TV3 News

Car Scam – School Prepares To Heal – Sydney Carjacking – Maori Report Stoush – GE Cancer Chickens – Sniffing Stowaways – Tourism Bonanza – NZ’s 5th Casino Opens

CAR SCAM: Police are cracking down on cars that have been registered illegally. Four people have been arrested and 15 cars de-registered. 45 cars have been seized or searched. Most of the cars are Subarus and some have been illegally imported and may be stolen. A spare parts dealer wants a judge to intervene. The Independent Car Dealers spokesman says it is unfair. The LTSA says it has sympathy for innocent victims, but says some people ought to be careful who they buy cars from. The police can’t discuss the case but do say it is getting bigger all the time.

SCHOOL PREPARES TO HEAL: While most schools are being wound down a school on the North Shore in Auckland involved in a sexual assault case is preparing for intensive counseling of pupils over the holiday break. An 0800 help-line will be open 24 hours a day. Most of the pupils are boarders and the school is anxious that counseling will be available for pupils once they return home.

SYDNEY CARJACKING: In Sydney the mother of a child abducted in a car-jacking who died says she left her car for only a minute to buy some noodles when she lost her son. The mother is interviewed in a distraught state. The family were angry that no helicopter was used in the search for the car. No arrests have been made yet.

MAORI REPORT STOUSH: A sitting of the Maori Affairs Select Committee erupted into chaos today when a report from Simon Chapple on Closing the Gaps was being examined. An economist criticised the report, attracting criticism himself from ACT’s Richard Prebble For some weeks opposition MPs have been trying to nail the government on its Closing the Gaps policy. It is clear Opposition MPs see a potential bonanza in this policy.

GE CANCER CHICKENS: The team of scientists who created Dolly the cloned sheep have developed new chickens that make eggs rich in a protein like drug which can be used in cancer. The scientists say it will make it much cheaper to make the drugs. The scientists haven’t yet inserted the gene that will make the chicken drug makers work.

SNIFFING STOWAWAYS: A new crackdown on illegal immigrants by a ferry company has made an immediate impact catching several Iraqi stowaways. The P&O ferry company are using high tech sniffing devices to find stowaways.

TOURISM BONANZA: A new tourism report is predicting a massive influx of tourists over the next six years.

5th CASINO: NZ’s fifth Casino opens in Queenstown tonight. The second Casino in Queenstown has been opposed by many residents. Sky Alpine will compete with the Wharf Casino. The Casino Control Authority is not sure the town can support two Casinos. Work on a Hamilton Casino has been halted after a court case earlier this year.

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