A Bureau of Statistics report says New South Wales has overtaken South Australia as the country's largest wine-producing state. Brian Smedley from the South Australian Wine Industry Association says the state has been hit hard by reduced water allocations for irrigators and extreme heat during 2009. "The issue that we need to go forward with is to secure our water to ensure they we have sufficient quality and quantity of water," he said. "I think we also need to ensure that we have and are exploring new market opportunities so that we have actually a place for this wine to be sold and for sales to match out production." Mr Smedley says it is hard to predict whether South Australian production will keep declining. "At this stage that's probably hard to tell, I mean because we expect a lower grape crush this year even because of the amount of grapes that is coming through for our crush this year we probably expect less than we had last year," he said. "I guess it will just depend in terms a whole range of variables right leading through to this vintage how much water's available next year etcetera."

Beef transporters say massive investment is needed to carry Queensland's meat around the country if the industry is going to more than double in the next 20 years as predicted. The president of the Livestock Transport Association of Queensland, Liz Schmidt, says the Government should increase its investment in the beef industry. She says the current transport system will not be able to handle increased production. "The challenges at the moment are actually being able to carry out the transport tasks that's there," she said. "Like if we have a couple of inches of rain on some of the roads around the state and they close it down or reduce it to an 80 per cent load limit, so to get the number of cattle they're talking about out of those areas, there would be huge investment needed on those roads." Ms Schmidt says trucks are already at maximum capacity transporting beef around the country. She says the state's road system has been neglected for far too long. "It needs to happen - if this is what's being proposed and it's out there for discussion, I guess there needs to be something done and it needs to start right now," she said.

Emergency crews were working to contain a petrol leak at a refinery in Melbourne's west overnight. Mobil workers were draining the unleaded petrol from a 3.5 million-litre tank at Altona. They said it would take 12 hours to empty. The refinery is surrounded by wetlands. Kororoit Creek, which flows directly into Port Phillip Bay, is on the refinery's southern boundary. Fourteen trucks and more than 70 firefighters are on the scene along with police and Environment Protection Authority officers. Commander of the Metropolitan Fire Brigade, Trevor Woodward, says the tank has sprung several leaks and firefighters fear the tank may collapse. "We have several leaks coming from the base of the tank," he said. "It gets worse, because the structural integrity of the tank is now being questioned. "What we are doing is blanketing the surrounding area in foam and setting up several monitors to deliver foam around the tank. "Then we are withdrawing our troops to a safer distance." An alarm at the premises alerted emergency crews to the incident at 11.47pm (AEDT). - ABC/

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd was forced to defend his government's record on delivering key election promises during a forum with 200 young people on Monday night. The young Australians packed into the old House of Representatives chamber in Canberra to put Mr Rudd through his paces live on ABC1's Q&A program. Climate change, a Commonwealth takeover of the health system and the economy were hot topics, but the audience were also keen to discuss issues affecting them such as the legal drinking age and racism against international students. One student accused the Prime Minister of breaking a key election pledge to provide each student in years 9 to 12 with a computer. "We've said a computer for every young person at secondary from Year 9 or above by 2013 or thereabouts," Mr Rudd replied. "We're on track to doing that. We have about 260,000 computers out there at schools now. That is a fact." The students were pleased they had an opportunity to pose tough questions to Mr Rudd, but there was some disappointment among the audience. "Kevin was polished. I think he clearly anticipated a lot of the questions that were coming out," 24-year-old Kevin Wishart said after the forum. "He managed to deflect a lot of the issues." Australian National University student Fleur Hawes, 19, agreed. "Partly a bit of political rhetoric again. We've heard it it all before," she said. "But it was nice to see it in person and it was really enjoyable. "I think there should be more youth forums to have youth voices heard in the community. Even if you aren't able to vote, at least have your voice heard." Some participants felt issues such as same-sex marriage, financial support for university students, education and indigenous topics should have been covered. "I think some of them [Mr Rudd] avoided quite cleverly," said 16-year-old Canberra high school student Amanda McDonald. "I think some of the questions were quite carefully selected and there should have been more of a range." During the forum Mr Rudd said he would like to see the legal drinking age lifted to 21 given that alcohol was a major factor in road crashes involving young drivers. "If the evidence is there and it is capable of being proven that it works, then we (will) look at these things and make a decision," he said. "Drinking rates of young teenagers is going through the roof and hugely affecting their ability to manoeuvre a car." Mr Wishart says the forum is an example of Australia's unique democracy at work. "To get an opportunity to talk to your elected official one on one in that sort of town hall situation doesn't really come around in many democracies," he said. "It's a great opportunity and it's good of Kevin to come out and do it. And I think a lot the school children here will probably be a little more informed when they go to the ballot box. " Canberra student Jacob Kairouz, 15, says the show provided a rare opportunity. "I think it's fantastic that we get to have a say and voice our opinions to the Prime Minister," he said.

The Federal Opposition moved to override Queensland's Wild River legislation in parliament overnight. Opposition Leader Tony Abbott introduced a private members bill that he says is an attempt to defend the interests of Aboriginal traditional owners affected by the legislation in Cape York. The Act was introduced by the Queensland Government to prevent rivers on the peninsula from being damaged by farming and tourism. Mr Abbott says the State Government has erred significantly in taking away traditional owners' ability to use their land as they see fit. He told parliament that if Aboriginal people cannot use their own land that it is not really theirs. "We have the power in this parliament to make laws to ensure that the Indigenous people of Cape York are given back their birth right in respect of their land," Mr Abbott said. Mr Abbott last month visited Far North Queensland to tell Indigenous leaders of his views. The Bligh Government, however, labelled Mr Abbott a hypocrite, saying his visit and plans were a political stunt aimed at shoring up support in the next federal election.

Federal Communications Minister Stephen Conroy says he is yet to decide whether to publicly release a study into the viability of the Government's $43 billion National Broadband Network. Business groups and the Productivity Commission have criticised the Government for committing to the high speed internet project without conducting a cost-benefit analysis. The Government has defended itself by pointing to the fact it had commissioned an implementation policy. Senator Conroy says the document is due at the end of the month. "It may be possible for the report to be released. It may not. But I will be in a better position to answer those sorts of questions when I have read the implementation study which I have not yet received," he said. But the Opposition and the Greens say they are astounded the Government is not guaranteeing it will make the implementation study public. Liberal Senator Ian McDonald says the Government has used the imminent release of the document to dodge hard questions on the broadband network. "Your answer has always been, 'oh it will be in the implementation study'. The implication was that we the taxpayers would be able to have those questions answered when the implementation study is released," he said. Senator Conroy, meanwhile, has admitted that he recommended a senior Labor strategist for a $450,000-a-year government job. Mike Kaiser was recently appointed to a senior post at the Government's National Broadband Network company without the position being advertised. He is a former Queensland Labor MP who had recently worked as Queensland Premier Anna Bligh's chief of staff. The Opposition raised concerns about Mr Kaiser's appointment during a Senate estimates hearing. Under questioning from Liberal Senator Mary Jo Fisher, the chief executive of the NBN company, Mike Quigley, revealed that no other applicants were sought for the job. "So you just kind of went to people, including the Minister, and said got a job going, got anyone you reckon might want it? And being good at it would be a help," " Senator Fisher said.