Clark Impersonation Row - Timberlands - Toxic Waste - Phillip Sherry - Peter Ellis - Rugby Death - Ansett Strike Over - Jon Benet Killing

CLARK IMPERSONATION ROW: A secret weapon has blown up in the Nats face. A plan to use actress Lorae Parry to do a series of political ads impersonating Helen Clark fell over because Parry said no. Labour is outraged . Lorae Parry won't say why. The National Party President denies it is a dirty trick it is just an idea. National says the ads won't breach any standards. Steven Parker Live: A sign the campaign is going to be personal and negative. It gives a taste of things to come. We are in the phony war stage of the campaign at present. National and Labour are launching on October 31. Labour has a bus.

TIMBERLANDS: Timberlands signed a deal to sell native timber days before Labour announced their policy against sustainable logging on the West Coast. The Labour Party says that the contracts are underhand. Tony Ryall says they aren't and that the government didn't know about them until they were signed. The latest developments are not helping Labour's election chances on the coast.

TOXIC WASTE: The Resource Management Act is to be changed to make polluters pay for toxic waste sites.

PHILLIP SHERRY: A former lion of Broadcasting Phillip Sherry has been named as No. 2 in the Christian Heritage Party list.

PETER ELLIS: Supporters of convicted child sex-offender Peter Ellis are now calling for a Commission of Inquiry following the Appeal Court's decision to reject a second appeal into the case. The judges said that some issues might be better covered by a Commision of Inquiry. Justice Minister says he won't be rushed. Ellis is due for release in February next year. Ellis was disappointed and angered by today's decision.

RUGBY DEATH: An Auckland Jury took two hours to find a father not guilty of murder but guilty of the manslaughter of his child, who he threw across the room during a televised rugby match. The father was angered by his child's crying during the NPC match.

ANSETT STRIKE OVER: Ansett has just announced that its dispute with its pilots is over.

JON BENET: No charges will be laid in the mysterious case of the death of child beauty star Jon Benet. The parents have always been the target of intense media and police interest. Prosecutors say the case will stay open.

© 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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