National Radio Midday Bulletin

Cervical Cancer Inquiry - Health Changes - Stv Voting System - Nurse Shortage Heat - Ctu & Cost Of Living - Travel Company Collapses - Fiji Union Strike - Transrail Safety - Goldie Painting Stolen - - Homicide Inquiry Search - Soldier Sentenced - Pinochet Decision Due

CERVICAL CANCER INQUIRY: New cases have been revealed of a further 61 Gisborne woman who have developed cervical cancer since 1990. The new figures have come while the inquiry decides whether to make confidential details about patients public to aid studies into cervical screening.

- HEALTH CHANGES: The Health Minister has ditched a $12 million restructuring plan in favour of a slow progression to administration by District Health Boards. National has criticized the move saying it will result in inefficiencies and mismanagement.

- STV VOTING SYSTEM: The new health boards will be elected by an STV system, which more easily allows minorities representation. Green Party co-leader Rod Donald has welcomed the Government’s support for his legislation.

- NURSE SHORTAGE HEAT: Opposition MPs have put the heat on Annette King on the shortage of qualified intensive care nurses in hospitals.

- CTU & COST OF LIVING: The Council of Trade Unions says it would be unrealistic for the Reserve Bank to expect wage earners to absorb the rising cost of living. Reserve Bank Governor Don Brash has said he would not increase interest rates if unions did not put upward pressure on wages .

- TRAVEL COMPANY COLLAPSES: The travel industry has come to the aid of consumers affected by the collapse of a travel insurance company.

- FIJI UNION STRIKE: The strike called by the Fiji Trade Union Congress is receiving little support from workers, some of whom who have been told they would receive disciplinary action if they stopped work.

- TRANSRAIL SAFETY: Transrail has told an inquiry into the company’s safety that it is sorry for the deaths of employees from accidents on the job and that it will ensure safety standards will be upgraded.

- GOLDIE PAINTING STOLEN: The Auckland Museum is make an internal review of its security following the theft of a C.F. Goldie painting from the premises yesterday.

- HOMICIDE INQUIRY SEARCH: Auckland police are now searching in a local range for any new details regarding a missing persons case four years ago, which they have since upgraded into a homicide.

- CARTERTON TODDLER KILLED: Masterton police say they have narrowed their lists of suspects in the case of the killing of a Carterton toddler but say their inquiries have been hampered by some members of the family refusing to talk to them.

- SOLDIER SENTENCED: A military court has sentenced an American soldier to life in prison without parole for sodomising and murdering a 12-year-old-girl while serving in Kosovo.

- PINOCHET DECISION DUE: The Chilean Supreme Court will give its ruling next week on whether General Augusto Pinochet will be stripped of his immunity from prosecution for human rights abuses in his term as Chile’s president.

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