QLD: Main stories in the Courier Mail

AAP General News (Australia)
04-04-2001
QLD: Main stories in the Courier Mail

BRISBANE, April 4 AAP - The major stories in Wednesday's Courier-Mail:

P.1 A pot of full-strength beer in pubs will fall by 11 cents under a deal to cut
excise on draught beer struck between the Howard Government and the Australian Democrats.

Survey shows GST costs some small grocery stores more to administer than they collect
for the Australian Taxation Office. Federal Government reroutes funds to new super highway
north of Brisbane.

P.2 Home loan rates could fall by 0.5 per cent today, cutting about $100 a month from
the average home loan. Low Australian dollar boosting Drizabone's drive to double its
exports to the United Kingdom this year.

P.3 Builders to walk off the job at around 100 major South-east Queensland construction
sites in response to the death of a worker crushed by a truck. Australian man accused
of stalking Martina Hingis professes his love for the tennis champion but denies stalking.

World: China blames US for spy plane collision and demands an end to surveillance
flights close to Chinese territory. Slobodan Milosevic denies stealing government funds.

Finance: BHP to lift its stake in Ekati Diamond mine in Canada. National retailer Harris
Scarfe calls in voluntary administrators. One.Tel Ltd left without a chairman after John
Greaves leaves. Aust dollar may head towards 44 US cents, but sharemarket holding up.

Sport: Queensland State of Origin selectors flag new era by naming a preliminary squad
containing 12 players without previous Origin experience. Hayden and Ponting construct
second wicket stand of 219 as Australia squares the five match series against India 2-all.

AAP rad

KEYWORD: FRONTERS QLD

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