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1700 to 1707 NEWS
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The Government is putting an extra four hundred million dollars into the care and support of the elderly over the next four years and is targeting low wages in the poorly paid industry.150 million dollars will be invested in residential care and 81 million dollars in home-based support. District Health Boards will be given an extra 46 million dollars to provide services to the elderly. Joining us now is Martin Taylor, the head of HealthCare Providers New Zealand; the largest association of aged care residential providers. LIVE
On the line now is Ann Galloway, a caregiver at an aged care facility in Dunedin. LIVE
Two students have been have been arrested after a fight at Selwyn College in Auckland this afternoon. A 15 year-old will be charged with assaulting a Police officer and a school staff member. The police officer was assaulted when he tried to intervene in the fight between two students. Our reporter Jean Edwards has been at the school. LIVE
A man who firebombed a resthome unit, forcing the elderly occupant to flee for her life while still attached to an oxygen tank, has today been jailed for 3 years 9 months. 22-year-old Tristan Sullivan was sentenced in the Wellington District Court, having earlier admitted hurling a molotov cocktail through the kitchen window of the unit at the Redwood Retirement Village in north Wellington. Sullivan's lawyer, Christopher Stevenson told the court his client had had a completely dysfunctional childhood and was vulnerable to manipulation by others.Sullivan claims he was told by gang members to firebomb the property but that he'd been given the wrong address. However the Crown lawyer, Jo Murdoch said the attack, last September, was pre-meditated and could have killed Shirley Nancarrow. During sentencing Judge Susan Thomas read from Mrs Nancarrow's Victim Impact Statement about her terror as her home exploded around her. CUT
Earlier I spoke to Shirley Nancarrow about the firebombing. She says she'd just hopped into bed, hooked herself up to her oxygen tank and turned the light off. PREREC
A Christchurch court has been told a teenager used a shop phone to call the police and tell them she had killed her mother.The girl, who was 16 at the time, was today committed to stand trial for the murder of her mother, whose body was found in her Papanui home in November last year. Crown evidence suggests the girl, who has name suppression, attacked and killed her mother with an axe.Today the evidence of 19 crown witnesses was handed up in written form. Our reporter Nadine Chalmers-Ross has been looking at the documents and she joins us now. LIVE
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1720 BUSINESS NEWS
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An award given to a real estate agent, who was fined 750 dollars for witholding important information from clients, has stunned and infuriated the Minister working to overhaul the industry. Harcourts has named Hamilton real estate agent Sean Cosgrave as its top sales consultant for the Central Region. Mr Cosgrave was fined and given a warning by the Commerce Commission last year for NOT telling a couple that an apartment was going to be built next to the property they bought.The couple - John and Caitlin Ottoway - say they lost close to 50 thousand dollars over the deal. CUT
The Associate Justice Minister Clayton Cosgrove is with us now. LIVE
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17.30 HEADLINES
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The economy has dominated much of the debate during Question Time in Parliament, with National continuing to attack the Government over its spending. In response the Government accused National of planning to slash payments to families under the Working for Families policy.Our political editor Brent Edwards has more. PKG
Police are hunting a sacked caregiver over an attack on a severely disabled man, who was dragged from his bed and assaulted after a party in a community home.Four workers - including a team leader - are no longer working at the Levin site. Natalie Mankelow reports.
The government has struck a deal with phone companies to cut the cost of calls to mobile phones. It's rejected a Commerce Commission recommendation to regulate the prices of calls to mobile phones, which are currently among the highest in the OECD.The Economic Development Minister, Trevor Mallard says instead of regulation, Vodafone and Telecom will sign a binding agreement to lower the fees they charge other carriers to terminate calls on their network over the next five years. CUT
Vodafone's fees are expected to drop from 20 cents a minute to 14 cents and Telecom will lower costs from 20 cents to 12 cents per minute as a result of the deal, which has been welcomed by both companies.Here's Vodafone chief executive Russell Stanners. CUT
The Commerce Commission says it's not appropriate to comment on the government's decision. But the Telecommunications watchdog, TUANZ says its frustrated by the deal.TUANZ chief executive Ernie Newman joins us now LIVE
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WAATEA
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The rules about where and how a section can be subdivided in the capital may be about to get a lot tougher. The Wellington City Council is looking at major changes, after complaints that rampant development is ruining neighbourhoods. Rachel Graham begins her report with one homeowner who says any restrictions will come too late. PKG
Authors and editors are among some well-known Aucklanders using their profile to try to stop a multi-million dollar development on the city's fringe. Soho Square is being built on the old DYC vinegar factory site in Ponsonby and will include office space, apartments and a picture theatre which will take up almost an entire block.Laura Davis filed this report PKG
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