HEADLINES & NEWS
Industrial strife is threatening in the Fire Service, after professional firefighters rejected a new pay offer from the Service, and voted to take industrial action to enforce their claim for a pay rise. The Union says over 90 percent of its members rejected the offer of a pay increase of about nine percent as it would be coupled with nearly 50 percent more routine work. We'll be speaking to the secretary of the National Firefighters Union in a moment. But first the Commission Chairperson Dame Margaret Bazley, says she's very disappointed the new offer has been rejected. PREREC
Joining us now is the secretary of the National Firefighters Union, Derek Best. [illegible]
Many homeowners are already benefitting from lower mortgage interest rates after the Reserve Bank decided to cut its benchmark Official Cash Rate. The official rate has dropped a quarter of a percent to six percent - banks responded by reducing floating interest rates to below eight percent. The Reserve Bank move came only hours after the United States Federal Reserve cut its interest rates to four and a half percent. It's the fourth American cut this year and the unexpected move sparked a recovery on Wall Street - Our economics correspondent Stephen Harris joins me now. LIVE
Opposition parties are complaining that ministers misled Parliament over the proposal to merge the Work and Income Department with the Ministry of Social Policy. Both National and Act are writing to Parliament's Speaker over the way ministers answered Parliamentary questions just weeks before the merger was announced. And it's emerged the government's determination to keep the proposal secret was the reason it chose not to consult key agencies before making a decision. Here's our political reporter Kathryn Ryan. PKGE
BUSINESS NEWS WITH JOHN DRAPER
The small Pacific island of Niue is facing financial crisis because it no longer has a regular air service.
Niue's regular air service came to a stop in March after the grounding of Royal Tongan Airlines' planes.
Now, New Zealand is stepping in to help, paying for an airline consultant to sort out the situation. Our reporter Barbara Dreaver looks at the impact on Niue - a tiny nation of around 1800 people. PKGE
5.30 NEWS HEADLINES
SPORT with RICHARD CROWLEY
Overseas, and talks between the United States and Chinese diplomats have failed to resolve the spyplane standoff. The Chinese are still refusing to hand back the American EP3 spyplane, which was forced to make an emergency landing in China after colliding with a Chinese jet fighter. Our Washington correspondent Priscilla Huff reports that both sides are now looking to the next meeting for progress.
An opponent of the proposed free trade and investment agreement with Hong Kong is warning that the proposed deal could destroy what remains of New Zealand's textile and clothing industry. The Prime Minister, Helen Clark, announced from Hong Kong this week that negotiations will begin to formalise a closer economic relationship. But Canterbury University's Dr Bill Rosenberg, a researcher on foreign investment, says the agreement has fish hooks, and could see Hong-Kong investors demanding compensation for lost profits if their New Zealand activities are restricted by environmental laws. He says Hong Kong presently exports about 25 billion dollars worth of cheap clothing, textiles and footwear, and much of it would be eligible for the New Zealand market, even under a free trade deal requiring goods to be at least 40 percent produced in the country of origin. PREREC
There's been a call for better training for bus drivers after an Auckland Stagecoach driver was found guilty of careless driving causing death. Kereopa Te Waru Puru was also convicted of failing to stop after an accident, following the death of Matthew Taylor last year. Anna-Louise Taylor has the details. PKGE
Community organisations are demanding fundamental change in the way they are treated. A government-commissioned report says the community and voluntary sector has deep levels of frustration, mistrust, cynicism and anger towards the government. The working party report says the sector has been treated with a 'culture of contempt' and made fearful about criticising policy - joining us now is our social issues correspondent Shona Geary. LIVE WITH DROP INS
The number of road deaths involving trucks is at its lowest level in 17 years - and promoters of high tech new equipment just installed in Christchurch hope their machinery will make the roads even safer. The Hornby Vehicle Testing Station has paid nearly a million dollars for the Danish equipment which tests a trucks' roadworthiness. Nathan Mills filed this report. PKGE
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