2008 in Australia
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2008 in Australia
Contents
[edit] Incumbents
Monarch – Queen Elizabeth II Governor-General – Michael Jeffery (until 5 September), then Quentin Bryce Prime Minister – Kevin Rudd
[edit] Premiers and Chief Ministers
Premier of New South Wales – Morris Iemma (until 5 September), then Nathan Rees Premier of South Australia – Mike Rann Premier of Queensland – Anna Bligh Premier of Tasmania – Paul Lennon (until 26 May), then David Bartlett Premier of Western Australia – Alan Carpenter Premier of Victoria – John Brumby Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory – Jon Stanhope Chief Minister of the Northern Territory – Paul Henderson
[edit] Governors and Administrators
Governor of New South Wales – Marie Bashir Governor of South Australia – Kevin Scarce Governor of Queensland – Quentin Bryce (until July 29), then Penelope Wensley Governor of Tasmania – William Cox (until April 2), then Peter Underwood Governor of Western Australia – Ken Michael Governor of Victoria – David de Kretser Administrator of the Northern Territory – Tom Pauling
[edit] Events
[edit] Whole year
[edit] January
January 1 onwards – Torrential rain causes widespread flooding and damage to parts of South East Queensland and the North Coast of New South Wales. January 11 – An Airbus A319 lands at the new Wilkins Runway in the Australian Antarctic Territory, becoming the first passenger flight from Australia to Antarctica.[2] January 15 – An Australian Sea Shepherd activist, Benjamin Potts, and his British colleague, Giles Lane, are detained on board the Japanese whaling vessel Yushin Maru No. 2 after boarding the ship which was inside the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary near Antarctica.[3] January 15 – Victoria Police officers use capsicum spray to subdue unruly Greek spectators at the 2008 Australian Open, during a match between Konstantinos Economidis and Fernando González.[4] January 17 – An explosion in a wine processing shed at Drayton's Winery in the New South Wales Hunter Valley kills two men including winery owner Trevor Drayton, and injures one.[5] January 23 – After 128 years, the final edition of The Bulletin is published. Its demise was announced on January 20. [6]
[edit] February
February 8 – A controversial plan to deepen Melbourne's shipping channels by dredging Port Philip Bay begins.[7] February 13 – An apology containing the word "sorry" is made by Kevin Rudd to Indigenous Australians for the stolen generation as the first order of business of the new Parliament.[8] February 22 – Parliament descends into chaos with opposition frontbenchers ejected, question time suspended and speakers unable to control the house. A cardboard cut-out of the Prime Minister is bought into the parliament by opposition members angry about sitting time on a Friday.[9]
[edit] March
March 12 – Adelaide experiences a national record heatwave for an Australian capital city, recording over ten straight days of temperatures over 35 degrees Celsius.[10] March 14 – Former New South Wales government minister Milton Orkopoulos is found guilty of 28 charges of child sex offences and the supply of drugs.[11] March 16 – The South Australian heatwave continues with Adelaide experiencing its 14th straight day of temperatures above 35 degrees. March 16 – The Finding Sydney Foundation announces it has located the wrecks of the Australian light cruiser HMAS Sydney and the German auxiliary cruiser Kormoran, which both sunk after a battle in 1941.[12] March 26 – At the Council of Australian Governments meeting, the Victorian government agrees to take part in a AUD $10 billion rescue plan for the Murray-Darling Basin, after 15 months of negotiations.[13] March 27 – The Opes Prime stockbroking firm collapses, and the Australian Securities and Investments Commission announces it is conducting an investigation into the firm's activities.[14] March 28 - Mitsubishi Motors Australia Limited closes its Clovelly Park manufacturing facility, ending more than 40 years of manufacturing at the site. [15] March 30 – The extension of daylight saving time by a week to standardise time in New South Wales, Victoria, the Australian Capital Territory, Tasmania and South Australia causes a "mini-Y2K problem" as computer systems, mobile phones and even the "speaking clock" incorrectly adjust the time back one hour.[16] March 30 – The gag order applied to David Hicks by the Guantanamo military commission is lifted, allowing him to discuss his detainment at Guantanamo Bay detention camp.[17]
[edit] April
April 18 - Australian swimmer Nick D'Arcy has his Beijing ticket terminated following an incident at a nightclub involving former swimmer Simon Cowley. April 19 – The Australia 2020 Summit begins in Canberra. April 30 – The Victorian government agrees to implement safety measures for Melbourne taxi drivers, after dozens of taxis blockade the intersection of Flinders and Swanston Streets following the stabbing of a driver the previous day.[18]
[edit] May
May 1 – Five people are killed when a runabout collides with a fishing boat on Sydney Harbour.[19] May 17 – Fugitive gangster Tony Mokbel arrives in Australia following his extradition from Greece.[20] May 26 – Paul Lennon announces his resignation as Premier of Tasmania. His deputy, David Bartlett, is sworn in as the new Premier later in the day.[21] May 26 – Camden Council in Sydney votes unanimously to reject a proposal to build a 1,200 student Islamic school in the area.[22]
[edit] June
June 1 – Australia ends its combat operations in Iraq, withdrawing approximately 550 troops from the region.[23] June 3 – A gas explosion at a plant on Varanus Island in Western Australia severely disrupts gas supplies to the state.[24] June 8 – It is revealed that New South Wales Education Minister John Della Bosca and his wife, federal Member for Robertson Belinda Neal, were allegedly involved in an altercation at a nightclub in Gosford, New South Wales.[25] June 28 – A by-election is held in the federal seat of Gippsland following the resignation of the sitting MP, Peter McGauran. Darren Chester wins the by-election, retaining the seat for the National Party.
