TV3 News

Thursday, 21 December 2000, 6:20 pm
Article: Alastair Thompson

Phillida Bunkle – Graham Parry – Bus Crash – Teina Stace – Party Prank Funeral – GE Chicken Protest – Unexpected Destiny – Stolen Presents

PHILLIDA BUNKLE: Off with her head as well as her house. Calls have been made for Phillida Bunkle to lose her cabinet post over apartmentgate. Phillida Bunkle was packing up her taxpayer funded apartment today and not talking. National wants her gone from Cabinet as well. Roger Sowry says that the Minister of Consumer Affairs may be involved in a rort. Richard Prebble says the rules are clear, he’s a Wellington MP and he can’t claim out of town allowances. Bunkle refused to speak today and her boss Jim Anderton says he will wait for the inquiry. Anderton’s biggest worry is that there may be some impropriety.

GRAHAM PARRY: Auckland Gynaecologist Graham Parry was today struck off the Medical Register. He has been fined. His lawyer says he is very disappointed. Parry is now also being sued by his former patient Colleen Poutsma whose cancer he failed to diagnose. TV3 broke the story of Graham Parry. Colleen Poutsma is very depressed at Christmas.

BUS CRASH: A tourist bus and a car have collided in the MacKenzie Country. Several were killed and injured and the bus brought down power lines.

TEINA STACE: Teina Stace has been charged after crashing her car earlier this month. Stace crashed her boyfriend Jonah Lomu’s car down a 20m bank and broke her arm.

PARTY PRANK FUNERAL: The funeral of Gareth McFadyen the victim of a Christmas party prank in Auckland last week was held today. MacFadyen’s grass skirt caught fire in the toilets at the party and he died from burns.

GE CHICKEN PROTEST: Greenpeace chicken-costumed protestors at a Teagle Chicken Feed plant in Auckland drew attention to GE chicken-food imported from America. Chicken farmers say that the feed does not make the Chickens or their eggs GE. Police said the protestors came willingly and peacefully. Teagle says that Greenpeace’s action was a political stunt. The protest came a day after the Rainbow Warrior 2 arrived in Auckland.

UNEXPECTED DESTINY: A young mum who didn’t realise she was pregnant has given birth to a Christmas baby girl called Destiny. 18-year-old mum Melanie said she had periods during the gestation and no morning sickness. Grandmother is planning to get a caravan to house some of the older children in the family.

STOLEN PRESENTS: A 13-year-old South Auckland boy suffering from cancer has had all his presents stolen from under his Christmas tree. The presents were stolen by some youths. David has had cancer since he was six months old. The theives also took a TV donated by the Child cancer foundation. The boy’s solo mother says the loss of the presents is a blow to the whole family. Manurewa Police would like to hear from anyone who knows anything about the theft.

© Scoop Media

Alastair Thompson

Scoop Publisher

Alastair Thompson is the co-founder of Scoop. He is of Scottish and Irish extraction and from Wellington, New Zealand. Alastair has 24 years experience in the media, at the Dominion, National Business Review, North & South magazine, Straight Furrow newspaper and online since 1997. He is the winner of several journalism awards for business and investigative work.

Contact Alastair Thompson

• Linkedin
• Twitter - @althecat
• Facebook
• Email - alastair@scoop.co.nz