PRODUCERS of Australia’s Next Top Model have been left red-faced after supermodel host Sarah Murdoch announced the wrong winner during the live final in what newspapers said was the country’s most awkward TV moment.

Naming rights for the new Lansdowne Road Stadium could earn the IRFU and FAI around €75m over 15 years, it emerged today.

The outgoing chief executive of Australian telecommunications giant Telstra said his departure was sparked by differences between him and the company’s board of directors.

Newspaper advertisements congratulating a 16-year-old girl who won the latest Australian Idol television competition mistakenly directed fans to a gay porn website.

Final counting of votes in Australia’s October 9 election showed today that Prime Minister John Howard has won control of both the upper and lower houses of parliament.

Telecoms equipment group Marconi today said it remained on track to meet full year sales targets as it posted narrower first quarter losses.

THE Wallabies have been dumped by team sponsor Vodafone after the mobile phone giant was shut out of last year’s World Cup by rival Telstra.

THE Lord Mayor of Cork is leading a campaign to reduce phone bills for local businesses who, he claims, are being charged far more than their counterparts in Dublin.

Australian telecommunications giant Telstra said it has no plan to lower its stake in pay TV operator Foxtel despite concerns by the competition regulator about its holding.

Australian share prices closed higher with solid gains by News Corp, resources and banking sector. The All Ordinaries index was up 26.5 points at 2,987.2.

Share prices were sharply higher in midday trade following a rebound on Wall Street overnight on speculation about the possibility of a further US Fed interest rate cut this year, dealers said.