ELECTRICTY REGULATIONS: Deep double wound for the National Party. National vice-president Dick Dargaville has resigned. (more on that shortly) and Labour has withdrawn its support for Electricity regulations. Mr Bradford has been aiming at the wrong target says Labour.

ELECTRICITY REGULATIONS: Steven Parker live: The bottom line is that power prices could keep going up if this legislation is not passed.

CHRISTCHURCH HOSPITAL INQUIRIES: Two investigations have been launched into how equipment was not sterilised properly. 1300+ patients were informed yesterday that they would have to take blood tests to ensure they haven't caught a serious disease. Surgeons are deeply concerned that they were not told earlier. New inquires launched

CHRISTCHURCH HOSPITAL INQUIRIES: Matt Conway Live: Equipment will break down, that happens. The question is were the right checks and balances in place to ensure patients were not placed at risk unnecessarily. Some patients will need a second test in six months time. 0800 373 037 - hotline for patients.

CAMPAIGN FUNDING: The Electoral Commission has divvied up $2 million in election campaign TV advertising funds. As always who gets what is a point of contention. ALCP is delighted. Winston Peters is annoyed at his allocation. ACT says the money isn't enough to sell soap.

DICK DARGAVILLE RESIGNS: Senior National Party official Dick Dargaville (pictured singing at the National Party's conference last weekend) has resigned - he says his decision to resign relates to a court appearance several weeks ago at which he was discharged without conviction and granted name suppression in relation to a domestic matter.

WHALE MURDER: Kiwi Greenpeace skipper says he was shot at in the North Sea by Norwegian whalers while trying to save a whale.

SILNA OFFER: Offer to Maori owners to stop them clear felling SILNA forests in Southland. Nick Smith says he wants every last square kilometre of native forest protected against unsustainable logging. SILNA spokesman says he believes consultation and negotiation will work. (See 20/20 Suinday night.)

TANE MAHUTA: The great tree Tane Mahuta is to be fenced off. The rescue plan will keep visitors at a safe distance. Already several huindred years have been taken off the life of the great Kauri tree say DOC staff.

© 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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