HEADLINES & NEWS
GOVT COMMENTS ON WINZ REPORT
The Chief Executive of the Department of Work and Income, Christine Rankin, is to get a fresh start. The Social Services Minister Steve Maharey says a line must be drawn under the first 18 months of the controversial Department and a second stage of development now begins. His comments come as the Government acts on a report it received more than a month ago from the former State Services Commissioner Don Hunn, who found the department had a credibility problem and a culture alien to the public service. Steve Maharey says the fresh approach means a greater focus on finding jobs, and giving Regional Commissioners more authority to deal with local employment issues. The Chief [illegible] Christine Rankin, will also be required to work more closely with Chief Executives from the Ministry of Social Policy and the Department of Labour. I asked the Minister does that mean Christine Rankin is losing power? PREREC
Paul Blair is from the Rot5_archive.3_checkpoint.archive
Orua People's Advocacy Centre which helps beneficiaries deal with the Work and Income Department. He says the announcement from Steve Maharey does mean fundamental changes. I asked Christine Rankin for her reaction to what Paul Blair had to say. PREREC
BUSINESS NEWS with CATHERINE WALBRIDGE
FRESH HOPE OF FIJI RESOLUTION
There's fresh hope this evening of a resolution to the Fiji crisis, with the leader of the attempted coup, George Speight, saying he expects a settlement by the end of the week. His comments come as talks between Speight and the military on the makeup of an interim government enter their third day. Meanwhile, Speight's men continue to hold their 31 hostages at parliament - our [illegible] Andrew McRae is in Suva and joins me now. LIVE
SECOND DAY OF INQUEST
The second day of the coroner's inquest into the deaths of a mental health patient and his flatmate has today heard emotional evidence from a Waitemata health psychiatrist. Lachlan Jones, was under the care of Waitemata Health when he killed Malcolm Beggs at his West Auckland home last August. Jones' body was found in the garage of the house. Our reporter Lisa Owen is covering the hearing - she joins me now. LIVE
5.30 NEWS HEADLINES
SPORT with CHRIS REID
NEW DEVELOPMENT IN BLAKIE HOMICIDE
There's a new development in the Lisa Blakie homicide case, with police swooping on a gang headquarters near Christchurch. Ms Blakie's body was found on Waitangi Day near a layby on the main road between Christchurch and the West Coast. Detective Senior Sergeant Peter Read says they want to know if Ms Blakie had been at the gang property, on Port Hills Road, in the four days between her disappearance and the discovery of her body. I asked Mr Read how straight forward it is establishing that fact. PREREC
BATTLE IN INDONESIA LEAVE 114 DEAD
In Indonesia, 114 people are dead and 70 wounded after a fierce battle between Christians and Muslims on a remote eastern island. It is also believed that women and children trying to escape into the jungle have been taken hostage by the Muslim Jihad militia. The clash broke out at the village of Duma, (Doo-ma) on Halmahera (as it sounds) island about two and a half thousand kilometres from Jakarta - the fighting left nearly 300 buildings burned. Mark Bowling, our correspondent in Indonesia joins us now. LIVE
FIJI CARGO BAN IMPOSED
Returning to our earlier story - and as the Fiji crisis continues, New Zealand unions have today imposed a ban on handling cargo moving to and from the pacific island nation. The ban is in protest at the overthrow of the elected government by coup leader, George Speight. Last year Zealand's exports to Fiji were worth just under 200 million dollars, more than three times the value of [illegible] imports from Fiji. Our industrial relations reporter Patrick O'Meara joins us now. LIVE q&a
STRIKES IN AUCKLAND
Workers at the Port of Auckland have voted to strike after a breakdown in their employment contract negotiations. About three-hundred workers voted unanimously to take industrial action and are tomorrow expected to issue 14 days notice of strike action. Meanwhile the week-long Glenbrook Steel Mill strike is over. Julian Robins reports PKG
GE ROYAL COMMISSION
The Royal Commission of Inquiry into genetic engineering has completed its first day. But even as it begins its work, the Australian New Zealand Food Authority has declared five GE-based ingredients, already available here, are safe for consumption. That has angered the Green Party, which says the authority's testing is not rigourous enough. Bryan Crump compiled this report. PKG
FIRE IN BOTANIC GARDENS
[illegible] fighters have been called to a fire at one of Wellington's tourist attractions, the Begonia House in the Botanic Gardens. Our reporter Veronika Meduna is at the scene. LIVE
CLOSE & THEME