Sydney Train Smash - Interest Rates Rise - Coalition Negs - Battle Of Seattle - Lockwood Smith's View - Stolen House -Cheap Petrol - Wellington Not Windy Enough Says Boffin

SYDNEY TRAIN SMASH: At least five dead in Rail Crash in Sydney. Glenbrook accident at 8.30am this morning. NZ passenger in the train with 1000 people says he is all right. Huge emergency operation swung into action. 1000 passengers including lots of school children were on the packed commuter train which smashed into the back of the Indian Pacific. The Indian Pacific had stopped at a red light. The train driver ran back when he knew he was going to smash and warned passengers.

INTEREST RATES RISE: First Post Election dampener for incoming government ASB bank has lifted its floating rate.

COALITION: Coalition negotiations complete - the agreement is in a remarkably short statement. Helen Clark raises a flag of red socks. Asked how long the document was… which is still secret… Clark joked that it would spill onto two pages depending on how it was spaced. Anderton says it is essentially an agreement on process - on how to disagree. Anderton says he is committed to making it work for the sake of MMP.

COALITION: Jane Young Live: A lot of preliminary work has already been done and it is clear that if the Greens do get in - that Labour and the Alliance want to work in a minority coalition government. This allows them to disagree and sets the rules.

BATTLE OF SEATTLE: WTO City - Seattle - is under curfew again tonight. Hundreds of protestors arrested in one hour this morning. Four times as many police on the streets. One protestor says to protestors that this is their Tienamen Square . City remained tense during day. President said he welcomed peaceful - non-violent protest. Clinton arrived in the pre-dawn darkness - massive police presence outside his hotel. Tonight more tear gas on the streets as police drive back protestors.

WTO - LOCKWOOD: Lockwood Smith I/V: He had been gassed himself trying to get into a hotel. "At last years second ministerial in Geneva there were also protests. One or two of my meetings were delayed but the work has been going on and if anything it has made people more eager to make progress. There are some genuine protestors here - but there are some that are not . I think we - the delegates - would all like the protestors to understand what we are doing, and to know more about what they are thinking. Today the protestors have been kept further away and things have flowed more smoothly."

STOLEN HOUSE: Pictures of the stolen house which has been taken away in the far north. The owner of the house - which was chainsawed in half and then taken to a secret location by the Housing Corporation - is pictured attacking the truck rig. He was arrested.

VERY CHEAP PETROL: Gull service station opens in Mt Maunganui New Australian owned petrol station opens with 80.9 cents petrol. Cut throat battle developed quickly within a kms radius. Caltex station manager says he hopes it won't cost kiwi jobs. Motorists are pleased.

WELLINGTON NOT WINDY ENOUGH: Wellington City now has a calm air problem according to central city study - which shows air quality is poor on calm days. Masterton also has a problem a report says. Wellington isn't watching closely however and has only one testing device to Christchurch's six.

© 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.

CONTACT ALASTAIR THOMPSON

• Mobile - 021707044
• Twitter - @althecat
• Google+

• Linkedin
• Facebook
• Email - alastair@scoop.co.nz