National Radio Midday Report

Qantas – Qantas Debts – Dash-8 Crash – Ansett 767s – Paid Parental Leave – Taskforce Recommendations – Boxer Coma – Montenegro Election Americas Free Trade – Spying – Antarctica Airlift – Party Funding – Korean War Vets

- QANTAS: Qantas Australia has been given the all clear to run a limited domestic service within New Zealand but there is no indication that it intends to run a service beyond three or four main centres.

- QANTAS DEBTS: The Auckland Chamber of Commerce is calling for Qantas NZ shareholders to pay the debts owed to the company’s goods and services suppliers.

- DASH-8 CRASH: The trial of former Ansett pilot Gary Sutherland on four counts of manslaughter and other charges has begun in the High Court at Palmerston North almost six years after the Dash-8 he was piloting crashed killing three passengers and a flight attendant.

- ANSETT 767S: Ansett Australia is a step closer to having its full fleet of 767s operating with the Civil Aviation Safety Authority giving the green light to the second of the ten grounded aircraft to fly again.

- PAID PARENTAL LEAVE: The CEO of the Warehouse says the impact of Paid Parental Leave scheme will be much less if taxpayers foot the bill, as Radio NZ understands will happen. Labour and the Alliance have come to an understanding on paid parental leave.

- TASKFORCE RECOMMENDATIONS: There would be a referendum on the Monarchy after the death of the Queen, Maori seats would be abolished and the number of MPs reduced to 99 if the proposals of a National Party taskforce were implemented.

- BOXER IN COMA: A female boxer remains in an induced coma in Christchurch Hospital after sustaining a heavy blow in an amateur fight in the weekend.

- MONTENEGRO ELECTION: There has been an 81 percent turnout in parliamentary elections in Montenegro, where the key issue is whether the republic should remain tied with Serbia and the Yugoslav federation.

- AMERICAS FREE TRADE: Several Latin American presidents have expressed reservations about the proposed free trade zone in the Americas, signalling a rough road for the agreement, which is intended to be implemented by 2005.

- SPYING: About 30 electronic listening devices have been found in buildings of the British Defence Ministry, including its London headquarters and rooms used by intelligence officers over the past ten years.

- ANTARCTICA AIRLIFT: The number of people being airlifted from Antarctica tomorrow by an Airforce Hercules has increased to 11.

- PARTY FUNDING: The Green Party is calling for state funding of political parties but National is rejecting the idea, following controversy over private donations to ACT NZ from big business.

- KOREAN WAR VETS: More than 100 Korean War veterans from New Zealand and Australia are gathered at Anzac park in South Korea marking 50 years since they fought together in one of the fiercest battles of the war.

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