Cancer Inquiry: The Report, The Meeting, Live Cross – Unwanted Mosquitoes – Sheep Fertility – Esale Babies – Football Assault Case – Sophiegate – The Price Of Milk

CANCER INQUIRY – THE REPORT: A year after it began the Gisborne Cancer Inquiry has found that after Dr Bottrill started getting it wrong the Health System also failed a group of Gisborne women. The inquiry said the low level of abnormal smears detected was clearly unacceptable. The report finds there is no special compensation for the women apart from ACC. The lawyer for the women has filed a law suit for mental injury caused by the failure to read their smears correctly. Minister Tariana Turia offered her apologies on behalf of the Government. There have been no resignations. No heads have rolled. If you read between the loans there has been some blame placed on health bureaucrats. There are 46 recommendations in the report, 27 of which are already being implemented.

CANCER INQUIRY – THE MEETING: A meeting to reveal the findings of the Cancer Inquiry in Gisborne became heated when some of the victims said they did not trust the government. Another woman said she did not feel she had received accountability. “I need something more solid than simply look to the future, I haven’t got one.” A husband of a victim said he was appalled about how it has been handled. For many of the women it has been an issue of accountability. Bottrill’s lawyer issued a statement and said he was sorry and felt regret.

CANCER INQUIRY – LIVE CROSS: The Minister has written to the women personally to apologise. She has also got an international expert involved. The expert will check every six months to see recommendations are being followed.

UNWANTED MOSQUITOES: NZ ports have been put on alert following the discovery of larvae for the yellow fever mosquito at Auckland’s port. Another species of unwanted mosquito has now established itself on the East Coast of the North Island in at least five spots.

SHEEP FERTILITY: Ag researchers in Dunedin have found a sheep fertility gene. They are excited about it.

ESALE BABIES: Two babies sold on the Internet to a Welsh couple are being sent home to the US.

FOOTBALL ASSAULT CASE: A case trying two Leeds United footballers for assault has broken up following the publication of an article in a tabloid newspaper which was read by two jurors.

SOPHIEGATE: A hotel chain has withdrawn its business from Countess Sophie’s PR Firm following publication of comments she made to a News of the World reporter.

PRICE OF MILK: The Global Dairy Company says it is not responsible for rises in the prices of milk which came in today. The price of a litre of milk has risen 10 cents. The newly merged company will have to sell a shareholding in its domestic subsidiary. The domestic market is only about 5% of NZ’s total industry. The Consumer’s Institute is concerned.

© 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.

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