HEADLINES & NEWS
GUNFIRE ERUPTS IN SOLOMON ISLANDS COUP CRISIS
The Solomon Islands crisis is deepening this evening, with gunfights reported to have erupted near the capital Honiara. The crisis began yesterday when armed men from the Malaita Eagles Force staged an attempted coup, seizing the Prime Minister Bartholomew Ulufa'alu and demanding his resignation. In recent months, there has been increasing violence between the MEF, who are from the island of Malaita, and native Guadacanal residents who want all Malaitans to leave. New Zealand's High Commissioner in the Solomons capital Honiara Nick Hurley says that gunfights raged for an hour and a half at the airport between the MEF and the Isatabu Freedom Movement. At least four people have been hurt and taken to [illegible]. A short time ago, the Foreign Minister Phil Goff, said the fighting confirms his prediction that the situation in Solomon Islands would worsen. AUDIO- The Foreign Minister Phil Goff.
Joining me now is the New Zealand High Commissioner in Honiara, Nick Hurley. LIVE IV
Lawyer and former Solomon MP Andrew Nori has been accused of leading the attempted Malaitan coup - he denies that but continues to act as the MEF spokesman. For months, he's been warning that the deteriorating situation on Guadalcanal would degenerate into violence. In an interview with Radio New Zealand International in March, Mr Nori warned that violence was inevitable because of the government failure to act against the militant organisations. audio cut - and Andrew Nori also warned that ethnic conflict was unavoidable if the Government didn't pay compensation to the displaced Malaitans - AUDIO CUT.
Tekiren Van Ash is a Solomon Islander living in New Zealand. She belongs to neither of the rival ethnic factions but has two brothers in Honiara - one married to a Malaitan woman, the other has a Guadalcanal wife. Tekiren hasn't been able to contact them yet and is worried they will get caught up in the violence because of who they're married to. She says there is a big cultural gap between the two ethnic groups and finding a solution is going to be difficult. PREREC IV.
FIJI COMMANDER GIVES SOLDIERS ULTIMATUM
To the other Pacific crisis now - and the Fiji Army says only one of the six officers who were told to leave the Parliamentary compound and report to barracks this afternoon has done so. More than 2 dozen territorial and regular force personnel have joined supporters of coup leader George Speight since the storming of the parliament 2 and a half weeks ago. Earlier today the Fiji military leader Commodore Frank Bainimarama, indicated that six commissioned officers still inside the complex faced losing their commissions if they did not leave by three this afternoon. Joining me now with the latest details from Fiji is our reporter John MacDonald. PRE-REC
BUSINESS NEWS WITH CATHERINE WALBRIDGE
5.30 NEWS HEADLINES
SPORT with STEVEN HEWSON
CASH FOR BURGLARS
The Government has launched a 14 million dollar campaign cracking down on burglaries. The Police Minister George Hawkins made the announcement in Auckland today, ahead of the release of the Budget next week. Mr Hawkins says the strategy includes changes in police practice, tougher laws for burglars and recievers, and improved computer systems to help to solve crimes. Auckland has the highest burglary rates in the country - it will get three new police Law Enforcement teams of 10 officers each. But how will it help - North Shore and Waitakere District Commander Superintendent Alistair Beckett joins us now. LIVE IV
HOSPITAL NEEDLED ABOUT SYRINGES
Gisborne Hospital has revealed it found out within two weeks of a temporary anaesthetist from Canada starting work that he was re-using disposable syringes on patients. But it decided that the patients didn't need to be told. Instead senior medical staff told him to stop and left it at that despite the doctor saying there was nothing wrong with what he was doing as he'd been doing the [illegible] thing in Canada for more than 20 years. Gisborne hospital today advised 134 patients there is aan extremely low risk of them having contracted Hepatitis or HIV The chief executive of Tairawhiti Health Sheryl Smale says alarm bells rang after a seperate case of re-used syringes in Northland - she told me that hospital staff then contacted the doctor who had moved back to Canada. PREREC IV
VAN DYK AND FERNS SHARE SAME GOAL
One of netball's worst kept secrets is out in the open with the selection of former South African netball captain Irene Van Dyk (pron Fan Dake) into the Silver Ferns.
Coach Yvonne Willering named her line up this afternoon for the one off test against Australia in a fortnight and for tests against a world invitation side and a Pacific invitational line up. Otago's Belinda Colling has been dropped as the New Zealand netball captain and will be replaced by Bernice Mene. We'll hear from Yvonne Willering shortly. A short time ago, I congratulated Irene van Dyk, and asked if she thought her selection was a sure thing. PREREC IV
Joining us now is the coach of the New Zealand netball team, Yvonne Willering. LIVE IV
TORCH RELAY IGNITES WARM WELCOME
The Olympic flame continues on its way through New Zealand, with its arrival in Wellington being celebrated with a powhiri, fanfare, music and dance. The flame was flown up from Christchurch this morning and after a brief powhiri at the airport, relay runners took it through 40 kilometres of Wellington streets and suburbs. A short time ago, it arrived in Civic Square - our reporter Karlum Lattimore compiled this report. PKG
WINE, WOMEN AND SHOPPING
Latest figures show that wine has taken over from bread as the top revenue earner in supermarkets. An AC Neilsen survey questioned 349 supermarkets nationwide, finding that supermarkets are doing a booming business in wine and beer. But at whose expense? - Jane Patterson reports. PKG
CLOSE & THEME