Pakistan Coup – Spectrum Auction – Mortgage Rates Rise – Susan Burdette Murder – Stagecoach Strike – Kiwis Hatch

PAKISTAN COUP: Minister of Foreign Affairs Don McKinnon says the Commonwealth will have the opportunity to exert a positive influence over Pakistan’s future. A delegation is to be sent by CMAG to Pakistan.

SPECTRUM AUCTION: The communications minister is rejecting claims that the government is being reckless in auctioning spectrum before the election. Paul Swain says Labour supports the auction but is concerned about commerce issues.

MORTGAGE RATES RISE: The BNZ has raised its floating mortgage rate to 6.75%. The cause of the increase has been the falling NZ dollar. The BNZ is anticipating a rise in the Reserve Bank cash rate shortly. The NZ Dollar is now buying 50.8 US cents.

SUSAN BURDETTE: The lawyer for convicted murderer Teina Poura, who has been granted a new trial by the Court of Appeal for the murder of Susan Burdette, is seeking to have him released on bail before his new trial.

STAGECOACH STRIKE: More bus disruption in Auckland with another Stagecoach strike this morning.

KIWIS HATCH: Four Kiwis have been hatched at a bird recovery centre in Whangarei. The Kiwi eggs were brought in by the public. The hatcher now wants money to feed the Kiwis.

© 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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