HEADLINES & NEWS
Christine Rankin's employment grievance case has come to an end in the Employment Court in Wellington, with revelations this afternoon that her claim is now for nearly one and a quarter million dollars. Mrs Rankin who until last Thursday was in charge of the department of Work and Income, was initially seeking more than 818-thousand dollars in compensation for what she alleges was unlawful and unfair treatment by State Services Commissioner Micheal WIntringham. Our Court Reporter Merle Nowland covered the case and joins me now. LIVER WITH DROP INS
Members of the Enza board say they're optimistic a solution to the row with apple and pear growers can be reached within a fortnight. But they're giving little away on how they plan to achieve this. At issue is more than 50 million dollars worth of mainly foreign exchange losses, which each side says the other is liable for. Enza board members met the Agriculture Minister this afternoon. Our political reporter, Clare Sziranyi, filed this report. PKGE
The Chair of the Pipfruit Growers Association, Phil Allison says he's not sure what to make of the statements from Enza Chairman Tony Gibbs that a solution can be reached within a fortnight. PREREC IV
BUSINESS NEWS WITH JOHN DRAPER
Older New Zealanders are enjoying a better quality of life than people of working age, according to a study released today. The research says most of them are experiencing less material hardship and are going without - less often than people in the workforce. The study, from the Ministry of Social Policy, looks at standards of living for older people - what they own, their social activities, what they have to go without, and how they pay the bills. Our social issues correspondent Shona Geary compiled this report. PKGE
Fiji police have launched an investigation into the sexual exploitation of [illegible] This follows revelations by the police that Apete Kaisau, who's been charged with the murders of Fiji's Red Cross director John Scott and his partner Gregory Scrivener, was sexually exploited by them. Our correspondent in Suva Shalen Shandil joins us now. LIVER
In the small West Coast town of Reefton they know what fog is all about - but in a winter of record low temperatures even the hardened locals are finding some of the weather a little hard to take. Local weatherman Tony Fortune has been keeping records since 1963, and says the temperatures since late June have been getting lower and lower. And most recently there's been a six day fog to contend with. PREREC IV
5.30 NEWS HEADLINES
SPORT with STEPHEN HEWSON
The Deputy Prime Minister Jim Anderton says a Taskforce set up to help economic development in the Wairoa and Gisborne regions is a remarkable success. The Tairawhiti development taskforce was formed a year ago, and is made up of central and local government and community groups. Jim Anderton, who attended a meeting of the group in Gisborne today, says it's completely changed the nature of co-operation in the two regions. Heugh Chappell reports. PKGE
The High Court in Wellington has ruled that clothing manufacturer Canterbury International can continue making and selling its Invincible rugby jersey range. The New Zealand Rugby Football Union was seeking an interim injunction on the jersey which is based on the 1924 All Blacks' invincibles tour of Britain while it considered further court action. Our reporter Andrew Greenwood has been down at court and he joins us now....LIVER
The Jamaican Prime Minister P.J. Patterson has called out the army to restore order in the capital after 20 people were killed in gun battles between security forces and residents of a poor Kingston neighborhood. The police say another 30 people were injured, and in one incident a policeman was shot and burned to death in his car. More than 11 thousand soliders and police are now on the streets - Vernon Davidson from the Jamaica Observer says the violence is isolated to a small community in West Kingston.
[illegible] search for a missing Washington intern has taken another twist. A US Congressman has admitted he was having an affair with Chandra Levy, but her parents don't think he's telling the truth. Vicky Ford reports from Washington. PKGE
There's mixed reaction from punters about the Village Force Cinema Chain's trial of changing its tickets to allocated seating rather than the 'sit where you like' policy. Village Force has movie theatres in Auckland and Hamilton - while the biggest cinema chain in the country Hoyts already has allocated seating in some if its theatres. Now two of the Village theatres will be testing out the allocated seat rule in Auckland and our reporter Sally Wenley went along to the movies to see how it will work. PKGE
In Australia, a great white shark called Neale who has been tagged and tracked is becoming something of celebrity. The Commonwealth Science and Industrial Research Organisation attached a satellite transmitter to the dorsal fin of the 150 kilogram shark in March and since then he's travelled at least 3000 kilometres. Named after the fisherman who helped catch him, Neale, it's hoped the project will enable researchers to track the shark for up to a year. One of [illegible] who tagged Neale, John Stevens, says there's been a huge amount of interest in his travels. PREREC IV
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