澳洲新闻 (ABC新闻快递) 2010-08-18（在线收听）

A big poll reveals a tiny margin for Labor just three days out from the Federal Election. Labor's apparently clinging to a four-seat majority according to an opinion poll by JWS Research. An automated phone system surveyed almost 22,000 voters across 54 marginal seats. The research shows that if the election had been held last week, Labor would have lost 15 seats and gained six.

Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott have committed to attending a community forum in Brisbane today after three days of debate about the format. The leaders will appear separately at the town hall-style forum at the Broncos Leagues Club. The PM had been pushing for an hour-long economic debate as well as the forum, but that plan collapsed after Mr Abbott insisted on a half-hour debate which he wanted to take place last night.

The Opposition will today release independent costings of its election promises. The Coalition stops submitting policies to Treasury for costing because one set of figures was leaked. Instead, an independent accounting firm has done the costings, but the Coalition won't yet say which firm did the figures.

At least 59 people have been killed in a suicide attack on an army recruitment centre in Baghdad. Authorities say a further 100 people were injured in the bombing in the centre of the Iraqi capital.

And convicted Bali Nine drug smuggler Scott Rush will today launch his final appeal against his death sentence. Rush was held in a maximum security block at Bali's Kerobokan Prison last night and his appeal will go to Denpassar District Court today.