National Radio Midday Report

Gore Concession Expected – Wairarapa Toddler – National Superannuation – Prison Site – Middle East Violence – GM Commission – Biosecurity – Car Theft Campaign – Cappuccino Capital

- GORE CONCESSION EXPECTED: Democrat presidential candidate Al Gore is expected to announce an end to his fight for the White House in an address to the American people in just under three hours. This comes after a US Supreme Court Ruling that to manually recount votes again would be unconstitutional. Al Gore’s lawyer said the campaign has said it would abide by the decision of the court. Republican rival George W. Bush will follow with his own address an hour later where he is expected to finally declare victory in the Presidential election.

Meanwhile, civil rights groups are voicing outrage over the ruling and are pledging protests and lawsuits over alleged black voter exclusion in Florida. Civil rights leader Jesse Jackson says thousands of ethnic voters in Florida were effectively disenfranchised.

- WAIRARAPA TODDLER: The grandmother of the dead Wairarapa toddler known as Lillybing is now giving evidence in the depositions hearing of the three people charged in relation to Lillybing’s death. She has spoken great detail on how she has helped her daughter and others in raising the child. She said there was a strong bond between Lillybing and her auntie Rachel Namana, onE of the people accused of Lillybing’s manslaughter. Also in the case, a Wairarapa newspaper reported the name of a 13-year-old witness yesterday, in breach of the law.

- NATIONAL SUPERANNUATION: The political parties moved closer to agreement on national superannuation today in during the debate in the Parliament on the Government’s legislation to introduce a superannuation fund. The greens were the only party not to support it going to a select committee.

- PRISON SITE: Some landowners in the North Waikato area where a new prison is to be built say they should be compensated for the loss of value of their properties with the building of the prison. Corrections Minister Matt Robson says objections are inevitable in such projects and the site was the best that could be found.

- MIDDLE EAST VIOLENCE: Four Palestinian police officers have been killed in one of the heaviest battles in 11 weeks of violence between Israeli troops and Palestinians on the Gaza Strip. Meanwhile, the Palestinian Authority has accused Israel of State based terrorism over the killing of another political activist.

- GM COMMISSION: The haemophilia foundation says the introduction of genetically modified products has removed the risk for haemophiliacs of contracting blood borne viruses such as HIV and hepatitis. The foundation was presenting its submissions to the Royal Commission on Genetic Modification.

- BIOSECURITY: The Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment says New Zealand is facing a devastating invasion by harmful organisms unless a biosecurity is given the same status as national security.

- CAR THEFT CAMPAIGN: Police have withdrawn a campaign to stop car theft following a Human Rights Commission finding that it discriminated on the basis of age and would breach the Human Rights Act.

- CAPPUCCINO CAPITAL: Taumaranui is hoping to shed its cup of tea and meat pie image and become the cappuccino capital of New Zealand, by building a giant coffee cup to promote the town’s status as the producer of the frothiest milk in New Zealand.

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