Highights of the AAP National Wire at 14:30, Dec 11

AAP General News (Australia)
12-11-2011
Highights of the AAP National Wire at 14:30, Dec 11

BRISBANE - Premier Anna Bligh is confident that the state can recover almost all of
the $16 million allegedly stolen from Queensland Health by one of its employees. (Millions
Wrap to come taking in NZ Millions)

CANBERRA - There will be no announcement of a reshuffle of cabinet on Sunday, the prime
minister's office has confirmed. (Reshuffle Update)

MELBOURNE - The firefighters union wants the Victorian coroner to investigate fears
that trainees were exposed to carcinogens that may have contributed to 15 deaths. (CFA)

CANBERRA - Opposition leader Tony Abbott has reminded coalition MPs that each of them
was elected on a platform of opposing same-sex marriage. (Gay Abbott)

STOCKHOLM - Australian astronomer Brian Schmidt plans to disprove suggestions scientists
can't party as he celebrates into the early hours after receiving the Nobel Prize for
physics. (Nobel Aust)

MELBOURNE - More than 1000 athletes are to be involved in an Australian trial to see
if mandatory cardiac screening is an option to prevent sudden deaths in competitive sport.

(Cardiac)

PERTH - An inquiry into Western Australia's Margaret River bushfire disaster will begin
on Sunday, with former federal police commissioner Mick Keelty visiting the region to
meet with those affected. (Bushfire Inquiry)

PERTH - A planned four-day strike by workers at the busy Fremantle Port over a pay
dispute has been averted after a last minute compromise agreement was reached with management.

(Port Strike to come).

CANBERRA - The federal government is cracking down on bsinesses that fail to pass on
child support payments they've deducted from an employees' wages. (Support)

CANBERRA - Career diplomat John McAnulty has been appointed as Australia's new Consul-General
in Ho Chi Minh City. (Consul)

SYDNEY - Cloud cover across Sydney lifted just in time for stargazers to glimpse a
lunar eclipse turning the moon a pale red overnight. (Eclipse with pix)

SYDNEY - Mark Latham has been reported to NSW education officials for intimidating
the mother of former Australian cricketers Steve and Mark Waugh. (Latham)

SYDNEY - Australian actor Harold Hopkins has died in a Sydney hospital from the asbestos-related
cancer mesothelioma. (Hopkins)

SYDNEY - Four men have been stabbed at a 21st birthday party in Sydney's south-west
overnight. (Stab) Seeking more.

SYDNEY - The Star casino has a report that suggests it could boost revenues by targeting
Sydney's low income gamblers. (Star)

SYDNEY - A 22-year-old woman has been knocked down and killed on Sydney's northern
beaches, raising the weekend NSW road toll to at least four. (Toll NSW Update)

SYDNEY - A helicopter and surf lifesavers are searching for a woman who's missing after
going for a late night swim off the far north NSW coast. (Search)

MELBOURNE - A man suffered burns and two cars were set alight when a petrol tanker
exploded in Melbourne's south-east in the early hours of Sunday morning. (Tanker Update)

MELBOURNE - Fire crews took 11 hours to contain a gas leak at Mobil's oil refinery
in Melbourne's west. (Mobil)

BRISBANE - An alliance of farmers and traditional owners are backing the Queensland
government's protection of areas in the Lake Eyre basin. (Wild Rivers to come)

BRISBANE - A helicopter and emergency volunteers are assisting in the search for a
disabled 14-year-old girl missing in central Queensland. (Missing Update)

BRISBANE - An alleged disqualified driver had a blood alcohol level four times the
legal limit when he reversed his car into a police vehicle in Brisbane's north. (Dangerous)

WELLINGTON - A conservative American politician has donated sperm to a number of New
Zealand women - without the knowledge of his wife or fertility medicine practitioners.

(NZ Johnson)

FINANCE

PERTH - The Australian share market is expected to open strongly higher on Monday after
key offshore bourses jumped on the back of Europe's latest plan to address its economic
crisis. (Markets Preview)

SPORT

HOBART - Rain has delayed the start of the play after lunch on day three of the second
Test between Australia and New Zealand at Bellerive. (Cri Aust Rain)

Cr Aust Wrap to co0me.

AAP bwl

KEYWORD: HIGHLIGHTS NATIONAL

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