1700 to 1707 NEWS
As allegations mount over the abuse at the Waiouru Army Cadet School - the head of an army court of inquiry into the fatal shooting of cadet 23 years ago has spoken of his shock that Grant Bain's killer was never charged with manslaughter.
Retired Lieutenant Colonel Graham Beddie says when he questioned the army over why the police only charged Andrew Read with causing death by carelessly using a firearm he was effectively told to let sleeping dogs lie. The inquiry's report says the shooting was a logical if extreme outcome of the violence that probably existed at the Cadet school for many years.
It says ironically on the night Grant Bain was shot, the barrack's supervisor was at hospital dealing with a serious assault where a cadet had been kicked by about 30 other boys. Graham Beddie says Andrew Read used doctored bullets to scare junior cadets into thinking they were just about to be shot. PREREC
One former cadet is demanding an apology or an explanation from those in charge of the now-closed school where the claimed serious physical and sexual abuses occurred.
Deryck Humphries is one of many former cadets now speaking out about what's been described as a culture of extreme violence at the training school between 1960 and 1991. The former cadets say they were powerless to stop the violence or complain about it. They also say senior non-commissioned officers and others in charge knew what was going on but did nothing. Deryck Humphries, a Wellington full-time father, says the violence crushed his ideals as a 16-year-old. CUT
The Defence Minister, Mark Burton joins us now LIVE
The prosecution in the cases of seven Pitcairn Island men accused of a catalogue of sexual offences against young girls on the island scored a significant victory today when one of the defendants changed his plea to guilty. 49 year old Dennis Christian, who's the Island's postmaster, was facing two charges of indecent assault and two of sexual assault.
[illegible] morning he pleaded guilty to three of the charges including indecently assaulting a 12 year old girl in the early 1980's.
A fourth charge was dismissed. Our reporter Sue Ingram is at the trial Q + A
1720 BUSINESS NEWS WITH PATRICK O'MEARA
Retailers in central Wellington are turning the heat up on the City Council over what they say are exorbitant parking fees that are forcing shoppers out of the city. Meter parking charges rose to four-dollars an hour in July, matching fees in downtown Auckland. But that's well above other centres around the country - Christchurch shoppers pay a maximum of two-dollars and Dunedin shoppers, a dollar-ten an hour. And now retailers say it's hurting business. Catherine Wilson has been out in central Wellington today. PKG
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SPORTS NEWS WITH STEPHEN HEWSON
A New Zealand-bound plane is stuck at Melbourne Airport after sinking into asphalt which had been laid only to keep dust down. Melbourne Airport authorities say Freedom Air flight 324 was about to take off for Hamilton yesterday afternoon when it became stuck. They say the plane had crossed onto the tar edging to the main taxiway, which is not intended to support the weight of an aircraft. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau is investigating the incident and in the meantime, airline authorities are still working out how to move the jet. For the latest with us now is the acting manager of Freedom Air, Michael Young LIVE
More now on the accusations concerning alleged abuses at the former Army Cadet training school at Waiouru. The Prime Minister, Helen Clark, has said she is shocked by the allegations, which defence officials are investigating. Many former cadets have come forward with their stories since a Perth-based former cadet, Ian Fraser, revealed physical and sexual abuses at the school. One of them is Deryck Humphries. PRE-REC
Angry logging crews who have lost their jobs to cut East Cape forests are this evening using trucks to blockade entrances to the forest and won't say when they'll leave. The loggers say forestry company Ernslaw One has today told [illegible] how many jobs will be lost because there is no longer sufficient work for them felling trees. Chris Low works for one of the logging contractors involved, and says workers there were told today at least 30 jobs will go as the number of crews is slashed from five to two. PREREC
The country's new highest court today became the latest battleground in the Act party's attempt to get rid of independent MP Donna Awatere-Huata. The party has asked the Supreme Court to overturn a Court of Appeal decision that Mrs Awatere-Huata can't be expelled under the party hopping law because her actions have not distorted the proportionality of Parliament. The Court of Appeal said the key issue was that Mrs Awatere-Huata's pattern of voting was consistent with how she voted while with Act. Our court reporter, David Venables, has been following the Supreme Court's first substantive hearing. PKG
Primary schools will have to give a greater priority to physical education as the government gets tough on the problem of underactive and overweight children. The Minister of Education, Trevor Mallard, today launched a new initiative which will make it compulsory for all children to take part in at least one hour a week of high quality PE. MOur education correspondent, Gael [illegible], compiled this report.
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