More Pacific Islanders In Employment

The number of Pacific people who are unemployed fell by thirty percent in the year to February. There were more than 4100 claiming unemployment benefit in February last year, but the Department of Labour market report says the figure now stands at below 3,000. The Department's Monique Dawson says good economic conditions are the reason why more Pacific people have work. However, she says many of those who are working are in low paid jobs and to improve their salaries they should lift their education and skills. She says Pacific people who are working earn well below the national average wage.
© NewsRoom 2007

Christchurch Vigil For Zimbabwe Human Rights

Members of Christchurch's Zimbabwean community have begun a 24 hour vigil to draw attention to the human rights abuses they say are occurring in their country. They say their fellow Zimbabweans are living in chaos, caused by the government and specifically the long time president Robert Mugabe. About 40 people have gathered in Cathedral Square for a service to mark the start of the vigil, including Catholic and Anglican leaders as well as National and Labour MPs. The event's organise, Shupay Mpunga, says she hopes the vigil will raise awareness of her country's plight.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Earth Hour to darken skyline

The iconic Coca Cola sign at Kings Cross in Sydney will be switched off tonight for the first time since it was illuminated in 1974. Lights on the Harbour Bridge and in tens of thousands of homes will also go off at 7:30 as part of Earth Hour. Earth Hour is the start of a 12-month campaign to show what can be done to help reduce global warming. Organisers of tonight's event say the moon is approaching its full phase and should provide some alternative lighting. They hope the hour of darkness will catch on and become a global event.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Purity Girls for New Zealand

New Zealand is hosting its very first all-girl 'purity' event next month. 'Purely Girls' is a four-day camp for schoolgirls, to teach them how to lead wholesome, clean lives. Executive director of Focus on Families, Tim Sisarich, will be a guest speaker during the event. He says it is a great chance for girls to get together and discuss the issues and struggles they face everyday. He says it is not like a programme that sets out rules outlining how girls should live. He says the end goal is for the girls to live how they want to, not how society expects them to. Mr Sisarich does not deny the event's ties with Christianity, and an underlying push for abstinence. But he says religious belief is not a requirement and girls from all backgrounds will be welcome. The events have been a major hit among Christian schoolgirls in the United States.

Airforce completes successful Pacific surveillance

A Royal New Zealand Air Force Orion has completed a successful week of Pacific surveillance monitoring the waters between Samoa and the Cook Islands for illegal fishing vessels, Scoop NZ reports. The multi-agency exercise, involving New Zealand, Australia, Samoa, Cook Islands, the Forum Fisheries Agency and the United States Coast Guard aims to catch and deter people from illegal fishing in Pacific countries’ exclusive economic zones.
Copyright © 2006 Islands Business International

Space Station relies on Southland

Southland will play a part in the European Space Agency's flights to the International Space Station. The Agency has signed an agreement for the installation of a transportable telemetry station, which will track the Ariane 5 launcher. The station will be based at a specially selected site at Awarua near Invercargill. The rocket will carry into orbit the ESA's Automated Transfer vehicle on its maiden flight. It is one of the vital supply craft that takes food and equipment to the International Space Station.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Goodbye to 025 network

Telecom shuts down its 025 mobile phone network at six o'clock tonight, after a three year winding-down operation. From tonight, people with 025 phones will not be able to make or receive calls or text messages, including emergency calls using a 025 mobile. Telecom says any unused credit will be transferred to customers who switch to a new 027 connection. Some 200,000 customers have made the switch, but there are still 20,000 who have not.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Kids told to pay up

Christchurch City Council is apologising for sending letters to dozens of children demanding repayment of library fines. The council has contacted nearly 200 residents who have long term debts for unpaid fines or unreturned books. It says due to a processing error, 90 of the letters went to children .The council's corporate affairs manager says children who received the letters should screw them up and ignore the demand for payment. The manager says new letters have now gone out, apologising for the error.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Walker takes Aussie fashion award

Kiwi fashion designer Karen Walker has taken the top prize at the Australian Fashion Awards. In Sydney on Thursday night Australia's top fashion magazine, Marie Claire, hosted a glittering award ceremony to honour the best in Australian fashion design. However the prestigious Prix de
Marie Claire Best Creative Talent Award went to Walker. Marie Claire Editor Jackie Frank was quoted as saying "Karen Walker is incredible when you look at what she has achieved in such a short amount of time."
Source:One News

Real estate industry fights review

By DAN EATON - The Press
The real estate industry is fighting plans for sweeping reforms that would see an independent complaints and disciplinary body set up to protect consumers. Associate Justice Minister Clayton Cosgrove yesterday announced plans for a total legislative overhaul, saying it was "game over" for dodgy real estate agents rorting Kiwi homeowners and buyers. He said the industry had struggled to retain its self-disciplinary powers.
"I think reluctance is a very kind word. "You could argue it is kicking and screaming," he said. "I'm not concerned particularly where or how you get your licence, but I am concerned that if you run amok that the axe will drop on you very heavily and you will be disciplined to the point where you may be drummed out of the in-dustry." The Government's plan would end the right of the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand (Reinz) to self-regulate and force it to forward all complaints from the public to the Real Estate Agents Licensing Board, an independent agency whose members are appointed by the Government.

New Zealand gentian flowers bring new color to Japan

SYDNEY (Kyodo) A team of scientists and growers in New Zealand has reinvented one of Japan's favorite flowers in a new range of colors. The gentian, a flower native to the high alpine regions of Asia, Europe and the Americas, has always held a special place in Japanese homes and hearts. It is often used in flower arrangements and Buddhists traditionally offer gentians at the altars of their ancestors. It is the official flower of Nagano and Kumamoto cities. Ninety percent of gentians are blue, and, apart from a smattering of white and pale pink, no other colors have been mass-produced. That is until now. Hot pink, red, purple and yellow gentians are among the host of new blooms developed by New Zealand grower John Moffatt and scientists at the New Zealand Institute for Crop and Food Research. Industry experts predict the new colors will sell for double the price of blue gentians, with total exports to Japan worth anywhere up to 20 million New Zealand dollars (1.2 billion yen) by the end of the decade.

Warning over contaminated floodwater

Officials are warning Northlanders that floodwaters caused by yesterday's deluge will be contaminated. Whangarei District Council spokeswoman Ann Midson said people coming into contact with floodwaters or flood-damaged material should wash their hands often in clean water, and avoid smoking or eating in contaminated areas. Ms Midson said contaminated and damaged material would need to be removed from flooded homes. Insurance advisors were asking residents to store the damaged material somewhere on their properties until it could be inspected by insurance assessors.
Source:NZPA

Tourist spending increases four percent

International visitors spent more than $6 billion while in the country last year. The International Visitor Survey for the year ended December 2006 showed a four percent increase in spending by foreigners compared to the the previous 12 months. The figures are made up of tourists, people visiting family and friends and business travellers. Australians were the biggest spenders, handing over $1.5 billion for the New Zealand experience. Britons spent $950 million and Americans $700 million. Chinese and South Koreans increased their spending, but not at the same levels when international students made up the bulk of their numbers.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

America's Cup ceremony cloaks thieved

Traditional Maori flax cloaks which were to be used in New Zealand's representation at the America's Cup opening ceremony in Valencia have been stolen. The 20 cloaks were to be sent to Europe today, but were taken from a ute in Auckland last night. Cyril Wright had them ready to go in a big blue suitcase, when thieves broke in and stole the lot. He says the cloaks were to be worn by a group of Maori men paddling a waka. Mr Wright says the cloaks were to be a big part of the ceremony and are probably of no use to anyone else.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Cricket: McCullum excels in crucial win

By Richard Boock
ST JOHN'S, Antigua - If there was any justice in the cricketing world then wicket-keeper Brendon McCullum would have been named man of the match after New Zealand's seven wicket win over the West Indies. The little gloveman demonstrated why he's now regarded as the world's safest pair of hands when he set the tempo for a fielding effort that suffocated the West Indies for 177 in 44.4 overs, and effectively handed the game to New Zealand on a plate. New Zealand are now - along with Australia - in the box-seat to make the semi-finals, having earned two points for the Group C win against England, another two for this morning's success in Antigua, and with the knowledge that they should steamroll both Bangladesh and Ireland.

