The former National Prime Minister Jim Bolger has been appointed to chair the board of New Zealand Post's new bank - the so-called "people's bank" which is a key Alliance policy heavily championed by Alliance leader Jim Anderton. Mr Bolger will also take over as the chair of New Zealand Post when Ross Armstrong ends his term in the middle of next year. Jim Bolger finishes his stint as New Zealand's ambassador in Washington in January.
National's current leader Jenny Shipley says Jim Bolger's appointment as chair of New Zealand Post's bank is preferable to putting a "left wing flunky" in charge. But she says it will not change National's opposition to putting 80 million dollars of taxpayers money into a government-owned bank. DROP IN
[illegible] Prime Minister Helen Clark says Jim Bolger is an excellent choice as chairman of New Zealand Post's banking operation. Miss Clark says the skills Mr Bolger will bring to the role include plain common sense, canny-ness, and considerable experience in public life. But she also acknowledged the political benefits the appointment brings. DROP IN
Jim Bolger does not accept that he has now aligned himself with an Alliance party policy. PREREC
Joining us now is our political editor Al Morrison. LIVER
The Opposition leader Jenny Shipley has announced for the first time that National would have accepted some of the refugees from the Tampa.
Her comment came during a snap debate in Parliament on the government's decision to accept 150 asylum-seekers from the ship. Mrs Shipley has to date criticised the government's decision, saying it sends the wrong signal to international people-smugglers, but has now told Parliament the Prime Minister that National believes some on board should be accepted here. Our political reporter Kathryn Ryan followed the debate. PKGE
BUSINESS NEWS WITH JOHN DRAPER
North Shore residents say they are fed up with sewage infested beaches every time there's a downpour, despite council promises to curb water pollution. The signs are still up on beaches saying its unsafe to swim since the weekend's deluge and they won't be removed until tomorrow at the earliest. Sally Wenley reports. PKGE
In Fiji, the deposed Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry's Labour Party has made a clean sweep so far through the west of the country winning eight seats in the general election. Four counting centres around the country are currently tallying the votes and results in 11 of the 71 seats have been announced so far. Our reporter in Suva Barbara Dreaver joins us now. LIVER
5.30 NEWS HEADLINES
SPORT with RICHARD CROWLEY
Returning to our earlier story, a Melbourne court has been hearing the final submissions in the case brought by civil rights lawyers on behalf of 433 Afghani asylum seekers. They are arguing the refugees should have been processed through the normal immigration channels in Australia. For the latest we're joined by ABC reporter Alan Everett. LIVER
Figures released by the police today show a jump in violent crime over the past year, continuing the trend of the last ten years. The police say total crime dropped by almost 2 per cent in the year to the end of June - but the number of cases of violent offending rose by 8.6 percent, to just over 43-and a half thousand. I asked Acting Police Commissioner, Steve Long, why the increase continues. PREREC
Two competing helicopter rescue trusts have buried the hatchet in Northland - after a year of rivalry and confusion. The Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust, and the Northland Emergency Services Trust have signed a sub-contracting deal that will see them co-operating - in both regions.
They're claiming their arrangement as a model for air ambulance services in other regions - which has been hailed as a pragmatic solution.
Our Northland reporter Lois Williams compiled this report. PKGE
[illegible] organisers of the New Zealand golf tournament featuring the world's top ranking golfer Tiger Woods have just announced key details about the event. The New Zealand Open will be held at Paraparaumu in the second week of January and there will be limited ticket sales available from tomorrow. Our sports reporter Gary Ahern has been at the organiser's media conference and he joins us now. LIVER
South Africa is reportedly trying to salvage the United Nations Conference Against Racism in Durban. This comes after the United States and Israel pulled out of the meeting in protest at wording in the conference declaration that describes Israel as a racist and genocidal state. Our Washington correspondent Vicki Ford reports. PKGE
MANA NEWS
CLOSE & THEME