Common Currency – NZ Dollar – Dash-8 Crash – Baby Dies – PM Criticises France – Millennium Summit – Fiji Sanctions –
Orange Roughy – AMP Moves Services – Bush Slipping – Prisoner Escapes – Weight Lifter Snapped – Hillary Commission
Campaign
- COMMON CURRENCY: The Prime Minister is under fire for her comments supporting investigating a common currency with
Australia. National has accused the PM of doing nothing to restore confidence in NZ dollar with her comments. Bill
English said now is not the time to debate the issue.
- NZ DOLLAR: The NZ dollar has settled at US41.83 cents, after sinking even further overnight.
- DASH-8 CRASH: The Pilot of the crashed Ansett Dash-8 plane has been committed to trial for the manslaughter of four
and injury of three others. The judge said the depositions hearings have seen enough evidence for the case to go to
trial.
- BABY DIES: Viral meningitis has clamed the life of a baby. There have been 47 confirmed cases of the disease, which is
different from meningococcal meningitis, in the North Island. The disease was previously considered very rare.
- PM CRITICISES FRANCE: Prime Minister Helen Clark has criticised France for it’s stance over nuclear weapons during the
ratification of the UN Treaty in NY today. The treaty paves the way for the International Criminal Court, which will
have jurisdiction over individuals who commit genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. France has also ratified
the treaty, but on the proviso that it only applies to events concerning conventional weapons, not nuclear weapons.
- MILLENNIUM SUMMIT: Rising oil prices have been high on the agenda at the Millennium summit, with the US pushing OPEC
members to increase output. But other countries have concentrated on peacekeeping missions abroad, with African nations
dominating.
- FIJI SANCTIONS: Foreign Minister Phil Goff reiterated that NZ will continue its “smart” sanctions against Fiji in the
wake of the Coup.
- ORANGE ROUGHY: Moana Pacific Fisheries is fighting to save as many jobs as possible in its processing plants after the
Government took away virtually it’s whole quota of Orange Roughy. Some will definitely lose their jobs.
- AMP MOVES SERVICES: AMP banking is moving its customer service centre to Sydney.
- BUSH SLIPPING: Advisors to Republican George W. Bush are reportedly worried that he’s heading for disaster in the US
Presidential race. Democrat Al Gore has stretched his lead to 6 points in latest poll.
- PRISONER ESCAPES: The Department of Corrections says it’s happy with security provided by Chubb, even though a
prisoner escaped from Chubb security guards yesterday. Police say the escaped Mongrel Mob member is dangerous and may be
armed.
- WEIGHT LIFTER SNAPPED: A Czech Republic weight lifter is the latest to fall foul of drug testing for the Sydney
Olympics, testing positive for anabolic steroids.
- HILLARY COMMISSION CAMPAIGN: The Hillary Commission is hoping the Olympic Games will inspire people to do physical
activity themselves – and are beginning an TV advertising campaign to encourage people off the couch.