National Radio Midday Report

Wrongly Convicted – Goff In Fiji – Fiji Ad Campaign – East Timor – Disgruntled Soldiers – Murder Trial – Abuse Reporting – Immigration Consultants – Home Care – Serbs Escape – Democracy Leader Detained – Soldiers To Sierra Leone – Israeli Government – Gun Play

- WRONGLY CONVICTED: The man who was wrongfully convicted of the child abuse of his son and spent 14 months in prison, said he was treated like scum in prison. He said he survived in prison by standing his ground. He was awarded $500,000 compensation after his son retracted his accusation.

- GOFF IN FIJI: Foreign Minister Phil Goff has said to it would not be acceptable for George Speight to not be tried on treason charges. Mr Goff is refusing to travel to the capital, Suva, and will meet the Fijian Foreign Minister in Naadi.

- FIJI AD CAMPAIGN: Phil Goff has also criticised a new television advertising campaign encouraging tourists to travel to Fiji, saying the advertisements were tasteless and inaccurate.

- EAST TIMOR: Pressure on the Government to keep troops in East Timor beyond March, when troops are set to withdraw, is growing.

- DISGRUNTLED SOLDIERS: Defence Minister Mark Burton has said steps have already been taken to improve conditions for New Zealand troops in East Timor. The Dominion reported that New Zealand solders are threatening to resign and join the better paid Australian army.

- MURDER TRIAL: A Bay Of Plenty man goes on trial today, accused of killing a man who stumbled on his cannabis plot. Brendan McDonald has pleaded not guilty to the murder charge.

- ABUSE REPORTING: Other Government agencies may follow ACC’s lead in obliging staff to identify children at risk of child abuse.
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- IMMIGRATION CONSULTANTS: The Association of Citizens Advice Bureaus want the Government to deal with immigration consultants they say are taking advantage of vulnerable immigrants. The Bureau says its volunteers are having to deal with problems resulting from bad advice from consultants.

- HOME CARE: Home care services for the sick and disabled are struggling with soaring petrol prices. Workers are resigning because they are paid little and are not reimbursed for fuel costs.

- SERBS ESCAPE: The United Nations in Kosovo is investigating how 13 Serbs accused of murder and Genocide escaped from a UN detention centre.

- DEMOCRACY LEADER DETAINED: Diplomats in Burma have confirmed that the leader of National league for Democracy is being detained in her home.

- SOLDIERS TO SIERRA LEONE: Britain is preparing to more than treble it’s military presence in Sierra Leone, as the negotiations for six British soldiers held by rebels stretches into a second week.

- ISRAELI GOVERNMENT: The Israeli Government announced it will abolish its Religious Affairs Department. It was part of a move to reduce the influence of religious Jews.

- GUN PLAY: A Nelson kindergarten is taking novel approach to children playing with toy guns, allowing gun play in certain circumstances, if the children apply for a licence. The kindergarten says the system allows teachers to teach the proper and safe use of guns.

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