April 15 by Magistrate John Burns, Mr [Mick Hawi] called for peace talks with other bikie gangs after the Comancheros’ feud with the Hells Angels exploded into a deadly brawl […]

Einfeld airs his regrets on TV program, The Australian, 23 March, 2009.

Einfeld airs his regrets on TV program Stapleton, John. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 23 Mar 2009: 3. Full text Abstract/Details Show highlighting Abstract TranslateAbstract During the program [MARCUS Einfeld], the recipient of an Order of Australia who was once labelled a “national living treasure”, says he believes Australians are “pretty good at forgiving people who come clean”. “It’s probably more shameful than the driving,” Einfeld […]

Kennett slams package plan, The Australian, 19 March, 2009.

Kennett slams package plan Stapleton, John. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 19 Mar 2009: 5. Full text Abstract/Details Show highlighting Abstract TranslateAbstract “We are throwing money at the community a second time, billions of dollars,” Mr [JEFF Kennett] said. “No one asked for a second handout. It was just a gift. It was wrong. A lot of people are saying, […]

Colin Griffith, Obituary, 2009.

Pacific in push for $7m grant, Weekend Australian, 7 March, 2009.

Pacific in push for $7m grant Hannan, Ewin. John Stapleton. Weekend Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 07 Mar 2009: 4. Full text Abstract/Details Abstract TranslateAbstract A spokeswoman for Industry Minister Kim Carr, said the grants process was “not a process the Government controls” and was “done at arm’s length”. The Textile, Clothing and Footwear Union said the company’s strategy […]

We were sitting ducks, say umpires – Terror Strikes Cricket, The Australian, 6 March, 2009. Additional reporting.

We were sitting ducks, say umpires – TERROR STRIKES CRICKET Hodge, Amanda. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 06 Mar 2009: 7. Full text Abstract/Details Show highlighting Abstract TranslateAbstract AUSTRALIAN and British umpires caught in Tuesday’s bloody ambush on the Sri Lankan cricket team have accused Pakistan’s security forces of leaving them like “sitting ducks”, amid mounting speculation their attackers had an […]

Call for action after fresh shark attack, The Australian, 2 March, 2009.

Call for action after fresh shark attack Clayfield, Matthew. John Stapleton. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 02 Mar 2009: 3. Full text Abstract/Details Show highlighting Abstract TranslateAbstract “We loaded up a four-wheel-drive buggy that we’ve got and brought all the equipment up,” [Mike] said. “[CHARLES Lindop] knew exactly what he had to do. If it had been two kids alone, it […]

Fear at the beach as sharks strike again, The Australian, 2 March, 2009.

Fear at the beach as sharks strike again Clayfield, Matthew. John Stapleton. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 02 Mar 2009: 3. Full text Abstract/Details Show highlighting Abstract TranslateAbstract “We loaded up a four-wheel-drive buggy that we’ve got and brought all the equipment up,” [Mike] said. “[CHARLES Lindop] knew exactly what he had to do. If it had been two kids […]

Workers blue as Chesty Bond defects to China, The Australian, 26 February, 2009. Page One.

Workers blue as Chesty Bond defects to China Stapleton, John. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 26 Feb 2009: 1. Full text Abstract/Details Show highlighting Abstract TranslateAbstract “The manufacturing is all going to China, there’s no point in supporting Bonds,” said Maryanne Metcalf from the Wollongong Bonds factory. About 1200 jobs would be lost from the factory floor: 233 in western Sydney, 83 in the NSW […]

Clothes workers feel stitched up as jobs cut, The Australian, 26 February, 2009. Picture Amos Aikman.

Clothes workers feel stitched up as jobs cut Stapleton, John. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 26 Feb 2009: 4. Full text Abstract/Details Show highlighting Abstract TranslateAbstract WORKERS described their reactions in simple terms. Some were “shocked”, others “stunned” or “gutted” on hearing the news thatPacific Brands would cut 1850 of their jobs in the next 18 months. “Bonds is an Australian brand and you expect […]

D’Arcy’s attack on swimmer not excessive: magistrate, The Australian, 27 February, 2009.

