Highlights of the AAP National Wire at 15:30, Feb 1

AAP General News (Australia)
02-01-1999
Highlights of the AAP National Wire at 15:30, Feb 1

CANBERRA - Unemployment would fall to possibly as low as four to five per cent under a GST
and with continued reform in the jobs market, Treasurer Peter Costello said today. (JOBS
COSTELLO SECOND LEAD, see also JOBS COSTELLO CREAN, JOBS COSTELLO WATSON, JOBS COSTELLO
BEATTIE. To come: JOBS NIGHTLEAD, JOBS ANALYSIS, JOBS BACKGROUNDER)



SYDNEY - The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) would not cut official interest rates this
quarter following recent evidence the Australian economy was growing robustly, economists
said. (RATES RBA)

CANBERRA - Treasurer Peter Costello today repeated the benefits of low inflation for low
interest rates, ahead of the Reserve Bank of Australia's first board meeting of the new year
tomorrow. (ECONOMY N/L to come)



MELBOURNE - South Australian firefighters were racing against time today to create a
defence line more than 80km long against a huge bushfire the size of metropolitan Melbourne.
(BUSHFIRES BORDER LEAD, see also BUSHFIRES VIC SECOND DAYLEAD, BUSHFIRES BORDER N/L to come)



BRISBANE - A young woman who died in "stinking" heat in Queensland's remote northwest after
trying to walk 36km for help when her car broke down, was apparently unaware there was a creek
full of water nearby, police said. (HEAT SECOND LEAD, N/L to come)



SYDNEY - New South Wales doctors today urged state Health Minister Andrew Refshauge to
rethink his suspension of an inner-city needle exchange, while the National Drugs Council
warned against using drugs as a political football. (HEROIN SECOND DAYLEAD, see also HEROIN
SKINNER, HEROIN AGE, HEROIN SALVOS, HEROIN REFSHAUGE, HEROIN N/L to come)



CANBERRA - The Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) today joined the attack on the
government's plan to contract out Centrelink services which also would involve job losses.
(CENTRELINK DAYLEAD, N/L to come)



MELBOURNE - Victoria's unions have failed in their bid to have the state government and its
agencies included in the Longford royal commission's terms of reference. (GAS TERMS, see also
GAS TERMS UNIONS, GAS N/L to come)



PERTH - Shock rocker Marilyn Manson's Big Day Out ended in ugly scenes last night when the
controversial headline act stormed from the stage after being hit by a flying bottle part-way
through his set. (BIG WA)



LONDON - The creators of the mysterious Marree Man today said it was designed as a tribute
to Aboriginal athleticism in the leadup to the Sydney Olympics and as a lasting benefit for
South Australia. (MARREE UK, MARREE N/L to come)



CANBERRA - Australia's International Olympic member Phil Coles today said he felt he had
been hit by a truck when his name was released as being on a list for investigation for
bribery allegations surrounding the Salt Lake City Olympic bid. (OLY BRIBES AUST D/L, see also
OLY GREENPEACE, OLY VISA)



SYDNEY - Telstra Corp Ltd shares leapt higher again today as the telecommunications sector
continued to excite investors. (TELSTRA SHARES to come)

SYDNEY - The stock market is for the financially well-off, with 64 per cent of households
earning above $50,000 owning shares while 75 per cent of households earning below $30,000 not
owning shares, according to a survey. (ASX SURVEY to come)



SYDNEY - Mark Taylor is set to make as much money in retirement as he has playing. (CRICKET
TAYLOR) to come.


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KEYWORD: HIGHLIGHTS NATIONAL FEB 1 1999

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