Women who get HPV vaccine still need tests

WOMEN who have had the human papillomavirus vaccine are being reminded they still need to undergo regular screening to prevent cervical cancer.

NEW research in the Medical Journal of Australia shows that women who have received the vaccine are less likely to have Pap tests than those who have not been vaccinated.

The research found Pap test rates were 13 per cent lower among vaccinated women aged 25 to 29, while for women aged 20 to 24, the rate was 10 per cent lower.Associate Professor Marion Saville, from the Victorian Cytology Service, says the vaccine only protects against two HPV types, which cause about 70 per cent of cervical cancers."So it's crucial that young women participate in cervical screening whether they're vaccinated or not, especially once they reach 25," she said.Cancer Council Victoria's screening manager Kate Broun said the research highlighted the need for continued awareness campaigns."Historically, younger women are less likely to undergo regular Pap test than women in older age groups, so the misconception that vaccinated women don't need cervical screening is a real concern," she said.

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Swan disputes PM's 'we saved Aust' comment

WAYNE Swan has hit out at Tony Abbott's claims to have "saved Australia", releasing a letter from Treasury Secretary Martin Parkinson praising his role during the global financial crisis.

FRESH from the launch of his book The Good Fight - which plots out his actions as Labor treasurer during the GFC - Mr Swan took aim at the prime minister's comments to the Nationals federal council meeting on Saturday.

Mr Abbott told his coalition colleagues they had "collectively saved Australia from the worst government in our history".But an angry Mr Swan said "Australia needs saving all right"."From Tony Abbott and his incompetent and out-of-touch government," he told AAP.Disputing coalition claims of an economic emergency, the now Labor backbencher released Dr Parkinson's 2011 letter congratulating him on winning Euromoney's Finance Minister of the Year award.In it, the head of treasury speaks glowingly of the Labor government's efforts in avoiding a recession, which he describes as a "very significant achievement"."In his correspondence, Dr Parkinson notes the role of the federal Labor government in contributing to the resilience of the Australian economy during the global financial crisis," Mr Swan said."His letter also notes that our response was an important contributor to the outperformance of the Australian economy during the downturn."

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German arms decision for Iraq 'difficult'

A SENIOR German minister says Berlin's decision to send arms to Kurdish fighters in northern Iraq had been the toughest of his political career.

"THIS is the most difficult decision that I have had to make in my career," said German Economics Minister Sigmar Gabriel, who is also the vice chancellor in Angela Merkel's ruling coalition.

The German government is due to announce later on Sunday details of the military equipment that Berlin plans to send to help the Kurds in their fight against Islamic State militants.This is despite Germany's long-standing reluctance to join military operations in international flashpoints, due in part to the legacy of the Nazis' military aggression last century and the consequent deep sense of pacifism in the country.The German army, the Bundeswehr, has already flown nearly 180 tonnes of blankets, food and medicines to northern Iraq as part of a worldwide humanitarian effort to help those displaced by the Islamic State's advance in the region.About 4000 protective vests and helmets, 700 radios, 680 night-vision equipment and mine detectors also stand ready to be dispatched to northern Iraq.Merkel is to meet with senior ministers on Sunday to decide which firearms and anti-tank missiles from Bundeswehr stocks will be provided to the Kurds.Lawmakers in the Bundestag are set to vote on the government's decision on Monday following a statement to parliament by Merkel setting out the reasons for Berlin's arms shipment.The government does not require the backing of parliament but has agreed to hold the vote so to demonstrate the widest possibly support for the decision.Merkel's Christian Democrat-led political bloc and its Social Democratic (SPD) coalition partner plan to back the move. Gabriel is SPD chief.While the German government is committed to providing military support to Kurdish forces fighting the Islamic State, Merkel has repeatedly ruled out sending ground troops to Iraq.

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Pacific islands leaders in Samoa for talks

AUSTRALIA is set to discuss oceans, disasters, gender equality and economic growth with its tiny Pacific island neighbours at a United Nations conference this week.

FOREIGN Minister Julie Bishop and Parliamentary Secretary Brett Mason have travelled to Apia, Samoa for the third UN Small Island Developing States conference, which starts on Monday and runs until Thursday.

Ms Bishop will address a forum on private sector partnerships and their role in development.She will also announce a special training program to help Vanuatu citizens get jobs in the cruise industry, which is worth more than $53 million to its economy.Senator Mason's agenda includes a special ocean themed event about how marine resources can help drive economic growth.

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Militia takes over US compound in Libya

A MILITIA group says it has "secured" a US embassy compound in Libya's capital, more than a month after US personnel evacuated from the country over ongoing fighting.

AN Associated Press reporter walked through the compound on Sunday after the Dawn of Libya, an umbrella group for Islamist militias, invited onlookers inside.

Windows at the compound had been broken, but it appeared most of the equipment there remained untouched.A commander for the Dawn of Libya group said his forces had entered and been in control of the compound since last week.A video posted online showed men playing in a pool at the compound.In a message on Twitter, US ambassador to Libya Safira Deborah said the video appeared to have been shot at the embassy's residential annex.She also said it appeared the compound was being "safeguarded" and was not "ransacked".On July 26, US diplomats evacuated to neighbouring Tunisia under a US military escort.The State Department said embassy operations would be suspended until the security situation improved.The Dawn of Libya militia is deployed around the capital and has called on foreign diplomats to return now that the fighting in the city has subsided.

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Australia and NZ 'learning from adversity'

SOME of the Australian emergency workers who helped out after the devastating earthquake in Christchurch 2011 are returning to New Zealand.

THE workers are attending a conference on what lessons have been learnt from it and other disasters.

The annual Australasian Fire and Emergency Services Authorities Council (AFAC) and Bushfire and Natural Hazards Co-operative Research Centre conference is being held in Wellington from Tuesday. It is held in New Zealand once every eight years.President Greg Mullins says many AFAC members travelled to New Zealand to help in the response immediately following the earthquake."We are pleased to be able to return now for this conference and to share in the learning from this disaster with our New Zealand colleagues," said Mr Mullins, the Fire and Rescue NSW commissioner.New Zealand Fire Service chief executive Paul Baxter says the theme of the conference is "after disaster strikes - learning from adversity".There was no shortage of disasters to learn from, he said.Last summer, Australia experienced some of its most extreme heat waves. New Zealand is still coping with the devastating Canterbury earthquakes, while several Pacific neighbours are still recovering from cyclones and tsunami.Fire Service data reveals increasing demand for its services at wind, rain and flood events.The Fire Service was putting increased emphasis on developing leadership and excellence in incident management, Mr Baxter said.

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