Newstalk ZB - Headlines 10am

Patient Speaks Out - One of the patients who may have been exposed to infection after an equipment failure at Christchurch Hospital is condoning the hospital’s handling of the situation. Rod is one of over 1300 patients being asked to undergo blood tests after it was found that a pump used to disinfect endoscopes broke down earlier this year. Letters have been sent out to patients who may have been exposed to cross contamination. Rod says it is an upsetting situation but at least patients now have the full story.

Energy Bill - Labour starts its caucus shortly to see whether it will support the Government’s proposed electricity lines company legislation. National needs Labour or New Zealand First to vote with it because ACT is against the Bill. Labour has been pushing for price control of electricity retailers. This is something the Bill does not cover. The Party says it would be loathed to support what it calls flawed legislation. New Zealand First is being cagey about its position, leader Winston Peters says his party will get behind any law which ensures cheaper power for all kiwis.

Minister Criticised by Minister - State Services Minister Simon Upton is rejecting criticism from fellow Minister Tuariki Delamere that Government departments are racist. Mr Delamere wants a quota system, saying the current equal employment opportunities system is not working. Mr Upton has produced statistics which refute the claim stating 13.1% of employees in the state sector are Maori almost twice the percentage out in the private sector.

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Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>