1700 to 1707 NEWS
Two Israeli men who the Government says are linked to the Israeli intelligence agency, Mossad, have left the country. The two men who were convicted of belonging to an organised criminal group and trying to obtain a false New Zealand passport, were sentenced to six months jail. They served half that time and soon after being released from jail this morning they flew out of the country. The family of the man suffering celebral palsy whose stolen identity was at the centre of the passport fraud case, says his father is too ill to talk to any journalists.
However they question why it has taken until today for the 100 thousand dollars the two men were ordered give to the Cerebral Palsy Society to come through. With us now is Stewart Grieve the lawyer for -one of the Israelis - Eli Cara. LIVE
[illegible] the two men, nor the Israeli Government, have acknowledged links to Mossad. But the Government has effectively frozen diplomatic links with Israel over the issue, and says it will not lift those sanctions without an apology from Israel. The Prime Minister says it is up to the Israeli Government to make the first move, but is declining to comment further. Joining us now is our political editor Kathryn Ryan Q + A
Public health doctors in Northland are treating more than fifty children from a Whangarei preschool for meningococcal disease after three were admitted to hospital. Two girls aged four and five and a five year old boy became ill at almost exactly the same time at the weekend. The Northland Medical Officer of Health, Jonathan Jarman, says they are hopeful the children will make a full recovery. PRE-REC
The partner of the pilot whose plane was involved in a fatal crash has given evidence at his inquest today. Seven Crop and Food Research staff, and the pilot Michael Bannerman, were killed when the Air Adventures charter plane crashed during a night approach to Christchurch Airport in June last year. [illegible] O'Donohue is at the inquest and joins us now. Q + A
1720 BUSINESS NEWS WITH LIZ BANAS
Trading in shares of takeover target Powerco have hit record levels as overseas buyers move in to exploit some small print in the deal which the Takeovers Panel says it approved without realising the consequences. The already unusual takeover offer by Australia's Prime Infrastructure is now on an unpredictable path - with few in the money markets certain how it will pan out. Joining us now is our Business Editor Todd Niall. Q + A
1730 HEADLINES
SPORTS NEWS WITH STEPHEN HEWSON
Name suppression for the defendents in the sex abuse trials on Pitcairn Island has just been lifted, revealing that the Mayor, Steve Christian is among the accused. His son, Randy, is also one of the defendents. Seven men on Pitcairn Island face a total of 55 charges, including rape, indecent assault and gross indecency. Meanwhile an eleventh hour application to have the trials adjourned has been thrown out. Our reporter Sue Ingram is on the Island covering the hearings. Q + A
There's jubilation in the Far North over the government's decision to fully fund the Kerikeri heritage bypass. Prime Minister Helen Clark announced the ten-point-8 million dollar funding package this morning - in Kerikeri's iconic Stone Store. Our Northland reporter Lois Williams was there. PKG
The New Zealand First Leader is calling for the Waitangi Tribunal to be scrapped and replaced by a Commission with a narrower focus. Winston Peters was launching his party's Waitangi Treaty policy. He says the tribunal is mixing spirituality, mysticism, psycho-babble and political correctness with land claims. Mr Peters says it should be replaced with a commission focusing on the tribunal's original intention of establishing the factual basis of claims and making recommendations for their settlement. PRE-REC
Work and Income and Greypower are disputing how many superannuitants are eligible for an extra payment of 57-dollars a week if their partner is in [illegible] care. Work and Income is only now enacting a decision by the Social Security Appeal Authority last year which means people can receive the higher single rate of benefit if a doctor finds a stroke or dementia has left their spouse unable to affirm their marriage vows. The national operations manager Liz Jones says only about 75 people in the country will qualify - a figure that's being disputed by Grey Power and the National Party. CUT
Liz Jones says Work and Income has begun contacting people who may be affected, along with doctors and rest homes, and will backdate payments to May last year.
Barbara White has been campaigning to get the rules changed after her fortnightly pension was halved when her husband, who suffers from Alzheimer's disease, went into a rest home in April. She presented a petition to parliament earlier this year with more than one and a half thousand signatures calling for the change. Mrs White says she could now be eligible for the payment but is concerned that the Social Security Appeal Authority's ruling has taken so long to become public. PRE-REC
The re-emergence of windscreen cleaners at major intersections around Auckland [illegible] led to a new police campaign to keep them off the streets. Six years ago a local bylaw was passed making it illegal for the cleaners, known as 'squeegee bandits' to rush up to cars and clean the window, then expect a payment. But they're back. Our reporter Sally Wenley stopped at a few intersections. PKG
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