Cheap fares to LA snapped up

Return airfares to Los Angeles on sale for less than $500 on Friday morning caused a flurry of online activity. The first long-haul destination offered through Air New Zealand's "grabaseat" programme saw New Zealanders snapping up 220 "ludicrously low" $496 return fares in less than an hour. The airline was delighted by the response, general manager marketing Steve Bayliss said.
Source:NZPA

Sale of farmer's life treasures continues

Buyers from all over the country are in Canterbury for what is being touted as the garage sale of the century. Alan and Lorraine Slade's 178 hectare Slade Farm at Waikari in North Canterbury sold yesterday for $1.8 million, in one of the biggest farm sales in the area for decades. The Slades bought the property intending to introduce Japanese bloodlines, which they believe are superior, to the local racing industry. However, the venture did not turn out to be financially viable and the couple switched to the restaurant business in Christchurch. PGG Wrightson's Peter Crean says the auction room was full yesterday and the property went to a local couple but the bargains are not over yet. Other items are up for grabs to the highest bidder today including thoroughbred horses, a plane, a Rolls Royce and Bentley.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

New power turbine fuelling Auckland

Fifty thousand homes in Auckland could be better off, with the unveiling of a new 45 megawatt gas fired turbine. Energy Minister David Parker has officially commissioned the latest Mighty River Power venture. The new generator has the capacity to provide greater security of supply to Auckland homes and businesses. It will also add further flexibility to the Southdown Station and will work when demand is high, hydro inflows are low, or there is no wind.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Bullock Track closed for repairs

The Bullock Track, in the Auckland suburb of Western Springs, will be closed for three months while urgent repairs are undertaken. The Auckland City Council says the road will be closed to all users from April to July, so that a retaining wall and new footpaths can be built. Pedestrian access from the Sefton Ave stairwell will also be closed. The work will include installing underground power and phone lines and the installation of new streetlights.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Ashburton to hit big screen

Mid Canterbury will feature on the big screen in a movie about Charles Upham.The Ashburton District Council has announced the town will be the base for a film about the war hero. Mayor Bede O'Malley says they are financially backing the film, with a grant of $150,000 from the councils trading enterprises account. He says Ashburton has a lot to offer in terms of locations.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

El Nino could become La Nina

The El Nino event from the latter part of 2006 has now officially ended, but scientists think it could make the transition to La Nina in time for winter. Conditions in the Pacific Ocean are neutral at the moment, with indications La Nina could develop over the next two to three months. Niwa principle scientist Dr Jim Sallinger says that could mean a wet winter. He says La Nina brings cold water to the Pacific Ocean and that causes warmer than normal water temperatures around New Zealand and more northerly and northeasterly winds. Dr Sallinger says it could also mean more storms like the one which ravaged in the Far North yesterday.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Evidence Auckland billboards can be art

The Auckland Festival of Photography has announced a photography competition to precede the event, where the winner will have their piece displayed on a giant billboard on Fanshawe Street for the length of the June festival. Organisers say they are looking for images that reflect the spirit of Auckland in all its diversity.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

NZ Niueans urged to get MP elected

Niueans in New Zealand who want to be involved in politics are being urged to work towards getting a representative in the New Zealand Parliament. The suggestion from one Niuean MP, Hima Douglas, comes amid calls from Niueans living in New Zealand for a representative in their home country. But Hima Douglas has told Radio Australia's Pacbeat it would make more sense for overseas-based Niueans to get a Niuean elected to the New Zealand parliament instead. "I would think that would be the aim of our folks in NZ, that would be something to strive for," Ms Douglas said. "If they can get into the NZ parliament, they can at least, for those matters that affect Niue, speak up with a strong voice and I think that's an excellent way to go.

NZ's first public webphone installed

Telecom has installed New Zealand's first webphone at the Sylvia Park Shopping Centre in Auckland. The webphone allows users to make phone calls, receive and send emails, surf the internet and send text messages, all from the same location. Telecom Payphone Manager Lisa Hope says the webphone is the first of six that will be installed at different locations around New Zealand over the next few weeks. "The webphones will replace the existing payphones for the rest of this year and we will watch closely to see how customers find the new service," Hope said in a statement.
Source:One News

Tax cuts for small diesel cars on the cards

By GRANT FLEMING - NZPA
The Green Party is welcoming Government moves to review diesel fuel tax to encourage the use of new efficient diesel cars. The Automobile Association (AA) has called for a change to diesel road user charges so smaller efficient diesel vehicles are not penalised. Under the current system of diesel road user charges the smallest most efficient vehicles pay the same as vehicles weighing as much as three tonnes – $32.15 for every 1000km driven. The AA said the system makes no allowance for the fact the smaller vehicles use far less fuel and do less damage to roads.

Hairstyle falls foul of Auckland school

By JEAN WHITE - North Shore Times
A Birkenhead College student is missing classes while he sits home waiting for his hair to grow. Lindelle Taulu, 14, who wants to be a church minister one day, has sported a mohawk for nine years but the strip of hair became dramatically more apparent when he got the rest of his head shaved last week. At school the next day, he was told his haircut was inappropriate and was sent home. Lindelle says his hair is important to him. "Everyone knows me by it." He says it is also culturally significant. Lindelle had long hair until it was cut in a traditional Niuean haircutting ceremony when he was five years old. His older brother John suggested the mohawk. "He said if you like it, keep it, and it's been that way ever since." While at home, he has gathered more than 300 signatures on a petition which says: "Please support me as I make a stand against Birkenhead College for I am being robbed of my education due to discrimination because of the way I wish to style my hair".

Canterbury woman takes parents to court over pay

By JOHN HENZELL - The Press
A woman has taken her parents to court to get years of unpaid wages. The woman sought nearly $130,000 compensation for working seven days a week in her parents' Canterbury supermarket without pay, but settled her case on the day it was due to be heard by the Employment Relations Authority in Christchurch. Authority member James Chrichton suppressed the name of the woman, her parents, the location of the supermarket and details of the settlement. The parents declined to comment on the dispute, but their daughter said outside court that she felt years of anxiety wash away as the case was settled. "It's been worth it," she said. "It just feels like the stress is gone.

Music School Facing Cash Crisis

New Zealand's oldest independent music school may be forced to suspend operations unless it receives urgent financial help. The Nelson School of Music says it will reach its overdraft limit by the middle of the year unless it gets a $300,000 cash injection. Trust board chair Peter Robins says a drop in student numbers from 30 to 20 is the major reason for its crisis. Mr Robins has made a last minute bid for help from local councils before they finalise annual budgets.
© NewsRoom 2007

Whangarei CBD Evacuated As Widespread Flooding Continues

Civil defence is on stand-by as wide-spread flooding continues to hit Northland - with a number of buildings swept away and waters rising. In a little over a day, 245 millimetres of rain, or more than a month's worth, has fallen in the Far North. The Fire Service says houses are being flooded in many areas, and fire brigades throughout the North are being swamped with calls for help.
© NewsRoom 2006

Hardware chain outlawing plastic bags

Another company is fighting against plastic. Hardware chain Bunnings Warehouse has announced it will be totally plastic bag free by the end of the year. From May, customers requiring them will be charged ten cents and the proceeds will be donated to the Keep New Zealand Beautiful campaign.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

PlunketLine relaunched

A new PlunketLine service is on offer to parents from today. The new telephone service is being run in-house, which Plunket says will ensure families have access to expert help on child health and development. Last year the Government decided to phase out Plunket's contract to run the service, instead handing it to McKesson which also runs HealthLine. But a petition signed by more than 53,000 New Zealanders encouraged Plunket to retain its service. The current service is now based in Plunket offices using integrated contact centre technology. Plunket chief executive Paul Baigent says PlunketLine is also future-proofed and can be enhanced to handle requests via text messages and email in time. He says if recent call rates continue PlunketLine expects to answer 60,000 calls a year.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

NASA rubbishes space junk theory

NASA has discounted claims Russian space junk was responsible for a near-miss over the Pacific. The pilot of a Chilean jet bound for Auckland reported seeing fiery debris falling near his plane on Tuesday night. There is speculation it was an unmanned Russian cargo craft returning to Earth after resupplying the International Space Station. However NASA's chief scientist for orbital debris Nicholas Johnson has checked the records of the 15,000 space objects NASA tracks on a regular basis. He says none fell to Earth during the period reported by the airliner and the Russian rocket re-entered the atmosphere 13 hours later. Mr Johnson says the pilot probably saw a meteorite burning up as it entered the atmosphere.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Hastings pharmacy on winning streak

There has been another big winner for a lucky Hastings pharmacy. Peter Dunkerley's Radius Pharmacy had its fourth major Lotto prize winner in the space of five weeks last night, with an Audi A4 won in the Big Wednesday Second Chance Draw. The pharmacy's business manager Natasha Julian says the win has created a lot of talk amongst customers this morning, many of whom got their tickets checked. She says the win follows $1 million first division prize, a Lotto winning wheel and a Keno $20,000 prize in the past month.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Historic buildings evacuated by flood threat

One of New Zealand's oldest buildings is being evacuated due to torrential rain in the Far North. The contents of the Kerikeri Stone Store and adjacent Kemp House are being moved to drier ground as river levels rapidly rise. Historic Places Trust spokeswoman Leslie Brice says the move is about risk minimisation. There are a number of historic artifacts and archives within both buildings. Around 12,000 Bay of Islands residents are without power because of the heavy rain.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Kiwis give $1.3b a year to charity

By PATRICK CREWDSON - The Dominion Post
New Zealanders give about $1.3 billion to charitable causes each year - including an average $91 from each individual - according to the most comprehensive research yet on Kiwi philanthropy. With an estimated philanthropic haul of $1.27 billion in 2005 to 2006, equivalent to 0.81 per cent of gross domestic product, a measure of the size of a country's economy, Kiwis were more generous than Canadians and Australians but stingier than British and Americans. The figures come from Giving New Zealand, a research report commissioned by Philanthropy New Zealand and compiled by researcher Berl.