[edit] July
July 1 – 36 State Senators elected in the 2007 election take their seats in the Australian Senate. For the first time in 31 years, the Australian Democrats have no Senators in the parliament.[26] July 11 – The Apple iPhone is officially released in Australia.[27] July 13 – Pope Benedict XVI arrives for his first papal visit to Australia, ahead of World Youth Day 2008.[28] July 15 to July 20 – World Youth Day 2008, the Catholic Church's youth festival is held in Sydney. July 26 – The Queensland divisions of the Liberal Party and the National Party merge to form the Liberal National Party. July 29 – Chris Evans, the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, announces that the Australian government will reform the policy regarding mandatory detention of asylum seekers.[29]
[edit] August
August 8 – The Australian Federal Police conduct what is claimed to be the world's biggest ecstasy drugs bust, seizing AUD$440 million worth of the drug.[30] August 9 – A general election is held in the Northern Territory with the Australian Labor Party retaining government.
[edit] September
September 5 – Quentin Bryce is sworn in as the first female Governor-General of Australia. September 5 – Morris Iemma resigns as Premier of New South Wales, and Nathan Rees is sworn as his replacement. September 6 – A general election is held in Western Australia. September 6 – By-elections are held in the federal electorates of Mayo and Lyne, following the resignation of MPs Alexander Downer and Mark Vaile respectively.
[edit] Future and scheduled events
October 18 – A general election will be held in the Australian Capital Territory. Tim Fischer will become Australia's Ambassador to the Holy See.
[edit] Arts and literature
March 7 – Del Kathryn Barton wins the 2008 Archibald Prize for You are what is most beautiful about me, a self portrait with Kell and Arella, a self-portrait with her children.[31] March 13 – Australian author Sonya Hartnett wins the 2008 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award for young adult literature.[32] May 23 – New South Wales Police seize a number of photographs depicting naked children by artist Bill Henson which were to be exhibited the previous day.[33]
[edit] Science and technology
August 5 – Google Street View images of Australian city streets are added to Google Maps and Google Earth software.[34]
[edit] Film
February 26 – Melbourne-born film producer Eva Orner wins an Academy Award for Documentary Feature for the film Taxi to the Dark Side.[35]
[edit] Television
January 5 – Fox Sports commentator, Clinton Grybas, dies at 32. The circumstances surrounding his death are currently unknown and an autopsy has been performed. January 14 – Nine Network revamps its logo and on-air graphics as a part of a new network re-launch, and after a two-year absence, returns the famous "Nine Balls" logo, except instead of balls, they use discs. February 7 – Veteran television presenter Ray Martin quits the Nine Network after 30 years with the network.[36] February 8 – At 12:00 PM AEDT ABC TV officially became ABC1.[37] February 8 – Former The Great Outdoors host Shelley Craft quits Channel Seven and moves to Channel Nine to take over from Toni Pearen as host of Australia's Funniest Home Videos. February 12 – The Supreme Court of Victoria places an injunction on the broadcast and exhibition of the Nine Network's drama series Underbelly in Victoria, following concerns that the series, which depicts Melbourne's gangland wars, could prejudice an ongoing murder trial.[38] March 14 – A Current Affair broadcasts its 5000th episode and celebrates its 20th anniversary. March 17 – The Nine Network launches its high-definition television channel, Nine HD. April 3 – Kate Ritchie (Sally Fletcher), one of the original cast members of Home and Away, leaves the series after twenty years. April 7 – The Nine Network makes the first episodes of the new series Canal Road available for download over the Internet, ahead of its television broadcast on April 16.[39] April 27 – Jack Chambers wins the first series of So You Think You Can Dance Australia.[40] May 4 – The 2008 Logie Awards are held. Kate Ritchie (formerly of Home and Away) wins the Gold Logie for the second year in a row.