HighLights of the AAP National Wire at 14:45, Dec 20

AAP General News (Australia)
12-20-2001
HighLights of the AAP National Wire at 14:45, Dec 20

DILI, East Timor - An Australian man believed to have been in Afghanistan with the
al-Qaeda had suffered depression, Defence Minister Robert Hill said today. (Terror Aust
Hill)

SYDNEY - Two more Australians are believed to have received training by the Osama bin
Laden-led terrorist network al-Qaeda, the federal government said today. (Terror Aust
Lead, see also Terror Aust sidebars)

LONDON - The extent and role of any Australian involvement in a peacekeeping operation
in Afghanistan is to be determined by Britain, which will lead the international force
of up to 5,000 troops. (Terror Force Aust)

TERROR AUST NIGHTLEAD to come

CANBERRA - Governor-General Peter Hollingworth's defence of his actions over an alleged
cover-up of a school sex abuse case was absurd, a child protection advocate said today.

(Hollingworth Johnston)

CANBERRA - Compassion and love should have transcended Governor-General Peter Hollingworth's
legal concerns over a school sex abuse case, an ethicist said today. (Hollingworth Ethicist)

HOLLINGWORTH NIGHTLEAD to come

MELBOURNE - A panel of national religious leaders representing Christian, Jewish, and
Islamic faiths today criticised the federal government's treatment of refugees and asylum
seekers. (Boat churches Lead)

BRISBANE - Brisbane's Catholic Justice and Peace Commission today called on the federal
government to give asylum seekers the Christmas gift of freedom. (Boat Catholic)

BOAT NIGHTLEAD to come

CANBERRA - An independent group should be sent into the Woomera detention centre to
get to the bottom of the reasons for the riots, the United Nations Association of Australia
said today. (Woomera Reynolds)

ADELAIDE - Unaccompanied children at the Woomera detention centre should be moved to
Adelaide, Democrats South Australian deputy leader Sandra Kanck said today. (Woomera toys
Lead)

WOOMERA NIGHTLEAD to come

CANBERRA - Media personality Graeme "Shirley" Strachan died when he lost control of
a helicopter after it was damaged in severe turbulence and crashed into a mountain, investigators
said today. (Strachan, NIGHTLEAD to come)

CANBERRA - Unions today demanded Qantas go to the Industrial Relations Commission tomorrow
to resolve a dispute with maintenance workers before Christmas. (Qantas Union)

SYDNEY - Qantas maintenance workers in Sydney walked off the job for two hours today
to protest against the airline's planned 18-month wage freeze. (Qantas Wages)

QANTAS WAGES NIGHTLEAD to come

MELBOURNE - Ansett employees who keep their job will maintain current pay rates but
will have to work harder for their money. (Ansett Union)

MELBOURNE - All retrenched Ansett workers will be paid their entitlements before Christmas,
with the second instalment going into bank accounts last night. (Ansett payments)

ANSETT NIGHTLEAD to come

MELBOURNE - A radio advertisement that parodies Russian President Vladimir Putin to
promote a Melbourne market has been pulled off the air in a move its makers described
as "puerile political correctness". (Radio)

SYDNEY - Rating agency Standard & Poor's today raised Telstra Corp Ltd's debt ratings,
citing the telecommunications giant's solid business position in Australia and more conservative
investment approach. (Telstra)

SYDNEY - More than 70 per cent of people knew it was dangerous to use a mobile phone
while driving but 30 per cent still risked their lives, a Telstra survey has found. (Mobiles)

CANBERRA - Australian businesses expect their profits to fall by around 15 per cent
in the March quarter next year but they should pick up again in the medium term, official
figures showed today. (Business, see also Agriculture, Skilled, Jobs Longterm)

SYDNEY - The Australian Performance of Manufacturing Index (PMI) showed growth for
the fifth consecutive month in December as the index confirmed the positive outlook for
the sector. (Economy Manufacturing)

ECONOMY NIGHTLEAD to come

ADELAIDE - The former chief financial officer of Harris Scarfe Holdings Ltd, Alan Hodgson,
will face court next year over the collapse of the retail chain. (Scarfe)

SYDNEY - South Africa's frailty against legspin was exposed again today in its cricket
tour game against New South Wales at the SCG. (Cricket SAfrica Lunch Lead, NIGHTLEAD to
come)

SYDNEY - Australian cricket vice-captain and wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist has become
a father for the first time today. (Cricket Gilchrist)

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