Green GE Moratoriam - Burdett Retrial - Panda Escapes - Tube Denied - Gp Bulk Funding - TVNZ Criticism - 111 Emergency -
Pakistan Ruling - Bias Rejected - Sheep Muscles - Train Derails - Nurse Shortage - Sticker Campaign - Rower’s Next
Attempt
GREEN GE MORATORIAM: The Green Party is putting up it’s own legislation to try and force a moratorium on new genetic
engineering field trials until the Royal Commission on genetic engineering has reported. The Greens co-leader Jeannette
Fitzsimmons says they are resorting to a Members Bill because the government has failed to address the issue.
BURDETT RETRIAL: The jury is still deliberating in the re-trial of Teina Poura who was accused of the rape and murder of
Susan Burdett 8 years ago.
PANDA ESCAPES: Auckland Zoo is in search of it’s smallest and youngest red panda who has escaped. The small shy animal
is believed to be hiding up a tree somewhere.
TUBE DENIED: Northland health says it would never deny a woman the option of a gastrostomy simply because the woman had
dementia.
GP BULK FUNDING: Doctors say bulk funding of GPs will be an improvement on the current system, saying as long as there
are checks disadvantaged patients would not miss out.
TVNZ CRITICISM: The State Owned Broadcaster TVNZ has come in for fresh critcism from the Government – this time the
commerce select committee has told the broadcaster that news readers salaries were excessive and innapropriate. The
committee recommends a further “clean-up”
111 EMERGENCY: The emergency 111 line has crashed in parts of Otago and emergency services say they have no idea how
long the faults will take to fix.
PAKISTAN RULING: A Pakistan court will report on whether the former Prime Minister tried to kill the General who deposed
him in a military coup. If found guilty the former PM would be executed. In Pakistan opinions are divided on his guilt.
SHEEP MUSCLES: The researches proposing to modify a sheep gene to grow bigger muscles, say their proposal would have
wide ranging benefits on understanding muscle development in humans.
TRAIN DERAILS: A freight train has derailed in South Auckland blocking both lines in the city. There have been no
injuries but the accident has caused widespread delays.
BIAS REJECTED: The Casino control Authority says it completely rejects allegations of bias on two members made by
residents opposed to a casino development in Hamilton.
NURSE SHORTAGE: Texas hospital staff who are coming to New Zealand to recruit nurses say they are not getting much
response even though salaries of up to NZ$90,000 are offered. The reason seems to be a combination of high cost of
living in Texas, long registration waits in the US and a shortage of qualified nurses in NZ.
STICKER CAMPAIGN: The Police Minister is expected to rule on the legality of a car sticker campaign which targets under
25 drivers. The scheme has had two complaints to the human rights act saying it discriminated against young people.
ROWER’S NEXT ATTEMPT: The French solo rower who abandoned his trip from New Zealand to South America this week is
already planning another attempt.