Australian Welfare – Health Changes – Mozambique Floods – School Trips - Chechnya – Sinn Fein – Post Mortems – Tourism
– Americas Cup
AUSTRALIAN WELFARE: Prime Minister Helen Clark says that we should consider whether or not we want a welfare agreement
with Australia for Kiwis who cross the Tasman to collect the dole. She says it is swings and roundabouts with Australia
getting lots of skilled
HEALTH CHANGES: Health Minister Annette King says the timetable for changes in the health sector is ambitious but can be
met.. She says she appreciates Treasury criticisms but says the changes will help.
MOZAMBIQUE FLOODS: In Mozambique rescuers are rescuing thousands of people flooded out of their homes. People are being
rescued out of trees and off roof-tops. Many people who had already been evacuated have had to be evacuated again.
SCHOOL TRIPS: The head of the ERO says that parents supervising on school trips should know what their responsibilities
are.
CHECHNYA: Despite having surrounded a Chechen town completely the Russian army is conceding that the fortifications may
mean it is some time before they take it. Russian units are said to have foiled several mass escape attempts by 2500
Chechen rebels in the town.
SINN FEIN: Sinn Fein says that Northern Ireland’s Good Friday Agreement is in tatters at Sinn Fein
POST MORTEMS: A group has been set up in Rotorua to promote better cultural understanding in post mortems.
TOURISM: More tourists are coming to New Zealand and spending more. Tourist numbers are up 8% and their spending is up
18.5%.
AMERICAS CUP: More than 135,000 people visited the Americas Cup village over the weekend. If the winds are blowing and
NZ wins the next two races the racing will end on Thursday. Cup Village businesses would like the cup to last till next
weekend. Long range forecasts not good for racing on Tuesday.