Highlights of the AAP National Wire at 14:45, Aug 25

AAP General News (Australia)
08-25-2008
Highlights of the AAP National Wire at 14:45, Aug 25:

CANBERRA - The federal government will introduce laws this week to cut welfare payments
to families where children repeatedly miss school. Education Minister Julia Gillard today
announced the measure aimed at targeting the up to 20,000 school age children who are
regular truants. (Welfare Laws)

CANBERRA - A Rudd government plan to cut the welfare benefits of parents whose kids
truant from school is extremely punitive, the nation's peak welfare body says. (Welfare
ACOSS)

Welfare Nightlead to come



BEIJING - The chairman of the Australian Sports Commission has called for the country's
institutes of sport to be amalgamated into a national system to ensure Australia remains
competitive at an international level. (Oly08 Aust Fund, to come)

CANBERRA - Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has praised Australia's Olympians and promised
to continue sports funding in the lead-up to the London 2012 Games. (Oly08 Rudd)

BEIJING - There were more than a few Australian athletes with sore heads this morning
after a night out celebrating the end of the Beijing Games. (Oly08 Aust Party)

TO COME: Oly08 Aust Nightlead and Oly08 Aust Depart (expected after 1800 AEST)



CANBERRA - Treasurer Wayne Swan has vowed to fight the coalition, Greens and independents
to ensure his budget measures pass the Senate. (Senate Swan)

CANBERRA - The outgoing president of the Senate says he hopes two key balance of power
senators don't blackmail governments for their own ends. (Senate Ferguson Lead)

TO COME: Senate Nightlead (taking in ke: Cars) and Senate Ferguson Nightlead.



CANBERRA - Senator Nick Xenophon's concerns about the Rudd government's planned national
FuelWatch scheme have won the backing of his state's peak motoring group. (Petrol)

Petrol Nightlead to come.



SYDNEY - Rugby League star Greg Bird, accused of glassing his girlfriend in the face,
tried to "pin the offence" on someone else, a Sydney court has been told. (Bird Court
Lead)

League Bird Nightlead to come.



CANBERRA - Dili and Canberra will discuss ways East Timorese workers can work temporarily
in Australia but there are no immediate plans for East Timor to take part in a guest worker
scheme. (Gusmao Rudd Lead, with pix)

Gusmao Nightlead to come



PERTH - The "worm" was back in action for a debate between the Labor and Liberal leaders
in Western Australia today. (PollWA Debate, to come under embargo)

POLLWA Nightlead also to come.



SYDNEY - An Australian man has been killed in a BASE jumping accident in Switzerland.

(BASE, graphic to come. Nightlead to come.)



SYDNEY - Challenger Financial Services Group Ltd says its chief executive and managing
director will step down at the end of this month, after the company reported a bottom
line annual net loss. (Challenger, to come with graphic)



MELBOURNE - Food group Goodman Fielder Ltd does not expect earnings in the current
financial year to improve after a booking a dramatic 88.4 per cent fall in fiscal 2008
profit. (Goodman Fielder. Nightlead to come, with graphic)



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KEYWORD: HIGHLIGHTS NATIONAL

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