HEADLINES & NEWS
ARMY CAMP REBELS SAY THEY SUPPORT SPEIGHT
In Fiji military supporters of coup leader George Speight have now taken command of the army camp at Labasa on the island of Vanua Levu. Earlier this week soldiers comandeered weapons at the camp, but despite assurances from the military that the situation is under control, a reporter there has told Checkpoint that is not the case. In a seperate development today on the island a small group of unarmed landowners attempted to block passangers from boarding planes at the small local airport. They eventually left, saying an opposition MP who lost his seat to Chaudrey government had told them to do it. Reporter [illegible] is at Labasa - I asked him what is happening at the camp now. [illegible]
To Suva now where we are joined by our reporter there John McDonald. LIVE
Coalition partners of the deposed Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry have spoken out against the military, accusing it of failing to deal professionally with the coup crisis. A Cabinet Minister in the deposed Chaudrey Government, Pratap Chand, says The military has spent too much time giving Speight and the rebels what they want instead of isolating them.
Mr Chand says, as a result, the situation has gone from bad to worse. He strongly opposes the new government announced by the military, saying the elected MPs who escaped being taken hostage should be helping run the country.
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BUSINESS NEWS with CATHERINE WALBRIDGE
CANCER INQUIRY SHOWS LACK OF ANALYSIS
There have been more relevations at the cervical cancer inquiry in Gisborne [illegible] the lack of analysis of the national cervical screening programme since [illegible] ten years ago. The Manager of the Programme Dr Julia Peters has told the inquiry there weren't any quality control standards in place when she took over in 1998. Our reporter Heugh Chappell is at the inquiry and joins me now. LIVE
EDUCATION ACT PASSED
Parliament has just passed the Education Amendment Bill, which scraps bulk funding of teachers' salaries and re-introduces school zoning. National and ACT have fought the controversial legislation all the way through its passage through Parliament, and this afternoon there were some passionate speeches as the bill went through its final stage. Our political reporter Kathryn Ryan sat through the debate, and joins me now. LIVE
5.30 NEWS HEADLINES
SPORT with CHRIS REID
RETAIL SALES FIGURES FLAT
New Zealanders are becoming increasingly reluctant to spend, according to the latest retail sales figures. Statistics New Zealand says retail sales for last month remained flat, continuing the gradual downward trend that started around the beginning of the year. The figures come hot on the heels of a survey showing that consumer confidence plummeted between March and June. Elizabeth McLeod reports. PKG
BUNNIES TO HOP AGAIN
Rabbit populations are on the rise again in Otago, despite the presence of the rabbit control disease RHD. An Otago Regional Council survey shows rabbit numbers are starting to build up again in North Otago, Lindis Pass and the Upper Clutha areas three years after the illegal release of the disease. But as Graham McKerracher found out the more worrying concern for the regional council is the unexplained high level of immunity in some rabbit populations. PKG
TAMIHERE REJECTS ALLEGATIONS
The Labour MP John Tamihere has just made a personal statement to parliament following anonymous accusations against the Māori MP.
Mr Tamihere has just finished his statement - to explain this surprise [illegible] I'm joined by our political editor, Al Morrison. LIVE
CORRECTIONS DEPARTMENT TARGETS OFFICERS
The Department of Corrections says it is very concerned about a small group of prison officers who refuse to comply with instruction or policies. Department officials appeared before parliament's Law and Order committee this morning. The General Manager of Prisons, Phil Mccarthy, told the committee there is a small percentage of prison offices who are "gobsmacking in their stupidity" and their utter refusal to comply with instructions. Phil Mccarthy has now left the country for East Timor, but I asked the acting General Manager John Hamiltion what he had to say about the problem.
SMOKERS ALREADY GIVING UP
As Checkpoint reported last night, the government has announced a multi-million dollar package to encourage smokers to kick the habit.
Programmes to help Māori to give up smoking already exist, such as the pilot scheme called Aukati Kai Paipa. But how succesful are they - Andrew McRae filed this report.
[illegible] ON SIERRA LEONE DIAMONDS IMPOSED
[illegible] U.N. Security Council has imposed a global embargo on diamond exports from Sierra Leone, where a thriving gems-for-guns trade is sustaining a civil war noted for its atrocities against unarmed civilians.
The resolution bans all rough diamonds until Sierra Leone can set up a proper certification system for the gems - as well as regain access to lucrative diamond-mining areas controlled by the rebel Revolutionary United Front. Our UN correspondent in New York Nathan King explains.
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CLOSE & THEME