National Radio Midday Report

Waitara Shooting – ERB – Home Detention – Stranded Sub – Fraud Conviction – Prison Move – Interest Rate Unchanged – Tainui – Telecommunications Inquiry – Emergency Cell Phone Number

-WAITARA SHOOTING: Police will not charge the constable who shot Waitara man Stephen Wallace after a vandalism spree. A Police report says the officer was acting lawfully and in self defense. The report says Mr Wallace acted in an irrational and destructive manner and threatened police. The report says Police fired a warning shot before firing at Mr Wallace. Two other reports, one from the Race Relations Conciliator, are still pending. The officer involved says he is concerned that the finding may cause a backlash.

- ERB: Parliament is minutes away from passing the Employment Relations Bill into law. This caps off almost 70 hours of debate. The final reading is expected to be completed by 12:30pm. Margaret Wilson argued in her final speech that opposition MPs never understood why the ECA had to be repealed.

- HOME DETENTION: The lawyer seeking home detention for two Minister of Justice convicted child abusers say Phil Goff should not be commenting on the case. The couple were convicted on 23 counts of child abuse. The couple’s names are suppressed.

- STRANDED SUB: The Russian Navy continues its rescue effort in the Barants Sea. The 15 ship rescue flotilla plans to lower a pressurised capsule to take crew to the surface in batches of 20. Bad Weather foiled the first attempt. A Navy spokesman has said the tapping used by crew to communicate with the rescuers is getting fainter, and hope is dwindling for their safe rescue.

- FRAUD CONVICTION: A Judge described the man who perpetrated millions of dollars of fraud as calculating, deliberate and devious. The judge said the defendant has shown remorse for what he has done and acknowledged guilt. The man was handed a six and a half year sentence.

- PRISON MOVE: Mt Eden women’s Prison will close and the government is looking to close the men’s prison. The Government is looking for a South Auckland site for the men’s prison, and a site in Dunedin for a new Men’s prison. A site has been chosen for the women’s prison.

- INTEREST RATE UNCHANGED: Reserve Bank has kept benchmark interest rate unchanged, giving a respite to mortgage holders. Don Brash said business and consumer confidence has fallen sharply since his last statement in may, when interest rates rose, but the prognosis for next year is boyant.

-TAINUI: The High Court has blocked a bid by the Tainui tribal parliament to drop the Tainui executive and reinstate Robert Mahuta, who had been dropped from all of the directorships he held. The High Court granted an interim injunction while a full injunction is heard.

TELECOMMUNICATIONS INQUIRY: Consumer institute has argued that consumers would benefit from regulation in telecommunications industry at a ministerial inquiry into the telecommunications industry.

- EMERGENCY CELL PHONE NUMBER: Boat users and yacht clubs have backed up police concerns about an the use of a cell phone system for marine emergencies set up by the Auckland Coast Guard. Yacht clubs have said people need to be aware of limitations of cell phones, and say they should only be used as a backup to radio.

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