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1700 to 1707 NEWS
New penalties are on the way for people who bring ingredients used to make the drug "P" into the country illegally. Pseudoephedrine and ephedrine are to be classified as Class C drugs, making it illegal to import them without a licence. The two drugs will still be able to be imported legally for use as prescription and pharmacy only medicines. The Associate Health Minister, Jim Anderton, is with us now ....... LIVE
The lawyers for Ahmed Zaoui have been told that the Security Intelligence Service has now found a missing segment of a contentious interview with the detained Algerian refugee. Mr Zaoui was secretly videotaped by the SIS and police during the interview, but the sound on an hour of the tape had gone [illegible]. His lawyers wanted access to the tape so it could be used in the appeal against his status as a threat to national security. Yesterday the Prime Minister Helen Clark said she couldn't understand how the evidence could have been lost or mislaid and that she would be looking for some answers from the police and the SIS. Mr Zaoui's lawyers were unavailable to talk to us and the SIS declined our invitation to be interviewed on Checkpoint.
But joining us now is Zaoui supporter David Small who's has had his own run-ins with the SIS. LIVE
The Land Transport Safety Authority says the blood alcohol limit for driving should be lowered because tests show the average person can drink a considerable amount and still be under the legal limit. The Government is considering a proposal to lower the blood alcohol limit from 80 to 50 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood - although the change is now in doubt with senior ministers questioning whether it would be effective. LTSA spokesperson Andy Knackstedt says recent tests show that one woman was able to have ten alcoholic drinks in two hours and forty minutes and still only have a blood alcohol reading of 67 milligrams. A man who had eight drinks in three hours had a blood alcohol reading of 30 milligrams. Andy Knackstedt joins me [illegible] LIVE
The jury hearing the case of a 23-year-old man charged with breaking into Wellington homes at night and sexually attacking the sleeping women occupants is currently considering its verdict. Timi Manuera Carroll faces 13 counts relating to assaults on five women last year. Two of the attacks took place on the same night.
To outline the prosecution and defence cases, here's our court reporter, David Venables. LIVE
1720 BUSINESS NEWS WITH JOHN DRAPER
Medicine and dentistry students will be paying 1-thousand dollars more or 10-thousand dollars a year, to study at Otago University next year. The 10-percent increase is one of several in major undergraduate courses at the University, approved by the University Council in Dunedin today. The University claims the increases are essential, but student representatives were adament it was just a money-grabbing move, and was the easy option. Our reporter Nathan Mills was at the Council meeting and he joins me now. LIVE
1730 HEADLINES
SPORTS NEWS WITH STEPHEN HEWSON
The Māori lobby group Te Ope Mana a Tai (te ope munner-a-tie) is rejecting a government accusation its deliberately spread mis-information about the foreshore and seabed issue. The deputy Prime Minister Michael Cullen has accused one of the group's members of doing it on purpose to wind people up - as a ploy to raise tensions, and try to win concessions from the government. Well our Māori Issues Correspondent Gideon Porter, joins us now. LIVE WITH DROPINS
The Department of Internal Affairs says the sentencing of a man on pornography charges three years after he left the country is a reminder to people that files will not be closed. Vaughan Clark Merry has been fined eight thousand dollars by the Wellington District Court on 13 charges of trading and [illegible] pornographic images.
He's been ordered to pay the fine within 48-hours or face jail. Merry was originally convicted in May 2000, but absconded to Australia before sentencing.
He returned home recently and gave himself up. Keith Manch from Internal Affairs is with us now LIVE
A parliamentary inquiry, has come out against setting up a Trans-Tasman agency to regulate dietary supplements - just a day before the government signs up to the plan. The health select committee - involving five Labour MPs - unanimously rejected the idea of a joint agency with Australia and instead finds in favour of local regulation of therapeutic goods. But with less than 24 hours to go before a deal is sealed on the agency, the government is being accused of setting up a regime that will not only increase costs for consumers - but gives an agency far reaching powers. Our political reporter Liz Banas has the details. PKGE
The scale of litigation looks set to widen over claims of abuse against children sent to Salvation Army homes as state wards. Child Youth and Family has established a special team to handle complaints by 31 people alleging [illegible] or sexual abuse or neglect between thirty and sixty years ago. Zoe Griffiths from Child Youth and Family is with us now. LIVE
To Australia now, where the Labour Party's high risk switch to a new leader last week is paying off with the voters already. Mark Latham known for his blunt language and rough-and-ready style replaced Simon Cream who was forced to quit after two years of woeful opinion polls. Now those polls have taken a turn for the better with the two latest now showing Labour in its best position for more than a year - with support at around 39 percent. Mr Latham has also made a dent in Prime MInister John Howard's popularity. Our correspondent in Canberra Kerry Ann Walsh joins us now. LIVE
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