National Radio Midday Report

Superannuation Bill – Stephen Wallace – Herald Strike – Prison Escapee – McVeigh Execution – Hostage Killed – Middle East – Sentencing Inequalities – Leadbetter Home – PM In Cooks – Lisa Blaikie – Ship Fire

- SUPERANNUATION BILL: Parliament’s Finance & Expenditure Select Committee has backed the Superannuation Bill, but wants changes. The Greens and National have opposed the part of the bill that would see a multibillion dollar fund to partially prefund superannuation for an ageing population. Discussions between the Government and NZ First over potential changes are continuing. National say they are yet to decide whether the will vote for legislation setting up the superannuation fund, but will commit to the first part of the bill, which commits the parties to Government funded superannuation for everyone over 65 at 65 per cent of the average wage.

- STEPHEN WALLACE: An Coroner’s inquest into the police shooting of Stephen Wallace has been delayed till November following a request from the officer involved, because the Wallace family has threatened a private prosecution.

- HERALD STRIKE: Reporters at the Herald have walked off the job for four days over stalled employment negotiations.

- PRISON ESCAPEE: Police believe escaped prisoner Kevin Polwart may now be in Tauranga.

- MCVEIGH EXECUTION: The execution of Oklahoma City Bomber Timothy McVeigh last night was followed closely in Oklahoma city by relatives of those killed in the bombing and survivors.

- HOSTAGE KILLED: Moslem rebels in the Philippines claim they have executed one of the three Americans they have captured.

- MIDDLE EAST: A meeting between Palestinian and Israel security officials has broken up without any agreement on an American blueprint for an Israeli/Palestinian cease-fire. Fresh violence is fuelling tensions in the region.

- SENTENCING INEQALITIES: A study by a Christchurch researcher has found that women are treated more leniently than men when it comes to sentencing.

- LEADBETTER HOME: Auckland City Councillor Maire Leadbetter, who was arrested by armed police in Indonesia while attending a peace conference, has arrived back in New Zealand.

- PM IN COOKS: Prime Minister Helen Clark has signed a declaration in Rarotonga today, confirming New Zealand’s commitment to the Cook Islands.

- LISA BLAIKIE: A Timaru gang member has told a Christchurch District Court he rejected the offer of a permanent relationship with Timaru hitchhiker Lisa Blaikie shortly before she was killed because she was a prostitute, at a preliminary hearing of the murder charge against Timothy David Taylor.

- SHIP FIRE: A wharf on the Auckland Waterfront has been sealed off while fire fighters battled a blaze on a container ship.

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