TVNZ Charter – AIDs Teacher Sentencing – Qantas Back – Dingos – May Day In Oz Turns Violent – May Day In NZ Peaceful – Dennis Tito Space Tourist

TVNZ CHARTER: A new charter for Television New Zealand has been approved by the Government. But it will not be implemented till July next year. The opposition wants to know more of the detail. TVNZ’s late night news fits the charter but is not popular. The charter directs TVNZ to stimulate thought, promote Maori and include minority interests in prime time. The government is still considering questions relating to the dividend policy. National says the Government is a laughing stock. Derek Fox says it is largely weasel words. TVNZ says it welcomes the charter but Bill Ralston says that TVNZ is very unhappy about being told what to do. Finance Minister Michael Cullen denies that TVNZ is being forced into non-commercial TV. Marian Hobbs meanwhile says that she doesn’t want to chase away viewers. Q: Is the government telling people what to watch? A: It certainly looks that way. You can’t tell adults what to watch.

AIDS TEACHER SENTENCING: The AIDs Foundation has been accused of abandoning a teacher with late stage AIDs. The teacher who has admitted sexually assaulting his pupils appeared in court today with a black eye. He was jailed for three years for offences involving five boys. The AIDs Foundation say that it would have been a conflict of interest for them to have provided counselling for the accused. A spokesman for the school says the school can now turn its attention to healing.

QANTAS BACK: Qantas is to form an alliance with regional carrier Origin Pacific to compete with Air New Zealand in the New Zealand domestic travel market. Meanwhile Air New Zealand’s subsidiary Freedom Air had its inaugural flight on the main trunk routes today. Qantas and Freedom are now both offering $150 return fares between Auckland and Wellington.

DINGOS: The dingos that attacked and killed a nine-year-old boy yesterday have been destroyed. There are hundreds of dingos on Fraser Island. Dangerous dingos on the island will also be killed. School mates of the dead boy were today told what happened. There have been widespread calls for a mass cull on Fraser Island.

MAY DAY IN OZ TURNS VIOLENT: Anti-Globalisation protests in several cities in Australia ended in arrests and violence. Mounted police attacked protestors in Sydney and Perth. Protestors targeted stock exchanges and McDonalds. Dozens of people were arrested.

MAY DAY IN NZ PEACEFUL: There was one arrest in Wellington protests. Earlier they shut down KFC. Protestors in Christchurch were theatrical in their approach. In Auckland unionists have organised a March up Queen St. Around 500 people have attended the March which is calling for a paid holiday on May Day.

DENNIS TITO SPACE TOURIST: Space Tourist Dennis Tourist has arrived at Space Station Alpha.

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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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