HEADLINES & NEWS
The PSA says the Probation Service in Whangarei and Kaikohe is on the point of collapse, and the community is at risk. Probation staff and their union, the PSA held a stopwork meeting in Whangarei today with Corrections Department managers.
The PSA organiser, Mark Furey says some probation officers are dealing with up to 65 offenders or paroled prisoners at any one time, which is an impossible task and the system has come crashing down. He says the today's meeting did nothing to help, and the probation staff cannot manager any longer. PREREC
The department of Corrections in Whangarei did not want to comment on the [illegible]. However Gordon Atwood, the Community Probation Service Northern Regional Manager sent this response by fax. "CPS takes all staffing and management issues seriously and a pre-arranged meeting with management and staff was held today in Whangarei. "This was not a stopwork meting but was an opportunity for staff to raise any concerns they have and to talk to managers - with a view to progress a way forward. "A PSA union representative was present at this meeting. "The Community Probation Service and PSA have an understanding called "partnership for quality. The way forward is for CPS and the PSA to work together." READER
The Waikato-Tainui executive has reached a deadlock and can't agree to passing a resolution asking the government to handover its final land settlement payment of 13-million dollars. The executive, which is evenly split between two factions of the tribe, met this afternoon to consider the government's request. The stalemate is a continuation of a long running battle between the two factions. Our Reporter, Andrew McRae joins me now. LIVE WITH DROP INS
BUSINESS NEWS with CATHERINE WALBRIDGE
The Defence at the Terri King murder trial has said there is enormous doubt that the accused man William Haanstra killed the Wellington contractor. Summing up the Defence case in the seven week trial lawyer Donal Stevens maintained reasonable doubt shouts from every corner of the case, and Haanstra must be found not guilty. Our Court Reporter Merle Nowland has been listening to the closing, and joins me now. LIVE
A Canterbury business organisation says its latest survey showing a sharp rise in optimism among its members marks a turning point in business confidence nationwide. The Canterbury Employers' Chamber of Commerce November quarterly survey of more than five-hundred firms shows nearly a quarter expect general business conditions to improve over the next six months - up from 13 per cent in its August survey. Pessimists still outnumber optimists, but their share has fallen from 40-per cent in the last survey to 29-per cent this month. The chamber's chief executive, Peter Townsend, says his organisation's survey has consistently been the first to show up changes in the mood of business nationwide. But he warns that while overall sentiment is brighter, there are also clouds on the horizon. Here's our Economics Correspondent, Stephen Harris. PKGE
Up to 5,000 people may have been left homeless in the Papua New Guinea islands following last Thursday's earthquake. The earthquake measured 7.5 to 7.9 on the Richter scale and caused a tsunami which reached a height of two and a half to three metres on New Ireland and Bougainville. Only two people are known to have died in the disaster. I asked the ABC's Port Moresby correspondent Richard Dinnen whether the figure of 5,000 homeless is realistic. PREREC
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Parliament is debating whether to include same sex and de facto couples in the new Property Relationships legislation. The bill deals with the division of property when a relationship breaks up, and MPs have begun considering it clause by clause. Our political reporter Clare Sziranyi is following the debate and joins me now... LIVE
The chairman of the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association believes the best means of ensuring a future for the Canterbury Show is if the Christchurch City Copuncil buys the land owned by the debt-ridden organisation. The association is carrying a debt of several million dollars which it needs to get rid of if it wants to continue with its annual show. Doug Marsh says in the next week the association will meet with the city council to discuss the sale of the land, which it bought from the council three years ago. John MacDonald compiled this report. PKGE
The Meat Industry says a blanket ban on genetic engineering and GE products by New Zealand could breach international trade law. Meat Industry representatives were presenting their submission to the Royal Commission on Genetic Modification, which sat for another day of hearings in Wellington today. Our Reporter Bryan Crump was there, and joins me now. LIVE WITH DROP INS
The head of the Medical Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal is questionning the current system of hearing patient complaints against doctors, saying the Health and Disability Commissioner's office is not passing on complaints it should be. Wendy Brandon says since the Tribunal was set up four years ago the number of charges it's heard has dropped dramatically, and is now only a fraction of what [illegible] dealt with under the old system of the disciplinary committee. Ms Brandon says that's despite the fact that complaints to the Health and Disability Commissioner's office have gone up. I asked her whether the Health and Disability Commissioner's office is only bringing serious complaints to the attention of the Medical Disciplinary Tribunal. PREREC
The arrival of a new wave of home video game systems in New Zealand, is sparking fresh concern about exposing children to violent video games. Playstation 2, which boasts more realistic graphics and lifelike qualities than its predecessor, is due to go on sale on at the end of this month, and is already attracting huge interest. However Police, child psychologists, and the Chief Censor, are all concerned, that realistic violence which PlayStation 2 is capable of portraying in some games, could have an adverse effect on child behavour. Corin Dann reports. PKGE
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