National Radio Midday Report

Fiji Govt. Postponed - Nz Govt. Response - Cervical Inquiry - Student Loans - - Select Committee On Loans - Super Agreement - Cot Death Remarks - Prebble Denies Challenge - Varroa Mites - Camp David Talks - Zimbabwe Farmers - Britains’ Budget - Once A Musical

FIJI GOVT. POSTPONED: The swearing in of Fiji’s new interim government has been called off unexpectedly this morning. Rebel leader George Speight had earlier said, the ceremony would not go ahead, while interim Prime Minister Laisenea Qarase said the reason for the postponement was that the president was “ill.”

- NZ GOVT RESPONSE: The New Zealand Government is preparing to take further action against Fiji in the wake of the recent decision.

- CERVICAL INQUIRY: The Australian pathologist responsible for the rereading of thousands of cervical cancer slides said due to the high abnormality rate, she initially thought the slides were part of a test reading.

- STUDENT LOANS: The national manager of student services for the Department of Work and Income says she will resign or expect to be sacked if there are any further problems with the department’s handling of student loans.

- SELECT COMMITTEE ON LOANS: The students loans issue is high on the list of MPs question to a Select Committee on the Department of Work and Income.

- SUPER AGREEMENT: The Government’s planned fund to meet the future cost of retirement is entering political hot water with there being some rumours of disagreement between the coalition parties.

- COT DEATH REMARKS: A Wellington coroner says he is concerned about remarks on police treatment of parents involved in cot-deaths in the New Zealand Herald newspaper.

- PREBBLE DENIES CHALLENGE: ACT leader Richard Prebble has denied his leadership is under threat after ACT’s involvement in the Dover Samuels scandal caused many party members to say the party has lost its way.

- VARROA MITES: Federated Farmers and beekeepers are pressing the Government to do more to control the Varroa mite saying their is urgent need for it to act.

- CAMP DAVID TALKS: Talks at Camp David are under further pressure with the imminent departure of President Bill Clinton. The sovreignty of the holy city of Jerusalem is the sticking point to the talks.

- ZIMBABWE FARMERS: A group of farmers in Zimbabwe has gone on strike after increasing tensions between war veterans and white farming families.

- BRITAINS’ BUDGET: Britain’s new budget is bucking the trend by including more spending on social services, health and the military.

- ONCE A MUSICAL: Alan Duff’s book Once Were Warriors is about to become a musical and should be ready for the stage early next year.

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