A tragic concession - The Bissett family has publicly accepted the death of their daughters Carolyn and Lauren in the Kennedy plane crash off the Massachusetts coast. Carolyn Bissett was the wife of John F Kennedy Jnr who was flying the plane and is also missing presumed dead. A spokesperson for the family says it hopes to honour them in death in the simple manner which they chose to live their lives. There is no word yet from the Kennedy family.

Widow Speaks Out - The widow of the pilot killed in last year’s Stewart Island plane crash said there should be new laws introducing corporate manslaughter into legislation. Five people were killed in the plane crash. Yesterday, Invercargill coroner Trevor Savage criticised Southern Air for not having a policy for fuel monitoring in its planes.

Health Minister Not Informed - The Health Minister, Wyatt Creech, says the decision by National Women’s Hospital to introduce luxury maternity facilities was made without consulting him. Mr Creech says he has sought advice from the Ministry of Health and the Health Funding Authority over the issue. He says women should expect the same high level of care regardless of where in the public system they receive it. Mr Creech wants to know if there will be any impact on the provision of free quality clinical care.

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