National Radio Midday Report

Hearing Delay Sought - Greymouth Twister - Doctor Rules - License Fight - Insider Trading – Arab Summit – Whips Meeting – Jogger Harassment – Black Cables – Kidnapped Aid Workers – Fly released – Toffee Pop Sabotage

- HEARING DELAY SOUGHT: The Government has sought legal advice as to whether a Waitangi Tribunal hearing due in five days can be delayed while it tries to sort out a tax mistake over compensation for changes to Maori leasehold land affecting Taranaki farmers.

- GREYMOUTH TWISTER: Families have been forced out of their homes by a tornado in Greymouth that has caused thousands of dollars of damage. The cost of damage to houses is estimated at $60-80,000.

- DOCTOR RULES: The rules banning sex between doctors and patients are being reviewed by the Medical Council following the conviction of Christchurch doctor Morgan Fahey for sex offences.

- LICENSE FIGHT: A woman’s fight against the new photographic driver’s licences reached the Court of Appeal today. The woman objects to electronic taking of her signature and pictures for the licences and said people with a previous paper licence had a reasonable expectation that these would last their due course.

- INSIDER TRADING: The Government will introduce measures to stop insider trading. The legislation is hoped to go through by mid next year.

- ARAB SUMMIT: Arab leaders have strongly criticised Israel and many have called for an end to sanctions on Iraq at an Arab summit in Jordan. Two bombs exploded in Jerusalem as the summit started. UN Secretary General Kofi Annan used his strongest language yet in criticising Israel’s harsh response to the Palestinians and their continued occupation of the territories.

- WHIPS MEETING: The party whips have agreed to crack down on referring to MPs’ partners and families during political debate. Further discussions on how to handle conflict of interest continue and the whips are considering a new code of conduct.

- JOGGER HARASSMENT: Auckland police have asked for woman joggers to come forward about harassment while out running following the attack of a woman runner with sexual overtones.

- BLACK CABLES: Telstra Saturn and a residents group, which is threatening legal action over thick black cables around their Wellington streets, are meeting.

- KIDNAPPED AID WORKERS: Aid organisations in East Africa have made contact with two of the nine aid workers who were kidnapped in the Somali capital Mogadishu.

- FLY RELEASED: The Auckland Regional Council is releasing a new species of fly in Auckland, which they hope will wipe out the Mist Flower noxious weed.

- TOFFE POP SABOTAGE: Auckland police are investigating the possible sabotage of toffee pops after pieces of metal were found in a biscuit.

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