HighLights of the AAP National Wire at 14:45, Dec 11

AAP General News (Australia)
12-11-2003
HighLights of the AAP National Wire at 14:45, Dec 11

CANBERRA - Prime Minister John Howard said today he would like to deliver more tax
cuts but refused to outline any details, saying that would be done at Budget time. (Tax)

CANBERRA - A plan by government backbenchers to ease the tax burden on families would
put many in a worse financial situation, Treasurer Peter Costello said today. (Tax Costello)

TAX NIGHTLEAD to come

ADELAIDE - Terror suspect David Hicks to meet defence lawyers for the first time since
being detained two years ago. (HICKS to come)

CANBERRA - Prime Minister John Howard said today he was untroubled by Zimbabwe's threat
to cut diplomatic ties with Australia and by accusations he was a dictator. (Zimbabwe
Howard)

CANBERRA - Zimbabwe's ambassador to Australia was today called into a meeting at the
Department of Foreign Affairs after she accused Prime Minister John Howard of acting like
a dictator. (Zimbabwe Ambassador)

ZIMBABWE AUST NIGHTLEAD to come

CANBERRA - Ongoing strong employment growth had given Australians the best job opportunities
in 22 years, Treasurer Peter Costello said today. (Jobs Costello)

CANBERRA - More than 20,000 jobs were created in November, new figures showed today,
keeping the jobless rate at a near 14-year low of 5.6 per cent. (Jobs)

ECONOMY NIGHTLEAD to come

SYDNEY - A man who painted an anti-war slogan on the Sydney Opera House was trying
to protect innocent lives and should not be jailed, the NSW District Court was told today.

(Iraq Aust Opera Lead, NIGHTLEAD to come)

CANBERRA - Treasurer Peter Costello today stood by his comments likening Australian
Democrats Leader Andrew Bartlett's drunken assault on a senator to Labor Leader Mark Latham
breaking a taxi driver's arm. (Latham Costello)

CANBERRA - Prime Minister John Howard today stood by his ministers' attacks on Labor
Leader Mark Latham, describing them as totally justified. (Latham Howard)

LATHAM NIGHTLEAD to come

BRISBANE - Embattled Australian Democrats leader Andrew Bartlett has attracted support
from an unusual quarter - the Labor frontbench. (Bartlett Rudd)

CANBERRA - Whether Australian Democrats Leader Andrew Bartlett should remain in the
top job after a drunken clash with a government senator was a matter for his party, Prime
Minister John Howard said today. (Bartlett Howard)

DEMOCRATS NIGHTLEAD to come

ADELAIDE - An Australian pilot stranded in the Antarctic says it makes no sense for
New Zealand and United States authorities to refuse to sell him fuel to fly home. (Pilot
Daylead)

AUCKLAND - An Australian pilot stranded with his home-built aircraft in Antarctica
has been slammed by New Zealand authorities as irresponsible and ill-prepared. (Pilot
NZ)

TO come: PILOT NZ LEAD, PILOT NIGHTLEAD

MELBOURNE - Prostate cancer sufferers will be the first to benefit from robotically-assisted
surgery being used for the first time in Australia. (Robotic)

SYDNEY - Insurance Australia Group has agreed to sell its ClearView investment planning
and retirement solutions businesses to MBF Australia Ltd. (IAG to come)

COOLUM - Greg Norman and his rookie caddie Lleyton Hewitt have combined well for an
opening round of 67 at the Australian PGA Championship at Coolum, north of Brisbane. (GOLF
AUST NIGHTLEAD to come)

ADELAIDE - A return to a ground where he's batting better than Bradman should help
Damien Martyn find the big score for which he's been searching. (Cricket Aust Martyn,
with factbox. CRICKET AUST NIGHTLEAD to come)

AAP mo

KEYWORD: HIGHLIGHTS NATIONAL

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