Name Suppression Lifted – SAS Book – Bray Cleared – Petrol Price Drop – Reserve Bank – Dudley Moore
- NAME SUPPRESSION LIFTED: The HIV positive teacher accused of sexually abusing pupils at a North Shore school has been
named. He is Mr Leaf. He faces 20 sex charges. He taught Maori and religious studies at the catholic boarding college.
Mr Leaf’s lawyer argued name suppression should be continued for the man, but TVNZ lawyers argued suppression should be
lifted for the freedom of the press. The media were warned that the Man’s HIV status is not relevant to the charges he
faces. Education Minister Trevor Mallard is commending the school for its handling of the case.
- SAS BOOK: A high court judge has found in favour of a kiwi involved in a bungled British SAS mission in the Gulf War,
saying he is free to publish the book he has written detailing his experiences on the mission. The top brass from the
British SAS flew to New Zealand to prevent him publishing his book in court.
- BRAY CLEARED: Former New Zealand Olympic swimmer Trent Bray has been cleared of using the banned substance nandrolone,
but his swimming career is in tatters. Mr Bray took his appeal against the positive drug test result to the court of
appeal. The handling of his urine sample that the result was based on may have increased the level of nandrolone in the
sample. The body naturally produces nandrolone, so a small amount is permissable.
- PETROL PRICE DROP: Only days ago petrol companies said it was too early to say whether the drop in oil prices and rise
in the New Zealand dollar would see a drop in prices at the pump, but now companies are outdoing each other. Challenge
led with a 6-cent drop today, but Shell followed with a 10-cent drop, and others have followed.
- RESERVE BANK: Reserve Bank Governor Don Brash is holding off raising interest rates, after a positive assessment of
the shape of the New Zealand economy. But he is wary, expecting interest rates to go up as much as one percent next
year.
- DUDLEY MOORE: British actor, comic and musician Dudley Moore has delivered an emotional plea to critics, who have
dubbed him a drunk. He says he has a rare incurable brain disease taking it toll on him. Moore can now barely play his
beloved piano.