HEADLINES & NEWS
The Health and Disability Commissioner has found serious failings in the care of some patients and in the way various incidents were handled at Gisborne Hospital in 1999 and early last year. Ron Paterson has been investigating the re-use of anaesthetic syringes and allegations of inappropriate practices against a Canadian anaesthetist who was working as a locum at the hospital at the time. He has also been looking at the hospital's laboratory and at how 117 patients came to be given false results from a test for prostate cancer. His report portrays an unhappy organisation where relations between the management and staff had broken down. In a moment, I'll talk to Mr Paterson, but first [illegible] our Health Correspondent Rae Lamb. PKGE
The Health and Disability Commissioner, Ron Paterson, joins us now. LIVE
More than twelve hundred Fletcher Energy shareholders are this afternoon voting on a four billion dollar deal to sell the energy division. The Auckland meeting has gone ahead after Peak Petroleum failed to persuade the Court of Appeal this morning to have it adjourned while it finalised an offer to counter the one by Shell and Apache Corporation. As shareholders went into the meeting, we asked them how they would vote. VOX POPS
Joining us now from the meeting is our business reporter Todd Niall. LIVE
BUSINESS NEWS WITH PATRICK O'MEARA
In Fiji - members of the military backed government installed after the May 19 coup, are meeting to decide on their future amid mounting speculation that they will shortly resign. This follows the court ruling last week which declared the post-coup government illegal, backing the 1997 multi-racial constituion dumped by the current regime. Our reporter in Suva, Shalen Shandil [illegible] us now. LIVE
A depositions hearing in the Manukau District Court is hearing evidence today in the case of a doctor accused of killing his mother. The court's been told Marjorie Simpson was terminally ill with bowel cancer when it's alleged she was strangled by her son, Dr Chris Simpson, with the cord from her morphine drip. Sally Wenley has been at the court. LIVE WITH DROP IN
5.30 NEWS HEADLINES
SPORT with STEPHEN HEWSON
The Health and Disability Commissioner has found serious failings in the care of some patients and the way various incidents were handled at Gisborne Hospital in 1999 and early last year. Ron Paterson says patients on whom anaesthetic syringes were re-used, and those whose prostate cancer tests were wrong, got less than the best care, even though none was physically harmed. The report says the hospital's laboratory was a disaster waiting to happen, and traces the breakdown in staff management relations to cost-cutting pushed through to meet budget difficulties. I asked the new Chief Executive of Tairawhiti Healthcare Jim Green, for his reaction to the report. PREREC
In the United States, a teenage student has gone on a shooting rampage at a school, killing two and injuring more than twelve. A 15-year-old is being questionned by police after a gunman opened fire at Santana High School in the small town of Santee in California. Our Washington correspondent, Steve Mort reports. PKGE
The Water Safety Council says the number of drownings during February is at a record low. Only 3 people drowned last month, compared to an average of 15 people drowning in February over the last five years. The executive director of the Water Safety Council Alan Muir says it's a trend that they would like to see continue. He joins us now. LIVE
Thousands of callers overloaded the census helpline today as they made a last minute rush to get hold of a form for tonight's census. Callers were greeted with a message telling them the voice-mailbox was full, meaning they couldn't [illegible] their details to get a form delivered. As our reporter Andrew Greenwood found out, Census staff around the country are scrambling to get as many people as possible to fill in the form today...but many will still miss out. PKGE
Another exotic pest has been found in New Zealand.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry says a nest of red fire ants, which are from South America, was found near Auckland International Airport last week.
MAF staff have now located the nest and treated it with chemicals, killing all the ants. MAF spokesperson Amelia Pascoe says no further red fire ants have been found within 100 metres of the nest. I asked her what problems red fire ants would cause in New Zealand if they became established. PREREC
The United States vice president Dick Cheney is in hospital for his second heart procedure in 4 months after suffering chest pains. Mr Cheney had a similar procedure in November to clear a blocked artery after a mild heart attack. The latest attack has raised questions about Mr Cheney's fitness to hold the position of vice-president. I asked our correspondent in Washington Vicki Ford whether Mr Cheney has had a heart attack. PREREC
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