Asteroid Landing – When ACT Attacks – Parliamentary Set Piece (Jane Young Comments) – Helen Clark Sued – Anna Kournikova Virus – Napster Court Decision – Dairy Boom – Student Rents

ASTEROID LANDING: A space probe the size of a small car has landed on an Astoroid. The chances against the plan working were huge. The probe had been orbiting around Eros. The soft-landing was unexpected. Scientists hope to learn what asteroids are made off so they can blow them up. Closer to home astronauts installed stuff to the outside of the Destiny space station module.

WHEN ACT ATTACKS: Phillida Bunkle had four people enrolled to vote at her small one bedroom apartment, says Richard Prebble. Bunkle has already been cleared in a Parliamentary Services inquiry for claiming allowances she is not entitled too. ACT’s Richard Prebble however says that Bunkle is either committing electoral fraud or allowance fraud. Bunkle has refused to be interviewed. She says that her daughter re-enrolled and voted in Rongatai.

PARLIAMENTARY SET PIECE: PM outlines her direction and Jenny Shipley responds. “The queen of spin, the spinster of NZ Politics,” says Shipley of Clark. The PM says that we have to get real with globalisation. Jim Anderton’s people’s bank also took a hit from Shipley, “release the advice”. Then Shipley blew it, “this speech is a huge disappointment,” she says. Everybody laughs.
JANE YOUNG COMMENTS: This was a good performance from Shipley says Jane Young, that is until the words at the end. Prebble is planning to hound Phillida Bunkle. And he has a point, why would you have four eligible voters registered at a 1 bedroom house? The Alliance are saying they are leaving it to the Auditor General. Helen Clark is distancing herself from this completely.

HELEN CLARK SUED: Auckland man John Yelish is planning to sue the Prime Minister for calling him a convicted murderer. He has a conviction for manslaughter and is asking for a half a million dollars.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA VIRUS: A virus named after a tennis legend. When the virus arrives in your computer it tries to send itself to all your friends. 150 copies of the virus were blocked at TV3’s firewall this morning. Unlike the Love Bug it will not kill files on your computer. Users are advised to use anti-virus software.

NAPSTER COURT DECISION: A US Court has asked Napster to stop allowing people to download music for free on the internet. The owner of Napster has says he will try to figure out how to charge for music downloads.

DAIRY BOOM: The Dairy Board has an extra $1 billion to give to farmers this year paying out 30% more than last year. Dairy farmers are happy. It is also good news for the economy. Dairy Board spokesman John Roadley says that the industry is the powerhouse for the economy. Rural service towns will reap most of the benefits from the boom. The government is confident that the money will be spent wisely. After more than a decade of hard times the outlook in the industry has never been better. The current price is expected to hold and may even increase further.

STUDENT RENTS: Wellington students can’t find any cheap accommodation in Wellington. It now costs from $130-$150 a week to rent in Auckland and Wellington. The maximum student allowance is only $150 a week. There is now a call to pay more to students in Auckland and Wellington. Minister Steve Maharey is cool on stumping up the cash however.

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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.

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