**** CKPT FOR THURSDAY AUGUST 10 2006 *******
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1700 to 1707 NEWS
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IRAQ NZ: The family of the New Zealand man, killed while working in Iraq, says he risked his life to earn good money so he could retire by the age of 40. But at 37, Te Ina (Ee-na) Marokura Ngamata died when the truck he was driving was blown up by a bomb in Baghdad. He was working for the international security firm, Armour Group. His family held a media conference at his home near Hamilton today. Andrew McRae was there and compiled this report. PKGE
LANDSLIDE KELSON: Several people living near a massive slip in Lower Hutt, north of Wellington, are being allowed back to their homes. Four homes were evacuated after the slip, and one that was teetering on the edge of the gully has been partly demolished. The owners, Ann and Nigel Nation, watched as the debris went crashing into the yawning chasm below. Their son Paul has also spent the day at the site. PREREC
Our reporter Patric Lane is at the scene - metres from the edge of slip. He's with us now. LIVE
EMPLOYMENT: More people are working, more people are seeking work and finding it, they are working longer hours and fewer are languishing on the dole queue. The latest data sets new records, including the lowest unemployment rate in modern times. Economists see it as a ray of light in an overcast economy, but warn even these positive trends could have some negative spin offs. Eric Frykberg reports. PKGE
REST HOME THEFTS: A 45 year old woman has pleaded guilty to stealing up to 5000 dollars worth of jewellery from a Christchurch rest home. Now the Police are trying to return the rings watches and bracelets to their owners. Here's our Christchurch reporter Monique Devereux. LIVE
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1720 BUSINESS NEWS WITH BADEN CAMPBELL
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AUSTRALIA POLITICS: The hard men of Aussie politics, known as Iron Bar and the Bomber, slugged it out near parliament house ahead of today's vote on the country's tough new immigration laws. Three Liberal bankbenchers crossed the floor to vote against the Prime Minister John Howard, but the vote was still passed in the House of Representatives. The legislation, which will now go to the Senate, would send all people trying to enter Australia illegally by boat, to island detention centres such as Nauru for processing. We'll hear more about that shortly. But first the extraordinary exchange between Labor leader Kim Beazley and Liberal MP Wilson Tuckey. Here's the ABC's Gillian Bradford. PKGE
Our correspondent in Canberra Kerry Anne Walsh witnessed the confrontation. She's with us now. LIVE
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1730 HEADLINES
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SPORTS NEWS WITH MURRAY WILLIAMS
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BEACH MISSING: The police in West Auckland searching for a man missing for several months, are combing Bethell's Beach with the aid of a search and rescue team and specialist search dogs. They say Luke Mitchell, who is 37, was last seen by a flatmate in early June. The police believe Mr Mitchell's car was stolen from the Bethell's Beach car park on June the sixteenth. Registration plates belonging to his car have since been found, but the car itself has not been recovered. Detective Sergeant Geoff Baber joins us now. LIVE
BEACH SHIPYARD: A ferry owner has been reprimanded for using a beach as a ship yard in the Hauraki Gulf ...which is threatening Motuihe Island's pest-free status. Authorities say the vessel could cause pollution and be a biosecurity risk. And the island's trust complains that the owner's a repeat offender, and says the warnings are falling on deaf ears. Sally Wenley reports. PKGE
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WAATEA NEWS with Eru Rerekura
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TERROR AVIATION: British police say they've disrupted a plot to allegedly blow up aircraft in mid flight by detonating explosive devices smuggled on board in hand luggage. The BBC's home affairs correspondent Daniel Sandford has the latest. VOICER
HOTELS QUEENSTOWN: A plan to bring one of the world's biggest and best-know hotel brands to Queenstown is pitting locals against out of towners. Submissions to the Queenstown Lakes District Council painted a clear picture - most from out of town want the Hilton Hotel, and most from in the town don't. Today the developers met some of the opposing submitters. Our reporter Rowan Quinn was there and filed this report. PKGE
WILLIAMS REHAB: Now, will actor Robin Williams be this funny again? CUT
Oscar-winning comedian Robin Williams has surprised Hollywood with the very UN-funny news that he has checked himself into rehab to deal with his alcoholism. A publicist has released a statement on the 55-year-old's behalf, saying he'd found himself drinking again after 20 years of sobriety, and has decided to take proactive measures to deal with the problem. Williams admitted to a cocaine and alcohol addiction in the late 70's and early 80's, and claims he quit drugs and alcohol in 1983 because his friend John Belushi overdosed and died mere hours after they snorted cocaine together. But as our Hollywood correspondent Peter Bowes reports, most people seemed to have forgotten about the issues in his past. PREREC
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