Overstayer Numbers Continue To Fall

The number of illegal overstayers in New Zealand fell by 1700 people in six months. Figures released by the Department of Labour show the number of overstayers fell to 17,400 last October, continuing a downward trend. The Immigration Minister, David Cunliffe, says the decrease is the result of immigration officers conducting more rigorous investigations in New Zealand, and asking harder questions at overseas posts. The most significant drops have been in overstayers from Tonga, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Thailand and Brazil. Countries with the highest number of overstayers are Samoa, China, Tonga and Great Britain.
© NewsRoom 2007

International scam may strike NZ

The Securities Commission is warning New Zealanders they may be targeted by international fraudsters peddling an investment scam. A group calling itself Metro Financials has been cold-calling Australians offering commodity and futures options traded on an options exchange. The commission's Director of Market Supervision, John Mulry, says people are directed to what looks like a sophisticated website, but which is really made up of plagiarised material from legitimate websites. The commission wants New Zealanders to be aware in case they get phoned by the group and says the best thing to do is to hang up on any suspicious calls. Authorities in America, Australia and Singapore are investigating the group which is believed to have defrauded people around the world out of millions of dollars.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

New cruise plan for planes

Pilots could soon be warning passengers they are about to turn off a plane's engines. A trial starts next month which will see a new approach procedure at Auckland International Airport. Flights will be allowed to glide in from 30 minutes before they are due to land in the hope of reducing fuel burn and emissions. Lew Jenkins from Airways New Zealand, which manages air traffic control systems, is keen to find out whether the trial makes a difference. He says data from other trials overseas shows there are savings to be made. Mr Jenkins says it is a perfectly safe procedure and passengers should not worry.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Earthrace team free to leave

New Zealand skipper Pete Bethune and his crew are allowed to leave Guatemala after a fatal collision involving their Earthrace biodiesel-powered vessel and a fishing boat. The men were detained after the incident which left a local fisherman missing, presumed dead and another seriously injured. The New Zealanders told officials the fishing boat did not appear on radar and had no lights. A judge in Guatemala has ruled it was an accident. The kiwis are attempting to break the record for circumnavigating the globe in a biodiesel-fuelled vessel.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Farmers told to pay for water

A Canterbury water rights group says if farmers can sell water for a profit, they should be paying for it in the first place. A new TradeMe-style website has been launched allowing farmers to sell off water they have consent to use but are not doing so. Farmers pay for the consent process itself but not for the water. Water Rights Trust chairman Murray Rodgers says this needs to change if farmers start making money from selling water. He believes they should pay a rent or a levy for the use of what is a public resource. Mr Rodgers says the money raised should be used to create a fund to restore damaged lowland waterways.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Police cadets off to university

By KIM THOMAS - The Press
Police are considering major changes to recruit training, such as sending cadets to university and placing would-be officers on the beat before graduation. Police college superintendent Alistair Beckett said the college had begun a review of basic training, and changes could be made within three years. Several options were under consideration, including tertiary study to hone officers' analytical skills, extending the current 19-week course to 40 weeks and providing recruits with more work experience, including on the beat, than the current one week at a police station in the middle of their studies. Beckett said that while changes would be made, the review was in its early stages and none of the ideas were "set in stone". The job of the modern police officer had become more complex in recent times with things such as developments in technology and forensics, he said. Training needed to reflect the changing nature of the job, Beckett said.

Aurora Australis unleashes southern spectacle

An explosion on the Sun's surface has provided Tekapo residents with a spectacular night sky. The Aurora Australis, also known as the Southern Lights, was visible from most of the southern half of the South Island at the weekend. University of Canterbury Mount John Observatory astronomer Alan Gilmore said the lights, which extended in an arc shape across the night sky, were caused by activity on the Sun that sent gases towards Earth.
Source:The Press

Mix up sees new roof for cathedral

The roof of Christchurch Cathedral will have a different look than intended after information about the pattern was not passed on to tilers. Special tiles were shipped from China and Brazil and work on the $1.2 million project started in December. Dean Peter Beck says changes in the materials and the miscommunication means the design has changed slightly. He says they are doing all they can to preserve the conservation and heritage of the building but it would not have been appropriate to do a repair job on the new roof. The cathedral's restoration work includes the replacement of the slate roof, electrical and lighting improvements and restoration of the masonry and stained glass windows.© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Fresh NZ deployment to Solomons

A group of New Zealand soldiers will leave for the Solomon Islands tomorrow for a four-month deployment in the troubled region. The 43-strong contingent, which includes 30 territorial force personnel, will replace New Zealand soldiers who have been serving with the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (Ramsi) for the past four months. Commander Joint Forces New Zealand, Rear Admiral Jack Steer, said the contingent would perform regular patrols, assist Ramsi police in downtown Honiara, and help with external security at Rove Prison.
Source:NZPA

Medical laboratory workers to strike

Medical laboratory scientists will issue strike notices this week after a stall in negotiations with employers. The Medical Laboratory Workers Union has been negotiating for 13 months with DHBs, the New Zealand Blood Service, Southern Community Labs and Medlab South. The workers are responsible for providing test results essential for diagnosis and treatment of diseases.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Drunk dad falls asleep on forecourt

Rotorua police are astounded at the stupidity of a man who passed out while pumping gas into his car after he had too much to drink. The 30-year-old pulled into a Mobil station to fill up with gas, but fell asleep while pumping it. When police arrived they found his two-year-old daughter unrestrained in the back seat of the car. Senior Sergeant Ed Van Den Broek says the man's breath-alcohol level was one of the highest he has seen; 1729 micrograms per litre of breath when the legal limit is 400.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Double NZ music chart topper

There is a Kiwi double-header at the top of the music charts. Atlas has retained its top singles spot with Crawl for the third week in a row. Hayley Westenra has debuted at the top of the albums chart with Treasure, beating out US punk-pop band Good Charlotte who come in second with Good Morning Revival.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Ribena-makers fined $217,500

The maker of Ribena has been fined a total of $217,500 for misleading customers about the vitamin C content of Ribena. GlaxoSmithKline admitted 15 breaches of the Fair Trading Act after two Auckland high school students discovered the drink does not have four times the vitamin C of oranges as it had claimed. The Auckland District Court also ordered the company to print two half page newspaper advertisements in Saturday papers correcting the vitamin content of some of their Ribena products.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Controversial Mufti of Australia told to step aside

By Greg Ansley
CANBERRA - The end is drawing nigh for Sheik Taj Din Alhilali, Mufti of Australia - and also, by his own reckoning, of New Zealand. A group of Islamic leaders is being formed to name a successor to the cleric who has variously reviled Jews as the cause of all wars, denied the Holocaust, blamed rape victims for their own fate by comparing them to "uncovered meat", and claimed greater right to Australia than the descendants of convicts. In what has become a series of initiatives to reconcile Australia and Islam, the National Imams Council has given Alhilali a three-month breathing space to allow him to retire gracefully.
Copyright ©2006, APN Holdings NZ Limited

Sri Lanka rebel attack prompts travel warning

New Zealanders planning to travel to Sri Lanka have been warned of extreme risks to their security in parts of the troubled South Asia nation. The warning from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade followed yesterday's Tamil Tigers attack from the air on a Sri Lankan Air Force base near Colombo's international airport. "There is an extreme risk to your security in the northern and eastern areas of Sri Lanka due to the fighting between the [Tamil Tigers] and Sri Lankan authorities," a ministry statement said. Elsewhere, the security risk was high "as the situation is unpredictable ... We advise against tourist and non-essential travel."

Seal numbers grow on West Coast

Fur seal numbers on the West Coast are slowly increasing but are still far fewer than in the mid-1990s. Department of Conservation (DOC) surveys in January and February of three major West Coast colonies found seal pup numbers up by 17 compared with the average of the past four years. There are now about 1868 pups in the colonies. The West Coast has some of the largest seal breeding colonies in New Zealand. At Cape Foulwind, near Westport, numbers were up 7 per cent, comparedwith the average of the past four years, and at South Westland's Taumaka Island numbers were up 17 per cent.
Source:The Press

Older workers more loyal

New Zealand is leading the way in employing more older people in the workforce. A Department of Labour report shows that the number of people aged 50 plus in the workforce more than doubled between 1991 and 2005. A greater proportion of 55-59-year-olds work than 20-24-year-olds and New Zealand now has one of the highest participation rates in the OECD for the age group.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Businesses in doldrums about staff shortages

Auckland businesses are worried about their ability to find good staff. The Auckland Chamber of Commerce says around 368 businesses out of more than 800 it surveyed are struggling to get the right staff on board. That is up eight percent in the past three months. Chamber chief executive Michael Barnett says it is reaching a critical point as staff shortages prevent businesses from growing and affect the whole economy. He says businesses are going to have to start looking offshore and working with the Immigration Service to find the right people to grow New Zealand's economy.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Recycling Venture May Generate More Waste

Critics of a $27 million joint recycling venture by the Auckland and Manukau City Councils say it will create more waste. The councils will roll out 250,000 new wheelie bins in July next year in order to recycle paper, cardboard, aluminium cans, plastic and glass bottles. A yet-to-be-built recycling plant in Onehunga will sort the rubbish mechanically. City councillor Neil Abel says the facility will be state of the art and include an optical sorter to separate and recycle glass. However, the general manager for the Glass Packaging Forum, John Webber, says sorting glass in that way will result in a 30 percent reduction in what can be recycled.
© NewsRoom 2007

Humid nights ahead

New Zealand is set to stay warm this week as humid air is dragged over the country from the north. However Newstalk ZB weather forecaster Philip Duncan says it is not going to be very summery. Not a lot of sun will be getting through the cloud unfortunately. So it could be quite a gloomy week, with mild daytime temperatures and quite warm overnight lows. Mr Duncan says Auckland's overnight lows this week will be around 17 or 18 degrees and sleeping may be a bit unpleasant in the warm, still conditions. He says no significant rain is on the way for parched regions across the east coast of the country, but an approaching front may see drizzle or increased showers on the North Island's west coast towards the end of the week and rain for South Island's west coast.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Three-quarters polled against anti-smacking

Another poll on Sue Bradford's anti-smacking bill has shown almost three quarters of New Zealanders are opposed to the legislation. The poll of 497 people conducted by Research New Zealand shows 73 percent of New Zealanders are opposed to the bill, which is due to be debated again on Wednesday. Along with the strong opposition to the legislation, the poll also shows 72 percent of people believe if the law is passed it will be unenforceable. Fourteen other polls conducted by various organisations show on average about 80 percent of people oppose the legislation.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Voters can access database files

By TRACY WATKINS - The Dominion Post
Political parties can be made to hand over information they have compiled about individual voters under the Privacy Act, it has been revealed. Until now, there has been confusion over whether parties can be forced to open up their files on voters, which have been compiled using increasingly sophisticated electronic systems.
Parliament and individual MPs are exempt from scrutiny under the Official Information Act and under the Privacy Act. But Privacy Commissioner Marie Shroff said individuals could request access to their own details held on political party databases under the Privacy Act.

