EAST TIMOR: Dili, Dili and Pay - David Butcher - NZQA - Three Times Nothing - Ansett Strike - Gaypec In Capital

EAST TIMOR - DILI: Journalist intimidation continues. A London Times rescued journalist says he was close to being killed by soldiers firing very close to his ear. Meanwhile East Timorese desperate for food coming into Dili. In Darwin NZ soldiers are being prepared to come sooner rather than later, the full company will be on the ground in Darwin on Wednesday. Expected to be deployed shortly thereafter.

EAST TIMOR - DILI: Steven Parker IV: The gunfire came from an Indonesian soldier. It is too early to say whether this is an isolated incident before Indonesian forces depart, or a pattern of intimidation. Journalists make easy targets they are unarmed, the tend to roam and they are easily isolated. The media have been given strong warnings and at the hotel I am staying a platoon of soldiers have moved in. As to the Kiwi's - the rifle company will be put into an Australian battalion when they arrive and will patrol in Dili. Once the whole battalion is here it will be given a sector to control.

EAST TIMOR - PAY: Battle over poor pay paid to armed servicemen in East Timor. Aussies get $147 and tax-free $37k pay. Ours get $41 plus $31,000 taxed. Mr Bradford says the government is looking at improving the pay for soldiers.

DAVID BUTCHER FINED: Former MP David Butcher has been fined $10,000 and ordered to pay $9200 . He believes he was a victim and that the flawed system sought him out. He said he deserved the perk as it was in lieu of a pay increase. Rodney Hide says the changes proposed to the scheme are not enough. New MPs will not

NZQA: Former CEO of the NZQA received $160.000 and the minister says it is excessive.

THREE TIMES NOTHING: Police were called three times for 111 but no patrol cars were available to attend a woman as she was lunged at by her partner with a knife. She cries. The first call came at 6pm. He left. He came back. She called twice and police did not come. Labour's Phil Goff says the police minister must explain. An internal investigation has been launched. Police say they take domestic incidents seriously. 50% of homicides in 199

ANSETT STRIKE: Ansett says its pilots offer of working for free was a publicity stunt.

GAYPEC IN CAPITAL: Wellington is holding GAYPEC, a symposium supported by travel agents from all over the world to see what NZ has to offer for gay tourists. Gay tourism has the potential to be worth $150 million. The attendees are impressed - it is sort of like San Francisco they say.

© 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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