Euthanasia vote

NZ First MPS were to support a euthanasia bill provided a public referendum is added to the legislation. ACT Party leader David Seymour’s End of Life Choice Bill was to have its first reading in Parliament last night. It was to be a conscience vote for Labour, National and Green MPS. The bill allows a New Zealand citizen or resident, over the age of 18 and suffering from a terminal illness likely to end their life within 6 months or a grievous and untreatable medical condition, to choose an assisted death. It would require fully informed consent, an assessment by two doctors and potentially a third specialist followed by rigorous checks, and extensive documentation.

Charge of rape

A 33-year-old man has been charged with the sexual violation and rape of a cruise ship worker in Dunedin. Detective Sergeant John Macdade said the incident was reported early on Tuesday morning and the people involved were known to each other. A Holland America Line spokeswoman confirmed the ship involved was the Noordam. It had 1900 passengers and 800 crew and had arrived from Akaroa, and then departed from Port Chalmers at 6.10pm on Tuesday.

Pedestrians hit

A woman in her 70s died after being hit by a car in Dunedin at 6pm on Tuesday. And another pedestrian in her 80s suffered serious injuries when she was hit by a car in Dunedin about 3.20pm.

Honour for Clark

Former prime minister Helen Clark received an honorary doctorate from Waikato University on Tuesday. It was her third honorary doctorate, having received her second last week from Sydney University. The award recognises Clark’s career as a politician, leader of the United Nations Development Programme and most recently with the Global Commission on Drug Policy.