Prime Minister Helen Clark has come under fire after it was revealed her motorcade allegedly sped in order for her to catch a plane to be present at Saturday's Bledisloe Cup rugby game between the All Blacks and Australia. Police have launched an investigation into the incident. Debbie Mitchell (witness); Helen Clark (PM); Tony Ryall (National, Law and Order spokesman).
Several prison officers at Auckland Prison have issued a warning about the release of convicted sex offender Mosese Taloa. They have real fears he will reoffend. Brian Davies (Corrections Association); Brendon Moynihan (Auckland Prison Regional Manager); Diane Robertson (Auckland City Missioner); Paul Tomlinson (Community Probation Service).
84,000 Porirua and Hutt Valley residents are to receive $1500 from the winding up of the Hutt Mana Energy Trust. voxpop (residents); David Ogden (Hutt Mana Energy Trust); voxpop (business owners).
A Philippine hostage threatened with beheading by Iraqi militants has been released. The release came a day after the Philippines government agreed to the kidnappers' demand that it withdraw its troops from Iraq a month early. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (President of the Philippines).
The Palestinian Prime Minister, Ahmed Qurea, has told a crisis Cabinet meeting that he will stay in his post for now but will not formally withdraw his threat to resign.
The largest gathering of Pacific Island people in the world, the Pacific Arts Festival, begins shortly in the tiny state of Palau. Louise Potiki Bryant (Atamira Dance Collective); Erenora Puketapu-Hetet (weaver); Nina Nawalowalo ('Vula' Director).
National Party MP and Health spokesperson Linda Scott has announced she will not be standing for re-election. Dr Don Brash (National Leader).
A new artwork has been unveiled to commemorate in his final year in Parliament the long political career of the current Speaker of the House Jonathan Hunt. Jonathan Hunt (Speaker of the House); Ryuso Nishida (artist); Annette King (Minister of Health).
Australian energy company Origin has paid $1.7 billion to US company Edison Mission Energy for 51% of Contact Energy, one of New Zealand's largest energy companies.
Report on how the strong New Zealand dollar is denting Fonterra's and dairy farmers' incomes. Henry van der Heyden (Fonterra Chairman); Kevin Wooding (Dairy Farmers of NZ); Derek Spratt (Bay of Plenty Federated Farmers); Andrew Ferrier (Fonterra Chief Executive).
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