Chinese top of deported crims list

By EMILY WATT - The Dominion Post
The number of foreign criminals deported from New Zealand has rocketed 800 per cent in five years, but authorities still have no idea how many are shipped back here after offending overseas. Victims say the lack of information of deported offenders is alarming, and police say they are powerless to officially monitor them once they are back. Figures released under the Official Information Act show New Zealand deported 72 criminals last year, eight times more than in 2001-02. The majority were Chinese, with 16 being sent home last year. Eight Malaysians, five Russians, and five Indians were also deported from jail.

Listeners sound off over costly Radio NZ rebranding

A highly criticised Radio New Zealand rebranding exercise is costing taxpayers more than $300,000 – including $60,000 for a new logo. Details obtained under the Official Information Act reveal the state broadcaster will spend $305,829 on rebranding this year, including almost $200,000 on television advertisements and almost $13,000 on new signage for its vehicle fleet. Radio New Zealand's new look, and sound, has attracted a negative feedback from listeners, as well as ridicule from staff. Just three weeks after it was launched, the "Sounds Like Us" radio tagline, which cost $1500 to produce, was scrapped. In that time, presenter Kim Hill mocked the tagline on her Saturday morning show by playing her own versions; a non- starting lawnmower and a baaing sheep.
Source:Dominion Post

NZ climber critically ill after fall in Canada

New Zealand sports climber Stefan Hadfield is recovering from severe head injuries after a fall in Canada. The 24-year-old, originally from Hamilton, was in an induced coma for more than two weeks at Vancouver General hospital but has since regained consciousness after the fall at Whistler Blackcomb skifield in British Columbia on March 1. His parents, John and Monika, and younger sister Ilana, flew from New Zealand to Canada immediately after the accident and have been maintaining a vigil at Stefan's bedside.
Fairfax New Zealand Limited 2006.

Hicks faces Guantanamo commission

Australian terror suspect David Hicks faces a US military commission in Guantanamo Bay tonight on a charge of "material support for terrorism". He is expected to plead not guilty. His lawyers say he is suffering physically and mentally. A trial is due to begin in July, when his father Terry will see him for the first time in three years.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Greens to reveal carbon tax policy

The Green Party is to unveil its version of a carbon tax today. The Government scrapped contentious plans for levying such a tax in late 2005 after it realised it did not have the political support it needed to push the changes through Parliament. Green Party Co-Leader Jeanette Fitzsimons is to announce her party's vision for putting a price on carbon and how the country should meet Kyoto protocol commitments.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Yellow Pages to be sold for $2.24b

Telecom has confirmed it has reached an agreement to sell its Yellow Pages Group for $2.24 billion. The sale is to CCMP Capital and Teachers' Private Capital, the private investment arm of the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan. It is made up of a $2.165 billion cash settlement and approximately $75 million of Yellow Pages Group debtors retained by Telecom. Telecom says the sale represents a significant outcome for its shareholders. It says it is looking forward to maintaining a close relationship with the new owners.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

National Nearly Ten Points Ahead Of Labour In Poll

The latest political poll has seen support for Labour slip, while National holds steady nearly ten points ahead. The TVNZ Colmar Brunton poll on the party vote shows National with 46 percent support and Labour with 37 percent, having lost two points on last month's poll. The Labour leader, Helen Clark, retains 32 percent support as preferred Prime Minister, but National's leader John Key has closed in by two points, to 29 percent. In other party vote polling the Greens are unchanged on 7 percent, as is the Maori Party on 3 percent and New Zealand First on two percent. United Future and Act each rose one point to two percent.


© NewsRoom 2007

Asthma may be overdiagnosed

Ground breaking research suggests asthma may not be the national problem it is believed to be. Clinical trials at Middlemore, Green Lane, Christchurch and Dunedin Hospitals suggest some people are being treated for asthma when they may have another condition. Around 20 percent of the population has been diagnosed with the respiratory disease, which uses up to $80 million of the annual pharmaceutical budget. Jeff Garrett, clinical director of Medicine at Middlemore Hospital, says the tests suggests asthma could be being blamed for other inflammatory conditions which respond better to other medications. He hopes the results of trials will give researchers more direction in the field.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Labour loses ground despite plaudits

Prime Minister Helen Clark arrives back in New Zealand on Sunday evening from something of a diplomatic victory in the United States, but that appears to have had little pay off at home. The government has lost ground in the latest ONE News Colmar Brunton poll and National Party leader John Key is neck and neck with Clark as preferred prime minister. After an intense political month, National scored 46% as preferred party in the latest poll, well ahead of Labour on 37%. The Greens are in third place on 7% followed by the Maori Party on 3%. New Zealand First, Act and United Future all scored 2%.
Source:One News

Rare Jug Of Maori Head Up For Auction

A rare character jug in the image of a Maori man's head has come up for sale at an Auckland auction house. John Cordy Fine Art Auctioneers in Remuera says the jug was one of two prototypes produced in 1939, although only six of each were ever made. It says a similar jug sold last year for $65,000 and worldwide interest in this one means it is expected to sell for at least $40,000. Maori academics say thr rare character jug in the image of a Maori man's head could prompt protests when it comes up for auction in Auckland next month. A lecturer in Maori studies at Massey University, Huia Jahnke, says the head is considered sacred by Maori and the jug is likely to offend many people. A similar jug portraying a kuia, or old woman, on display at Porirua's Pataka museum, attracted criticism because the head is a sacred body part to Maori.
© NewsRoom 2007

NZ Support For UN Sanctions Against Iran

New Zealand's Trade Minister, Phil Goff, says the Government will implement sanctions included in the latest United Nation's resolution Iran as soon as possible. The UN Security Council has voted unanimously to tighten sanctions because of Iran's refusal to stop enriching uranium. The resolution, which followed weeks of negotiations, includes a ban on Iranian arms exports. Mr Goff says New Zealand is already enforcing sanctions imposed under an earlier resolution, which has been extended in this latest move.
© NewsRoom 2006

Overpaid your tax?

A new company is cashing in on New Zealanders' tax overpayments. Simple As Refunds has been set up in Auckland and in Mount Maunganui. Within ten minutes they say they can tell people whether or not they are owed money by Inland Revenue and therefore entitled to a tax refund. Shareholder Gregory Findlay says he has had overwhelming support for the idea. He says breaks in work, redundancies and other one-off events can often leave people confused about their tax position. Mr Findlay says the system offers a quick and easy alternative to hiring an accountant.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Alcohol danger ranks 5th

Alcohol has been ruled more dangerous than amphetamines in the latest ranking of the world's most dangerous substances. The chart puts heroin at the top of the list, alcohol at fifth, tobacco at ninth, and amphetamines at eighth place. It is the first time two legal drugs, alcohol and tobacco, have been included. Queensland University's Professor of Population Health Wayne Hall has welcomed the new rankings, saying they put the dangers of various drugs in perspective. He says it highlights the need for more time and money to be put into dealing with the harm they can cause.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Hard line on e-bullies

Tauranga police have sent a strong warning to young people over texting and messages on websites that cross the line. Police say messages of a bullying or threatening nature for example are against the law, with the Crimes Act amended to take in electronic communications. Head of Police Youth Services Nga Utanga says they are prosecuting five young people over such messages. He says the clear signal is that this kind of behaviour will not be tolerated. Mr Utanga says every time you send a text message, you leave an electronic fingerprint.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Clark lands biofuel deal in Washington

By COLIN ESPINER in Seattle - Sunday Star Times
Washington State has offered New Zealand access to new technology that turns animal waste into biofuel as part of a cooperation agreement on climate change. Prime Minister Helen Clark wrapped up her five-day visit to the United States in Seattle yesterday, visiting software giant Microsoft's headquarters and lunching with Washington state governor Christine Gregoire. While trade was the focus of Clark's meetings in Washington DC and Chicago, the prime minister talked climate change yesterday, saying there were similarities between what Washington state and New Zealand were trying to achieve. Both last month adopted new emissions reductions measures. And Gregoire said Washington was among US West Coast states working on a technology that converted waste from dairy farms to biofuel. "We are a large farming state just like New Zealand and we've got some interesting technology which we will share."

