The Audit Office reports into out of town allowances paid to two government ministers is expected to clear Marian Hobbs but not Phillida Bunkle. And at the same time, the personality politics gripping Parliament has dominated the Prime Minister's post cabinet press conference today.
The latest so-called scandal again involves her husband Professor Peter Davis. To discuss these issues I'm joined by our politicial editor Al Morrison. LIVE
In Auckland, four people have been charged with the aggravated robbery of Nicholas Clarkson, whose death sparked calls for a stronger police presence to curb night-time violence in the central city. The 23 year old was found lying in a pool of blood in down-town Auckland in January - the police recently said they have security camera footage of some of the assault, and at least one assailant. Today they announced that two women aged 18, and two men aged 19 and 21, had been arrested and charged with aggravated robbery. I asked Detective Senior Sergeant Jim Gallagher if he expects to lay murder or manslaughter charges. PREREC
Threatened petrol price rises are worrying the transport sector, but one economist believes any increase wont be long-term. The increases are the result of the OPEC group of oil exporters deciding to reduce output by four percent from April. OPEC is concerned that demand for oil is already falling because of the slowing world economy. Claire Silvester reports: PKGE
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The military rebellion in Papua New Guinea is escalating, with renegade soldiers from two more army barracks seizing weapons and ammunition. Soldiers based outside Port Moresby in the Taurama and Goldie River Barracks have now joined the uprising, which started last week when 100 lower-rank soldiers took over Murray Barracks, the defence force headquarters inside the capital. The soldiers mutinied over a reform plan which the Government has now announced it will scrap, which would have seen a 50 percent reduction in the country's defence force. Joining us now is our correspondent in Papua New Guinea Richard Dinnen. LIVE
Around two hundred card players from New Zealand and Australia are at the Christchurch Casino this week for the New Zealand Poker Championships. Our reporter Nathan Mills spoke to some of the hopefuls about the attraction of high stakes poker. PKGE
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The long running legal battle over more than 800 million dollars of fisheries resources for Māori has taken a small step forward following a hui in Rotorua. Our Māori Issues Correspondent Jodi Ihaka explains why the hui is being hailed as a success. PKGE
The Wellington District Court has begun hearing depositions against the man accused of murdering law student Gavin Dash, who disappeared in Sept. 1999....but much of the evidence so far has been suppressed at the request of the Defence. Court Reporter Merle Nowland joins me now. LIVE
The Museum of New Zealand, Te Papa, has yet to decide whether it will again display three artworks that it took off the walls after legal advice. The art - T-shirts, by Auckland artist Shigeyuki (she-gay-you-key) Kihara - feature variations on the trademarks of the KFC, Pak N Save and Warehouse brands. Our reporter Michele Hollis went to Te Papa to have a look. PKGE
In Australia - the head of Sydney's main morgue has been suspended while an inquiry is held into reports that he and his staff stabbed and hit bodies to simulate injuries as part of medical experiments. The New South Wales Health MInister ordered the inquiry into the Glebe morgue calling the treatment of the bodies there sickening and immoral. The revelations follow a Government audit showing more than 25-thousand body parts are kept by State hospitals and universities for research or training purposes - many removed without the [illegible] of relatives.
There is no legislation in either Australia or New Zealand which says patholgists must get consent - I asked the President of the Royal College of Pathologists of Australiasia Professor David Davies how common the Glebe experiments are. PREREC
In Australia, both the Prime Minister John Howard and the Labour Opposition leader Kim Beazley are claiming victory from the weekend's Ryan by-election which resulted in a knife-edge result, unlikely to be confirmed until next week. The blue ribbon seat has been Liberal for 52 years - but voting saw a ten percent swing to Labour.
Mr Howard says it could have been worse - Mr Beazley says the Prime MInister is trying to play down a massive rejection by voters. I asked our Australian correspondent Kerry-Anne Walshe what the result really does mean. PREREC
In Washington, the new Bush administration is following through on its promise of a new approach to Asia, with the next few days seeing the president meeting the Japanese prime minister and China's vice premier. The BBC's Nick Childs reports from Washington. PKGE
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