1700 to 1707 NEWS
In Christchurch, four people have been arrested and charged with stealing hundreds of books worth thousands of dollars from city libraries. The arrests come after a two week police investigation into the thefts where false IDs were used to get library cards. Auction houses and second hand dealers are now being asked to keep an eye out for the 600 missing books. Worth around 30 thousand dollars, they are mainly New Zealand titles. Sue Sutherland is the Christchurch City Libraries manager - she joins us now. LIVE
A contemporary breach of the Treaty of Waitangi and uncertainty for the fishing industry are just some of the argumemts presented today at the first day of hearings on the government's foreshore and seabed legislation. And some opponents made unlikely bedfellows with Māori groups and the Business [illegible] singing a similar song. They told a parliamentary select committee [illegible] the bill, that it should not proceed - while others said it should go back to the drawing board. Our parliamentary reporter Liz Banas was there. PKG
Prison officers are accusing their managers of conducting a witch-hunt to find the source of a media leak over the release of a convicted rapist, Mosese Taloa. Taloa's exit from prison last week became public when the prison officers union spoke out about staff fears he would reoffend within days or weeks. Only hours later Taloa was back in custody after failing to report to his probation officer and changing his accomodation without permission. Now the General Manager of Public Prisons Phil Mccarthy has told officers there will be an inquiry into the leak, that illicit contact with the media will not be tolerated and that the public's interest is not served by having reporters trailing all over town after legitimately released inmates. No-one from the Corrections Department will talk to us on the programme but joining is now is the union national organiser Brian Davies. LIVE
[illegible] McCaw won't be available to play for the All Blacks for the rest of the [illegible] Nation series. Following discussions with coaching and medical staff, he's decided to withdraw from the squad, to focus on making a full recovery after being injured 7 weeks ago. Erina O'Donohue joined a media scrum in Christchurch to speak to McCaw about his decision. PKG
1720 BUSINESS NEWS WITH TODD NIALL
A government report listing 65 possible hydro-electric schemes is being touted as evidence New Zealanders can expect to see a dam or canal on their local river. The accusation comes from the Green Party but Energy Minister Pete Hodgson is defending the report which looks at the amout of potential hydro power available to the country over twenty years. The Ministry of Economic Development report has listed 65 projects where there is a high to medium level of confidence of them proceeding. The Greens say the report does not take into account the environmental and cultural values of rivers, and that solar and wind power are better options than hydro. Co-leader Jeannette Fitzsimons is with us now along with the Pete Hodgson. LIVE
1730 HEADLINES
SPORTS NEWS WITH STEPHEN HEWSON
The government has hit back at opposition claims that new local body laws are to blame for a 10 per cent rate rise across the country. Statistics New Zealand figures show rates have gone up that much in the last financial year, that it's the largest increase in a decade, and four times the Consumer Price Index rise for the same period. The National party leader Don Brash says dog control, gaming and building laws, along with the new Local Government Act, have burdened councils with more responsibility - without extra funding. But the Local Government Minister, Chris Carter, says long-delayed infrastructure projects like roads and sewerage are to blame. CUT
The president of Local Government New Zealand, Basil Morrison, says legislation has had an affect on rates in the last year but the bigger impact has been the costs of better infrastructure for a growing and more demanding population. CUT
National local body spokesperson Nick Smith joins us now. LIVE
Auckland police admit staff made mistakes in not opening a crash scene as quickly as they could, which caused a four hour traffic jam on the city's northern motorway. The report into a two car crash on the Fanshaw Street junction during morning peak hour traffic on July 12th, found police failed to adequately consider the wider implications of the crash on traffic. A driver was trapped for 40 minutes when his car crashed and caught fire. Inspector Jim Wilson says it was a difficult situation. PRE-REC
The lawyer for serial rapist Nicholas Reekie says his client should have up to ten years cut off his 25 year prison sentence. Reekie who abducted and attacked three women and an eleven old girl was sentenced last year to one the longest prison terms in New Zealand history. His lawyer Rob Harrison told the Court of Appeal in Auckland today that his client is remorseful, and that his punishment is out of line with what other more serious offenders had received. Our reporter Sally Wenly has been listening to the arguments. PRE-REC
Some patients frustrated by long waits at hospital emergency departments are to be [illegible] to go elsewhere, under a new scheme launched at two Auckland hospitals. From this week, low risk patients who turn up at Auckland City and Starship Hospitals' A-and-E units will be given discount vouchers for a chain of private clinics. But as Patric Lane reports, health officials elsewhere are skeptical about the scheme's merits. PKG
The Bay of Plenty Regional Council says it will be keeping a close eye on river levels and stopbanks as predicted heavy rain overnight threatens the already waterlogged region. The Met Service says up to 60 millimetres of rain is forecast in the ranges and while this wouldn't normally pose a problem the recent flooding means everyone needs to be prepared. Our reporter Andrew McRae joins us from Whakatane. PKG
The women, who might be America's next first lady, took centre stage at day two of the Democratic national convention in Boston. The sometimes outspoken Teresa Heinz Kerry, the wife of the party's presidential nominee, made an impassioned case for why John Kerry should be elected. The BBC's Ian Pannel was there. PKG
MANA NEWS
CLOSE & THEME