Health Bulk Funding – Starving Granny – Auckland Trial – Smoking Bill – Pakistan Coup – Ethiopia – Girl Abortion –
Commerce Act – Prison Dinner – Chris Cairns
HEALTH BULK FUNDING: Some health economists are warning that some health customers could be disadvantaged by health bulk
funding. Ken Buckingham says it offers fewer financial incentives to treat subsidised patients.
STARVING GRANNY: Northland Health will hold a meeting with a family who says a doctor says they should let the gran
starve to death. They say there appears to be a breakdown in communication.
AUCKLAND TRIAL: The jury in the Teina Poura retrial has not yet returned a verdict on whether the accused killed Susan
Burdette.
SMOKING BILL: A major law change affecting the rights of smokers has passed through its first stages in Parliament. The
bill targets schools, workplaces and childcare centres and stop displays of cigarettes at checkouts.
PAKISTAN COUP: A court in Karachi will decide shortly whether Nawaz Sharif tried to kill General Pervez Musharraf by
trying to stop his plane from landing.
ETHIOPIA: A UN representative in Ethiopia says people are already dying for lack of food. The UN has appealed for
international help.
GIRL ABORTION: The Medical Association is worried the practice of aborting girl babies may have spread to NZ. Dr Pippa
McKay says that abortions on the grounds of gender are against the law.
COMMERCE ACT: Changes proposed to the Commerce Act are coming under fire from some members of the business community. A
spokesman for the Chamber of Commerce says that the changes could make companies more conservative in terms of their
innovation. Fines are increased in the changes.
PRISON DINNER: Inmates at Christchurch Women’s Prison have won the right to keep their prison kitchen open. Cooking at
the prison was going to be transferred to the men’s prison.
CHRIS CAIRNS: Chris Cairns has been named the player of the year and has won trophies for batting and bowling. Cairn’s
has also been named by Wisden as one of its five players of the year and is now topping the all-rounder rankings.