National Radio Midday Bulletin

TRANZ RAIL: The Transport Accident Investigation Commission is organising Tranz Rail to improve its monitoring of lines after a Johnsonville derailment last year. The Board said Tranz Rail’s safety inspections were inadequate.

RAIL: Australian Rail has defended a switch signalling system after a commuter train crash killed five people just out of Sydney yesterday.

PROTESTERS: Hundreds of protesters have marched through Seattle in protest of the WTO while US President Bill Clinton signed a treaty against child labour exploitation.

CABINET: The cabinet line-up should be known later today after a Labour caucus meeting. Helen Clark has been called by Bill Clinton with congratulations.

ANDERTON: Deputy PM elect Jim Anderton arrived in Central Otago to see first hand the damage caused by flooding today. He has talked with families and is touring the CBD.

OIL SPILL: Three boat loads of conservation workers have gone to Poor Knights Island to rescue birds after an oil spill in the area. Damage to birds appears to be slight.

MASSEY: Massey University students will find out how much their fees will be this afternoon. It is the last university to set fees.

NORTHERN IRELAND: Northern Ireland has had a day of remarkable constitutional change with the IRA representative go between being appointed, though who it is is not yet known.

GAS EXPLOSION: A gas explosion in an Austrian apartment building has killed at least one person and injured more.

PREDATOR: A Porirua man, Dean Hirokoi, has been sentenced to 12 years preventative detention and a 14 year old boy sentenced to seven years after they raped a Wellington woman.

MEDICAL DUMP: The Auckland City Council has decided to help clean up three house sites after it was revealed they are built on a medical dump site littered with syringes and glass.

VIRUS: A sophisticated computer virus – the worm – has hit a Wellington computer firm. The virus deletes hard drive content.

ELLIS: The lawyer representing Peter Ellis says he will not be appearing before a parole board as to do so would admit his guilt.

FINE: An Auckland firm has been fined $6000 for making dangerous baby rattles.

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