TV1 News

Ministerial Allowances – PM Wants Truce – Clarkson Beating – McNutt Returned

- MINISTERIAL ALLOWANCES: One News has asked all MPs what allowances they claim – some have been more forthcoming than others. The investigation follows Phillida Bunkle and Marion Hobbs losing their Ministerial portfolios over alleged ministerial allowances abuses. Every Alliance and Green MP answered the One News questionnaire, as did United Future’s Peter Dunne, but most MPs in National and Labour didn’t want to specify individual details. NZ First leader Winston Peters said to look elsewhere than his party for rorting. An audit office report on Marion Hobbs and Phillida Bunkle is due out later this week. One News understands Marion Hobbs should come out looking fine, but Phillida Bunkle may not.

- PM WANTS TRUCE: PM Helen Clark is calling for a truce on attacks against MPs families, after her husband Peter Davis came under "scumbag” attacks. National Health spokesman Wyatt Creech is questioning whether the objectivity Peter Davis’ review of what went on in the health system in the 90s, given that his wife was a health minister for part of that time. Last week, Mr Davis was accused of using his wife’s influence to appoint a friend to a health position.

- CLARKSON BEATING: Two women and two men have appeared in court charged with the aggravated robbery of Nicholas Clarkson, who was fatally beaten in Auckland in January. Police are not looking for anyone else in connection with the homicide of Mr Clarkson.

- MCNUTT RETURNED: The US Military has returned the body of Kiwi SAS Major John McNutt, who was killed in a bombing blunder during a US Military exercise in Kuwait.

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