NZ dollar falls from two-month high

THE New Zealand dollar has fallen from a two-month high amid speculation the European Central Bank will keep interest rates low for an extended period.

THE kiwi rose as high as 87.48 US cents overnight and was trading at 87.19 cents at 5pm in Wellington, from 87.12 cents at 8am and 87.32 cents at 5pm on Monday. The trade-weighted index was little changed at 81.08 from 81.16 yesterday.

ECB president Mario Draghi told Dutch newspaper Telegraaf the central bank will continue to stimulate the regional economy until at least the end of 2016.The prospect of low European rates for longer than previously anticipated sapped demand for currencies such as the kiwi, which had been fuelled by upbeat Chinese manufacturing data on Monday."Yesterday we had a China PMI report which was quite strong and that caused the Aussie and the kiwi to rise against the US, and that rise for New Zealand lasted until about 6pm yesterday and then it stopped as you had some negative news out of Europe," Imre Speizer, senior market strategist at Westpac Banking Corp said."The kiwi still looks quite strong in the near-term, so I'd be picking it to break above 87.50."The New Zealand dollar was little changed at 92.48 Australian cents at 5pm from 92.50 cents on Monday and at 64.14 euro cents from 64.17 cents, but slipped to 88.89 yen from 89.01 yen.

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Abbott vows to keep intervening for Greste

Tony Abbott (pic) says he is bewildered by an Egyptian court's decision to jail Peter Greste. Source: AAP

PRIME Minister Tony Abbott has vowed to keep lobbying Egypt's government to free jailed Australian journalist Peter Greste.

THE federal government on Tuesday summoned a senior Egyptian diplomat to express outrage over the seven-year sentence handed to the Al Jazeera reporter in Cairo.

It was the latest diplomatic overture from the government to Egyptian authorities about the case, including from Mr Abbott who twice contacted the country's leadership to lobby for Mr Greste."The Australian government will continue to make intercessions at every level with the Egyptian government and elsewhere to try and ensure that Peter Greste and his colleagues are swiftly released," the prime minister told parliament on Tuesday.He said the government understood and supported the Egyptian government's crackdown on extremist groups, including the Muslim Brotherhood, but couldn't comprehend why those reporting on the group were jailed.Opposition Leader Bill Shorten said Mr Greste's harsh treatment as a journalist stirred "something elemental in the spirit of all free people".But he supported the prime minister's call for cool heads to prevail."These are the times when passions run high but the best interests of Peter and his two colleagues will not be served by inflammatory rhetoric," Mr Shorten told parliament.The government sought to summon Egypt's ambassador to the meeting at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, but discovered Hassan El-Laithy is in Cairo.Egyptian Charge d'Affaires Sherif Bedeir Hussein was called instead, and he refused to speak to journalists after leaving the half-hour meeting in Canberra.Attorney-General George Brandis said the government would make a formal request to President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi seeking his intervention.

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Jodhi Meares charged with DUI

Jodhi Meares is heading to court after allegedly being caught drink driving in Sydney's east. Source: AAP

JAMES Packer's ex-wife Jodhi Meares will face court in August on drink driving charges after crashing into three parked cars in Sydney's eastern suburbs.

THE 43-year-old had to be rescued from her Range Rover, which rolled after the smash in upmarket Bellevue Hill on Saturday night.

The fashion designer, who is engaged to rocker Jon Stevens, was given a roadside breath test before being taken to the local police station.Police say she recorded a 0.181 blood alcohol reading, almost four times the legal limit.She was charged with drink driving and driving while suspended and is due to appear at Waverley Local Court on August 5.It's reported Meares could face the possibility of 18 months in jail and a fine of $3300.After a long engagement, Meares and Stevens were reportedly planning to tie the knot in September.

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Vic firies will be paid for mine fire: MFB

Victorian firefighters have begun legal action to recover wages owed since the Hazelwood mine fire. Source: AAP

FIREFIGHTERS involved in battling Victoria's mine fire will be paid outstanding entitlements for their efforts this week, the Metropolitan Fire Brigade (MFB) says.

THE United Firefighters Union (UFU) has started Federal Court action against the brigade to recover wages owing since the 45-day fire at the Hazelwood coal mine began on February 9.

The legal action concerns 240 MFB firefighters, who are each owed an average $4000 out of a total overtime bill of more than $6 million.The MFB says all outstanding payments it is aware of will be paid this week."We have provided assurances to staff that everyone will be paid all of their entitlements," acting deputy chief officer David Bruce said in a statement on Monday.The UFU says firefighters worked up to 20-hour days on their days off during the Hazelwood coal mine fire but that the MFB is unable to account for who was there.However, Mr Bruce said it had taken considerable time and effort to recognise and verify attendance records, given the size and nature of the incident.The summer's fire season involved the largest deployment of firefighters outside the MFB's immediate area of responsibility, he said."Understandably, the MFB's focus at that time was to provide assistance to the community through efficient and effective deployment of resources across the state," he said.The UFU's Peter Marshall said the legal action for firefighters' entitlements would continue despite the MFB's assurances they would be paid this week."They've been saying that every week. Show me the money is the response to that," he said."If in the interim period they pay, that's good. but to date we ain't see the money despite many assurances."Firefighters shouldn't have to wait that long and the MFB should meet their legal requirements."

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