National Radio Midday Bulletin

Northland bashing – Chch Power Customers – Dairy Prices – Soy Sauce – Whitianga Canal – Saudi Bombing – Inappropriate Appointment – Child Support – Port Strikes – Auckland Traffic – Foot And Mouth – Solar Eclipse – Bluesman Dies

NORTHLAND BASHING: A brutal bashing has brought tension to a small Northland community. Sue Brown, 42, a teacher who lived alone was brutally bashed in her home and left for dead. She is fighting for her life in hospital. Police are warning residents to lock their doors while her killer is on the loose.

CHCH POWER CUSTOMERS: The Natural Gas Corporation, owner of On Energy, is negotiating to sell its Christchurch customers to Meridian Energy after an after tax loss of nearly $310 million. Christchurch Central MP Tim Barnett says he can’t see any reason why consumers transferring to meridian would not be able to join the consumer’s trust he helped set up.

DAIRY PRICES: Big rises in the price of dairy products are predicted to show up strongly in the cost of living. The Global Dairy Company says the rises has nothing to do with Monday’s merger vote.

SOY SACE: Some brands of Soy Sauce and other Soy products have been removed from the shelves in supermarkets around the country, in response to the British survey that found some soy sauce brands have high levels of cancer causing chemicals.

WHITIANGA CANAL: The Conservation Minister given green light to the Whitianga Canal project.

SAUDI BOBMING: The United States has charged 14 people in connection with the 1996 bombing of military barracks in Saudi Arabia.

INAPPROPRIATE APPOINTMENT: National says the appointment of a convicted wife beater to a senior policy position in the Correction Department is inappropriate.

CHILD SUPORT: The Social Services Group says raising the child support payments from low-income earners will further erode their already tight budgets. Legislation raising the minimum payment has been sent to select committee.

PORT STRIKES: Importers and exporters fear Ports of Auckland strike action could harm New Zealand’s international trading standing.

AUCKLAND TRAFFIC: The Auckland Business Forum says TransFund’s billion dollar roading program announced yesterday is cherry picking and doesn’t address the city’s traffic congestion.

FOOT AND MOUTH: Britain says it has slaughtered almost nine percent of its livestock in a bid to end the foot and mouth crisis.

SOLAR ECLIPSE: The first Solar eclipse of the millennium was witnessed in Africa yesterday.

BLUESMAN DIES: Bluesman John Lee Hooker has died at the age of 83.

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