National Radio Midday Bulletin

Storm – Desert Road Closed – Wairarapa Flooding – Auckland Police Backlog – Pacific Island Community Scared – Asthma Research – Solomon Islands Peace Talks – Middle East Violence – Casino Cover-up – Gaenocologist Case – Morgan Fahey – Oceans Policy – Presidential Debate – Trans-Tasman Flights - Sunglasses

- STORM: Christchurch and the Banks Peninsula are being buffeted by a severe south westerly storm. Gusts of up to 160km per hour have been recorded on Banks Peninsula. A road has been closed by a slip. Residents are being warned to stay indoors, and not to travel on roads unless absolutely necessary on the peninsula because of gale force winds.

- DESERT ROAD CLOSED: The Desert Road has been closed by snow. 25 cm of snow fell on the upper slopes of Whakapapa skifield. Skifield operators say they can now stay open until labour weekend.

- WAIRARAPA FLOODING: Northern Wairarapa is still being affected by flooding. Residents in Pahiatua have been advised to boil drinking water and five roads are still closed from flood damage.

- AUCKLAND POLICE BACKLOG: Auckland City Investigative police are under pressure. Officers are stressed and overworked, and forced to ignore a backlog of over 400 cases.

- PACIFIC ISLAND COMMUNITY SCARED: The editor of a Tongan Newspaper in Auckland says the dawn raid on a Philippines family has caused widespread fear amongst the Pacific Island community.

- ASTHMA RESEARCH: Childhood asthma researchers who have compiled a detailed map of incidents of asthma and allergies around the world say it will help the study of the disease.

- SOLOMON ISLANDS PEACE TALKS: A Solomon Islands rebel leader says he will not honor any peace deal forged in talks in Australia.

- MIDDLE EAST VIOLENCE: Israeli troops have shot dead three Palestinians in renewed violence in the Middle East, after a period of relative calm.

- CASINO COVER-UP: Sky City Casino has been cleared of allegations it covered up investigations into staff over alleged dishonesty and corruption.

- GAENOCOLOGIST CASE: The Medical Council says it told Whangarei Hospital about its concerns about the clinical judgement of gaenocologist Dr Graham Parry.

- MORGAN FAHEY: The Medical Practitioner’s Disciplinary Tribunal to consider action against the former Christchurch GP Morgan Fahey has opened. Fahey is in jail for sex crimes against patients. The Tribunal is considering a finding by the medical Council that his actions reflect adversely on his fitness to practice medicine.

- OCEANS POLICY: The Government has announced plans to develop an oceans policy to manage New Zealand’s marine environment.

- PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE: The second U.S. presidential debate kicks off at 2pm NZ time. Latest polls show the candidates neck and neck, or Republican George W. Bush slightly ahead.

- TRANS-TASMAN FLIGHTS: Qantas has announced it is boosting the number of flights across the Tasman every week.

- SUNGLASSES: A call is being made for a mandatory standard for sunglasses to help prevent cancers of the eye.

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