Bendigo, Australia News

ONE of Australia's biggest exporters of branded processed foods, Ricegrowers, which trades as SunRice, has posted a 90 per cent slide in first-half profit and warned that the rising dollar along with weaker global demand will blunt earnings next year.

THE market power of the big banks will be felt by consumers in 2010 as their chiefs warn of further rises in borrowing rates, and the sector prepares for regulatory changes.

Extreme fire danger is expected in northern Victoria and East Gippsland on Thursday with forecasts of high temperatures and strong winds.

Bendigo's Andrew Martin and 40-year-old Sydneysider, Anthony Summers, have finished as the joint winners of the qualifying for the 2010 PGA Tour of Australasia completing their four rounds at the Sandhurst Club in Melbourne in 15 under par.

ECONOMISTS have slashed their forecasts for Wednesday's GDP figures, with most now predicting growth of less than 0.5 per cent in the September quarter following a dramatic fall in net exports.

Watpac Ltd says its contracting divisions have secured $200 million worth of work since the construction company and property developer successfully completed its $22.6 million institutional placement in September.

City revellers are being urged to "party but party safe" as police gear up for a statewide blitz on anti-social and violent behaviour.

THE Bank of Queensland has stepped up pressure on the Federal Government to overhaul pricing for the wholesale funding guarantee, arguing that smaller banks are key to preventing big banks from flexing their market power.

More than 800 additional police officers patrolled Victorian towns overnight as part of a national blitz on alcohol-fuelled violence.

Regional banking chiefs say the big four banks may ramp up their use of securitisation as an alternative source of funds if proposed new rules to protect the banking system from individual bank failure are introduced.

Suncorp-Metway Ltd and Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Ltd will combine the ATM networks of their two regional banking operations.

Contact THOMASINE B BAYLESS phone: 5135697748 email: bayless.thomasine@epa.gov Citation: Beck*, F. P., P. J. Clark*, R. G. Ford*, AND A. Fisher.

The federal treasurer should intervene to safeguard competition in the banking sector, says Bank of Queensland managing director David Liddy.

The Prowler/Too Hot Too Handle entire Adistactos can pull out a run on occasions and that he did at Bendigo, taking the Intergrating Technology Pace for C3 and C4 class over 1650 metres at Lord's Raceway Bendigo on Wednesday in a brilliant 1-55.8. Trained at Clarkefield, not far from Melbourne Airport, by Bill Panousopoulos and driven by Kilmore's ...

What they found instead was a 120-kilogram sow with a flatulence problem. " Victoria's Country Fire Authority says a call out to a suspected gas leak in Central Victoria on Tuesday night was not what they were expecting.

SEE a full list of AFL Draft picks round-by-round. Round 1 1. Tom Scully Dandenong Stingrays Midfielder, 18, 182cm, 74kg A left-footer with super evasive skills and gut-running likened to that of Ben Cousins.

Family calls 000 to report 'gas leak' Smells found wafting from the 120kg porker Breaking news: What's happening now A PORTLY pig with flatulence triggered a minor emergency near Bendigo this week when smells wafting from the 120kg porker sparked fears of a potentially dangerous gas leak.

Bendigo's Lord's Raceway was on fire for Wednesday's fixture, with several winners scorching the track including Vintage Direct in the 3B0FM 93.5 Claiming Pace.

A former bank manager has been sentenced to six months' jail in Victoria for stealing and causing the death of a pedigree dog that was found hanging from a tree.

The blitz will target pubs and nightclubs, cracking down on assaults, robberies and street violence.