1700 to 1707 NEWS
Negotiations over the seabed and foreshore issue are reaching a critical stage, with two Labour Māori MPs refusing to rule out voting against the Government. Ministers are due to unveil the final policy next week. The Associate Māori Affairs Minister Tariana Turia, and the Tainui MP Nanaia Mahuta, have both made it clear they're uncomfortable with current proposals. And they won't rule out crossing the floor. That could put in doubt the majority the government needs to pass the legislation. Q&A liver with Kathryn Ryan plus 5 drop ins.
The MP Donna Awatere Huata has been given a temporary stay of execution in the High Court in Auckland today, against attempts by her former party to have her expelled from Parliament. The MP - who's facing fraud charges - was declared an independent MP last month, but the ACT party is still trying to have her removed altogether under the so-called party hopping law. She went to the High Court this morning to try to prevent them doing so and has been awarded a temporary injunction. Q&A with Jane Patterson plus 3 drop ins.
The British adventurer who has twice been forced to abandon his attempt to row from New Zealand to South Africa has been told by the Maritime Safety Authority he will be stopped if he tries to do it again. Jim Shekdar is today back on dry land again after being rescued last month by the research vessal Tangaroa. He was about 12-hundred kilometres out to sea when he struck bad weather which resulted in broken oars, lost equipment and a gashed head. The MSA director Russell Kilvington says he's told Mr Shekdar he doesn't want to see another attempt and would use the Martime Transport Act to stop him or anyone else rowing across the southern oceans. Pre Rec.
1720 BUSINESS NEWS WITH JOHN DRAPER
The Bush administration is coming under a great deal of international criticism for its decision to restrict reconstruction contracts in Iraq to countries [illegible] supported the decision to go to war. 26 contracts worth nearly 19 billion dollars will only be awarded to those nations who participated in the "coalition of the willing". Canada, Germany, France and Russia are among the nations shut out, each has expressed outrage at the decision. The European Union will immediately investigate the policy's legality. PKG
The man accused of murdering a well known Auckland interior designer has been committed to trial. Phillip Leyton Edwards who is 23 has pleaded not guilty to murdering 55-year old David McNee in July this year. Our reporter Anna-Louise Taylor has been listening to the evidence at the Auckland District Court. PRE REC
1730 HEADLINES
SPORTS NEWS WITH STEPHEN HEWSON
Returning to our earlier story, the British adventurer who has twice been forced to abandon his attempt to row from New Zealand to South Africa has been told by the Maritime Safety Authority he will be stopped if he tries to do it again. Jim Shekdar is today back on dry land again after being rescued last month by the research vessal Tangaroa. LIVER
The Environment Court's rejection of a Wellington group's right to challenge the decisions of the Historic Places Trust came under fire in the High Court today. Today's case continues the Campaign for a Better City's five-year legal battle against the capital's inner city bypass, which would see one heritage building demolished and up to 12 others moved. Q&A with David Venables.
The government says it's highly impressed with early results from a Waikato University research project, aimed tackling Māori educational under-achievement. This afternoon the Education Minister Trevor Mallard, and his associate Parekura Horomia, released a 250-page report - which they say shows that the project is achieving some dramatic results for the Māori students it involves. PKG
The Australian government is the focus of yet another disturbing protest from asylum seekers - this time nine Afghanis in a detention centre on Nauru have sewn their lips together in a silent protest against their continuing poor treatment. The Hazara Ethnic Society says after two years the asylum seekers have had enough of Nauru, but don't want to return to worse conditions in [illegible]. New Zealand has recently accepted three women and their daughters from the pacific island after Australian authoritites refused to reunite them with family members already in Australia. The refugee advocate, Hassam Ghulam, says others on Nauru also began a hunger strike yesterday morning, in the hope of being granted asylum, in Australia. LIVER
Otago University research has found that the vast majority of children involved in court cases as either witnesses or victims change their testimony while they are in court. Psychology lecturer Rachel Zajac (rhymes with seance) says the researchers first studied court transcripts from 21 children involved in sexual abuse cases and found that three quarters of them changed at least one aspect of their testimony when cross-examined. She says they then undertook another study to try and find out whether children's second accounts of an event became more or less accurate. Doctor Zajac told me they took 45 five and six year olds on a trip to a police station and then interviewed them twice to find out whether changed their stories. PRE REC
MANA NEWS
CLOSE & THEME