D’Arcy’s attack on swimmer not excessive: magistrate Stapleton, John. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 27 Feb 2009: 6. Full text Abstract/Details Show highlighting Abstract TranslateAbstract During sentencing submissions in Sydney’s Downing Centre Local Court yesterday, magistrate John Favretto said it was clear D'[Arcy] had shown little self-control when drinking alcohol, but there was provocation. D’Arcy, 21, has pleaded guilty to […]

ETS to butcher farm output and earnings, The Australian, 23 February, 2009.

ETS to butcher farm output and earnings Stapleton, John. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 23 Feb 2009: 4. Full text Abstract/Details Abstract TranslateAbstract “We’re at the end of the line. We can’t pass it on but everything will be passed on to us — the cost of electricity, transport, any fodder you’ve got to buy, it’s all likely […]

Australians in dark on emissions effort, The Australian, 23 Febrary, 2009

Australians in dark on emissions effort Stapleton, John. The Australian; Canberra, A.C.T. [Canberra, A.C.T] 23 Feb 2009: 4. Full text Abstract/Details Abstract TranslateAbstract “Most people think by doing their bit in the household they will reduce Australia’s emissions,” Dr [Richard Denniss] said. “While most people understand that emissions trading creates a cap above which emissions can’t rise, […]

Reducing footprint ‘waste of time’, Weekend Australian, 21 February, 2009.

Reducing footprint `waste of time’ Stapleton, John. Weekend Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 21 Feb 2009: 6. Full text Abstract/Details Abstract TranslateAbstract “Individual efforts to reduce energy use will have absolutely no effect on the level of Australia’s emissions,” he said. “The least understood feature of the ETS is that the more effort households put into reducing their energy […]

No slur intended on Rabbitoh legends, The Australian, 20 February, 2009.

No slur intended on Rabbitoh legends Stapleton, John. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 20 Feb 2009: 7. Full text Abstract/Details Show highlighting Abstract TranslateAbstract When he took the stage at Homebush Bay in 2006 to speak on behalf of the “no” vote, Mr [Tony Papaconstuntinos] found himself being jeered by members of the crowd as “slippery fingers Papa” and a “crook”. Mr Holmes a […]

Rabbitohs fight back in court, The Australian, 20 February, 2009.

Rabbitohs fight back in court Stapleton, John. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 20 Feb 2009: 7. Full text Abstract/Details Show highlighting Abstract TranslateAbstract When he took the stage at Homebush Bay in 2006 to speak on behalf of the no vote, Mr [Tony Papaconstuntinos] found himself being jeered by members of thecrowd as “slippery fingers Papa” and a “crook”. Mr [Holmes a Court], […]

The public fooled by an Emissions Trading Scheme, The Australian, 20 February, 2009.

The full truth about just how badly the Australian people were being suckered, and just how truly incompetent the Australian government was, rarely made it into the paper.

Former Knox Grammar teacher on child-sex charges The Australian 19 February 2009.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/archive/news/ex-teacher-on-child-sex-charges/story-e6frg6o6-1111118896143 Former Knox Grammar teacher on child-sex charges JOHN STAPLETON THE AUSTRALIAN FEBRUARY 19, 2009 12:00AM Print Save for later A SECOND teacher from Knox Grammar, an elite private boys school on Sydney’s North Shore, has been charged with alleged sex crimes against students. Yesterday Barrie Tiffin Stewart, 71, a former music teacher, faced Hornsby Local […]

No role for Salvos in distribution of funds – BLACK SATURDAY DISASTER, The Australian, 17 February, 2009.

No role for Salvos in distribution of funds – BLACK SATURDAY DISASTER Stapleton, John. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 17 Feb 2009: 2. Full text Abstract/Details Show highlighting Abstract TranslateAbstract Sources within the Salvation Army said many officers had been “gobsmacked and bewildered” by their failure to be included in government planning and co-ordination, including being omitted from the Victorian Bushfire Appeal Fund […]

Shark-catch ban defended despite attacks, The Australian, 16 February, 2009.

