1700 to 1707 NEWS
The extraordinary race for the Auckland Mayoralty today saw the resignation of John Banks campaign manager Brian Nicolle and the three most controversial candidates turn to Titewhai Harawera for guidence. Mr Nicolle resigned this morning after admitting he was behind a leaflet drop of an article highly critical of rival Dick Hubbard. Mr Hubbard has indicated he will take legal action over the distribution of the reprinted National Business Review articles, which were delivered to several Auckland suburbs. Christine Fletcher has also been threatening Mr Hubbard with legal action - but that all changed this afternoon after a meeting with the veteren Māori activist Titewhai Harawera. As they went into the meeting John Banks said he was there to witness a truce between two warring candidates. CUT
Dick Hubbard said he was going along at the request of fellow candidate [illegible] Fletcher, and didn't like to think of it as "mediation". CUT
Afterwards, Titewhai Harawira emerged with Mr Banks and Ms Fletcher - with Dick Hubbard nowhere to be seen. Ms Harawera told the media Ms Fletcher had decided not to pursue legal action against Dick Hubbard, over comments about her position on the Eastern motorway. CUT
Mrs Harawira says she's pleased Mr Banks and Ms Fletcher have now decided to focus on the issues. CUT
Auckland Mayor John Banks is with us now. LIVE
Dick Hubbard joins us now. LIVE
Brian Nicolle may is no longer managing John Banks' re-election campaign, but he does look set to keep a similar job with the Act Party. Mr Nicolle usually works as ACT's campaign manager in general elections, and the party president Catherine Judd says there's every liklihood he'll do so again next year. Brian Nicolle contacted her today and offered to resign, but she turned him down. Ms [illegible] says the matter will be discussed by the Act Board, but at this stage she sees no connection between his work on the Banks campaign, and his work for the party. However, she didn't want to comment specifically on the letterbox drop. CUT
Catherine Judd says Brian Nicolle is very good at his job. CUT
An aviation expert has raised concerns over pilot training and experience at an inquest in Christchurch. Eight people were killed when the Piper Chieftain aircraft they were travelling in plunged into farmland north of Christchurch Airport in June last year.
An inquest began last July, and has resumed today. Our reporter, Erina O'Donohue is at the inquest and joins us now Q + A
1720 BUSINESS NEWS WITH LIZ BANAS
After a five year long battle, builders are now moving in to start working on construction of a new hospital in central otago. The building was officially started today with a symbolical sod turning ceremony marking the beginning of the 7.6 million dollar project for Dunstan hospital in Clyde. Nathan Mills was at the ceremony. PKG
1730 HEADLINES
SPORTS NEWS WITH STEPHEN HEWSON
The extraordinary race for the Auckland Mayoralty today saw the resignation of John Banks campaign manager Brian Nicolle and the three most controversial candidates turn to Titewhai Harawera for guidence. Mr Hubbard is taking legal action over Mr Nicolle's distribution of reprinted National Business Review articles. Christine Fletcher has also been threatening Mr Hubbard with legal action - but that changed this afternoon after a meeting with the veteren Māori activist Titewhai Harawera. Mrs Hawera got involved when the issue of the personality clashes came up at mayoral debate organised by the Māori Party. PRE-REC
A team of police divers from Wellington is searching an area near the mouth of the Waipaoa River just south of Gisborne, for two missing fishermen. The men [illegible] were setting a net, disappeared when their canoe overturned late yesterday. An 11 year old boy who was with them managed to swim ashore, and spent last night in hospital suffering from hypothermia.
Police say earlier today an oar and an orange canoe were recovered from a sandbar, but so far there is no trace of the missing men. Senior sergeant Moera Brown joins us now. LIVE
The brother of Kenneth Bigley, the British man being held hostage by Islamic extremists in Iraq, says he's appalled at the way the situation has been handled by the British government.
And he described Prime Minister Tony Blair's handling of the affair as "the kiss of death" for the hostage. A report from Iraq has indicated that Kenneth Bigley is still alive, and his brother Paul says he still holds hope that the report is true. CUT
Paul Bigley spoke via phone at a fringe meeting at Britain's governing Labour Party annual conference. The focus of the conference is supposed to be the next general election but after just one day Iraq is already dominating. Delegates have voted to hold an emergency debate and vote on whether to set a date for [illegible] British troops from the country. The BBC's Mark Mardell reports. PKG
US President George Bush today declared a state of "major disaster" in Florida after Hurricane Jeanne - the fourth in six weeks to hit the area - slammed into the southern US state, causing widespread flooding and damage. Jeanne smashed homes, tore off roofs, flooded streets and left one and a half million Floridians without electricity. Six people are so far known to have died. Our reporter, Laura Iiyama reports. PKG
Prison officers say they now want to deal directly with the Corrections Minister over how to deal with a staffing crisis and an overflow of inmates in the country's prisons. There are an extra one thousand prisoners with about 200 being kept in police and court cells. The Corrections Department was hoping to fit in another 180 prisoners by doubling up in cells, but that was dependent on staff accepting an extra 26 dollars per shift for the extra work. Prison officers said no and the president the Corrections Association, William Cochrane is furious the Department has said the offer stops there. PRE-REC
Churches and individuals opposed to the Civil Union Bill made submissions to the Justice and Electoral Committee in Auckland today. The Bill, seeks to create a new form of legal relationship giving - a registered civil union - that would apply to same-sex and heterosexual couples. Jennifer Dann was at today's hearings. PKG
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