澳洲新闻 (ABC新闻快递) 2010-03-02（在线收听）

A small plane carrying aid to the quake-hit Chilean city of Concepcion has crashed killing six people. Meanwhile the Australian government will donate a million dollars towards the emergency response to the earthquake and tsunami. At least 720 people have been confirmed dead.

The Federal Government seems to have avoided that the whacking the Prime Minister thinks that it deserves. The latest news poll shows support for the government relatively unchanged. Kevin Rudd says voters are allowed to feel disappointed by the pace of health reforms and the government's handling of the home insulation scheme. The Environment Minister Peter Garrett says he is disappointed to have been demoted as a result of the bungled scheme. The Opposition says he should resign altogether.

France has declared a national disaster after severe storms lashed parts of the country. At least 47 people were killed as huge waves battered coastal towns and destroyed buildings.

And one of two men convicted of killing Sydney heart surgeon Victor Chang has been released from jail. Dr Chang was gunned down in the Sydney suburb of Mosman in a failed extortion attempt in 1991. Phillip Choon Tee Lim is being held in detention awaiting a flight back to Malaysia.

And there’ll be more news later.