Shark-catch ban defended despite attacks Stapleton, John. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 16 Feb 2009: 3. Full text Abstract/Details Show highlighting Abstract TranslateAbstract “Shark fishermen have been telling the state Government that shark numbers are in plague proportions and the quota needs to be overhauled, but they are being ignored because Labor’s policy is dictated by the Greens preferences they rely on at election […]

Shark tried to ‘rip off’ Bondi surfer’s arm, Weekend Australian, 14 February, 2009.

Shark tried to `rip off’ Bondi surfer’s arm Stapleton, John. Weekend Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 14 Feb 2009: 9. Full text Abstract/Details Show highlighting Abstract TranslateAbstract “The shark just latched on to his arm. He started screaming `shark’. The shark was just ripping into his arm, trying to rip his arm off, thrashing about in thewater,” Mick Marjonovich, who was only five […]

Catchpole seeks return of seized $240,000, The Australian, 13 February, 2009.

Catchpole seeks return of seized $240,000 Stapleton, John. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 13 Feb 2009: 8. Full text Abstract/Details Show highlighting Abstract TranslateAbstract MARK Catchpole, the son of Wallabies legend Ken Catchpole, is trying to recover $240,000 seized by the NSW Crime Commission after allegations it was drug money were withdrawn. Catchpole, 40, had earlier pleaded guilty to possessing an unlicensed […]

Call to start AFP war crimes unit, The Australian, 12 February, 2009.

Call to start AFP war crimes unit Stapleton, John. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 12 Feb 2009: 7. Full text Abstract/Details Show highlighting Abstract TranslateAbstract “Strong grounds exist for believing Australia has, over the years, inadvertently admitted a substantial number of these suspected criminals and there is no plausible reason why those who are alleged to have committed the most abhorrent crimes […]

Bull shark attacks Navy diver in Sydney Harbour The Australian 11 February 2009

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/archive/news/shark-attacks-navy-diver/story-e6frg6o6-1111118817070 Bull shark attacks Navy diver in Sydney Harbour DAVID KING, JOHN STAPLETON THE AUSTRALIAN FEBRUARY 11, 2009 12:00AM Print Save for later A NAVY diver, attacked by a shark in Sydney Harbour, is undergoing emergency surgery on severe injuries to his hand and thigh. A NSW ambulance spokesman said the 31-year-old clearance diver was swimming […]

Divorced From Reality, Dads On The Air, 10 February, 2009.

Divorced From Reality TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2009 AT 10:30AM With Special Guest: Dr Stephen Baskerville. We are delighted to have the author of Taken Into Custody: The War Against Fathers, Marriage, and the Family, Dr Stephen Baskerville, on the show once again. No one has done more to expose the ideological war against fathers by the welfare, family […]

Residents and homes safe after night of terror – VICTORIA ABLAZE, The Australian, 9 February, 2009.

Residents and homes safe after night of terror – VICTORIA ABLAZE Stapleton, John. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 09 Feb 2009: 7. Full text Abstract/Details Show highlighting Abstract TranslateAbstract “The firefighters have been amazing,” she said. “They have contained it really well.” “All night you could see it burning,” Mr North said. “We were worried about our house, running […]

Last hot gasp of summer deadly, Weekend Australian, 7 February, 2009.

Last hot gasp of summer deadly Wilson, Lauren. John Stapleton. Weekend Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 07 Feb 2009: 5. Full text Abstract/Details Show highlighting Abstract TranslateAbstract NSW is expected to be one of the hottest places on the planet tomorrow with the mercury in parts of the state forecast to hit 47C. Residents of Sydney’s western suburbs can expect 44C. Authorities say the extreme bushfire conditions could be worse […]

Scrap ‘frustrating’ FOI regime, The Australian, 6 February, 2009.

