Swimmer Stephanie Rice has fronted the media giving an emotional apology over a Homophobic tweet she posted after the Wallabies beat South AFRICA in a TRI NATIONS MATCH on the weekend.

She has also strongly denied she is homophobic stating she has many gay friends

AND

Bad Boy Brendan Fevola is in Trouble again.. and this time his AFL Career is hanging by a thread.. A member of the public has lodged a formal complaint about FEVOLA's behaviour at an AFL FAMILY DAY. Arparently he exposed himself..... THE BRISBANE LIONS have released a statement saying they have suspended him indefinitely

TO NRL and

NRL boss DAVID GALLOP says he won't hesitate to ban players for life caught up in the betting controversy....

NSW Police have set up a taskforce to investigate suspicious betting activity surrounding the round 24 match between North Queensland and Canterbury in Town

Now that the Federal Election is truly done and dusted.. the Newcastle Alliance is calling on the Member for Newcastle SHARON GREIRSON to step up to the plate in the fight for Newy . THE NEWCASTLE ALLIANCE want the MEMBER for NEWCASTLE to share her plans for the city... the proposed timeline... and to make good on the promises dished out during the election

Great News for the HUNTER... with the crime statistics showing a massive decline in certain crimes...

The Bureau OF Crime Statistics and Reasearch show that 12 of the 17 major categories of crime were stable while 5 were DOWN...

There has been a sharp drop in Break and Enter.. motor vehicle theft... stealing from a motor vehicle and damage to property..

Drug Crimes in the NSW have risen sharply in the past two years....with a marked increase in COCAINE use and POSSESSION

A day into their partnership and cracks are already beginning to show in the relationship between the independents and the Labor Party..

Tony Windsor has declared he wants the mining resources tax to be discussed at an up and coming tax summit...

However Treasurer Wayne Swan declared that was not going to happen..

Opposition Treasurer Joe Hockey says the cracks are clear and doesn't see how the Independents... Greens and Labor will all coexist in the same party

MEANWHILE word around town is that Deputy Opposition Leader JULIE BISHOP could be shafted from the role..with Veteran Liberal ANDREW RONN expected to make run for the job on Thursday

Calls today for Australia's next government to put CHILD PROTECTION at the top of their agenda...

It's WHITE BALLOON DAY -- where people can purchase balloons from MYER... BENDIGO BANK or the SALVATION ARMY -- to help break the silence surrounding SEXUAL HARM to children...

HETTY JOHNSON from BRAVEHEARTS says whether the next government is led by JULIA GILLARD OR TONY ABBOTT -- it's time they gave a voice to Australia's MOST VULNERABLE...

The DUNGOG SHIRE MAYOR says he'll call on the STATE GOVERNMENT for help -- if the fall-out from the closure of the town's TIMBER MILL proves as bad as expected...

GLENN WALL says COUNCIL will do all IT can to help the 40 people who are now OUT OF WORK following the MILL's closure...

And BEYOND that -- he says the STATE GOVERNMENT might need to come to the party -- to help provide a boost to the Shire's ECONOMY.