National Radio Midday Bulletin

Petrol Protests – Commission Apologises – Singapore trade Deal – S11 – Pyramid Scheme – Rickets – School Stand-Downs – Indonesia Uncooperative – Film Crew Lose Jobs – Attempted Murder Of Child – Body Found – Heritage Buildings – Sydney Olympics

- PETROL PROTESTS: There is no letup in sight for British motorists, with majority of British petrol stations still without supply, even though tankers have begun leaving blockaded oil depots under police escort.

Truckers furious over petrol prices promise further protests throughout Europe.

- COMMISSION APOLOGISES: The Health and Disability Commissioner has apologised to a woman whose cervical cancer was misdiagnosed, and her family, for the time his office took to hear her case.

- FAST FERRY: The Fast Cat ferry company says new speed restrictions brought in under a new Marlborough District Council bylaw could push up ticket prices and bring the viability of the operation into question. The new speed restrictions will decrease the number of crossings the ferry can make. The other fast ferry operator operator TranzRail say they are not considering ticket price rises at this stage.

- SINGAPORE TRADE DEAL: The Prime Minister and Shipley have agreed to meet this afternoon to try to thrash out their dispute over the Treaty of Waitangi clause in the Singapore trade deal, after question time today. Labour need National’s votes in the house to ratify the deal.

- S11: Melbourne police have rejected claims by S11 protesters that officers have used excessive force.

- PYRAMID SCHEME: A permanent injunction has been granted to stop a company involved in a pyramid scheme to stop trading. The Commerce Commission brought forward the injunction. The commission says all pyramid schemes are illegal in this country.

- RICKETS: Plunket are alarmed at number of children being admitted to Starship Hospital with rickets, a disease linked to poverty and malnutrition. Plunket says third world diseases like rickets should not occur in New Zealand.

- SCHOOL STAND-DOWNS: Figures released today show yet another leap in students being stood down from school. The stand down option was introduced to give schools more flexibility in dealing with disruptive students.

- INDONESIA UNCOOPERATIVE: Indonesia says it will not cooperate with the United Nations Security Council team arriving in Jakarta to investigate the murders of UN workers in West Timor.

- FILM CREW LOSE JOBS: 160 production crew working on American TV series Cleopatra 2525 are to stop work early, as it’s producers are reevaluating the format of the show. The company, which also producers Xena, say the workers should be able to find more jobs in the flourishing industry.

- ATTEMPTED MURDER OF CHILD: Child Youth and Family in Whanagrei has applied for custody of a baby whose mother is accused of trying to murder her daughter. The mother will appear in court facing charges of attempted murder against her daughter.

- BODY FOUND: Auckland police are appealing for help to identify the decomposing remains of a body found in the Waitakere ranges.

HERITAGE BUILDINGS: Christchurch Heritage Trust has stepped in to try to stop two buildings in Cathedral Square being demolished.

- SYDNEY OLMPICS: Some Bus drivers at Sydney Olympic venues are walking off the job complaining about working conditions. The Union representing the drivers say bus drivers are not being fed adequately and are having to wait for hours for a shuttle-bus to take the home after work.

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