National Radio Midday Bullletin

Japan Avalanche - Marine Bill - Acc Changes - America’s Cup - Maori Voting - Online Elections - Tuvaluen Pm- Student Loans - China And Taiwan - Waikato River Murder – Prison Food Hundervasser Dead

JAPAN AVALANCHE: The company New Zealand Insurance has clarified it was not told by any Japanese authority that it required insurance before it would search for three New Zealanders buried in a Japanese avalanche.

MARINE BILL - Labour’s Maori MPs want treaty considerations added to the bill creating a marine park near Auckland.

ACC CHANGES The Minister in charge of the Accident Compensation Corporation, Michael Cullen has confirmed he would make some changes to allow the self employed to nominate how much they should pay in premiums instead of it being calculated on the previous months pay.

AMERICA’S CUP: Team New Zealand has left the America’s Cup Village this morning amid much celebration to start the second America’s Cup race today

MAORI VOTING: An outspoken Maori MP and a former Maori MP are calling for changes in the way voters on the Maori electoral role are treated when they go to vote.

ONLINE ELECTIONS: The Internet Society of companies say the technology is already available to vote in elections through the internet but security and transfer of the data are major considerations.

TUVALUEN PM: The Tuvaluen Prime Minister is meeting the Prime Minister Helen Clark to discuss solutions to the number of Tuvaluen overstayers in New Zealand after she initially said she was too busy to meet him.

STUDENT LOANS: Students affected by loans processing delays will be able to get an emergency grant says Tertiary Education Minister Steve Maharey.

CHINA AND TAIWAN: China has hardened its reunification policy on Taiwan, warning the island that it will go to war if Taiwan does not enter negotiations to peaceful reunification.

WAIKATO RIVER MURDER: Police in Hamilton say it may be a number of weeks before tests say how a man who have been found in the Waikato River died. Police have ruled out the possibiility of suicide or accidental death and have put 20 staff on a homicide inquiry.

PRISON FOOD: The manager of Christchurch Womens prison is treating seriously the concerns of inmates upset about the planned closure of their kitchen. Some inmates had gone on hunger strikes because of the change.

HUNDERVASSER DEAD: Renowned Austrian painter and architect “Fredrick” Hundervasser who made a temporary home in New Zealand in the 1970s died en-route to Europe from New Zealand today.

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