HEADLINES & NEWS
PATHOLOGY LABS CRITICISED HARSHLY AT INQUIRY
New Zealand's pathology laboratories received a harsh review at the cervical Cancer inquiry in Gisborne today with an expert witness pointing to the inexperience of staff and the lack of resources for refresher training. The issue was raised during strongly critical evidence about the Gisborne laboratory formerly owned by now retired pathologist Dr Micheal Bottrill. An investigation into the under reporting of cervical cancer by Dr Bottrill lead to the inquiry which has just completed its fifth week of sitting. Heugh Chappell is covering the inquiry and joins me now. LIVE
[illegible] EXECUTIVE WANTS ANSWERS
The Oceania Soccer Executive is hoping to question the New Zealand soccer administrator, Charlie Dempsey, when it meets in Auckland on Sunday. Mr Dempsey sparked anger across the soccer world, and embarrassed the Government and football officials home, when he abstained from voting in the ballot for the host of the 2006 World Cup finals. His abstention, which allowed Germany to win the honour, ahead of South Africa, went against the instructions of the Oceania executive. Bryan Crump complied this report. PKG
BUSINESS NEWS with CATHERINE WALBRIDGE
SPEIGHT TALKS MAY RECOMMENCE
In Fiji, a spokesman for the coup leader George Speight says talks with the military to resolve the hostage crisis are possible. However security concerns for Speight mean he will not be attending. The military wants to discuss a proposal put forward by local chiefs who want concessions on how long a the military will hold executive power. Our reporter John MacDonald, is in Suva and he joins us now. LIVE
[illegible] AND SAFETY LEGISLATION GETS REVIEW
The government announcement that it plans to look at bringing in tougher health and safety legislation to try and reduce the number of accidents and deaths in the workplace has been met with mixed reaction from employers and unions. The Labour Minister, Margaret Wilson, announced the plans to review current legislation in a speech to a union Health and Safety Conference in Wellington this morning. Sarah Gregory reports. PKG
VISITORS TOLD TO BEHAVE APPROPRIATELY
Two northern health authorities are threatening to limit visiting hours and tighten security because of bad behaviour by visitors. South Auckland Health, and Northland Health are handling a growing number of complaints from patients sharing rooms with others who constantly have extended family around them. A spokesman for Northland Health, Luke Worth says at times up to 12 visitors at once are crowding into small four-bed rooms, and nurses are being abused when they ask people to leave. He says unsupervised children are also a problem. PKG.
A Northland Māori leader says cutting back on visiting hours at Whangarei hospital would unfairly penalise Māori patients and their families. The Ngati Hine chairman, Pita Paraone, says he cannot condone any abuse of the hospital or staff, but Māori patients expect and need their families around them when they are ill.
5.30 NEWS HEADLINES
SPORT with CHRIS REID
PYSCHIATRIST QUESTIONS WHETHER TREATMENT COULD HELP
A psychiatrist has told an inquest into the deaths of a mental patient and the flatmate he killed that he is not sure that any treatment regime could have averted the tragedy. Lachlan Jones was under the care of Waitemata Health when he attacked his flatmate Malcolm Beggs with an axe. The bodies of both men were found at Mr Beggs' West Auckland home last August. Our reporter Julian Robins has been at the inquest in Auckland and joins me now. LIVE
CORRECTIONS MINISTER WANTS REOFFENDING REDUCED
[illegible] Corrections Minister Matt Robson has announced the setting up of a [illegible] to tackle the predicted rise in prison numbers, and the high rate of re-re-offending.
The taskforce will look at toughening up community sentencing, so that programmes like home detention, periodic detention and halfway houses can be used more often as alternatives to prison. The Minister says people have to stop talking about soft and hard options and instead look at making the community safer.
And he's rejecting suggestions that what he wants will see see rapists and murderers finishing their sentences at home. PREREC
FORMER PRISON WORKER FOUND GUILTY
An Auckland District Court judge says he will allow a former prison worker found guilty of stealing nearly a quarter of a million dollars from the Department of Corrections to apply for home detention. Dennis Wayne Kake, a former Mt Eden prison administration manager was today sentenced to eighteen months jail for over one hundred charges of fraud. Barbara Dreaver was at the Auckland District Court and joins us now. LIVE
[illegible] SCALE TO ASSESS RISK WANTED
[illegible] New Zealand Society for Earthquake Engineering is calling for a grading system to classify all buildings in Wellington according to their ability to withstand a major earthquake. The call has come after New Zealand's biggest insurer of commercial property, New Zealand Insurance refused to renew the earthquake policies of around 100 of its commercial customers in Wellington. The Society says a scale, coupled with legislation to enforce minimum loading standards, could act as a useful guide for owners and occupiers to ensure commerical buildings aren't earthquake risks. Patrick O'Meara has more. PKG
BATS DRIVE PEOPLE BATTY
People in the small Australian town of Katherine are being driven mad by a plague of bats. Thousands of them arrived six weeks ago to breed in the town's streets - and are causing power blackouts and insomnia. The bat droppings, of which there are many, are acidic enough to take paint off cars. The Parks and Wildlife Commission have been spectacularly unsuccessful in getting the protected species to leave - their experiments with a new repellent spray have failed. No-one knows why the bats have taken a liking to Katharine, but owner of a local caravan park, Mike Miller just wishes they'd go away. PREREC
CLOSE & THEME