News, sport and weather.
Main stories:
Three Pacific Island Governments are asking for explanations from New Zealand for the abrupt end to the visa free scheme. All three (Fiji, Tonga and Western Samoa) say they were not consulted and found out the scheme was being axed just hours before a public announcement by the New Zealand Government. Speaker: Misa Fogi Retzlaff (W. Samoa Attorney-General).
Employers are being warned they can be prosecuted if they hire people without work permits. Pacific Islanders without permits have been looking for jobs in Auckland and one employer has been offered a discount labour scheme, undercutting job rates. It’s believed many of the islanders arrived during the visa free period, and working is in breach of their entry documents. Speaker: Bruce Jenkins (Immigration Officer).
Other stories:
One of New Zealand’s largest business deals, the annual meat sale to Iran, is about to be signed. Less meat is being sold this year, but the price has remained firm and for the first time in five years New Zealand will be paid in cash.
Public servants affected by the state service restructuring have been given seven months to find jobs in the new state corporations or face compulsory redundancy. Speakers: Geoffrey Palmer (Deputy Prime Minister).
The Prime Minister has confirmed the Higher Salaries Commission will be stopped from increasing salaries by more than 10%. Speaker: Bob Vine (Lower Hutt Town Clerk).
The Leader of the Opposition Jim Bolger has pledged to come to grips with the current crime epidemic.
3000 pupils at seven Auckland schools may be sent home because an industrial dispute is preventing their toilets being cleaned. Speaker: Trevor Gould (Auckland Education Board).
Syrian troops in West Beirut.
Terrorist trial in France.
“Ivan the Terrible” Nazi war criminal trial in Jerusalem.
Josif Begun has been freed from jail in the Soviet Union.
The arrival of the Antarctic supply ship “Green Wave” this afternoon marked the end of an era. On board were 14 Huskies, the last to leave Scott Base on their way to the United States.
A top film producer has hit out at what he calls “whingers” in the movie business: those who blame Government tax changes for stifling the New Zealand film industry. Producer Don Reynolds is in Central Otago shooting a film (Illustrious Energy) about the Chinese involvement in the gold rush days and he says there’s still a real future for good local films. Speaker: Don Reynolds (Producer).
Sport:
The first cricket test between New Zealand and the West Indies at the Basin Reserve finished as a draw.
Auckland Cup winner Kotare Chief’s after race swab has shown traces of the drug hordenine. Speaker: Peter Ryan (Kotare Chief’s Trainer).
There’s a new challenger on the horse racing scene, the sensational Matamata filly Tidal Light. Speaker: Jimmy Gibbs (Tidal Light’s Trainer).
World welterweight boxing fight controversy.
A world record is being claimed for a marlin caught off the Taranaki coast.
Top Half.