National Radio Midday Report

Radiation Therapy – Sexual Harassment – Superpower Standoff – Strip Search – Magnesium Smelter – Chemical Spill – Israeli Arrogance – Refugee Transport Deaths – Trucker Fatigue – National Unpopular – Grass Skirt Trial – Napier Death – Algal Bloom

- RADIATION THERAPY: Up to three-quarters of NZ radiation therapists who qualify at NZ’s only training facility go overseas for better money. A radiation therapy machine has been closed down in Auckland because of a lack of staff while waiting lists grow. NZ’s only training facility wants more students. The problems facing radiation treatment for cancer patients were predicted in a working party report two years ago.

- SEXUAL HARASSMENT: Employment lawyers are warning that employers could be liable for harassment that occurs outside the workplace and outside work hours, following an appeal court decision which found an employer was responsible for the sexual harassment of an employee, even though the harassment occurred at an employee’s home at lunch time.

- SUPERPOWER STANDOFF: Chinese President Jiang Zemin says the crew of the US spy plane, which landed on Chinese soil after a mid-air collision with a Chinese fighter jet, are safe and sound. Meanwhile, US President George W. Bush joined Secretary of State Colin Powell in expressing regret over the death of a Chinese fighter pilot in the incident.

- STRIP SEARCH: The Corrections Association says it has been told a prisoner who received a compensation payout had complained about the presence of a female officer during a strip search in late 1999.

- MAGNESIUM SMELTER: Invercargill Mayor Tim Shadbolt says Southland is the most obvious site for a magnesium smelter if an Australian company goes ahead with plans to build one in New Zealand.

- CHEMICAL SPILL: 11 people have been taken to Christ hospital for observation after a chemical spill in the city today.

- ISRAELI ARROGANCE: The US has been quick to condemn an Israeli plan to auction off occupied Arab land on the West Bank for new Jewish settlement for hundreds of Jews. Meanwhile, Israeli helicopter gunships have again attacked Palestinian targets in the Gaza strip.

- REFUGEE TRANSPORT DEATHS: A Dutch truck driver has started a 14 year manslaughter sentence after being found guilty of causing the death of 58 Chinese refugees that died in the back of his truck after he closed the only air vent during a ferry tip across the English Channel.

- TRUCKER FATIGE: The Land Transport Safety Authority wants to see more trucking companies make fatigue management programmes for truck driver fatigue after being alarmed at results of a Waikato University study.

- NATIONAL UNPOPULAR: The latest opinion poll shows National support is continuing to drop – they now have 31 percent support, dropping 2 points.

- GRAS SKIRT TRIAL: The High Court in Auckland has heard more evidence from Merryl Lynch workers in the trial of Matthew Schofield for manslaughter, who admitted causing the death of fellow employee Gareth McFadyn by setting his grass skirt on fire.

- NAPIER DEATH: Police are trying to establish the movements of a woman whose body was found in a house in Napier. Police are treating the death as Suspicious.

- ALGAL BLOOM: Warnings against eating shellfish because of a toxic algal bloom have been lifted over most of the North Island.

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