American climber killed by rock fall on Mt Sealy

An American woman was killed by a rock fall while climbing in Mt Cook National Park yesterday. She was Nina Lynne Creedman, 29, who had been living in Wellington for the past two years.
She was with three other members of the New Zealand Alpine Club from Wellington, descending after a successful climb of Mt Sealy, near Mt Cook. After she was hit by a rock fall her companions tried to revive her while another group of climbers nearby went back to the summit to use a cellphone to call for help. Constable Carl Pedersen, of Twizel police, said that by the time rescuers reached Ms Creedman she was already dead.
source:Sunday Star Times

Four Maori Academics Honoured

Four Maori academics have been honoured in the first national awards for outstanding Maori academic achievements. Maori Affairs Minister Parekura Horomia presented Professor Sidney Moko Mead and Professor Ranganui Walker with the inaugural Tohu o te maramatanga research excellence awards in Auckland on Friday night. The late professors Bruce Biggs and Sir Hugh Kawharu were also honoured, with the awards accepted by members of their whanau. A research awards programme, including fellowships, was also launched.
© NewsRoom 2007

Dunedin Butchery Claims Record Haggis

A Dunedin butchery is claiming a world record with a haggis weighing nearly 100 kilograms.
The haggis officially weighed in at 98.25 kilograms. It was made as part of a Dunedin festival to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the first frozen meat shipment to leave New Zealand for the United Kingdom. Mr Wilson says while it is not official, they do not know of anyone else producing a Haggis of that size.
© NewsRoom 2007

Counting starts in NSW

The polls have closed and counting has begun in the State election to decide who will govern New South Wales for the next four years. Opposition Leader Peter Debnam is hoping the response he has had on the streets today will help him beat the odds tonight. Premier Morris Iemma says his wife and children have been invaluable in helping him get through the campaign: Labor is well ahead in the opinion polls and is expected to comfortably retain its majority.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Fiji pleads for 'a chance'

Give us a chance' is the demand Fiji's interim government has made of the Pacific Forum. Last week the Forum called on Fiji to return to democracy within two years or sooner. But according to its submission to the Forum, Fiji believes rushing to democratic elections without addressing the underlying causes of last year's coup would be counterproductive. It asserts that Fiji's governance is warped by parochial ethnic politics, increasing corruption, and disorder. The interim government has written to both the Australian and New Zealand prime ministers asking for their support in helping Fiji towards democracy. The interim government says all Fiji desires and earnestly requests is that the two countries give it a fair go.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Packed Christchurch shelter puts down 85 cats

By JOHN HARTEVELT - The Press
Christchurch's animal shelter holds a record number of abandoned cats, resulting in 85 being euthanased. Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals shelter manager Geoff Sutton said the society was being forced to put down cats for which homes could not be found. He said 139 cats and kittens had been taken in by the shelter in the past three weeks. Homes had been found for 82, but 85 had been put down. Sutton said the failure of owners to desex their animals was behind the number of abandoned cats. "It's absolutely frustrating. The RSPCA has been hammering the desex message for 50 years," he said.

Academic to argue case for nuclear energy

New Zealand's reliance on hydro and geothermal energy sources could be short-sighted in the face of climate change, says a European energy expert. "Nuclear power on its own will not solve the problem of global warming – but the problem of global warming will not be solved unless nuclear power is in the equation," said Terry Wynn, a former member of the European Parliament. The visiting European-in-Residence at Auckland University 's recently-created Europe Institute, Mr Wynn plans a public lecture at the university on Monday on the pros and cons of nuclear energy. Nuclear energy is one of the cleanest and most efficient power sources availabe and the world needs to "go nuclear" according to Mr Wynn, who will set out the reasons he considers nuclear power crucial to winning the fight against global warming. "While New Zealand is fortunate to have so much hydro and thermal energy, alternatives must be considered to cope with what happens when these resources run out," he said.
Source:NZPA

Price of Sultan's opulent former mansion slashed

An Auckland mansion once owned by the Sultan of Brunei has had its asking price slashed by $1 million after languishing on the market. Wairangi, in Herne Bay, was one of a number properties sold by the multibillionaire Sultan in 2005 and was put straight back on to the market by its new owner. The cliff-top house overlooking the Waitemata Harbour has since been vacant, and its price has now been cut from $10 million to $9 million, the New Zealand Herald reported today. However, any buyer might have to spend the difference to transform the interior, which Bayleys agent Patrick McCarthy conceded was not to everyone's taste. "It has a very European hotel feeling, very formal, not how a lot of New Zealanders would live," he said.
Source:NZPA

1,000 set to protest Therapeutic Medicines Bill

Around a thousand protestors are expected to gather in Auckland today to try to put a stop to legislation surrounding health supplements. The Government is currently considering establishing a Trans-Tasman agency to regulate supplementary products such as vitamins. The Therapeutic Medicines Bill is currently before Parliament. Concerned vitamin user Nicola Grace has organised a march through central Auckland today. She says all regulation of medicines and supplements will be done by an Australian corporation which is not answerable to us.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Dairy Owner Refuses To Sell Cigarettes

A New Plymouth dairy owner is refusing to cell cigarettes when she re-opens her shop tomorrow. Sandy Sharrock says smoking is a filthy, unhealthy habit, and the dairy has been troubled by break-ins and people stealing cigarettes. Ms Sharrock says she's not worried that the sale of tobacco products can account for up to 40 percent of turnover in dairies. She says she'll focus on selling traditional dairy products like ice-creams, milkshakes, pies and newspapers. Sandy Sharrock says she has been amazed at the positive feedback she's received today, but doesn't think other dairies will follow suit.
© NewsRoom 2007

Weapons of mass destruction on meeting agenda

Officials from 20 nations will be converging on Auckland next week to discuss deterring trafficking in weapons of mass destruction. The Proliferation Security Initiative is designed to foster international co-operation to prevent terrorists and rogue states from obtaining chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons. Defence Minister Phil Goff says discussions will cover recent developments, future exercises, and look at the PSI's future direction
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Cricket-Kiwis happy after strong win over Canada

NEW Zealand captain Stephen Fleming was happy to reflect on a highly successful opening campaign to the World Cup after his side wrapped up a 114-run win over Canada in their third and final Group C game. "It's been a good week, we're really happy," said Fleming, who contributed 66 to New Zealand's largest World Cup total of 363-5, to which Canada managed 249-9 in reply.

Aussie offers to help defrost NZ squid

An Australian professor has offered a giant microwave he made to New Zealand scientists pondering how best to defrost the world's largest squid. Nguyen Tran, a professor in microwave engineering at Melbourne's Swinburne University, said he'd made a machine large enough to take the 495kg colossal squid.
The giant beast was frozen soon after fishermen caught it in Antarctic waters in February. It remains on ice at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa in Wellington while researchers figure out the best way to unthaw it. If it was simply left to defrost at room temperature, it would rot on the outside before the core had unthawed.

Website predicts flooding

By JOHN HENZELL - The Press
An alarming website is giving New Zealanders the chance to see how their homes will be affected by rising sea levels – and the future is looking wet. With scientists accepting that the Greenland Ice Sheet is probably doomed and that the West Antarctic Ice Sheet might be too, a website created by British software programmer Alex Tingle allows Mainlanders to zoom in on their homes to see how sea-level rises, in 1m increments to a total of 14m, will affect them. Using the default depth of 7m, Christchurch's most expensive seaside real estate will be under water, the sea will be lapping in the Blenheim central business district, Abel Tasman sea kayakers will be able to launch in downtown Motueka, and almost everything west of Dee Street in Invercargill will be a potential new source of Bluff oysters. With a sea-level rise to 14m, Captain Cook will have been vindicated when he declared that Banks Peninsula was an island.
Click HERE to view the website

Bush says US can live with nuclear ban

By Audrey Young
The United States yesterday conceded that New Zealand's anti-nuclear policy is strongly supported by Kiwis - a tacit acknowledgment that America no longer seeks to change it. The concession was made by President George W. Bush behind closed doors in his formal talks with Prime Minister Helen Clark. It marks a turning point in the US-NZ relationship. Helen Clark left Washington last night positive about the reception she received on a free trade agreement from both Mr Bush and the United States Trade Representative Susan Schwab. After talks with the President, the PM raised the prospect of greater participation by the United Nations in Iraq, a hint that she may encourage such a move. The acknowledgment on the nuclear issue will not alter the fact that the United States still has sanctions against New Zealand, principally banning joint military exercises.