Scrap `frustrating’ FOI regime Stapleton, John. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 06 Feb 2009: 2. Show highlighting Abstract Translate Abstract The Australian revealed yesterday that delays in processing FOI applications had ballooned under the Rudd Government, despite election promises to reduce government secrecy. Mr [Bruce Barbour] said the federal Government appeared to have lost its momentum […]

Insulation industry hopes trade goes through the roof – RUDD’S $42 BILLION RESCUE, The Australian, 5 February, 2009.

Insulation industry hopes trade goes through the roof – RUDD’S $42 BILLION RESCUE Stapleton, John. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 05 Feb 2009: 5. Full text Abstract/Details Show highlighting Abstract TranslateAbstract Insulation Council of Australia and NZ president Dennis D’Arcy said the industry was delighted with the announcement, with initial estimates it would create about 4000 jobs. Peter Ruz, national marketing manager […]

Insane Levels of Stress, a headline I most definitely wrote!! Dads On The Air, 3 February, 2009.

Insane Levels of Stress TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2009 AT 10:30AM With special guests: “Matthew” “Dave” and “Steve”. In the wake of an appalling tragedy where a four year old girl was allegedly thrown off a bridge by her father, we talk with three fathers about the stresses in their lives. It surprised no long term observers that […]

Rees dismisses faction-fighting claims, The Australian, 2 February, 2009.

Rees dismisses faction-fighting claims Stapleton, John. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 02 Feb 2009: 6. Full text Abstract/Details Show highlighting Abstract TranslateAbstract Mr [Nathan Rees] discounted the reports. “It (leadership speculation) is boring for the people of NSW and boring for me,” he said. “We don’t get diverted by this.” Mr Rees said he would not waste money conducting surveys to find […]

The Perils of Ideology, Dads On The Air, 27 January, 2009.

The Perils of Ideology TUESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2009 AT 10:30AM Erin Pizzey With special guests: Erin Pizzey Mark Sutton and Susan E. Block. In May 2007 Dads on the Air interviewed the founder of the world’s first refuge for battered women, Erin Pizzey. This interview was circulated far and wide, making it one of the most publicised broadcasts […]

Aged care work beats the downturn, The Australian, 26 January, 2009.

Aged care work beats the downturn Stapleton, John. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 26 Jan 2009: 2. Full text Abstract/Details Show highlighting Abstract TranslateAbstract “The reality is the aged care sector marches to its own drum — there’s escalating demand for all forms of aged care and a shortfall in skilled labour,” Mr [John Ballard] said. Greg Mundy, head of the peak body Aged […]

All that is Australian in photo, Weekend Australian, 24 January, 2009.

All that is Australian in a photo Stapleton, John. Weekend Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 24 Jan 2009: 5. Full text Abstract/Details Show highlighting Abstract TranslateAbstract The winner, 22-year-old law student Stewart Webster, took the photograph of a seagull catching a chip near Burleigh Heads on theGold Coast in Queensland. “It was my wife’s birthday and we were celebrating on the beach,” he said. “One […]

Young libs call for national service, Weekend Australian, 24 January, 2009.

Young Libs call for national service Stapleton, John. Weekend Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 24 Jan 2009: 6. Full text Abstract/Details Abstract TranslateAbstract “Areas suffering from chronic inter-generational welfare dependence would benefit from having people returning to their communities having acquired broader experience, skills, discipline and values,” Mr [Noel McCoy] said. “We’re a big believer in a hand-up, not […]

Sea change on jobs horizon, The Australian, 23 January, 2009.

Sea change on jobs horizon Stapleton, John. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 23 Jan 2009: 2. Full text Abstract/Details Show highlighting Abstract TranslateAbstract Able Seaman Steph Cokanauto, 22, said she was at sea more than half the year and loved the travel involved. “I like being at sea, exploring the world,” she said. “I didn’t know what to expect, with 25 girls in a […]

Long live Gough, political legend, The Australian, 22 January, 2009. Picture Alan Pryke.

