HEADLINES & NEWS
PETROL GOES UP 35 CENTS 13 MONTHS
Petrol is rising in price again, with BP announcing it is putting up its petrol prices by three cents a litre. The price rise will see motorists paying almost a dollar-14 a litre for unleaded petrol and nearly a dollar-19 a litre for premium unleaded. Petrol prices have now increased by 35 cents a litre since July last year. BP's managing director Peter Griffiths says costs have gone up and the New Zealand dollar has gone down, leaving them with no choice but to raise prices.
The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Economic Development, Jim Anderton [illegible] waged a campaign against the major oil companies and their pricing practices, and he joins me now.
RESIGNATION CAUSES STRIFE
The govenrment is being drawn into a dispute over the resignation of the chief executive of Local Government New Zealand. The National MP Murray McCully has released documents he says show a breakdown in the relationship between Carol Stigley and the Local Government Minister Sandra Lee, as well as the Prime Minister, Helen Clark. He claims Ms Stigley was offered 120 thousand dollars by Local Government New Zealand in return for her withdrawing a personal grievance case. Joining me now is our political editor Al Morrison
The Minister for Local Government, Sandra Lee, joins us now...
BUSINESS NEWS with GILES BECKFORD
RURAL ECONOMY GOES UP
There's further evidence today of the strength of the rural bounce-back, with the release this afternoon of a major farm monitoring survey. The Ministry of [illegible] and Forestry says the year just ended was considered by many farmers to have been the best in twenty years, with profitability above expectations and confidence high. And while life is looking up on the farm, all is not glum in the towns and cities, with new retail figures showing urban consumers aren't putting away their wallets - despite the widespread talk of falling business optimism. To look at the latest information I'm joined by our Economics Correspondent, Stephen Harris.
5.30 NEWS HEADLINES
SPORT with STEPHEN HEWSON
GOVT DRAWN INTO DISPUTE OVER RESIGNATION
Returning to our earlier story, the government is being drawn into a dispute over the resignation of the chief executive of Local Government New Zealand. The National MP Murray McCully has released documents he says show a breakdown in the relationship between Carol Stigley and the Local Government Minister Sandra Lee, as well as the Prime Minister, Helen Clark. He claims Ms Stigley was offered 120 thousand dollars by Local Government New Zealand in return for her withdrawing a personal grievance case. Joining us now is National MP Murray McCully.
GOVERNMENT TOLD PASSING LAW ILLEGAL
A new legal challenge to the Government's ban on logging rimu in the West Coast state forests is underway in the High Court in Wellington, with the Crown claiming it raises major constitutional problems. Major timber miller Westco Lagan claims the ban would unlawfully strip it of property rights legally granted under the West Coast Accord and it must receive compensation But the Crown is accusing the company of asking the Court to intervene with Parliment and the law-making process. Our Court Reporter Merle Nowland has been listening to the argument and joins me now.
OFFICIAL TIMEKEEPERS COULD BE INTRODUCED
The Rugby Union is looking at introducing official timekeepers to assist the referee during top level rugby games, following the weekend's Beldisloe Cup match in Wellington. Some spectators pelted the referee with plastic beer bottles, because they felt he played too much injury time, allowing Australia to [illegible] the All Blacks by one point. Patrick O'Meara has more.
FORENSIC TESTS ON STOLEN GOLDIE
The police are currently carrying out forensic tests on the stolen Goldie painting to see if they can track down who is responsible for its theft. An anonymous businessman paid ten-thousand dollars for the 1917 painting of Kuia Hera Puna by Charles Goldie, before handing it over to the police on Saturday. Detective Sergeant Kevin Hooper says the police decided this morning to carry out the forensic tests in an effort to find out who stole it from the Auckland War Memorial Museum. Mr Hooper joins us now.
CHAUDRY PREPARED TO TESTIFY AGAINST SPEIGHT
The deposed Fijian Prime Minister, Mahendra Chaudhry, has asked the Government to keep up the pressure on Fiji to set a faster timetable for a return to democratic rule. Mr Chaudhry along with several members of his overthrown government, had an informal lunch with Cabinet ministers today, before going into a formal meeting with the Prime Minister, Helen Clark, and the Foreign Minister, Phil Goff. The Fijian politician was complimentary about the stance taken by New Zealand so far, but as Clare Pasley reports, he made it clear that more help may be required.
CLOSE & THEME