TV3 News

Friday, 19 May 2000, 6:18 pm
Article: Alastair Thompson

Fiji Coup - Americas Cup Boat Jumpers - Police Attacked - Dollar Slipping - Truck Death Verdict - Soccer Riots - Rich List

FIJI COUP: Opponents of the Fiji Government are holding the Fijian government hostage in Parliament. The man who staged the last coup Sitiveni Rambuka is also involved. Rambuka has been in discussions with the Head of State. Quote from George Speight the coup leader in a radio broadcast made in Fiji. Speight says he is talking on behalf of the indigenous people of Fiji. Contact with Fiji has been difficult. First hand account of the coup picked up by Fijians on the radio in Auckland. The PM says that it is too early to consider the use of NZ troops. Phil Goff describes the actions as unconstitutional and illegal. The Race Relations Conciliator says he is worried. Foreign Affairs say they do not know what role Rambuka is playing in this coup. The issues are very similar to the issues that gave rise to the last coup. It is being put down to political mismanagement by the Choudry government.

AMERICAS CUP: Russell Coutts and Brad Butterworth jump ship from Team New Zealand. They say they are leaving because of problems within the Team NZ camp. Butterworth says it is with sadness that he makes the decision. He and Coutts say they resign because they couldn't work within the current set up of the trust. Neither are saying where they are going. One of the spinnaker designers has also quit to join an American syndicate. Dean Barker says it is a big shock. Team NZ will be sending out crew contracts next week.

POLICE ATTACKED: Two police officers attacked just north of Wellington today after stopping a car suspected of being involved in an armed robbery.

DOLLAR SLIPPING: The TWI has fallen to an all time low. Exporters and importers are both worried. Exporters are happy with the short term gains but what one wants is stability. The dollar dropped below 45 cents US over night. The TWI has fallen to 51.8 a record low. Car dealers say they would love to pass on the increased costs of imported cars but say a slow market will stop them in the short term. The currency meltdown hasn't stopped money being given to Graham Dingle's Project K. The Finance Minister is also under increased pressure as accusations fly that he has been talking the dollar down.

TRUCK DEATH VERDICT: A Rotorua Truck Driver has been convicted in relation to the deaths of four people in an accident.

SOCCER RIOTS: More soccer hooliganism in Denmark today. Turks and British fans clash again in the streets. The head of security for Euro 2000 says he expects more violence at the European Championship.

RICH LIST: The collective net worth of those on the NBR's rich list exceeds $10 billion. Graeme Hunt says the rich are getting richer. Over 12 years most of those on the top are still on the top. Douglas Meyers tops the list on $545 million. Graeme Hunt says that the days of the instant dot.com millionaires have gone. A spa-pool millionaire says it is about hard work and a good product at a good price. Peter Jackson says his film has proved that films can bring money to NZ.

© 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.

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