Long live Gough, political legend Stapleton, John. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 22 Jan 2009: 10. Full text Abstract/Details Show highlighting Abstract TranslateAbstract Mr [GOUGH Whitlam] was happy to celebrate yesterday’s milestone with Kevin Rudd, who dropped by the Labor stalwart’s Sydney office for morning tea. They chatted happily about their favourite restaurants — Mr Whitlam celebrated his 90th birthday […]

Uni defies jobs trend with plan to hire 330 By: John Stapleton, Australian, The, 19 January, 2009

John Stapleton THE University of Sydney is bucking the economic trend with an announcement that it is to increase its total staff numbers by 10 per cent. In a rare optimistic note in a crumbling employment market, the university said yesterday it was to take on an extra 330 workers. The staff are to be employed at a […]

It’s a Scorcher, but 70-year record stands, The Australian, 18 January, 2009.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/archive/news/its-a-scorcher-but-70-year-record-stands/story-e6frg6o6-1111118566607 It’s a scorcher, but 70-year record stands JOHN STAPLETON, GAVIN LOWER, LEX HALL THE AUSTRALIAN JANUARY 15, 2009 12:00AM Print Save for later MUCH of inland Australia sweltered as towns from Ivanhoe and Pooncarie in far-western NSW to Onslow in the Pilbara, Kerang in Victoria and Marree in South Australia hit 45C yesterday. But even […]

Firefighters stretched by arsonists The Australian 17 January 2009 Additional Reporting

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/firefighters-stretched-by-arsonists/story-e6frg6pf-1111118586413 Firefighters stretched by arsonists NICOLAS PERPITCH, ANGUS HOHENBOKEN THE AUSTRALIAN JANUARY 17, 2009 12:00AM Print Save for later ARSONISTS have caused chaos for firefighters across the nation, with a deliberately lit blaze in Perth’s Kings Park yesterday burning up much-needed firefighting resources as it threatened a block of luxury apartments. Fire crews battling two other […]

Scorching day sets off walls of flame, The Australian, 16 January, 2009. Picture Amos Aikman.

Scorching day sets off walls of flame Overington, Caroline. John Stapleton. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 16 Jan 2009: 3. Full text Abstract/Details Show highlighting Abstract TranslateAbstract Flames were fanned by hot, gusty winds. In the west of Sydney, the temperature reached 43C, hot enough for a late-model Lexus to catch fire on the M4 freeway, setting off a blaze that raced down a […]

Get Off the Bench, Dads On The Air, 13 January, 2009.

Get Off the Bench TUESDAY, JANUARY 13, 2009 AT 10:30AM With special guests: Bob Norton Larry Holland Peter Van de Voorde Mark Sutton and Angelo Lobo. This week on Dads on the Air we present excerpts from two popular US radio programs that deal with men’s and fathers’ issues. First up, Dads on the Air recently joined […]

All’s quiet in Rosemeadow, The Australian, 12 January, 2009.

All’s quiet in Rosemeadow Stapleton, John. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 12 Jan 2009: 2. Full text Abstract/Details Show highlighting Abstract TranslateAbstract The women, aged 19 and 40 respectively, were charged with affray. The 19-year-old was also charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm and common assault. Full Text TranslateFull text Turn on search term navigation A HEAVY police presence has […]

Basic questions of life thrown up for kids, The Australian, 12 January, 2009.

Basic questions of life thrown up for kids Stapleton, John. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 12 Jan 2009: 4. Full text Abstract/Details Show highlighting Abstract TranslateAbstract “We are most interested in creating an experience of wonder,” he said. “It’s about being positive and imagining we can achieve anything.” “We’re very pleased with the response so far. Most kids are familiar […]

Police restore peace to embattled urban estate, The Australian, 12 January, 2009.

Police restore peace to embattled urban estate Stapleton, John. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 12 Jan 2009: 6. Full text Abstract/Details Show highlighting Abstract TranslateAbstract Acting NSW Opposition leader Andrew Stoner said Mr [Phillip Costa]’s initial refusal to visit the estate reeked of a “let them eat cake” mentality. He said thesituation had arisen from a complex set of social issues, […]

Violence begins where hope ends in Rosemeadow housing estsate The Australian 10 January 2009 Page One

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/archive/news/violence-begins-where-hope-ends/story-e6frg6o6-1111118525444 Violence begins where hope ends on Rosemeadow housing estate INSIDE STORY: JOHN STAPLETON THE AUSTRALIAN JANUARY 10, 2009 12:00AM Print Save for later MOTHER of six Theresa Brown looks despairingly along Macbeth Way, in the troubled Rosemeadow housing estate on Sydney’s southwestern fringe. The neighbourhood gives off an almost visible sense of decay. Many residents […]

Elders must ease tension, say police, The Australian, 9 January, 2009.

