Sydney Train Smash - Interest Rates Rise - Coalition Negs - Battle Of Seattle - Lockwood Smith's View - Stolen House
-Cheap Petrol - Wellington Not Windy Enough Says Boffin
SYDNEY TRAIN SMASH: At least five dead in Rail Crash in Sydney. Glenbrook accident at 8.30am this morning. NZ passenger
in the train with 1000 people says he is all right. Huge emergency operation swung into action. 1000 passengers
including lots of school children were on the packed commuter train which smashed into the back of the Indian Pacific.
The Indian Pacific had stopped at a red light. The train driver ran back when he knew he was going to smash and warned
passengers.
INTEREST RATES RISE: First Post Election dampener for incoming government ASB bank has lifted its floating rate.
COALITION: Coalition negotiations complete - the agreement is in a remarkably short statement. Helen Clark raises a flag
of red socks. Asked how long the document was… which is still secret… Clark joked that it would spill onto two pages
depending on how it was spaced. Anderton says it is essentially an agreement on process - on how to disagree. Anderton
says he is committed to making it work for the sake of MMP.
COALITION: Jane Young Live: A lot of preliminary work has already been done and it is clear that if the Greens do get in
- that Labour and the Alliance want to work in a minority coalition government. This allows them to disagree and sets
the rules.
BATTLE OF SEATTLE: WTO City - Seattle - is under curfew again tonight. Hundreds of protestors arrested in one hour this
morning. Four times as many police on the streets. One protestor says to protestors that this is their Tienamen Square .
City remained tense during day. President said he welcomed peaceful - non-violent protest. Clinton arrived in the
pre-dawn darkness - massive police presence outside his hotel. Tonight more tear gas on the streets as police drive back
protestors.
WTO - LOCKWOOD: Lockwood Smith I/V: He had been gassed himself trying to get into a hotel. "At last years second
ministerial in Geneva there were also protests. One or two of my meetings were delayed but the work has been going on
and if anything it has made people more eager to make progress. There are some genuine protestors here - but there are
some that are not . I think we - the delegates - would all like the protestors to understand what we are doing, and to
know more about what they are thinking. Today the protestors have been kept further away and things have flowed more
smoothly."
STOLEN HOUSE: Pictures of the stolen house which has been taken away in the far north. The owner of the house - which
was chainsawed in half and then taken to a secret location by the Housing Corporation - is pictured attacking the truck
rig. He was arrested.
VERY CHEAP PETROL: Gull service station opens in Mt Maunganui New Australian owned petrol station opens with 80.9 cents
petrol. Cut throat battle developed quickly within a kms radius. Caltex station manager says he hopes it won't cost kiwi
jobs. Motorists are pleased.
WELLINGTON NOT WINDY ENOUGH: Wellington City now has a calm air problem according to central city study - which shows
air quality is poor on calm days. Masterton also has a problem a report says. Wellington isn't watching closely however
and has only one testing device to Christchurch's six.