Shotover Jet Crash – Christmas Island Refugee Crisis x 2 – Asylum Seekers – Cancer Drug – DOC Sexism And Racism – Mark Burton Accountability

SHOTOVER JET CRASH: A Shotover Jet has crashed into a rock near Queenstown injuring 11 tourists. Shotover Jet was investigated a couple of years ago for a fatal crash.

CHRISTMAS ISLAND REFUGEE CRISIS: Tonight it looks as though East Timor may have a solution to the Christmas Island Refugee Crisis. East Timor has offered a temporary welcome mat for 434 Afghan refugees, provided someone else picks up the cost. Meanwhile Australia today asked the UN to allow East Timor to take the asylum seekers on board the Tampa. The PM says NZ is just one of several countries the UN has asked to take refugees. Any refugees who do arrive here are likely to be housed in the Mangere resettlement centre which coincidentally is going to welcoming some Afghan refugees next week anyway.

CHRISTMAS ISLAND REFUGEE CRISIS: Australia’s hard line stance on the asylum seekers is resulting in international criticism. Indonesia’s President has refused to take Australian PM John Howard’s phone calls and has instructed the navy to repel the Norwegian freighter should it move towards Indonesia. Locals on Christmas Island appear divided about the refugees. Many tourism businesses on the island are losing money as they cannot take tourists into the water. In Canberra protestors have marched on Parliament.

ASYLUM SEEKERS: Most nights of the week twice as many asylum seekers as are on the Tampa freighter try to enter the UK.

CANCER DRUG: A multi-million dollar deal has been announced today to research a new anti-cancer drug developed in NZ. DMXAA is the result of 15 years of work in Auckland. The drug is stimulating the immune system and cutting off blood to tumours. The drug will not remove the need for chemotherapy but will work alongside it. Trials of the new drug will begin next year.

DOC SEXISM AND RACISM: The Department of Conservation is vowing to fight sexism and racism within its ranks. An internal review has found sexism and racism are rife within the department. Minister Sandra Lee says this needs to be dealt with. One in three staff believe DOC tolerates computer pornography a survey found. DOC’s HR Manager says the department wants to act on what staff said.

MARK BURTON ACCOUNTABILITY: The father of Mark Burton is calling for accountability from staff at Southland Hospital’s mental health unit. Trevor Burton can’t face moving back into his idyllic house where his wife was killed by his son. Trevor says he wants someone to stand up and say they made a blunder. Tom O’Flynn from Southland Hospital says he feels deeply saddened for the Burton family. The doctor who supervised Mark Burton is now in Australia. Dr O’Flynn says he never received a letter warning of Mark Burton’s danger.

© 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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