The Sydney Morning Herald
 goes big with John Brogden’s resignation
which could see Barry O’Farrell become the fourth NSW Liberal leader in
six years, but party fund-raisers are already writing off any chance of
beating Labor at the next election. The SMH also has an account of the night from Angela Cuming, the Sun-Herald
reporter who was one of the two female journalists who encountered
John Brogden drinking at the Hilton. And the troubled Ascham School
is back in the news after turning to the public education sector to
recruit its new head, Louise Robert-Smith, the principal of North
Sydney Girls’ High (a leading selective school) since 1997.

The Daily Telegraph splashes with the “FAMOUS LAST WORDS” of disgraced
former opposition leader John Brogden who was forced from office
yesterday over racist remarks and sexual harassment. In other political news The Tele says rumours are circulating that a
leadership change in the federal Liberal Party could take place as
early as next year. And The Tele also reports that Sydney based model Michelle Leslie has taken
to wearing a Muslim chador when outside her Bali jail cell as a sign of
her Muslim faith and/or to hide her from the media’s prying eyes.


The Australian leads with the effects of Hurricane Katrina on the
Australian stock market as crude oil prices rose above $US70 ($92.70) a
barrel for the first time, prompting warnings from economists of a dent
in consumer demand and a curb in business activity. Matt Price says John Brogden suffers from being “a prize knucklehead,”
but also notes that the NSW Opposition Leader was also a touch unlucky
– as a prominent Liberal was heard to mutter: “Jeez, there but for the
grace of God go people on both sides.” The Oz also reports that Fairfax chief executive Fred Hilmer will be
given a $4.5 million golden handshake when he retires in November
because the newspaper group took 15 months to find his replacement, in
a deal described as “astonishing” by Fairfax journalists.

The Herald Sun splashes with a satellite photo of Hurricane Katrina as “A MILLION FLEE FURY.” The Hun also reports that Prime Minister John Howard has ruled out
banning Muslim girls from wearing traditional headscarves in state
schools, following calls by prominent Liberal backbenchers Bronwyn
Bishop and Sophie Panopoulos.


The Age leads with the push to ban the ‘glorification’ of terrorism
with those who encourage others to commit acts of terror facing
criminal prosecution under proposals for tougher national security laws
to be considered by the Federal Government. Meanwhile secret police surveillance tapes of slain underworld figure Lewis Moran
and undercover police drug stings have been found dumped in a suburban
warehouse, three months after being collected from the St Kilda Rd
crime squad to be destroyed, causing more embarrassment to force
command and besieged Police Minister Tim Holding.


The Courier-Mail reports that Queenslanders may face big increases in
water costs as councils contemplate more effective methods of reducing
urban water consumption. The Mercury reveals that Aboriginal children in Tasmania are three
times more likely to be suspended from school than other children. The West Australian reports that former Corruption and Crime Commission
acting commissioner Moira Rayner’s tip-off to powerful public servant
Laurie Marquet that his phone was being bugged might have destroyed any
chance the CCC had of discovering whether there were others allegedly
involved in the theft of $227,000 from the WA Parliament. And the NT News reports that escort agency women from Daisie’s Delights
in the Territory mining town of Nhulunbuy have been banned from the
local Walkabout Tavern following accusations that the women are touting
for business in the bar.