Groundsman who spray-painted pupil's car wins case

A college groundsman who spray-painted a student's car with road marking paint because he parked in front of a school gate has had his claim for unjustified dismissal upheld by the Employment Relations Authority on a technicality. Peter Bell, the former groundsman at Waikato's Cambridge High School, was fired last year after becoming incensed at finding a student's car parked across the gate to the school's playing field. He found out the car belonged to student Fabian Clarke, who had gone to Hamilton for a basketball game. He told the authority he was frustrated by vandalism at the school and "purposefully" set about spray-painting the student's car. Mr Clarke said he had to scrape the yellow paint off the windscreen with a razor blade so he could drive the car home that night.
Source:NZPA

Employee who browsed dating sites at work awarded $2k

An Air New Zealand employee fired after being caught spending up to a third of his working hours accessing internet sites, including dating and online chat services, was unjustifiably dismissed, the Employment Relations Authority has determined. However, the authority awarded Brian Crisp, who worked as a cargo training co-ordinator for Air New Zealand for more than 25 years before his dismissal in 2005, just $2000 in compensation, saying his behaviour significantly contributed to his dismissal. In its determination, released today, the authority said Air NZ management became concerned about Mr Crisp's internet usage in March 2005. A subsequent investigation found he spent between 20 and 30 percent of his work time on the internet, with the majority of sites visited for personal use.
Source:NZPA

Chicago Museum To Return Maori Bones To NZ

A Chicago museum has announced it will return the bones of 14 Maori to New Zealand. The Curator of Pacific Anthropology at the Field Museum of Natural History, John Terrell, told the prime minister of the decision when she visited the museum today. Dr Terrell says the museum has been considering returning the bones for the past two or three years but the board only made the final decision on Monday. He says it was decided to return the bones because the request from Te Papa in Wellington was genuine and sincere. There will be further discussions with Te Papa to finalise the details.
© NewsRoom 2006

Overseas Kiwis Get Break From Repaying Loans

A bill aimed at encouraging skilled New Zealanders living overseas to return home has passed its final reading in Parliament. The amendment to the Student Loan scheme brings in changes to rules around student loan repayments. Minister of Revenue, Peter Dunne, says one of the key changes is the three-year break from repayments while people are overseas. Interest will still be accumulated, but Mr Dunne says people will be left in a more manageable situation. The bill also extends an amnesty period for those who have fallen behind in payments. Mr Dunne says it also brings in a data matching system to make it much easier to keep track of people.
© NewsRoom 2007

Energy expert says nuclear power a must for NZ

An energy expert says New Zealand must consider nuclear power in the future if it wants to maintain its clean green image. Terry Wynn, who is also a former member of the European Parliament, is presenting a lecture in Auckland on the need for the world to go nuclear to secure the future of the planet. He says global warming will not be solved unless nuclear power is in the mix. Mr Wynn says the rest of the world is moving towards nuclear energy and New Zealand cannot discount it for the future when oil prices rise phenomenally. He says the country's reliance on hydro and geothermal energy could also be short-sighted in the face of climate change. Mr Wynn argues that nuclear energy is clean, green and the cheapest source of power.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Newspaper workers fighting for jobs

Workers at newspaper and magazine publisher APN are vowing to fight for their jobs. The publisher of the New Zealand Herald, The Listener and community papers is outsourcing sub-editing and page layout to PageMasters, a unit of Australian Associated Press based in Auckland. APN says the move reflects global trends in newspaper publishing and that news gathering activities will not be affected. Engineering Printing and Manufacturing Union secretary Andrew Little believes around 70 jobs will go which is bad for the newspapers and communities. The union says the proposal will have a major impact on the quality of news.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Quake rocks upper South

There has been a shaky start to the day at the top of the South Island, following a 4.7 magnitude earthquake. It struck at 5.17am and was located 40 kilometres south-east of Murchison, at a depth of 80 kilometres.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

NAC flies again

Air New Zealand's pre-cursor takes to the skies again today. The National Airways Corporation (NAC) began flying domestic routes 60 years ago and to commemorate the occasion a special flying tour has been organised. A DC3 is touring the regions. Beginning in Christchurch today, the flight is stopping off in Ashburton and is due to arrive in Timaru around 4pm. The plane will make its way to Auckland by March 30. The DC3 and a Dominie will also take part in a one day tour of Northland. Former staff, including hostesses and pilots will be on board.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

New Zealand PM says ties with US warm despite Iraq, nuclear divisions

New Zealand's Prime Minister Helen Clark said Tuesday that ties with the United States had improved after being strained over Wellington's refusal to join the US-led war in Iraq and differences over nuclear policy. "We have been talking more to each other rather than past each other, looking closely at where our interests coincide, and seeking to expand cooperation," she said after talks with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Clark said "this fresh approach" to the relationship had seen some "very positive" dialogue and cooperation," particularly on Pacific issues but also regional security, counterterrorism and nuclear non-proliferation. "New Zealand took a different position on the invasion of Iraq but we share the hope that peace and a better life will eventually prevail in that troubled land where so many Iraqis and Americans and others have died," she told a Washington forum. US President George W. Bush will welcome her for talks on Wednesday in her first White House visit since New Zealand, unlike near-neighbor Australia, refused to join the coalition which invaded Iraq in 2003. New Zealand also lost its status as a US ally in 1985 after banning visits by nuclear-powered or nuclear-armed warships.

Gas flows at Pohokura

The first offshore gas from the Pohokura field has started to flow, significantly increasing production, the field's operators said yesterday. Gas and condensate oil was flowing from the first of a planned six offshore wells, adding to three onshore production wells. A spokesman for the joint venture declined to detail, for commercial reasons, how much was being produced from the field, which is expected to produce around 40,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day. Pohokura, on the west coast of the North Island, has an estimated 750 petajoules of gas, and is being relied on as one of the main replacements for the diminishing Maui field.
Copyright ©2006, APN Holdings NZ Limited

Bluff oyster festival under threat

Southlanders are being warned they may face losing their iconic oyster festival. Organisers say it is costing them money to run and unless more locals turn up to the annual event it could even be moved north. The Bluff Oyster Festival is a popular event but lately not with the locals. Festival chairman Wayne Harpur says last year they had 2800 people attend and 2000 of those were from outside Southland. "The market will tell us, and if the market is picking up and the sponsors are now suggesting that they would like to run this in Auckland we'll have to listen to that," says Harpur. But despite strong promotion to northern cities, local leaders say they want to keep the iconic festival in the south.
Source:One News

Online Calculator Aims To Help Firms Over Holiday Pay

Help is on the way for firms struggling to figure out the right holiday leave entitlements for workers who do irregular hours. The Department of Labour has launched a new online calculator that can establish whether an employee is entitled to a paid public holiday and if so at what pay rate. Minister of Labour Ruth Dyson says many workers do irregular hours and that has created confusion for some firms. Ms Dyson says the new calculator will make it easier for them to work out whether a worker has a leave entitlement and at what rate they should be paid. Business New Zealand says it is just a Band-Aid and the Government should fix up the Holidays Act.
© NewsRoom 2007

Dunedin Hospital closes 2 wards due to bug

Dunedin Hospital has closed two of its wards, after a suspected Norovirus outbreak. Eleven staff and nine patients have been affected by a vomiting and diarrhoea bug which is highly infectious. Wards 8A and 8B were closed yesterday, and Medical Officer of Health Dr John Holmes says they will hopefully be reopened by the end of the week. He says isolating the illness is the best way to prevent its spread.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Man has abdomen pierced in stingray attack

There has been a stingray attack off the coast of Central Hawke's Bay leaving a diver with a pierced abdomen. At about 10 o'clock, ambulance staff were called to Blackhead Point where a Hastings man, diving for crayfish with friends and family, was stung by a ray. Constable John Singer says the man told officers there were a number of rays in the area which swam off as he approached. One struck as he swam over some seaweed. Constable Singer says the man surfaced looking very pale and in a lot of pain. The man was lifted onto the boat, taken ashore and taken to a nearby airstrip by ambulance officers where he was picked up by Rescue Helicopter.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Disabled workers get equal rights

Disabled workers now have the same rights as their fully able colleagues. Parliament has passed the Disabled Persons Employment Promotion Bill. Disability Issues Minister Ruth Dyson says the law means disabled workers will now be valued for what they can do, rather than being defined by the place in which they work. She says it means all sheltered workshops will have to pay everyone they employ at least the minimum wage, and employees will have access to holiday and sick leave entitlements. However, the law does provide exemptions in cases of workers who are significantly and demonstrably limited in their work.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Druids mark the old ways

The Stonehenge that took 1000 years to build has long drawn pagans and druids to celebrate solstice rituals, but Stonehenge Aotearoa has just had its first ancient druid-led ceremony. As the sun set last night at the Kiwi-style Stonehenge, built on a hill east of Carterton, druids from across New Zealand - along with Britain's Chief Druid, Phillip Carr-Gomm - gathered to be part of the ancient ceremony of Alban Elfed, the autumn equinox. "I have never been to Stonehenge Aotearoa and I am very excited at the prospect and, of course, to participate in the spiritually significant autumn equinox ceremony with so many druids of Aotearoa," Mr Carr-Gomm said before the gathering. Druidry is an ancient practice, often shrouded in mystery. Last night's ceremony was a fairly closed-shop affair, with just 50 tickets pre-sold to people outside the druids' circle.
Source:Dominion Post

It’s Official: Colossal Squid The Heaviest

The colossal squid caught by New Zealand fishermen in Antarctic waters last month, is officially the largest ever caught, weighing in at 495 kilograms. The squid is being kept at Te Papa and scientists are now trying to figure out how to defrost the massive creature, and may use some sort of giant microwave oven. Squid expert Steve O'Shea says it is 195 kilograms heavier than the previous record holder - a 300 kilogram squid of the same species which was found in 2003. He says the squid is priceless to scientists, and would be worth many millions of dollars if it were insured.
© NewsRoom 2007

Play celebrates Plunket centenary

Playwright Roger Hall has teamed up with daughter Pip to produce a play celebrating a hundred years of parenting the kiwi way. The play Who Needs Sleep Anyway has been commissioned by Plunket to celebrate the organisation's centenary. It is described as being a contemporary story about parenting today which also tells the history of Plunket and founder Truby King. Ms Hall says the main objective is to give people a laugh and a good night out through a story they will be able to relate to. The narrator is a giant baby. The play premieres in Dunedin at the beginning of May and tours South Island centres before opening at Wellington's Downstage in July.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Junior doctors around the table again

Junior doctors are about to enter a round of pay negotiations. After months of high profile negotiation and disruptive industrial action, a collective agreement was reached in November which gave 2,500 junior doctors a six percent pay rise. However, the deal expires at the end of June.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Clark Lobbies Democrats Over Free Trade

The Prime Minister has been lobbying senior Democrats in Washington as part of New Zealand's bid to start free trade talks with the United States. Helen Clark used her meeting with the Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and other senior Democrats to urge them to support the start of trade talks between the two countries. Miss Clark pointed out to Democrat politicians that New Zealand upholds labour and environmental standards, issues that have concerned the Democrats in other trade deals the US has negotiated.
© NewsRoom 2007

NZ doubles Australia's spam output

New Zealand is well known for producing huge quantities of milk, wool and lamb. But spam? A new report shows New Zealand is outproducing Australia two to one in the production of spam - of the email kind - a new report from security software producer Symantec has found. The just-released report found New Zealand generated about four per cent of all the spam from the Asia-Pacific/Japan region, compared with two per cent coming out of Australia. China was the main offender for the region, accounting for 37 per cent of all the spam generated, followed by South Korea with 21 per cent. New Zealand was the fifth biggest offender for the region. Of all internet "malicious activity" - such as viruses and worms - for the region, New Zealand contributed just one per cent to Australia's six per cent.

