National Radio Midday Bulletin

TIMBERLANDS: 300 pages of leaked documents about Timberlands West Coast show a clear intention to lobby MPs and Ministers. In the papers Jenny Shipley denies her or her staff ever being involved with Timberlands. The author of the book, Secrets and Lies, Nicky Hager, says this is not true. Timberlands denies it has used public money to try and steer or lobby policy on native logging.

COURTS: The Department of Courts says it will not go ahead with a new computer system despite having already spent $2,4 million on it.

MURDER: The former Cabinet Minister charged over the murder of Public Works Minister has been unable to plea as a lawyer was unavailable to represent him today.

WATSON: Australian and British forensic scientists have supported the Crowns claim that the hairs on Scott Watson’s boat Blade came from Olivia Hope.

DEPOSITIONS: The deposition hearing for a man charged with murdering a Whangaparoa woman has begun in North Shore.

AUCKLAND: The Auckland City Council is considering destroying tapes of all Council meetings for 15 years, including all Council meetings over Britomart. Historians say the tapes are a priceless resource which should be preserved.

ANGLERS: Anglers want the government to reject 1000kgs of Canadian trout. A decision is due in the next month.

TELECOM: Telecom local call profits fell to the quarter ending June 30 but was counter-balanced by cellular and data services.

ENZA: Apple growers in Hawkes Bay will grill ENZA over claims that returns on Braeburn apples will be very poor. Hawkes Bay produces over half of all New Zealand Braeburns and there is currently an international glut.

UNHCR: The refugee agency says it may be forced to evacuate more Serbs as a result of attacks from ethnic Albanians.

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