HEADLINES & NEWS
The receiver of Tasman Pacific Airlines which ran Qantas New Zealand says all the company's secured and preferential creditors, including former staff, will be paid what they're owed within the next two months. The failed airline went under on April 21 stranding passengers, leaving more than 1000 staff without jobs and creditors owed more than 100 million dollars.
Receiver Micheal Stiassney says he's collected almost 11 million dollars over the past two months from people who owed the airline money and staff should be getting six thousand dollars each in outstanding wages and holiday pay in the next three weeks. He says there's still around 65 million dollars in unsecured debt. PREREC
Christine Rankin's husband went into the witness box in the employment court today and described the effect of his wife's employment problems on the family. Allan Hogg was giving evidence in support of his wife's claim for more than 800-thousand-dollars damages for what she claims was unfair and unlawful treatment by the State Services Commissioner Michael Winteringham. Our Court Reporter Merle Nowland listened to the evidence, and joins me now. LIVE WITH DROP INS
Later today in Parliament, the Government sought to turn the tables on Christine Rankin's work record, as it came under renewed questioning about its relationship with her. For the second day in a row Opposition parties raised questions about the Employment Court case being taken by the DWI Chief Executive. National and ACT MPs have questioned Ministers about sexism towards female public servants, and have also asked why the Prime Minister has not met Ms Rankin in the past 18 months. But the State Services Minister Trevor Mallard has suggested to Parliament that Mrs Rankin is to blame for that. CUT Meanwhile the Opposition Leader Jenny Shipley went on the attack over the allegations Ms Rankin has made against senior officials, and the Social Services Minister [illegible] Maharey. Mrs Shipley told Parliament heads should roll. CUT
Mrs Shipley says the alleged behaviour of the head of the Prime Minister's department Mark Prebble, is also a sackable offence. Ministers wouldn't be drawn into specific claims before the court, but the Social Services Minister Steve Maharey told Parliament the Work and Income Department is a 'female friendly environment' with a mostly female workforce.
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Oppostion MPs are pressuring the government to promise action over the public feud between the chairman and deputy chairman of New Zealand Post. Ross Armstrong claims that his deputy Syd Bradley may have acted against New Zealand Post's interests in its contract to overhaul the South African Postal Service. His made the allegations in a letter to the Minister of State Owned Enterprises, Mark Burton, which was leaked to the media. Opposition MPs claim Dr Armstrong is the source of the leaked document - and have challenged the Minister to find out, and act. Clare Sziranyi reports. PKGE
The Auckland Regional Council says it's not interested in subsidising the current rail service between the city and Hamilton, despite it being earmarked for closure by Tranz Rail.
Tranz Rail is selling it's passenger network, and while five routes will now be run by the Australian owned West Coast Railway, another five could be shut down because they are losing money. Meanwhile Tourism New Zealand says while the loss of these services would be disappointing, it is unlikely to harm New Zealand's tourism industry because few tourists use the trains anyway. Andrew Greenwood compiled this report. PKGE
Papua New Guinea's capital Port Moresby is bracing for further possible violence as people mourning the death of three student protesters plan to march on parliament. The city has been tense but quiet today following riots in which 4 people were killed and about 20 wounded when police opened fire to try to stop a wave of looting and arson. The protests were triggered by government plans to sell state enterprises in line with pressure from the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. I asked the Australian Associated Press correspondent Kevin Ricketts what's been happening today. PREREC
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The Waterfront Workers Union has called off a 48-hour strike at the Port of Auckland. About 225 union members were due to walk off the job at 7 tomorrow morning, but the strike notice was withdrawn this afternoon as a result of mediation talks. The strike-cancellation was announced just minutes after an Employment Court decision which cleared the way for the stoppage. The Port company had asked the court to declare the Union's strike notice unlawful. Our reporter Julian Robins has been following the situation, and he joins us now... LIVE
The Auckland District Law Society has come out in support of striking probation officers saying the courts cannot function without them. Almost six hundred probation officers are striking again today, in the third day of industrial action over pay negotiations. Their union the PSA says although the deal gives them a 600 dollar pay increase plus a 300 dollar one off payment a proposed four percent pay increase over two and a half years is not guaranteed. An Auckland lawyer, Gary Gotlieb, says probation officers on an average 33 thousand dollar a year aren't paid enough and he supports the strike even though the courts are adjourning cases because there are no probation reports. PREREC
The Prime Minister Helen Clark has this afternoon had bi-lateral talks with the Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid. He arrived in Christchurch for what is the first visit to New Zealand by an Indonesian president in 30 years. President Wahid, who has just spent several days in Australia, faces a parliamentary hearing on August the first and he could be impeached over two financial scandals.
Jocelyn Darling has been covering the President's visit and she joins us now. LIVE
The chief executive of the Air New Zealand-Ansett group, Gary Toomey, has highlighted the company's need for a cash injection, to keep its subsidiary Ansett, operational. There's been intense government lobbying on both sides of the Tasman over Singapore Airline's proposal to increase its 25-percent stake in the Air New Zealand-Ansett group - a move which Qantas Airways wants to block. Mr Toomey today met with Australia's Prime Minister John Howard and the country's Transport Minister in Canberra, to promote the Singapore Airlines offer. I asked Mr Toomey whether there will be any legal impediments to the Singapore deal. PREREC
Auckland Girls Grammar has taken the 50-thousand dollar top prize in the Goodman Fielder School of the Year Awards. The 15 finalists in the 100-thousand dollar competition were at a ceremony at Te Papa in Wellington this afternoon when the winners were announced.. Our education corrrespondent, Gael Woods, was there and spoke to the winners. PKGE
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