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Christine Rankin - Waitemata Health Apology - Smoking Attack No. 2 - Sierra Leone - Third Tranzrail Death - School Bus Tragedy - Abortion Protest - Paua House Death
CHRISTINE RANKIN: Christine Rankin has escaped again - but not her department. Christine Rankin released a statement this afternoon saying she will seriously consider the criticisms of her department. The Hunn report says the main problems at WINZ include poor management, inexperience and repeated mistakes. Trevor Mallard says the department has a credibility problem. Staff of WINZ says there is a lack of trust in senior management. Several recommendations made and Trevor Mallard says that something must be done. However he would not be drawn on whether he has confidence in the CEO. The government cannot say it has not got confidence as a personal grievance could earn Rankin $2 million. The government will be advancing the charter idea
WAITEMATA HEALTH APOLOGY: Waitemata health issues a review of treatment given to Malcolm Beggs and Lauchlan Jones. We cannot reveal circumstances of death due to court ruling. Waitemata Health says no single thing is responsible for the death. No disciplinary action will be taken against any individual. The parents of Malcolm Begg are not happy with this. The Minister says she is annoyed the Family can't see the whole report.
SMOKING ATTACK NO 2: A bill toughening up cigarette laws stopping smoking in school grounds will get its second reading tonight in Parliament. Some smokers have been stocking up. Some are also thinking of quitting. The new bill bans display cigarettes at point of sale. Supermarkets say it will cost lots to change cabinets. Also banned will be smoking on School grounds. The School Trustee's Association say they will not be able to enforce this.
SIERRA LEONE: British troops have been arriving in Sierra Leone armed to the teeth. There is speculation they may be preparing to assist the UN peace keepers. For UN commanders the operation has become a nightmare. There is confusion as to who to talk to. The rebel leader has disappeared. The Meanwhile the British say they are not abandoning Sierra Leone. The war traumatised people are left with little hope of a peaceful future. Rebel forces have been amputating limbs and the people are very angry. Everyone here recognises this goes beyond Sierra Leone.
TRANZRAIL DEATH: Another Tranzrail employee has been killed - this time in a shunting accident this morning in Christchurch. Tranzrail says it is worried and is promising an audit of shunting systems. It plans to work with Unions on this.
SCHOOL BUS TRAGEDY: A boy has died in a tragic accident in Auckland when his bag was caught in the door of a bus. He was dragged down the road and then run over.
ABORTION PROTEST: An antiabortion campaigner has tunnelled into an abortion institution.
PAUA HOUSE DEATH:
Bluff's Paua house is in mourning. Myrtle has died aged 89
leaving her 96 year old husband. The house has paua's all
over its wars and draws 30,000 visitors a year.
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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