National Radio Midday Report

Treasury Concern – Oil Prices – Maori Fisheries – Aggravated Robbery – Dash Murder – Macedonia Fighting – Body Parts – McNutt & Atkins – Cancer Links – Controversial Exhibit – Northland Chopper – Trampers Found – PNG Mutiny – Poker Champs

- TREASRY CONCERN: Treasury is concerned at the impact on New Zealand of the global economic slow down. Papers released under the Official Information Act show they anticipate a gloomy future for New Zealand exports because of the faltering economies of our major markets.

- OIL PRICES: Challenge agrees with BP that fuel prices will rise following an OPEC announcement that crude oil prices will go up.

- MAORI FISHERIES: A meeting to discuss the legal complications with the allocation of Maori fisheries resources has been hailed as a success, despite nothing specific coming out of the hui.

- AGGRAVATED ROBBERY: Police have charged four people with the aggravated robbery of homicide victim Nicholas Clarkson, who was beaten to death in Auckland in January. Police are not looking for anyone else. Two females aged 18 and two males aged 19 have been charged with aggravated robbery.

- DASH MURDER: The Wellington District Court has begun hearing depositions hearing of the man accused of murdering law student Gavin Dash.

- MACEDONIA FIGHTING: The fighting is intensifying in Macedonia, with Macedonian security forces trying to hold off ethnic Albanian rebels near the northern border of Kosovo.

- BODY PARTS: Allegations about the illegal removal of body parts and experimentation on bodies from a morgue in Sydney have been referred to the independent commission on corruption.

- MCNUTT & ATKINS: The body of New Zealand SAS Major John McNutt, who was killed in a Kuwait bombing blunder along with five American servicemen, has arrived in Christchurch for his funeral tomorrow. Meanwhile, the body of Private Boyd Atkins who drowned while on leave in East Timor is expected to arrive in Auckland today.

- CANCER LINKS: A pilot study into the possible links between occupation and cancer rates has been launched by Occupational Safety and Health.

- CONTROVERSIAL EXHIBIT: A former director of the National Gallery has condemned Te Papa for the decision to remove three artworks for legal reasons. The t-shirts satirise trademarks, including KFC and Warehouse brands.

- NORTHLAND CHOPPER: 13,000 Northland people have signed a petition supporting the region’s rescue helicopter and have asked the Government to renew its ACC contract.

- TRAMPERS FOUND: Police say two elderly trampers who went missing in rough bush in the Bay of Plenty have both been found.

- PNG MUTINY: An armed standoff continues at Papua New Guinea’s defence headquarters, five days on.

- POKER CHAMPS: Players from throughout Australasia are in Christchurch for the New Zealand poker championships, vying for a prize pool of $250,000.

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