Baby Food Fears – Ruth Dyson – Date Rape – Southern Cross Premiums – Tainui Resolution – Aboriginal Protests In OZ –
Shark Attack – Ozone Hole – Space Station
BABY FOOD FEARS: Sheep and beef based baby food from Europe is being sold in NZ in spite of the BSE crisis. The Green
Party wants to ban all meat based products from Europe. NZ babies are still eating meat-based baby food from Great
Britain. The Ministry of Health is aware of the Beef based product – Robinsons – which has been allowed in because
Ireland where the beef in the product comes from is not included in an NZ ban on British beef. Sheepmeat from Europe is
also of concern say the Greens. The supplier of Robinsons has issued a statement saying that their range of baby-foods
is safe because the meat comes from special farms.
RUTH DYSON: Labour MP Ruth Dyson has been fined $600 and has lost her license for six months after pleading guilty to
drink driving. Dyson had been working late at her office drinking wine before being stopped. Dyson says she does not
think it is possible for her to feel more sorry for what happened. She has lost a ministerial post over the mistake.
"The judge said he treated me the same as he would any other citizen," she said. Political insiders are expecting Dyson
to return to cabinet next year.
DATE RAPE: The date rape trial in Wellington is drawing to a close. Glenn William Hooker’s defence said today that the
crown’s forensic evidence was a shambles. The crown prosecutor said that victim was an intelligent woman. The defence
said it was worrying how easy it was to bring charges against an innocent man.
SOUTHERN CROSS PREMIUMS: Southern Cross healthcare is announcing increases of up to 30% in the cost of health insurance
premiums. New premiums will depend on age and family setup.
TAINUI RESOLUTION: The Tainui executive say they have reached a satisfactory settlement with the HSBC Bank.
ABORIGINAL PROTESTS IN OZ: There has been a huge turn-out to marches in Australia in support of racial reconciliation.
In Melbourne the march was led by Aboriginal dancers. They were followed by 150,000 people demanding the government make
an official apology. Australian PM John Howard did not attend. Some of his cabinet ministers were on the march and were
mum on the question of the apology. Western Australia’s premiere attended a march in Perth.
SHARK ATTACK: A man has been attacked by a shark off Heron Island on the Great Barrier Reef. The man received injuries
to his arm.
OZONE HOLE: Scientists are predicting that the hole in the Ozone layer will shut eventually – within 50 years – due to
the bans on the use of CFCs. The move to phase out CFCs started 13 years ago with an international agreement. Climate
Change treaty proponents take heart from the CFC agreement.
SPACE STATION: Astronauts have attached the most powerful set of solar power panels ever built to the International
space station. The make the space station the largest structure ever deployed in space.