Kiwi Bank – Iraq Air Strikes – Fiji – Kurdish Refugees – Vet Strike – Waterfront Picket – Lost Aussie – Teacher Pay Parity – Skyhawks Fly Again

KIWI BANK: The Deputy PM says that a confidential report on the Kiwi Bank was illegally obtained by Jenny Shipley. Jim Anderton says that if it was a private bank she would be in “deep trouble”. Cabinet will consider the bank today. Shipley says she has now shredded the report now.

IRAQ AIR STRIKES: The Foreign Minister Phil Goff has cautioned Alliance Minister Matt Robson about speaking out of turn over air strikes against Iraq. Robson had used language which might not usually be used, he said.

FIJI: The Fiji Military is on alert as a Court of Appeal begins sitting on constitutional issues today. Five overseas judges are sitting in the case. Fijian Security forces have warned they will come down hard on any law breakers.

KURDISH REFUGEES: French Officials are considering asylum claims from 500 Kurds who arrived in a rusty freighter on the Riviera. Around on third of the refugees are children.

VET STRIKE: Striking Vets have disputed claims from the Meat Industry that their claim would cost $4 million, they say the figure would be closer to $2 million. MAF says it hasn’t yet received a new proposal from the vets.

WATERFRONT PICKET: A Waterfront Workers Union picket is underway on the Nelson waterfront. There were as many police as picketers present this morning.

LOST AUSSIE: Searchers are looking for a Queenslander lost in the Southern Alps in Mt Cook National Park.

TEACHER PAY PARITY: Primary teachers say a pay claim by their secondary colleagues could undermine pay parity. The PPTA claim includes bonuses.

SKYHAWKS FLYING AGAIN: An Air-Force spokesman says NZ Skyhawks will be flying today in exercises in Australia. There are no indications that a crash last week occurred due to any problems with the planes, he said.

© 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

• Mobile - 021707044
• Twitter - @althecat
• Google+

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