TV3 News

Wednesday, 11 October 2000, 6:34 pm
Article: Alastair Thompson

Dawn Raids – Super – MMP Referendum Bill – Floods – Fiji Coup – Peace Hope – Nobel Prize For Kiwi –Ballet Bustup

DAWN RAIDS: Minister of Immigration today attacked her own department. She has ordered people not to visit people till 7am. A wearied family return today after being wrongly deported. The family was taken to the airport shortly after 6am this morning. They went to Malaysia and then came back after a mistake was found - they had in fact lodged an appeal. Lianne Dalziel says that her service let her and the country down be lying to her about when the family was raided, and by going to their house too early in the morning. Lawyer Gene Leckey says it is not fair to blame the staff and that Dalziel sould take the rap.

SUPER: NZ First has confirmed it will support Michael Cullen’s super scheme. It is about as close as you can get to a love-fest in Parliament with no one wanting to bag the scheme too much. Cullen knows he has the numbers to proceed – on one condition – that it can be converted into an account based system in the future. Winston Peters says NZ First supports savings – not Labour. The Greens and ACT have more questions. National's big concern is what if there are no surpluses. Cullen is relying on future support from the public to stop the fund being raided. They have talked about entrenched legislation. The PM is not too keen on this. They have done a deal with the Alliance that putting away money will not take precedence over Health and Education. National is over a barrel on this one. If there is public support for the scheme then National may in the future have to sign up to it. So they don’t want to bag it too much at the moment. Lots of political ballet coming up.

MMP REFERENDUM BILL: Jenny Shipley has lodged a private members bill calling for a referendum on MMP.

FLOODS: Stop banks were being watched in the Wairarapa today after floods damaged the Pahiatua- Eketahuna bridge. Farmers say they accept these sorts of things happening from time to time. The biggest flood in living memory according to some locals. While sun doesn’t shine only the calves are being being pampered in the shed.s. Clean up is beginning.

FIJI COUP: George Speight and 15 of his supporters were formally charged with Treason today.

PEACE HOPE: Tension in the Middle East is easing. After meeting with Kofi Annan Ehud Barak has said he is prepared tol be patient. Tension is growing at night however after a lull in hostilities today.

NOBEL PRIZE FOR KIWI: A Kiwi who went to Hutt Valley High School has Won a Nobel Chemistry Prize. He is now working in the US.

BALLET BUSTUP: Ballet lessons can contribute to eating disorders and dirty tricks according to a survey conducted by a ballet teacher. Her solution, get rid of the exam and competition element. Other ballet teachers say it is not like that at all and are planning to have a meeting to see what can be done about the bad publicity.

© 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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