HighLights of the AAP National Wire at 14:45, Dec 18

AAP General News (Australia)
12-18-2007
HighLights of the AAP National Wire at 14:45, Dec 18

CANBERRA - An Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) inquiry has found
no "obvious" evidence of price fixing in the unleaded petrol market. (Petrol Second Lead)

CANBERRA - Well, there is no cartel, no gaggle of dark suited oil men meeting in dark
alleys to fix tomorrow's petrol price. (Petrol News Analysis)

Petrol Nightlead to come with factbox

CANBERRA - The board of the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) believes higher interest
rates may still be needed to address inflation concerns. (RBA Minutes)

CANBERRA - A new era of fiscal discipline is needed to help combat the challenge of
rising inflationary pressures, federal Treasurer Wayne Swan says. (Economy Swan. See also
Business exCanberra)

CANBERRA - Australia's corporate regulators remain "watchful and alert" to lingering
fallout from the US sub-prime market crisis, federal Treasurer Wayne Swan says. (US Subprime
Swan)

Economy Nightlead to come. See also RBA Minutes Economists and RBA Analysis on Finance wire

SYDNEY - Centro Property Group securities fell more than 50 per cent today amid concerns
about the firm's viability, as the property trust and investment sector continued to suffer
from negative investor sentiment. (Centro, to come with graphic)

Stocks Fronter to come

PORT LINCOLN - The Country Fire Service (CFS) failed to take adequate measures to minimise
the impact of the Eyre Peninsula bushfires that killed nine people, a South Australian
coroner has found. (Bushfires SA Inquest Lead)

Bushfires SA Inquest Nightlead to come

CANBERRA - A customs vessel armed with machine guns may be deployed to the Southern
Ocean as part of beefed-up federal government monitoring of the Japanese whale hunt. (Whaling
Aust Ship Lead (pix available). See also Whaling Watchers)

Whaling Aust Nightlead to come

BRISBANE - A Queensland police officer who opened fire on two teenagers, hitting one
in the leg, feared for his life as their car came within centimetres of mowing him down,
authorities say. (Shot Lead)

Shot Nightlead to come

SYDNEY - A surfer has been bitten by a shark at a beach north of Newcastle and treated
in hospital for a serious wound to the buttock, ambulance officers say. (Shark NSW Lead)

Shark NSW Nightlead to come

SYDNEY - Former Secret Life Of Us star Samuel Johnson has escaped conviction for a
drunken assault at a wedding reception, in which he stomped on a man's head. (Johnson)

Johnson Nightlead to come

SYDNEY - ANZ Banking Group Ltd has set itself an ambitious target of doubling its annual
profit to $8 billion in five years and expanding its Asian operations to account for 20
per cent of group earnings. (ANZ Nightlead)

ADELAIDE - Spinner Brad Hogg and speedster Shaun Tait have both been added to the Australian
cricket squad to play India in the first of four Tests at the MCG on Boxing Day. (Cricket
Aust Lead)

TO COME: Cricket Aust Nightlead, Cricket India Nightlead

SYDNEY - Skandia skipper Grant Wharington has accused UK super maxi City Index Leopard
of underestimating its Australian rivals ahead of this year's Sydney to Hobart. (Sail
SydHob Nightlead, to come with sidebar)

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KEYWORD: HIGHLIGHTS NATIONAL

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