TV3 News

Wednesday, 20 September 2000, 6:21 pm
Article: Alastair Thompson

Olympics: Bob McNeil Live – Waitara Race Relations Report – Rest-Home Murder - Lundy Murders – Waitakere Murder – Economy – Nurses Strike – Olympic Ticket Touts

OLYMPICS: More disappointment in the NZ Olympic Camp with the withdrawal of sprinter Chris Donaldson from the 100m. Equestrians are doing better. NZ Women’s Softball have one again. Bulgarian weight-lifter has lost his medal following a positive drug test.

BOB MCNEIL LIVE: Donaldson’s injury is in his Achiles tendon. He says he will be waiting and running in the 200m. Maurice Green the fastest man in the world is intent on winning the 100m anyway. Mark Todd and Blyth Tait are place 4th and 7th at present. Sailors have been doing well today. Soling crew is second overall. Board sailors also doing well. Stronger winds have helped NZ sailors.

WAITARA REPORT: Race Relations Conciliator has found evidence of institutionalised racism in Taranaki. Dr Rajan Prasad’s report is called “Relationships in Taranaki”. Prasad says the death of Stephen Wallace has left a daunting task that is not yet completed. Prasad said the killing wasn’t racial but that it was a catalyst for grievances. The Police are welcoming comments from Prasad that the issue is a wider problem than just in the police. Maori make up 38% of Waitara population but 49% of the unemployed in the town. Prasad has made a series of recommendations.

REST-HOME MURDER: A Christchurch rest-home patient charged with murder has appeared at a special court being held in the hospital. The patient appeared to be asleep for much of the time. He was holding a doll. The patients name, sex and age have been suppressed. The families of both the victim and the accused would prefer charges had not been laid.

LUNDY MURDERS: Police are searching for a jewelry box missing from the house of a double murder of a mother and daughter. The box has a picture of a clown on it.

WAITAKERE MURDER: A police investigation in Auckland is being hampered because police do not know who the person is that has been found murdered in the Waitakere Ranges.

ECONOMY: The Government has rejected suggestions from an economist that its policies are driving down house values and driving NZers offshore. The economist is from ABN Ambro and says outgoing emigration is going to cause more house price deflation. Alliance Leader Jim Anderton says he understands why NZers are leaving. Trevor Mallard however says the ABN Ambro report is a “shocker”.

NURSES STRIKE: Wellington nurses have given 12 days notice of a strike at Capital Coast Health. A 5% pay increase has been offered but the nurses want 7%, the same increase given earlier to their ICU colleagues. Annette King told nurses across town at a conference that the hospital has the money to pay more.

TICKET TOUTS: Olympic ticket touts are scalping tickets sold on the black market by countries who were given them by the organisers. Some scalpers are now having tickets confiscated and one irregular ticket retail outlet has been shut down. A tourist who bought tickets to the volleyball is pleased however – they are, “dodgy guys in a nice way”, he says.

© 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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