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National Radio Midday Bulletin
Rodney Council – Kaitaia Forestry – Wairarapa Polytech – Super Fund – Councils And Young People – Israel – Super Tuesday – Mozambique – Maori Housing – SAS Rescue – Lisa Blakie – Tax Returns – Bio-diversity Report
RODNEY COUNCIL: Rodney District Councillors have been meeting today following an inquiries recommendation that the council be dismissed and replaced with a commissioner. Mayor rejects criticism of his leadership as week. Councillor Ross Meurant has welcomed the review and says he would like to see the council work through its problems.
KAITAIA FORESTRY EXPANSION: Japanese Juken Nisshu forestry giant is planning to build a second veneer plant in Kaitaia with 60 new jobs for local people. Production is expected to start early next year.
WAIRARAPA POLYTECH: Tertiary Education Minister Steve Maharey has announced a $1 million bailout for the Wairarapa polytechnic. The loan has strings attached and a plan to help the polytechnic is underway.
SUPER FUND: The former head of the Super Task Force Jeff Todd says it will be a tragedy if the Government pushes ahead with its plans for a Super Fund without obtaining wider political support and consensus. NZ First is behind the scheme proposed by Labour.
COUNCILS AND YOUNG PEOPLE: Christchurch Mayor has told a “Cities Of Tomorrow” conference that local authorities have to have more regard to the impact their decisions have on young people.
ISRAEL: Israel and Palestine are to resume face to face negotiations in Washington later this month. The announcement was made by US mediator Dennis Ross. May has been set as a deadline to find a “blueprint” for a peace deal.
SUPER TUESDAY: The day after Super Tuesday Senator Bill Bradley has all but said he will abandon his bid for the Democratic nomination to the presidency. John McCain is st
MOZAMBIQUE: The US has given an extra $5 million to help with demining in Mozambique. Floods are thought to have undone much of the work done to map minefields in the country which has around half a million unexploded mines.
MAORI HOUSING: Maori say housing policies need to be revamped to address Maori concerns. An Iwi authority says there is not enough support for low income Maori.
SAS RESCUE: The Minister of Foreign Affairs wants to know if former SAS members broke the law when they rescued an Indonesian businessman from kidnappers in East Timor. The businessman is now hidden in South Auckland.
LISA BLAKIE: Police say they are talking to witnesses who have confirmed that Lisa Blakie was travelling in a brown saloon car before she was murdered.
TAX RETURNS: IRD tax returns will become a thing of the past for three quarters of wage and salary earners following the introduction of new rules.
BIODIVERSITY: A report on bio-diversity on private land has recommended an accord may be the best way to achieve private land owners assistance in enhancing bio-diversity. Minister Marion Hobbs says it is not Government policy.
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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