LAV IIIs – Caring For Youth – Macedonia – Power Bills – Schoolgirl Rape - Cancer Cluster – Gold Mine – Police Assault – Authors Fund – Kayacker Found

LAV IIIS: The Minister of Defence Mark Burton says the Government is determined to sort out problems in the Defence Force. The Opposition wants an inquiry following a damning report into the purchase of LAV III armoured personal carriers. Minister Mark Burton says he has been working on problems with the force for more than 14 months.

CARING FOR YOUTH: NZ has fallen well behind other countries in its support of young people leaving state care. There is very little support for young people once they reach 17. NZ lags 20 years behind other countries in this area.

MACEDONIA: NATO soldiers have begun arriving in Macedonia in fulfilment of an agreement. 3500 troops will be involved in Operation Essential Harvest. Their job will be to retrieve surrendered weapons.

POWER BILLS: Business NZ is predicting job losses and company collapses as a result of the volatile wholesale electricity market. Schools, hospitals and rest homes are facing tripled power bills.

SCHOOLGIRL RAPE: The police will be handing out flyers in an Auckland suburb today in an effort to find a man who raped a teenage girl on her way to school.

CANCER CLUSTER: A two year investigation has found no connection between the work of 11 midwives and a cancer cluster. The College of Midwives says the investigation has calmed concerns.

GOLD MINE: Mining company GRD McRaes has begun discussion with the government over its decision to decline an application for a mine on the West Coast.

POLICE ASSAULT: A Keri-Keri woman says a man fined under an obscure law for holding birthday for his daughter, is the key witness in an assault complaint against a police officer.

AUTHORS FUND: Dame Fiona Kidman has quit the Arts Council in protest at a $100,000 drop in the Authors Fund.

KAYACKER FOUND: A kayacker missing on the Taiere River south of Dunedin has been found safe and well.

© 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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