1700 to 1707 NEWS
Customs officers at Auckland International Airport have seized the country's second largest haul of cocaine. About 7 kilograms of the class A drug was cut out of a false sided suitcase, being carried by a 40 year old South African man who was travelling on what's believed to be a false British passport. He'd arrived on a flight from Chile via Papeete and Rarotonga, and has been arrested along with another male passenger. Customs Manager of Drug Investigations Simon Williamson said officers had their suspicions about the man before he landed. Williamson also said the country's biggest cocaine seizure was in 1988 when 20 kilos was found on a South American banana boat docked at Auckland. PRE REC
The Employment Court has heard today that the ability to buy drug free urine over the internet is one of the reasons why workers shouldn't be randomly tested for drugs and alcohol. John Haigh QC, is appearing on behalf of six [illegible] to seek a permanent injunction blocking Air New Zealand's scheme to test its staff. He told the court the plan is a invasive and intrusive and an assault on people's dignity and integrity.
He also argued it undermines their rights to privacy and the right to refuse medical treatment if they so wish. Eric Frykberg was in the Employment Court to cover the case. LIVE
The High Court has refused to grant a last minute injunction to stop the aerial spraying for the Asian Gypsy Moth in Hamilton. Maf intends to start the first of eight spray treatments over parts of Hamilton West tomorrow morning, with the rest over the next two months. The application for the injunction came from the anti spray group called Watch, which was set up to fight any aerial spraying in Hamilton. Andrew McRae LIVE
The Parole Board has declined an application for home detention for the country's youngest convicted killer. Bailey Junior Kurariki was convicted of the manslaughter of Michael Choy, who was bashed with a softball bat in Papakura in 2001. Kurariki was convicted of manslaughter and has been serving his jail term in the Kingslea Residential Centre for young offenders in [illegible]. Mr Choy's mother Rita Croskery is overseas. Garth McVicar from the Sensible Sentencing Trust has been in contact with the family. LIVE
1719 BUSINESS NEWS WITH SHARON BRETTKELLY
The Government's Supreme Court bill will pass with a much slimmer majority after United Future decided today it will not support it. The legislation, which cuts ties to the Privy Council and sets up a local Supreme Court, is being debated in the house at the moment and is expected to be passed this month. Support from the Greens means the government has the numbers to pass the bill. But United Future leader Peter Dunne says his party's stance reflects its concern at the level of public opposition to the bill. PRE REC
The Attorney General, Margaret Wilson, says she's not surprised by United Future's decision not to support the Supreme Court Bill. She says politics prevailed, and United has given into lobbying from parts of the business community. And she says she's not concerned that the Bill will be passed with a slim majority. AUDIO CUT
It was billed as an attempt at the world record for a public mass hypnosis session to stop smoking. Several hundred people turned up to Wellington's Civic Square at lunchtime to observe visiting hypnotist, Peter Powers, in action. But the numbers fell well short of the 900-odd needed for the record. Michele Hollis. PKG
1730 HEADLINES
SPORTS NEWS WITH STEPHEN HEWSON
The government is sounding confident that the long-running Māori Fishing assets debate is close to an end. The Fisheries Minister Pete Hodgson says drafting of a new Bill is expected to be completed in November. And he says within the first half of next year, new legislation will allow more than 700 million dollars worth of Fisheries assets to be passed into Māori hands. AUDIO CUT
But possibly standing in the way of the government's plans is a High Court hearing scheduled for early next month. The government is backing a Waitangi [illegible] Commission proposal for allocating the assets - which would see the bulk of them go to tribes with large populations. Opponents of the Commission's proposal, say it is unfairly weighted in favour of tribes, over urban Māori - and doesn't account for unfair past practices by the commission. That's disputed by the Commission's chief executive Robin Hapi - who says a recent interim High Court judgement gives them confidence they're on the right track. AUDIO CUT
Both the government and the Waitangi Fisheries Commission say a substantive hearing before the High Court early next month is the last significant hurdle for the allocation process - and if they can get past that, then its likely that legislation to sign everything off can happen fairly quickly. Gideon Porter LIVE
They say it's black and sleek and some locals fear it may be on the loose in Canterbury. They're talking about a Panther. And residents from Mt Sommers at the foot of the Southern Alps are on the alert this evening after a truck driver reported another sighting on a farm in the area. A mysterious black animal has been seen in the area before -- and as Katy Gosset discovered, it's [illegible] hottest topic in the area. PKG
In Washington, the White House has announced a massive reorganisation in the reconstruction efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan. All the work will now be coordinated through the National Security Council, the branch of the White House headed by the presidential adviser Condoleeza Rice. The White House says this is being done because reconstruction is entering a new phase. But critics argue this is proof the US administration has botched the rebuilding of Iraq and Afghanistan. Owen Fay PKG.
Two of Fiji's convicted traitors have been moved off the prison island of Nukulau to a mainland jail near Suva, after a falling out with the alleged coup leader George Speight. The three were convicted of treason following the 2000 coup against Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry, which bought down his government. George Speight pleaded guilty to treason and was initially sentenced to death - later commuted to life imprisonment. Two others, politician Timoci Silatolu and media adviser Joe Nata, were convicted earlier this year and sentenced to life. Daily Post reporter Miphleshni Gurdayal uncovered the ructions by talking to prison sources and locals. PRE REC
The government's decision today to purchase the Wellington railway station from Tranzrail may have its critics in political circles. But to others, the sale of the landmark building in Bunny Street means it will now be maintained in the grand style it deserves. The Historic Places Trust has given the building a category one classification, saying it has national architectural significance. And the government has promised to spend 15 million dollars on upgrades, relocation and maintenance of the station in the next three to five years. Yvonne Legrath, the general manager for the central region for the Historic Places Trust. LIVE
MANA NEWS
CLOSE & THEME