Elders must ease tension, say police Stapleton, John. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 09 Jan 2009: 3. Full text Abstract/Details Show highlighting Abstract TranslateAbstract POLICE have called on the community elders of the troubled housing estate in Sydney’s Rosemeadow to “take ownership” of the area’s problems, as more arrests were made yesterday overthe wild street brawl in thesouthwestern suburb on Monday night. With riot […]

Farms die for Rudd’s trees, The Australian, 6 January, 2009.

Farms die for Rudd’s trees Stapleton, John. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 06 Jan 2009: 5. Full text Abstract/Details Show highlighting Abstract TranslateAbstract “I’m angry,” Mr [Graham] said. “We’re seeing rural communities lost, schools and services closed down. “Labour are talking about changing the entire face of rural Australia,” she said. “From northwest Tasmania to the Northern Territory, rural communities have suffered […]

Tributes to Braille, whose visions gave books to the blind, The Australian, 5 January, 2009.

Tributes to Braille, whose vision gave books to the blind Stapleton, John. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 05 Jan 2009: 5. Full text Abstract/Details Abstract TranslateAbstract Almost entirely blind, the 11-year-old’s love affair with the world of [Harry Potter] has been made possible through the work of Frenchman Louis Braille, two centuries earlier. Erica has not thought much […]

Fear ever present but future not so Bleak, Weekend Australian, 3 January, 2009.

Fear ever present but future not so Bleak Stapleton, John. Weekend Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 03 Jan 2009: 8. Full text Abstract/Details Show highlighting Abstract TranslateAbstract For The Australian and The Weekend Australian‘s cartoonist Bill Leak, the idea for today’s cartoon came right on schedule — at 10.30am yesterday, just before the paper’s morning news conference. “The doctors have warned me that I will discover I can’t do things […]

Original Copy, Bill Leak Story, written in car on way back, The Australian, 3 January, 2009.

Grin and bear it: private schools lift fees The Australian 2 January 2009 Additional Reporting

Grin and bear it: private schools lift fees THE AUSTRALIAN JANUARY 02, 2009 12:00AM Print Save for later Justine Ferrari Sydney https://plus.google.com/112579852189597568182 THE cost of a private school education will soar this year, with some of the nation’s top schools increasing their tuition fees at a time when household budgets are tightening. Despite receiving $28 billion […]

Grin and bear it: private schools lift fees, The Australian, 2 January, 2009. Additional reporting. Page One.

Grin and bear it: private schools lift fees Ferrari, Justine, Lex Hall, Additional Reporting John Stapleton, The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 02 Jan 2009: 1. Full text Abstract/Details Show highlighting Abstract TranslateAbstract Not all schools have revealed their 2009 school fees, but among the highest charging is Ascham, a girls’ school in Sydney’s eastern suburbs, which will increase fees by […]

Party rolls on as New Year dawns, The Australian, 2 January, 2009.

Party rolls on as New Year dawns Stapleton, John. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 02 Jan 2009: 3. Full text Abstract/Details Show highlighting Abstract TranslateAbstract “It’s a good feeling to be able to come here each year, reflect, tick off last year’s resolutions and think of some new ones,” Ms [Randal Huntington] said. Assistant Commissioner Catherine Burn said: […]

Cool 2008 warms climate debate, The Australian, 1 January, 2009. Page One.

I got more hate mail over these stories, which I was asked to do by a senior editor, than almost anything else I have ever written. The story was just straight reportage. Considering the global warming alarmists, with their billions of dollars in funding were taking up almost all of the available media space and […]