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The Wednesday Wire Hosted By Paul Deady 02/04/08
1220 – Zimbabwe: Chris Laidlaw
The world's eyes are on Zimbabwe this morning, and it looks like Robert Mugabe is still playing the waiting game. He was
supposed to give a press conference early this morning on his future as the leader of the country, but surprise
surprise, that never happened. Election results are trickling in slowly, and media organisations around the world
continue to predict a loss for Mugabe and his Zanu PF party. But he's a tenacious fighter, or cheater, and won't go
easily. At 1220 I'll be speaking with Chris Laidlaw, a former High Commissioner to Zimbabwe who's seen what the man is
capable of. Chris says even if he does step down, it's unclear who'll be in a position to Zimbabwe.
1240 – No More BZP: Ross Bell @ NZ Drug Foundation
Ironically or not, April fools day was the day the music died for a number of NZers. House music that is. Yes, party
pills containing BZP became class C drugs yesterday and went screaming out the doors of cosmic corners around the
country – mainly in the south island it seemed to me??? Anyway, this is only the end of BZP, not party pills as a whole,
and the people that make them have already found new and stimulating ways to give turn punters into munters. The NZ Drug
Foundation isn't too happy and reckons we need an independent review of BZP-free pills, so we can know what's in them,
and whether they're safe. Their chief exec. Ross Bell will explain why at 1240.
1300 – Dale Williams, Otorohonga Mayor and Chair of the Mayor's Taskforce for Jobs
At one o'clock I'll be speaking with (above). Reports in the Auckland papers have indicated that the Auckland City
council plans to pull out of the task force, which Mayor John Banks describes as navel gazing and a waste of
rate-payer's money. It costs $5000 to be involved. Oh, and according to Citizen's and Ratepayers councilor Doug
Armstrong, Auckland doesn't even have an unemployment problem, so why bother. We'll see how Dale feels about this at
one.
1320 – Counterclockwise with Kevin List
Scoop's counterclockwise at twenty past one today with Kevin List. He's been watching lots of TV, apparently our Deputy
Prime Minister has waded into the US democratic primary on ALT TV, and shock horror, given Obama an endorsement! Kevin
will also have the latest on Iranian hunger striker Ali Panah – remember him? Converted to Christianity and reckons
he'll get the death penalty if he returns to Iran – who has just been denied refugee status.
1340 – Moon Fish from Anonymous in studio
And to finish the show I'll be speaking with someone called Moon Fish, from an organization called Anonymous. Their
reason for being is to get all up in the Church of Scientology's grill, and keep them honest on the internet. It all
started with the Church removing the imfamous Tom Cruise clip from youtube, and has turned into a right old barney, with
many on the net now calling it a "war". There's been worldwide protests, hack upon hack and much secrecy – that I've
been in touch with The General and Moon Fish, says it all. It's all very cloak and dagger, so to tell the truth, I'm a
bit wary of the interview myself! Should be interesting. Oh, and the last few times we've mentioned Anonymous on the
Wire, we've been text bombed. So if your listening mr thumbs, please, one text is plenty.
Aucklanders can tune in at 95 on the FM dial.