[41] May 7 - SBS TV reveals its new logo. May 26 - Game show Million Dollar Wheel of Fortune, a revival of the Wheel of Fortune format, premieres on the Nine Network. June 2 – The Seven Network apologises after airing an episode of the hospital drama All Saints in which it is suggested that a child born of an incestuous relationship is likely to result in the child having Down's syndrome.[42] June 27 – Million Dollar Wheel of Fortune fades on the Nine Network after a month, due to the strong competition win of Seven's Deal Or No Deal. July 7 – Seven Network starts broadcasting its watermark on all news and current affairs programs. July 21 – The final episode of Big Brother Australia, which was axed by Network Ten the week prior, goes to air. The winner of the final series is 52-year-old grandmother Terri Munro.[43] July 25 – Nightline shuts down with a final goodbye on the Nine Network after 16 years. July 26 – Peter Cundall's last appearance on Gardening Australia before retiring from Australian Landscapes. It goes to air on ABC1.[44] July 28 - TV journalist, This Is Your Life host and also a former host of A Current Affair, Mike Munro announces he is leaving the Nine Network after twenty two years, due to budget cuts. August 3 – The Sunday Program shuts down with a final goodbye on the Nine Network after 27 years. August 28 - Australia's Naughtiest Home Videos, a revival of the spin-off to Australia's Funniest Home Videos, rebadged on the Nine Network. It last time played on the network is when the late CEO, Kerry Packer banned the spin-off for life 16 years ago.
[edit] Future and scheduled events
November – The Channel Nine drama series McLeod's Daughters will end after a seven year run.
[edit] Sport
January 6 – Australia retains the Border-Gavaskar Trophy when it beats India by 122 runs at the Sydney Cricket Ground, equalling its own record of 16 consecutive Test cricket victories.[45] January 7 – The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) suspends India's cricket tour of Australia after objecting to a three-match ban on Harbhajan Singh for allegedly calling Australian player Andrew Symonds a "big monkey".[46] The tour suspension is lifted on January 9 after umpire Steve Bucknor is removed from the third test. January 20 – Central Coast Mariners FC claim the premiership for the A-League 2007-08 season. January 14 to January 27 – The 2008 Australian Open Tennis Championships are held at Melbourne Park. Serbian Novak Äoković wins the men's singles, the first Grand Slam title since the 2005 Australian Open not won by Roger Federer or Rafael Nadal. He is also the youngest player to win the Australian Open, and the first Serb. Russian Maria Sharapova wins the women's singles title.[47] February 6 – Australia defeats Qatar 3–0 in a 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification match at Telstra Dome in Melbourne.[48] February 24 – Newcastle United Jets FC defeat Central Coast Mariners FC 1–0 in the A-League Grand Final 2008, becoming champions of the 2007-08 season.[49] March 2 – Australian rider Troy Bayliss wins both races at the Australian Superbike World Championship round. March 12 – The Football Federation Australia postpones the expansion of the A-League to include new clubs Gold Coast Galaxy FC and North Queensland Thunder FC until at least the 2009-10 season.[50] March 16 – British driver Lewis Hamilton wins the 2008 Australian Grand Prix.[51] March 22 – Swimmer Stephanie Rice breaks the 400 metres medley world record. March 25 – Stephanie Rice breaks the 200 metres medley world record. March 26 – Australia draws with China 0–0 in a 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification match at Tuodong Stadium in Kunming, China.[52] June 1 – Australia defeats Iraq 1–0 in a 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification match at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, Queensland.[53] July 2 – Queensland defeats New South Wales by 16-10 in the third game of the 2008 Rugby League State of Origin series, thereby winning their third consective series by two games to one.[54] August 8 to August 24 – Australia competes in the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China. The Australian Olympic team wins 14 gold medals, coming 6th on the medal tally.
[edit] Future and scheduled events
October 25 to November 22 – The 2008 Rugby League World Cup will be held in Australia.
