**** CKPT FOR TUES 24 JULY 2007
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1700 to 1707 NEWS
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Louise Nicholas has been back in the High Court today giving evidence against another former Rotorua police officer. 55-year old John Dewar is accused of covering up allegations made by Ms Nicholas after she complained to him more than a decade ago about the sexual misconduct of three of his colleagues. The crown says the cover up happened because Mr Dewar was a close friend of one of the men. Mr Dewar was chief inspector of the Rotorua CIB at the time - he's been charged with wilfully attempting to obstruct, pervert or defeat the course of justice by suppressing or failing to act on allegations of sexual offending.
Our reporter Andrew Mcrae has been at the High Court in Hamilton - he's with us now. LIVE
Demand for the Kiwi dollar has accerlerated further following its surge through 80 cents US last evening. Earlier this afternoon the dollar hit another post float high of 81.10 US cents - a one cent rise in less than 24 hours. A short time ago it was at 80.89 US cents. Our Economics Corresponden Corin Dann joins us now. LIVE
There's been a snap debate and personal attacks in Parliament over the Madeleine Setchell affair. Ms Setchell lost her senior communications job at the Ministry for the Environment over her relationship with National's chief press secretary Kevin Taylor . She'd been in the job just three days. An advisor in the office of Environment Minister David Benson-Pope intervened. He maintained he knew little about the matter, but didn't do himself any favours when he made a slip of the tongue on radio this morning. Here's political reporter Liz Banas PKG
Full details of the 39 artworks by top New Zealand artists destroyed in a truck fire earlier this month are unlikely to be made public for some time. Paintings by Colin McCahon and Ralph Hotere, along with glassworks and sculptures, were destroyed as they were being taken back to Dunedin after an exhibition in Invercargill. The works were owned by private collectors or the artists themselves, and Dunedin's Milford Galleries had commissioned a truck firm to transport them between exhibitions. Helen Clark, the Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage says the loss of the paintings is a tragedy for the New Zealand art world. CUT And the Milford Galleries company director Stephen Higginson says the works were extremely significant. CUT Joining us now is artist Dick Frizzell and from Webb's Auctioneers is Peter Webb LIVE
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BUSINESS NEWS
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Less than 24 hours after the employment court ruled a lockout of 8-hundred hospital workers unlawful, a breakthrough has been reached between the workers' union and Spotless Services. The hospital cooks, cleaners and orderlies returned to work today after a ten-day lockout the Service and Food Workers Union says was the largest and longest in the history of NZ public hospitals. Both parties say the agreement will deliver significant pay rises. Now the union is seeking almost a million dollars in compensation for the wages workers lost during the dispute. Joining us now is Spotless Healthcare general manager Mark Russell LIVE
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17.30 HEADLINES
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The case of the high profile convicted murderer Antonie Dixon has been back in court today, as he appeals against his conviction and sentence. Dixon was sentenced to 20 years in prison in 2005, after he was found guilty of murder, carrying out a samurai sword attack and of firearms and kidnapping charges. Sarah Bristow has been at the Court of Appeal sitting in Auckland today and joins me now. LIVE
National claims Labour has re-drawn the election financing laws to give itself a huge advantage in the leadup to the 2008 general election. The Election Finance Bill would place a 60-thousand dollar spending cap on third party advertising campaigns. It would also see restrictions on campaign spending apply from January 1 in an election year, rather than the current three months. Here's our parliamentary chief reporter Clare Pasley. PKG
Democratic White House hopefuls have made history, taking internet video questions from voters live on TV. Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, John Edwards and five other long-shot candidates listened to and watched people on the video-sharing website YouTube. The ABC's Kim Landers reportsPKG
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WAATEA NEWS
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Pioneer of space medicine and former Prime Minister of the Cook Islands, Sir Tom Davis, has died aged 90 in Rarotonga. Sir Tom was Premier for nearly nine years from 1978, except for a brief period in 1983, and later took up the role of High Commissioner to New Zealand. Johnny Blades looks back on the distinguished career of a man who is often regarded as his country's greatest achiever. PKG
The proposed foreign ownership of Auckland International Airport has the airlines fearing a stranglehold on airport charges. The Board of Airline Representatives believes if the proposal goes ahead, the airport will be used solely as a cash cow. But travel agents say consumers would be the ultimate benefactors. Lisa Thompson has this report. PKG
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