Opposition To Wind Farm Visual Impact

Opponents of a 37-turbine wind farm proposed to be built on Te Waka Range, west of Napier, say it will have significant adverse effects on the environment and the visual landscape. The Environment Court is considering evidence from three organisations including local iwi opposed to the wind farm. It would provide sufficient power for 50,000 households. Counsel for the Outstanding Landscape Preservation Society says the site is within an area considered an outstanding natural landscape. Mathew McClelland says the turbines will dominate and disrupt the visual landscape and compromise the range's integrity.
© NewsRoom 2006

Dame Kiri wins Farnham knickers lawsuit

By Lisa Allan
SYDNEY - Opera star Dame Kiri Te Kanawa has won a lawsuit filed against her after she refused to perform with Australian singer John Farnham. The New Zealand born soprano pulled out of a series of concerts with the Australian pop singer in 2005 after watching a DVD of Farnham in concert in which female fans threw underwear at the stage. Leading Edge Events sued Dame Kiri, her company, her former agent Nick Grace and his company for breach of contract, breach of contractual warranty equities and misleading conduct. The promoter had sought up to A$2 million ($2.3 million) in compensation - A$600,000 plus 25 per cent of the shows' potential profits. But NSW Supreme Court Justice Patricia Bergin today ruled against Leading Edge, finding it failed to establish its claims against Dame Kiri. Dame Kiri last month told the Supreme Court she pulled out of the concerts because she thought it was shocking female fans threw knickers at Farnham

Cricket-Kiwis into Super 8s with Kenya win

New Zealand advanced to the Super 8s on Tuesday, with Ross Taylor's 85 leading the Black Caps to their highest World Cup total in a 148-run win over Kenya. Taylor struggled late in his innings with a hamstring strain and needed a runner. He did not field. Skipper Stephen Fleming (60), Scott Styris (63) and Craig McMillan (71 from 48 balls) also contributed half centuries to help New Zealand to 331 for seven. Kenya was dismissed for 183 in the last over, with recalled pace bowler Michael Mason taking 2-29 and James Franklin 2-20 for New Zealand. Having secured four points against its two main rivals, New Zealand can now take it easy in its final group game against Canada on Thursday--a match Taylor will be rested for, a team spokesman said.

Dalai Lama to visit NZ in June

The Dalai Lama will visit Auckland and Wellington in June. He will speak on "Compassion and Kindness" on June 17 and will teach on "The Four Noble Truths" on June 18, both at the Vector Arena in Auckland. In Wellington on June 19 he will speak on "A Human Approach to World Peace" at the TSB Bank Arena. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster and Ticketek.
Source:NZPA

'McJob' definition doesn't apply to NZ - McDonald's

McDonald's is mounting a new campaign against "demeaning" dictionary definitions of "McJob". The Associated Press reported today that the world's largest fast food company plans to launch a campaign in the United Kingdom to get that country's dictionary houses to change references to McJob. The Oxford English Dictionary, considered by many wordsmiths as the gold standard for the English language, is one of those that will be targeted. It defines the noun as "an unstimulating, low-paid job with few prospects, especially one created by the expansion of the service sector". But McDonald's NZ communications manager Joanna Redfern-Hardisty said today the definition was not applicable to the New Zealand market. "Our country manager started as a crew person on his 15th birthday and six out of our eight senior team started from rank at the restaurant." Ms Redfern-Hardisty told NZPA that that proved it was not a dead-end job outlet.
Source:NZPA

Poor countries suffering as NZ takes health staff

The Nurses Organisation claims New Zealand is relying too much on overseas-trained nurses and is draining the supply of staff for poorer countries. Chief executive Geoff Annals says about 20 percent of the nursing workforce comes from overseas, mostly from Britain and the situation is contributing to a healthcare crisis in developing countries by drawing on resources that ultimately flow out of those struggling nations. Mr Annals says New Zealand must do more to ensure it supplies as many healthcare professionals to the worldwide talent pool as it takes from it. He says New Zealand agreed at a World Health Organisation meeting to strengthen the global nursing and midwifery workforce.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Pacific instability on Clark/Rice agenda

Prime Minister Helen Clark has begun her round of talks in Washington DC. Instability in the Pacific was on the agenda during discussions with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Miss Clark went straight on from the meeting to a lunch with the Asia Society where she talked about New Zealand's relationship with the United States. She says during the 1980s, it became defined by what the countries disagreed on rather than common interests, but she believes New Zealand and America now talk more to each other, rather than past each other.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Economy on shaky grounds says forecaster

Independent think tank Berl says New Zealand's economic growth scenario has moved from a sound outlook to one where the foundations are looking increasingly insecure. The group has released its latest forecast. Chief Economist Ganesh Nana says the cycle of business investment appears to have peaked and growth now relies on the two shaky pillars of exports and public sector investment. He says the high exchange rate and cost inflation in the construction sector blowing the budgets of some projects are also problems. Dr Nana says there is concern business investment has fallen away and is unlikely to recover in the foreseeable future given the outlook for interest rates signaled by the Reserve Bank. He says it would be unwise to depend on any government remaining committed to its investment programme in such a situation.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Baby walker seller fined

A Christchurch trader has been fined $10,000 for selling unsafe baby walkers. A complaint was made about Insight Infotech Ltd, trading as Azaks, when one of its walkers collapsed with a baby in it. The seller tried to fix the problem with a piece of string. Commerce Commission Director of Fair Trading Deborah Battell says the commission carried out its own test which found the walker structurally weak with the seat detaching from its mount. An investigation to locate the importer of the baby walkers is ongoing.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Maori Party bemoans latest education figures

Maori education figures are raising the hackles of the Maori Party. While the number of Maori leaving school with no qualification has fallen when compared with 2001, the figure is still almost 40 percent. Maori Party Co-Leader Pita Sharples says for 40 years Maori have been trying to get the Government to improve the system but the disparities still exist. He says two years ago over half of Maori boys in school left without level one NCEA and that is terrible. Dr Sharples says the Government seems unprepared to go out beyond the existing playing field to help produce better education options for Maori
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Prospect of armed guards on NZ flights unlikely - Minister

The Government does not see a need for armed air marshals to patrol New Zealand flights, but has introduced legislation to allow them for the benefit of other countries. Transport Safety Minister Harry Duynhoven said the Government had introduced the Aviation Security Legislation Bill in case other countries wanted their aircraft to have security officers on board, he said. Parliament is due to start debating the legislation today. The bill's explanatory note says that it is not current Government policy to deploy armed staff on planes in New Zealand, but the bill would allow Cabinet to make it legal in the future through an Order in Council. An Order in Council is the way Cabinet executes powers given to it by Parliament. Mr Duynhoven said the Government did not envisage putting armed security officers on planes in New Zealand.
Source:NZPA

Liquor may soon carry warnings for pregnant women

Alcohol may soon carry labels warning women of the dangers of drinking while pregnant or planning pregnancy - but the wine industry says they are a waste of time. The Alcohol Advisory Council (Alac) lodged an application with Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) last February for the labels to be mandatory on beer, wine and spirit bottles, and expect a decision to be made in May. Alac deputy chief executive Sandra Kirby said the message for pregnant women and those trying to conceive to steer clear of alcohol was a move they had pushed for nearly a decade. The process for approval of the application was complicated as all Australian Federal States as well as the New Zealand Government had to back the call for warning labels. Last year the Ministry of Health issued guidelines that recommended zero intake of alcohol for pregnant women.
Source:NZPA

TVNZ makes videos available online

Keeping up with the digital age, about 300 videos from 100 Television New Zealand shows are available online from today. TVNZ Ondemand users can catch up on news and current affairs, or opt for programmes ranging from Shortland Street and Treasure Island to classics from the TVNZ archives. There is a mix of streamed clips and downloadable shows - some are free while others need to be paid for.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Signs That Migration Is Easing

Official figures show a seasonally adjusted gain of 500 long-term and permanent migrants in February, an increase on the previous month's 410. But the rate of growth appears to be slowing, with annual gains easing for the third consecutive month to over 13,000. Meanwhile, the number of short-term visitors rose 6 percent to 268,000 in February. For the year, tourist numbers stood at a record monthly high of 2.43 million visitors. The average length of stay was 22 days, compared with 23 days a year ago.
© NewsRoom 2007

