Britomart – Murder Suicide Fire – Northern Ireland – Prison Strike – Petrol Standards – Taupo Truck Crashes – Shop Trading Law Changes – Wainuiomata School Closures

BRITOMART: Auckland traffic congestion costs $1 billion a year according to Auckland Mayor Christine Fletcher who says she wants work to proceed on the Britomart transport terminal as soon as possible.

MURDER SUICIDE FIRE: The house in which a father and his two daughters died at Riwaka in a suspected murder suuicide has been destroyed in a suspicious fire.

NORTHERN IRELAND: An historic breakthrough has been found between parties to the Northern Ireland peace process with the IRA agreeing to put weapons beyond use. Ulster unionists are reacting cautiously to the proposal. The UK and Irish Government have warmly greeted the developments.

PRISON STRIKE: More than 2000 prison officers are in their second day of industrial action today. The Corrections Department failed yesterday in a bid to get an injunction against the industrial action.

PETROL STANDARDS: There is concern that the Government is not acting quick enough to reduce toxins in petrol and diesel. Minister Paul Swain says that one of the problems is that we import lots of petrol from overseas.

TAUPO TRUCK CRASHES: Two separate accidents involving logging trucks have caused problems near Taupo. One crash blocked the intersection of SH1 and SH5. Another crash occurred at the intersection of the Napier Taupo highway.

SHOP TRADING LAW CHANGE: The Alliance has watered down a new law allowing increased shop trading hours. Under the law shops will be able to apply for a dispensation to open on Christmas Day, Anzac Day and Good Friday.

WAINUIOMATA SCHOOLS: The Minister of Education has given the go ahead for the closure of half the state schools in Wainuiomata. Intermediate schools, secondary schools and primary schools will all merge.

© Scoop Media

Alastair Thompson

Scoop Publisher

Alastair Thompson is the co-founder of Scoop. He is of Scottish and Irish extraction and from Wellington, New Zealand. Alastair has 24 years experience in the media, at the Dominion, National Business Review, North & South magazine, Straight Furrow newspaper and online since 1997. He is the winner of several journalism awards for business and investigative work.

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