TV1 News

Alliance Makeover – Political Interference – Bush In Europe – Mobil Protest – Power Prices

ALLIANCE MAKEOVER: The Alliance is in search of a clear identity. Alliance Leader Jim Anderton has said its time for the Alliance to speak out, and not be the strong but silent coalition partner. Languishing in the polls, the Alliance is desperate to raise their profile in the lead-up to the next election. The call has come as the Government is looking for New Zealand First to push through superannuation legislation. One News Political Editor Mark Sainsbury said jobs education and health could be issues that the Alliance would use to raise their profile.

POLITICAL INTERFERENCE: ACT Justice Spokesman Steven Franks says some Appeal Court Judges may be guilty of political interference, following a briefing they gave to Green Justice Spokesman Nandor Tanczos, at the request of Justice Minister Phil Goff.

BUSH IN EUROPE: United States President George W. Bush is tonight flying into a Europe that is less than happy to have him, upset as his rejection of the Kyoto global warming protocol, and upset at the President’s endorsement of the death sentence for Oklahoma City Bomber Timothy McVeigh. The President called the Kyoto Protocol “fatally flawed” before he left.

MOBIL PROTEST: About 20 members of Greenpeace targeted the Wellington office of Mobil Oil for protests about global warming. They say Mobil backed George W. Bush because of his more favourable energy policy.

POWER PRICES: The country’s biggest power company Meridian Energy is facing official questions, with wholesale prices threatening to skyrocket with hydroelectric lake levels low. Meridian is a wholesaler and retailer, and they face accusations that they may have favoured their own retail branch. Meridian say poor management By On Energy and TrustPower, who could have bought earlier when electricity was cheaper, is to blame if they are forced to raise retail prices for Winter.

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