Cable briefs

Press, 2 May 1984, Page 8

Cable briefs

Chamberlain plea A petition calling for Lynne Chamberlain’s release from Darwin’s Berrimah Jail will be presented to the Australian GovernorGeneral, Sir Ninian Stephen, in Canberra tomorrow, the Plea for Justice campaign says. The campaign’s national co-ordinator, Betty Hocking, said that more than 120,000 people had signed the petition, including 7000 people overseas. The petition calls for a judicial inquiry or Royal Commission into Mrs Chamberlain’s conviction for the murder of her baby, Azaria, at Ayers Rock, in 1980. It asks for her release pending the outcome of such an inquiry. — Sydney. V.A.T. vote defeat Margaret Thatcher’s Government has defeated by 102 votes, a Labour move to throw out Budget plans to tax fish and chips and other takeaway food. The Opposition move to defeat plans to put value added tax on hot takeaway meals, which comes into force today, was rejected, 241-139. A Labour spokesman predicted that the imposition of the 15 per cent tax would drive people out of business. — London. Protesters held The West German police have detained more than 500 people and thwarted an attempt by 2500 protesters to blockade the site of a controversial, nuclear waste storage plant. A police spokesman said that officers had surrounded a protest camp near the Gorleben plant, close to the East German border, shortly before the blockade was due to begin and detained r the 500 demonstrators. They were released several kilometres away after formal identity checks. Later, dozens more people were detained briefly when the police, with riot shields and nightsticks, moved against demonstrators who had set up barriers on five access roads to the plant. — Luechow.