HEADLINES & NEWS
Around 600-people held a march and rally in central Hamilton at lunchtime to express their concern about the level of child abuse. The event was organised by Parentline to mark the launch of a nationwide petition calling on the government to help protect children by implementing a programme teaching people how to recognise and report child abuse. Our Waikato reporter, Andrew McRae compiled this report. PKGE
A High Court Judge today described a Wellington woman who committed manslaughter "another statistic of Māori child abuse". Justice Wild sentenced Janine Rongonui, aged 36, to twelve years jail for the frenzied stabbing [illegible] of her Cambodian neighbour Pheap Im.
He also ordered that Rongonui serve a minimum non-parole period of ten years, which is the same minimum imposed in a life sentence for murder. Our Court Reporter Merle Nowland was at the sentencing I asked her why the Judge had called Ronganui a "statistic". PREREC
Controversy is again brewing over a golden handshake, after a health sector chief executive received more than quarter of a million dollars for resigning. Jane Parfitt got the payout when she quit her job at Healthlink South because it was being merged with Canterbury Health to form one district health board. Healthlink South says the payment was well within what Mrs Parfitt was entitled to - but National's health spokesperson Wyatt Creech says it's huge and can only be blamed on the government health reforms. I asked the Health Minister Annette King if she approved of the settlement. PREREC
BUSINESS NEWS with CATHERINE WALBRIDGE
As the dollar continues to languish at near record lows, there are warnings that prices will rise after figures out today revealed that costs for farmers, [illegible] and retailers recorded their largest annual increase in ten years. The Producer Price Index, which measures changes in the cost of production, rose five and a half percent in the financial year that ended in June. Bill Gallagher is the chief executive of the Gallagher Group, a company which produces electric fences for agriculture and security systems, and exports 80 percent of its product. I asked him what effect the rise in the Producer Price Index will have on his company. PREREC
I asked the president of Federated Farmers, Alistair Polson whether the increase in the Producer Price Index will mean more expensive meat, wool and vegetables. PREREC
Our economics correspondent Stephen Harris says that the increase in the Producer Price Index is not such a problem for exporters. PREREC
5.30 NEWS HEADLINES
SPORT with RICHARD CROWLEY
The pressure is on hospital officials to find a solution to the junior doctors pay dispute, as strike action gains momentum. The doctors are already on week-long strikes in Whangarei, Wanganui and Palmerston North hospitals - others in Hawkes Bay today joined colleagues in Wellington, Otago and Southland in rejecting pay offers. Meanwhile, Northland Health has paid four thousand dollars for a woman to have critical surgery on a tumour at a private hospital, after her scheduled operation at Whangarei Hospital was postponed by the strike. Hospitals are now working on a new pay offer for the junior doctors, which is likely to include measure to reduce their student loan debt. READER
Meanwhile, in Wellington, there's been a summit on the issue of student loans, with one a university lecturer saying a long term consequence of the pressure caused by loans is an enormous proliferation of cheating. Ella Henry told the summit that staff now attend development workshops to learn how to counter cheating and how to make courses cheat proof. Our education correspondent, Gael Woods, was at the summit - she joins me now. LIVE
The High Court jury in the trial of a couple charged with the death of a three year old boy is still considering its verdict.
Hoana Matiu is accused of the manslaughter of her son Tangaroa who died as the result of a beating in January this year. Her defacto partner Genesis Mahanga is charged with his murder. Julian Robins is at the High Court in Auckland and he joins us now. LIVE
New Zealand's Christian faith communities have joined forces to form their own commission on genetic engineering, saying they have to get serious about the GE debate to make sure ethical issues are not overlooked.
The commission was set up by the Anglican, Methodist and Presbyterian churches, and today, at its first forum set out to canvass the views of the Christian community.
Our reporter Veronika Meduna was there. PKGE
To Fiji now. and lawyers defending coup plotter George Speight and 16 top henchmen were back in court today trying to have treason charges dismissed. But the hearing on their application was deferred for 10 days and the group were again remanded to their prison island. Meanwhile, authorities have confirmed [illegible] Police Commissioner Isikia Savua has been suspended pending an inquiry into his role in the May 19 coup. I asked our correspondant in Suva Shalen Shandil to explain what happened in court today. PREREC
Tapestry 2000, one of the largest single tapestry works ever produced in New Zealand is finished. Designed by artist Philip Trusttum the colourful five metre by three metre tapestry was one of three Christchurch community arts project commissioned by Turning point 2000 to celebrate millennium. Jos Darling reports. PKGE
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