Protesters Mark Anniversary Of Iraq Invasion

About 200 protesters have gathered on the steps of Parliament to commemorate the American-led invasion of Iraq four years ago. The rally was organised by Peace Action Wellington. Spokesperson Valerie Morse says hundreds of thousands of Iraqis have been killed in the past four years. Ms Morse says the United States and its allies have brought horror to every corner of Iraq. She says Prime Minister Helen Clark should voice New Zealand's opposition to the war when she meets US President George Bush on Thursday (NZ time).
© NewsRoom 2007

Passengers have rights when bumped off

Air New Zealand and Qantas are being accused of using out-of-date legislation in their terms and conditions of travel. Consumer Affairs Minister Judith Tizard says domestic passengers who are bumped off flights or whose journeys have been delayed may think there is nothing they can do about it, but she believes airlines are liable to pay compensation of 10 times the price of a passenger's ticket, or meet the actual cost of the delay. Ms Tizard claims Air New Zealand and Qantas need to update their policies in regard to the issue.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Businesses urged to look further afield

New Zealand businesses are being urged to look beyond the Tasman and be more energetic about opportunities abroad. Around 150 delegates attended the Opportunity UK Trade and Investment Summit in Auckland, which aims to encourage companies to set up in the United Kingdom. The keynote address was given by His Royal Highness, the Duke of York who is Britain's Special Representative for International Trade and Investment. Prince Andrew says the rationale for introducing foreign investment is that it brings even more competition into the market which improves the overall product in the global market place. He says Britain and New Zealand have a shared heritage and it is wise to capitalise on that.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Less wine after cold Christmas

Winemakers are more worried about the quantity rather than the quality of their wine after a colder than usual summer. Kim Rayner, owner of Torlesse wines north of Christchurch, says the wine harvest gets underway at the end of the month and the cold and miserable weather experienced in December has resulted in smaller grapes than usual. He believes the quality of wines should not be affected, but the quantity of some varieties will not be as plentiful as usual.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Fire ban on Gisborne-East Coast region

A total fire ban has been slapped on the Gisborne - East Coast region. The Fire Service and Rural Fire have been dealing with a run of scrub fires around the region over the past three or four days. The ban will remain in force until the region gets substantial rain. Gisborne has had only a couple of millimetres so far this month and the rest of the region not much more.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

The end is nigh for 025 mobile phones

Telecom is warning it's remaining 025 customers that their days are numbered. The 025 network will be closed down on March the 31st at 6pm. The company announced back in 2004 that it would be encouraging people to sign up to 027 phones. So far more than 200 thousand people have switched over. Those who fail to make the change by the deadline are being told they will not be guaranteed the same number if they do change to the 027 network at a later date and they will also miss out on the free re-direct service from the 025 network.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Wellington City Council going mobile

It seems more businesses are giving up their land lines in favour of cell phones. The Wellington City Council is the latest to join Vodafone's mobile vision. It is in the process of implementing a scheme to get rid of about a third of its land lines in favour of cell phones. Vodafone spokesman Paul Breslyn says the concept is working for businesses of all sizes and even individual home owners are embracing the move to wireless connections. He says it is a financially viable alternative to paying both land line rental and cell phone bills.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

PM flies out to USA tonight

Helen Clark leaves for Washington later today for an official visit to the White House expected to be dominated by trade. The prime minister says the focus will be on the Doha round of world trade talks, rather than trying to secure a bilateral deal with the US. Miss Clark says the meeting will touch on efforts to secure a free trade deal. She says it is something New Zealand has been chasing for some time, but whether it will happen under the current administration is anybody's guess. Helen Clark's key meetings will be with President George W Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Westport clean up after weekend rain

The clean up in Westport continues today after torrential rain in the weekend triggered the town's worst flood in 25 years. That is a far cry from a year ago when residents were being urged to conserve water after dry weather saw the town's water supply drop to its lowest level in two decades. Serious surface flooding closed roads and highways on Saturday, while some streets were shut to prevent wash from passing cars getting under houses.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Fisherman lost after Earthrace collision

New Zealand trimaran Earthrace has collided with a fishing boat in Guatemala. One fisherman is lost presumed drowned, while a person onboard Earthrace has been injured. The incident happened overnight as it was on its way to San Jose, as part of an aim to set a round the world power boat record in a bio-diesel vessel. Crew on board say they are safe, and are focussing on assisting one injured fisherman who is on their vessel. They are currently heading towards a Guatemalan military boat, which will provide help to the injured man. Earthrace skipper Pete Bethune jumped into the water to try to save the fisherman who is thought to have drowned. A third fisherman was also rescued. Crew on board the bio-diesel powered trimaran are aiming to set a round the world power boat record.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Winston heads to Sth America

South America is the latest diplomatic destination for our Foreign Minister Winston Peters. He leaves tomorrow for a two week visit to Brazil, Uruguay, and Argentina - the aim is to build closer political, economic, and personal links with the region. Mr Peters will also visit sites in Uruguay commemorating New Zealand's World War Two involvement in the Battle of the River Plate and the subsequent scuttling of the German battleship "Graf Spee".
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Guns fire over Duke's visit

A 21-gun salute has reverberated across Auckland's Waitemata Harbour in honour of a visit by His Royal Highness, the Duke of York. The Queen's second son has spent the morning at the Devonport Naval Base where he was met by dignitaries. After receiving a 100-man royal guard the Duke's party has moved to the navy marae for a powhiri and wiro. A meet and greet with navy personnel is also on the duke's agenda, followed by a special lunch hosted by the Navy Chief Rear Admiral David Ledson.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Bankruptcies hit 8-year high

By ROB STOCK and KAREN ARNOLD - Sunday Star Times
Bankruptcies have reached an eight-year high and experts are warning people to reduce their personal debt. In the first eight months of this financial year, 2380 people have become bankrupt, a 22 per cent rise on the same period last year. Until this year, bankruptcies have been rising by only a few percentage points each year. The five main causes of people going broke are job loss, excessive use of credit, relationship breakdown, ill health and a lack of health insurance and decisions to stand as guarantor for someone else's loan or business venture. Business commentator Rod Oram said people had been pushing their luck for a long time and warned bankruptcy rates would accelerate should there be a severe recession and unemployment. "It's time to start reducing debt now."

SOS call for languages

By LEIGH VAN DER STOEP - Sunday Star Times
The Human Rights Commission is calling for a plan to make "endangered" Pacific Island languages relevant to New Zealanders. Unless something is done, Niuean, Cook Island Maori and Tokelauan could die out in New Zealand within 10 years, the commission said. Race relations adviser Samuelu Sefuiva said the Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs' $600,000 for preserving the languages was not enough. Otago University's School of Maori, Pacific and Indigenous Studies Professor John Moorfield said Pacific language schools must be established, Pacific print media encouraged and government support was needed.

Large hail in Christchurch

A southerly front is hitting Christchurch and surrounding areas with a vengeance and MetService is warning large hail stones may be on the way. The front started moving across the city shortly after 1pm and Christchurch is now experiencing a severe thunderstorm. Hail has already been reported in Lincoln and some Christchurch suburbs. Weather expert Richard Green says a MetService warning of large hail is unusual and it may be wise for people to move cars in out of the weather to avoid damage.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Frigate Canterbury Preparing For Sinking

The old navy frigate HMS Canterbury has become a tourist attraction in the Bay of Islands months before it is due to be sunk as a dive wreck. The ship was towed to from Auckland to Opua last month and is now being stripped and cleaned in preparation for sinking in October. Kelly Weeds, from the Canterbury Charitable Trust, says visitors and community groups are queuing up to be shown over the Canterbury. He predicts there will be mixed emotions when it is finally sunk. Mr Weeds says the Canterbury will be open to the public at Easter, in exchange for a gold coin donation towards the project.
© NewsRoom 2007

SPCA pet walk encourages exercise

While thousands of Aucklanders will be pounding the pavement for the annual Round the Bays fun run this morning our four-legged friends and their owners are being encouraged to do the same.
The SPCA has planned a big gathering of dog owners and their pets in what is being billed as "a million paws walk". Chief executive Bob Kerridge says the objective is the same, to get people out exercising. He says it is designed for those people who feel the Round the Bays is too strenuous. The million paws walk is being held at Montececilia Park in Hillsborough. Mr Kerridge says whether they will get a million paws is debatable, bearing in mind there are four paws per animal, but he will have a calculator in action.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Auckland fun run will attract 75,000

Thousands will skip the leisurely brunch and latte in Auckland this morning as they take to the streets for charity. Around 75,000 are expected to line up for this morning's Round the Bays fun run. The annual event has been running since 1972 and is rated one of the largest fun runs in the world. Event organiser David Kemeys hopes about $200,000 will be raised for four children's charities this morning.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Clocks go back tonight

Daylight saving ends tonight as New Zealand returns to standard time for the winter months. Clocks go back one hour at 3am Sunday. While most enjoy an extra hour of sleep, those working shifts through the night stay on the job that much longer. The US has moved to start daylight saving earlier this year, in a bid to save electricity, although a study says extended daylight saving increases rather than decreases energy consumption. California's Berkeley University says the saving on electricity use in the evenings is more than offset by increased usage in the mornings.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News