Melbourne, November 16 : Pint-loving Aussies spend 7.9 billion dollars on beer every year, which is nearly half of their overall alcohol expenditure, reveals a new survey.

As per the market research figures by Ibis World, beer continues to dominate the market contributing its nearly 50 percent share to the overall 16.3 billion dollar expenditure – despite the global economic crisis.

The survey found that the biggest beer drinkers were between the age bracket of 18 and 30, a demographic that responded optimistically to change, innovation and clever advertising.

The Daily Telegraph reports, Australians also seem to favour pricey taste keeping in mind the 11.3 percent growth in the demand for boutique beer in last year.

Melbourne, Nov 15 : Two years after crocodile hunter Steve Irwin’s death, his widow Terri has said that she’s not looking for love and wants to keep it that way.

The 44-year-old lost her husband on Sept 4, 2006, in a freak accident with a stingray barb flying into his heart as he filmed on Batt Reef off Port Douglas, north Queensland.

"Right after I lost Steve I didn''t care about anything. It was like ''I don''t care if I ever eat again. I don''t care if I ever sleep again,''” Courier Mail quoted her as saying.

Melbourne, Nov 15 : US President George W Bush greeted world leaders with big smiles and pats on the back, but Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd had to make do with a brief handshake and a relatively stony face as the pair posed for photographers and TV crews.

It was the first time the pair have met in person since the controversial leaking of a phone conversation between both men last month, the Daily Telegraph reported.

The normally gregarious Bush gave Rudd a very business-like greeting at the entry to the White House.

Melbourne, Nov 15 : Irish singer songwriter Bob Geldof charged 100,000 to give a speech about world suffering at the eighth annual Diversity@Work business awards at Crown Palladium in Melbourne.

Geldof, 54, who is an anti-poverty campaigner, spoke about the tragedy of Third World poverty and the failure of governments to combat the crisis at a Crown casino function on November 13 night.

Melbourne, Nov. 15 : The Australian cricket team is on the lookout for a full-time travelling sports psychologist to prevent players from breaking down mentally.

According to the Courier Mail, South Africa and India both have "mental coaches" but Australia engage the services of a sports shrink only occasionally.

Australia''s arduous schedule in the next 12 months means there will almost certainly be combustible mental issues to counter.

Former Australian coach John Buchanan is behind a push for a more extended team support network, including a sports psychologist, and the Australian Cricketers'' Association is developing a blueprint to examine the issue.

Melbourne, November 15 : Aussie academics and politicians have slammed TV producers for exercising a "White Australia" policy while casting actors for top-rated soap operas.

The White Australia policy had begun in 1901 to restrict non-white immigration to the country, and was scrapped in 1973.

Experts fear that TV programmes that are not featuring families from ethnic minorities may give international viewers the "wrong impression" about Australia.

University of Queensland Aboriginal studies lecturer Sam Watson said that the dramas were operating an "exclusive white family club" that did not reflect the country’s true demographic.