Indonesia – Passive Smoking – Graham Parry – Qantas – Pilot Trial – Dirty Diesel – New DOC Forests – Kids TV Watching

INDONESIA: The Indonesian President Abdurrachman Wahid remains defiant in spite of calls for his impeachment from the Parliament. The President has issued a statement saying he won’t stand down. He says he doesn’t accept the findings of the Parliament. The Peoples Consultative Assembly will consider the motion from Parliament. Earlier police fired warning shots to disperse Wahid’s supporters.

PASSIVE SMOKING: A new study points to the health costs of passive smoking at home.

GRAHAM PARRY: Northland Health says it will not re-hire Dr Graham Parry in spite of a court decision ruling that he should be able to return to work as an obstetrician. The court ruling overturns previous rulings that Parrry can no longer practice. Meanwhile his former patient Colleen Poutsma’s husband says he is pleased with the Northland Health decision. Jack Poutsma says he feels his late wife’s justice has been snatched away.

QANTAS: Qantas says it is in the process of putting together a firm offer for Air New Zealand. Air New Zealand says the proposal will be one option it will consider.

PILOT TRIAL: The Jury in the Palmerston North trial of pilot Garry Sotheran will return to deliberations today at 9am.

DIRTY DIESEL: The Ministry of Fisheries has asked the office that collects fishing levies to generously treat fishermen affected by the dirty diesel problem.

NEW DOC FORESTS: The Mayor of Buller is criticising the decision of the Government to tranfer into DOC the Timberlands estate. Native Forest Action is pleased.

KIDS TV WATCHING: The Broadcasting Standards Authority says it is concerned that half of all children are watching children late on Friday and Saturday Nights. The TV networks say they are already sensitive to when kids are watching.

© 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.

CONTACT ALASTAIR THOMPSON

• Mobile - 021707044
• Twitter - @althecat
• Google+

• Linkedin
• Facebook
• Email - alastair@scoop.co.nz