Health Legislation – Euthanasia – School Cert Maths – Waitangi – Tainui – Biosecurity – Apples – Aids Pandemic – Solomons - Israel
HEALTH LEGISLATION: The PM says the substance of new health legislation will be passed in spite of some concessions to the Green Party. “Some people have come up with good ideas….they are being picked up now.”
EUTHANASIA: The Dutch Parliament has legalised euthanasia making the Netherlands the first country to do so. The law recognises a long standing practice in the Netherlands. The Catholic Church has condemned the decision as an affront to human dignity.
SCHOOL CERT MATHS: The Qualifications Authority has revealed that one of the multiple choice questions in the School Certificate maths exam is unanswerable.
WAITANGI: The Chairman of the Waitangi Marae committee says that Nga Puhi are upset by the government’s treatment of the tribe. Yesterday it was announced that the Navy will not be attending at Waitangi.
TAINUI: The Waikato-Tainui executive expects to hear this morning if it will receive extra time to pay off a loan to the Hong Kong Shanghai Bank.
BIOSECURITY: Forest and Bird says that more money is needed for rapid response to pest incursions. The government has announced $2.75 million for a biosecurity strategy.
APPLES: The Victorian Government is to take the fire-blight apple issue to Canberra following a massive demonstration in Sheperdstown.
AIDS PANDEMIC: The UN says the global pandemic of HIV and Aids is outstripping the worst forecasts. The disease has now killed $21 million people and the number infected is 50% higher than forecast a decade ago. The most alarming statistics are now in Russia and Eastern Europe.
SOLOMONS: The process of handing over the weapons in the Solomon Islands begins in earnest today. Today’s hand over is in Eastern Guadalcanal. A NZ spokesman says that planning for the hand over has been meticulous.
ISRAEL: Israel’s Parliament has begun debating a motion to hold early elections. The hardline leader of Likud Ariel Sharon remains implacably opposed to any realistic peace deal. In late breaking news the Israeli PM is now reportedly supporting going to the polls early.