[edit] Deaths
January 5 – Clinton Grybas, 32, sports commentator January 8 – George T. D. Moore, 84, former jockey and horse trainer January 9 – Tim Willoughby, 53, Olympic rower January 11 – Nancy Phelan, 94, writer January 12 – Isobel Bennett, 98, marine biologist January 19 – Creighton Burns, 82, editor of The Age newspaper (1981–1989) January 22 – Heath Ledger, 28, actor (died in New York City) January 25 – Roc Kirby, 89, founder of Village Roadshow Limited January 26 – Padraic McGuinness, 69, journalist February 3 – Jackie Orszaczky, 59, Hungarian-born musician and record producer February 14 – Smoky Dawson, 94, country music performer February 19 – Peter Pianto, 78, VFL player and coach for Geelong February 21 – Geoff Leek, 76, VFL player for Essendon February 25 – Ashley Cooper, 27, V8 Supercar race driver February 28 – Val Plumwood, 67, ecologist and feminist March 1 – Sid Spindler, 76, Democrats senator March 3 – Norm O'Neill, 71, cricketer March 14 – Clyde Cameron, 95, Whitlam government minister March 16 – Bill Brown, 95, cricketer and member of the 1948 Invincibles March 19 – John Dowie, 93, sculptor April 6 – Tony Davies, 68, New Zealand rugby union player April 7 – Sir Frank Little, 82, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Melbourne April 8 – John Button, 74, ALP senator and Hawke government minister April 10 – Kim Santow, 67, NSW Supreme Court judge, university chancellor April 24 – Tristram Cary, 82, British composer April 30 – John Cargher, 89, ABC Radio presenter May 9 – Jack Gibson, 79, rugby league coach and player May 10 – Jessie Jacobs, 17, actress (The Saddle Club) May 22 – Charlie Booth, 104, athlete and inventor of the starting block May 26 – Alan Renouf, 89, head of DFAT and ambassador May 27 – Mick Nolan, 58, Australian rules footballer. June 3 – Trevor Kaine, 80, Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory (1989–1991) June 11 – Sir Francis Hassett, 90, soldier and head of the Australian Defence Force June 22 – Jane McGrath, 42, cancer support campaigner and wife of cricketer Glenn McGrath July 6 – Jack C. Collins, 78, Australian rules footballer (Footscray) July 7 – Yitzchok Dovid Groner, 83, chief rabbi of Melbourne’s Chabad-Lubavitch community July 12 – Olive Riley, 108, believed to have been the world's oldest blogger July 13 – Peter Durack, 81, Liberal Party senator and Fraser government minister July 16 – Lindsay Thompson, 84, Premier of Victoria (1981–1982) July 18 – Peter Welsh, 54, Australian rules footballer July 25 – Jeff Fehring, 52, Australian rules footballer August 5 – Reg Lindsay, 79, country music singer August 12 – Christie Allen, 53, pop music singer (Mushroom Records August 28 – Mark Priestley, 32, television actor (All Saints) September 1 – Michael Pate, 88, actor and writer September 1 – Kevin Heinze, 81, ABC television and radio presenter September 4 – Colin Egar, 80, cricket umpire and administrator
[edit] References
^ 2008 - Year of the Scout, Scouts Australia. ^ Historic flight lands in Antarctica, The Sydney Morning Herald, January 11, 2008. ^ Darby, Andrew: Whale activists 'captured', The Age, January 16, 2008. ^ Police Use Pepper Spray on Fans at Australian Open After Racial Slur Allegations, Fox News Channel, 16 January 2008. ^ Winery owner killed in blast, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, January 17, 2008. ^ ACP Magazines announces closure of The Bulletin magazine, The Bulletin (via ninemsn), January 24, 2008. ^ Shanahan, Leo: Paddling protesters challenge dredger, The Age, February 8, 2008. ^ "Rudd: We say sorry", ABC News Online, ABC (2008-02-13). Retrieved on 2008-02-13. ^ "Cardboard Rudd sparks uproar in Parliament", ABC News Online, ABC (2008-02-22). Retrieved on 2008-02-22. ^ Record heatwave in SA, Sky News, 12 March 2008. ^ Dart, Jonathan: Orkopoulos found guilty, The Sydney Morning Herald, 14 March 2008. ^ Sydney located: report, The Age, March 17, 2008. ^ $1bn Murray breakthrough, The Age, March 27, 2008. ^ Authorities probe Opes Prime collapse, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, March 31, 2008. ^ Mitsubishi to close SA pla