Olympics x 2 – Polling Bill – Northland Ambulance – Current Account – Dollar – Tourism – Wool Prices Up – Alec Neil MP
– NCEA and Teachers – Prison Escaper
OLYMPICS: Big pressure will come on the Olympics transportation system today with the start of track and field events at
Stadium Australia. More than 400,000 spectators and 60,000 staff will have to use public transport to Olympic Park.
OLYMPICS: NZ eyes this morning are on horseman Mark Todd who is placed third in the individual eventing competition
going into the show-jumping. His horse may be a bit injured. Last night NZ’s womens hockey team beat South Africa
securing themselves a spot in the finals series.
POLLING BILL: NZ First believes that Labour voted against his polling bill by mistake, and is pleased that Labour is now
putting it right, by including provisions in an electoral reform bill.
NORTHLAND AMBULANCE: An ACC bureaucrat says there are a range of reasons behind taking away from a Northland ambulance
trust an ACC contract.
CURRENT ACCOUNT: Finance Minister Michael Cullen says he expects balance of payments figures out today to indicate the
low point in the current account.
DOLLAR: The NZ Dollar has recovered a little over-night to 40.8 US Cents.
TOURISM: Tourism operators say that tourism figures are good but say that the low dollar is making buying advertising
offshore very expensive.
WOOL PRICES UP: The plummeting NZ Dollar has helped Wool prices at a Christchurch sale where wool prices are up across
the board.
ALEC NEIL: Former MP Alec Neil will replace Simon Upton off the National Party list when Mr Upton leaves. Neil has twice
made it to Parliament when others have left.
NCEA: Teachers say they are not sure whether they will endorse the new qualifications framework – the NCEA – which will
replace School Certificate.
PRISON ESCAPER: Police have recaptured a dangerous prison escaper. A woman has been charged with assisting him.
ENDS