Peter Ellis – Polluter Pays – NZ First On Super – Labour’s Green Agenda – Timberlands – Christian Heritage – Pakistan Coup – Smoking – CTBT – Maori Radio – Youth Justice – Verdict – West Coast Slip - Prostitution

PETER ELLIS: The court of appeal has dismissed the second appeal of convicted sex offender Peter Ellis. Ellis is due for release in February next year after serving 10 years. The five judges said there was no substantive new evidence and that there had been no miscarriage of justice. The lawyer says the fight will go on - “The files are still open. The truth is out there.” Ellis’s mother says she feels angry and frustrated.

POLLUTER PAYS: The Government has announced a new polluter pays policy for cleaning up toxic waste sites. The government has put up $2.6 million for rehabilitation mainly at Mapua to start with. Mr Upton says there are lots of toxic sites to deal with and the government proposes to amend the RMA.

NZ FIRST ON SUPER: Plans for a two-tier super-fund released by NZ First’s Winston Peters. NZ First is promising to lift pensions to 67% of the average wage.

LABOUR’S GREEN AGENDA: Tight fiscal situation means that Labour says it can only spend $65 million on its Green Agenda announced today . Green issues will be central not fringe to a Labour Government Labour Leader Helen Clark said launching the policy.

TIMBERLANDS: Timberlands is signing contracts for the sale of beech wood on the West Coast for the next eight years. The Labour Party says it will not honour Timberlands contracts.

CHRISTIAN HERITAGE: Former broadcaster Phillip Sherry will stand for the Christian Heritage Party at No. 2 on the list.

PAKISTAN COUP: The army has not yet announced its post-coup policy. There have been no public demonstrations either against the military or in support of Nawaz Sharif.

SMOKING: US President Clinton has welcomed an admission from Phillip Morris that smoking is harmful to health. Morris now says there is no such thing as a safe cigarette.

CTBT: The US Senate has just voted to reject the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty.

MAORI RADIO: Maori are waiting for negotiations with the government on the allocation of radio frequency.

YOUTH JUSTICE: Roger Sowry has opened a youth justice facility in Palmerston North. The center will keep 30 young people in a secure environment. It has a

VERDICT: High Court verdict in knife attack on a girl and her elderly neighbour who came to her assistance. Guilty of several charges including one of attempted murder of the elderly neighbour.

WEST COAST SLIP: Assessments underway at the site of the massive landslip on the West Coast to see what the long term future of the slip site will be.

PROSTITUTION: Council considering moving on prostitutes in a residential area in Manakau, Auckland.. Councillor wants to find somewhere else for them to solicit.

© 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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