**** CKPT FOR THURS 24 JULY 2008
******************************
1700 to 1707 NEWS
****************************
BANK RATE: The Reserve Bank has lowered the official cash rate to 8 percent - the first drop in five years.The dollar fell in response, initially dropping more than three-quarters of a cent to a six-month low of 74 point 1 US cents. It closed at 74.2.Cherie McQuilkin reports. PKG
Our business editor Patrick O'meara joins us now. LIVE
HANOVER: The Commerce Commission has started an investigation into the finance company Hanover Finance to look at whether Hanover breached the Fair Trading Act by making misleading representations to prospective investors and the public. One investor Ruth McCabe says she just wants wealthy owners Eric Watson and Mark Hotchin to do the decent thing. CUT
It's not the first time Hanover has been questioned over misleading the public.Late last year the company had a complaint upheld against it by the Advertising standards Authority for its 'whatever the weather' television ads. ASA's spokesperson, Hilary Souter, says a financial adviser complained because he didn't think the company was telling the truth. PREREC
POLITICS-PETERS: Millionaire businessman Sir Robert Jones is asking New Zealand First to explain why there is no record of a 25-thousand dollar donation he made actually reaching the party. The cheque was made out to the Spencer Trust and intended as a donation to New Zealand First but the Electoral Commission has no record of it. Our political reporter, Chris Bramwell, filed this report. PKG
WEATHER: The wild weather battering its way up the country has forced the cancellation of all Air New Zealand domestic flights at Wellington Airport, and ferry sailings have also been stopped. Meanwhile heavy snow has fallen in parts of the South Island .Our reporter Catherine Hutton is braving the elements at Wellington Airport. LIVE
***********************
BUSINESS NEWS
************************
The Family Court has told the parents of a Taranaki girl to think again after it discovered they'd named a daughter "Talula does the Hula from Hawaii".The judge says he and his colleagues are frequently dismayed by names given to children such as Passionate Love, and Violence.
Our plainly-named reporter Craig Ashworth has been looking at the court judgement PREREC
***********************
17.30 HEADLINES
***********************
HANOVER (2): An elderly investor in the Hanover Finance says she'd like the wealthy owners of the company to do the decent thing. The company has frozen more than half a billion dollars of investor funds while it works out a restructuring proposal. Ruth McCabe has almost 20 thousand dollars invested in Hanover Finance. She says her financial advisor had told several months ago it might be good idea to get out. PREREC
REST HOMES: Health officials are poised to intervene in the running of five more rest homes. Aged care insiders say the cases made public are symptoms of systemic problems in the sector. Ian Telfer has the story. PKG
POLITICS: Labour has seized on National's new industrial relations policy, calling it a fresh attack on workers and their families. The policy includes changes around four weeks annual leave, the ability to bargain, and a review of the Holidays Act.Here's our parliamentary chief reporter, Jane Patterson. PKG
DIXON RETRIAL: The High Court in Auckland has heard graphic details from the former girlfriend of Antonie Dixon, about the night he savagely attacked her with a samurai sword. Simonne Butler also described Mr Dixon's personality in great detail - outlining a man who would swing from being extremely witty and charming to paranoid and obsessive.Our reporter Lisa Thompson has been in court and joins us now.LIVE
***************
WAATEA NEWS
****************
CITIES: An international survey says Auckland and Wellington have become more expensive cities to live in.The Mercer worldwide cost of living survey compares living costs in 143 cities across the world, based on a basket of 200 items in each city.Ben Brown reports PKG
TENNIS: A young tennis player has been kicked out of an under-10 girls grade tennis tournament for using a secret ear piece. The girl was competing in the Canterbury Junior Winter Tournament last week when officials were alerted to the fact she was hiding a receiver under her headband.It's believed she was receiving instructions from her father through the earpiece.I asked David Blackwall, the CEO of Canterbury Tennis what happened. PREREC
*******************