National Radio Midday Report

Abel Tasman resort – Unemployment Falls – Tech Funding – Surgery Offer – Public Holidays – Energy Report – Graham Parry – Officers Fined – Prison Staff – Noble Sentenced – Oz Industrial Action – Macedonian Protests – Arms Talks

ABEL TASMAN RESORT: The go-ahead has been given for a big resort hotel at the entrance to the Abel Tasman National Park by the Abel Tasman District Council, despite opposition from locals and some tourist interests.

UNEMPLOYMENT FALLS: The official unemployment rate has fallen to 5.2 percent, the lowest since 1988. Economists expected the rate to grow, but say the result is not inconsistent with other economic indicators.

TECH FUNDING: The Government has announced it is giving $1.6m to hi-tech company Ericcson Synergy.

SURGERY OFFER: Middlemore Hospital has offered to do some of the non-urgent surgery that has been suspended at Starship Children’s Hospital.

PUBLIC HOLIDAYS: The Hospitality Association is pushing for pubs to be allowed to open on public holidays such as Good Friday, following the suspension of a pub’s liquor licence for two weeks for opening on a public holiday.

ENERGY REPORT: The Minister of Energy Pete Hodgson has dismissed as too optimistic a report that says there is no energy crisis.

GRAHAM PARRY: The lawyer representing disgraced northland gynaecologist Graham Parry says the terms of reference for a select committee inquiry into the doctor’s practices are ridiculous.

OFFICERS FINED: Three army officers have been fined and refused promotion for a year after being found guilty of ill-treating cadets in an exercise at the Waiuru base.

PRISON STAFF: Prison officers are continuing low level industrial action as they await an Employment Court ruling on the legality of their action.

NOBLE SENTENCED: At the High Court in Christchurch, Dean Noble has been sentence to two years jail for illegal possession of a pistol after earlier being acquitted of being an accessory in the drive by shooting murder of black power member Max Shannon, but found guilty on the pistol charge.

OZ INDUSTRIAL ACTION: Members of Australia’s Manufacturing Union are threatening more strike action in the wake of two weeks of industrial action that crippled the Australian car manufacturing industry. Tri-star steering and suspension workers have returned to work after settling a pay dispute.

MACEDONIAN PROTESTS: Angry Macedonians have staged violent protests over the killing of 10 soldiers in an ambush by ethnic Albanian guerrillas.

ARMS TALKS: Russian and American officials are meeting at the Pentagon for a second day of talks about missile defence and the possible cutting of nuclear arsenals.

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