ational Radio Midday Report

Client Confidentiality – East Timor – Lamb Exports – Cost Of Goods – Care Of Children – America’s Cup – GE Commission – Ultrasound – One Tree Hill – Ivory Coast – IRA – Middle East Conflict – Storm Damage – UN Appointment

- CLIENT CONFIDENTIALITY: The understanding that discussions between lawyers and their clients are confidential may soon be challenged by the Law Commission. The Commission is urging the Government to modify the privilege rule to allow the Commissioner of Inland Revenue access to such communications to enable him to do his work.

- EAST TIMOR: The head of the United Nations Transitional Authority in East Timor says the threat of the Pro Indonesian militia is still the biggest obstacle to rebuilding the country as an independent nation. A militiaman was killed by New Zealand soldiers yesterday.

- LAMB EXPORTS: The Meat Board says it will be up to a year before sheep farmers see any benefit from a decision by the World Trade Organisation ruling upholding a New Zealand and Australian complaint that US trade restrictions on lamb imports are unfair.

- COST OF GOODS: The cost of imported goods has risen due to the rising cost of oil and the fall in the New Zealand dollar, new statistics from Statistics New Zealand show.

- CARE OF CHILDREN: Social Services Minister Steve Maharey wants all legislation on the care of children modernised and to come under one act.

- AMERICA’S CUP: A Government commissioned report shows that the America’s Cup generated $640m in economic activity in New Zealand.

- GE COMMISSION: Multinational giant Monsanto has admitted that an insect destroying protein it introduced in cotton plants has not been tested on humans, at the Royal Commission on Genetic Technology.

- ULTRASOUND: The commission advising the Health Funding Authority says ultrasound tests on pregnant women are being undertaken unnecessarily.

- ONE TREE HILL: Most of the branches on the One Tree Hill pine have been removed by arborists and taken away by helicopters.

- IVORY COAST: After two days of turmoil in the Ivory Coast the man recognised as the winner of Sunday’s election has gone on TV to thank the people who marched to the presidential palace. He says those who died, shot by the military, were martyrs.

- IRA: The Irish Republican Army has given a boost to the Northern Ireland peace drive by allowing international inspectors a second look at their hidden arms, to prove they are no longer in use.

- MIDDLE EAST CONFLICT: The Palestinian delegation at the UN has asked for the Security Council to meet to consider sending in an international protection force to the occupied territories.

- STORM DAMAGE: A report to be presented to the Christchurch City Council recommends it consider funding the rebuilding of public facilities such as boat ramps at the storm damaged Lyttleton Marina.

- UN APPOINTMENT: There has been a surprise choice for the head of the United Nations Refugee Agency, a former Dutch Prime Minister.

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