Lindsay Perigo presents the issues of the day in depth. “American lawyers acting for the Bank of New Zealand and the State Bank of South Australia froze the US assets of former Goldcorp chairman Ray Smith. Their action came just hours before Smith was due to leave America for what is thought to be a new life in the Caribbean. Smith was due to face a deportation hearing in Salt Lake City Utah next week for allegedly violating his tourist visa. But in a deal with the US immigration service, he agreed to leave the country tomorrow. Rod Vaughan reports”.
“Another Kiwi bid today for the brewing empire of Australia’s Alan Bond. Magnum Corporation, brewers of brands like Kiwi Lager and Coutts have put in their bid and are waiting for word back. That stake could be one of this country’s biggest corporate deals. Rob Neale reports.”
Tom Bradley presents the news of the day. Secondary school teachers are tonight accusing the Government of a fascist breach of democracy, and they are threatening strong action including strikes. The teachers are angry, but despite their protest, legislation introducing individual contracts for principals and some teachers is back in Parliament unchanged. They will be meeting the industry to discuss a campaign of opposition, and they’re predicting chaos in secondary schools. The Government could also be facing a fight from nurses. The nurses say spending cuts are so severe the health system is struggling to survive. Taxi drivers are relieved the Government has backed down on many changes planned for their industry. Taxi drivers were worried that the bill deregulating the industry would allow gypsy drivers to operate only at peak times, and they were also concerned about publicly displaying their home addresses. The founder of Auckland Centerpoint Community Bert Potter and his wife Margaret are the two people charged with serious drug offences after a police raid. They are charged with possessing LSD and ecstasy for supply. Thirty thousand people today urged the Government turning Antarctica into a world park. They were signatories of a petition organised by Greenpeace. Air travellers are being reassured tonight after an incident in which a disturbed man tried to wrench open a door of a Continental Airlines jumbo high over Fiji. [Foreign news]
[Foreign news - East Germans escape to Hungary]
Tom Bradley presents the headlines and the weather.