National Radio Midday Report

Surgery Waiting Lists – Passive Smoking – Wahid Impeachment – Missing Tramper – Dash-8 – Littleton Picket Trial – Parental Leave – Te Arawa Offer – Dodgy Diesel – Oz Human Rights – French Corruption

- SURGERY WAITING LISTS: Good news for South Auckland patients awaiting surgery - health officials at Middlemore Hospital say it may now not be necessary to send out 1100 letters notifying cancellation of surgery. Meanwhile, the Government has released the latest report on waiting lists.

- PASSIVE SMOKING: Plunket is calling for more government funding to help parents quit smoking, following a report showing that the effect of passive smoking on children’s health is worse than previously thought. Meanwhile, existing bars will have until 2007 to set up smoke free zones under a proposed law change.

- WAHID IMPEACHMENT: Government Ministers in Indonesia say they will oppose any attempt by President Wahid to declare a state of emergency, as he faces impeachment on corruption charges.

- MISING TRAMPER - More than 30 people are searching for tramper Carl Sorenson, who has been missing for more than two weeks in rugged terrain near Motueka.

- DASH-8 - The jury in the manslaughter trial of Ansett Dash-8 pilot Gary Sutheran has now been considering its verdict for more than eight hours.

- LYTTLETON PICKET TRIAL: The High Court jury in Christchurch has retired to consider its verdict in the manslaughter trial of Derek Powell, who ran over Christine Clark on a picket line in Lytleton.

- PARENTAL LEAVE: Government papers show the cost of 12 weeks paid parental leave could be as much as $92m a year.

- TE ARAWA OFFER: The Government has made offer to Te Arawa in a bid to end a long running dispute over the ownership of 14 lakes in the Rotorua area. Political Editor Al Morrison says the offer may fall short of Te Arawa’s expectations.

- DODGY DIESEL: There has been a call for the NZ Refining Company to reveal what the additive is in its dodgy diesel, to aid diesel mechanics’ job easier.

- OZ HUMAN RIGHTS: A report by Amnesty International says Australia’s reputation on human rights has hit an all time low over the past year.

- FRENCH CORRUPTION: Former French foreign minister Rolan Duma has been found guilty of corruption after a 4-month trial that has gripped France with its details of sex and greed at the end of the Mitterand administration.

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