HEADLINES & NEWS
WOMEN KILLED IN FIJI ATTACK
[illegible] is continuing in Fiji even as the New Zealand Government follows the lead of several other nations in easing its travel warnings to Fiji. In the latest incident, a 53 year old Indo Fijian woman was reported burnt to death in her home. The relaxation of the travel ban has been welcomed by several tour operators, as figures out this week show Fiji's economy groaning in the wake of the coup. Eric Frykberg reports. PKGE
PROTEST OVER WAITARA SHOOTING
There's been a protest this afternoon over the police decision not to prosecute the officer who shot and killed Steven Wallace during a vandalism spree through Waitara. In Whangarei, more than a hundred Māori marched through the town centre, made speeches and performed a haka outside the police station. Police officers stood on guard outside the station during the protest, but didnt intervene. The protestors handed out pamphlets citicising the decision not to prosecute and claiming it means racisim is now lawful. One of the protest organisers, Hine Shortland, says the young people in the area feel alienated from the police. AUDIO CUT
PM UNDER ATTACK IN PARLIAMNET OVER SHOOTING COMMENTS
Meanwhile, Opposition MPs have repeated their calls for the Prime Minister to apologise for comments she made at the time of the police shooting. After the shooting, Miss Clark said she was concerned the relationship between Māori and the police in Waitara were not good, but she denied she was bringing the matter of race into the shooting itself. Today, the opposition asked questions in Parliament, but with Helen Clark out of Wellington, it fell to the Finance Minister Michael Cullen to answer on her behalf. National's justice spokesperson, Tony Ryall, asked if the Prime Minister accepts the police report conclusion that there is no evidence race was an issue in the shooting. This was Doctor Cullen's response. AUDIO CUT
Mr Ryall, followed by ACT, persisted in asking whether Miss Clark would apologise. AUDIO CUT
Joining me now from Waitara is the District Commander for the Central Region, Superintendant Mark Lammas. LIVE IV
CONCERNS OVER DOMESTIC VIOLENCE LAW ENFORCEMENT
The first review of tougher domestic violence laws has found some frontline police are unwilling to follow up breaches of protection orders and many offenders don't complete compulsory violence prevention programmes. The Domestic Violence Act has been in force for four years. The independent review released today was commissioned by the Ministry of Justice and the Department for Courts and includes interviews with domestic violence victims, as well as judges, court staff, lawyers and police. I asked the chief Executive of Women's Refuge Merepeka Raukawa-Tait whether she agrees with the review that there is overwhelming support for the new law from all those affected by it. IV
BUSINESS NEWS with CLAIRE SILVESTER
SCHOOLS HURT AS BULK FUNDING IS AXED
A new system to replace bulk-funding has come as a pleasant surprise for many schools while others describe today's announcement as a bombshell. The biggest winner is Otahuhu College in south Auckland which gets an extra half a million dollars. However, Papakura's Rosehill College is staring at a slash in funding of more than 330 thousand dollars. The Minister of Education, Trevor Mallard, has unveiled details of the new funding system which puts an extra 60 million dollars into schools. To discuss what it means, I'm joined by our education correspondent, Gael Woods. LIVE WITH DROPINS
5.30 NEWS HEADLINES
SPORT with RICHARD CROWLEY
RESCUERS STRUGGLE TO SAVE TRAPPED SUB CREW
As rescuers struggle to reach the trapped crew of the sunken Russian submarine, Kursk, Russia's president has broken his silence on the disaster, accepting offers of help from the intenrational community. Norway is sending a team of deep sea divers to the Arctic circle to join Russian efforts to save the crew. A British rescue team with a special mini-sub is also due to leave shortly for the rescue site, aboard a Norwegian ship. Jane Patterson with the details. PKGE
NEW ANTI-SUICIDE INITIATIVE LAUNCHED
A Northland Māori health worker is welcoming a new youth suicide prevention kit launched today, but questions why his iwi was not consulted over its development. The kit contains guidelines on how to draw together groups working on suicide prevention, and recognise crisis signs. It is to be piloted in six Northland communities. New Zealand has the second highest youth suicide rate in the world, with Māori males at most risk. Owen Lewis is the Health Manager for the Te Rarawa tribal council or runanga in the Far North. Te Rarawa is the largest tribe in the far north. I asked him how useful the suicide prevention kits would be to his organisation. IV
NEW HEALTH LEGISLATION DEBATED
Arguments over recognising the Treaty of Waitangi in health policy have dominated the first Parliamentary debate on the legislation restructuring the health system. The Public Health and Disability Bill is being sent to a select committee for public submissions, but in their first debate, MPs have dentified major differences of opinion over the recognition that will be given local Māori, known as mana whenua. Our Parliamentary Chief Reporter Kathryn [illegible] covered the debate. PKGE
NO BOOZE POLICY FOR BIG BUSINESS
The rail company Tranz Rail is seeking to make all its workplaces alcohol-free, starting with the chief executive's office. The company hopes the move will send a strong message that alcohol is not condoned in the transport industry. Other employers in high-risk fields are already taking that approach and that's won praise from the Alcohol Advisory Council, as Leigh-Anne Wiig reports. PKGE
ANTI-CANCER FOODS PROMOTED
A programme to encourage people to eat foods which can help prevent cancer has been launched by the Australasian Nutrition Advisory Council. A professor of human nutrition at Otago University and the only New Zealand member of the council, Jim Mann, says international research has found up to 40 percent of cancers can be prevented through simple improvements to diet and lifestyle. John MacDonald compiled this report. PKGE
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