Fed: AM summary for Wednesday, December 13

AAP General News (Australia)
12-13-2000
Fed: AM summary for Wednesday, December 13

SYDNEY, Dec 13 AAP - The main stories in today's 0800 (AEDT) edition of ABC Radio's AM program:

* Federal cabinet puts the outer-west Badgerys Creek airport proposal on hold and abandons
the Sydney to Canberra Speedrail project. Opposition transport spokesman Martin Ferguson
says the airport decision will adversely affect regional Australia. Interview with Mr
Ferguson.

* Bankstown Mayor Kevin Hill says Bankstown Airport cannot be used as a second major
airport because the runways are too small to land jets. Interview with Mr Hill.

* Tourism Taskforce chief executive Christopher Brown criticises the decision to abandon
Speedrail. Interview with Mr Brown.

* Treasurer Peter Costello says the current welfare options are discouraging people
from rejoining the workforce.

* The Holden car company is tipped to announce a new engine plant in Victoria rather
than South Australia. Interview with Australian Industry Group chief executive Bob Herbert.

* The world's largest car manufacturer, General Motors, announces it is dramatically
cutting back production, including 10 per cent of its workforce in Europe. Interview with
Automotive News magazine editor Edward Latham.

* Ousted Fijian prime minister Mahendra Chaudhry says he is disappointed with a decision
by Australia to renegotiate textile trade with the nation. Interview with Mr Chaudhry.

* A proposal by a group of prominent white South Africans to establish a reconciliation
fund is criticised as an attempt to encourage guilt in the white population.

* Queensland Treasurer David Hamill announces he will not contest the next election,
a decision he says is unrelated to the electoral fraud scandal, but nonetheless is bad
timing for the Labor Party.

* The nine members of the United States Supreme Court consider the request by George
W. Bush to halt manual vote counts in Florida, a decision which could mean the end of
the presidential race. Interview with US election law specialist.

AAP rk/fh

KEYWORD: AM SUMMARY

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