**** CKPT FOR FRI 3 OCT 2008
**************************
1700 to 1707 NEWS
**************************
IMMIGRATION: A former head of the immigration service has been found to have consistently breached her own department's policies, by getting preferential treatment for her family. The State Services Commission investigation into Mary-Anne Thompson's conduct has found she consistently failed to manage conflicts of interest relating to her family and that her boss's handling of the matter was lenient and ineffectual. Here's political reporter, Chris Bramwell PKG
US-POLITICS: In the United States, Republican Sarah Palin appeared to hold her own against her Democratic rival, Joe Biden in the only vice-presidential debate of the election campaign. The Governor from Alaska, frequently returned to the folksy style, that proved popular in her speech at the Republican nominating convention. CUT
For his part, Senator Biden focussed much of his attack on the Republican presidential candidate, John McCain accusing him of being out of touch on the economy. CUT
With more on the debate, here's our correspondent Simon Marks PREREC
FOSSETT: Federal investigators in eastern California in the United States are to test a small piece of bone near the wreckage of the plane flown by the explorer Steve Fossett. The 63 year old disappeared more than a year ago after taking off from a private air-strip in Nevada. Here's the BBC's Peter Bowes. PREREC
***********************
1720 BUSINESS NEWS
**********************
SHOPS-ASSAULT: A South Auckland liquor store owner involved in a brawl with youths outside his business has been arrested and charged with assault. He appeared in the Manukau District Court and was remanded on bail. Detective Senior Sergeant Dave Pizzini joins us now. LIVE
AGENT ORANGE: Exposure to Agent Orange has been listed on a death certificate as a contributing cause of death for what's believed to be the first time. 65-year old Pat Hauwai died last Wednesday night, a month after being diagnosed with lung cancer. Ben Brown filed this report PKG
***********************
17.30 HEADLINES
***********************
IMMIGRATION (2): An investigation into the former Immigration head Mary-Anne Thompson who helped family members come here from Kiribati, has revealed multiple failures by Ms Thompson and her boss, former Labour Department Chief Executive James Buwalda. Joining us now is the Labour Department's current chief executive Christopher Blake. LIVE
WAITANGI-CLAIM: It's been a historic day for Māori in Hawke's Bay with the signing of a contemporary grievance claim which was lodged with the Waitangi Tribunal ten years ago.The claim is unique in that it's not about land but the provision of health services for Māori in Ahuriri or Napier. Heugh Chappell reports. PKG
GANGS-MURDER: A member of the Porirua Mongrel Mob who admitted fatally bashing his partner has been jailed for 14 and a half years. 35-year-old Quentin Duff has been sentenced in the High Court in Wellington after pleading guilty to the murder of Bronwyn Whakaneke in January this year. Our Court reporter Ann Marie May filed this report. PKG
***************
WAATEA NEWS
****************
PUMPKIN PATCH: The children's clothing retailer, Pumpkin Patch, says a continued global slowdown is to blame for its first ever redundancies. The company has laid off 30 staff at its head office in Auckland. Its chief financial office is Mathew Washington. PREREC
KAIAPOI-FALSE: The police say a man who caused a North Canterbury beach area to be evacuated by yelling "tsunami" had good intentions but was fooled by some kind optical illusion. Whitebaiters and other beach goers at Kairaki, near Kaiapoi, were this afternoon startled to see a man driving along the beach area tooting the horn of his car and yelling "Tsunami Coming".Most people left the beach area immediately. Here's Sergeant Graeme Crosson of the Kaiapoi police. PREREC
CHINA-SKYPE: Officials from Skype, the Internet and telephone chat application, have admitted that some users in China have had their text messages monitored and stored by their Chinese partner TOM-Online. The issue came to light when a University of Toronto report found text messages in China were being scanned. Here's the BBC's Lee Carter : PKG
**********