National Radio Midday Report

Conservation Funding – Warranty GST – Wrongful Dismissal – Doctor Bill – Stabbing - Jet Sale – Boat – Sealord Assets – UK Elections – Pinochet – Sexual Assault Trial – Spidermen – Tribunal Bias – Starving Baby Seals

- CONSERVATION FUNDING: Funding for the Government’s biosecurity strategy is to increase by $10 million in this year’s budget. The Green’s feathers have been ruffled by not being invited to today’s announcement, as they say they initiated much of the initiatives of the programme.

- WARRANTY GST: Inland Revenue says a ruling on whether warranty repairs on imported goods are subject to GST has the potential to cost industry tens of millions of dollars.

- WRONGFUL DISMISSAL: The Human Rights Commission says the case of a woman awarded $14,000 for losing her job just because she became pregnant may be just the tip of the iceberg.

- DOCTOR BILL: The Health and Disability Commissioner has joined doctor groups in strongly opposing a member’s bill which would change procedures for foreign doctors wanting to work here.

- STABBING: The Court of Appeal has cut the sentence of a Wellington woman who killed her neighbour in a stabbing frenzy.

- JET SALE: The Defence Force and potential buyers are remaining tight-lipped over how much the Skyhawks and Aermachi trainer jets are worth.

- BOAT: A fishing boat with three crew are in danger of sinking off Cape Reinga. Two vessels are on their way.

- SEALORD ASSETS: Two companies accused of planning to asset strip the Sealord Fishing Group have strenuously denied the accusations of NZ First leader Winston Peters.

- UK ELECTIONS: British Prime Minister Tony Blair has confirmed that the long expected general election will be held on June 7.

- PINOCHET: Argentina is to seek the extradition of former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet over a car bombing in Argentina 27 years ago.

- SEXUAL ASSAULT TRIAL: The jury is deciding its verdict in the trial of Tyler Stevens, a former police officer charged with sexual violation and assault.

- SPIDERMEN: People living in high rise apartments in Auckland are becoming targets of a new gang of burglars known as ‘spidermen.’

- TRIBUNAL BIAS: The High Court hearing to consider allegations of bias against the Waitangi Tribunal has begun in Wellington with a prayer.

- STARVING BABY SEALS: More than 200,000 baby seals in Russia face starvation because the ice flows which carry them to their Spring feeding grounds have become stuck because of abnormally cold northerly winds have created a bottleneck.

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