1700 to 1707 NEWS
It's now pouring with rain again in the flood ravaged lower North Island threatening even more homes and farmlands. The heavy rain which was expected to arrive later this evening has hit early - the storm is predicted to dump up to 100 millimetres of rain in the ranges with lower lying areas getting up about 30 millimetres. Swollen rivers and damaged stopbanks and spillways are ill equiped to cope, with huge areas of the countryside still under water. Peter Davies is the chief executive of the Manawatu Wanganui Regional Council - he says it's emergency workers and the army are on standby. PREREC
The men described as the masterminds of the execution-style killings of pizza worker Marcus Doig and bank teller John Vaughan, have been given two of the lengthiest sentences ever handed down. At the High Court in Auckland today, William Johnasson's been given a minimum non-parole period of 23 years, while Samoa received 22 years.
They were convicted as accomplices in the May 2002 murders in Pakuranga and [illegible] Bridge, in south Auckland. The gunman himself Ese Junior Falealii was last year sentenced to the shorter period - 17 years and nine months Sarah North was at the High Court. PKGE
We're joined now by Detective Inspector Steve Rutherford who worked on the case. LIVE
The Immigration Minister Lianne Dalziel offered to resign today but has held on to her job.
Her position hung in the balance after she admitted leaking a document concerning a deported Sri Lankan teenager to the media, having previously publicly denied it.
There are also questions surrounding how the document, a letter with notes written by the Sri Lankan girl's lawyer, came into her possession in the first place.
Ms Dalziel emerged from top-level Beehive discussions this morning with the backing of the Prime Minister, to face a barrage of questions in the House. She told Parliament she felt she was a good Minister of Immigration, but had suffered a lapse of judgment and regretted her behaviour. CLIP
Both Lianne Dalziel and the Prime Minister Helen Clark have declined to come on the programme this evening. Joining us now is our political editor Kathryn Ryan LIVE W/DROPINS
Back now to the floods - as we reported earlier the predicted heavy rain is already falling in the region - Joining us now is Manawatu farmer Stuart Barber. LIVE
In Feilding today hundreds of people have been doing as much as they can to clean up and prepare of more bad weather. Jill Galloway has been out and about checking on the progress. PKGE
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Returning to our earlier story the Immigration Minister Lianne Dalziel offered to resign today but has held on to her job. Her position hung in the balance after she admitted leaking a document concerning a deported Sri Lankan teenager to the media, having previously publicly denied it. There are also questions surrounding how the document, a letter with notes written by the Sri Lankan girl's lawyer, came into her possession in the first place. National MP Judith Collins has been calling for the Minister's resignation - she joins us now. LIVE
Well, we have a development now on the former Act MP Donna Awatere Huata. Our reporter Jane Patterson joins us now. LIVE
A Waihi Beach man has been sentenced to prison in one of the largest frauds ever against the Accident Compensation Corporation. He's also been ordered to pay ACC nearly 400-thousand dollars in reparation. 61 year old Ronald Donaldson appeared in the Hamilton District Court for sentence on 44 charges. Andrew McRae was in court and filed this report. PKGE
MPs have been left bemused by the Auditor-General office's explanation on why it refused to decide whether former TVNZ chairman Ross Armstrong acted illegally when he double dipped on expenses. In a report into the affair the office had found Dr Armstrong acted inappropriately when he double claimed expenses while chairman of TVNZ, New Zealand Post and Industrial Research. Parliament's commerce select committee examined the report today. Here's our [illegible] correspondent Brent Edwards was there. PKGE
Back to the floods now, and some flood-stricken farmers next Foxton and Horowhenua have been able to get around the flooded area by boat or jetski for the first time. Rain showers have been falling in the area as others try to get pumps working on the Manawatu Spillway before more flooding threatens the area. Ceinwen Curtis is there. PKGE
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