18 OCTOBER 2013
Coming up on
The Nation

• Explosive new revelations on the Len Brown Affair --- it it a right wing conspiracy?

• "Whaleoil" Cameron Slater is with Rachel.

• Finance Minister Bill English on what now after the US shutdown.

• Senisble Sentencing's Garth McVicar on Greg King.

• The man the NBR fired --- Jock Anderson on the media panel.

New revelaitons on Len Brown affair

More details are expected to surface soon on how the revelations about Auckland Mayor Len Brown's affair with Bevan Chuang became public.

The details come as allegations of a right wing conspiracy swirl aorund following news that Ms Chuang was also in a relaitonship with a campaign aide to right wing Mayoral candidate, John Palino.

Mr Palino and the campaign chair, John Slater, have denied any knowledge of knowing Ms Chuang was going to go public with her allegations.

We will have more on this PLUS an interview with the blogger at the centre of the whole affair --- Cameron "Whaleoil" Slater.

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The US shutdown - the economic shutdown

Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bill English has returned from meetings with world financial leaders in Washington and New York. He was there for IMF and World Bank meetings and was in Washington during the US Government shutdown, as the shadow of US debt default loomed.

The crisis is resolved --- for now. But the feeling the global economy is still fragile remains, and the actual economic impact of the shutdown is still being determined.

So just what has been the impact has the US shutdown had on the New Zealand economy?

The New Zealand dollar jumped to a five-year high against the American dollar after the news of a resolution. Meanwhile Xinhua, the Chinese state media outlet, has called for the “de-Americanisation” of the global economy. So is the economic uncertainty over?

The IMF has also forecasted New Zealand’s growth next year to be 2.9 per cent, above the average 2 per cent for advanced economies – but is it all good news? The Reserve Bank has introduced LVRs in order to manage the surging house market and has warned of future interest rate hikes. Meanwhile, the Government enters into the second round of asset sales --- but while the Meridian offer closes, Mighty River Power is attempting to buy back shares.

So just what is the outlook for the New Zealand economy, in the face of an uncertain global market, soaring house prices and unpredictable asset sales? Bill English will be with Rachel tomorrow morning.

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Garth McVicar on Greg King's death

The coroner's report on the death of prominent defence lawyer Greg King showed a man haunted by the victims of his various homicide cases.

Sensible Sentencing Trust's Garth McVicar was a good friend of the late Greg King, and says New Zealand has lost one of the greatest men he ever had the good fortunte to meet.

King had been involved in some of New Zealand's highest profile criminal cases, including Ewen McDonald's trial for the murder of his brother-in-law Scott Guy.

Garth McVicar joins us on the show this weekend to pay tribute to the life and achievements of his friend Greg King.

ENDS

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