TV3 news

Tuesday, 22 June 1999, 6:19 pm
Article: Alastair Thompson

1. PYLON SABOTAGE: Helicopter crash in South Island believed to be deliberate. Civil Aviation believes a ball bearing was fired at his tail rotor. The helicopter was on an inspection mission checking for sabotage of the main electricity transmission link to the North Island. Transpower was today keeping tightlipped on the crash and the sabotage. This afternoon a Methven man has been arrested and charged with damaging pylons.

2. BOAT FOUND: Wreckage of missing boat found in Southern Seas. Rescue boat is on way to Antipodes Island. Missing yachtie was an environmentalist. Wife of missing Yachtie remains confident her husband is alive.

3. HAWKESBY: PM left eating her words after alleging John Hawkesby received $1 million payment from TVNZ last night on TV. Jane Young: PM's call for transparency from TVNZ will have public appeal. Allegations made on TV last night. Today the PM admitted she was wrong and that Hawkesby remains in negotiations. However she is far from repentant. "Any settlements using public money are matters of public interest," she says. Former TVNZ newsreader John Hawkesby says he is giving the PM the courtesy of waiting for an explanation. Lockwood Smith also dealing with payouts - made by the Tourism Board.

4. HAWKESBY: Jane Young Live: The government is clearly under pressure on these issues. It looked bad for the PM to turn on the media in this case. It would be extraordinary if she did not apologise to John Hawkesby.

5. LICENSE FEE U-TURN: The government did a U-turn on driver licenses as predicted by TV3 yesterday night. Bus drivers are the biggest winners. The decision to make bus drivers pay up front for five years was opposed by many drivers. One year licenses will cost $58 + police vetting $28. The new prices are welcomed by drivers. Williamson had little choice but to back down.

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6. KOSOVO: Two NATO troops killed in Kosovo. Believed to have been killed by an unexploded NATO cluster bomb. At the site Ghurka troops are continuing to deal with unexploded NATO munitions. NATO made brutally aware that their success has come at a price.

7. EAST TIMOR: NZ is to send a small team to observe the East Timor elections. The group is in addition to an unarmed military group which arrived in Dili today.

8. ROYAL WEDDING: Royal wedding pictures doctored to make Prince William look more cheerful royal photographer admits. Other photographers do not think it is a big deal. "Just adding something". Another secret: tall royals in official picture are standing on telephone directories.

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.

Contact Alastair Thompson

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