News from OZ

A SLEEPY hamlet on the far north coast of New South Wales has been named Australia's leading town by a panel of tourism and travel experts, beating many traditional "hot spots" to top the list of 100 must-visit destinations.

Yamba, with a population of 5600 people, is best known as a fishing town closest to Angourie which is one of Australia's most famous surf breaks.

According to the survey conducted by Australian Traveller magazine, Port Douglas, Broome, Byron Bay, Port Fairy and Margaret River were among the towns pipped by Yamba.

In a state-by-state breakdown of the listings, NSW had the most towns in the top 100 with 29.

Editor Greg Barton said Yamba's selection as top town, along with the second choice of Esperance in southeastern WA, was surprising.

He said they had qualified as outsiders but that both could be described as "coastal fishing gems".

"Yamba ... may be upset at being named the Best Town in Australia. Their idyllic secret is out and they may have to share," Mr Barton said.
"The final list was surprising for me but on reflection it makes sense.

"These towns have stunning scenery, a unique story and the mystique of the understated and undiscovered - until now. They just don't come with the crowds and circus that surround some of the more popular towns.

"I'm sure we'll be inundated with alternatives and howls of injustice. Let the people decide."

The top ten towns were Yamba, Esperance (WA), Port Douglas (QLD), Broome (WA),
Port Fairy (Vi)c, Beechworth (Vic), Byron Bay (NSW), Apollo Bay (VIC), Strahan (Tas) and Margaret River (WA).

The magazine has steered clear of naming the nation's "worst" towns this year.

In previous years, it voted West Wyalong in NSW and Zeehan in Tasmania as towns best viewed from behind car windows on a drive-by.

Kevin Rudd meets Barack Obama

BARACK Obama has tread carefully on the issue of seeking more Australians to fight in Afghanistan after he and Kevin Rudd enjoyed a "great meeting of the minds" at the Oval Office.

The US President has made much of his rapport with the Prime Minister after their first face to face talks in Washington. Reports of the meeting carried around the world have described the pair as political "soul mates".

"I think he's doing a terrific job, and I'm looking forward to partnering with him for some years to come,'' Mr Obama said after meeting Mr Rudd for more than an hour.

Mr Rudd has said it was good to have the US "back on board'' on world economics and global warming.

Afghanistan

The US President gently signalled he would welcome an extension of the mandate of Australia's 1100 troops in Afghanistan or an increase in their number, as he prepares to unveil a new war strategy.

"The American people, just like the Australian people, are always frustrated with the need to send our young men and women overseas for extended periods of time ... it puts enormous strain on families and some don't return," he said.

"But I think that the American and the Australian people also recognise ... that we can't allow vicious killers to have their way, and we're going to do what is required to ensure that does not happen."

Mr Obama has evoked memories of the September 11 attacks in the US and the bombings in Bali to press home the need to confront extremism in Afghanistan. The Rudd Government is understood to be expecting a request for more troops at some point soon.

But Mr Rudd needs to balance the desire to get his relationship with Mr Obama off to a good start with polls showing a lack of support in Australia for boosting our military commitment. Nearly two-thirds - 65 per cent - of 1200 voters responding to a recent poll in the The Australian newspaper said they were against sending any more Australians into battle.

Two Australians died in Afghanistan last week, taking to 10 the number of personnel to have been killed while serving there.

"Every time we lose one of our brave men and women in uniform in Afghanistan I understand fully the concerns of the Australian people about this war and about where it goes in the future," Mr Rudd said.

"Our mission remains to ensure that that country doesn't become a safe haven for terrorists in the future."

Mr Obama has said he and Mr Rudd have worked through some important issues ahead of the G20 summit next week in London on the need to stimulate economies and to better regulate global finance.

"I feel that there's a great meeting of the minds between Prime Minister Rudd and myself," Mr Obama said.

Mr Rudd has said they also discussed the need for immediate global action on the "enduring challenge" of climate change. "It's going to be tough, it's going to be hard, it's going to require a lot of political leadership," he said.

"I'd just say it's great to have America on board. Mr President, to see the return of US global economic leadership - we appreciate that very much, and it's going to be necessary in the difficult times which lie ahead for certain."

BFF

Two months into office, Mr Obama has handed out only select invitations to world leaders for meetings in Washington and some analysts have suggested the two new leaders have much in common.

"They are ideological soul mates," said Alan Dupont, director of the Centre for International Security Studies at the University of Sydney.

"Both are personally inclined to be analytical individuals, both have a degree of detachment about how they look at things. They will be able to connect intellectually."

He has said he expects Mr Rudd to seek to cash in on his access to Mr Obama. "Everybody wants to see Obama and there's not a whole lot of people who've gotten to see him yet."

(both stories are from www.news.com.au Pictures by Nathan Edwards and Gary Ramage respectively)