National Radio Midday Report

Post Board – Fiji Murders – PNG Protests – Christine Rankin – Probation Staff – Mercury Energy – Accidental Shooting – Trimble Resignation – Over Fishing – South Pacific Meetings – Sideline Shouting – Measles Immunisation

POST BOARD: The NZ Post board crisis is deepening, with the board turning up the heat on Chairman Ross Armstrong to drop his allegations about the deputy chair Sid Bradley. National SOEs Spokesman Dr Lockwood Smith says Dr Armstrong appears to have lost the confidence of the board and may have to step down. State Owned Enterprises Minister Mark Burton put off an overseas trip to sort it out.

FIJI MURDERS: The relatives of Fiji’s Red Cross director John Scott, who was murdered with his partner with a cane knife, are expected in Fiji today. Fiji police have made no arrests. The sister of one of the two gay men says she does not trust the police to investigate because of the extreme homophobia in the country.

PNG PROTESTS: The death toll from a police assault on university protesters in Papua New Guinea has risen to four. Students and university staff have demanded a commission of inquiry, claiming the force that assaulted them were hired guns.

CHRISTINE RANKIN: State Services Commissioner Michael Winteringham has told the Employment Court he believes the Government’s decision to hold a ministerial inquiry into Work and Income soon after coming into government was hasty, during the hearing of Work and Income boss Christine’s $818,000 grievance claim.

PROBATION STAFF: Probation Staff have again notified the Corrections Department of further widespread strike action today.

MERCURY ENERGY: Power retailer Mercury Energy is giving about 230,000 customers the opportunity to get credits for electricity they save for the next couple of months.

ACCIDENTAL SHOOTING: Police are still investigating the accidental shooting of a seven year old boy by a 13 year old, but say it is still to early to say if there will be any charges.

TRIMBLE RESIGNATION: The political arm of the IRA, Sin Fein claims the resignation of Northern Ireland’s first minister David Trimble is brinksmanship.

OVER FISHING: The Ministry of Fisheries says it will be several days before it decides whether to lay charges over alleged over-fishing by a Korean trawler charted to NZ company Sanford Ltd.

SOUTH PACIFIC MEETINGS: Minister of Foreign Affairs Phil Goff has met with the Prime Minister of Vanuatu in the first high-level meeting of a five day South Pacific visit.

SIDELINE SHOUTING: A study into the sideline antics of parents at school sport matches has found that basketball and rugby league inspire the most abuse.

MEASLES IMMUNISATION: A campaign has been launched to immunise children against measles to avoid an epidemic next year.

© Scoop Media