Newstalk ZB Headlines - 10am
WINZ chief executive Christine Rankin will be on her own if the State Services Commissioner finds she is guilty of any
wrong doing in the chartered jet saga. The Commissioner says he expects to finish his inquiry in a matter of days. While
Ms Rankin is effectively the Commissioner’ employee the buck does not necessarily stop with him, but rather with the
public Service chief executive. The Commissioner is critical of Labour’s call to suspend Ms Rankin until the inquiry is
completed.
National is playing down its squabble in Whangarei which has seen three key party officials resign four months out from
the election. Whangarei electorate chairperson Paul Mitchell, his deputy and secretary have quit saying they have no
confidence in the local campaign. However, National Party chief executive David Major says it is part and parcel of
everyday politics and easily resolved. He puts it down to personality clashes within the Whangarei Electorate and that
the matter is now being dealt with.
Problems for some Internet junkies with the lightening struck Auckland’s Sky Tower this morning. The lightening
conductor on top of the tower was struck four times in half an hour in a spectacular electrical storm which swept the
city. SkyCity says the conductor is meant to attract lightening and channel it safely to prevent a strike elsewhere on
the tower. But the lightening has damaged a transmitter belonging to internet provider Ihug. The company says it has
knocked out internet connections for its satellite Starnet customers and repair crews are out on the job now and hope to
have it fixed any time now. The storm stretches from Kaipara to Hamilton and is fast heading toward the east.